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Message no. 1
From: DAVOR CUBRANIC <CUBRANIC@******>
Subject: DECKER/MAGE
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 92 14:03:20 CST
SR books (_never_deal_with_a_dragon_, etc.) mention that it is VERY hard
for mages and/or shamans to use matrix, because of some sort of
incompatibility of their magical nature and science of the matrix. E.g.
Sam Verner had terrible headaches after decking and was a lot slower in
the matrix. Would your mage/decker be penalized because of that in some
way?

Davor Cubranic <CUBRANIC@******.BITNET>
Message no. 2
From: SMILING WOLF <SLEIBOWITZ@****.HAMPSHIRE.EDU>
Subject: Re: DECKER/MAGE
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 92 13:18:00 EDT
>SR books (_never_deal_with_a_dragon_, etc.) mention that it is VERY hard
>for mages and/or shamans to use matrix, because of some sort of
>incompatibility of their magical nature and science of the matrix. E.g.
>Sam Verner had terrible headaches after decking and was a lot slower in
>the matrix. Would your mage/decker be penalized because of that in some
>way?

Yes, there are several "FASA approved" methods of dealing with this kind of
penalty, which you are welcome to use or abuse as you wish. I believe that
they can be found in (of all places) the adventure that comes with The
Universal Brotherhood, "Missing Blood". The two penalties that spring to mind
are a) apply a target # modifer equal to the mage's magic attribute, or
b) apply the modifier based on his or her sorcery skill. Personally, I prefer
the first, because that would allow the "Burned-Out Mage" archetype to move
around relatively easily in the matrix, which seems to make sense.

>Davor Cubranic <CUBRANIC@******.BITNET>


Your humble servant,
Smiling Wolf

________________________________________________________________________________
SLEIBOWITZ@****.hampshire.edu| DISCLAIMER: Not only do the views expressed
or | herein not necessarily reflect those of Hampshire
SLEIBOWITZ@****vms.bitnet | College, but they may not even reflect mine. I'm
sky bless you all. | not telling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 3
From: Bonatier De'Neezriel <mcmillar@***.GLASGOW.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: DECKER/MAGE
Date: Wed, 11 Mar 92 14:50:14 GMT
>>SR books (_never_deal_with_a_dragon_, etc.) mention that it is VERY hard
>>for mages and/or shamans to use matrix, because of some sort of
>>incompatibility of their magical nature and science of the matrix. E.g.
>>Sam Verner had terrible headaches after decking and was a lot slower in
>>the matrix. Would your mage/decker be penalized because of that in some
>>way?
>
>Yes, there are several "FASA approved" methods of dealing with this kind of
>penalty, which you are welcome to use or abuse as you wish. I believe that
>they can be found in (of all places) the adventure that comes with The
>Universal Brotherhood, "Missing Blood". The two penalties that spring to
mind
>are a) apply a target # modifer equal to the mage's magic attribute, or
>b) apply the modifier based on his or her sorcery skill. Personally, I prefer
>the first, because that would allow the "Burned-Out Mage" archetype to move
>around relatively easily in the matrix, which seems to make sense.

I prefer the first way also, though to be strictly honest a mage of any sort
(with the possible exception of the burned-out) should not go near the matrix
at any time. It just isn't in character for a magician or shaman to embrace
such technology when they are a part of a world that operates on a different
level than the techno-maniacs.

(Maybe techno-maniacs is too strong but I think you get my general idea.)

>>Davor Cubranic <CUBRANIC@******.BITNET>
>
>
> Your humble servant,
> Smiling Wolf

Bonatier De'Neezriel,
(otherwise known as Bob)
_______

mcmillar@***.glasgow.ac.uk |
| This space for rent.
|
Message no. 4
From: Dark Elf <VESPOSIT@****.SUNYSB.EDU>
Subject: Decker/mage
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 92 14:55:40 EDT
Here's my two cents on mixing magic and the Matrix...

... *NOT* ...


