I stated up some allies and adversaries for my runners to interact with. I need help from you guys to point out any potential weak points or strong suits. Thanks!

P.S. How is Blood Magic different than normal magic? I only have SR4, and it does not touch upon Blood Magic expect as flavor text (i.e. no game stats). I am planning on using Aztechnology as an antagonist in my games.

Aralina
Race: Ork (20 BP)
Attributes (230 BP): Bod: 6 Agi: 5 Rea: 5 (+2 dice) Str: 5 Cha: 4 Int: 3 Log: 3 Wil: 3 Mag: 5
Edge (30 BP): 4
Initiative: 10
Initiative Passes: 3
Physical Damage Track: 11
Stun Damage Track: 10
Active Skills (52 BP): Athletics skill group 2, Close Combat skill group 4 (6 w/ Blades), Firearms skill group 3, Influence skill group 2, Perception 2
Knowledge Skills (18 Free BP, 2 BP): Club Music 4, Seattle Street Gangs 4, Security Companies 2, Security Design 2, Street Drugs 4, Underworld Politics 3
Language Skills (6 BP): Or’zet: N, English: 4, Spanish: 2
Qualities (35 BP): Adept, Ambidextrous, Guts, Quick Healer, Toughness
Adept Powers (5 Power Points from Magic): Enhanced Perception 2, Improved Attribute (Agility, Reaction), Improved Reflexes 2
Gear: Melee Weapons: Forearm Snap-blades x2; Ranged Weapons: Ruger 100 Rifle with 20 spare clips of regular ammo, Hammerli 620S Pistols x2 w/ 20 spare clips
Notes: Natural Low-light Vision, Fairlight Caliban Commlink

Sam
Race: Human (0 BP)
Attributes (240 BP): Bod: 3 Agi: 3 Rea: 3 Str: 3 Cha: 3 Int: 5 Log: 5 Wil: 3 Res: 5
Edge (30 BP): 5
Initiative: 8
Initiative Passes: 1
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
Active Skills (88 BP): Biotech skill group 3, Cracking skill group 3, Electronics skill group 4, Firearms skills 2, Mechanics skill group 4, Perception 2, Tasking skill group 4
Knowledge Skills (30 free BP): Club Music 4, Engineering 6, History 4, Matrix Games 6, Security Procedures 4, Security Design 4, Military 2
Language Skills: English (N)
Qualities (5 BP): Technomancer
Gear: Skinlink, Fairlight Caliban Commlink with Novatech Stock Operating System, Melee Weapons: Stun Baton (6Se); Ranged Weapons: Hammerli 620s w/ 20 clips, J&K 227-X w/ 20 spare clips; Accessories: AR Gloves, Satellite Link; Storage Media: 30 Datachips; ID/Credsticks: Fake SIN (Rating 3); Sensor Functions: Camera, Directional Microphone

Gary
Race: Troll (40 BP)
Attributes (180 BP): Bod: 7, Agi: 3, Rea: 5, Str: 7, Cha: 3, Int: 3, Log: 3, Wil: 3
Edge: 3 (20 BP)
Initiative: 8
Initiative Passes: 3
Physical Damage Track: 12
Stun Damage Track: 10
Active Skills (96 BP): Athletics skill group 2, Biotech skill group 2, Close Combat skill group 4, Firearms skill group 3, Gunnery 2, Infiltration skill group 1, Intimidation 3, Perception 3, Pilot Aircraft 2, Pilot Ground Craft 2
Knowledge Skills (18 free BP): Seattle Street Gangs 4, Military 4, Security Procedures 4, Security Design 3, Street Drugs 3
Language Skills: English (N)
Qualities (35 BP): Guts, High Pain Tolerance 2, Quick Healer, Toughness
Cyberware: Eyeware: Vision Enhancement (Rating 3, 4500); Earware: Balance Augmenter (5000), Sound Link (250); Wired Reflexes 2
Gear: Melee Weapons: Katana (7P), Stun Baton (6S(e)); Firearms: Remington Roomsweeper w/ flechetes w/ 20 magazines with flechette ammo, FN HAR Assault Rifle (6P) w/ 20 spare clips; ID/Credsticks: Fake SIN; Vision Enhancement: Binoculars; Survival Gear: Climbing Gear; Grapple Gun: Grapple Gun; Biotech: Biomoniter, 1 Medkits (Rating 6), Medkit Supplies
Notes: +1 Reach, +1 Natural Armor, Natural Thermographic Vision

