TEXT: The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Created and Maintained by
  HOBBIS
  brbrown@vassar.edu
  Shadowrun is a Registered Trademark of FASA Corporation.
  Original Shadowrun material Copyright ©1994-1999 by FASA Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
  Used without permission.
  Any use of FASA Corporation’s copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be viewed
  as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks.
  This publication is copyright ©1999 Brett R. Brown.
  Permission is given to distribute freely and without cost.
  This publication is not to be sold for profit.
  The
  The
  The
  The
  TheAdept Handybook
  Adept Handybook
  Adept Handybook
  Adept Handybook
  Adept Handybook
  version 1.0
  version 1.0
  version 1.0
  version 1.0
  version 1.0
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  INTRODUCTION
  Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and
  girls, to the
  Adept Handybook v1.0!
  (The first update to the Handybook in one hell of a long time!)
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................1
  CREDITS.............................................................................................................2
  POWERS............................................................................................................3
  Adhesion........................3
  Aggravated Damage...............3
  Aimed Shot......................3
  Animal Control..................4
  Astral Cloak....................4
  Astral Perception...............4
  Astral Projection...............4
  Attribute Boost.................4
  Blend In/Stand Out..............5
  Blind Fighting..................5
  Blur............................5
  Body Control....................5
  Bone Razors.....................5
  Breaking Blow...................6
  Camouflage......................6
  Chitin..........................6
  Chitin..........................6
  Claws...........................6
  Combat Sense....................7
  Confusing Hit...................7
  Counterstrike...................7
  Deep Breathing..................7
  Delay Damage....................7
  Disarm..........................7
  Distance Strike.................8
  Edged Arm.......................8
  Empathic Sense..................8
  Energy Charge...................8
  Enhanced Centering..............8
  Enhanced Coordination...........9
  Enhanced Healing................9
  Enhanced Perception.............9
  Enhanced Respiration............9
  Face Anonymous..................9
  Flexibility.....................9
  Fluid Movement..................9
  Force Shield...................10
  Free Fall......................10
  Gentle Strike..................10
  Gills..........................10
  Gliding........................10
  Great Leap.....................10
  Harmless Form..................11
  Hyper-Kick.....................11
  Hypnotic Influence.............11
  Improved Ability...............11
  Improved Physical Attributes...11
  Improved Reflexes..............11
  Improved Sense.................12
  Improved Sense (Expanded)......12
  Invisibility...................12
  Iron Stomach...................12
  Iron Will......................13
  Killing Hands..................13
  POWER SETS...................................................................................................24
  ARTICLES.........................................................................................................25
  ORIGINS
  The Adept Handybook began as The Rather Un-official Physical Adept
  Handybook.  It was early 1994: I was 14; my handle was Calvinoi MindFlyer;
  I formatted the Handybook with Word 5.1 for Mac and the Monaco font; I
  masturbated a lot; and my only internet access was through my city’s Freenet.
  It all started when I wanted to get all the physical adept powers I had seen in
  different places into one alphabetical source.  After a fair amount of typing,
  there it was—3,265 words of pure physad goodness. (Little did I know that
  about 5 years later, I’d be typing that much for regular class papers...)  Be-
  ing a dashingly altruistic chap, I thought I’d share my little creation by up-
  loading it to the old Cerberus ftp site (you know...back when ftp
  was more popular).  The rest, as they say, is history.  (Mainly, it’s
  just that I’ve forgotten most of the events that transpired after that.)
  There are just a few things I would like to point out about the rest of the
  Handybook. First of all, there is material contained within that has been
  printed in other sources. In the interests of making the Handybook as com-
  plete as possible, I have included said material, but this is not a challenge to
  copyright.  (I have no qualms about dropping that material if FASA says so.)
  I strongly encourage everyone out there to obtain a full copy of the books
  this publication excerpts from, as there is much more than just adept pow-
  ers in them.
  Secondly, I have generally tried to contact the creator of anything that ap-
  pears in the Handybook (aside from FASA) for permission to feature his/her
  writing, but if I have included something that you are the author of and you
  would like removed, please let me know as soon as possible. There are
  some powers that are featured in multiple books, often due to inclusion in a
  new edition (i.e. SR2 to SR3 or Awakenings to Magic in the Shadows).  In
  these cases, I have listed the most recent version of the power, as well as its
  most recent source.
  Finally, please do not flame me if I appended a “Notes” section to your power.
  The Notes are suggestions, not criticisms, and by no means came exclu-
  sively from my own thoughts.
