This all began when I wanted to play a ghoul character. Looking at the ghoul in the Critters book, and developing my own ideas of what I wanted him to be, I decided he needed to have claws and fangs (mentioned, but not granted as an ability). and be really fast (i.e. have a high initiative). I tried making the character with cyberware: retractable claws and wired reflexes, but due to low essence and a mandatory sensitive system flaw, cyberware is dangerous for ghouls. I also tried using the rules from Year of the Comet and giving him claws and fangs, but Currently, he is an adept with improved reflexes and killing hands. The idea was, however, that his killing hands were really just claws, and his improved reflexes were just a side-effect of his awakened nature (they are dual-beings, after all), and not some intense mystical training in the "somatic tradition." Instead, when this character contracted HMHVV and became a ghoul, he also gained these magical powers.

My question is this: do you think it's okay to give a character adept, or other magical powers for that matter, but define them differently? Magic in the Shadows hints at this by giving as an example "psychic" characters who are basically spellcasters, but who derive their powers from their minds, rather than learning spells as a magician does.

Taking this a step further- how about characters who have an even more limited magical ability than aspected magicians? For instance, a character who can cast one or two spells, and cannot astrally perceive or project. Maybe a character could have access to spells and adept powers, but be greatly restricted in their choices. For instance, an earth-elemental themed character with a Strength Boost and Mystic Armor, as well as the Physical Barrier and Shape Earth spells, but no astral abilities.

The big question is: how would you go about making characters like this? Call them aspected magicians/adepts, and give them a reasonable amount of power, or make them buy each ability individually with build points? This has the potential of unbalancing campaigns or even letting characters get a little too individual. One of the things I like about SR is that things are identifiable as part of the SR universe.

So, whachoo guys think?

-Dread Polack

Adept powers can manifest physically, this is covered in MitS under Twisted Adepts, but one could easily expand that formula.

As to super specialized magic characters, I see no real need to create rules for them. The Astral Phobia flaw and simply choosing appropriate spells/adept powers would suffice for the Earth Elementalist.

Sure, as long as they don't break some of the hard and fast rules (drain, LOS for most spells, etc.) I see no reasons why your explanations would be a problem. Actually, they're kinda cool.

Hi,
I never played in the ADL, but I heard of people in northern Germany who had only astral vision but no other magical powers. As far as I remember, they were magic priority C.
You could do other similar things, like only astral vision, the ability to summon only one kind of spirit (only fog spirits for example, kind of like an aspected shamanist). But I suppose these things only work in a group that greatly favors style over power, otherwise it might be very open to abuse.

tbd

Of course, that's perfectly fine to do and the rules are all there to help you along (full/aspected choices, geasa, schools, traditions, totems, idols, fetishes, trade spell points in, use spell points as karma, etc.). Creative interpretation and implantation of the rules is something I've always encouraged in my games.

Speaking of geasa, I've aparently read too much Wheel of Time.

Speak No Word That Is Untrue geasa vaild for the last 24 hours.