Nazghul
Race: Troll (40 BP)
Attributes (200 BP): Bod: 9, Agi: 3, Rea: 3, Str: 9, Cha: 3, Int: 2, Log: 2, Wil: 3
Edge: 3 (20 BP)
Initiative: 5
Initiative Passes: 3
Physical Damage Track: 13
Stun Damage Track: 10
Active Skills (60 BP): Athletics Skill Group 2, Close Combat Skill Group 4, Firearms 3, Intimidation 3, Perception 3
Knowledge Skills (12 free BP): L.A. Street Gangs 4, Sons of Sauron 4, Underworld Politics 4
Language Skills: English (N)
Qualities (35 BP): Pain Tolerance 2, Toughness, Will to Live 3
Cyberware: Wired Reflexes 2
Gear: Battle Axe (9P, 2 reach), Remington Roomsweeper (8P) with 5 spare clips of flechette ammo, Leather Jacket (2/2)
Notes: +1 Reach, +1 Natural Armor, Natural Thermographic Vision

Red Sorcerer
Race: Human (0 BP)
Attributes (240 BP): Bod: 4, Agi: 5, Rea: 4 (+2 die), Str: 4, Cha: 2, Int: 3, Log: 3, Wil: 4, Mag: 6
Edge (20 BP): 4
Initiative: 9
Initiative Passes: 3
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 10
Active Skills (88 BP): Athletics skill group 4, Close Combat skill group 4, Firearms skill group 4, Perception 5, Stealth skill group 5
Knowledge Skills (18 free BP): Renraku Enterprises 6, L.A. Street Gangs 4, Business 4, History 4
Language Skills (6 BP): Japanese: N, English: 4, Spanish: 2
Qualities (15 BP): Adept, Ambidexterity, Mentor Spirit (Cat[+2 Infiltration tests])
Adept Powers: Attribute Boost (all physical scores) 4, Great Leap 2, Improved Physical Attribute (Agility) 1, Improved Reflexes 2, Combat Sense 1
Gear: Two Fore-arm snap-blades (4P, reach 1), Renraku Sensei Commlink with Renraku Ichi Stock Operating System, Two Yamaha Sakura Fubukis (4P) w/ 10 spare ammo drums, Chameleon Suit (6/4)
Notes:

Conductor
Race: Elf (30 BP)
Attributes (265 BP): Bod: 3, Agi: 4, Rea: 3, Str: 2, Cha: 5, Int: 4, Log: 5, Will: 5, Mag: 6
Edge: (0 BP): 1
Initiative: 7
Initiative Passes: 1
Physical Damage Track: 10
Stun Damage Track: 11
Active Skills (56 BP): Conjuring Skill Group 4, Perception Skill Group 4, Sorcery Skill Group 6
Knowledge Skills (36 free BP): Matrix Games 4, L.A. Street Gangs 4, Club Music 4, Street Drugs 4, History 4, Philosophy 4, Business 4, Security Systems 4, Security Designs 4
Language Skills (4 BP): English: N, Sperathel 4
Qualities (25 BP): Focused Concentration 2, Magician, Addiction (Alcohol, Mild), Gremlins 1
Spells (24 BP): Death Touch, Manabolt, Manaball, Combat Sense, Armor, Mana Barrier, Heal, Improved Reflexes (Uses Willpower + Intuition to resist drain)
Gear: Colt America L36 (4P) with 2 spare clips of ammo, Leather Jacket (2/2)
Notes: Natural Low-light Vision

Sons of Sauron Gang Member, Orc (Professional Rating 1, Grunt)
B: 5, A: 3, R: 3, S: 5, C: 2, I: 2, L: 2, W: 2, Ess: 5.8, Init: 5, IP: 1, CM: 11
Skills: Blades 2, Clubs 2, Intimidate 2, Unarmed Combat 2
Cyberware: Implanted Meta Link Commlink
Gear: Club (4P) and Colt America L36 (4P)

Sons of Sauron Gang Member, Troll (Professional Rating 1, Grunt)
B: 6, A: 3, R: 3, S: 6, C: 2, I: 2, L: 2, W:2, Ess: 5.8, Init: 5, IP: 1, CM: 11
Skills: Automatics 2, Blades 1, Clubs 2, Intimidate 1, Unarmed Combat 2
Gear: Club (4P) and AK-97 Carbine (5P)

