1. Astral Perception
Now, you can be a bad ass-fragger without astral perception, but let's not kid ourselves. Magicians without at least this much access to the astral plane are damn near blind.

2. Distance Strike
An interesting choice, as I'm sure you'll note, but much more preferable to the oft-lamented choice of Killing Hands. Why? Because you can't astrally project. When shit hits the fan and the spirit is hovering six meters over your head, the time has come to show you can still kick his ass.

3. Pain Resistance
The drain doesn't go away, you just don't feel it as much.

4. Magic Sense
Think "Sensing Lite."

5. Smashing Blow
Really, who needs SHattershield when you can just kick the bloody astral barrier in?

6. Spell Shroud
If they can find you, you're dead. Don't let them find you.

#2 is a very, very good point. I hadn't thought of that. Can you combine Distance Strike and an otherwise touch-range spell? (I think Touch was one of the drain-reducing options out there…)

~J

7. Magical Power
Let's face it, without this, you're still just an Adept.

Astral Perception
One of the most useful abilities in the game, and expensive. Geas: Sunglasses Talisman. (1.5 PP)

Improved Senses (Low-Light, Thermo, Flare Comp, Vision Mag)
Keep those eyes open. (1 PP)

Magic Power (Level 2)
Take at least two levels if you want to do anything beyond detection and illusion magic. Geas: Gestures. (1.5 PP)

Pain Resistance (Level 3)
Drain isn't the only pain. Geas: Chant (The path of righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and tyranny of evil men). (1.25 PP)

Rapid Healing (Level 2)
Physical drain sucks. Take the quick healer edge, too. Geas: Holy Cross Talisman. (.75 PP)

I like that sunglasses talisman idea... I think i read somewhere that a talisman should have a few different characteristics so nobody could take, say, a penny as a talisman. So would my smartgoggles with ultrasound work? I could shoot better at things in the physical AND keep an eye out on the astral.

You *could* take a penny as a talisman, there would just have to be three (i think its three...) qualities that make it unique. A rusted penny with a cross carved into lincoln's head would be a valid talisman.

Similarly, sunglasses would only be a valid talisman if they possessed a set of unique characteristics.

You're pretty screwed if you ever lose it, then. The guidelines only suggest that they need to be distinctive traits, not unique ones that are basically irreplaceable. A pair of designer Zeiss (1) sunglasses (2) with a silver cross inlay (3) would more than suffice as would a Celtic (1) cross medalion (2) carved from oak (3).

What you described are basically Exotic Materials for a kick ass focus.

The character is... pretty unique, too. If he loses the Cross he'll be pretty much screwed on the Rapid Healing. He believes the power comes form the cross anyway, and was dying when he found it. Now, he doesn't exatcly go running around with it, but rather keeps it locked in a cyberdeck like case in his sanctuary. If he did lose it and someone told him how it really worked, I would allow him to go and find a suitably ancient Oak, have it blessed by a Cardinal, and insert a vampire fang however he saw fit. But, as an NPC, that's all superficial. He also has two low force Cross sustaining foci that he uses to cast Heal and then keep fighting. When I saw these guns, I gave him those, too.

[edit]
Yeah, I usually go overboard with Talisman Geas. I just can't help it. I certianly allow foci to also be Talismans as implied by the Focus Addiciton rules.

i think they're from gungrave

Oh yeaaaah. Carries his coffen around with him, has a bit of a "Crow" thing going on?

The site was linked by Diesel in the "I need a very pretty gun" thread, but here's the page for the Ceruberus gun.

Okay get your books out. I am customizing a character. Lets assume for now thathe is a grade 3 initiate. Lets also assume he is a ghoul, which means his Magic rating for our purposes is 8.

Some other information you may find intresting while building this with me. He is also a Clubs/off hand clubs expert. He has an unarmed combat skill, but little else for skills. His fighting style is all out and dirty-he'll kick over chairs, throw babies, take the sucker right from your mouth. not a nice guy.

He is about average height, but due to his nature not as heavy as he once was, so his build isn't of Arnold-like proportions.

He is also a nonpracticing Muslim. (Go figure right?)

Lets hear some intresting combos under that framework. I just want to see what everyone comes up with, to see if somethign outside my narrow world view will spur some creative uses of this guy.

Is he a PhysMage, Full Mage/Shaman/Idolist, Sorcerer/Conjurer/Shamist/etc., or a Physical Adept?

Yeah he is not exactly happy with his condition, and it leads to a lot of internal conflict-part of what will, I hope, make him an intresting character. Not to mention his religion as a whole being pretty much clear on what they think of a flesh eating monster like him.

He is a straight Physical Adept.I finished him up last night, but I am just looking to see what sort of twists I could squeeze out.

Top Adept Powers for Ghouls

Body Control (Level 4) People you eat haven't always been good to themselves. (1.00 PP)

Enhanced Perception (Level 4) Working with Astral Perception and offsetting the flaws of Ghouldom. Geas: Only at night. (1.50 PP)

Improved Senses (Spatial, Direction, Scent) A few others wouldn't hurt, maybe just swapping Direction Sense with something else. (0.75 PP)

Killing Hands (Moderate) Geas: Only for hunting. (0.75 PP)

Traceless Walk You are both hunted and hunter. Silent and traceless. (0.5 PP)

Pain Resistance (Level 3) Wounds are inevitable. Geas: Only at night. (1.25 PP)

Great Leap (Level 4) Nothing so scary as a ghoul leaping eight meters to rip his prey apart. Geas: Only at night. (.75 PP)

Improved Reflexes (Level 1) (2.00 PP)

Improved Stealth (Level 2) (0.50 PP)

For Metamagics: Masking, Divination, and Psychometry.

"Yes, Mister Smith, the stars have told me you are dinner tonight. Don't feel too bad though, your wife's purse told me she plans on killing you anyway."

Because the ghoul only has 8 Magic, Body Control would be off most of the time, and Traceless Walk and Stealth could both go off while feeding (and thus using Body Control).