Shadowrun??

[JaronK]

Nanshork, in answer to your question: As far as I know, Cyber and Bio ware can exceed those limits. They're intended for your 'natural' ability, not enhanced. If I see anything that contradicts this, I'll let you know.

Cyber can, Bio can't.  Bio is counted as a natural increase to the stat in question, so it counts as being that stat for advancement of skills and stats.  A Strength 6 human can have Muscle Replacement 4 to be strength 10, but can't take Muscle Augmentation 4 to be strength 10 because the latter is Cyberware.  A Strength 4 Human with Muscle Replacement 2 who then tries to increase his strength with Karma pays as though going to Strength 5, because MR is cyber, but the same human with Muscle Augmentation 2 pays as if going to Strength 7, because MA is Bio.  However, that same human pays less to go from Edged Weapons 5 to 6, because he's considered to be strength 6 for all purposes if he's got MA, but pays extra if he had MR.  Make sense?

And now I'm sad I can't make a rediculous character with Mysterious Cyberware, Cranial Bomb, and Borrowed Time.  Hehe, I wonder what the mystery cyberware is!    Seriously though, I think I'll look at party makeup before deciding what to be.  I've got a few options.

JaronK

[Kari]

Thank you for the clarification, Jaron. I had forgotten about that.

[Nanshork]

Yeah Jaron, thanks!  It actually gives me a reason to go after bioware, if I can find some that will stack with the cyberware.

And I realize just how big race plays a part in social aspects, which is why asked about other considerations.   

[Generic_PC]

I'm looking at the magic...

What does the various levels, other than costing more karma, do for a character?

For reference, the levels are:

Full Magician (90)
Aspected Magician (60)
PhysAd (path of the Magician)(90)
PhysAd (75)

Also not magically active, but I don't want that. (also, I'm working through the book... slowly.)

[Nanshork]

I'm looking at the magic...

What does the various levels, other than costing more karma, do for a character?

For reference, the levels are:

Full Magician (90)
Aspected Magician (60)
PhysAd (path of the Magician)(90)
PhysAd (75)

Also not magically active, but I don't want that. (also, I'm working through the book... slowly.)

p.54-55 of the Core rules has an explanation of full and aspected magicians, as well as adepts.  That's as good as I can do you.

[Kari]

Yeah Jaron, thanks!  It actually gives me a reason to go after bioware, if I can find some that will stack with the cyberware.

And I realize just how big race plays a part in social aspects, which is why asked about other considerations.   

Many bits of cyber and bioware that do precisely the same thing don't stack. Muscle Replacement and Muscle Augmentation can't be used together, for example. (Except for the concerns in regard to raising skills, on average, I recommend the cyber version over the bio - it's cheaper, often does more, and can be upgraded to better grades later. There are still plenty of bioware bits that are very, VERY useful, however.)

I'm looking at the magic...

What does the various levels, other than costing more karma, do for a character?

For reference, the levels are:

Full Magician (90)
Aspected Magician (60)
PhysAd (path of the Magician)(90)
PhysAd (75)

Also not magically active, but I don't want that. (also, I'm working through the book... slowly.)

As Nanshork said, Full Magician, Aspected Magician, and PhysAd (Physical Adept) are explained in the core book. Basically, Physical Adepts use their abilites to enhance their bodies, instead of casting spells. Full Magicians are capable of all aspects of magic (except what Adepts do.) That is to say, they can cast spells, conjure spirits/elementals, astrally project, etc. Aspected Magicians are only capable of EITHER casting spells, OR conjuring spirits/elementals. They cannot do both. (They can still astrally project, however.)

PhysAds with Path of the Magician are an odd duck. They are primary set up for using Adept powers, but they are also capable of using those powers to buy spells instead. They're a very odd hybrid that often is... well... hard to use properly. Not something I recommend for a starting player, honestly.

[Kuroimaken]

Sheet sent. Lemme know what you think.

[Generic_PC]

I'm still stumbling through NSCRG, but I thought I'd ask...

Are Flaws and Edges mandatory? I'm trying to avoid complicating things right now, so I'd love it if I could just skip them.

[Kari]

Upper right of the screen shows How many Attribute points spent / how many you have total. (That total may not be 425 - NSRCG reduces the total by your Race/Magic/Spell Points/Contacts, I believe.)

Flaws and Edges can be skipped.

[Kari]

Sheet sent. Lemme know what you think.

I've glanced at it, but that's all - I have to get ready for work, so I'll look at it again tomorrow.