Aztechnology Thugs (Professional Rating 4, Grunt)
B: 3, A: 3, R: 4, S: 3, C: 3, I: 3, L: 2, W: 3, ESS: 5.4, Init: 5, IP: 1, CM: 10
Skills: Athletics 3, Blades 3 (Activesoft), Pistols 3 (Activesoft), Aztechnology (Professional Knowledge) 2, Intimidate 3
Cyberware: Skillwires (Rating 3)
Gear: Survival Knife (3P), Colt Manhunter (5P), Armor Clothing w/ helmet (5/2), Activesoft (Firearms, Rating 3), Activesoft (Clost Combat, Rating 3)

Aztechnology Lieutenant (Professional Rating 4, Lieutenant)
B: 3, A: 3, R: 4, S: 3, C: 3, I: 3, L: 3, W: 4, ESS: 5.2, Init: 7, IP: 1, CM: 10
Skills: Blades 3 (Activesoft), Intimidate 3, Automatics 3 (Activesoft), Aztechnology (Professional Knowledge) 4, Perception 4
Cyberware: Fairlight Caliban Commlink, Skillwires (Rating 3)
Gear: Survival Knife (3P), AK-97 Carbine (5P), Armor Clothing w/ helmet (5/2), Activesoft (Automatics, Rating 3), Activesoft (Blades, Rating 3)

Aztechnology Blood Mage (Professional Rating 6, Lieutenant)
B: 3, A: 3, R: 3, S: 2, C: 4, I: 5, L:4, W:4, M:5, ESS: 6, Init: 8, IP: 1, CM: 10
Skills: Assensing 4, Astral Combat 4, Conjuring 4, Perception 2, Sorcery 4
Gear: Knife (2P), Hammerli 620s (4P)
Spells: Shatter, Powerbolt, Powerball, Decrease (Body, Reaction, Willpower), Confusion, Mass Confusion, Chaos

Just giving them a quick once over...

You realize that any NPC with 1 IP and an initiative score less than 8 or 9 is going to get eaten alive by a halfway decent team of runners, especially if they are meant to engage in physical combat as I expect Aralina, Nazghul and Gary are.

Other than that they look pretty decent though. I'd have to sit down and play with the numbers more to give you a better idea.

Blood magic IIRC from SR3 (never played an SR3 mage) isn't that much different than normal magic unless you are dealing with rituals, in which case it was pretty much an "I Win" button.

The big thing with Blood Magic in SR4 is the horribly broken Blood Spirits. Basically (if I understand my munchkining right) Blood spirits increase in force every time they kill someone with no growth cap. Other than that Initiated blood magicians can still do some nasty rituals with the Sacrifice metamagic. It basically lets you use a sacrifice to absorb ridiculous amounts of drain letting blood mages with a line of volunteers cast some crazy spells.

*edit* a disclaimer. I have played 1 mage in the 10 years I've been playing Shadowrun. Take my comments on magic with a hefty spoonful of salt.

IIRC blood magic allows the learning of a handful of metamagics (most pertinently, sacrificing) as well as being able to summon blood spirits, but is otherwise not terribly different from a normal tradition. Sacrificing allows a magician to offset some or all of the drain by inflicting physical damage on themselves or some other unfortunate. Blood spirits have been 'fixed' in the street magic errata, but I've not played with them so I've no idea if they work better or worse than they did before.

The thing I principally noticed was several of your magic users have guns, but no skill to use them. Also, your Aztech security goon has both rating three skill, and rating three skillsofts in firearms and close combat. You realise these don't stack? And IIRC skillsofts are not available for groups, only individual skills. It's not unreasonable as a GM tool to justify your NPCs having the skills, but be wary of argumentative rules lawyers.

Other than that, Imperialus is quite right about Initiative and IPs.

The skill ratings are part of the Activesoft. I know that they don't stack. I'll change them to blades and pistols, respectively.

When you stuff cyberware in your character your magic drops from 5 to 4. So your first character has one extra magic point she should not have, unless that character has magic from 6 down to a 5.

Thanks! Edited post.

Any of your named brawling or shooting sammies should always have Wired reflexes, or synaptic boosters (at least 2) if they plan to tangle with anyone.

