Metamagics for Adepts, Are any really worth it? Options

[klinktastic]

Does anyone think that any of the metamagics, whether specific for adepts or not, are useful for adepts? Some of them seem interesting, but they don't really seem like an efficient use of karma.

Any arguments for or against metamagics for adepts would be appreciated. I'd like to get some dialogue going to be able to accurately decide if pursuing initiation and getting metamagics is a worthwhile investment of karma.

Additionally, my character is a social adept, which may or may not be important for discussion.

Thank!

[Jaid]

masking is always worth it. extended masking isn't a bad idea either, if you keep any sort of focus on you.

adept centering isn't half bad... i can't count the number of times i've seen people say "oh, just put them into a situation where they have a dice pool penalty, and their super-high dice pool will be more reasonable." infusion, the advanced metamagic which requires centering, can be very useful too (lets you take a variety of powers at lower levels, but be able to boost them when needed).

attunement(animal) and empower animal are very GM specific, but could be useful.

attunement(item) can give you a bonus when using (for example) a gun. that doesn't sound all that bad.

cognition could be handy for some adepts (elven pornomancer, hacker adept, etc) and likewise potentially with somatic control.

divining is highly GM specific, but can be very powerful (and allows the magician to choose other metamagics, potentially) as is psychometry.


so i would say yes, the various metamagics available to adepts are worth it. some of them, such as attunement(item) it would probably be better to hold off on until later grades of initiation, but then again you've got masking, extended masking, adept centering, and infusion that you can pick up for your first 4 metamagics, and by then the ones where you need higher grades for it to be very good can start kicking in.

[toturi]

Are you refering to those metamagics currently available to adepts or are you talking about any and all metamagics and making them available to adepts?

[Fortune]

[Whipstitch]

Psychometry is definitely worth considering if you wish to make your adept capable of astral perception; a combination of Enhanced Perception, Analytics, Divination and the Dark King/Owl mentor spirit can make for one hell of a psychic detective (although how well such a character would fit into most games is an issue in and of itself.)

[hyzmarca]

Psychometry and Divining work best if you force your GM to watch all six seasons of The Dead Zone back-to-back. They're either totally useless or absurdly powerful depending on the GM.

Adept Centering can be very powerful at higher grades. Cognition, while useful, is extremely limited by drain. Don' underestimate Attunement (Animal) And Empower (Animal) use properly, they can be absurdly powerful.

As always Masking is very useful.

And if you can convince your GM to let you take Cannibalize and Power Bleed, go for it.

[Wasabi]

With adept centering you can offset penalties and when there are no penalties it adds to damage via the called shot rules. You just shoot them square in the face with no penalties. Defensively you can do stuff like shooting through Thermal Smoke at reduced penalties so its harder for them to hit you...

[Irian]

Personally, my adept will surely get Masking (it's never bad to be less eye-catching), Adept Centering (every die less less helps) and Attunement (Item) for his gun. I wouldn't mind Attunement (Animal) (and Empower, of course), but he hasn't got any skills in this direction, so unless the opportunity arises by chance (finding a dog, for example), I don't expect to get it.

[toturi]

[MaxHunter]

the adept in one group I am Gming took Masking first and foremost, now is saving Karma for his second initiation and he has announced he is taking adept centering (I don't know If I am going to accept centering called shots away, anyway it is useful enough) next on his list is Infusion for the extra powers. Mind this is a combat oriented adept, the other approaches mentioned here are very powerful too.

Cheers and good luck

Max

[Aaron]

[Ancient History]

[Fortune]

Well, there is a specific list of those available to Adepts, and that Metamagic is conspicuously absent.

[Ancient History]

Granted it's not the ideal sentence structure, but you can (and I would argue, should) read it to say "Adepts can learn the basic metamagics of Divining, Psychometry, and Sensing." and "the following metamagics are exclusive to adepts and mystic adepts."

Unless there's a specific approbation (such as Cannibalize), I don't see why any character who meets the prerequisite(s) can't take an Advanced Metamagic.

[Fortune]

I'm not arguing that Adepts shouldn't be able to use Extended Masking (Of course they should!). Merely that the books state that they do not get access to it (as the rules do specifically list every Metamagic available to Adepts). And yes, I think it is dumb.

[Dashifen]

[Ancient History]

[Fortune]

[Ancient History]

It isn't said they can't have them either. You'll note it doesn't say mystic adepts can or can't take Reflecting, for example. Anything not forbidden is allowed and all that.