Dumpshock Forums > Shape shifting mystic adept..........

iategod

Jul 14 2010, 08:24 PM

QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jul 14 2010, 08:56 PM)

This section is slightly off. You're multicasting

Base:
Magic 6 + Spellcasting 5 = 11;

Dec Attrib:
Base 6 (half, round up*) + 3 Power Focus = 9

Death
Base 5 (half, round down*) + 3 Power Focus + 2 Specialization = 10

So two spells, 9 dice and 10 dice, versus Willpower+Counterspelling (per each spell).

*You split the pool and because you have a spec in the death touch domain, you might as well let Decrease Attribute have the extra die.

right, corebook 4e pg173.
Multiple spells may be cast with the same Complex Action, but to do so
the magician must split her Magic + Spellcasting dice pool between
each target.
Since it was one target would i still split the the pool? Could i avoid this by declaring Multi-strike maneuver, doing 2 attacks to the same target?

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 08:32 PM

QUOTE (iategod @ Jul 14 2010, 12:40 PM)

the way i see it,
i win first IP
i'm in melee range
step 1
agility (5)+unarmed (touch spec 7)+weapon foci (2)+2 for touch attack only (core pg 148)=16 to see if i even touch them
lets say i hit with 4 net hits

multi cast (decrease attrib, death touch) all at force 3
step 2
roll spell damage magic (6)+spell casting (5 since decrease attrib is not my spec)+3 power foci=14 against the targets willpower (+counterspell if he/she has it)

step 3
say i roll 4 hits for step2, and the opponent has no counter spell rolling only with a willpower of 3 getting 1 hit. Means he get's -3 to will, thus he's "incapacitated" (core pg 200)

Step 4
roll for death touch damage. Magic (6)+spellcasting (7 with combat spell spec)+3power foci+2 mentor spirit= 18. Enemy has nothing to roll for defense.... so he explodes into a fine red mist ala Rorschach.

DRAIN TESTS
decrease attrib has (f/2)+1 drain, +1 for the second spell cast=resist 2
death touch has (f/2)-2, +1 for the second spell cast=not sure here, resist 1 i would guess

does this make sense..... i'm not 100% sure on the muticasting since it's only 1 target.

The maximum you will ever do for Death Touch is 6DV if you are casting at Force 3. There is no damage roll for a spell. You get Force + Net Hits (but you can only get a maximum of 3 hits - not net hits - on a Force 3 spell). So if you cast a Force 3 spell, get 3+ hits and the defender had no hits on his willpower roll then you will do 6 damage.

According to RAW you only need to split your pool per target - not per spell - so you should be able to at least keep a reasonably large dice pool for spellcasting.

I don't know if you are trying to optimize or just going for flavor - but you are way better off getting your damage from adept powers. I posted the following in the Martial Arts shapeshifter thread:

Actually, you don't need good STR if you are a mystic adept. You don't need any good physical stats if you can cast Shapeshift (you just lose armor).

Mystic Adept
STR 1
Magic 6 (5 towards adept powers, 1 point towards spellcasting)

3 Levels of Martial arts that give damage value as a bonus.

*IF* you are using the latest FAQ you are limited to Force 2 spells and maximum of 5 levels of an adept power. If not, then bump Critical Strike to 6 and you *could* have up to +6DV from Elemental Aura as well. The breakdown below is using the FAQ.

If you overcast elemental aura you can get 2 hits.
Adept powers: Improved Reflexes 2 (2.5 pts), Heightened Concentration (1 pt), Critical Strike 5 (1.25 pts), with a left over .25 (maybe for Penetrating Strike)

Your minimum damage on a strike if you have 1 STR is:
1 (for 1 STR)
2 (for elemental aura)
5 (for Critical Strike)
3 (for Martial Arts)
1 (for the 1 net hit)

12 DV for 1 net hit is pretty good. Not to mention that the elemental effect *halves* armor and affects spirits (so you don't need Killing Hands) and generally has a secondary effect - I like Sound, Electricity, and Acid.

