Dumpshock Forums > Raven Shamen, back up face, support mage

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 01:01 PM

Partially due to the fact I most do combat style concepts and partly from a conversation with someone I thought I would try to put together a back up face / support mage.

In the end I went the route of a Raven Shaman and avoided the cheesy and possibly argument causing control action / thoughts spell.

Couple of notes and clarifications
The game I'm in has a couple of changes from a normal game. BP cap is 500 avaliabilty goes to 20 if your not being silly and everyone gets perception equal to intuition for free (increasing it from there costs as normal)

Heres what I have.

[ Spoiler ]

Any suggestions

Lanlaorn

Jul 13 2010, 01:15 PM

Ignite is terrible, by the time it's made permanent and beings to deal damage the target will be dead from some other source. I agree the spell sounds cool in concept but waiting drain DV*2 turns to start doing damage is pretty rough mechanically IMO.

MortVent

Jul 13 2010, 01:21 PM

ignite isn't a combat spell

It's an antimaterial spell. Aka it's used to light a cigarette or set something on fire that isn't shooting at you

Edit:
I would drop a point from blades and put it into counterspelling, and since you specialized pistols dropping a point there for another skill wouldn't hurt too much.

I would likely move things around to this dropping pilot :
Blades 2
Dodge 3
Pistols 2 (Semi auto +2)
Arcana 2 (manipulation spells +2)
Assensing 3
Summoning 4
Counter spelling 3
Spellcasting 5 (Manipulation Spells +2)
First aid 2
Hardware 1
Locksmith 1
Computer 1
Influence Group 3
Stealth Group 4

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 01:28 PM

I like it as a distraction spell. If you choose your targets (ie low force needed) you can create some nice distractions / effects.
For combat he has a reasonable chance of shooting if he's not to rushed 11 dice, and a pretty good chance with a combat spell 10 dice.

I see him less of a direct combat more a back up combat. I especially like the influence spell, cast at force five with the sustaining focus to hold it and suddenly that guy whos just here thinks your a great guy and should help you out.

Mäx

Jul 13 2010, 01:33 PM

Are cyberware scanners common in your game, if yes then that ceramic component mod is nothing but big waste of nyuen.

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 02:06 PM

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 13 2010, 02:33 PM)

Are cyberware scanners common in your game, if yes then that ceramic component mod is nothing but big waste of nyuen.

They have yet to be a major issue but our game fluctuates between cold pro and pink mo. Technically id checks have not come up either but I still have a couple of spare sins.

Sometimes you have to flesh things out abit and cover items that might or might not come up

Belvidere

Jul 13 2010, 03:07 PM

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 13 2010, 09:33 AM)

Are cyberware scanners common in your game, if yes then that ceramic component mod is nothing but big waste of nyuen.

How so? If they are common, it's great for him. If you take it to level three, it's completely undetectable by MAD scanners.

Belvidere

Jul 13 2010, 03:16 PM

If I was going to play this character, there would be a few small tweaks I'd make.
1) I'd drop one point of the Stealth Group to put it into the Influence Group
2) I'd pick up the Stealth spell.
3) I'd clear away a bit more BP to pick up another R3 or R4 sustaining foci. Unless you can clear away enough to get a F5. (You never know when you'll need to sustain that levitate and invisibility while slinging combat spells.)
4) And this may be the way you want to play the character, but no binding at all? For a Raven Shaman with a control twist, that seems fitting IMO.

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 03:43 PM

I can see him as a Raven shaman thinking all spirits should be free as the birds themselves, particually as he himself will do abit of shapeshifting to mess with people from above.

This is one of the reasons for only on sustaining focus. Take the focus as a necklace which can be held even in bird form gives him a small (hard to spot, harder to hit) shape with very good mobility and still able to sling the odd combat spell or just mess with people in los.

czarcasm

Jul 13 2010, 04:04 PM

Given your campaign's availability rules, I'd be very tempted to find a way to get a rating 4 power focus.

I'd also consider switching Blades to Unarmed Combat -- you're not going to be using melee combat over another attack option unless you're in big trouble - and in that case, you're probably going full defense. You can then specialize Unarmed Combat in Melee Block. If you can find room for a martial arts quality, you could get one where the advantage is an extra die to melee block -- and maybe pick up the Focus Will manuever for two extra drain dice (in situations when you can spend a complex action first). If you do this, you could then specialize Dodge in Ranged Combat.

Also, is there a way for you to find a point or two to put into Counterspelling? Sometimes you need every last die to protect your and your team.

As for your spell choices, I agree with switching Ignite to something else. I'd also be tempted to replace Manabolt -- I don't find that it adds much to Stunbolt. Maybe switch it to a physical combat spell, like powerbolt or lightning bolt, or to an area combat spell? Finally, I'd recommend switching Deflection to Combat Sense, which adds to your defense pool in all situations (not just against ranged attacks) and also helps you out when being surprised. I can understand, however, if you want to stay in the manipulation camp because of your mentor bonus.

