800 Point Characters...want to make one?, Pregens for a potential submission... Options

[Bobson]

Cool character. Very good at his role, good fit with the team, and even the dry stats for him and the van have "personality". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's the first character I've made that's even qualified for cyberpsychosis since Augmentation came out. And I looked at the .07 essence, with almost all of it being headware or head-based bioware, and I just started wondering how much of his original brain is left... and what having that little of your brain would do to your personality.

As far as finishing his drones, I have a combat walker specced out, but it ends up costing almost a half-million nuyen, which means he can't really afford anything else beyond what he already has (and misc. minor gear). He also probably needs to own a facility to do all his modding in, which'll cost another 100k. Though, I can picture him interacting with his facility (and the drones that make it up) the same way Tony Stark does in the Iron Man movie... only with less humor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) So I'll probably not include the expensive combat walker. There's two other anthroform drones, and he needs at least one if not both: One's the standard human-size one, the other's the assassin-type one. Not quite sure what I'm going to do with them, though. THe more I poke at them, the less happy I am. Maybe I'll go for a large collection of specialized drones rather than the more general anthroforms? :/

[ElFenrir]

I do like that guy. I've always wanted to make a sort of super-specialized rigger-type, but I honestly haven't delved into the SR4 rules for it enough yet. But he does have a lot of personality there, even though the guy is heading down the spiral. I can somehow almost see him, if he went too far, just jarheading into his van. o.O

[Glyph]

You know, even though I have never played a rigger, Asphalt: A Rigger's Philosophy is still my favorite Blackjack article. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Draco18s]

Ok, I wrote this up tonight starting with a 400 BP character I have (and am currently using).
Hopefully I did all this right. I was using a SR Excel sheet and found a couple bugs *cough*about 12*cough* so bear with me. This character isn't meant to be scary at any one thing (see Bobson's troll), but be a more well-rounded character and still be effective. Some active skills (such as Negotiation) may seem useless, but Kingfisher does work as a bouncer at a bar, you need to know how to tell those unwanted guests that their tip isn't large enough to get in the door. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

(Ok, now how do I get it from Excel to here? Hmm, this might work...print as pdf, then copy-pasta!)

Name: Kingfisher
Metatype: Drake (Oriental) / Human
Gender: Male
Age: Late 30s

ATTRIBUTES

[ Spoiler ]

Body: 6 [8]
Agility: 7 [9]
Reaction: 8
Strength: 6 [8]
Charisma: 3
Intuition: 2
Logic: 3
Willpower: 6
EDGE: 8
INITIATIVE: 10
PASSES: 3
MAGIC: 8

ACTIVE SKILLS

[ Spoiler ]

Athletics (Group) 2
Automatics (FN P93 Praetorr) 6 (8 )
Dodge (Ranged) 6 (8 )
Intimidate (Physical) 6 (8 )
Negotiation 2
Perception (Visual) 9 (11)
Unarmed Combat (Claws) 6 (8 )
Assensing
Driving (Horizon-Doble Revolution) 1 (3)

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS

[ Spoiler ]

IN:Alcohol 2
SW:Paranormal Creatures 4
BK: Martial Arts 3
SW:Local Area Knowledge 3
SW:Corporate Security 3

QUALITIES

[ Spoiler ]

Astral Chameleon
Martial Arts (3) (see below)
Exceptional Attribute (Agility)
Lucky
Common Sense (rc)
SINner (Standard)
Day Job (2500¥/20hrs) (rc)
In Debt (30000) (rc)
Combat Monster (rc) (is it cheating to be able to buy the successes needed at any time? Composure [2]? Why I have 9 dice. Divide by 4...hey that's 2!)
Sensitive System
Dracoform Only:
*Thermographic Vision
*Low-Light Vision
*Dual Natured
*Natural Weapon
*Hardened Armor 4
*Mystic Armor 4
*Enhanced Senses
- Hearing
- Low Light Vision
- Smell
- Thermographic Vision

