Crazy Character Ideas?, GM is running a Freaks campaign, I need ideas Options

[Speed Wraith]

FWIW, I did a techno command and control guy using Biowire and Acceleration as a bad guy in a recent game. It was an interesting concept, even if a major tactical error on my part as GM (in hindsight, it was not the best place to park his vehicle...) cut the experiment short before really giving it a fair shake.

Dronomancer, smartlink CF, tacnet CF, and a nasty team working with him.

[Lantzer]

Try a full-cyber-replacement catgirl optimized for athletics?

How about a hispanic Minotaur addicted to skateboarding?

Elvis?

[Draco18s]

How about a hispanic Minotaur addicted to skateboarding?

All I could think of was El Diablo from Generator Rex. He doesn't skateboard though.

[Udoshi]

Whether or not the rules even allow that is questionable.

Oh, the rules ALLOW it perfectly fine, as Astral Hazing makes a background count of 4 and geomancy doesn't require a physical location, only a ritual.
The real question is whether your GM is sane or not.

The real purpose of being a walking aspected domain is to stand next to your awakened mage buddies and their spirits, tho.
For a cyborg with arcane arrester, object resistance, and the vehicle mod that raises their OR, you're basically spell immune.

Also, Astral Hazing does not reduce the effects of spells cast into it.

It actually does, but in a roundabout fashion. The last sentence: Background count also affects astral visibility, (p114) which affects both assensing and astral combat. Since we know from the core book that mages suffer vision penalties to spell casting, if they happen to be using astral perception to target you, they're probably going to be taking the penalty.

2) Optical cameras are a no.

This zoom function magnifies vision by up to 50 times, allowing distant targets to be seen clearly. It is available as both an optical (ideal for spellcasting at distant targets) or electronic (with real-time image correction) enhancement. For rules on using vision magnification in ranged combat, see p. 150.

Also special machinery for a mage sight system works, since a brain still has optic nerves to connect to. Maybe even eyeballs.

I kind of stole the idea from a mage in our game who had a Mage Sight Security System hooked up inside of a vehicle. Being able to provide counterspelling from within the riggers van was basically awesome.

[NiL_FisK_Urd]

Play a cybered lesbian elf ninja stripper adept (with a chameleon Dermal Sheath).

[bannockburn]

He asked for crazy ideas, not standard (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Udoshi]

1) I'd like to debate the vampire brain idea.

I'll let you have this one. It has to do with how creatures with essence loss have special rules for losing magic. Basically if you have low essence and high initiations, you can not burn out.
the second part is what powers you lose when you burn out - anything but natural weapon and enhanced senses goes away.

A sidenote on Regeneration - any vampire type with Essence Loss/Essence Drain also has regeneration. They are allowed to take implants, but only delta.
Which is important when you consider interaction with the CCU. The rules concerning it are a bit contradictory, and depending whether you consider publishing order(augmentation was before arsenal, so arsenal is 'newer') It can either be a few things. Either its a deltaware piece of gear(which meets Regeneration's requirements), or its a vehicle mod with an accessory(price and availability in arsenal) that happens to need a good hospital and a medicine 20 test. (in which case, its not ware and doesn't fall under the Regeneration's requirements). Its a very technical and pedantic distinction, but delta ware and a delta clinic are not precisely the same thing - a delta clinic IS capable of doing lesser surgeries(see Medical Providers, augmentation), and isn't forbidden at creation - only delta[i]ware/i] is entirely forbidden - you just can't meet the Availability test at start, but its not a Flat Out No like betaware and adapsin it.
Either way, its compatable with Regeneration. The CCU description in augmentation is pretty damning, in that" it should be considered delta grade". The main debate is whether the newer rules supercede that, because you can't actually acquire one with the rules in augmentation - its just missing.

Now, lets go over what happens when you get Cyborged. Your Essence is left at 0.1, and resonance and magic are set to 0.(on a tangent, there's an exploit to get ware afterwards by having an essence hole before/as you are being CCU'd due to mandatory ware removal.)

So a vampire at magic 0 kinda sucks. They don't really have any special abilities.