  NOTES ON THE TEXT
  The Handybook endeavors to present a fairly complete listing of the powers
  available to adepts in Shadowrun, as well as further rules that may be ap-
  plied to adepts.  While powers deemed extremely munchkinous may be
  omitted, I try to include most of the powers I find, with the noteworthy state-
  ment that, in all matters—cost, use, drain, etc.—Gamemaster’s discretion
  must apply.
  MISSION STATEMENT
  PERSONAL INFORATION
  My real name is Brett Brown, although I use the handle
  Hobbis almost exclusively in net-related activities.  As of
  the date of release, I am 20, and currently attending
  Vassar College, where I am currently double majoring in
  Psychology and Cognitive Science.  I’ve been interested
  in Shadowrun ever since my parents gave me the Sec-
  ond Edition base book for Christmas, 1993.  And no per-
  sonal info would be complete, of course, without my Geek
  Code (Version 3.1)...
  GSS d--(+) s: a--- C++ UL+++(++++) P+ L++ E---- W+++
  N+ o-- K++ w-- O- M++ V- PS++(+) PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5++
  X++ R+ tv b++(+++) DI++++ D++ G++ e h r++ z
  Legs of the Wind...............13
  Little Death...................13
  Luck...........................13
  Magic Resistance...............13
  Magic Sense....................13
  Mask...........................14
  Meld...........................14
  Melee Sense....................14
  Missile Parry..................15
  Missile Parry (Extended).......15
  Missile Mastery................15
  Molecular Agitation............15
  Movement Efficiency............15
  Mystic Armor...................16
  Mystical Reach.................16
  NegaMage.......................16
  Nerve Strike...................16
  Normalcy.......................16
  Pain Resistance................17
  Pheromone Control..............17
  Poison Hit.....................17
  Power Blow.....................17
  Projection.....................17
  Quick Draw.....................18
  Quick Strike...................18
  Rapid Healing..................18
  Regeneration...................18
  Revitilization.................18
  Rooting........................18
  Shockwave......................19
  Sixth Sense....................19
  Smashing Blow..................19
  Sonar..........................19
  Sonic Scream...................19
  Spell Shroud...................20
  Spider Walk....................20
  Steel Fingers..................20
  Stone Breathing................20
  Stretch Attack.................20
  Surround Sense.................20
  Suspended State................20
  Temperature Tolerance..........21
  Thermal Cloak..................21
  Thermal Masking................21
  Toughness......................21
  Tough Skin.....................21
  Traceless Walk.................21
  Trauma Compensator.............22
  True Sight.....................22
  Virtuoso.......................22
  Voice Alteration...............22
  Volative Aura..................22
  Will to Live...................22
  ?
  ?
  It would be nice to say that this edition of the Handybook was “years in the
  making.”  Perhaps it took “a collabarative team of the industry’s top insiders
  and graphic designers.”  In fact, don’t tell anyone, but this project has been
  going on for years under government auspices, and I have only now re-
  ceived authorization to declassify this portion of our research.  But if anyone
  asks you, here’s the cover story...
  I’m one lazy mofo.  Actually, that’s not it, although I do have (what I like to
  call) a selective work ethic.  The main reason for the delay can be tied to
  three factors.  For a while, I just utterly lacked the inspiration to do a new
  Handybook.  I finally got the druthers to work on it, though, and it came
  along great...until hard drive troubles erased it and I lost all my work.  Need-
  less to say, this was a bit discouraging—factor number one.  Factor number
  two is Vassar College, which I am now attending and which takes up enough
  of my time that I like to utilize my free time by just not working (on anything,
  including the Handybook).  Finally, FASA, bless their hearts, released a string
  of books (e.g. Awakenings, SR 3rd Ed., Magic in the Shadows) that kept me
  on my toes more than expected.  Gotta’ stay on the bleeding edge...
  So finally, with the much appreciated (grumble, grumble) prodding of friends,
  I decided to just buckle down and do a new edition. Granted, this ‘buckling
  down’ has still taken, well, quite a while, but so it goes. Oh, and it’s now
  version 1.0 because, as of SR3, physical adepts are now adepts. Thus, the
  name had to be changed—hence the new version number.
  All things being said, is it worth the wait?  Probably not.  But oh well.
  UPDATE
  Inroduction
  Page 1
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  CREDITS ?
