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dandy
Hi all,

haven't been around for a far too long time. Sorry for that. My group started playing again a couple of weeks ago and my much loved Character got cought by the Star which ended his career rather abruptly.

I am running out of ideas what kind of character I should make next. It might help if I describe my fellow runners characters first.

1. Human Street-Sam (The Bikeracer; Lasers, Submachine Guns, Electronics, etc.)
2. Human Rigger (The Transportation Guy; but hardly participate in large runs)
3. Human Phys-Ad (The Face; extremely good with Pistols, Monowhips, quick as hell)
4. Ork Phys-Ad (WAS ME; Path of the Magician; Bows, Killing Hands, the ork-kind-o-guy)

So my Ork got smashed by the Star and I am in bitter need of a new character. Houserules say that new Characters get 145 Buildingpoints to start with, alpha/beta allowed, availability up to 10.

My preferences would be a) Human or b) Elf. Preferably a Phys-Ad. Since I don't want the characters to be repetitive. I'd like to come up with something original. Combat-Wise, Tough-Wise and ROLEPLAYING-wise. But what?

Any help and examples appreciated. We roleplay our characters and we normaly play long campaigns. So the char gotta be upgradeable, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for all the help. Looking forward for some suggestions.
Cynic project
I know, be the grim reaper of love and peace....

Well, here is something that I would look into. Maybe play a character who looks normal,and by normal I mean just a face in the crowd. Do not try to stand out,and hide in the open.
dandy
that's the point, no? But anyway, I need the character to have some shadowrun survival-skills ... and that is where i am totaly clueless. i don't want to do the "i can shoot heavy pistols good" or "my killing hands are great" types of phys-ads.
Mugzy
Just for kicks I played around with an idea of an adept that didnt carry any weapons.

He was good with whatever he could get his hands on (Primarily clubs, but use the improvised weapons in CC to its fullest!) Anything from pistols, chairs, to sharp sticks worked! Plus a decent throwing skill and missile mastery (love that adept power) and bam! you're a walking arsenal who doesnt need to pack heat anywhere.

Rocks, beer glasses, toilet seats........the possibilites are endless
Cynic project
Well, if you do not want to come up with a character that is like others i would opt for being a spell slinger. And not the adept kind.

but B&E could work,demotlions,disgiesing, and or maybe the full on hand to hand combat. The thing is that there are some skills that every shadowrunner should have,and then you have some areas that aid style. And style is really hard to hand someone, as i could think of 15 characters who i think are cool,and and show them to you and not hit a mark.
dandy
that's so true. i kinda liked the idea of the ork with his ranger-x bow.

guess i will go with a colorblinded elf phys-ad ambidex double-wielding heavy pistols type of char. even though i don't like the concept. will put some more thought into the char and post him up for feedback.

thanks guys
Synner
If you're looking to play something different and offbeat, but with plenty of roleplay potential, you might want to explore an adept of the Shamanic Way.
PBTHHHHT
well if you somehow play a non-awakened meta, I'd suggest playing a character with a few points in spell resistance since there isn't any spell slingers in your group.
SpasticTeapot
If you do'nt want to be a Mage (Let's hear it for Ursamorph Bear Shamans!). consider going the "cool abilities" route for an Adept. Give him lots of points in things like Stealth and Athletics and all the useful sensory enhancements, and you have the basics of a Detective/PhysAd character.
Or, give him a few points in Sporting Rifles and Killing Hands, and use him to silently kill enemies with things that you can actually get liscenses for. (Just drive an old pickup, and Lone Star will assume you're another hick hunter). With enough ratings in Stealth and Athletics, you can have him sneak about and silently eliminate anyone who might pull an alarm, and because Killing Hands can also deal Stun damage, you can take down targets whose survival is important to the Mission.
I just finished the latter of the two for our "covert ops"-y campaign; because he's a Troll with 10 strength his unarmed attacks do a whopping 10S damage; and his boosted reflexes make him nasty in hand-to-hand. He's also specialized in the Remington 850, and can squeeze off 4-6 rounds a turn with 10S damage per.

And as long as we're at it, can shapeshifters use Adept abilities while in animal form?
Eyeless Blond
Well from what I'm seeing you're missing the stealth guy, someone with Electrinics and B/R, Traceless Walk, Improved Stealth 6, a full point's worth of Improved Senses, that sort of thing. Start with this, and add/take away stuff as needed.
akarenti
QUOTE (Synner)
If you're looking to play something different and offbeat, but with plenty of roleplay potential, you might want to explore an adept of the Shamanic Way.


I think that Shamanic Way and Spirit Way are really, really underated adept archtypes. Especially in your group, which doesn't seem to have a lot of solid ways to deal with spirits and other magical threats. Both lend well to mysticism, and Astral Perception opens the door to a lot of interesting Metamagics that your average magician character would ignore in favor of Invoking, Shielding and the like.