With Heightened Concentration you can also add in +4 DV and ignore the -4 penalty for a Called Shot - which puts you at 16 DV on a 1 net hit punch, that halves armor + elemental effect.

Nifft

Jul 14 2010, 08:49 PM

QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jul 14 2010, 02:59 PM)

4 spellcasting + 2 magice = 6 dice

Split is 3/3

Force 3 Power Focus

Dice pools of 6/6

Force 3 spellcasting focus

We're talking about casting spells of three different spell types: Health (for reflexes), Detection (combat sense), and Manipulation (elemental aura). He only has one Focus right now (sustain 3). You want him to buy FOUR more foci? Also, standard action to activate each of those four, or you might as well just use three Sustaining foci and cast out of combat.

Buying ONE power focus 2 might be a good idea, but buying THREE spellcasting foci 3 just not practical at chargen.

Same deal with specialization and mentor spirit. Pick ONE of those, you do not get all three.

Dice pools are 6/6/11, how do you like your expected two hits, two hits, four hits?

- - -

That said, I didn't think a Power Focus worked like that. Hmm. Here's what the text says:

QUOTE (SR4a @ p.200)

Power foci are the most potent and treasured of all. Possession of a power focus feeds a magician’s Magic directly, making her efforts more powerful in all forms of magical ability. A power focus adds its Force to all tests in which the magician’s Magic is included. A single power focus can increase a magician’s ability to cast spells, call on and con- trol spirits, and bypass astral barriers.

I took the part about "feeding a magician's Magic directly" to mean that it added to your Magic score before the split, but maybe that's just flavor text. Maybe this is a topic for another thread... if power foci do work like you say (and on re-reading, they probably do), they may be a wee bit too strong compared to vanilla spellcasting foci. Hmm.

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 14 2010, 03:00 PM)

im asking how does a small cast pool spell suicide to you, i cant see any realtion between the two.
And foci doe wonders for your multicasting pool sizes as does mentor bonuses and spesialisations by the way.

Only one foci per test draco18, but you can get a force 5 spellcasting foci at chargen so thats only one die away from that pool.
With that foci and menor bonus and spec you can split that pool sixht ways and still have 10 dice in all of those pools.

It's suicide to cast spells that won't succeed but will have a high drain, because then you then need to go and re-cast them over again, risking the chance of sucking up a high drain several times.

[Elemental] Aura is pretty high drain, and you want max hits on it to be effective in melee if you aren't taking any Critical Strike.

IMHO, anyway.

Laodicea

Jul 14 2010, 09:09 PM

QUOTE (iategod @ Jul 13 2010, 04:56 PM)

I have this concept of a shape shifting mystic adept that i would like to optimize some. The concept is that of a NAN member, one of twins, who's brother was born a white eagle which is greatly worshiped in most Amerindian societies. However, the twin brother was born a black bird (crow, raven) which brings animosity toward him. To make a long story short, he's the family's dirty little secret and thus is shadow running while his brother is getting all the glory and respect.

I quite like this concept by the way. My wife does, too. She said you should write a book about it.

iategod

Jul 14 2010, 09:35 PM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 14 2010, 09:32 PM)

The maximum you will ever do for Death Touch is 6DV if you are casting at Force 3. There is no damage roll for a spell. You get Force + Net Hits (but you can only get a maximum of 3 hits - not net hits - on a Force 3 spell). So if you cast a Force 3 spell, get 3+ hits and the defender had no hits on his willpower roll then you will do 6 damage.

According to RAW you only need to split your pool per target - not per spell - so you should be able to at least keep a reasonably large dice pool for spellcasting.

I don't know if you are trying to optimize or just going for flavor - but you are way better off getting your damage from adept powers. I posted the following in the Martial Arts shapeshifter thread:

Actually, you don't need good STR if you are a mystic adept. You don't need any good physical stats if you can cast Shapeshift (you just lose armor).

