Need help on a Cyber-Mage, Want some extra IPs, but which way to do it? Options

[paws2sky]

For some reason, I'm kind of obsessed with augmenting magician. I'll blame ye olde Burned-Out Mage and leave it at that.

Anyway, I'm almost done with a new augmented magician (for SRM New York), but I can't decide how to go about getting his extra IPs. This is pretty much the last thing I need to do for him, BTW.

Currently, I have 16 BP budgeted for a Synaptic Booster (1), but last night I started second guessing that.

I realized I have a couple other options that are actually pretty tempting:

• Sustaining Focus (3) with Increase Reflexes. Saves on Essence, but doesn't get me back a magic point as I have some other 'ware. Major downside here seems to be having to re-cast the spell regularly. On the up-side (and this is a BIG one), I could potentially get TWO extra IPs instead of one.
• Move-By-Wire (1) [Alpha] will cost be about the same number of BP once I juggle my other 'ware around. I'd be able to ditch my Skillwires (3), but I'd have to downgrade my Cybereyes and (pprobably) ditch my Sleep Regulator so I didn't go over .
• Or I could say screw it all and go with Wired Reflexes (1) or (2) [Alphaware]. I'd use the extra BPs to buy up my Magic to 6 (before reductions). Again, I'd have to ditch a bunch of 'ware to do this.

In any case, I don't want my modified Magic Attribute to drop below 3.

Please compare, contrast, and critique each option.

Thanks,
paws

[ElFenrir]

It's a tough call, I admit. I was doing alot of Adept juggling myself before.

Honestly, Sustaining Foci aren't bad. You can activate/deactivate them, and as far as I know you don't have to recast it unless it gets dispelled? I could be missing something, though. But...there are problems with wards and the like, and foci addiction(though if you only have a sustaining foci or two it's not that bad at all.) This might be the most combined essence/BP friendly version, with said downsides.

Synaptic Booster is (essentially) permanent, it's bioware so MADs won't catch it, and low on essence. It's only drawback? The cost. If you already have the BPs budgeted....it might not be that bad, unless you really, really needed those 16 BPs for something else. IMO, this might be the BEST bet.

Wired Reflexes 1(alphaware), will leave room for .4 essence more of mods, and be VERY cheap in the BPs, but you have to be ready and willing to ditch 2 points of Magic for it. It's pretty harsh, but if you had a magic 6 to begin with...(but giving up Skillwires 3 would be pretty crap, you'd have to go down to level 2.)

As for eyes....you might consider the contacts or glasses. Yeah, they aren't part of you, they can get lost-but they aren't hard to purchase in game if you need new ones(and even a smartlink doesn't have horrid Availability) and they can get every mod that the cybereyes can. For magically active characters, I usually go with eyes/earbuds to free up room for other ware that can't really be duplicated. Contacts will free up .5(.4 if alphaware) of your essence right there.

Again, if you already budgeted the BP and have about everything you want, try the Boosters, I say.

[Moon-Hawk]

IIRC you do have to recast your spell every time you reactivate your sustaining focus, so that's the #1 drawback there.

I really think you should go with the bioware IP boost. Depending on how you work things, after you've had a chance to upgrade some stuff to a higher grade you might even be able to sneak in Synaptic Booster 2 without dropping another point of Magic. Definitely keep the cybereyes; being able to use those vision modifiers for your spell targeting is key. That's my advice.

[Crusher Bob]

The main drawback of the increased IP spell is that it does not increase your reaction like the other IP boosters do, just your initiative. So you don't get the extra die or two of passive defense.

But I'd still go for the sustaining focus. You can get two init passes for 12 BP, and spend the other 4 BP on resources and get reaction enhancers 2, or some other stat increasing ware. So youd end up with REA +2, Init +4 (2 for increased REA, 2 from spell), and IP 3. As long as you have magic of 3, so that you can cast the increased reflexes spell without taking physical drain.

[Sponge]

Honestly, Sustaining Foci aren't bad. You can activate/deactivate them, and as far as I know you don't have to recast it unless it gets dispelled?

If you turn off a Sustaining Focus, it's no longer doing it's thing, i.e. sustaining the spell. Unless you take over sustaining the spell yourself in the interim, you'll need to recast once you reactivate the focus.