MARTIAL ARTS

[ Spoiler ]

Krav Maga
*Take Aim as Free Action
*+1 reduced penalty to "Attacker in Melee" (-2 dice instead of -3)
*Ready a Weapon as a Free Action (aka Quick Draw)

ADEPT POWERS

[ Spoiler ]

Attribute Boost [Attribute] 2
Mystic Armor 2
Spell Resitance 2
Rapid Healing 2
Improved Reflexes II

GEAR

[ Spoiler ]

Armored Jacket
*Fire Resistant 3
*Non-conductivity 3
*Insulation 3
*Chemical Protection 3

FN P93 Paetor (standard stats except as noted)
Gas Vent 3
Extended Clip
Additional Clip
External Smartlink
Melee Hardening
Clip 1: 48 Standard Rounds
Clip 2: 48 Gel Rounds
Conceal +6

Comlink
Standard Hermes Ikon

Those contact lenses that grant you all those silly bonuses to Perception (vision) and the ability to use smartlink without any cyberware. Unless they cost over 1,590 newyen I have the cash to cover them, they should be like $400. Oh here they are. $800 for the smartlink AND the vision enhancement 3. Pfft, add in some earbuds with hearing enhancement 3 and select sound filters 2. Bam, another $710. Woot, 80 newyen left. *Math* nope, exactly 0 after checking the numebers and finding ~4 grand I handn't spent => 2 more months of lifestyle (not counting the loan interest--1 month with 5950 left over if including the loan interest).

Horizon-Doble Revolution
(It's a giant f*ing wheel.)
(...)
(What? It's awesome, shut up!)

LIFESTYLE

[ Spoiler ]

CENNS 3/2/2/3/3
Or:
Comforts 3
Entertainment 2
Necessities 3
Neighborhood 3
Security 3

(I could probably go higher on these, but meh, Kingfisher isn't much fond of high society)

Qualities:
Easy-Going Landlord (+1)
Green Plan (-1)
Roommate (0)*
*Not Perfect Roommate, just a guy to share the costs with, cutting rent from 3800/mo. to 2090/mo. and with the interest on my debt, that makes a monthly cost of 6590 newyen (man, that 30k loan is a bitch, real game is only 15k and I did the interest wrong! Oops, 2250, not 225, heh heh heh). Six and a half grand a month should be doable by a character of this level.

CONTACTS

[ Spoiler ]

Johnson (Connection 3, Loyalty 2)
Bartender (Day Job Boss) (Connection 2, Loyalty 3)

INNITIATIONS

[ Spoiler ]

Gesture Geas (Adept Centering)
Ritual Geas (Flexible Signature)

Initiations done with a group.

(I wish to have the GM create a group that's a little more...adept friendly. The only "good" one has dues of 5000/mo. Which is not worth it at all given their other strictures. And the fact that resources does JACK SH*T for adepts. I could live with Attendance, Belief, Dues of 250/mo. or less, Exclusive Membership (honestly why would you join two?), Limited Membership (provided that my character is within those guidelines--"be a member of the 10000 daggers merc corp" is not acceptable), Oath (livable, but given that I've chosen my initiations I'd prefer not). I don't see much advantage towards my character with much of any of the resources. Magical Facilities? Don't need. Ritual materials? Don't need. Transportation? Nope, I has a wheel. Um....that's about all that paying dues gets me. Unless an argument can be made as to why I'm spending that much money I won't take it.)

Gesture performed is martial arts maneuvers (is this cheating? and by maneuvers I mean stances, punching (any unarmed combat roll), and the "Style Advantages" you get from knowing a martial art, notably I'm not sure what Krav Maga looks so I can't say if taking the free action to aim would really count, but...I could see adopting the proper stance towards your opponent as being a gesture required to "maintain" Mystic Armor, etc.).

