[Shadowrun 4e] Magician Building Assistance

[Nullmancer]

Here's what I've got so far.

1) His family kicked him out, ripped him of his ID, and left him somewhere in Downtown Tacoma. All because he knows magic.
2) I want to make him a summoner with an Ally Spirit...eventually.
3) The building system is as follows: Shadowrun Fourth Edition, 750 Karma, with one 16F item allowed.

I'm a fan of Final Fantasy, and want to make a futuristic summoner, but since I'm new to Shadowrun, I don't know where to start. I've googled everything from "guide" to "handbook" for information, but my luck wasn't enough. You guys got any tips?

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

- Get 4 ranks in the conjuring group.
- Get at least 4 ranks in counterspelling, because if you don't, your party will wreak terrible vengeance on you one day. If you're into spellcasting and ritual spellcasting, the related group includes it.
- Buy up Magic (to 5, possibly 6) and Edge (to whatever, just make it more than 2, you'll thank me later).
- Don't spend your starting points on spirit favors. Once you have a spirit summoned, you can bind it yourself.

- Choose a tradition that suits your character concept. Did he have to study hard and raise his Intelligence to get where he is, or does he command spirits mainly with his raw Charisma, or does he tune himself in to their world and get a more Intuitive understanding?
- Remember to check up on the Astral plane often. I'd recommend picking up some ranks in assensing to 'scan' spirits and auras, or else getting one of your spirit buddies to do it. If you're really good, you can spot the goon with bone lacing before he can ambush you.

- Look up the rules for Mentor Spirits. Each one gives you a bonus to summoning and binding one or two spirit types in addition to providing an extra little quirk for your character. Your mentor spirit probably gave you the moral support to get back on your feet after your family abandoned you.
- If you want to specialize in one kind of spirit in particular, you can split up the conjuring group and get another +2 bonus with a specialization in either summoning or binding.
- Similarly, you can use your expensive item allowance to get a fancy focus. There are Summoning and Binding foci, which are each keyed to a particular spirit type, and there are Power foci, which give their bonus to everything - even spellcasting - but are no help in resisting drain.

- Spirits of man are fun because you can optionally give them the ability to cast any one spell that you know. This means that even if you suck at spellcasting, you can always summon a spirit to cast and sustain a spell for you as a favor. (Incidentally, pay attention to the spell school/spirit type bindings. Any spirit can sustain a spell that you've cast as long as it's from the right school for your tradition, freeing you up to do... literally anything else.)
- Task spirits are fun because you can optionally give them any physical or technical active skill that doesn't involve the matrix. In the past, I have summoned no fewer than two Plumber spirits to great effect.
- Fire spirits are fun because they SET ALL OF THE THINGS ON FIRE. Nobody ever said you had to be super subtle with your first character.
- Another good, common spirit ability is Concealment, if your party is upset with you for not being super-subtle with your first character.

- Ask your GM about karma-binding. If she allows it, it lets you dedicate a bound spirit to a certain task for a year and a day in exchange for a little bit of karma. You can get really creative with that.

Do you have any more specific questions?