DS

[KCKitsune]

I would say go with the Synaptic Booster. It Essence cheap , doesn't fail when you walk into heavily warded areas, and is mostly undetectable. You can always get a Sustaining Focus later on in to have that Improve Reflexes spell.

[Cain]

I personally prefer the sustaining focus. In addition to the fact that you apparently can evade needing to recast the spell (if Sponge is correct, you can take over sustaining the spell yourself until you're through the wards), you can use it for more than just Increase Reflexes. If you need to, it can sustain an Armor spell instead, or a useful Detection spell for when you're out of combat, but don't want sustaining penalties.

[Jaid]

I personally prefer the sustaining focus. In addition to the fact that you apparently can evade needing to recast the spell (if Sponge is correct, you can take over sustaining the spell yourself until you're through the wards), you can use it for more than just Increase Reflexes. If you need to, it can sustain an Armor spell instead, or a useful Detection spell for when you're out of combat, but don't want sustaining penalties.

not quite. sustaining foci are spell category-specific. so you could use it to sustain another health spell, but not armor or combat sense, for example.

[CircuitBoyBlue]

I personally am a huge fan of chromed magicians--my current character, Street God, even has a cyberarm!
That said, I would go with the sustaining focus in this case, especially if you're able to throw in some reaction enhancers once the game's underway. Having to recast isn't that bad, you just have to know your limitations and be prepared. I don't know what your total drain pool's going to be like, but you should probably be able to hack a force 3 spell, and if not, just make sure you have someone with First Aid, and time to heal. Leaving the spell up won't be that much of a hindrance in most cases you'll encounter.
One thing to keep in mind for the whole issue is that I think 1 extra IP is enough. That's what Street God has, and he's only rarely felt like a boob for not being as fast as the razor-boy on the team. Anyway, good luck.

Are you making the character for the SR Missions at Origins, by any chance?

[paws2sky]

Hey all, thanks for the replies. I'm still waffling on what to take. I'll probably sit done and write out the option in detail sometime this weekend. In the mean time, if anyone else has input, keep it coming!

I think I need to read up again on ins and outs of mana barriers, wards. My main concern about the sustaining focus is having to drop and recast multiple times, thus racking up extra stun damage. I'll have 8-10 dice to cast (depending on the spell category), but only 9 to resist drain. I'm also slightly concerned about background count.

Synaptic Booster is the steady workhorse option and its well within my budget. Its kind of my go-to reflex implant.

Move-By-Wire would suit his guy's history, but I, the player, have serious reservations about a system that puts you in a "constant state of seizure." That's just freaky. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/twirl.gif)


@CircuitBoyBlue: Yes, I'm planning on running this character at Origins. I'm kind of excited about it... Its been a long time since I've been able to sit down and just play; I've been the GM for the past couple games my group has played.


-paws

[Fortune]

Unless you take over sustaining the spell yourself in the interim ...

Do you have a quote that backs this up? I don't recall canon making any kind of statements about a mage taking back control of a Spell that is cast through a Sustaining Focus. As far as I know, the Focus is actually used at the time of Spellcasting, not just an incidental side effect. I don't believe that the rules allow for the shuffling back and forth of Spells between Foci and Spellcaster, but if they do would you please give me a quote to that effect.

[suppenhuhn]

I also doubt that you can take over a spell from a sustaining focus at least it's nowhere implied in the rules that you could.

As for the mage i'd personally probably take the boosted reflexes as those are the only ones you can turn off (granted that's more from a fluff pov but i always found move by wire scary somehow, especially this disease you can get from it) though they're the worst alternative bp wise i guess. Magically upgraded reflexes aren't very reliable for a low magic character as you're very vulnerable to background counts; that's why i try to retain some not so great street sam functionality on my burned out mages but that again depends on how often the gm makes use of those.

oh and post the char once it's finished (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Sombranox]

Personally, I prefer to use the essence cost of a synaptic booster to squeeze in a trauma damper and platlet factory, then use Psyche to sustain the spell myself at force for at -1 DP until I can afford a force 4 sustaining focus after chargen.

Inc reflexes 4 is only a drain of 4. Platlet and trauma damper take that down to 2 even if I completely flub the drain roll.

More often than not, I get the DV down at least to 1, at which point the trauma damper gets rid of it.

So yeah, I never minded recasting constantly (I'm with Fortune in that I don't recall there ever being anything saying you could take over sustaining the spell from the focus).