We all know that magic and technology do not mix well. I'd say that
any single computer system would qualify as manufactured(highly complex)
for the purposes of casting spells on them, but the matrix as a whole is an
intricate web of connections, composed of many *MANY* computer systems.
This effectively makes the Matrix (the physical thing taken as a whole) a
whole order of magnitude more complicated. A mage perceiving the matrix
through astral assensement would see the same thing as if he were looking at
a screen---NOTHING (keep in mind that what you and I see in the matrix is just
a set of sensory data generated by a computer instead of a video signal
generated by a computer).
However, there is a slight loophole that would allow a mage willing to
invest a lot of time, effort, research, and many many nuyen. The signal that
generated the virtual reality is a high speed transmission occupying a
bandwidth on the order of 20Mp. This signal is a series of optical pulses
in the fiber-optic lines that gets converted to an electrical signal by
hardware in the cyberdeck. Commands and programs sent by a decker are also
converted into such a set of signals. These signals are actual physical
changes in the data lines, and specially tailored physical spells may be
able to effect them (with a severe penalty for the technological nature of
the target). A mage with extremely detailed knowledge of how magic and
computers/interface technology work, may be able to produce a spell similar to
the solid illusions spell that can be picked up by cameras, that generates the
optical signal for a specific program or sequence of commands. However,
a task on this order of complexity would take years of research and untold
amounts of trial and error to get an effect that any high-school hacker
can slap together in a week, an effect that operates at extreme penalties.
Basically the only way a mage could effect the matrix is by creating a
specially tailored illusion that the computer perceives through its optical
datalines as a program. The only justification for this is that the mage
would be casting the spell on an actual dataline (which he can see) and not
at a MAtrix construct (which only exists as a series of signals in the net).

This is all highly theoretical, but is possible if you want to
spend the rest of your life devising a spell to make a message a few
lines long appear on some corp-type's vidscreen.

*************************************************************************

The Dark Elf * So close, no matter how far
* Couldn't be much more from the heart
vesposit@****.sunysb.edu * Forever trusting who we are
* And Nothing Else Matters
Better living through *
Superior Firepower * --J.Hetfield/L.Ulrich

*************************************************************************
Message no. 5
From: MAM1335@*****.TAMU.EDU
Subject: Decker/mage
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 92 19:42:46 CET
(other drivel deleted to keep it small...)

> So After all thouse Neg. Why put more on me???I don't know...
> ^^^^^^
>The Pros. are few...I can Protect my meat with out Sams or Mercs, I
>can play only any serface, I can steal spells from any data base (ok, most),
>And that's it...I'll never be the Greatest Decker or The Greatest Mage..
>But I can do a hell of a lot more...If a party need a decker when they
>don't have one, I can run the nets...If they don't have a Mage I could
>do that.....So that's my spule about Decker/Mages.....
>
>What Do you guys think about a Decker Adept????????????
>
> -Ronald Cannon Decker/Mage....The Only!


>LEARN TO SPELL!!! I don't mind listening to your silly ideas, but
having to decipher them before I laugh at them annoys me!

>--Aahz (Shadowspawn)
Message no. 6
From: Hary J Walsh <9117482@**.IE>
Subject: decker/mage
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 20:32:36 CET
could someone quot the passage that says the penalty is the magic attribute...
what i'm looking for is fasa's justification that mages get +MA to deccing
target# and the don' tget them for the use of smartgun links.....

Hary J Walsh.
University of Limerick, Ireland.

"Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the
shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes,
and forgot." - Morpheus, " A midsummers night dream ", Sandman #21.
Message no. 7
From: The Reverend <IH46@****.BITNET>
Subject: decker/mage
Date: Wed, 2 Dec 92 13:35:31 MST
> could someone quot the passage that says the penalty is the magic attribute...
> what i'm looking for is fasa's justification that mages get +MA to deccing
> target# and the don' tget them for the use of smartgun links.....
>
Huh? You're implying that they should get a penalty for SM links, right?
What they say is that the mindset needed for magic is entirely different
for that of the matrix and decking, so you suffer penalties. I don't
have my book with me right now, but that is what they say.

