Pixie Toxic Mage, feedback appreciated |
Pixie Toxic Mage, feedback appreciated |
Mar 23 2010, 07:12 AM
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#1
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 205 Joined: 7-January 07 From: Sydney, Australia Member No.: 10,558 |
So I've finally convinced my friends to start playing Shadowrun with me and it turns out one of our mutual friends is a DM for his local group. This mutual friend has agreed to run our games for us, and suggested that when we've settled in we might like to run crossovers with his other group. So I've written out an idea for my first character, a pixie toxic black mage.
ALBERICH - TOXIC BLACK MAGE - PIXIE (35 BP) STATISTICS (240 BP) B1 A3 R3 S1 C7 I6 L6 W7 M5 E4 ACTIVE SKILLS (108 BP) Assensing 4 (Spirits +2) Astral Combat 3 (Magicians +2) Banishing 1 Binding 5 (Spirits of Man +2) Counterspelling 1 (Combat Spells +2) Dodge 1 (Astral +2) Influence Skill Group 1 Spellcasting 1 (Health +2) Summoning 5 (Spirits of Man +2) KNOWLEDGE SKILLS Astral Research 5 Local Covens 3 Magical Theory 5 Nietzsche 4 Spirit Idenitification 6 Wards 4 LANGUAGE SKILLS English N Sperethial 5 Latin 4 QUALITIES (+5 BP) Focused Concentration 10 Magician 15 Mentor Spirit (Mutation) 5 Infirm +20 Sensitive Structure +15 SPELLS (9 BP) Increase Charisma Increase Willpower Decrease Logic GEAR (13 BP) Power Focus (Force 2) Middle Lifestyle (Comfort 2, Entertainment 0, Necessities 2, Security 3, Neighbourhood 3 w/Aspected Domain, Workplace and Perfect Roommate) CONTACTS (21 Free BP) Merlin – Talismonger (Connection 3/Loyalty 4) Prospero – Coven Mage (Connection 2/Loyalty 5) Penny Farthing – Fixer (Connection 4/Loyalty 3) |
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Mar 23 2010, 07:49 AM
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#2
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,654 Joined: 29-October 06 Member No.: 9,731 |
Hoboy. We had this discussion with some other dude two or three months ago who wanted to play a "toxic-friendly" mage. You get that toxics are (or are at least widely perceived to be) the bad guys, right? And that playing a toxic will basically paint a bull's-eye on your character's forehead?
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Mar 23 2010, 08:23 AM
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#3
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Moving Target Group: Validating Posts: 664 Joined: 7-October 08 From: South-western UCAS border... Member No.: 16,449 |
By which he means there is a bounty on toxic mages... and it pays pretty well.
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Mar 23 2010, 08:30 AM
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#4
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,925 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 948 |
I really have a problem with RAW and toxic mages.
If I want to play a Nuclear Physicist Hermetic Radiation Mage I’m immediately perceived as a threat since I control forces that are radioactive? Having a spirit that ignores the danger of a reactor to fix things for me would be a good thing. The only thing would be if I started to use things like “Radioactive Bolt of Death” Space travel is gonna be a bitch – especially any exploration close to the sun which is most likely the Nuclear Toxic Metaplane filled with radioactive spirits since the entire sun is a reactor. It’s get even more fun if we split things up… Fission Mages - Evil radiation spreading mages Fusion Mages – Clean Enviroment Mages |
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Mar 23 2010, 11:12 AM
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#5
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 821 Joined: 4-December 09 Member No.: 17,940 |
There's a reason why toxic mages are dumped into the 'threat' category, along with shedims, insect spirits and the like. Thier mentor sprits have interested that are seriously antithetic to normal magic and more often than not to what is considered a normal life, even by shadowrunners standards. 'Normal' magic derives from natural environements. Toxics don't, they're ssociated with things like toxic dumps, irradiated zones, defoliant-staurated rural areas and the like. Not exactly the sort of things you like to hav nearby
That toxic pixie is something no sane runner would ever want be associated with - at most one might consider tagging along for a one-shot job, but would take extra care that he isn't linked with it. A mutation mentor spirit is the sort to expect to do things like dumping mutagenic toxin into the water supplies, taint food before it's distributed, that sort of things. Having a contatc in (presumably) toxic coven makes it even worse. As an aside, a mutation-aspected location isn't in my opinion an healthy place for someone with a Bod of 1 to live in. |
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Mar 23 2010, 04:26 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 572 Joined: 6-February 09 From: London Uk Member No.: 16,848 |
In the game all that would happen is the rest of the team trying to work out how to incapacite you and turn you in without killing you and losing the evidence of your existance so they can be paid. Although to be fair we did just finish a bounty hunt on a blood mage so hunting magic users appears to pay quite well to us
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Mar 23 2010, 07:17 PM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 144 Joined: 19-June 06 From: CAS baby Member No.: 8,736 |
A few things pop out at me.