Adept Centering requires a Horse Stance (I'm a little out of touch with my karate background, but there is a good stance for facing one's opponent such that your solidly grounded (i.e. "hard to bull rush") because your feet are placed wide and present a low profile towards your target (one side of your body), the Horse Stance was more frontal (whole chest towards your opponent), and the one I wish to use is the former not the latter but I've forgotten its name).

Ritual to be performed is an act of sexual intercourse in dracoform with a willing partner.
(I blame Street Magic for that idea, it does write out "sexual intercourse" on page 28, I thought it'd be entertaining to require the "shapeshifter" to perform said act in the non-metahuman form--for a drake this is especially dangerous due to the...bounty they have; being seen as a drake tends to be...interesting later. This could be taken one of two ways: sex every day or making sure to get in a boot scene* before each run.)
(*Boot scene: that scene in books and movies where the main character is pulling on his shoes/boots while sitting on the edge of a woman's bed. They just had sex, it's painfully obvious, but they didn't have to SHOW it).

(Flexible Signature: "My aura looks like a dragon? Naw, couldn't be.")

Backstory is a bit skimpy, it usually is. I'll deal with it more when it's NOT 4:30 in the morning. But there's bits and pieces floating around up there already. Er...4:45 in the morning. Damn my need to proofread.

Quick edit:

You know, even though I have never played a rigger, Asphalt: A Rigger's Philosophy is still my favorite Blackjack article. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Thumbs up. Goes right along with "Kurt Vonnegut"s MIT commencement address.

[Bobson]

Ok, I wrote this up tonight starting with a 400 BP character I have (and am currently using).
Hopefully I did all this right. I was using a SR Excel sheet and found a couple bugs *cough*about 12*cough* so bear with me.

If you used DamienKnight's latest version, report them on that thread. Otherwise, you might want to consider it. It's under much more rapid development than any of the other Excel sheets in this forum.


I like the character concept. 800bp makes for a really good bouncer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) I think your lacking a bit somewhere, though - it doesn't really feel like an 800 point char. I'd suggest throwing in some more negative qualities, and using the BP to flesh out the char a bit more (and I'm not sure why, given that you do have 4 really high skills). Wish I could be more specific... :/

[mog]

It's a little bit late but i want to create a Technomancer Combat Oriented without Chrome.

I think i could make some good runner with the unwired rules. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Just a question : I build a Character with 400 BP and then give him 400 Karma, or I make him with 800 BP?

[Bobson]

It's a little bit late but i want to create a Technomancer Combat Oriented without Chrome.

I think i could make some good runner with the unwired rules. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Just a question : I build a Character with 400 BP and then give him 400 Karma, or I make him with 800 BP?

We haven't heard from Jake for a while, but since he said he'd let us know when it was too late and he hasn't... go right ahead (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

You make a 400+X BP character, then upgrade them with 400-X karma, where X is any number from 0 to 400 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
In other words, the extra 400 can be spent as either BP or karma.

[Draco18s]

If you used DamienKnight's latest version, report them on that thread. Otherwise, you might want to consider it. It's under much more rapid development than any of the other Excel sheets in this forum.

I'd sent an email to the address I'd found on credits, but I reported them in that thread too, thanks for the link. Only two of the things I found hadn't been fixed between my version (early October) and the latest.

I like the character concept. 800bp makes for a really good bouncer (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) I think your lacking a bit somewhere, though - it doesn't really feel like an 800 point char. I'd suggest throwing in some more negative qualities, and using the BP to flesh out the char a bit more (and I'm not sure why, given that you do have 4 really high skills). Wish I could be more specific... :/

Heh, I'm already at 70 points of flaws. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
Probably doesn't feel like an 800 point character because of how many stats he has maxed out: Str, Bod, Agil, React, Magic, Edge. He's in peak physical form for his species (and maybe just a bit more: Improved Attribute Agility = yes).

Keep in mind that with 8 magic Kingfisher can afford Improved Reflexes 2, which gives him 3 initiative passes. He's DAMN fast and his P93 has enough recoil compensation that he can fire off two short bursts each pass at 0* penalty (except the first, which he uses a simple action to declare dodge and then fires once).
*Second shot might be at a -1, but given that my 400 point version doesn't give a hoot about losing the 1 die, I don't think his super-powered cousin will either. And that's before unfolding the folding stock.