--- "If character isn't an issue, why isn't
The Reverend Ted Kennedy President?"-Rush Limbaugh
"My employers have changed but the name remains"
all new .sig virus v.314159: Copy me! Works 99 times out of 1,000!
Message no. 8
From: Hahns Shin Hahns_Shin@*******.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 11:41:56 -0500
> Deckers don't need alot of cyberware. A data jack is the only necessary
> thing. A math spu would be nice, along with some headware memory, but not
> required. Heck, the datajack is not technically required, although that
> would make for a somewhat slow decker.
Ah, but Magic loss can occur from deadly damage, and if you wanted to deck
into, say, anything above an Orange system, you'll run into Black IC, which
can make your day very unpleasant. And not having an Encephalon or Math SPU
to add to the Hacking Pool will REALLY hurt in the long run (if your decking
system is like mine, the tech curve only goes up. Exponentially.). You'll
either have a mediocre decker in one case, or a mediocre mage in the other.

Besides, I was roleplaying at the time. Fearing the loss of his "edge", the
decker mage kept getting more cyberware. You know, took Deadly damage, lost
a point, so he got some dermal plating; got burned by IC, so he got an
encephalon. He had one point left after a lot of enhancement (and damage,
because he wasn't very good at being a mage or a decker), and lost that when
he flatlined against a nasty Black. The character couldn't deal well with
the magic loss, and eventually became despondant and depressed (and a
general b**ch to work with). He sacrificed himself to save the party during
a run, the poor bastard... better off for him to die in a blaze of glory.

> A basic combat decker/mage can be made with boosted reflexes 1, smartlink,
> and a datajack. With alphaware, which is not too extraordinary, that is
> only .96 essence. This leaves 5 for magic....
I'm not saying it can't be done... but realistically, if you were
roleplaying, a mage with cyberware would constantly be tempted along the
path of Burnout. Once he taints his body, forever will it haunt him/her. My
gaming group detests power gaming, and one would have to come up with a VERY
good reason (at least, character history-wise) for having cyber and magic. I
see mages having a datajack, especially if they are affiliated w/ academia,
but the Smartlink and Boosted Ref. are much harder to justify for me...
Ex-military, perhaps? Late bloomer? Maybe the character was a merc, but
later found he had the Gift.

> Of course, it's the skill areas that you start hurting for points.
> Computer, computer b/r, conjuring, sorcery...... How many skill points do
> you have left...;)
Again, either a mediocre decker, or a mediocre mage... or both. In either
case, this sort of character wouldn't last very long in the shadows... I
mean, the time commitment alone needed to be a novahot decker or a novahot
mage would prevent the other occupation from acheiving full growth. And I
don't think that the character would deliberately try to be mediocre at
both. It takes a special kind of person to be a jack-of-all-trades, master
of none. The people who have done it in the past are remembered in
history... Da Vinci, Jefferson, etc.

My main argument is that when one has a talent, it isn't often that the
person would squander that talent, especially if it is keeping him/her
alive. Being a mage is rare... even more rare than being a 4.0 student or a
gifted musician. Sure, the character might like computers or cars, but
enough to piss away his/her rare natural talent? Perhaps... I don't know.

Hahns
Message no. 9
From: Ahrain Ahrain_Drigar@*******.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Wed, 31 May 2000 23:11:18 -0400
----- Original Message -----
From: Hahns Shin <Hahns_Shin@*******.com>
Subject: Decker Mage


> I'm not saying it can't be done... but realistically, if you were
> roleplaying, a mage with cyberware would constantly be tempted along the
> path of Burnout. Once he taints his body, forever will it haunt him/her.
My
> gaming group detests power gaming, and one would have to come up with a
VERY
> good reason (at least, character history-wise) for having cyber and magic.
I
> see mages having a datajack, especially if they are affiliated w/
academia,
> but the Smartlink and Boosted Ref. are much harder to justify for me...
> Ex-military, perhaps? Late bloomer? Maybe the character was a merc, but
> later found he had the Gift.