1) Why is your essence 4? 2) As soon as combat happens you will explode in a poof of glitter. 3) ????? 4) Profit! Hope this helps! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) |
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Mar 23 2010, 08:23 PM
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#8
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,745 Joined: 30-November 07 From: St. Louis Streets Member No.: 14,433 |
A few things pop out at me. 1) Why is your essence 4? 2) As soon as combat happens you will explode in a poof of glitter. 3) ????? 4) Profit! Hope this helps! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif) looks like "E4" means Edge 4 |
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Mar 23 2010, 09:04 PM
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#9
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,849 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Melbourne, Australia Member No.: 872 |
Before we get ahead of ourselves.... has your GM buddy approved your concept, given its radical departure from RAW?
- J. |
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Mar 23 2010, 09:22 PM
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#10
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,654 Joined: 29-October 06 Member No.: 9,731 |
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Mar 23 2010, 09:45 PM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 132 Joined: 30-January 08 Member No.: 15,579 |
Maybe he's thinking Cold Fusion?
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Mar 23 2010, 10:48 PM
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#12
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Target Group: Members Posts: 58 Joined: 2-November 09 Member No.: 17,829 |
I would have killed his character for having a contact named Merlin.
But I have to roll with the masses. You may try to be a "goodly" toxic mage, but people arnt going to buy it. It would be like... Oh... I dunno... Being a dark elven ranger trying to convince people you are good. You can expect years of abuse and outright violence until you make a name for yourself. The flipside is, as a runner, you dont WANT a name for yourself. |
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Mar 23 2010, 11:19 PM
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#13
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Freelance Elf Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 7,324 Joined: 30-September 04 From: Texas Member No.: 6,714 |
If a concept like that will work at your local game table, have fun with it. If a character that gimped will work at your game table, have fun with it. If your peers in the Shadowrunning group won't immediately incapacitate your combat worthless character and turn it in for the bounty, have fun with it.
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Mar 24 2010, 07:46 AM
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#14
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,925 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 948 |
Hmm, best bet for ME would be to play a regular hermetic mage but perhaps with a few spells with "Radiation elemental effect" on a few spells.
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Mar 24 2010, 08:58 AM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 540 Joined: 5-May 09 From: California Member No.: 17,140 |
Gotta love dumpshock, when someone asks for help they get bit in the ass. First off I'll give you the warning. Toxic mages are basically hated by anyone not evil or crazy...or both. If your gm is ok with this along with the massive bounty on your head (you should have the wanted quality because of this without a choice) then you need to redo the numbers. You dont have a single offensive spell. You should at least have stunbolt/ball. Next your spell casting is way to low. Spirits are nice and all but if their busy you need a way to defend yourself. Astral combat isnt needed that much if you just bring a spirit along as a body guard and stunbolt is just as effective as banishing. I dont know karmagen well so i dont know what else to say.
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Mar 24 2010, 09:17 AM
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#16
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 132 Joined: 30-January 08 Member No.: 15,579 |
I guess the first two questions, would be what form of Karmagen are you using? The Karmagen from RC, or the rules from the German book. The second, is what role are you going for. What's your purpose?
Spellcasting 1 is a terribad idea. Even with the specialization. I would also look at the rules pertaining to the Attribute Spell. You have to cast it at a Force equal to, or greater than, the augmented value for the attribute you're boosting. That means a minimum force of 7 for both the Charisma and Willpower. Your skills honestly look kinda helter skelter. |
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Mar 24 2010, 10:05 AM
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#17
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,705 Joined: 5-October 09 From: You are in a clearing Member No.: 17,722 |
I notice you've used the BP values for qualities, contacts and spells rather than the 2x values set for karma.
