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View Full Version : Shadowrun 4e: Theoretical Summoning Optimization



Tokiko Mima
2010-03-26, 07:31 AM
Hi all!

I'm in a group where the GM is starting up a Shadowrun 4e campaign. He's asked everyone to roll up new character, but since I'm infamous for character optimizing, I have to turn mine in early. He expects me to go crazy with something wild, so he can turn it down on principle. :smallamused:

So, my tactic is going to be to create 2 characters. One is a reasonably standard summoning based Shaman (which I'll end up playing,) and the other I'm just going to see how crazy I can get since I know it'll be shot down. I was thinking Pixie Mage that immediately binds a few Force 12 spirits and uses the Spirit of Man's Innate Spell ability to do all sorcery related tasks, so I would just need to learn spells but never use the skills related to casting them.

How viable is this? Is there an even more impressive direction I could take with Shadowrun summoning? Any tricks I could use? The crazy character doesn't have to summon, but that's the part of the ruleset I'm more familiar with. It just has to be wild enough to trigger a GM's 'No way!' instinct.

Thanks in advance! :smallsmile:

DeltaEmil
2010-03-26, 07:46 AM
The spirit of man can only cast one spell that you give him in advance from your own spell-list. Every new spell would need a new spirit of man in this case.

Also, if you're being assinine in the usage of spirits, the GM is allowed per the rule to let all spirits get annoyed by your character or even hating you, and then do anything to harm you, starting from using their edge to resist any attempt at summoning or binding, to outright kill you once you lose control over them. And every other spirit will also focus their attacks on you, stalking you and making your life miserable, even go as far as tell other magicians that they want your pixy dead.

So, be cautious and moderate when using them.

Tokiko Mima
2010-03-26, 08:08 AM
Oh, I don't ever actually intend to play this character. I want to create him because my GM and group is curious about what a really cheesy Shadowrun character is like. They kinda expect me to build one, and what I have is the best I can do with my limited knowledge of the ruleset.

And for the using Spirits of Man, I wouldn't be using bound spirits to do that. Theoretically I'd be summoning them up with a Complex Action and using whatever services I could get to make them cast the spell over and over. This works better because it's easier to resist the Drain from summoning a spirit once (which is twice the hits on an opposed check, usually about 2/3rds the spirits Force) than it is to resist the Drain from a spell cast many times. I know I can only do this with a single spirit at a time.

Is there any spells I should try to get permanently cast, and how would I do that?

Tehnar
2010-03-26, 08:24 AM
A new FAQ (http://www.shadowrun4.com/resources/faq.shtml) came out, if clears up what spirits can and cannot do.

Also I don't really see how you can bind a force 12 spirit. Even if the DM doesn't use edge on the test, and you somehow manage to get more hits then the spirits DP of 24, you have to resist on average 16P damage.

Now there are lots of crazy things you can do in Shadowrun. Even if those characters are overpowered in some areas; usually that presents such a great BP investment that they can't do anything else. Examples include the vampire trolls in milspec armor (35+ soak dice + regeneration) , p0rnomancer (very high seduction DP).

And even then there are easy counters the DM has on his disposal, that will prevent such strategies.

DeltaEmil
2010-03-26, 08:26 AM
Cheesy is anything where you can squeeze 40-50 dices out for a single skill, like the infamous pornomancer, the ubergun-bunny, or the twink-mage.

Spirits won't like it if they have to cast the same spell again and again and will get drain from it, as that will inevitably lead to the bad relationship with spirits.

The spells that are always good are Heal, any of the attribute-increasing ones and increased reflexes as sustained spell, stun- and energy-spells of either variety, and of course improved invisibility, although this one can be substituded with the concealment ability of the spirits.