Mystic Adept
STR 1
Magic 6 (5 towards adept powers, 1 point towards spellcasting)

3 Levels of Martial arts that give damage value as a bonus.

*IF* you are using the latest FAQ you are limited to Force 2 spells and maximum of 5 levels of an adept power. If not, then bump Critical Strike to 6 and you *could* have up to +6DV from Elemental Aura as well. The breakdown below is using the FAQ.

If you overcast elemental aura you can get 2 hits.
Adept powers: Improved Reflexes 2 (2.5 pts), Heightened Concentration (1 pt), Critical Strike 5 (1.25 pts), with a left over .25 (maybe for Penetrating Strike)

Your minimum damage on a strike if you have 1 STR is:
1 (for 1 STR)
2 (for elemental aura)
5 (for Critical Strike)
3 (for Martial Arts)
1 (for the 1 net hit)

12 DV for 1 net hit is pretty good. Not to mention that the elemental effect *halves* armor and affects spirits (so you don't need Killing Hands) and generally has a secondary effect - I like Sound, Electricity, and Acid.

With Heightened Concentration you can also add in +4 DV and ignore the -4 penalty for a Called Shot - which puts you at 16 DV on a 1 net hit punch, that halves armor + elemental effect.

Cool idea, and i saw that in the other thread. However like you said, with a force of 3 i could only get 6dv. I could over cast, up to magic x2 right? (using the faq rules i believe) Force 12 would only be 4 drain resist which i could swing easily. Little risk there. With your method i would run into half armor (impact i think) while with touch spell there's none and i still get the elemental effect/damage from elemental aura. With decrease attrib willpower+sound elemental attack=vomiting fun

I like your concept for possible future advancement of my character, but i feel as if i have more options with magic instead of just physical damage. Being a shapeshifter places me in both spiritual and physical world. Truth be told, if i need the damage i can get an initiate grade and invest the points in crit strike easily.

What are your thoughts on Shadow vs invisibility? I really like the shadow spell for conceptual reasons (seeping darkness from my character's black wings), could make the darkness take the shape of a murder of crows. Not sure on how these sustain spells work, if i wanted to make it a -6 then i would have to make it a force 6?

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 10:13 PM

QUOTE (iategod @ Jul 14 2010, 03:35 PM)

Cool idea, and i saw that in the other thread. However like you said, with a force of 3 i could only get 6dv. I could over cast, up to magic x2 right? (using the faq rules i believe) Force 12 would only be 4 drain resist which i could swing easily. Little risk there. With your method i would run into half armor (impact i think) while with touch spell there's none and i still get the elemental effect/damage from elemental aura. With decrease attrib willpower+sound elemental attack=vomiting fun

I like your concept for possible future advancement of my character, but i feel as if i have more options with magic instead of just physical damage. Being a shapeshifter places me in both spiritual and physical world. Truth be told, if i need the damage i can get an initiate grade and invest the points in crit strike easily.

What are your thoughts on Shadow vs invisibility? I really like the shadow spell for conceptual reasons (seeping darkness from my character's black wings), could make the darkness take the shape of a murder of crows. Not sure on how these sustain spells work, if i wanted to make it a -6 then i would have to make it a force 6?

Yes, since you aren't using the FAQ you could overcast to 12. The problem is that resisting 4 drain on average requires at least a 12 dice pool. That isn't a trivial amount of drain to soak. In your game, the melee attack is better since you could get that 6th level of Critical Strike and you only have to resist drain when you first cast Elemental Aura - not every time you attack. In your game, with that build above, your character is doing just as much damage as a Force 12 spell every punch (that is assuming only 2 hits on the elemental aura cast). Also, you aren't doing physical damage with the attack, elemental aura treats the entire attack as that element type.