[j0lt]

Alright, so I guess I'll go with a shooty face type character.  I'm trying to figure out the character generator, but not having any of the books makes it a little confusing.  I may just go with that Amnesia option... 

[Generic_PC]

I'm wrestling with this damn character generator, but I think I'm winning. I've decided that specializing in Sorcery (Spellcasting) and Conjuring (Summoning) seemed like a good idea.

What is enchanting and divining for? I don't see them in the 3e Core book.

Also, I've got pistols 4 and thats... it. Recommended skills?

[JaronK]

Full Magician (90)
Aspected Magician (60)
PhysAd (path of the Magician)(90)
PhysAd (75)

As D&D equivalents, a full magician is a Cleric or Wizard.  An Aspected Magician is a Beguiler or Dread Necromancer.  A Physad Path of the Magician is a Monk/Cleric or Monk/Wizard hybrid.  A standard Physad is a Monk.

However, the power levels are pretty close.  In terms of what they actually do, a full magician can cast all kinds of spells, astrally project, and summon spirits.  An Aspected Magician can do a limited subset of those (for example, an Aspected Cat Shaman can only cast illusions and summon city spirits) and can't astrally project (IIRC).  A Physad Magician can do everything except go astral, but also gets limited adept powers.  A standard physad only gets adept powers, which are basically internal magic that's almost always on.

A Physad would be someone with superhuman abilities that aren't obviously magic spells... someone who's inhumanly good at shooting, for example.  Functionally, they're specialists who are very good at one or two things and not great at much else.

JaronK

[JaronK]

I'm wrestling with this damn character generator, but I think I'm winning. I've decided that specializing in Sorcery (Spellcasting) and Conjuring (Summoning) seemed like a good idea.

It's not a bad idea, though I never do.  Being good in Astral combat (which is Sorcery) is certainly nice, and spell research can default to Sorcery.  But specializing Conjuring to Summoning seems wise, as Banishing is pretty worthless (Stunbolt beats banishment any day).

What is enchanting and divining for? I don't see them in the 3e Core book.

See Magic in the Shadows.  Enchanting is for making your own magical gear (which is very expensive and time consuming) and Divining, like Centering, is used with the associated metamagic techniques.  Neither skill is useful without those.

Also, I've got pistols 4 and thats... it. Recommended skills?

It's often useful to have a melee skill in case someone closes range on you... I like whips because they're concealable and based off quickness, which a mage needs more than strength (for wearing armor, reaction, and combat pool).  Also, reach is king in melee, so whips are great defensive weapons.  Plus, Monowhips are awesome for low strength characters if you can get your hands on one, and make incredible weapon foci in the long run.  Furthermore, riot shields are amazing if you have a reach 2 weapon and enough quickness to use them (and don't need to be using concealable items).  Assensing is nice for getting better intel on targets, though a high Int score can handle that.  And if you plan on buying anything, Ettiquette is your friend... plus it's good for talking to spirits.  Don't piss those off!  Also, somebody in the party should be able to negotiate.  Small Unit Tactics is incredibly useful (see Man and Machine or Cannon Compendium for the uses of that skill) if it fits your character. 

I think I'm probably going to go with Antonio, my cat shaman.  I admit he's terrified a few DMs with his use of the most powerful spell in existance (Fashion Force 6 for the win!).  But darn it, he's just fun to play... and kicking ass with a dead sexy fashionable bastard is always amusing.  I'm using him (much advanced) in a live game right now.

JaronK

[Generic_PC]

I was wondering, exactly how do flaws work? I was looking through the list...

I was thinking about taking Complusive (light) for something like mild OCD or ADD or something. I'unno. Do I have to balance out the -1 with a +1 from Edges?

As far as skills go, do you recommend taking Divining? Is metamagic really nice? I'll grab Etiquette (for those... spirits?) and Negotiation (also for buying things), and maybe put a couple points in computers (because if everything is computers, then basic knowledge seems good...)

I'll also check out the weapons and make a more educated decision about a melee weapon skill.

I have no idea where to start on Knowledge and Language skills, but for language, I'd like to know where we are starting out, so I can get a general idea. Assuming it's relativly similar, at least.

Also, contacts. Based on the two sample characters the book creates (the Elf CovertOps and the Troll Combat Mage) there are a couple different types. Could someone elaborate on a few of them? Also, Kari, are there any campaign specific types? (From the book I've read so far, a fixer, who gets assignments, seems useful, as does one of the trolls contacts, the magic-making guy.)

[JaronK]

I was wondering, exactly how do flaws work? I was looking through the list...