The part that _can_ suck with the sustaining route is coming up against an enemy mage who dispells your sustained spell. If they get net hits on a magic + counterspelling vs magic + force 4 and you're going to be slowing down. Four hits and suddenly you're mundane speed again.

Can't dispell a synaptic booster.

[Sponge]

Do you have a quote that backs this up? I don't recall canon making any kind of statements about a mage taking back control of a Spell that is cast through a Sustaining Focus. As far as I know, the Focus is actually used at the time of Spellcasting, not just an incidental side effect. I don't believe that the rules allow for the shuffling back and forth of Spells between Foci and Spellcaster, but if they do would you please give me a quote to that effect.

No, I don't - I just assumed it was just like having a Spirit sustain your spell.

DS

[Glyph]

Normally, my advice would be to forget about a sustaining focus, and get a power focus, rating: 2. It basically cancels out the sustaining penalty, at least with regard to spells, and gives you +2 dice when you aren't sustaining increased reflexes (summoning a spirit, etc.). Plus, you can get up all the way to 4 IP if you cast/roll high enough, rather than being stuck at 3 IP because of the sustaining focus rating limiting the force of the sustained spell.


However... since your Magic is already down due to other 'ware, I would go ahead and get the synaptic booster: 1. It's a decent IP boost, and you can upgrade it to synaptic booster: 2 later on by upgrading your 'ware to beta or delta.

[Fortune]

Ah, ok.

Might make for a good question for the upcoming chat, if someone were inclined to ask.

[KCKitsune]

Can't dispell a synaptic booster.

You also have a bitch of a time detecting a Synaptic Booster. It also hard to disable

[Leofski]

Activating a sustaining focus requires casting a spell, which implies that its impossible to shuffle spells around between mage and foci. Also even if you could shuffle it back to the mage, isn't it still disrupted by moving through the ward?

[PlatonicPimp]

Lets go with something even more fun. Lets get a sustaining focus IMPLANTED. My cybermage has an orichalchum-plated cyberhand that acts as a power focus. There's always weapon focus cyberspurs. Mybe those cybereyes are a sustaining focus that glows magically when in use. Not that you can't get glowing cybereyes other ways, but I think it's a cool touch.

[paws2sky]

So, this weekend, I got the chance to sit down with a copy of Augmentation. I figured there'd be something in there that would really catch my eye, after all, previous cyberware and bioware books always had some goodies worth considering. It was a bit disappointing though. The only things that really jumped up and caught my attention was Trauma Damper, Move-By-Wire, and Skillwire Expert System. But I already knew about those.

Anyway...

Brilliantly, I left my flash drive at home today. I'll post the full version of this guy later. In the meantime, here are the implants I decided to go with:

Cybereyes (3) with Flare Comp, Low-Light, Vision Magnification, Vision Enhancement (3), Smartlink
Datajack
Skillwires (3)
Skillwire Expert System
Sleep Regulator
Synaptic Booster (1)

Essence Cost 1.525 = 1.2 Ess + .325 Ess (halved form .65)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) Cost 108,850 = 18,850 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (4 BP) + 90,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) (18 BP)

I'm very tempted to try and scrounge some resources for Muscle Toner (2) and Muscle Augmentation (1) just to make him more like the old school Burned-Out Mage. That'd cost me another .3 Essence and 23,000 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) . It'd give me a point of Strength that I don't need, but the extra 2 Agility dice could be handy when I whip out my hand cannon.

I could also get a Cyberhand with a Radar or Shock Hand or Commlink and Sim Module or or something similarly silly. Definitely not sold on this, but it is an option.

All of this is standard grade. I could make some cuts elsewhere to upgrade the cyberware to Alpha, but it wouldn't get me back that 2nd point of Magic, so I'm not going to worry about it.

-paws

[Mr. Unpronouncea...]

One potential big downside of the spell-route:

Lack of "free" reaction enhancement - you'll get more passes, but you'll still be going late in the round, nor do you get the defense boost that goes with the cyber and adept versions of improved initiative.

[LeSquide]

I recently played a mage that relied the spell for additional passes. My experience mirrored much of the discussion here. Outside of areas that see heavy warding, it was a fairly decent choice; the lack of extra bonuses was painful, but not crippling and other than the unavoidable situations when we got ambushed, some preparation made up for the general lower initiative.