  POWERS
  FASA
  Stephen Kenson
  Paul R. Hume
  Herbert L. Helzer II
  David Perry
  Captain MJB (Michael Best)
  Gurth <gurth@xs4all.com>
  Mark Mohan <MCM@bton.uk.ac>
  Shadowdancer <briddle@marsh.vinu.edu>
  TH Anderson <ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us>
  Arthur S. <hanker@geocities.com>
  Brian King <nocturnal@primary.net>
  Lady Jestyr <jestyr@faraday.dialix.com.au>
  Alfredo Alves <dghost@juno.com>
  Bleach <s457033@frodo.student.gu.edu.au>
  Jumbler <jumbler@gmx.net>
  Georg Greve <greve@fusebox.hanse.de>
  David Anderson <danders3@gac.edu>
  J. Eric Seaton <eric@victoria.tc.ca>
  http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/2964/SR.html
  Jens-Athur Leirbakk <leirbakk@pvv.ntnu.no>
  http://www.pvv.org/~leirbakk/rpg_e.html
  Thanatos <ryokley@earthlink.net>
  http://brbrown.vassar.edu/~thanatos/
  ILLUSTRATIONS
  Thanatos <ryokley@earthlink.net>
  Meditating adept (25)…Adept on car (23)…Articles footer
  Wolfe Gleitsman <wogleitsman@vassar.edu>
  Cover illustration (Cover)…Adept with flaming sword
  (15)…Adept with big sword (2)…Dead samurai (29)…Pow-
  ers footer…Power Sets footer
  FASA
  For not sueing my ass off (yet?), and for putting out such a
  fine role-playing game for all these years.
  Paolo Marcucci and Gurth
  For helping me out with former editions of the Handybook,
  and just being all-around great supporters of and contribu-
  tors to Shadowrun.
  Jeremy
  For letting me use his computer so I could get some work
  done over summer break.
  THANKS
  David
  For giving me his charming comments on a later revision of
  the Handybook. And showing me his pubes.
  Ryan
  For contributing some artwork despite his busy schedule,
  and starting to GM so that I could actually play a few
  times.
  My Gaming Group
  For not sueing my ass off...oh, wait...well, for giving me all
  these years of outstanding gaming. And besides, I’m sure
  they deserve as much recognition as possible...Ryan,
  David, and Jeremy. Stalk away, readers. Vivá la Shadowrun.
  Shadrach…Mishak…Abed Nego! (and Bob Dole)
  What more can be said?
  My Parents
  For not only putting up with all those late nights of
  gaming, but even supporting them. And hey—they bought
  me SR2 all those years back; who could have known where
  it would lead?  Kudos to my parents, everyone...
  kudos.
  ?
  Credits
  Page 2
  
  ADHESION
  Cost: 1
  Source: greve@fusebox.hanse.de
  Author: Georg Greve
  The Adhesion power gives the PA the ability to make
  parts of his body adhesive to objects (it works more like mag-
  netism than glue but it works on all material). The adhesion
  power has a very limited range (only up to the outer border
  of the PA's aura) and can be controlled in a way that allows
  the PA to say "I make my left palm and my right foot adhe-
  sive" and can be turned on/off instantly. The maximum
  weight that can be supported by the Adhesion power is equal
  to the maximum lifting weight ( Strength * 20 ) plus the
  character’s own weight. When combined with the "Traceless
  Walk" power the Adept doesn't apply pressure/force to the
  object he is adhesive to. Pressure sensors will not recognize
  him and so on.
  AGGRAVATED DAMAGE
  Cost: 1
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  Use of this ability allows the adept to do more damage
  than normal on a successful Unarmed Combat hit. The adept
  must make a normal attack test. If all skill dice (including
  Improved Ability dice, but not including Combat Pool dice)
  come up as successes, and the adept hits the target,
  the Damage Level is increased by 1 step automatically.
  This cannot be used with an armed attack, or with Edged Arm or
  other damage enhancing abilities (though it may be used with power
  enhancing abilities, such as Power Blow).
  Example: Finn hits a security guard. Finn rolls his Un-
  armed Combat test (6 dice, plus 3 Combat Pool dice), and the
  guard does the same (3 dice). All of Finn’s skill dice are suc-
  cesses, and he also gets 1 success on his Combat Pool dice,
  for a total of 7. The guard gets 2 successes, to Finn has 5 left
  in his advantage. His attack hits, and all skill dice were suc-
  cesses. Normally, Finn would do (STR)M Stun damage, but
  now he does (STR)S Stun, and has 5 successes left, against
  which the guard is now to roll a Body test.
  AIMED SHOT
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  This ability reduces the modifier for aimed shots (p.89,
  Shadowrun 2nd Ed). Normally, this is a +4 modifier to the tar-
  get number, but every point bought in Aimed Shot ability
  reduces this modifier by 1 point — that is, an adept with level
  3 Aimed Shot would only get a +1 modifier for an aimed
  shot. Aimed Shot cannot reduce the modifier below +0, so an
  adept with level 7 Aimed Shot only gets a +0 modifier, not -3.
