Pixie Black Mage, Please help assess build Options

[Tomothy]

This is a build I originally made for a crippled elf but I saw the rules for pixie's and modified him.

[ Spoiler ]

Elijah - Pixie (35 BP) Black Mage

Attributes (240 BP):
Body 1
Agility 3
Reaction 3
Strength 1
Charisma 7
Intuition 6
Logic 6
Willpower 7
Magic 5
Edge 5

Qualities (+15 BP):
Magician
Mentor Spirit (Fire-Bringer)
Infirm
Sensitive System

Active Skills (108 BP):
Arcana 1
Assensing 1
Astral Combat (Blade Foci) 3 (+2)
Binding (Man) 5 (+2)
Counterspelling 3
Infiltration (Urban) 1 (+2)
Influence Skill Group 1
Perception 1
Spellcasting (Manipulation) 3 (+2)
Summoning (Man) 4 (+2)

Knowledge Skills (36 Free BP):
Astral Research 4
Corporate Mage Security Procedures 3
Magical Theory 5
Meditation 2
Occult Study 4
Spirit Lore 5
Theosophy 4

English N
Latin 4
Sperethial 5

Spells (9 BP):
Astral Armour
Control Thoughts
Ignite

Equipment (95,000¥ - 19+4 BP):
Leather Jacket (w/Ruthenium Polymer Coating)
Manipulation Fetish
Ring – Power Focus (Force 2)
Nodachi – Weapon Focus (Force 2)
Magical Lodge (Force 5)
Binding Materials (Force 5)
Low Lifestyle (1 Month).

Notes:
Starting Nuyen 3D6+2 x 50¥
Concealment (Self Only)
Uneducated
+2 dice for Manipulation spells and Fire spirits.
-1 die for Illusion spells.

He was originally going to be purely astral support, but a combo of the Ruthenium Jacket and the Pixie's natural Concealment (Combined with Concealment from the Spirit of Man if needed) means he should be pretty capable of running undetected.

Also I think there may be some nuyen left over, but I can't remember and I'm not sure what I'd do with it anyway...

[Glyph]

I would question the ability of a pixie to use a frikkin' polearm - even a regular sword would probably be difficult for them.

Ruthenium only works for full suit-type items. It wouldn't be effective on a jacket.

Firebringer is one of the least suitable mentor spirits for black magic - they lean more towards mentor spirits such as seductress or adversary.

A starting character can have one active skill at 6, or two at 5. There's no reason to have only one skill at 5.

You don't really need a high Logic for much - the points would be better used for getting your Body to 2, and boosting your skills. The infirm/high mental Attributes mix probably fit your previous concept better than it fits a pixie infiltrator.

Until you pay off the pixie uneducated quality (which you can do at char-gen, with build points), you can't have some of those academic knowledge skills. Also, the infirm quality makes your physical active skills cost double - it's one of the more detrimental and crippling qualities.

Hope this helps!

[HentaiZonga]

Ditch "infirm". A .5m tall person can't afford to be that fragile and sick to boot. Drop Logic to 5, then up Reaction to 4. Then get a few more spells.

[Tomothy]

I would question the ability of a pixie to use a frikkin' polearm - even a regular sword would probably be difficult for them.

I had considered the unlikeliness of this. I figured he wouldn't be swinging it too much in RL, it's more for Astral. Would he even be able to carry a Nodachi? Maybe it's a little one? A custom made Nodachi? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Firebringer is one of the least suitable mentor spirits for black magic - they lean more towards mentor spirits such as seductress or adversary.

My justification was based on the translation of Lucifer as "light-bringer" and the idea of Lucifer helping Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge.

A starting character can have one active skill at 6, or two at 5. There's no reason to have only one skill at 5.

What skill would you drop to increase one of the others? Spellcasting, Counterspelling or Astral Combat?

Re: Infirm and Uneducated - I did not realise they doubled the points cost at the start as well. Blast! I will either have to change infirm or change my skill choices... I could always give him paraplegia for 10 points and an allergy (uncommon, moderate) for another ten points. For Uneducated I have a ridiculous amount of knowledge skills anyway, I'm happy to leave the negative quality and pay a little extra for the knowledge skills.

Re: Logic - I could probably afford to drop it by 1 or 2. Will consider.

Cheers for the criticism!

