Basic Mage Tactics, Some newb questions Options

[Martin Silenus]

I've been lurking here for the last week or so as I've been twinking out a build for my first shadowrun game this weekend. I'm going to be playing a mage, and while I've gotten a decent feel for the mechanics, it's really not a substitute for experience with the system. I might be making false assumptions and/or missing rules.

So I have some questions. They're all crunchy. I do have a fun character underneath all the figures, but that's not the part I'm worried about.

1) I've tanked my reaction (1) stat, but cranked up my edge (5) and taken a respectable body (4). My plan is to first avoid combat (high charisma and/or manipulation spells), second end combat quickly, and third to limit damage with tactical movement and using edge on damage resistance and/or evasion tests. If I'm expecting a fight, I might shapechange into a big cat, which should beat wearing armor even after my GM nerfs it. (He will.) Is this a survivable strategy? Are there better shapechange forms for me outside the BBB?

2) I've run some simulations, and it looks like binding is hard, especially if it's not a specialty, and it seems like failing to bind burns the binding materials. To get the most of binding spirits of man (Health) on a budget, I think I need get the pool up to about 14, and even so stick to force 3-4 spirits. (Bleh.) I'm thinking I should re-summon until I get lucky with a lot of net hits, then when binding, I should be prepared to use edge to reroll misses if necessary. Sound strategy? Nerf-bait? Standard practice for any young mage on a budget?

3) Combat spell loadout. My offensive spells will be stunbolt, lightning bolt, mind control, mob mind. Are three any threats that I can't deal with with that mix?

4) Combat casting tactics. I'll typically have 15 drain dice, and 13 dice in my casting pool for combat spells and 15 for manipulation spells. How would you manage that pool?

5) Any other general tips that come to mind? W.r.t. build parameters, it's 400 BP, 2xCHA free contact points, and my GM is limiting character creation content to the main book (SR4A), but he let me build my own tradition.