Realistically? Cyberware isn't being tempted by the dark side
.
My mage isn't a decker or rigger or anything, but he does have a data jack,
a head com package with scramble unit, softlink, SMALL bit of headware mem,
and a nifty little piece of ware called a sense link (basically a set of
shades that link to cyberware). With a good clinic -1 essence

He uses them to a) communicate better with the rest of the team, b) keep
SOME edge against the opposition above a mundane, and c) the sense link
glasses (thermo, still camera, etc) works GREAT for surveillance. Lots of
stills for low MP.

He got this through deliberate planning and discussion with the team. They
all knew the sacrifice he was making and pitched in most of the cost for a
DAMN good clinic. A sacrifice which he redeamed 6-7 runs later by
initiating. No biggie and he is better off for it, IMHO. Does he want
more? HELL NO! He thought casting after that was like swimming with 2 kilo
weight on all limbs. He WOUDN"T go through it again. He is a mage with an
edge not a Sam who can cast. Magic is his life and unfortunately his life
is in the shadows.

> My main argument is that when one has a talent, it isn't often that the
> person would squander that talent, especially if it is keeping him/her
> alive. Being a mage is rare... even more rare than being a 4.0 student or
a
> gifted musician. Sure, the character might like computers or cars, but
> enough to piss away his/her rare natural talent? Perhaps... I don't know.
>
> Hahns

How many 4.0 students have you heard of in the news arrested for drugs, or
commiting suicide, or whatever.
Gifted musicians....we won't EVEN go there.


I actually see both sides of the situation. If I was a mage I don't think I
could get cut open an have metal shoved between my muscles, but then again
if I was a mage I wouldn't be running from the law with corporations putting
prices on my head where the edge might be worth it.

Each to their own I guess.

Ahrain
Message no. 10
From: LDYTinne@***.com LDYTinne@***.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 00:03:04 EDT
Question to the room...

What if someone always wanted wear and later came into their magic? Why
would they give a damn? Maybe it would be just cool, I can thrown some
sparklies around big whoop?!

(From the burning fires of) Hel
Tinne

Relax a little folks
Message no. 11
From: Ahrain Ahrain_Drigar@*******.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 02:17:20 -0400
----- Original Message -----
From: Ahrain <Ahrain_Drigar@*******.com>
Subject: Re: Decker Mage


<SNIP, MY POST>

> Each to their own I guess.
>
> Ahrain


If this sounded bitchy or angry, I appologize. It was not meant to be. I
wasn't sure what tags to put where(even if there are any) to take some of
the edge out of it. After I read it it did sound abit.....much.

Again, if I offend anyone, I'm sorry.

Ahrain
Message no. 12
From: J. Keith Henry neojudas@******************.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 01:27:17 -0500
From: <LDYTinne@***.com>
Subject: Re: Decker Mage


> Question to the room...
>
> What if someone always wanted wear and later came into their magic? Why
> would they give a damn? Maybe it would be just cool, I can thrown some
> sparklies around big whoop?!
>
> (From the burning fires of) Hel
> Tinne
> Relax a little folks

I *always* enjoy seeing this statement personally. I'm not sure I
understood your line about "...wanted wear and later came..." Could you at
least explain a bit so I can get the joke???

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
NeoJudas ("K" to some...)
Hoosier Hacker House (www.hoosierhackerhouse.com)
Message no. 13
From: Iridios iridios@*****.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 02:37:54 -0400
"J. Keith Henry" wrote:

> > What if someone always wanted wear and later came into their magic? Why
> > would they give a damn? Maybe it would be just cool, I can thrown some
> > sparklies around big whoop?!

> I *always* enjoy seeing this statement personally. I'm not sure I
> understood your line about "...wanted wear and later came..." Could you at
> least explain a bit so I can get the joke???