[Cunning Rat]

I had considered the unlikeliness of this. I figured he wouldn't be swinging it too much in RL, it's more for Astral. Would he even be able to carry a Nodachi? Maybe it's a little one? A custom made Nodachi? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Given what pixies are -- a resurrection of Earthdawn's Windlings -- I'm fairly confident in telling you that for a pixie, a standard dagger is the size of a two-handed sword. The answer to whether he'd be able to carry a Nodachi is a resounding "no". Dagger would be about the most he'd be able to manage.

Of course, then we'd have to get into a discussion of whether a wi... erm, that is, pixie's personality is suitable to the practice of Black Magic, but I don't think I want to do that today. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[toturi]

Just put those Knowledge points into Street Knowledges. Some of your Knowledge skills can actually be Street Knowledge skills - for example, Occult Study and Spirit Lore could both be Street.

[Tomothy]

The other thing about Ruthenium only working for jump suits - I would have to forgo the 2/2 armour from the jacket and just buy a jumpsuit with no armour instead. The stealth points make it worthwhile though...

The answer to whether he'd be able to carry a Nodachi is a resounding "no". Dagger would be about the most he'd be able to manage.

What's the deal with having customised weapons then? You can't have a nodachi customised to fit a pixie?

Also there seems to be very little mention of the pixie's personality in the book? Or maybe I just missed it while I was skimming? Besides unlikely as it may be surely it could happen, after all is a pixie black mage more unlikely than a pixie shadowrunner?

@toturi: cheers!

[Cunning Rat]

What's the deal with having customised weapons then? You can't have a nodachi customised to fit a pixie?

Oh, I'm certain you -can- have a nodachi customized to fit a pixie.
It's just that it'll be the size of a dagger, and have the game stats of one. (Reach? What Reach?)

Also there seems to be very little mention of the pixie's personality in the book? Or maybe I just missed it while I was skimming?

You didn't miss it: it's not there. The comment was not intended as a criticism of the character: I apologize if it seemed that way. I was referring to information on Windling personality in Earthdawn, which is information that you (along with 95% of this board's population) couldn't be expected to have and don't care a fig about. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Hagga]

Although if you want a good read, go kick Ancient HIstory's bandwidth in the teeth and download the dragons pdf from his site. Vasdenjas is most amusing.

[Glyph]

I figure if they can have a pixie serial killer, a pixie black mage is within the realm of possibility. You would need to account for where he picked it up, though, since it's not exactly the norm for pixies (pg. 65 of Runner's Companion is where they talk about pixies in a non-stat way).

I still don't buy the firebringer mentor spirit, though. All kinds of beings can be all kinds of mentor spirits - Loki could be firebringer, trickster, or adversary, for instance - but black magic as a magical tradition, as defined in Street Magic, is completely antithetical to the ideals of the firebringer mentor spirit. They believe in ruthlessly seeking power and in freeing themselves from the shackles of "straight" society. The firebringer mentor spirit, by contrast, has followers who devote themselves to the betterment of others, even at their own expense.

As far as the skills, I envisioned you getting the points for a bit more of them by slashing Logic to, say, 3 or so. 10 points to get a slightly better Body, 8 points to raise spellcasting to 5, and 12 points for 4 more spells, for example.

[Muspellsheimr]

Given what pixies are -- a resurrection of Earthdawn's Windlings -- I'm fairly confident in telling you that for a pixie, a standard dagger is the size of a two-handed sword. The answer to whether he'd be able to carry a Nodachi is a resounding "no". Dagger would be about the most he'd be able to manage.

Daggers usually range between 6-10 inches blade length. Long Knives between 12-14 inches. Short Swords 14-18 inches (& use Sword stats in Shadowrun).

Pixies stand ~18 inches tall. A large short sword is a two-handed blade for a pixie. A dagger is more like a short sword equivalent or other one-handed blade.

[ornot]

Any weapon you give him will need to be customised to his grip size (with appropriate cost and availability mods). Even then anything with reach will be exceedingly heavy and unweildy for him. However, I'm guessing that you wanted to use a No Dachi weapon focus predominantly for astral combat, and the edge it brings. Well, I'll just say that I have my own opinions on astral combat, and leave it at that.

[toturi]

Oh, I'm certain you -can- have a nodachi customized to fit a pixie.
It's just that it'll be the size of a dagger, and have the game stats of one. (Reach? What Reach?)

Then that would just be a dagger and not no dachi customised to fit a pixie. A no dachi customised to fit a pixie would have the game stats of a no dachi. There is no specific rule that states the customised pixie weapons are any different from a normal one.

[Tomothy]

I could always trade in the Nodachi for a Monofilament Whip?

[toturi]

I could always trade in the Nodachi for a Monofilament Whip?

Just remember to have a spirit on Guard.