[SR4] Adept? Magician? Both?

[CubeB]

So, I'm making a character for a Shadowrun 4th Edition Game, and I want a reasonably intelligent magical type, but the idea of a Troll Phys or Mystic Adept appeals to me. I just have no idea how to build one. I can only use core, and I'm kind of a nub when it comes to what I need. So... Any suggestions?

[Kalaska'Agathas]

What do you want to do with Magic? Even in Core you could build a Troll Adept Gunbunny or Street Sam, or a blasty type of troll, or a sneaky invisible caster type.

[CubeB]

What do you want to do with Magic? Even in Core you could build a Troll Adept Gunbunny or Street Sam, or a blasty type of troll, or a sneaky invisible caster type.

I dunno. Someone on Dumpshock pointed me toward the idea of a blasty troll type with a few utility spells.

There's a Combat Mage build in the archives Here (http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=20029&hl=builds) that's kind of interesting.

But I also like the idea of the superheroic Phys-Ad type. The guy who can punch people from across the room. (Or do wacky stuff with Bows?) At the same time, I don't like being extremely cybered up, but I can't find many Phys-Ad Troll Builds. Even the guy on Dumpshock said that an Ork PhysAd was more economical than a Troll PhysAd.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Yeah, Orks tend to be the optimal choice in SR4. I'm not terribly familiar with the Magic System yet (I'm new to the game) but if you're already on Dumpshock then you'll probably have better advice than I could give.

[DeltaEmil]

What is meant with core? Only the rulebook, or also essential supplementary like street magic, which does detail up awakened characters?

Mystic adepts by themselves are good, but do of course have the problem of having too many choices, making it difficult for most new players to achieve the right balance of cool adept-stuff with the superpowerful magician spells and spirit-mastery.

Sure, you might not be able to astrally project yourself, but that's not really a loss (depending on astral hazard and your gm's playstyle, it might even be a good thing).

Don't maximise stats at the beginning (unless you play a one-shot). When taking spells, stun- and energy-stuff are good combat-related spells, and of course healing-spells for patching up. Improved Invisibility is another theoretical must-have, try to gain the metamagic technic of masking your aura as fast as possible.

Summong and binding spirits is always good (in fact, I think of them as overpowered, but eh).

Also, never be afraid of taking cyberware. Reflex- and initiative-enhancement (and stuff that gives you more inititative passes) as well as cybereyes for the cost of one magic point is always a good bargain.

Being able to use a gun (with smart-link enhancement of course) shouldn't be neglected, and amongst adept powers, having pain and spell resistance helps for some tough situation.

[CubeB]

What is meant with core? Only the rulebook, or also essential supplementary like street magic, which does detail up awakened characters?

Mystic adepts by themselves are good, but do of course have the problem of having too many choices, making it difficult for most new players to achieve the right balance of cool adept-stuff with the superpowerful magician spells and spirit-mastery.

Sure, you might not be able to astrally project yourself, but that's not really a loss (depending on astral hazard and your gm's playstyle, it might even be a good thing).

Don't maximise stats at the beginning (unless you play a one-shot). When taking spells, stun- and energy-stuff are good combat-related spells, and of course healing-spells for patching up. Improved Invisibility is another theoretical must-have, try to gain the metamagic technic of masking your aura as fast as possible.

Summong and binding spirits is always good (in fact, I think of them as overpowered, but eh).

Also, never be afraid of taking cyberware. Reflex- and initiative-enhancement (and stuff that gives you more inititative passes) as well as cybereyes for the cost of one magic point is always a good bargain.

Being able to use a gun (with smart-link enhancement of course) shouldn't be neglected, and amongst adept powers, having pain and spell resistance helps for some tough situation.

The DM is new to the system, and told us that he didn't want us taking features from a ton of different books. Which... is awkward, considering that Street Magic, Arsenal, and Unwired are kind of... required...

[DeltaEmil]

That's understandable, as gms want to have a little bit of control, or at least want to be able to oversee all that potentially game-breaking stuff in the hope of those things not making it fun for everybody.

Aside from that, stick around with the general tips I gave you.

No maximizing, try to be really good at one thing, but don't suck at essential stuff like stealth and social moments. Have your character be okay at common sense, use technology when appropriate, have perhaps the magical tradition colour the personality of your adept.

Also important is to ask your gm about the magic level of the game.

It's no good if the gm throws around spirits and other supernatural stuff at the party that only you can save them all from (spirits are almost too nasty ruleswise), so try to work with him by making clear what's the magical level of your opposition is in the entire campaign, without being too overpowered yourself in comparison to them.
Or to say it with less words, you and your gm should make sure that it doesn't end in a magical arms-race that puts the other mundane characters at the side-ways.

[CubeB]

See, the issue is that I'm -really- easy to overwhelm, and I have no effing clue how to build a shadowrun character properly, because I've never been in combat before. I don't know what I have to do to keep an adept from dying.

[DeltaEmil]

What would you do in real life, when people with machine guns shoot at you?

Try not to get into fights. If you're in a fight, take cover. Behave smartly. Don't concentrate on the mage (that's only a noob thing to do in Shadowrun). Everybody's dangerous when he uses a smart-linked machine pistol and is pumping several dozen bullets aimed at your head.
Don't try to really use melee in a firefight unless you focused your character to be completely overwhelming, and even then, shooting is still superior to glorified fisticuffs in 9 out of 8 cases.

Have the dodge OR acrobatics skill (most use fancy prancing like a pony, so acrobatics it is) for dodging bullets. Don't be afraid to use a full-dodge action, where you can use twice your skill-pool at the cost of losing the next action, as you should have team members who can take out the opposition if necessary.

Flee. But don't leave team members behind, because with the forensic abilities of the sixth world, the corporations can find you. Make sure to not cause too much unwanted destruction or property damage that they will want to take you out for sure.

For how to deal with shadowrun combat and the rules in general, ask your gm if you could all do a simulation run with inevitable combat. Alternatively, there's a "module" called food fight that is explicitely meant for beginners to Shadowrun about the fighting rules. It's a shadowrun-classic, that can be found here:
http://www.shadowrun4.com/wordpress/2007/09/free-shadowrun-quick-start-rules-available/

[CubeB]

http://ge.tt/35Cu7yb

That's my prototype build. How's it look?