I'm not that new regarding SR4, but anyway i have a few rule questions i cant figure out atm, so maybe some of you could get me some answers
1)Max augmented values : i've always assumed that the max value a character can have in any stat is 1.5X current value. Exemple : you have 4 str, max aug value is 6. Now i'm pretty sure i'm wrong considering a lot of posts i've seen here. Is it the case ? Do some of you play it the way i've exposed ?
2)Phys ad power costs : the power critical strike is just insane : 0,25 by level for +1DV unarmed and no limits. Am i missing something here ?
3)In previous editions, there was an optional rule enableling adepts to buy power points for a fixed amount of Karma. Is there such a rule in the 4th ed ? If no, did some of you guys made up something ?

Thanks for any answers

The max augmented value is the max stat x1.5 (usually 9) so it's possible, for example, to have a natural reaction of 1, but have an augmented reaction of 9. If you want to house rule this, try natural value +3, which has the added bonus of getting rid of rounding.

Note that the level of adept powers is limited by an adepts magic. Plus I'm pretty sure they placed an explicit cap on the levels of critical strike you could have (maybe 3?).

The ability for adepts to buy magic outright was just a place holder until they republished the initiation rules. As the SR4 BBB had the initiation rules in it, there was no need for the stand in.

1) No, it is the number in parenthesis after the maximum natural value listed in the BBB.
2) Nope, Phys Ads are crazy. Maximum level of a power is equal to Magic.
3) Never played third, and I haven't seen anything like that. You have to initiate and raise your magic attribute.

Yes. Grab a gun for 0.0 power points and start killing people. Critical strike is underwhelming in a setting where meele gets you shot in the gut a lot, so making it cheap is fair and sound. Even as an adept it is not a smart idea to come unarmed to a gunfight.

There's only one way to gain power points outside of directly raising Magic with karma. There's an optional rule in Street Magic that lets you gain a power point instead of a metamagic technique when you initiate.

...which, with initiations being kinda cheap and adepts not being able to use most metamagics anyway, results in basically the same power level as allowing them to buy power points directly.