Possession Mage Go-Ganger, For 600 Karma Options

[WhiskeyJohnny]

So, my GM has returned from out of the country, and we'll be starting up our little Go-Ganger game soon. My character, Sebastian Ascari, is supposed to be the team's hacker and prime driver. Originally I was thinking I'd go with an Adept, since it would fit with our characters being educated at Turin's Societá Thaumaturgica, and because chrome wouldn't necessarily be as easy to come by in GeMiTo. But, inspired as I was by pbangarth's Uncle Zola I was thinking I might instead go for a possession mage, that is, someone who specializes in having a spirit possess themselves in order to boost their abilities (at least, this is how I understand it to work). Would this be doable?

As far as the build goes, I was thinking I'd be an Elf, unless there's a superior option (but no Pixies, please). I have 600 karma to spend (we're using Karmagen), 50 of which is already dedicated to gear (namely, my car). My priorities ability wise would have to be Driving>Hacking>Combat>Social>Mechanics, though I don't really need Mechanics, and Social abilities would be nice to have but aren't absolutely necessary. Obviously, I'll need to be skilled with Magic as well, being a Mage, but I'd like to facilitate the other abilities with my Magical skills. Oh, and I cannot have any native dice pools (that is, Stat+Skill dice pools) higher than 15.

I guess I'm trying to go for a versatile build, and without much Karma with which to do it. I hope the whole "Possession Mage" concept will let me consolidate some resources. Any suggestions?

[Fatum]

Uh, minding that all hacking tests are skill+program, how is having a spirit possess you (raising your attributes) helping with that?

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Uh, minding that all hacking tests are skill+program, how is having a spirit possess you (raising your attributes) helping with that?

Frankly, it isn't? But perhaps it can help with all those other things.

[Makki]

you can have a Task Spirit have the Hacking Skill (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) but it can't access AR/VR (by RAW not even screens), so you need some oldschool keyboard (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

seriously, Adept is fine, Mage can work with compromises in skills, but possessed makes no sense. Driving possessed is stupid too, as while your Reaction may go up, there's no spirit with driving skills. As a serious driver you're way better off VR (and jumped in). Possessing the car gives it some more armor dice, but you can't control it anymore, so that's bad too.
I'd seriously consider Adept, if you want Magic. Improved Ability (Pilot xy) and Improved Ability (Hacking) can somewhat counterbalance the lack of cyberware.
Maybe Mystic-adept with some summoning. Task Spirits with Automotive Mechanic anyone?

[pbangarth]

I'm pleased Uncle Zola is an inspiration!

There is a lot to be said for adept powers helping computer skills, so give that one more thought. If in your character generation you can have Initiation, then the possession mage idea is a little more sensible, as you can have Channeling, thereby being able to use your own skills with the augmented physical stats, access VR, etc..

[Mardrax]

Being possessed raises your physical attributes, while leaving your mental attributes untouched, unless the spirit is in control, which does you no good.
If you want to go the magic hacking route, an adept can do a whole lot, while spells can really only help you out for AR-hacking. If you want to go the non-mundane route, Technomancer would be first in line, followed by Adept. Everthing else just gives you stuff you really have no use for.
(Edit: spells can of course raise your mental attributes as well. Adept does a better job at it though)

The only attributes that help out a bit in RAW hacking rules are Willpower and Body, since they raise the ammount of damage you can take. Willpower is the only attribute that helps you resist Matrix-damage, and is hence the most important attribute. This makes Elf a suboptimal choice, and makes Dwarf the preferred core-race.
Logic helps for soft/hardware skills though, which you could technically do without as a hacker, but they're important if you want to avoid the high costs (and tracability issues) of legal programs. Elves have no penalties here so are on par with dwarves. Elves have more Charisma though, so can better work their contacts to the same effect.

Excepting Infected, every other race varies from bad to worse, while the non-bad Infected are just expensive. Sapient critters are Uneducated by default so make acquiring hacking skills inhibitively expensive.

[Doc Byte]

My character, Sebastian Ascari, is supposed to be the team's hacker and prime driver. Originally I was thinking I'd go with an Adept, since it would fit with our characters being educated at Turin's Societá Thaumaturgica, and because chrome wouldn't necessarily be as easy to come by in GeMiTo.

Why didn't you choose a TM? He'll be awfully weak with 600 karma and probably stay so for another 600 points, but he won't need chrome.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

I'm pleased Uncle Zola is an inspiration!

