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daddystabz
I am looking for you gurus out there that know what you are doing really well to help me with my character a bit. I am posting him below for you all to see. His focus in our Shadowrunning group is 2-fold. He is to be a master melee combatant and he is also our infiltration specialist. After playing him for one session I am kind of thinking that I'd like to tweak his melee damage a tad. The easiest way to do this probably is to simply buff his strength a bit but I want to get your opinons on how I can make this guy a melee combat monster why still throwing around 18 dice for infiltration like I am now currently.

Thanks in advance!

Name: Jax (Shadowstrike) Grimgul
Metatype: Ork
Age: 22
Sex: M
Nuyen: $1,250
Lifestyle: Mid

Body: 7 Charisma: 2 Edge: 4

Agility: 5 (9) Intuition: 4 Essence:

Reaction: 5 (6) Logic: 2 Initiative: 10

Strength: 3 Willpower: 3 Magic/Resonance: 5 (4) Initiative Passes: 2

Skills:

Unarmed (Ninjutsu): 6
Stealth Group: 4
Climbing: 1
Perception: 4
Intimidation: 3
Dodge (Ranged): 4/6
Automatics: 2

Knowledge Skills
History (American): 3
Security Procedures (Saeder Krupp): 4
Security Design (Corporate): 5
Seattle Street Gangs: 3
Literature (American): 4
Biology: 2

Qualities
Adept, Ninjutsu (+1 Infil), Watchful Guard, Finishing Move, Restricted Gear (Toner), Allergy (Uncommon/Mild - Platinum), Wanted (10 BP), Lost Loved One (Sister), SINner (10 BP), Weak Immune System

Weapon
ARES Executive Protector w/Smartgun linkup, Shock Gloves, SA Puzzler x2 light pistols w/ Frangible Ammo

Armor
Chameleon Suit

Implants
Bio - Muscle Toner Rat: 4 (+4 Agi)
Bio - Reflex Recorder (Infil) Rat: 1
Bio - Reflex Recorder (Unarmed) Rat: 1

Adept Powers
Improved Reflexes (+1 Reaction/Init Pass)
Critical Strike 4 (+4 DV Unarmed)
Penetrating Strike 3 (-3 AP Unarmed)
Killing Hands (Can choose to do Stun or Phys dmg)
Improved Infiltration (+1 Infil)

Commlink
Sony Emperor Resp: 2 System: 4 Firewall: 3 Signal: 3 Programs: Novatech Navi OS

Equipment
300 rounds of Frangible bullets
Biometric Reader
Grapple Gun
Chisel
Lockpick Set
Miniwelder
Monofilament Chainsaw
Autopicker (Rating: 5)
Cellular Glove Molder (Rating: 3)
Keycard Copier (Rating: 6)
Maglock Passkey (Rating: 3)
Smartpack
Goggles (Ultrasound, Vision Magnification, Image Link, Flare Compensation, Smartlink)
Flashlight
Small Container of Nanopaste Disguise
6 Smoke Grenades
Falconer
Yeah, lack of strength. If you're really looking to twink out, biocompatibility 10pt advantage (reduce essence cost of bioware by 10%, mind you bioware not cultured bioware). On top of alphaware (double cost), that's a 30% essence reduction on anything off the basic bioware list.

Also, something as simple as a defiance EX shocker can do a lot of damage w/ your unarmed (8S(e) ap-half, plus electricities secondary effects).


Another advantage that might be overkill is 'human looking'. Looking like a big human will probably open more doors than looking like a small orc.

Also, look at getting some cyberware to take advantage of the reduced essence on it (since bioware is higher, cyberware only counts half... EG: cyberears + voice modulator! Internal air tank if you like using gas/water infiltration). That doesn't have to come in chargen, you can buy that kinda stuff later, but it is viable route to go. Generally you want your cyber/bio up front though so you're not paying as much for magic increases later though.

Muscle Augmentation would go a long way there. As an adept don't be cheap about paying for alpha grade right out of chargen for both.

I'd look at replacing the reflex recorders with enhanced articulation. (+1 die to any skill involving a physical stat, far better than +1 to only those 2).

Dodge or gymnastics dodge can go either way. I like dodge (since you also use it when driving vehicles) and gymnastics gets velveeta.


You should also look at some of the adept powers like counterstrike, melanin control, facial sculpt. (on top of disguise great way infiltrate w/o being I'm invisible).

Synaptic is generally a better deal right out of chargen than the adept version. HOWEVER, in order to upgrade any cyber/bio you have to rip it out and buy a new version. So it costs more in the long run, (as opposed to buying up magic for enhanced ratings).

Another way to gain more strength when you need it. (does not stack w/ other sources!). Ability Boost. (roll magic + rank... gain +1 str per hit though you can suffer some lightweight drain at the end... also only good for 1-3 points of str on the fly and it's short lived).

Hope those give you some ideas.
Tymeaus Jalynsfein
Falconer...

I am looking at the book Text for Biocompatibility... Where exactly does it say that it does not apply to Cultured Bioware? According to my reading, it says 10% reduction to either Cyberware or Bioware... Cultured Bioware is still Bioware...
I think that you are thinking of the Type "O" System Quality which specifies only Basic Bioware (and not cultured)...

Keep the Faith...
Falconer
I think you're right there. Someone a while back pointed out that one didn't work with the other and cited something... (not sure what... but my search fu isn't turning up anything).

Thanks for the correction.
Glyph
Also, enhanced articulation does not add to combat skills any longer. It's a bit confusing, but "Physical skills" are a category of skills, separate from combat skills.

To boost your unarmed damage, there are several options. Bone lacing or bone density augmentation both work, but you would have to hard-max Magic and spend more on resources to get it, making it out of reach for anything but a character solely focused on melee (as opposed to also being a stealth expert). Muscle augmentation, or moving some points from Body to Strength, would both raise damage, but muscle augmentation would involve either getting all of your bioware as alphaware (and still only being able to get 1 point of it before going over 1 point of Essense loss), or reducing Body to 5 to raise Strength to 5, an unacceptable trade for a piddling 1 point increase. Hard-maxing your Magic would let you get one more point of critical strike, but that's also expensive.

Finally, there is what is, to me, the cheapest option, which is to spend 15 more points on martial arts qualities to get +3 to your DV, lowering Body to 5 and having 5 points left (to maybe get 2 more maneuvers and have 5,000 more in resources). I know it will suck having to pay to increase Body later, but it is still the best option I see to pump up his melee damage.

Oh, there are also hardliner gloves. They can't really be used with killing hands, but you only really need that power against things like spirits.
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