Here are the spells that I have found useful at low Force levels with this type of build.
Elemental Aura
Invisibility
Deflection
Shapeshift (I used this build with the shapeshift spell... not an actual shapeshifter)
Camouflage
Physical Double
Levitate
Gecko Crawl
Combat Sense

With a couple of low level sustaining foci (make sure you can justify keeping them when you shift) you can give yourself some pretty good defensive stats. Combat Sense and Deflection are the best because they work against drones - all the Illusion spells have to beat object resistance which can be rough.

Draco18s

Jul 14 2010, 10:16 PM

QUOTE (Nifft @ Jul 14 2010, 04:49 PM)

Stuff

All of what I posted were hypothetical examples. Most multicasting is done dual-casting of the same spell (stunbolt + stunbolt, for example) and therefore both sides of the split get the benefits of foci and specialization/mentor.

They were examples of how you could have "reasonable dice pools" with a split dice pool while still having very low magic.

While it is unlikely a shapeshifter can pick up all of these bonuses at the start of the game, it is something to look at to compensate for a mere magic of 2 (for the purpose of dice for spellcasting).

I played an Elf Drake (that's 95 build points on race) with 5 magic (3 for spells) and still managed to get off most of my spells (notably I had three, one of which I never got a good opportunity to cast; Improved Reflexes (F2 sustaining focus), Camouflage (-2 DP mod sustained), and Borrow Senses (never cast, but would have been a -2 DP mod as well)). I didn't have a power foci (too expensive) or even a spellcasting focus. Or a mentor spirit. Or even a specialization.

I threw 7 dice at F2/F3 spells and if I didn't do well, but didn't take drain,* I did it again.

So yes, it is entirely possible to be an effective caster at low dice pools/low magic. You just have to know what spells you absolutely need and which ones you can get away with casting at low force values.

*F2/2 = 1+2 = 3 DV for Increase Reflexes (1 DV for Camouflage). 4 Will, 5 Logic = 9 dice to resist, so on average I didn't take drain damage (I think I took one box once).

Mäx

Jul 14 2010, 10:25 PM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 15 2010, 01:13 AM)

Yes, since you aren't using the FAQ you could overcast to 12. The problem is that resisting 4 drain on average requires at least a 12 dice pool.

12 dice is both atributes at 5 and a fetish for the spell, i dont think i have any mage builds that cant handle a measly 4 points of drain.

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 10:26 PM

QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jul 14 2010, 04:16 PM)

All of what I posted were hypothetical examples. Most multicasting is done dual-casting of the same spell (stunbolt + stunbolt, for example) and therefore both sides of the split get the benefits of foci and specialization/mentor.

They were examples of how you could have "reasonable dice pools" with a split dice pool while still having very low magic.

While it is unlikely a shapeshifter can pick up all of these bonuses at the start of the game, it is something to look at to compensate for a mere magic of 2 (for the purpose of dice for spellcasting).

I played an Elf Drake (that's 95 build points on race) with 5 magic (3 for spells) and still managed to get off most of my spells (notably I had three, one of which I never got a good opportunity to cast; Improved Reflexes (F2 sustaining focus), Camouflage (-2 DP mod sustained), and Borrow Senses (never cast, but would have been a -2 DP mod as well)). I didn't have a power foci (too expensive) or even a spellcasting focus. Or a mentor spirit. Or even a specialization.

I threw 7 dice at F2/F3 spells and if I didn't do well, but didn't take drain,* I did it again.

So yes, it is entirely possible to be an effective caster at low dice pools/low magic. You just have to know what spells you absolutely need and which ones you can get away with casting at low force values.

*F2/2 = 1+2 = 3 DV for Increase Reflexes (1 DV for Camouflage). 4 Will, 5 Logic = 9 dice to resist, so on average I didn't take drain damage (I think I took one box once).

Yeah, but with a Force 2 sustaining focus you only get 1 more IP maximum.

Draco18s

Jul 14 2010, 10:32 PM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 14 2010, 06:26 PM)

Yeah, but with a Force 2 sustaining focus you only get 1 more IP maximum.

