Shadowrun (5E) Missions: Which Detection Spell(s) to Select?

Last couple sessions that I played Shadowrun Missions, the lack of my combat mage's versatility has been brought up. No hard feelings on my end. The combat mage template basically does combat... and that's about it. Not bad; however, as I have mentioned via earlier posts, combat magic in 5th edition Shadowrun doesn't have the oomph it did in previous editions. So yeah, I've been feeling it alright...


So it's high time my combat mage learns some new spells. Must confess I still haven't fully worked my head around the availability rules Missions uses. So only those spells with relatively easy Availablity will be picked from. Leaves me with the Detection and Heath categories. Health - I am not a fan. Maybe if I used reagents more, and thus boosting limits, I would. But, I don't. Unlike D&D, Health spells, within a Force a caster would normally cast, is weak sauce in Shadowrun.


Detection spells it is.


First, I am holding off on the analyze spells. They're neat; but they require a great deal more thought than I am willing to invest at the moment.


Mind Probe is awesome. However, Mind Probe is very situational. In Missions, I've come to feel every karma counts. As player of a magician exercises the working for the people option to garner more karma, nuyen is much more finite than it otherwise would be. With lifestyle expenses, I have to be very careful how much time is spent training. So I'll save Mind Probe for another wave. Besides, my Combat Mage has been fortunate to run with some very charismatic characters. That'll continue, right...?


Detect Object - is even more situational than Mind Probe is. So probably not.


I absolutely love the potential radar effect for the extended versions of some of the detect spells. However, Shadowrun Missions is currently located in Chicago, which is host to areas with different kinds of background counts. Probably overthinking it though. Later.


Detect Enemies is neat; but my observations lead me to be skeptical of its use in Missions. Everything is either to far away, one can already notice it, or you've wandered into a different background count. Chicago is a bit of a peach that way...


Detect Lifeform is another gem. But I really don't want to specialize.


Really digging Detect Life though. Meanwhile, Clairvoyance is an old favorite of mine. Clairaudience could have came in handy for some of the mods.


If I pick up one spell, it will be Clairvoyance. Like I said, it's one of my go-to spells. Plus, it doesn't have a success table that requires some interpretation on the GM's part like Detect Life. If two spells, Clairaudience will be the second.


And that's just the core book!


We will just have to wait and see how this latest batch of thinking out loud plays out. Which reminds me, there's some session reports that await...


Till next time,


Happy Gaming!