When it came to wards, only some luck with the dice kept me from being screwed; beyond the need to deactivate and recast when going in, there was also the problem that reared its ugly head when we were trying to run out.

[paws2sky]

Okay, as promised, here's the current draft. I need to pick his last two activesofts, his knowledge skills, and that's about it, really. Well, armor; I need a copy of Arsenal fir that. Anyone notice anything important I'm overlooking?

Metatype: Human (0 BP)

Attributes (200 + 40 BP)
Body: 3
Agility: 4
Reaction: 3(4)
Strength: 2
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 4
Logic: 4
Willpower: 5
Edge: 2
Essence: 4.475
Magic: 5(3)
Initiative: 7(8)
Passes: 1(2)

Active Skills (80 BP)
Assensing: 1
Counterspelling: 3
Con (Fast Talk): 1(+2)
Dodge (Ranged): 1(+2)
Etiquette (Corporate): 1(+2)
Infiltration: 1
Perception: 2
Pistols (Revolvers): 2(+2)
Spellcasting: 5
Summoning: 1

Knowledge Skills (21 free) (0 BP)
+18 ranks

Languages
English: N
German: 4

Qualities (-5 BP)
Magician (Black Magic)
Addiction (Betel, Mild)
Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)
SINner

Resources: 220,000 nuyen + 3 bonding points (47 BP)
Nuyen: (3d6+9)x50
Lifestyle: Low (1 month)
3000 for armor and clothing
Ruger Super Warhawk with smartlink, skinlink, quick draw holster, 3 speed loaders, 50 standard rounds [6P, -2 AP, SS, 6(cy)]
Colt Asp with smartlink, skinlink, concealable holster, 2 speed loaders, 50 standard rounds [4P, SA, 6(cy)]
Biomonitor with skinlink
Medkit (Rating 6) with 2 refills
Antidote Patch (Rating 6)
2 Stimulant Patches (Rating 6)
Trauma Patch
Novatech Airware Commlink, Iris Orb OS, Skinlink, Sim Module, Subvocal Mic, Holo Projector, Virtual Person, Virtual Surround Music, Virtual Weather, Wall Space, Analyze (Rating 3), Browse (Rating 3), Command (Rating 3), Edit (Rating 3), Encrypt (Rating 3), Scan (Rating 3), Attack (Rating 3), Exploit (Rating 3), Spoof (Rating 3), Stealth (Rating 3)
Micro-Tranceiver (Rating 6)
Fake SIN (Rating 3) ["Maxwell Kopfzimmer"]
2 Certified Credsticks
Activesofts (all at Rating 3): choose 2
Activesofts (all at Rating 2): Computer, Cybercombat, Hacking
Activesofts (all at Rating 1): First Aid, Navigation, Pilot Aircraft, Pilot Ground Vehicles
Mapsoft: New York (Rating 5)
Yamaha Katana-11 (use Thundercloud Contrail stats) with Spoof Chip, Morphing License Plate
Sustaining Focus (Rating 3, Manipulation spells, Bonded)
Magical Lodge (Rating 6)
Betel (full case: 10 pieces/pack, 10 packs) [+1 Perception for 10x1d6 minutes]

Cyberware/Nanoware (1.2 Ess)
Cybereyes (Rating 3) with Image Link, Recorder, Flare Compensation, Low-Light, Smartlink, Vision Enhancement (Rating 3), Vision Magnification, Protective Covers
Datajack with skinlink
Skillwires (Rating 3)
Skillwire Expert System

Bioware/Geneware (.65 Ess, halved to .325)
Sleep Regulator
Synaptic Booster (Rating 1)

Spells (30 BP)
Analyze Device
Armor
Clairvoyance
Heal
Improved Invisibility
Levitate
Mana Barrier
Mana Bolt
Mind Probe
Stunball

Contacts (8 BP)
Fixer (Loyalty 2/Connection 3)
Bartender (Loyalty 1/Connection 2)

[paws2sky]

From the lack of replies, I assume he's good to go!
Or there were more interesting threads running yesterday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


-paws

[Drogos]

Pick up a Detection Fetish at the least (I'd grab a Manipualtion one as well). I'd also pick up Control Thoughts for one more spell you can dump into your focus, and cause it is teh badass, but that is solely personal preference.