Hey, Dumpshockers,

We’re getting ready to play SR4 in the crazy, hyper-saturated media environment that is LA, and I’m stoked at the prospect of playing my first character who’s 1) a troll, and 2) not magically active (not a mage, really). I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, though, so I thought I’d ask ye oracles of Dumpshock to hammer on him until he breaks.

The game, like all of ours, is starting at closer to street level – 350 BP instead of 400.

The character – let’s call him Nestor for the moment – is a Mestizo troll born in Aztlan whose family came to LA as a small child. He’s conflicted in his attitudes toward Aztlan, which he recognizes has severe problems but takes national and ethnic pride in nonetheless (think IRA). In his community, he’s known as a local tough guy with a creative side; he makes overtly Mexican-style art like painted woodcarvings and, in particular, tattoos (his “official� job). He has close ties to La Emme that probably stem from his both tattoo work and his amateurish shadowrunning.

Personality-wise, I see him as very concerned with his masculinity, but at the same time both gentle and gentlemanly. He’s the kind of guy who tries to do what needs to be done for others, but refuses to become a complete pragmatist in his personal habits.

Some points:

As the last character getting built, Nestor is gonna have to have the potential to become a combat powerhouse. We’ve got a sneaky/athletic adept, a mage of unspecified tradition (I’m crossing my fingers for Santeria), a pure hacker, a social adept, and a guy who basically wants the skillset of CJ from San Andreas.

I don’t know if it matters how strong he is, but he’s got to be tough. In the crappy performance art group that is also our shadowrunning team (that’s LA for you), his role will largely be Jackass-style stunts of human endurance.

I want him to be an Edge monkey.

I’d like him to have a secondary area of competence, but concept-wise, I’m a little hard-pressed to figure out what to do. The only thing I know is needed is somebody who can deal with underwater stuff (important for LA). Any ideas what a good secondary or tertiary area would be, given the character background, would be much appreciated.

Here’s what I’ve got so far:

BOD 8
AGI 4
STR 6
REA 3
WIL 3
LOG 2
CHA 3
INT 4
(170 BP)

Edge 5
(40 BP)

Race: Troll (40 BP) (ouch)

Active Skills (flying by the seat of my pants here)
Heavy Weapons: 4
Unarmed: 3
Athletics Skill Group: 3
Perception: 3
Dodge: 3
Diving: 1
Artisan: 1 (Tattooing: 3)
Con: 1

(78 BP)


Knowledge Skills:
History (Central America):
LA Gangs (Aztlan/Hispanic gangs):


Contacts:
Mexican mafioso: 4/5
Fixer: 3/2
(14 BP)

Qualities:
Bilingual (I saw this on the Hacker build thread – can anybody tell me where it’s from?) (5)
SINner (criminal record): +10
Spirit Bane: +10 (I’m working out the details with my GM; this is a nice way to hang onto some of those magic-oriented plots I’m so used to)

(-15 BP)

Remaining for Gear: 23 BP (115,000) (wow, I wish it were more than this)
I’ve got no idea what ‘ware is appropriate, vital, etc.; I could REALLY use suggestions! I just don’t know that I don’t want skillwires.

Anybody game to help breathe some life into Nestor’s heavily tattooed frame?

EDIT: Wow. Way to double-post your first post, me. Could somebody trash this one for me?