I think Hel meant "...wanted 'ware and later...". As in a Street
Samurai or Rigger that, after chroming out to a large degree,
discovered a hidden talent for magic.


> NeoJudas ("K" to some...)

I like the new name. :)

--
Iridios
--
"The POP3 server service depends on the SMTP server service,
which failed to start because of the following error: The
operation completed successfully." (Windows NT Server v3.51)

Visit "The ShadowZone"
http://members.xoom.com/Iridios/ShadowZone

Sig by Kookie Jar 5.97d http://go.to/generalfrenetics/
2:34:35 AM/04:01:02 (1) [no thud]
Message no. 14
From: Rand Ratinac docwagon101@*****.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 00:07:39 -0700 (PDT)
> > Question to the room...
> >
> > What if someone always wanted wear and later came
into their magic? Why would they give a damn? Maybe
it would be just cool, I can thrown some sparklies
around big whoop?!
> >
> > (From the burning fires of) Hel
> > Tinne
> > Relax a little folks
>
> I *always* enjoy seeing this statement personally.
I'm not sure I understood your line about "...wanted
wear and later came..." Could you at least explain a
bit so I can get the joke???
> NeoJudas ("K" to some...)

Uh, K...

Try this. Joe Norm watched "Shadowrunners" as a kid.
Joe thought the mage was cool, but he IDOLISED the
sammie. He started getting little bits of 'ware when
he was young. When he turned 18, he joined the Army
and eventually got into Special Forces and got Wired 2
and a Smartlink and a few other things. Then one day,
some mage, a bit more observant than others, noticed
Joe was a latent mage. Or something like that.

It's more likely to happen in a situation where you're
not going to go through compulsory magical testing,
but even if you do (corper, or military joe, or
whatever) that doesn't necessarily mean you'll know
you're active before you get a bunch of cyber put in.
People slip through the cracks sometimes, or sometimes
they only manifest late. There's nothing in SR that
says "all potential mages manifest at puberty" or the
like.

I believe that's what the lady was alluding to.

====Doc'
(aka Mr. Freaky Big, Super-Dynamic Troll of Tomorrow, aka Doc'booner, aka Doc' Vader)

S.S. f. P.S.C. & D.J.

.sig Sauer

__________________________________________________
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Message no. 15
From: Hahns Shin Hahns_Shin@*******.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 02:57:02 -0500
>You know, everyone always says that. 'Once you've gotten a
>little cyberware, the temptation is always there for more.' Why?
>Why is it more tempting once you've gotten a little. That's like
>saying 'Once you've bought a car, you always want a new one.'
>I have a car, and I don't want a new one. I'm not attached to it,
>but it's a car. I only need one car. I won't go buy another one,
>just because I have one now. Why would a mage
>get more cyberware, just because they've gotten a little.
Read the old SR2 Magic book "Awakenings" on the path of the
Burnout. That's where all this comes from (that and the original
SR archetype of the Burnout mage). Your reasoning is justifiable,
but cyberware is not just a car. In many ways, it's a way of
keeping up with the Joneses (only the Joneses just happen to
have a bullet with your name on it). I think the reasoning is that
if you get a little cyberware, it does not affect you much... but if
you start getting more, then you lose your magical "edge". When
that happens, to compensate you get more cyberware to gain a
cybernetic "edge", until it is too late. Also remember that Deadly
damage can also nuke your magic rating...

Not all mages will go down the path of Burnout... just as not all
shamans will go toxic or Adepts follow the Twisted Path. But a
significant portion do, probably due to psychological effects that
are caused by cyberware on certain magically actives. Very
little is mentioned in the books about how cyber affects one's
personality, and we cannot even begin to comprehend those
issues (no implants here in the year 2000... yet). We are on the
outside looking in, so to speak. The books and novels show
that both types (Burnouts and mages who can deal with cyber)
exist... and that is probably how it should remain.

