After having read through the adept section of SotA, and the social adepts in particualr, I'm fairly impressed. As I don't currently have a game I'm trying to knock up a character idea as a mental exercise- an adept police detective. Since there are people out there that know the rules backwards and forwards a lot better than myself, thought I'd throw this open and see is people had any ideas. I'm using the standard character creation rules, priority or build points, and three free levels of initiation to work with using any of the books.

Powers like Cool Resolve that help you catch people trying to lie to you, Eidetic Sense Memory so you never forget any information on a case, Empathis Reading for the lying thing, Kinesics likewise etc. are obvious ones. So anyone out there have any suggestions?

I imagine Commanding Voice ("FREEZE!") would be awesome for any type of adept cop, too.

I'd probably go with straight-up Astral Perception instead of Empathic Reading for a detective, however. Being able to scan over astral signatures and identify them at a later time would be phenomenal. It also opens the door to some metamagics you'll definitely want, like Psychometry. Other great metamagic techniques to take with those three free levels include Divination and Centering (since they'll help both of the other two in addition to your Athletics and Stealth skills). I used all of them to great effect with a paranormal investigator character I've played in the past.

You can capture some of that noir flair with your geasa and Centering skills, too. Condition Geas: Smoking and Centering Linked Skill: Inner Monolgues would be great, I'd imagine.

I can't bring myself to encourage the use of Kinesics, however. <twitch> You might want to consider some edges along those lines, though. Two that would be really great for this type of character include Friendly Face and Good Looking & Knows It or a variant thereof (like "Trustworthy Personality" or "Oozes With Confidence" as examples of what I'm talking about). If you plan on having a bunch of contacts you use to muscle information out of, Good Reputation would be fantastic, too.

Beyond that, a maxed out Police Procedures, Tracking (Tailing), and Forensics knowledge skills would be invaluable.

When selecting your skills (which should be an emphasis for this type of character), don't forget some easily forgotten ones like Electronics, Electronics B/R, and Lockpicking (or just get an Autopick if you prefer -- better investment, really). You're basically a "good guy" thief, afterall.

From a Counterintelligence Adept I made. She's a Grade 2 Initiate, so adjust accordingly.

Ability Level Cost
Astral Perception (Geas) 2.00 (1.50)
Empathic Sense 0.50
Eidetic Sense Memory 0.50
Linguistics 0.25
Sixth Sense (Geas) 4 1.00 (0.75)
Improved Ability (Stealth) 4 1.00
Kinesics 2 2.00
Empathic Reading 3 0.75
Cool Resolve (Geas) 2 1.00 (0.75)

Hey, I've got an idea.

How about, "STOP!"

...

Don't forget three-dimensional memory.

that one just confuses me. is it a quirky version ef e. memory sense, or was it intended to have a specific other use?

Three dimensional memory has more use to a criminal, IMHO. You walk through a bank, ask to use a telcom. Make an innocuous call, perhaps for a taxi or the like, and walk out. Later you pull up the memory and case the place in a far less obvious manner.

Dunno, for someone like a detective it's a good way of remembering a crime scene.

Anyone else getting visions of Adrian Monk, Shadowrunner for hire?

Only if he includes at least 30 points worth of Mental and Social Flaws.

Psychometry is AWSOME. However, as it seems I was the first GM to completly frag his player over with it. And before anyone says they did it first, I had this happen at the GenCon tourny, before the book was released.
Player walked up, decided to use this power on a 'mysteriously' dead body (nasty magic related stuff and whatnot). I get confused, talk it over with the manager. I tell himhim ecactly what happend. Including the mental trama of getting your soul ripped from your body. Check for magic loss (he fails too, poor guy) and ends up with the bleeding from points of your body flaw to boot. On the plus side, this move won him "Best PC death or near death."
Im still trying to get my hands on a copy...

I don't quite see why that would warrant a Magic Loss check, let alone actual physical damage. Seems like GM Assholishness™ to me; minor Stun damage and a temporary phobia is the worst thing that comes from it mechanically.

Bush isn't a spaz, he's a Social Adept with Kinesics