I am entering a SR4 campaign in which I have played before with a different character, a magician.
Another player's adept died during the time I wasn't playing and now he has a magician character.

He gloated over the fact that he has almost all the combat spells, which I didn't think was possible. He said that you don't learn Flamethrower or Fireball, you learn the "Fire" spell, of which the other two are versions you can cast depending on what you want from your spell.

I quickly dismissed him, saying that's not how it works and that they are indeed different spells, but upon checking the books I found nothing to disprove his idea with.

I still think my way is the correct one, but seeing I usually play the part of the rules police in my playgroup, I need to have something to back my case.

In short, what does the books mean when they use the word "spell"?

You sir, are correct. You do not learn "Fire" spells...
You Learn Flamethrower, or Fireball, or Napalm, etc.
Each spell is a unique formula, generating a specific effect, which must be learned individually... Consult SR4A, Pages 181-184 for relevant text on Sorcery, and Spells in specific. The Grimoire lists individual spells that may be purchased. Your associate is wrong...

Assuming you started with the Maximum number of Spells at character creation (12), you would have to spend an additional 90 Karma to learn all the listed Combat Spells in Street Magic (there are 30 spells listed).

A miserable little pile of secrets?

~Umi

What TJ said. OP, say "no" to flagrant munchkinry.

we represent the lullaby league, the lullaby league, the lullaby league....

But enough talk, have at you!

14, with Aptitude for Spellcasting.

True... Waste of points, though, if you ask me. *shrug*

If there was any skill that was WORTH taking aptitude for it'd be spellcasting. Still not worth it, but Spellcasting is the one case where it's close.

To the OP: yeah, that guy either doesn't know what he's talking about or is lying his arse off.

Ignorance or Malice? YOU MAKE THE CALL!

If he complains, tell him to be glad each DAMAGE CODE isn't a different spell anymore.

RAM (L), RAM (M), RAM (S), etc.

And each FORCE is a different spell. Heal 1, Heal 2, Heal 3, etc

*shudder*

We had to learn all our spells and we liked it like that!

Back in those days I was an adept.

Back in those days, you could get by with a lot of Force 1 Spells (mental ones anyway, not combat), as once you got enough hits to exceed their resistance, they could not successfully resist it any longer (not enough dice to offset the hits)... Of course, they had to be pretty competent casters to pull it off, but that was not all that hard to do. We had a Mage that took great advantage of that little factoid. Much like you, though, I played adepts.

I played a hacker. :U

Was my only 3E character.

Decker.

Wtf is a 3e hacker, a melee adept with an axe?

Troll Adept with a Dikoted No Daichi...

I played one. Whatever it was called at the time.
Almost more "rigger" than anything, but did a fair hunk of matrixy stuff because no one else could.

The Hackmeister 3000, a 2-handed vibroaxe with a deck built into the haft, keypad access via openable panel toward the non blade end along with a pull out data cord to plug into any system, as well as a spike on the far end that can deliver a heavy electrical discharge for a non lethal takedown or just to fry those difficult mechanical units.

Perfect for all your hacking needs.

i always preferred my butterfly scythe.

Imagining this as a variant of a butterfly knife is entertaining.

That would make for one bad ass grim reaper outfit in the hood.

Blade folds down to the upper part of the shaft.
Lower part of the shaft folds up over the blade.
works like a charm! ^^

Yes, but does enabling wireless access allow you to extend it as a Simple action instead of a Complex action?

We still play with Dikote.