You are correct there sir. But seeing as all the combats I was actually involved in I took no actions (other than "lie there and bleed" or "run towards/away from the fight") I might as well have not-bought the spell and focus.

Except two combats, one of which was "swarms of things. What's your damage assuming no dodge?" (which was still a run and gun) and "kill stuff until the chopper gets here" (and that one I stood over with the sniper and spat fire at things). So that second pass did come up enough to be useful. Sure a third would have been nice, but I had no BP left. None. There was not 1 more BP I could have eked out of anywhere and I'd have needed two to upgrade my sustaining focus at chargen.

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 10:39 PM

QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jul 14 2010, 04:32 PM)

You are correct there sir. But seeing as all the combats I was actually involved in I took no actions (other than "lie there and bleed" or "run towards/away from the fight") I might as well have not-bought the spell and focus.

Except two combats, one of which was "swarms of things. What's your damage assuming no dodge?" (which was still a run and gun) and "kill stuff until the chopper gets here" (and that one I stood over with the sniper and spat fire at things). So that second pass did come up enough to be useful. Sure a third would have been nice, but I had no BP left. None. There was not 1 more BP I could have eked out of anywhere and I'd have needed two to upgrade my sustaining focus at chargen.

Heh, sounds like an interesting game.

Draco18s

Jul 14 2010, 10:43 PM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 14 2010, 06:39 PM)

Heh, sounds like an interesting game.

It was the Renraku archology shutdown campaign.
I reget not getting a little more out of my character, but it was a good run.

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 10:43 PM

QUOTE (Mäx @ Jul 14 2010, 04:25 PM)

12 dice is both atributes at 5 and a fetish for the spell, i dont think i have any mage builds that cant handle a measly 4 points of drain.

That is 4 on average - not a guaranteed 4 resisted. Plus, this is a mystic adept build focusing on melee. It is much more difficult to get an effective melee character, that can effectively cast/counter spells and effectively resist drain.

iategod

Jul 14 2010, 11:02 PM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 14 2010, 11:13 PM)

Yes, since you aren't using the FAQ you could overcast to 12. The problem is that resisting 4 drain on average requires at least a 12 dice pool. That isn't a trivial amount of drain to soak. In your game, the melee attack is better since you could get that 6th level of Critical Strike and you only have to resist drain when you first cast Elemental Aura - not every time you attack. In your game, with that build above, your character is doing just as much damage as a Force 12 spell every punch (that is assuming only 2 hits on the elemental aura cast). Also, you aren't doing physical damage with the attack, elemental aura treats the entire attack as that element type.

Here are the spells that I have found useful at low Force levels with this type of build.
Elemental Aura
Invisibility
Deflection
Shapeshift (I used this build with the shapeshift spell... not an actual shapeshifter)
Camouflage
Physical Double
Levitate
Gecko Crawl
Combat Sense

With a couple of low level sustaining foci (make sure you can justify keeping them when you shift) you can give yourself some pretty good defensive stats. Combat Sense and Deflection are the best because they work against drones - all the Illusion spells have to beat object resistance which can be rough.

As much as i hate to admit it, you are right. I really wanted to try something different but the numbers for my idea just don't add up in comparison with your concept. The problem i'm having now is with the whole concept. If regen doesn't help with self inflicted damage (over casting) then why bother being a shapeshifter when i can just get shapeshifting spell? For conceptual reasons? I can very easily make a NAN character with the same history/legend and make him a normal mystic adept, non-shapeshifter. That way i could easily keep my armor since i won't be naked from shapeshifting. And thus, if i'm not going with a shapeshifter why would i not go with dual welding melee weapons. More reach, more damage with full defense. Then again, if i'm going dual welding why not just get double pistols. Good range damage, 2 attacks an IP, no drain. Compliment them with spells like invisibility, double image....