Hahns
Message no. 16
From: Hahns Shin Hahns_Shin@*******.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 03:04:34 -0500
>you don't need the boosted reflexes, just use a sustaining spell focus
>with increase reflexes +3.
>Use a sustaing spell focus with enhance Aim. Save the essence for cyber
>eyes with magnification and thermo and don'y forget a rangefinder. Ears
>can work miracles and so can the Math Spu and chipjack. Pay for betaware
>at the start if the GM allows you to start with these.
>
>If you fancy rigging get a second datajack and a VCR (first lvl paid
>beta, or delta if possible) and skill wires 5 or 6 with CED for the
>extra pool.
>
>Then start initiaing fast to get that magic up,up,up...
>All the while keep making orichalcum to make a decent power focus to
>help you with the low magic.
>
>Start with Computer, pistols or launch weapons(if your INT is
>low),sorcery, conjuring, enchanting and get etiqutte related knowledge
>skills to compensate for the lack of social active skills.
>
>the wiz
Please tell me you are joking. Please tell me you are merely stating this as
an exercise for the reader. Please say that you would never do this in an
actual gaming session. Beta Cyber? Delta? Making orichalcum? LAUNCH
WEAPONS? (actually... I kinda like the launch weapons. :-P) I fear for the
kind of campaign you are describing, I really do... too much power for me
(and I've been playing for 8 years). I especially like the comment of
"start initiating fast", because it sounded like an oxymoron to me... to get
initiate grade 1 alone would require at least 3 or 4 runs under the
character's belt.

Hahns
Message no. 17
From: Damian Sharp zadoc@***.neu.edu
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2000 16:23:42 -0400 (EDT)
On Thu, 1 Jun 2000, Hahns Shin wrote:

<snip parts I'm not talking about>

> >Then start initiaing fast to get that magic up,up,up...
> >All the while keep making orichalcum to make a decent power focus to
> >help you with the low magic.
> >
> >Start with Computer, pistols or launch weapons(if your INT is
> >low),sorcery, conjuring, enchanting and get etiqutte related knowledge
> >skills to compensate for the lack of social active skills.
> >
> >the wiz
> Please tell me you are joking. Please tell me you are merely stating this as
> an exercise for the reader. Please say that you would never do this in an
> actual gaming session. Beta Cyber? Delta? Making orichalcum? LAUNCH
> WEAPONS? (actually... I kinda like the launch weapons. :-P) I fear for the
> kind of campaign you are describing, I really do... too much power for me
> (and I've been playing for 8 years). I especially like the comment of
> "start initiating fast", because it sounded like an oxymoron to me... to
get
> initiate grade 1 alone would require at least 3 or 4 runs under the
> character's belt.

While I've no response to the making of foci (which _can_ take quite a
bit of time, if you need a 'special thing'), not Launch Weapons, what's
wrong with making Oricalcum. The materials you need are easily bought,
assuming you've any sort of Talismongering contacts (which you probably
do, if you're a mage). The time is somewhat prohibitive, being 28 days,
but if your Street Sam takes a solid bullet, putting him down for 3 weeks,
it does seem like a pretty valid way to spend the time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Damian Sharp of Real Life, College Student |
| Zauviir Seldszar of Wildlands, Scribe of House Maritym |
| Xavier Kindric of Shandlin's Ferry, member of Valindar |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It's a trick, get an axe"
Message no. 18
From: dbuehrer@******.carl.org dbuehrer@******.carl.org
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 09:38:12 -0600
LDYTinne@***.com wrote:
>Question to the room...
>
>What if someone always wanted ware and later came into their magic? Why
>would they give a damn? Maybe it would be just cool, I can thrown some
>sparklies around big whoop?!

I did that to one of the PCs in my game. She didn't know that she was
awakened during character creation and loaded up on bio and
cyberware. When she later learned that she was awakened, and learned how
to cast spells, the drain on her spells was physical rather than stun. She
learned to use her spells as effective last ditch methods to deal with
confrontations.