There is a lot to be said for adept powers helping computer skills, so give that one more thought. If in your character generation you can have Initiation, then the possession mage idea is a little more sensible, as you can have Channeling, thereby being able to use your own skills with the augmented physical stats, access VR, etc..

I will be able to Initiate at chargen, so I'll be sure to pick up Channeling.

The reason I'm not going with a TM is because our characters are supposed to have met while studying at the Societa Thaumaturgica, which is a magic school, so being a TM wouldn't really work, backstory wise.

Why would it be superior to drive jumped in? Don't you still suffer a penalty for driving via VR? And doesn't AR driving give a bonus?

And I know he's going to be weaker than a standard character, with 600 karma, but he's not supposed to be a runner, just a ganger.

[Makki]

Why would it be superior to drive jumped in? Don't you still suffer a penalty for driving via VR? And doesn't AR driving give a bonus?

AR gives a Bonus of +1. I'm not sure you can even access AR while possessed
VR gives +2 for hot sim and Treshold reduction of -1 (which equals another 3 dice)

Edit
BUT

if you only want to drive, no sensor tests, no gunnery, you can get along with a possession character
Pilot Groundcraft 6 + Spec 2 + own reaction 3 + Spirit's reaction 6 = 17 dice. that's huge, plus-minus handling

[WhiskeyJohnny]

AR gives a Bonus of +1. I'm not sure you can even access AR while possessed
VR gives +2 for hot sim and Treshold reduction of -1 (which equals another 3 dice)

Ooh, ok. Can I access VR while possessed? Where can I find the threshold reduction and the Hot Sim bonus?

[pbangarth]

One can benefit from the effects of AR/VR by using a trode net, and thereby avoid the essence loss and ensuing magic loss of implants.

Given the OP's PC's back story, it would seem he will go either with adept or magician. If he eschews the benefits of an adept rigger for the functionality of a magician, he can enhance things that affect driving directly, like Reaction, by having the PC possessed. Reaction in particular can be boosted quite easily with technology, but again, that will impinge on the PC's magic capabilities.

It is less than crystal clear whether the possessed vessel (magician) utilizing Channeling still has the spirit's 2 Initiative Passes.

"The Channeling magician can use her own skills and has fine motor control over her own body while enjoying the enhancing benefits of the Possession power" suggests the passes remain. (p. 55 SM)

"Control is shared, however, and the magician is unable to tap the possessing spirit's powers without expending a service" (same paragraph) may be used to argue against the IP boost during Channeling, but having multiple IPs is not a spirit power. Rather it is a characteristic of all spirits.

The lack of specific mention of IP on page 101 in the sidebar under Possession and Vessels may also be used to argue against the IP boost that materialization spirits enjoy, but the Digital Grimoire, p. 10, tells us that "the only significant difference between Possession spirits and materializing spirits is the manner in which tye bridge the barrier from astral to physical."

I go with the IP passes remaining. In other words a vessel possessed by a spirit has 2 IPs along with an initiative equal to REA + INT, even if the vessel has the Channeling metamagic and is using it to have control of the combined entity.

Why this long-winded diatribe? What this means is that a possessed magician who uses Channeling has both increased REA and IPs without the use of technical augmentation or adept power points. This goes a long way towards making the OP's original idea a viable one.

[Makki]

I go with the IP passes remaining. In other words a vessel possessed by a spirit has 2 IPs along with an initiative equal to REA + INT, even if the vessel has the Channeling metamagic and is using it to have control of the combined entity.

I second that because they merge two ONE dual natured being. you can still cast Increased Reflexes of course.

[pbangarth]

I second that because they merge two ONE dual natured being. you can still cast Increased Reflexes of course.

Sure, or in the case of AR/VR get further IP increases.

[Mardrax]

Ooh, ok. Can I access VR while possessed? Where can I find the threshold reduction and the Hot Sim bonus?

Yes, with Channeling you can.
You'll find the threshold reduction on pg 168 of SR4a, pg 227 of the same will giuve you the hot sim bonus.

The VCR implant on pg 338 gives you another +2 while jumped in.
Do realise that you're using the device's Response, rather than your Reaction, while jumped in, so possession or magery would again be fairly useless there.

[Makki]

if you only want to drive, no sensor tests, no gunnery, you can get along with a possession character
Pilot Groundcraft 6 + Spec 2 + own reaction 3 + Spirit's reaction 6 = 17 dice. that's huge, plus-minus handling

an ally spirit can have every skill you have (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) his skill lvl= Force. so you can actually let the possessing spirit drive. maybe give him a navigation skill as well...