[Bobson]

Probably doesn't feel like an 800 point character because of how many stats he has maxed out: Str, Bod, Agil, React, Magic, Edge. He's in peak physical form for his species (and maybe just a bit more: Improved Attribute Agility = yes).

You're right. I'd missed how many stats were maxed out as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Glyph]

On your question about the Combat Monster negative quality, you can't buy hits for things like that. That rule is only for situations where the character is unlikely to fail and/or when the situation is non-threatening and non-stressful (see pg. 55 of the main rulebook). For this quality, it is still a possibility for this character to succumb, and obviously if it was a non-threatening situation the quality wouldn't even come up.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, though. Rolling 9 dice, you will get an average of 3 hits, so you should make a threshold of 2 most of the time.

[pbangarth]

Actually, page 55 says "exceptionally large dice pool (and is unlikely to fail) or when the situation is is non-threatening and non-stressful." (emphasis mine)

So if this optional rule is used, one could buy hits in a deadly dangerous situation, if the GM deemed the dice pool high enough.

Personally, as GM, I would want to see Combat Monster come into play, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) , and would ask for the roll.

Peter

[Draco18s]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, though. Rolling 9 dice, you will get an average of 3 hits, so you should make a threshold of 2 most of the time.

Which is about what I expected: GM'll make you roll the dice, but the likelyhood of failure is decently small.

Made a few tweaks to Kingfisher and started work on his girlfriend/roommate. She feels complete, but with only 45 positive qualities and 30 points in negative, it feels like she could use a little more tweaking. No negative qualities that really give her a personality.

Oh, and I gave her the same Ritual Geas. While probably more interesting on an unattached character, this does make for a likely duo (they get the initiation together, of course!). Talk originally started with her as a shapeshifter, but none of the animals really clicked with being plausible, so it's an eastern drake double team. While built in a similar fashion, they are not twins; she's a magician (the two of them could probably storm a decent sized corporation without help).

[pbangarth]

I haven't looked into the new character types in RC yet, so it's fun to see a drake here.

One thing in Kingfisher's stats that interests me: I didn't use group initiation for Uncle Zola and Bongo Slade as I wasn't sure what groups Jake might have/allow. If we are allowed to use group initiation, Uncle Zola could sure use that extra 8 BP!

I have a group in mind that Bongo would have liked to start. Maybe I will post it here and see what folks think / Jake thinks.

Peter

[Bobson]

I haven't looked into the new character types in RC yet, so it's fun to see a drake here.

One thing in Kingfisher's stats that interests me: I didn't use group initiation for Uncle Zola and Bongo Slade as I wasn't sure what groups Jake might have/allow. If we are allowed to use group initiation, Uncle Zola could sure use that extra 8 BP!

I have a group in mind that Bongo would have liked to start. Maybe I will post it here and see what folks think / Jake thinks.

Peter

Ditto for Sir Thomas. I'm not entirely sure what I'd do with more BP, though. Maybe another skill point somewhere...

[Draco18s]

Heh, yeah, I couldn't pick any of the groups in Street Magic as none of them were appetizing. But I did the group initiation because I needed that last 6 BP. That's how tight a drake's budget is (65 for race is a lot! Kingfisher built as a troll instead of a drake would actually be more powerful).

[pbangarth]

Ok, folks, here's a first second pass at a Magical Group that Bongo in his early life (ie. the original 400 pt. PC I have run a few times) dreamed of starting. The description is his view, ie. through the lens of a young man: 25ish, naive, idealistic, focussed. Feedback is appreciated.

"Children of Apollo"

Purpose:
To promote the use of magic in the performing and visual arts;

to extend the artistic reach and boundaries of metahumanity and to be the repository of the fruits of this effort;

to seek a synergy of metahuman and cosmic experience.