  The adept must buy this ability for each skill he intends to
  use it with separately. An adept with Aimed Shot (Firearms)
  level 2 would get only a +2 modifier when attempting aimed
  shots with a pistol, but would have the full +4 when
  firing a bow.
  POWERS
  The Powers section is the meat of the Handybook, as it contains a comprehensive listing of the adept powers I have
  collected from various sources.  The format for the listing is as follows:
  NAME
  Cost: …
  Source: …………
  Author: …………
  DESCRIPTION
  Notes: ……………
  Name gives just that.  Note that if there is a small omega sign (Ω) next to the name, that means it is a canon
  power.  This is intended to give you, at a quick glance, a show of which powers are canon and which are not.
  (It is perhaps wise at times to pretend that only canonical powers exist; it makes life considerably easier.)
  While Cost gives how many magic points are used to purchase that power. If it says ‘see below,’ then it is
  referring to a table that appears after the Description (sometimes Notes) section.  Source gives either the e-
  mail address of the author (if it was submitted eletronically) or the page # and publication (if it was culled
  from a paper published source).  Author gives the name of the power’s author.  Question marks “?” in the
  Source and Author spaces indicate that I do not have this information.  Description gives an explanation of
  the power and its rules.  Notes gives noteworthy considerations to be looked at in relation to the power (i.e.
  recommended ways of balancing the power further).  But without further ado...
  Powers
  Page 3
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  
  Notes: The GM may wish to increase the cost of this power to
  prevent adepts from becoming overly trigger-happy. Increasing cost
  to .75 or 1 per point is useful. What I would recommend is to up the
  cost for firearms & gunnery while keeping it at .5 for projectile &
  throwing weapons.
  ANIMAL CONTROL
  Cost: 2
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  The Oxford group reported that certain adepts have a
  heightened empathy with animals. An adept with this power
  may attempt to pit his or her Charisma against the animal’s
  Willpower in an Opposed Success Test. Only animals with
  Intelligence (not Perception) of 3 or less are affected by Ani-
  mal Control (except for insects or other invertebrates, whose
  minds are too simple to be grasped by an adept). Any crea-
  ture derived from human or metahuman stock is immune.
  As soon as a success test is made, a controlled animal
  can be prevented from attacking, sounding an alarm, etc. After
  this, the adept may use a Complex Action to give an order to
  a controlled animal. Orders must be something the animal
  can understand and accomplish – orders that run contrary to
  an animal’s instinctual or normal behavior require a new Op-
  posed Success Test, with a +2 modifier in the animal’s favor.
  Skill in Animal Training or Animal Husbandry may ap-
  ply a modifier to control attempts, at the GM’s option.
  Notes: Although the original power does not specify, it is prob-
  ably advisable to disallow the use of this power on paranormals.
  Some GM’s have also said the cost for this power should be low-
  ered, most often to 1 or 1.5.
  ASTRAL CLOAK
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  This ability partially shields an adept against Detection
  spells. The Cloak acts as a passive Mana Barrier, adding the
  number of points purchased to the Target Number of of any
  hypersense or general detection spell targeted against the
  adept (gamemaster's discretion). If the Cloak rating negates
  (reduces to zero) the successes of a hypersense spell (Clair-
  voyance or Clairaudience), the adept is invisible/inaudible
  to the spell (otherwise the spell works normally).
  This ability only works for the adept; he or she cannot
  extend the Cloak around others. In astral space the Cloak
  can be attacked like a Mana Barrier. If the Cloak falls, it is
  rebuilt at a rate of one point/six hours. Unless the player
  states otherwise, the Cloak is always considered to be "up".
  ASTRAL PERCEPTION   Ω
  Cost: 2
  Source: Page 168, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You have the ability to see and reach into the astral plane
  via astral perception.  You cannot use astral projection.  Ad-
  epts with this power follow all the normal rules for astral
  perception.
  ASTRAL PROJECTION
  Cost: 4
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  It is widely considered impossible for physical adepts
  to project, but as with most 'impossible' things in the Awak-
  ened world, some individuals have managed it.
  An adept must have Astral Perception prior to purchas-
  ing this power.
  Notes: Needless to say, the GM is strongly encouraged to
  restrict access to this power to NPCs only, if that.
  ATTRIBUTE BOOST   Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 168, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You can call upon your inner strength to perform amazing
  feats beyond your normal abilities. Attribute Boost can be
  purchased for any Physical Attribute: Strength, Body, or
  Quickness. It cannot be purchased for a Mental or Special
  Attribute. It must be purchased seperately for each of the
  Physical Attributes.
