I was actually thinking of having a weapon focus (knife or katana) as a backup. I'm at work too, so I don't have any books with me. It will all depend on what I can squeeze out of 400 points.

Oh yeah, I forgot about weapon foci (given that you're an adept).
Like I said, I haven't made a lot of combat characters.
In any case, that all sounds cool. I'm more just curious about whatever combat stuff you'll be into (since we're supposed to know each other and work well together), I doubt it'll influence my decision making too much. So, as you brainstorm, feel free to clue me in, as appropriate.

The more I think about it, mystic adept might spread his powers out too thin. Maybe a full Lion Shaman with karate.

I'm not sure. it probably depends on what you intend to do with him.

An mystic adept will have to split his magic between adept powers (presumably to make yourself a supernaturally good warrior) and casting spells (presumably to also help make you a good warrior, maybe healing, potentially some non-combat utility spells).

Going with full shaman frees up the adept powers, part, but since you're losing whatever adept powers you were thinking of taking, you'll probably be spending resources to make up for them with spells (new spells, sustaining foci, etc) - whether those resources approach what you would have invested in being an adept depends on what the build looks like before and after.

To me, it would probably come down to what adept powers you were thinking about taking, and whether you were going to have the same level of magic, either way (since that's the big BP sink for adepts at chargen)

One adept power is definite, the very expensive Improved Reflexes II (3 magic). The spell to do the same thing has a very nasty drain value, and you need to sustain it.

Yes, but the 3 magic points you invest in the spellcasting version to get the same results apply to everything else you get with that (spirits, other spells such as ranged Combat spells, Levitate, Combat Reflexes, etc). A Force 3 sustaining focus doesn't cost all that much...

Yeah, I think you are right. Only 30,000 nuyen for the sustaining focus.

I haven't started yet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Lalz. Stuck trying to choose drones/vehicles, and cutting down my expenses. Sigh.

Yeah, I'm bogged down in equipment as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
Otherwise, I think he is coming along quite nicely.

Was I supposed to start already?

What's the deadline?

Don't think one was given.

That isn't necessarily a Good Thingâ„¢ where I am concerned. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The Deadline for Fortune is tomorrow noon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

In all serious I would like to see concepts by tomorrow, and full fledged characters the next day. The sooner we get characters the sooner we can start.

My character ended up being a full fledged shaman, no martial arts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) I'm playing a variation of my namesake, and Missions character Gray.

Nathan "Gray" Reynolds ==>Gray's Picture

Concept: Street Shaman (Lion Totem, Spirit Hunter)

Background:
I've always had a problem with technology, chummers. Even as a kid, all kinds of gizmos would occasionally just go haywire in my presence. You don't know how many alarm clocks, and school 'puters and such, my folks had to buy, because they always broke. Then I started seeing spirits. The local hermetic organization noted my potential, beginning to help me unlock my talents. I left my studies at the University of Pittsburgh's Veterinary school to study Magic. But all that mumbo jumbo didn't really sink in. I'm not really cut out for books and scrolls. One day, Lion spoke to me and showed me a different path. One not so cluttered by machines.

I drifted for a while in NAN, picking up new nuggets of truth, and attuning myself to the spirit realm. I discovered that I had a particular knack (with the strength of Lion) to banish malevolent spirits, and with my well rounded knowledge of paranormal critters, my gifts are often sought out among the shadows. And Spells. They took me a while to learn, but the intuitive nature of the Shamamnic Tradition came to me much more quickly than the arcane formulae of the Hermetic Tradition.

I ended up in the Redmond Barrens a few years ago. Running with a bad crowd of misfit shamans and street mages. They started messing with Toxic spirits. Me? I hate toxic spirits, unless you're talking moonshine or something, so I didn't hang around when they did their summonings. One day the whole lot of them got wiped during one of their rituals gone south. Then those toxic fraggers came after me!

I don't go back to The Rat's Nest or Glow City much anymore. I got me a little place in a Touristville, still in the Barrens, but at least there's not anarchy in the streets. It's not much, but it's a place to take off my boots, watch some trid, and my cat seems to like it.

Why do they call me Gray? Just look at my hair, chummer. How did it get that way? You don't really want to know.

Description:
Gray is 6'2", 30-something, human, lanky, and roguishly handsome with shoulder length prematurely gray-white hair, and a thin, black beard and steel blue eyes. He wears beaded native ornaments hanging from a chord on the right side of his face. He wears a leather shirt reminiscent of Davy Crockett, black slighty worn jeans and high leather biker boots. His worn, armored long coat bears the stylized image of a lion head on the back. He is fairly new to Seattle, but is streetwise, and knows his surroundings well. His magical contact is an Ork Talismonger named Dances With Weasels. His only other real friend in town is his on again, off again girlfriend, news reporter Katie Bauer, to whom he cannot even tell his real name. Gray loves animals, and is the owner of a 25 pound orange tomcat named Willis.

