Shamans sustaining spells, Too debilitating? Options

[GentlemanLoser]

Hi All.

Has anyone had problems with Shamans sustaining spells? Well with mages sustianing spells, but hermatics have the option to sustain spells through summoned elementals, which shamans do not.

The +2TN per sustained spell is a heavy penalty, that with even one spell sustained, coupled with some light drain and maybe a light physical wound starts to make it very difficult for a shaman to do anything. From casting another spell, shooting a gun or even talking thier way out of a situation... Even forbid the Shaman tries to sustain a second spell... Casting anther spell while sustaining others is going to lead to taking drain, and more penalties, the sustaining penalty is applied to drain tests isn't it?

Or do all mages start with enough cash to purchase all the sustaining focuses they need at generation?

I understand the need to limit the amount of spells a mage can have active at one time, but doesn't anyone else find this penalty to be too harsh? Has anyone thought of house rules for sustaining spells? Maybe along the lines of linking sustained spells to the spell pool, decreasing a mages magical capability while sustiaing spells, while still enabling them to do other activities.

Not all characters start with enough cash to dole out a number of focuses at generation.