Basically, the sum of your edges and flaws should equal 0. 

I was thinking about taking Complusive (light) for something like mild OCD or ADD or something. I'unno. Do I have to balance out the -1 with a +1 from Edges?

That's the usual way.  There's a more complex method (where you can pay for the edges with karma) but that's probably not a great idea anyway.

As far as skills go, do you recommend taking Divining? Is metamagic really nice? I'll grab Etiquette (for those... spirits?) and Negotiation (also for buying things), and maybe put a couple points in computers (because if everything is computers, then basic knowledge seems good...)

Since the DM has said you can't initiate at Chargen, you can't use divining anyway.  Note that in Shadowrun, you don't need ranks to be good at something... if you have an Int of 6, you're decent at Computers anyway.  Having the skill means you're actually trained in it (so, you're a hacker or computer technician or something). 

Also, contacts. Based on the two sample characters the book creates (the Elf CovertOps and the Troll Combat Mage) there are a couple different types. Could someone elaborate on a few of them? Also, Kari, are there any campaign specific types? (From the book I've read so far, a fixer, who gets assignments, seems useful, as does one of the trolls contacts, the magic-making guy.)

Go nuts, make some up?  The ones I have in my current face to face game are my character's mother (a powerful native american shaman who thinks he's squandering his life and thus won't help him most of the time), a talismonger he gets his toys from, and a fellow partygoer who knows where all the secret parties are.  I've also got the head of Novatech as a contact after a particularly monty haul session with a newbie DM.  That's probably not available to new characters.

JaronK

[Nanshork]

Are there any restrictions for legality for starting equipment?

Edit: Another question.  Do I need to familiarize myself with Bioware and Cyberware Stress level rules?  If so, could I get a brief rundown?

[Generic_PC]

Ok, a minor flaw isn't worth scrolling through the edge list for something rated at a +1.

I can't find assensing as a skill... I'm sure it would be in magic, but... (Or is it Aura Control?)

I think I'm doing good. I can't figure out how to actually get the spells tab open, but I'm assuming I just need to buy some spell materials and stuff.

How much should I be looking at for lifestyles? Do I need like 6 of them, or only 1 or 2?

Also, any recommendations for spells I should get? I don't quite understand the spell system, but that's probably just tired brain.

Another question: Can I leave spell points unused at the end of character creation? Also, is there another way to get spell points after character creation is over?

[VennDygrem]

So Jaron, I assume since you're going with a cat shaman that you focus mainly on illusion and stealth? Is that how it works?

I've been developing a shaman myself, but probably quite different, so I won't be stepping on your toes too much.

[JaronK]

So Jaron, I assume since you're going with a cat shaman that you focus mainly on illusion and stealth? Is that how it works?

Not necessarily, though I was planning on having Improved Invisibility, Trid Phantasm, and maybe a low force Silence.  Honestly I end up using Fashion, Makeover, Healthy Glow, Extended Detect Enemies, and a wide variety of other spells... I just like the cat shaman idea.

I've been developing a shaman myself, but probably quite different, so I won't be stepping on your toes too much.

Don't worry about it.  Either you'll have a whole other specialty or we can work together in one area.  This isn't D&D... two characters with the same strengths actually work together great (for example, one shaman can invis two or three people before the sustaining spell penalties overwhelm him, so a second one with invisibility is very handy, and nothing follows up a Stunball blast quite as well as a second Stunball blast).  In fact, in my face to face game we have three cat shamen who all have very similar spell lists.

So, don't worry about it.

Oh, and the skill I meant was Aura Reading, which is used to Assense Auras.  You only need one lifestyle, but there are uses for multiples.  There's plenty of good spells out there, though I generally love Stunbolt and Stunball for combat (stunning people is often a lot better than killing them anyway, and the low drain is great.  You can't hurt vehicles that way but frankly mages have a lot of trouble with vehicles anyway).  You'll want those at Force 6 (since the drain code is so nice) but you don't need both (I run with just Stunball).  Improved Initiative +3 at Force 1 is cheap and effective (and if you learn quickening it's an obvious thing to quicken).  Likewise the other stat buffs are great if quickened, but the game is unlikely to run long enough for us to actually get metamagic... still, one mage casting Improve Willpower on another turns the second mage into quite a powerhouse.  Somebody needs Treat and/or Heal, as they're important (remember you can't do first aid after magic though, so medic before mage!  Speaking of which, do we have a medic?).  Really, there's lots of options... remember that it's a realistic game, and Shadowrun tends to be more about figuring out how to apply your tools than having the best tools.

JaronK