  To gain the boost, make a Magic Test against a target num-
  ber equal to one half the base (unaugmented) rating of the
  Attribute being boosted (round up). If there are no suc-
  cesses, the Attribute is not boosted. Otherwise, the At-
  tribute is boosted by the level of the power. The boost lasts
  for a number of Combat Turns equal to the number of suc-
  cesses. No Attribute can be boosted to greater than twice its
  Racial modified Limit.
  When the boost runs out, you must make a Drain Resis-
  tance Test. The target number is equal to one-half the
  boosted Attribute value (round up). The Drain Level is
  based on the level of the boosted Attribute rating compared
  to your character’s Racial Maximum or Limit for that At-
  tribute. Consult the Attribute Boost Drain Table below.
  To offset the Drain, make a Drain Resistance Test using
  Willpower against the Drain target number. Every two suc-
  cesses reduce the Drain Level by one. Any Drain damage
  taken is stun damage.
  Attribute Boost is not compatibly with any artificial
  (cyberware) enhancements, nor spell-based increases. It is
  compatibly with the Improved Physical Attribute power.
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Powers
  Page 4
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Boosted Attribute Rating
      Drain Level
  Less than or equal to Racial Modified Limit          L
  Up to Racial Attribute Maximum
            M
  Up to 2x Racial Modified Limit
            S
  BLEND IN/STAND OUT
  Cost: .75
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  A power with two distinct  sides,  that  are nonetheless
  similar, the adept can use it to either blend into a crowd, or
  stand out from it. The  power is  not  normally active, but
  once activated (costing a Simple Action), the adept may
  choose whether he wants to  be  part of the crowd, or be no-
  ticed. The adept must concentrate on  the  use  of  the  power,
  which  counts  as sustaining a spell, and incurs a +2 to all
  other magical target numbers for the adept (including
  spellcasting, if the adept is a physical magician). The use of
  the power  is  not  evident  from astral space, though, unlike
  a sustained spell.
  When blending in, the adept is easily overlooked by
  people  searching  for him  (whether  they  search  him  spe-
  cifically,  someone fitting his or her description, or just want
  a  generic  person);  on the other hand, when the adept chooses
  to stand out, he will be noticed  sooner  than  others. For
  example,  by  choosing  to  stand out the adept can increase
  his chances of being picked from the audience in a  quiz show,
  while by blending in he can avoid being volunteered for a
  hazardous mission. The  exact  reaction  of other  characters
  (player and non-player) to use of the power is judged by the
  gamemaster, keeping  in  mind  other  activities  the adept
  engages in, since these may give him or her away anyway.
  For this ability to work, the adept must be in a crowd, or
  at least a small group of people.  No tests or target numbers
  are normally involved,  though the  gamemaster may choose
  to give characters trying to spot the adept a +2 or -2 to their
  Perception  test  target  numbers, depending on whether the
  adept wants to blend in or stand out.
  BLIND FIGHTING   Ω
  Cost: .5
  Source: Page 149, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Adepts with the blind fighting power posess a mystical
  “sixth sense” that allows them to function more effectively
  darkness or under other conditions in which the adept is un-
  able to see (such as being blindfolded).  The blind fighting
  power reduces the visibility penalty (blind fire, full darkness)
  to +4.  Targets attacked by an adept using this power still gain the
  normal bonuses from cover.
  BLUR
  Cost: 1.5
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This power makes the physical adept’s body rapidly vi-
  brate, making him blurry and hard to see. It causes major
  eyestrain to the opponent, even those with cybereyes or cam-
  eras.  A simple action is required to activate it.  It lasts 5 com-
  bat turns, during which it increases all opponents’ Target
  Number by 3 in attempting to do something relating to the
  adept (i.e. firing at him, swiping at him, etc.).  This modifier
  does not apply to casting spells against the adept, however,
  as his aura does not blur.
  Notes: There is no clear indication as to what happens after the
  5 turns; there seems to be nothing preventing the adept from simple
  reactivating the power with a simple action and letting it go another
  5 turns.  This may sound a bit disconcerting to some GM’s, and
  they may wish to restrict Blur in some way.  Possibilities include
  making some sort of drain test at the end of the duration, allowing
  only one use every (some number) minutes, etc.
  BODY CONTROL    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  Your power of mind-over-body allows you to resist the
  effects of toxins and diseases. Each level of Body Control pro-
  vides 1 additional die for Resistance Tests against such ef-
  fects.
  Notes: This replaces the Pathogen Control power, originally
  listed in White Wolf.