To Life,
-Graht
http://www.users.uswest.net/~abaker3
--
"Warm nights, good food, kindred spirits....great life!"
Message no. 19
From: Manolis Skoulikas great_worm@*****.com
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000 00:35:22 +0300
Hahns Shin wrote:
>
> >you don't need the boosted reflexes, just use a sustaining spell focus
> >with increase reflexes +3.
> >Use a sustaing spell focus with enhance Aim. Save the essence for cyber
> >eyes with magnification and thermo and don'y forget a rangefinder. Ears
> >can work miracles and so can the Math Spu and chipjack. Pay for betaware
> >at the start if the GM allows you to start with these.
> >
> >If you fancy rigging get a second datajack and a VCR (first lvl paid
> >beta, or delta if possible) and skill wires 5 or 6 with CED for the
> >extra pool.
> >
> >Then start initiaing fast to get that magic up,up,up...
> >All the while keep making orichalcum to make a decent power focus to
> >help you with the low magic.
> >
> >Start with Computer, pistols or launch weapons(if your INT is
> >low),sorcery, conjuring, enchanting and get etiqutte related knowledge
> >skills to compensate for the lack of social active skills.
> >
> >the wiz
> Please tell me you are joking. Please tell me you are merely stating this as
> an exercise for the reader. Please say that you would never do this in an
> actual gaming session. Beta Cyber? Delta? Making orichalcum? LAUNCH
> WEAPONS? (actually... I kinda like the launch weapons. :-P) I fear for the
> kind of campaign you are describing, I really do... too much power for me
> (and I've been playing for 8 years). I especially like the comment of
> "start initiating fast", because it sounded like an oxymoron to me... to
get
> initiate grade 1 alone would require at least 3 or 4 runs under the
> character's belt.
>
> Hahns

These are alternatives to the path of the burnout. It actually is a
variant suggested for a combat oriented mage. If you check the thread it
was a suggestion of what you could do to save essence spent on wired
reflexes and smartlinks. If a quickened spell or an essence friendly
cyber strikes you as a worse option than heavy invasive surgery that
deprives you of a lot of essence and magic, then I really don't know
what to say. :)
If somebody wants to try it out, at least try losing as little esence
possible IMO.

I would never go for such an approach. If I played a "hybrid" I would
go for the decker mage or maybe the rigger mage (also a bad choice
IMO)before I tried the sammie mage.:)

all things guns can do, magic does also.
Maybe not so effectively, but sometimes smart combos outweigh the
bullet...

When I said fast I meant "as fast as you can". I have seen players spend
their karma in relatively not as usefull skills because they couldn't
wait for the in initiation karma to accumulate.Just a fact...

Don't fear power games, they can be really fun and SR lends itself to
very succesful and balanced power gaming.
Balanced power gaming is not a contradiction in tewrms. The real problem
us power gamers have is when the power plays mess with the system and
worldly balance. Then you have a shambles, not a game. As crazy as it
might sound, this is the way I feel about high power systems.

<wiz scurries into his dikoted bunker as he sees the anti powergamer
army gahering for an orbital bombardement>
Be easy on me boyz n' gurlz!


the wiz
Message no. 20
From: Yiannakos yiannako@*******.edu
Subject: Decker Mage
Date: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 15:17:08 -0400
Rand Ratinac wrote:


> It's more likely to happen in a situation where you're
> not going to go through compulsory magical testing,
> but even if you do (corper, or military joe, or
> whatever) that doesn't necessarily mean you'll know
> you're active before you get a bunch of cyber put in.
> People slip through the cracks sometimes, or sometimes
> they only manifest late. There's nothing in SR that
> says "all potential mages manifest at puberty" or the
> like.
>
> I believe that's what the lady was alluding to.

Or like in "Never Deal with a Dragon", where Sam Verner got cyberware
(just a datajack, but still...) as part of his job, and then later got a
visit from Dog. He did experience trouble decking, IIRC, but he could do
both.

---Dave ('s not here man)

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Decker Mage, you may also be interested in:

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Thwap!