Graffitti on the wall of their base (Hall of Apollo): "Be in the Pocket"

Customs:

Performance, group and individual. Talent without expression is a waste.

Respectful and constructive criticism of members' work.

Spreading Art to all corners of the world.

Strictures:

Limited Membership - physical/Mystic adepts who follow the Artist's Way.

Exclusive Membership - What else would you want to join?

Attendance - bi-annual concert/show/performance at the Hall of Apollo, together with meeting of members - at the summer and winter solstices

Fraternity - 'cause we all need a place to flop sometimes

Dues - to maintain the Hall of Apollo, including safe repository for theses - middle lifestyle cost to the membership, split among members


*Thesis: - masterpiece work of art, Intuition + {artform skill} (8 + desired Initiate Grade, 1 week) Extended Test

-examples: musical composition, dance composition, stage play, painting, sculpture

-preferred as Ordeal for initiations

*******
@Glyph
Glyph, this group may be of interest to Syren. If Syren and Bongo were to have met in the past, they may have talked this over and decided to form the group, the two of them. This would be a great way for a nucleus of the above characters to form. And imagine the performances those two could hit the world with!

With the modifiers for Strictures, and say 1 month of planning, Bongo and Syren would have an Arcana + Logic (2) Test with a dice pool of 10 (11 for Bongo) + teamwork dice, which should have worked relatively easily. (Right, Jake?)

For Bongo, with 3 Initiations, with a thesis for each (yes, this requires a Test, but both Bongo and Syren are REALLY good in their respective artforms), the Karma cost for the initiations would drop from 48 to 35 (5 to form the group, plus 8+10+12). For Syren, with 4 initiations, it would drop from 69 to 49. That would allow each lots of cash to pay the cost of the Hall of Apollo, especially in the beginning when there was only the two of them, and leave a few points to add into their build pools. I don't know, say the upkeep took 50,000 nuyen each until their personal costs dropped to the point where regular, non-gametime runs covered their costs. That would leave Bongo with 3 more points, and Syren with 10 more points. I think that sounds fair.

Whaddaya think? More importantly, what does Syren think?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarrassed.gif) Syren, Bongo here. Whaddaya say we spend a weekend talking? I'd be happy to share Nahuatl, Cantonese and Japanese with you, if you would speak Sperethiel to me.

*******

EDIT: edited to reflect Syren's requests.

[Draco18s]

The group sounds good, but Kingfisher wouldn't be able to join: not an artisan. Oddly his girlfriend would fit right in, heh.

[ElFenrir]

Hmm...I don't know if Group Initation would really help Azael at all. He's not a loner or anything, but looking over his character sheet again, I'm trying to think about what group he could possibly fit in with. If I can find something for him...then, maybe...

...unless he was the band's bouncer/bodyguard/roadie. He can certainly look big, intimidating, carry heavy stuff, and kick annoying stalkers football-style over the horizon. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Glyph]

Basher is pretty focused on his martial arts. Any group that he would consider joining would have to be pretty focused on upper-tier martial artists working to help each other improve - sparring, comparing techniques, etc. Gladio is the closest thing in the books to something he would join, but I don't see him as a competitive fighter in the sports sense, more as a street fighter, and he wouldn't like being a celebrity, either. I could see him and Azael starting a no-nonsense, martial arts-oriented group.


Syren, hmm. She would have no problems with the group's purpose or customs (although she would consider herself an entertainer first, and an artist second - she has little patience for self-indulgent modern art B.S. that only the critics like). I don't see her being okay with either the material requirement or the high dues, though. A thesis would be too personal to her, if she even did that as an ordeal, and she wouldn't see the point of the high resources for such a small group - middle resources means they have a nice place. High means they have a major headquarters and can provide living space to their members - she wouldn't see the point of either. Something like maybe exclusive membership instead of material link, and middle resources, and she would be join. Otherwise, she would probably see it as too big of a commitment.