  BONE RAZORS
  Cost: .75 per hand
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  Similar to spurs, except made of bone.  Damage code is
  Strength-1(M)  Can be extended and retracted, but each time
  they are extended from beneath the skin, the adept suffers a
  Light Mental wound.
  Notes: It might be advisable to allow the adept to resist the
  damage from extending the razors.  Also, I don’t know about how
  strong bone would be compared to the metals used in spurs, but the
  GM may wish to put some checks on just what you can slice at with
  these razors.
  Powers
  Page 5
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  BREAKING BLOW
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: Page 13, N.E.R.P.S. Shadowlore
  Author: Mark Mohan
  This power allows the adept to break and destroy barri-
  ers with his bare hands (a variation of Shattering Blow.)  For
  each point purchased, the adept adds +1 to the power of the
  attack and subtracts 1 from the opposing Barrier Rating.
  This can be used in conjunction with Power Blow, but
  only in attacking objects with Barrier Ratings (such as cars.)
  This power may also be used in conjunction with Smashing
  Blow.
  CAMOUFLAGE
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This power gives close to the same effect as the critter
  power “Adaptive Coloration”.  Each level adds 1 die to the
  stealth skill and adds +1 modifier to opponent perception
  tests.
  Notes:  As it is, the power is clearly open to min-max abuse,
  and so the GM may wish to place a cap on the power (no
  more than (Magic) points of Camouflage, no more than three
  levels of Camouflage, and so on).  Also, although it is not
  explicitly stated, it can probably be assumed that the percep-
  tion test modifier is strictly for visual tests.
  CHARGE OBJECT
  Cost: see below
  Source: ryokley@earthlink.net
  Author: Thanatos
  The adept channels mana through his hands and into a
  held object of no greater size than his (Magic)3 in cubic centi-
  meters and at least (Magic)2 cubic centimeters. Charging takes
  one Simple Action for each damage level (L takes 1 Simple
  Action, D takes 2 Complex Actions) and must be done with-
  out pausing or the charge is lost. Depending on the level of
  the power, upon physical contact with the object with any
  significant amount of force (i.e. greater than air pressure or
  dust falling), the object exlodes in a violent physical explo-
  sion, causing damage to the object struck. Treat the explo-
  sion as a defensive grenade blast (-1 Power per half-meter)
  with a Power equal to the adept’s magic rating and the dam-
  age base as listed below. Once the object is removed from
  contact with the adept’s aura (i.e. the adept releases the ob-
  ject), any pressure on the object including the same adept
  touching it will set off the charge.
  To hurl the object, the adept must have an appropriate skill for
  throwing the object, like Throwing Weapons. Charging objects with
  explosive properties is not possible, as charging an object such as
  this causes the materials to become volatile and explode prema-
  turely. Objects such as knives or bladed objects can be charged, but
  a charged item explodes on immediate pressure contact, so no pro-
  prietary damage will be caused by the sharp edge before the blade
  explodes. Attempts to charge an object unstable in its environment
  (i.e. an ice cube in room temperature) simply results in the object
  disintegrating (melting, in the aforementioned case). The charge is
  mana-based, but the explosion is purely physical and deals no dam-
  age on the astral plane.
  Further, the mana charge on an object will slowly dissipate
  once it is released from the adept’s grasp. The Power of the poten-
  tial explosion reduces by 1 for every 10 minutes the object is free
  from the adept.  Once the Power is reduced to 0, the charge fully
  dissipates and the object, while warm to the touch, may be safely
  handled.
  Base Damage Level
  Cost
         (Magic)L
    1
         (Magic)M
   1.5
         (Magic)S
    2
         (Magic)D
    4
  CHITIN
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us
  Author: TH Anderson
  An “abnormal” channeling of magical energies that re-
  sults in the manifestation of chitin around the adept's body.
  This hardening and densification of the body does result in
  added armor cover, but rarely improves one’s lifestyle.  Each
  level provides 1 point of Impact armor.  Each 3 levels pro-
  vides 1 point of Ballistic armor.  For every number of levels
  equal to the adept's natural body, he loses 1 point of Initia-
  tive.  Life sucks chummer.  Social penalties are up to the GM,
  but I would not advise having this one in Chicago!
  Notes: Considering the cost of the canon power Mystic
  Armor, it might be advisable to check this one in a few ways;
  disallow the purchase of a level higher than Magic rating and/or
  raise the cost to .5 or .75 per level.