Also, it costs 16 karma to bind that Power Focus. Actually most of your numbers seem off. I'm reading your final tally in the area of 848 karma, and that's with chax4 in free contacts and no karma for race type. Maybe you're tacking on free knowledge/language skill points or using 3x for stats rather than the 5x SR4a appended it to? Dunno. One other thing, you can only learn a number of spells equal to your spellcasting skill x2, so that means a max of 2 spells for you. Also, by the rules, the mentor spirit for Mutation abhors weakness. Bod 1 Str 1 is not a good fit if you plan to play by the readings. |
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Mar 24 2010, 10:38 AM
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#18
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 132 Joined: 30-January 08 Member No.: 15,579 |
RC Karmagen has never been appended to x5 for it actually. SR4a did change the cost in Karma for post creation, but nothing has actually been set forth for RC. From a RAW standpoint of course.
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Mar 24 2010, 12:06 PM
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#19
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Target Group: Members Posts: 35 Joined: 30-July 09 Member No.: 17,453 |
By the way, what's a good guideline on how much bounty I get for a toxic mage? Is that written anywhere? Street Magic just said: "There is a bounty".
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Mar 24 2010, 12:19 PM
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#20
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,925 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 948 |
By the way, what's a good guideline on how much bounty I get for a toxic mage? Is that written anywhere? Street Magic just said: "There is a bounty". I believe that the draco foundation pays 1 000 000 Y for both bloodmages and toxic mages. Our group decided for Netguns and narcojects and sit outside every Aztechnology corporation office and have the mage check who was awakened (ok, masking might stop us...). The GM decided the bounty was a bad idea and/or corporations upped the security for their employees. |
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Mar 24 2010, 01:03 PM
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#21
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Runner Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 2,801 Joined: 2-September 09 From: Moscow, Russia Member No.: 17,589 |
I believe that the draco foundation pays 1 000 000 Y for both bloodmages and toxic mages. Our group decided for Netguns and narcojects and sit outside every Aztechnology corporation office and have the mage check who was awakened (ok, masking might stop us...). The GM decided the bounty was a bad idea and/or corporations upped the security for their employees. I believe DF now only pays bounties for the select few they deem worthy, not just anyone. Basically, it has a price for the heads of the powerful blood and toxic mages. Oh, and yeah, once you capture a couple of Azzie mages, they will increase security, and they will put effort to find you and make an example of you. |
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Mar 24 2010, 01:41 PM
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#22
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,925 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 948 |
I believe DF now only pays bounties for the select few they deem worthy, not just anyone. Basically, it has a price for the heads of the powerful blood and toxic mages. True, after getting a few hundred mages the first month with limited magical capacity and people wanting their cash they might have tightened up their requirements of the term "Bloodmage". Oh, and yeah, once you capture a couple of Azzie mages, they will increase security, and they will put effort to find you and make an example of you. Yes, but runners tend to get a bit blind if they can quickly gain a million yen. Or two and three. Or powerful and resourceful enough... |
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Mar 24 2010, 01:51 PM
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#23
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,705 Joined: 5-October 09 From: You are in a clearing Member No.: 17,722 |
RC Karmagen has never been appended to x5 for it actually. SR4a did change the cost in Karma for post creation, but nothing has actually been set forth for RC. From a RAW standpoint of course. The point of Karmagen is to provide a smooth [direct] transition for character build and advancement from creation to play. That's also written into the description. Besides, saying that karmagen doesn't update with karma rules just because of missing errata is not going to really net you anything but equally uber opponents and stats that are hell to upgrade. It's like the sig says. |
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Mar 24 2010, 05:38 PM
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#24
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Target Group: Members Posts: 80 Joined: 19-January 09 Member No.: 16,793 |
Hehe anyone else see something wrong with a toxic mage with a body of 1?
Suicidal much? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) |
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Mar 25 2010, 01:44 AM
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#25
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 205 Joined: 7-January 07 From: Sydney, Australia Member No.: 10,558 |
I think where I put 'Karma' I meant to put BP. Oops.
Also, I didn't know there was a bounty on toxic mages. My GM doesn't mind me playing a toxic mage and I don't think he was planning on bountying me either. My plan was to run in the Astral all the time, dropping spirits for support. The increase willpower and charisma spells are going to be cast by spirits of man to support me when I want to summon or bind high level spirits. Decrease logic is as close to an offensive spell as I've picked, but I think I'll change it to manabolt. |
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