I mean if i wanted to optimize the best way possible, should i create a technomancer?

sn0mm1s

Jul 14 2010, 11:20 PM

QUOTE (iategod @ Jul 14 2010, 04:02 PM)

[size=1][/size]

As much as i hate to admit it, you are right. I really wanted to try something different but the numbers for my idea just don't add up in comparison with your concept. The problem i'm having now is with the whole concept. If regen doesn't help with self inflicted damage (over casting) then why bother being a shapeshifter when i can just get shapeshifting spell? For conceptual reasons? I can very easily make a NAN character with the same history/legend and make him a normal mystic adept, non-shapeshifter. That way i could easily keep my armor since i won't be naked from shapeshifting. And thus, if i'm not going with a shapeshifter why would i not go with dual welding melee weapons. More reach, more damage with full defense. Then again, if i'm going dual welding why not just get double pistols. Good range damage, 2 attacks an IP, no drain. Compliment them with spells like invisibility, double image....

I mean if i wanted to optimize the best way possible, should i create a technomancer?

Heh, I have learned firsthand that technomancers + drones + grenades = rough game.

I think your concept is fine. Regeneration may not help with drain - but it will help with any other damage you get being in melee range. This is especially true if you are having to fight naked all the time due to shapeshifting. I haven't tried making a build yet with a shapeshifter as a race so I don't know how feasible the point allotment is.

Mäx

Jul 15 2010, 05:40 AM

QUOTE (sn0mm1s @ Jul 15 2010, 02:20 AM)

Heh, I have learned firsthand that technomancers + drones + grenades = rough game.

I think your concept is fine. Regeneration may not help with drain - but it will help with any other damage you get being in melee range. This is especially true if you are having to fight naked all the time due to shapeshifting. I haven't tried making a build yet with a shapeshifter as a race so I don't know how feasible the point allotment is.

I kinda like the Tiger shifter adept i cooked up during the last week, 3IP:s and she does 9P damage against half impact armor in her natural form and can also jump down from a third floor of a building without needing to even make a test to resist damage. And the regenation will probaply be very important for her survival, healing an avarage 4 points of damage at the end of every turn and with amazing rolls as much as 12 points is pretty handy.

iategod

Jul 15 2010, 01:36 PM

would the adept power "rapid healing" be added with regen? So at the end of every combat turn i would roll Magic+body+rapid healing?

Draco18s

Jul 15 2010, 02:31 PM

QUOTE (iategod @ Jul 15 2010, 08:36 AM)

would the adept power "rapid healing" be added with regen? So at the end of every combat turn i would roll Magic+body+rapid healing?

Yes. Your Rapid Healing adds to any dice pool used to remove boxes of damage from your character.
You get it for Heal spells, first aid, and rest, so I don't see why it wouldn't apply to Regeneration.

(Its ambiguous in the book, but another character using first aid on you gets the dice, you do not get the dice to heal them).

iategod

Jul 15 2010, 03:21 PM

QUOTE (Draco18s @ Jul 15 2010, 02:31 PM)

Yes. Your Rapid Healing adds to any dice pool used to remove boxes of damage from your character.
You get it for Heal spells, first aid, and rest, so I don't see why it wouldn't apply to Regeneration.

(Its ambiguous in the book, but another character using first aid on you gets the dice, you do not get the dice to heal them).

Ok, that's a plus.... makes me harder to kill, no problem there. Still wondering what's people's opinions are on shadow (4e core pg204) vs invisibility (4e core pg201)? On top of that, would i suffer the penalty from shadow if i was in the target area? Does combat sense adept power stack with the spell?