But if they get Magic AGAIN, then they have options. If a vampire cyborg somehow manages to do it, and have a Magic rating again, then their critter powers start working again and they're back in business. Namely, they can Essence Drain and have Essence Loss again, which we want.
There are two ways to do this. The most fluff friendly is an Aleph Society pact - for those of you who don't know, its a magical group/society that promises to be able to help burntouts. And they can. The spirit in charge of the group forms a pact, and actually lends its OWN magic to burnt out mages instead of their own - it also means their magic rating varies depending on how much mana is available at any given time.(from 1 to 6) I think details are in the DG, but sadly, costs aren't given, so its up to a GM to shoehorn it into spirit pact rules. There's also the nasty downside of a spirit extorting you for karma.
But it opens up a second possibility. Possession spirits. In a possession, the spirits Mental and Special attributes are explicitly used. (this is why a technomancer that is possessed has no Resonance) Note that this includes both Magic and Essence.
So a possessed vampire cyborg just extends the exsanguination tube, snacks on essence, raises its own, and spends some Essence to boost their Magic stat, and voila, they are back in business.

You have to re-buy a lot of stats, but it should be doable.
It's also worth noting that Endowment Shenanigans(endowing endowment to spread other powers around) can be used to give both Essence Loss and Essence Drain to other beings, so there's alternate ways to get it back and raise your own essence above 0.1

[Neraph]

I'll let you have this one. It has to do with how creatures with essence loss have special rules for losing magic. Basically if you have low essence and high initiations, you can not burn out.
the second part is what powers you lose when you burn out - anything but natural weapon and enhanced senses goes away.

A sidenote on Regeneration - any vampire type with Essence Loss/Essence Drain also has regeneration. They are allowed to take implants, but only delta.
Which is important when you consider interaction with the CCU. The rules concerning it are a bit contradictory, and depending whether you consider publishing order(augmentation was before arsenal, so arsenal is 'newer') It can either be a few things. Either its a deltaware piece of gear(which meets Regeneration's requirements), or its a vehicle mod with an accessory(price and availability in arsenal) that happens to need a good hospital and a medicine 20 test. (in which case, its not ware and doesn't fall under the Regeneration's requirements). Its a very technical and pedantic distinction, but delta ware and a delta clinic are not precisely the same thing - a delta clinic IS capable of doing lesser surgeries(see Medical Providers, augmentation), and isn't forbidden at creation - only deltaware/i] is entirely forbidden - you just can't meet the Availability test at start, but its not a Flat Out No like betaware and adapsin it.
Either way, its compatable with Regeneration. The CCU description in augmentation is pretty damning, in that" it should be considered delta grade". The main debate is whether the newer rules supercede that, because you can't actually acquire one with the rules in augmentation - its just missing.

Now, lets go over what happens when you get Cyborged. Your Essence is left at 0.1, and resonance and magic are set to 0.(on a tangent, there's an exploit to get ware afterwards by having an essence hole before/as you are being CCU'd due to mandatory ware removal.)

So a vampire at magic 0 kinda sucks. They don't really have any special abilities.

But if they get Magic AGAIN, then they have options. If a vampire cyborg somehow manages to do it, and have a Magic rating again, then their critter powers start working again and they're back in business. Namely, they can Essence Drain and have Essence Loss again, which we want.
There are two ways to do this. The most fluff friendly is an Aleph Society pact - for those of you who don't know, its a magical group/society that promises to be able to help burntouts. And they can. The spirit in charge of the group forms a pact, and actually lends its OWN magic to burnt out mages instead of their own - it also means their magic rating varies depending on how much mana is available at any given time.(from 1 to 6) I think details are in the DG, but sadly, costs aren't given, so its up to a GM to shoehorn it into spirit pact rules. There's also the nasty downside of a spirit extorting you for karma.
But it opens up a second possibility. Possession spirits. In a possession, the spirits Mental and Special attributes are explicitly used. (this is why a technomancer that is possessed has no Resonance) Note that this includes both Magic and Essence.
So a possessed vampire cyborg just extends the exsanguination tube, snacks on essence, raises its own, and spends some Essence to boost their Magic stat, and voila, they are back in business.