Also generally implanting a comlink inside a person is somewhat useless. This can generally be done the same way with a normal comlink and a skinlink. Saves money, and basically can do the same thing if they set their comlink to wipe the minute it is detached from the skinlink. It also does not waste essence on any character.

Also the drop in magic applies to the technomancer as well in your characters.

Conductor has a group skill at six, has no Knowledge Skills put down, and can have two more spells that you have not given him. May I suggest at least one of them be improved reflexes and maybe heal? Don't quote me, but isn't it something like spellcasting skill x2 is how many spells you can take? If so those two spells are vital to a mage and should be gotten. Also the Conductor uses willpower, charisma, and his skill to resist drain? Thats 16 dice and is a little over the top in my opinion. Either one or the other would still give him 11 dice to resist drain.

Lastly if you are planning to have these named NPC's basically be off the cookie cutter 400 bp characters you can't actually have 2 knowledge skills @ 6. In character gen you can either have two knowledge/active skills at 5, or a single knowledge/active skill at 6. If you want to break that and let them have more then two knowledge skills at six then hey you are the GM.

I have taken all of your suggestions to heart. For the Conductor, I have to choose Willpower and one other mental stat for the "tradition" to resist drain. Do you apply your magic/spellcasting rank to tests made to resist drain? I thought that it was just Willpower and the other stat.

You do not add in Spellcasting or indeed any Skill when resisiting Drain. Drain is resisted with Willpower + one other specific mental Attribute.

Forgive me Fortune I'm a bit tired. Anyways if you want a few more suggestions here is my last batch. Gary does not need 10 r5 medkits. What he needs is 1 r6 medkit and some medkit supplies.

Don't go cyberware when you can do things like buy contacts with vision enhancements instead of buying cybereyes. Also try adding flavor to your characters. If you want the character to have cybereyes that don't really have pupils then that would make the character interesting and go for it. Most of them seem to have a high focus on skills, but not have any gear whatsoever. Where are the grenades, the booby traps, the kits, the vehicles, the drones, or anything that might be interesting to see used in a game? Try to have something interesting that will not only make the character memorable, but also fun for the party to interact with. Part of me thinks that although you have some characters fleshed out there is no content. They just seem too much like shells without any interesting features. Where are the face masks with a good edit program so the might not really know who the person is until after they killed him or her. Are you trying to have your runners keep things on the dl or is it going to be one crazy action packed ride where they can just about get away with whatever they want to do? Keeping this in mind you should try and flesh out your characters to fit your setting as they might clash in your setting if not done correctly.

Remember if you are creating these characters you don't have to be bound by the rules. You can really do whatever you want, and I would encourage it within reason. Your NPC's don't have to be all 400 bp shadowrun characters, they could be 480 bp characters or whatever you really want. I mean talking about being more interesting is that all of your NPC characters have the same comlinks, and OS's. Have you thought about giving some of them custom comlinks? It is possible that they could have a response 6, signal 6 comlink. Give each one at least a single throw away comlink. Have you thought about throwing interesting bits of gear that you might not have considered? Have you though about some of the combat drugs or even recreational drugs? Is the technomancer a BTL junkie? Give them flavor, and give them equipment with diverse and interesting load outs.

right. no one but the GM sees their stats. they can be exactly what you need them to be to get the pionit accross. You need to know what they carry, spells cast etc but for NPC's it is far more important you have their personality/type set in your head. That's what will count, not the numbers. rely on just numbers and that's all they'll ever be.

When we played D&D we had NPC's who drifted in and out but the ones we remember were developed as characters. One Cleric had a servant who was a sneak thief and had an unbelivably ability to survive, not that he had great hp's or armor. He wasm ore like Indiana Jones, as a klutz, for example, the fall off the roof that might have killed any one, might have had him bounce off an awning and fall into a passing dung truck. when ever we talk about old characters 'Ramon" gets remembered as fondly as soemone elses's character.

I am good at fleshing out character concepts, as I am an amateur writer. However, where I do need help is the "crunch," the rules, is what I need help with. As for having the same commlinks, I'd assume that most wealthy runners and NPCs will want the best there is.

If what you are saying is true, then should one put a maximum cap on the force for kills? Also, is Blood Magic the the only kind of magic that can absorb drain?