[pbangarth]

The high resources thing was a guess on my part to cover the security for the theses that are stored there, as they can be used as magical links to the creators. Middle resources would be more than Bongo affords for himself, anyway. That would be just fine for him.

Exclusive membership is fine for Bongo, too. It actually wouldn't seem as much of a stricture for him, though, as he would not see any other kind of group as interesting. The material link thing would appear to him as being a way to make the magical connection in a way that is intimately connected to an artisan. Not a deal breaker, though. He can make his own compositions during initiation.

Yeah, I see Bongo as being less ... worldly?, cynical? ... than Syren. His first suggestion reflects that. A little negotiation never hurts, though. Bongo did dump the traditional route in favour of the streets, so the artsy-fartsy issue is not as important as simply playing music. He does still want to get THAT rhythm someday. though.

So, how does this look to Syren, then?

Peter

[Draco18s]

Basher is pretty focused on his martial arts. Any group that he would consider joining would have to be pretty focused on upper-tier martial artists working to help each other improve - sparring, comparing techniques, etc. Gladio is the closest thing in the books to something he would join

Yep, that's about where Kingfisher is. I'll see if I can scrounge up the BP for him to start the group.

*Math*

At the cost of 1 point in Athletics he has the karma o gett 1 rank in Arcana and 7 karma to throw at the group foundation. Provided that none of the negative dice pool modifiers are used he can get about 2 successes towards the check.

Quick writeup (very little flavor):

[Name in Process]

Strictures:
Attendance, Belief (Practice of Martial Arts), Dues (500 newyen/mo.), Limited Membership (Adepts)

Resources:
Middle, Certified Martial Arts Instructors (at discount), training dojo (no distraction penalty to learning), transportation.

Group accepts any adept or mystic adept who practices martial arts or wishes to learn (the quality must be picked up following first initiation as they are accepted into the dojo and begin martial training immediately with one of the groups tutors). While the path of the warrior is common among the adepts, not all of them take it. Their martial arts skills are put to the use each member sees most fit. Some seek fighting, some use it for self defense, others teach it. Each member is expected to show up to the dojo at least once a month for practice showing that you still adhere to the group's ideals (those undergoing training at a new maneuver are expected to show up two or three times a week for training). Once a month the group holds a friendly tournament between members, which while not mandatory is the day that most members arrive for their monthly meeting, most of these also enter themselves into the tournament.

I took karate lessons as a kid (14?), which is where I'm basing some of the numbers. If you're training you ARE coming in two or three times for about two hours a week to learn, no excuses. Once a month or so we'd do vs. fights with each other (and let me tell you, the 6 year old was freaking crazy to match up against; he'd just wail on you with his fists being about as high as your groin. He had good technique too). I'm keeping the dues low because I figure 10 members is feasible enough to cover the costs of a Middle level "lifestyle."

Middle level resources say 10% off ritual materials, I'm thinking this should extend to the cost for certified instructors as well: give adepts a good reason to join a group.

Transportation offered is not "we give you a car" but "we can pick you up and drive you to the dojo" carpooling for those characters who don't own a car of their own. GMs should treat this similarly to calling on favors from contacts of loyalty 3, "willing to be inconvenienced in small ways for the character, but will not take a fall for her," though the GM is free to rule otherwise depending on initiation level and other circumstances.

[Glyph]

Yeah, she'd go for that. If Jake doesn't have a problem with char-gen group initiations and ordeals, the ten points would probably be used for one more point of Edge for her.

It's kind of an ironic name for the group, in a way. I played a character named Null in a forum game where the PCs were members of an anti-awakened group called the Sons of Apollo.

[Edit]
@Draco18s:
Yeah, that's a decent write-up. Fairly straightforward, but that would fit Basher pretty good - he wouldn't want anything to do with a group telling him how he should use his martial arts abilities - he's only concerned with getting better by training with people who are also good in martial arts. It's almost too inclusive, in a way. Basher would be more interested in a group of hardcore martial artists. It's close enough to his needs that he would join, though.