To most, Gray is a man of few words. He is a keen listener, and is very empathetic. Gray is driven more by passions, than logic, and will often have trouble backing down from a fight. He is highly protective of those he cares about, even more so than Lion demands. When he does open his mouth to speak, Gray is insightful and charming, with a side order of smart alec thrown in for good measure.

So, fresh back to Dumpshock and already your imagination is running wild. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Also, Shadow, how much of the team stuff did you want us to work out between ourselves ahead of time? Like, were you asking for runners that could work together and wanted us to make them together, or are we making runners who are part of an established team, and presumably know about one another? If it is the latter case, we can compare notes on contacts a bit, to further help our coverage - maybe elect a leader (the face/hacker/rigger?). It'll definitely help to know what spells we have at our disposal. That sort of stuff. Tying in backgrounds might be a good idea, too.

If you'd rather handle that during the beginning of play, that's cool too.

The more of that you do before game play, the more we can just focus on playing. I would like it if you were an established team before the game starts. You work together so go ahead an compare notes and if you guys can, apoint a leader. At least someone who does the talking for the team.

Huh. Well, I got my sheet almsot done, so here's the background. Heh, this chara is almost like my techo/face, except with edge. Good times. I need to play trolls or something...Anyway.

Uleso "Lyssius" d'Artragon

Concept: Ex-Corp Prince Face/Rigger/Hacker

Background:

You wanna know my story, chica? It ain't to odd, or anything, considering. Just the crash, scan? Yeah, my parents used to be bigwigs at Cross Applies, till the Crash happened. My mom, she was all Japanese and commitied seppuku over a loss of honor or some drek. My dad was caught in the trix during the Crash, and I haven't heard from him since. Not that I cared. Barely knew my parents, what with them working literally twenty eight hours a day, plus another ten tacked on somewhere.

I ain't gonna complain, though, s'not like I grew up in the Barrens, scan? Nah, Seattlite all my life, and I was a rich little sonuvaslitch. Decent life, boring. Never really got into shooting squatters fer fun, maybe that was part of the problem. Nah, I've always been an independant sort. Ain't too hard, things simply seem to work out for me. Like the Crash. Blessing in disguise, it was.

Cracked my trust fund a bit early, and an old friend of my dads took me in. He was a runner, and I bought some decent 'ware with my cred. Been running the shadows since then. Never looked back, and I haven't had one day of boredom. I'll give ya a call sometime, neh? Name's Lyssius.

OOC Background:

Uleso d'Artragon was born in 2048, to two high ranking Cross Applied Technologies execs. He had the basic corp prince life, luxury and intense boredom. Corp indoctrination never seemed to take hold, but he was still being primed for a top job. The Crash changed all that, eliminated his SIN, killed off his parents. His 'Uncle Travers,' a bioadept, took him in and taught him the ropes, and Uleso learned he liked nothing better than jumping into a drone or bike and letting loose, whether with bullets or speed, or both. He goes by the name 'Lyssius' now, seeing Uleso as dead skin he shed when the Crash struck.

Description:

Uleso is about 5'10, and lithly built. He has deep brown locks layered with deep green, and he has a California surfer tan. His features are a mix of white and Japanese, which combine into a handsome, clean cut face. He has a small goatee, dyed neon-purple, and AR sensitive piercings cover his face. His hair is a mixture of Neo-Otaku spiked styles along with a more traditional Beach Boy cut. He's moderately athletic, but no real muscle to speak of. Uleso doesn't handle pain well, both in the 'trix and the meat, bruising easily. He's a bit smarter than most people, but his main attribute is luck, which has let him coast the edges of Seattle's shadows for two years without dying or pissing someone off. He usually wears 'old-school Neopunk,' a style from the Fifties updated for 2070, involving losts of black and red, synthleather (real leather is too expensive to take care of), and buckles and chains, though he removes those whenever stealth is needed, but he isn't very stealthy.

Uleso is a smooth talker, and his knowledge of corporate politics and culture has won him quite a few friends on that circle. He's charming, and always seems to know what to say, or something always occurs for him to comment on. Uleso is polite, but likes a challenge. He's a bit afraid of pain, but usually represses that. However, he doesn't like to go 'hot' for that reason, perferring 'coldsim' unless he's rigging, where his thrill of 'being the machine' overrides his fears. Uleso is drawn by the natural 'glamour' of shadowrunning, and plans to move to LA after he gets a bit higher rep for himself in Seattle.