  CLAWS
  Cost: 1
  Source: ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us
  Author: TH Anderson
  Simular to how Chitin develops, this is a highly local-
  ized version.  It results in the adept's finger and toenails be-
  coming very hard and sharp.  Damage is (Str/2)L and the
  nails have a Body equal to the adept’s Magic rating for the
  purposes of possibly breaking.  This power is particularly
  common among shamanic adepts.
  Notes: Some have said that this power is too expensive for the
  damage it does, and so lowering the cost (i.e. .75) is certainly un-
  derstandable.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  COMBAT SENSE    Ω
  Cost: see below
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  Combat sense provides an instinctive sense about an area and
  any potential threats nearby. Each level gives you a number of ex-
  tra Combat Pool dice, as well as the ability to spend a percentage of
  your Combat Pool dice on your Reaction Test in surprise situa-
  tions.
     Usable Pool Dice
  Level   Cost   Combat Pool   for Reaction Test
     1        1              1                      1/4
     2        2              2                      1/2
     3        3              3                      Full
  CONFUSING HIT
  Cost: see below
  Source: ?
  Author: Capt. MJB (Michael Best)
  When the adept hits a living opponent (spirits and elementals
  count) with a bare handed strike and hits exposed flesh (scales,
  bone, whatever) the opponent must make a Willpower success test
  with a target number equal to the adept’s Magic attribute. If no
  successes are rolled, the victim suffers the penalty below to all his
  target numbers. The distraction varies per level of the power, as
  does the time it lasts. The effect begins the victim’s next action.
  Additional hits by the same adept are not cumulative, but hits by
  other adepts are.
  Level  Penalty  Duration (in Turns)  Cost
     1        +1
          1                   1
     2        +2                  2                   2
     3        +3
      1D6+1              3.5
     4        +4
      2D6+2
    5
  COUNTERSTRIKE    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 149, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The counterstrike power gives the adept a particularly strong
  ability to strike back at attackers.  For each level of the power, the
  adept rolls and additional die for Counterattack Tests in melee com-
  bat, either armed or unarmed.  These dice can only be used for
  counterattacks, not for damage resistance or any other type of at-
  tack.
  DEEP BREATHING
  Cost: .25 per point
  Source: Page 12, N.E.R.P.S. Shadowlore
  Author: Mark Mohan <MCM@bton.uk.ac>
  The adept has practiced incorporating magic and
  breathing exercises, and can use his lungs to a greater extent.  Each
  point purchased gives the adept an additional 30 seconds of
  lung capacity.
  DELAY DAMAGE    Ω
  Cost: 2.5
  Source: Page 149, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The delay damage power allows an adept to inflict dam-
  age in unarmed melee combat that does not take immediate
  effect.  Before making his attack, the adept declares the use
  of the delay damage power and then makes a normal Attack
  Test against the target.  The target makes a Damage Resis-
  tance Test as normal.
  If the attack is successful and the target does not com-
  pletely resist the damage, the delay damage power converts
  the attack into a “charge” of astral force that lingers in the
  target’s aura for up to 24 hours.  After a predetermined pe-
  riod, defined by the adept when the attack is made, the dam-
  age from the attack (Stun or Physical, per the standard rules
  for the attack) takes effect against the target as if the attack
  had occurred that instant.
  Once the delayed damage attack has been set in motion,
  it requires no further attention or effort from the adept.  A
  target can only be under the effects of one delay damage at-
  tack at any given time.  Anyone who observes the target of a
  delay damage attack in astral space will see the magical
  charge in the target’s aura.  The charge can be removed be-
  fore it takes effect by making a Dispelling Test against a tar-
  get number equal to the Power of the attack, with a Drain
  equal to the attack’s damage code.
  Adept assassins with the delay damage and killing hands
  powers are capable of striking a victim with the confidence
  that the target will die hours later, when the adept has se-
  cured an alibi hundreds of miles away.
  DISARM
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  Using this ability, the adept can quickly and efficiently
  remove a weapon (or any other object, for that matter) from
  an opponent’s hands. The adept rolls a number of dice equal
  to his Unarmed Combat skill plus the level of the ability
  against a target number equal to the opponent’s Quickness
  and applying all applicable modifiers for melee combat. Dis-
  arm is considered to be an unarmed attack, so the opponent
  may defend against it in the normal way. If the adept has any
  net successes, anything the opponent was holding in his hands is
  removed and flies away for a number of meters equal to the adept’s
  net successes, in the direction desired by the adept. Disarm does
  not cause damage to the target, but the target’s counterattack may
  damage the adept. The adept must have both hands free in order to
  disarm an opponent.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  DISTANCE STRIKE    Ω
  Cost: 2
  Source: Page 149, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The distance strike power allows an adept to use the medium
  of astral space to make an unarmed attack over a short distance and
  strike a target without physically touching the target.  The power
  has a range in meters equal to the adept’s Magic Attribute and in-
  flicts the standard damage for an unarmed attack.  To use the dis-
  tance strike power, the adept makes an Unarmed Combat Test as
  normal, ignoring Reach modifiers.  The target uses Combat Pool
  dice and Body to resist the attack as a ranged attack; in other words,
  the target cannot counterattack, and if the target rolls more suc-
  cesses on his Combat Pool or Threat Rating dice than the attacker’s
  successes, the attack is a complete miss.