[pbangarth]

I took karate lessons as a kid (14?), which is where I'm basing some of the numbers. If you're training you ARE coming in two or three times for about two hours a week to learn, no excuses. Once a month or so we'd do vs. fights with each other (and let me tell you, the 6 year old was freaking crazy to match up against; he'd just wail on you with his fists being about as high as your groin. He had good technique too).

Hey, I think that kid was at my old dojo, too!

Peter

[pbangarth]

Yeah, she'd go for that. If Jake doesn't have a problem with char-gen group initiations and ordeals, the ten points would probably be used for one more point of Edge for her.

It's kind of an ironic name for the group, in a way. I played a character named Null in a forum game where the PCs were members of an anti-awakened group called the Sons of Apollo.

That's chilling.

I'm glad the Group sounds good to you. So, Jake, you out there? Can we spend some of the Karma points this way?

Peter

[Draco18s]

Yeah, she'd go for that. If Jake doesn't have a problem with char-gen group initiations and ordeals, the ten points would probably be used for one more point of Edge for her.

To be fair, Kingfisher can't create the group on his own...he's throwing, like 7 dice at a threshold of at least 2.

It's kind of an ironic name for the group, in a way. I played a character named Null in a forum game where the PCs were members of an anti-awakened group called the Sons of Apollo.

I suck at names (Kingfisher actually came from someone else in my current campaign). Name will come at some point, I'm sure.

It's almost too inclusive, in a way. Basher would be more interested in a group of hardcore martial artists. It's close enough to his needs that he would join, though.

Almost, yeah. I want it to be workable for a significant portion of the players who'd be looking for a group to join, because the only groups that exist that accept adepts are neigh impossible to get into and/or have dues that exceed most player's chosen lifestyle costs. I could change it so that only people who already posses martial arts knowledge could join, but I added that extra bit such that a character looking to join, but didn't have any martial ability could spend karma to initiate and then IMMEDIATELY spend karma to get the martial arts quality.

Given that there are only 3 levels of a martial arts, "hardcore" is going to be anyone who has any levels at all: it's 2070 and everyone totes GUNS for god sakes, who goes and learns BOXING?

Random thought:
You know how the Oath Stricture means that you take an oath and it counts as your first initiation's ordeal? What if we did the same thing with the Gesture Geas? Learn a martial arts discipline and it's your ordeal as a Gesture Geas, a literal combining of magic with fighting technique.

Given that a metaplanar quest gives enough karma to a character to initiate (and counts as an ordeal, thus making it cheaper anyway), would it be fair to say that you would make the learning test for the martial art (Arsenal 156) and that as it is your ordeal you end up with that discipline (and the advantage it gives you) for free? You still spend the karma to initiate, but not the 10 karma to get the 5 BP Martial Arts quality. As it is also your Gesture Geas, you have to be performing some aspect of that discipline to fulfill the terms of the geas. For example: if a character takes Aikido (Judo, Jujutsu) and gets +1 die for Full Dodge, then their gesture could be having declared an action as a dodge that round. Krav Maga could have a gesture of "having disarmed an opponent this round" or "taking aim." (The benefit a character chooses shouldn't have to be the gesture, as some don't work, however the gesture should be relative to the discipline chosen, up to the discretion of the GM. I.E. taking +1 die on Attacks to Knockdown for Aikido, but the gesture performed is taking a dodge action).

It's slightly more restrictive than a normal gesture geas*, but you do get the discipline for free.

*At least I think so, as the intent of the gesture geas is that you wave your hands around as a non-action as you cast your spells. Here I've imposed some kind of time-taking action (anywhere from the 1 free action/pass to a full complex action) that already grants some kind of other advantage, but allowed it to count as the gesture for anywhere from a pass to a round. So this might not be kosher.

Anyway, I love tinkering with rules, I generally come up with balanced ideas, though sometimes they need some outside input and tinkering. This was mostly random rambly thoughts.