Oh, and are there vehicle upgrades or mods in Core anywhere? Or is that just in Arsenal?

For the most part, they are in arsenal, but some thing (such as weapon mounts and rigger adaptation) that were in core, have become vehicle modifications.

Well, I am finishing up my concept at work today, and hope to have it posted around lunch. I really like the two that have gone up, so far.

Gray has the following spells. I may drop Physical Mask or Levitate for Armor. Who needs Physical Mask when you're invisible? Gray does not carry a gun. And due to Gremlins, he has the cheapest comm on the market. The Gremlins part is loosely based on Harry Dresden, however Harry would use a gun, and Gray does not.

I have a possible connection to the Hacker before we started running together. Gray is a huge Steelers and Penguins fan, and he coud have set up a pirate Trid feed to the 2070 equivalent of Fox Sports Pittsburgh in Gray's apartment.

Spells (24 BP)
Powerbolt
Stunball
Improved Invisibility
Physical Mask
Increase Reflexes
Heal
Mana Barrier
Levitate

I second that Black, both concepts are very good. I look forward to seeing more.

I'm old and slack, and may not be able to keep up with the pace of this game. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

Okay, here is my first draft at a concept/description. I'm pretty open to modifications, still, so Shadow should feel free to let me know if anything sounds bad. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I can work on a background in the afternoon, and get the stats up tonight.

Anthony Marks (Aka Piece)

Piece usually dresses corporate-chic - smooth and elegant armored business attire, usually black, with a stylish and similarly expensive longcoat. However, rather than coming off as a cunning and successful corporate shark, his toned and muscular frame, and somewhat dull wit, give the impression of a high-paid bodyguard, or corporate goon, at best. Piece prefers to pack as much heat as the situation allows. Within his longcoat, it is not uncommon for him to have a half-dozen firearms concealed, but within easy reach. He always keeps at least two taser-guns on himself, except when circumstances forbid it.

He is a skilled in both close-combat and ranged, and has blended the two together in a flashy-theatrical style heavily influenced by Ares Firefighting techniques, and the swift efficient maneuvers borrowed from various Armed Forces. His style is very cinematic, perhaps deceptively so. He dances, rolls, and flips through combat, using broad sweeping kicks as well as whatever weapons he has on him (or can improvise from items laying around, nearby). In typical Firefight form, he usually fights with a pistol in each hand, but unlike many Firefight artists, he is as likely to pistol-whip an opponent as kick them. His firearms have all been modified and hardened, such that they could be used to deflect away an incoming blade, or strike with the barrel, without risking damage to the internal firing mechanisms. He prides his style on its adaptability in combat, and has trained in a wide range of hand-to-hand weapons as well as one-handed firearms. He considers himself a jack-of-all-blades and master-of-none - though what he lacks in experience he has made up for, in cyberware.

Like any good street-samurai, there isn't much of him left, anymore. He looks human, and unaugmented, from the outside, but, inside, he has been made stronger, faster, tougher, and all-around deadlier than any normal human - which is to say, that he meets the minimum requirements of any street-sam hoping to make it in Seattle's shadows.

Piece also drives a fairly nice car. The Hyundai Shin-Hyung matches his professional corporate look, but Piece has had it modified for use in the Shadows. The vehicle has a spoof-chip, that constantly changes its registration information, and is even able to change the license-plate and color of the vehicle to blend in, or evade pursuers. The tires are run-flat, and the GridLink has been overridden to allow the vehicle to draw power from the city, while ignoring the enforced speed and safety restrictions. The most important feature, however, is the shielded smuggling compartments installed within, housing Piece's collection of firearms and other weapons - so that they are always nearby, when needed. The vehicle sits four, comfortably, and Piece doesn't usually mind carting the team around, when they want to ride in style - but he prefers to drive the vehicle manually, and is as much of a daredevil and showoff on the road, as he is in combat. combat.

------------------

Crunch-wise, I will be making heavy use of the martial-arts and weapon modification rules (and a little of the vehicle modification rules) from Arsenal. I'd also like to make sure that Shadow is okay with the Katana being a one-handed weapon (despite the description saying two-handed). It's statisticly identical to the monofiliment longsword, and I always thought the No-Dachi (in Arsenal) was a two-handed katana. In any case, I can work around it, as necessary.

Also, another clarification. He will be using the two-handed fighting rules, and I wanted to double-check that Shadow's impression is that you have to "wield" two weapons (ie, that martial arts can't be used as both, or either, of the weapons in a two-weapon style). I'm okay with that, since, mechanically, it probably makes sense, but if Piece can elbow someone as easily as pistol-whip a guy, it would be good to know.