Okay, so my character is an gunslinger adept and I am always getting seriously ass kicked by mana spells (the GM knows that my weakness).

What, if anything, can a non-mage character do to increase their defense against magic spells? We know to try and get the drop on mages, but what about those times when mages get a drop on you?

Basically, all I roll against mana spells is will power. What else is there? There has to be something better than willpower + edge or else die

counterspelling

Cover and stealth. There should be dice modifiers for spellcasting just the same as for firing a weapon, and there are few die modifiers for targeting spellcasting as compared to targeting weapons.

cover. If they can't see you they can't effect you.

Other than that, get a friendly mage to counterspell for you.

Since the mage is probably wearing some sort of vision enhanced eyeware, get a hacker to develope a program for you that hacks the piece and overlays a blackout box over you.

pick up some of the magical resistance adept power (whatever it's called)

buy up your willpower, or take some Kamikaze, I think it increases you Willpower by 1 or 2.

you are probably initially faster than most mages. Instead of holding Edge for the Willpower test, spend it on the Initiative to go first and make sure you blast em to hell and back before they get a chance to spellnuke you.

Increase your Willpower first (that's probably cheapest).

You're an adept. Get the spell resistance power. That'll help with all spells.

Cover and Visibility modifiers work, too. Consider thermal smoke grenades and blindfighting (or ultrasound goggles).

What vision enhancement eyeware can the mage have. They do not have a handy dandy chart explaining what mods are electronic and what mods are optical in 4e. About the only think I think is optical is vision mag, but maybe all of them can be by cannon.

Now if its a metahuman or the mage has cybereyes they can get thermo and lowlight.

Not even with Indirect spells?

Thermo smoke grenades, along with a equipment to see through it, like ultrasound or radar-equipped goggles, could give you an edge. Creates a nice big cloud to move around in, which is ( probably ) obscuring for them but not for you, and you can carry it around with you ready-to-use.

Another thread suggested not. It's debatable if an indirect spell hits people around corners regardless of if the mage knows they're there or not.

Interesting

Something about only visible targets being effected.

the errata adds a line that says. "Note that unlike other spells Indirect Combat spells may affect other targets that the caster cannot see if they are caught within the spell’s area of effect."

Solves that, thanks.

The whole defense issue is part of why I think that over time there seems to more and more mages in groups. Counterspell, not being linked to the magic characteristic, is works just fine with a magic of 1. The cost of being a low power mage isn't crippling and it gives you a huge number of things you can do that you really can't get in any other way.

Anyhow, the easiest answer to the question is become mage and buy counterspell.

Or take that really evil Astral Hazing. Which seems statistically as effective as counterspell 12 and you GET points for it.

If this was SR3 or perhapes when the SR4 critters book comes out, get a pet Nimue's salamander or two. Instant spell defence for a mundane without 'I hate magic' house rules.

I ended up burning two edge last night because of mages and some really mean guys doing wide burst with HVARs(Aztlan special forces). I really should have gone into full defense, but I wanted to take that guy out.

Also, with thermal smoke, can't mages see if they astrally perceive/assense?

I know about the magical defense adept power, but it seemed like it was really expensive. I plan to pick up infusion once I get my next initiation, that way I can always boost up the powers I don't have a lot of points in.

Another quick question: when magic is reduced due to cyber/bioware, and you want to increase it (in my case 7(5) and I want to raise it or more adept power). Is the cost based off the 5, or the 7?

Smoke obscures visibility due to the very small physical particles that are suspended in the air. Physical objects block astral sight too.

I'd argue that it's based on (7) in this case, but I don't know of an actual ruling.

It's based off of 7.

By RAW, Magic has no modified/augmented stat. Therefore it is based off 5.

House rule if you will.

Arsenal Pg. 64 Esprit Industries "Petite Brume" Grenade.

They are taking a -2 Penalty for all spellcasting.