TommyTwoToes

Jul 13 2010, 04:14 PM

Since you have enough shooty to be a threat (even if just a minor one) I would abandon the Combat spells altogether. Physical barrier is useful in many situations, so are some of the distracting illusions like Chaotic World.

Mäx

Jul 13 2010, 05:28 PM

QUOTE (Belvidere @ Jul 13 2010, 05:07 PM)

How so? If they are common, it's great for him. If you take it to level three, it's completely undetectable by MAD scanners.

Cyberware scanner aka millimeter wawe detection systems are a different think from MAD scanners and dont care one bit about how MAD proof your gun is they still need only one succes to detect weapons.

LurkerOutThere

Jul 13 2010, 06:19 PM

Oh look another spellcaster with cyberware intolerance. I guess old cheese is good chese.

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 06:25 PM

QUOTE (LurkerOutThere @ Jul 13 2010, 07:19 PM)

Oh look another spellcaster with cyberware intolerance. I guess old cheese is good chese.

personally I dont find it a issue as it makes fluff sense.

but why dont you come up with a better suggestion rather then just a attept at a sarky comment?

Mäx

Jul 13 2010, 06:33 PM

QUOTE (LurkerOutThere @ Jul 13 2010, 08:19 PM)

Oh look another spellcaster with cyberware intolerance. I guess old cheese is good chese.

Considering that all awakened character can get major benefits from getting some select pieces of ware, i think getting sensitive system is big enought penalty.
And you do realise that only crazy people actually take that quality on characters who intent to get any cyberware.

Lansdren

Jul 13 2010, 06:42 PM

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 13 2010, 07:33 PM)

Considering that all awakened character can get major benefits from getting some select pieces of ware, i think getting sensitive system is big enought penalty.
And you do realise that only crazy people actually take that quality on characters who intent to get any cyberware.

I did have a long discussion with my GM about that for my main mage (who I play normally) and I was happy with the risk we even discussed going the luke route and me losing a hand just for character development and going cyber because it had options. To me it makes sense cyber hurts seeance for mundanes it should hurt a mage more.

TommyTwoToes

Jul 13 2010, 06:45 PM

QUOTE (LurkerOutThere @ Jul 13 2010, 01:19 PM)

Oh look another spellcaster with cyberware intolerance. I guess old cheese is good chese.

Its all cheese until someone loses an eye, or a limb, or their buttocks. And yes we had a character who was thought controlled by a Wendigo into eating his own buttocks. Alas, poor Chip. First character in the game to get a cyber-ass.

Really, take off someone's limb if this is a problem, the replacement will cost them extra.
Disadvantages are worth 0 points if they are not a disadvantage. If you take points for the disadvantage, plan on it coming into play.

Mäx

Jul 13 2010, 06:50 PM

QUOTE (TommyTwoToes @ Jul 13 2010, 08:45 PM)

Really, take off someone's limb if this is a problem, the replacement will cost them extra.
Disadvantages are worth 0 points if they are not a disadvantage. If you take points for the disadvantage, plan on it coming into play.

Clone replacment dont cost essence and the disadvantage of that quality is the fact that you pretty much cant get any cyberware(well maybe if your really rich or dont care about your essence at all)

TommyTwoToes

Jul 13 2010, 06:59 PM

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 13 2010, 01:50 PM)

Clone replacment dont cost essence and the disadvantage of that quality is the fact that you pretty much cant get any cyberware(well maybe if your really rich or dont care about your essence at all)

Unless you have a pre-grown clone sitting in a tank somewhere, it takes a while to get a replacement limb grown. Have fun going on a run or two as Lefty the Shaman.

Again, if the disadvantage never comes into play, then it isn't a disadvantage and it shouldn't be worth points. For my players, if they take points for a disad, they should expect it to come up. Beware taking incompetent SCUBA or parachuting in one of my games.

Thanee

Jul 13 2010, 07:00 PM

You are missing the Heal spell.

Bye
Thanee

LurkerOutThere

Jul 13 2010, 07:04 PM

Having a fifteen point disadvantage (hello free magician) pretty much tailor made for mages doesn't get any less cheasy because I can bend over backwards to make the game universe eventually punish them for it. It's not that being lefty the shaman would be any great disadvantage anyway.

Mäx

Jul 13 2010, 07:58 PM

QUOTE (TommyTwoToes @ Jul 13 2010, 08:59 PM)

if the disadvantage never comes into play, then it isn't a disadvantage and it shouldn't be worth points.

And again the disadvantage is not being able to get cyberware, cyber eyes especially are really really good for mages.