Here's the history of another shapeshifter (bear) i'm currently playing... for those who are interested in story (it's long)

[ Spoiler ]

Mato Linwann (Growling Bear in Sioux) is the son of Bull Bear, a former Officer in the Wildcats 12th battalion of the Sioux nation. Angry and frustrated with the licensing of coalitions and Megacorporation allowing the exploitation of repossessed Amerindian lands for oil and mineral resources, Bull Bear joined up with a small movement called the Sovereign American Indian Movement (SAIM). His shapeshifting abilities and ferocious fighting nature assisted him and a few other exUSMC Special Forces team members to develop the renowned Sioux hand to hand fighting style called “Wildcat.” While the organization’s efforts were in good heart, the process of obtaining their ideals began to fail to the way side; in 2009 Bull Bear and his commando-trained Amerindians where ordered to fair siege to a Shiloh Launch Facility in northwest Montana where 16 warhead “Lone Eagle” MIRV missiles were housed. In the meantime the SAIM issued demands holding the country’s peace as hostage. The US government replied in full force sending a “Delta” Crisis Response Team but not before one of the Amerindian soldier manage to launch a missile. Bull Bear was one of three who managed to escape, due in part to his shapeshifting ability. Deceived and beaten he spent the next 8 years in his natural bear form in seclusion from the metahuman world and its problems.

In 2017 Bull Bear met an individual named Daniel Howling Coyote, whose ideals and plans for Amerindian freedom sparked loyalty in all tribes. Howling Coyote’s secrets weapon were the Ghost Dancers, powerful mages who could control the weather bringing the United States opposition for his new organization (NAN Native American Nations) to their knees. It was in this magical group that Bull Bear found his love Mini Sung (Water Fox) of the Crow tribe. The two were married soon after meeting and their small triumph was drowned by the signing of the Treaty of Denver ending the rebellion.

9 years of peace later (2027) Mini Sung gave birth to Mato Linwann. He was taught magic from his mother and other members of the Ghost dancer. Being a bear at heart he was also taught the Wildcat fighting method from his father. All this training was not to be wasted and the day soon came for Growling Bear to test his skills. In 2043 it was learned that the UCAS started construction of a prototype wash-phase-array radar installation near the Sioux border. The UCAS declared it was only for experimental purposes however when it was learned that the installation had “firetrack” capabilities the Sioux nation sent a squad of Wildcats. They were sent two weeks before the site was scheduled to be operational and were led by Bull Bear along with his son Mato Linwann who was only 16 at the time. Although the mission was considered a success, Bull Bear and a few of his men were trapped inside before the detonations. To insure the destruction of the base they stayed behind and sacrificed themselves. Bull Bear in trusted the safety if his son to Iron Horse, another member of the Wildcats. Together they both escaped before the charges enguffed the military base. The loss of his father was overwhelming for Mato so he retreated to the sanctity of mother earth for a decade.

To those who pry, Mato’s past 29 years have been nothing more than NAN politics with a few gaps where he would return to Mother Nature for a time. In truth Mato has been actively engaged in a slew of Wildcat ops, membership with the Bear Doctor Society, and the Truth Dancers in which his mother is a founding affiliate. Mato has also been in Ranger-Wildcat war games since 2047 while the S-S and Sioux have been exchanging military information and intel. Despite the fact that it would appear to most the Salish-Shidhe Council and the UCAS in Seattle have found a common ground as of late, there has been more than a few troubles were borders are concerned. For one, Seattle’s impact on the environment is well outside of the emissions rating allowed in current treaties. Of more concern has been the control of coastal regions wherein the city of Seattle claim 10 kilometers while the NAN say only 1; and finally the growing smuggler problems. Many drugs and weapon are being smuggled through tribal territories from Seattle however the city’s government pass the buck to the tribes. It is believed that those profiting most are various powerful underworld elements working in sync with Seattle in hopes of causing chaos between the border patrols leading to something much more sinister. Then again it is all rumors.

In 2059 Mini Sung died, although a bit mysteriously, it was reported to be of natural causes. Once again Mato withdrew to mourn in bear form and has only recently returned. Mato is currently acting as an ambassador for NAN in the city of Seattle under the guise of a Bear Doctor Society member. He is a sleeper cell for the NAN and S-S government just waiting to be activated. However it is known, with his track records, to the government officials of Seattle that he is a potential spy and thus they have placed him in a Doc wagon franchise, night shift, in the hopes that the city’s night life will rid them of the problem.