Think "Guy Who gets Called to Investigate and Defend against Bizaar Magical Phenomenon" type character, with Astral Perception and whatever else you think would be helpful dealing with spirits and magic. Later add in Psychometry and/or Sensing. Spirit Way is good for a more "hermetic" flavor character, but the Totem Way can be very similar with a suitably mysterious totem like Spider or one of the Loa. Plus with Totem Way, you can do Astral Quests for Initiation Ordeals. If you wanted to go with a Loa, you could easily explain away access to Deepweed, which could serve as an interesting Geas, not to mention Power Point free astral perception.
Glyph
Here's one idea. He's a wakyambi (African elf), fleeing political persecution for the (slightly) friendlier environs of Seattle. He was a respected magical practicioner and doctor where he was from, but here he's yet another refugee with no identity or credentials. Fortunately, his magical and medical skills, along with a knack for survival, have led him to the shadows.

This is an adept of the magical way who is a great healer (mundane and magical healing work very well as a combo) and potential face, with a good range of combat options as well.

[ Spoiler ]
dandy
heh, thanks for all the replies. i am overwhelmed. i will definately look into making a path of the magician/shaman again. this time as an elf.

i am currently trying to figure out a type of hitman/assasin. stealth, athletics, ranged weapons, handweapons, some kind of spells that help me do all that better. i am unsure if i should go the ambidex route or not.

just help me figure out one little thing: if i shoot two weapons at once with ambidex (TN-left +0 and TN-right +2) and have smartgun in my left hand, does that make my target numbers +0 and +0 or doesn't smartlink work at all (i know it doesn't work with both hands smartlinked)?

as of spells, i don't know what to do. magic fingers, enhanced aim, imp. invisibility, armor sounds all good and fair. how should i improve them? all of this sounds for too much karma. my main focus should stay on the normal world weapons. i don't want to deal with fireballs and manaballs. any suggestions on how to push this character, roleplaying wise? what could be his motivation in NOT improving on spells, but instead go the hitman-route?
dandy
Ok, I am almost done with my char.

Couple of questions though:

1. does one smartlink give me the bonus for one hand, if i use two weapons at once?
2. does the physad-skill "living focus" work with an exclusive "Imp. Reflexes 3" spell cast at myself?


greets
The White Dwarf
Smartlinks provide no tn modifier when using 2 guns at once, regardless of hand. You can however use the other benefits such as changing fire mode and ejecting clips etc.

No idea on the other one, as I dont have that book.
Fortune
There's no point using Living Focus on your own spells, as the Adept using it suffers the +2 TN penalty instead of the caster (which are one and the same in this case).
dandy
woops, forgot about that. i guess, i'll have to wait until i initiate to quicken imp. reflexes then.

hmm, i always thought that smartlink does help, but only with one weapon. can anyone point me to where it states that it doesn't work. can't seem to find it in sr3 and m&m.
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (dandy)
My preferences would be a) Human or b) Elf. Preferably a Phys-Ad. Since I don't want the characters to be repetitive. I'd like to come up with something original. Combat-Wise, Tough-Wise and ROLEPLAYING-wise. But what?

Any help and examples appreciated. We roleplay our characters and we normaly play long campaigns. So the char gotta be upgradeable, if you know what I mean.

Thanks for all the help. Looking forward for some suggestions.

The last Phys-Ad concpet I was working on was an ex-Security/Bodyguard type.

I don't have his stats handy, but here what I was thinking:

He's use his Detect Magic and Astral Perception to sniff out mages or other magical problems before they got too close to his assignment. He'd use Quick Draw to get the drop on enemies and Increased relexes and enhanced vision to compliment his skills.

I also decided to give him some basic cyberware to make him a Decker (Datajack + Math SPU) plus a SL-2. I took a few Geas to offset the magic loss and a few more Geasa to help reduce the costs on my Magic Point expenditures.

Since we don't often have a dedicated Decker, he would do just fine once he got some cash to buy a Cyberdeck, LOL.

I never got to play him, but he's next on my list probably.
Glyph
If you are playing an ambidexterous gunslinger type, who uses his spells to supplement his gun skills, here is one possible layout:

Magical Ability: 4 with Talisman geas
Improved Ability/Pistols: 6

Spells:
Detect Individual: 5 (Fetish for -1 Drain) To track people
Heal: 5 (Exclusive for -2 cost, and Fetish for -1 Drain) To treat your wounds
Increased Reflexes +3: 1 To quicken, then mask, as you initiate
Improved Invisibility: 5 (Fetish for -1 Drain) Stealth
Levitate: 5 (Fetish for -1 Drain) Flight
Magic Fingers: 5 (Fetish for -1 Drain) Many uses, including using a gun that is sitting on the couch 10 feet away

Didn't pick - Armor (it glows), Enhanced Aim (it is a resisted spell).

You can have him be festooned with "good luck charms" and the like to represent his talisman and fetishes.

*Edit* Oh yeah, as for why he prefers guns over manabolts, you can simply say that he developed his gun skills first, so when he discovered his spellcasting ability he was more interested in supplementing his already formidable skill, rather than learning what he considered redundant offensive capabilities.
Wounded Ronin
Well, if you want an *unusual* physad, why not take the electric guitar ninja?

http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?showtopic=6626
PBTHHHHT
QUOTE (Wounded Ronin)
Well, if you want an *unusual* physad, why not take the electric guitar ninja?

oh gawd, not the guitar again! wink.gif

hey dandy, btw, if you're getting smartgun link, you might as well get the inducer(?) pad thing so that you have links in both hands. that way you can eject clips, etc... with either hand. Plus, if you're just shooting one gun at a time while having a gun each hand (hey it might happen), then you might be able to get the tn bonus for both guns.
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