You have to re-buy a lot of stats, but it should be doable.
It's also worth noting that Endowment Shenanigans(endowing endowment to spread other powers around) can be used to give both Essence Loss and Essence Drain to other beings, so there's alternate ways to get it back and raise your own essence above 0.1

You could get a Magic Pact to get the process started again. The issue I have is with the actual Essence Drain mechanic: on page 77 of [i]Runner's Companion, it states that the maximum Essence you can Drain is equal to twice your maximum Essence. Since your maximum has been reduced to 0.1 you would not be able to drain any more than up to 0.2 Essence.

Also, blood has nothing to do with Essence Drain - only physical touch of some sort must happen for the Power to be used. A vampire can literally Essence Drain someone to death with only its pinkie toe touching the person (as long as that contact remains for the few minutes required). A lot of people confuse their Dietary Requirement and their Essence Drain ability.

[Udoshi]

You could get a Magic Pact to get the process started again. The issue I have is with the actual Essence Drain mechanic: on page 77 of Runner's Companion, it states that the maximum Essence you can Drain is equal to twice your maximum Essence. Since your maximum has been reduced to 0.1 you would not be able to drain any more than up to 0.2 Essence.

Also, blood has nothing to do with Essence Drain - only physical touch of some sort must happen for the Power to be used. A vampire can literally Essence Drain someone to death with only its pinkie toe touching the person (as long as that contact remains for the few minutes required). A lot of people confuse their Dietary Requirement and their Essence Drain ability.

While blood doesn't have anything to do with it, I like it as a horrifying thematic. Basically i'm saving this one for when my group manages to deserve a blood magic cyberzombie thrown at them.

Nice catch on the max essence, however - as long as you have 1 initiation grade, you can have a magic of 1 with an essence of 0.1 or .2

[Stahlseele]

For a Vampire-Brain . . would you fill the Jar with Blood? O.o

[StealthSigma]

A Rogue AI that uses a DocWagon SRT as its body....


I think I might make this for giggles......

[Udoshi]

For a Vampire-Brain . . would you fill the Jar with Blood? O.o

And stahl gets the theme we're going for here!

[Stahlseele]

Technical Fairy First Class

[Shortstraw]

Mr Flibble as mentor spirit?

[ShadowDragon8685]

Mr Flibble as mentor spirit?

Thank you, very much. Now I need to go and watch Red Dwarf.

[Shortstraw]

Oh no I forced you to go watch one of the best comedies of all time I'm a forum mutaqua.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Oh no I forced you to go watch one of the best comedies of all time I'm a forum mutaqua.

But my computer's CD drive is fritzing and won't recognize that it exists, so I can't, is the problem! (no normal DVD player, either.) And I only have Back to Earth anyhow, which, while awesome, doesn't really sate the need for a marathon run of the boys from the dwarf.

And it isn't like Friendship is Magic where the entire run is in 1080p high quality on YouTube. Or, for that matter, at all on YouTube.

[Novocrane]

What's the deal with the vampire brain in a jar?

I thought they lost maximum essence from implants, rather than current essence, due to that drain thing.

[Draco18s]

What's the deal with the vampire brain in a jar?

I thought they lost maximum essence from implants, rather than current essence, due to that drain thing.

Brain-Jars don't really care what your essence is, it becomes 0.1

[Jeremiah Kraye]

Could pretend to be a brain-jar being used as a super computer who happens to run shadowrun bio-drones on the side for funsies. Could even be located inside of a mil-sat device and express your self through your hacked drones. Could even utilize a lazer to present a hologram occasionally (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) . I'd imagine a brain in a jar gets bored often.

[bannockburn]

http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/121.html
Nuff said (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
Oh, also: Godwyn, albeit by accident (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[CanRay]

I still have to make the Troll Physical Adept that names all his firearms and sleeps with them in rotation like his own personal harem.

[Jeremiah Kraye]

I still have to make the Troll Physical Adept that names all his firearms and sleeps with them in rotation like his own personal harem.

"Oh buddy, Big Bertha is tomorrow, Bubba loves Big Bertha!"

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I still have to make the Troll Physical Adept that names all his firearms and sleeps with them in rotation like his own personal harem.

Ain't his name Jane?

[Stahlseele]

Ain't his name Jane?

Not quite:
http://images.cheezburger.com/completestor...29034345204.jpg