  If an adept posesses either the killing hands power or the dis-
  tance strike power and wishes to purchase the other, double the
  cost of the second power purchased.
  Notes:  Alfredo Alves (dghost@juno.com) recommends an op-
  tional rule for distance strike; the distance strike power may be
  purchased along with killing hands without an increased cost to
  either power as long as the powers are not used in conjunction.
  Alves also suggests that other powers—not just killing hands—be
  made available to be used with distance strike.  Further, although it
  is not explicitly stated, it may be assumed that Distance Strike can-
  not attack manaless targets (rocks, etc.).
  EDGED ARM
  Cost: see below
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  The adept can transform one of his arms into a vicious, bladed
  weapon. The exact transformation depends on the level of ability
  purchased; for instance, level 1 changes a finger into a knife, while
  level 7 transforms the whole lower arm into a broadsword. The
  transformed limb gets the properties of steel, hardened into a sharp
  edge, so it can be used as a sword or knife. The transformation
  requires one Complex Action to take place, and a Free Action to
  return to the normal state of the limb. It cannot be used with a
  cyberarm, or with adept abilities that directly enhance damage, such
  as Killing Hands. It can be used with Improved Physical Attributes,
  if that has increased the adept’s Strength.
  Notes: As the lower levels may be a bit costly, alternative fig-
  ures are listed in parentheses.  Also, it isn’t specified what skill is
  used with this power, although Armed Combat may be assumed; a
  specialization in a knife might be applicable for the first couple
  levels of the power, and so on.  I would also advise against allowing
  this power to be used with Distance Strike.
  Level
  Damage
  Reach
  Cost
     1
  (STR)L
     0
  1 (.5)
     2
  (STR+1)L
     0
  1.25 (.75)
     3
  (STR+2)L
     0
  1.5 (1.25)
     4
  (STR)M
     0
  1.75 (1.5)
     5
  (STR+1)M
     1
  2
     6
  (STR+2)M
     1
  2.25
     7
  (STR+3)M
     1
  2.5
  EMPATHIC SENSE    Ω
  Cost: .5
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The empathic sense ability gives an adept a limited form of
  astral awareness that allows him to sense the feelings of those around
  him, to a range of the adept’s unaided line of sight.  The adept
  makes a Perception (4) Test to gain a general impression of a
  subject’s current emotions (love, anger, fear, and so on).  The greater
  the number of successes, the more detailed the information the adept
  learns.  Metamagical masking can defeat this power, but if the adept
  using the empathic sense power is also an initiate, resolve an at-
  tempt to penetrate the masking normally.
  ENERGY CHARGE
  Cost: 1.5 per level
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This allows the adept to charge a body part for increased dam-
  age. It takes one simple action to activate.  The opponent suffers a
  base 2L Stun shock in addition to the normal damage.  Each level
  adds +2 Power and +1 Damage to the base (i.e. level 3 would cost
  4.5 magic and do 6S Stun).  Drain is (Level+2)Damage Code (i.e.,
  same power has drain of 5S).
  Notes: While it does not specify, GM’s may assume that this
  power affects both Armed and Unarmed attacks or either one.  Be-
  cause the adept must resist drain, the GM may wish to lower the
  cost to 1 per level.
  ENHANCED CENTERING    Ω
  Cost: 2 per skill category
  Source: Page 34, Grimoire Revised Ed.
  Author: FASA/Paul R. Hume
  This ability allows the initiate adept to apply his own Center-
  ing Skill to a non-physical skill.  The area to which the adept may
  apply the Centering Skill must be purchased individually.  Non-
  physical skills that benefit from Enhanced Centering are: Build/
  Repair, Combat, Knowledge, Language, Magical, Social, Techni-
  cal, and Vehicle.  Enhanced Centering can also apply to Special
  Skills but at a cost of 1 per Special Skill.  Even with this power,
  adepts may still only use magical skills for mundane effects; they
  may not cast spells.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  ENHANCED COORDINATION    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 116, Awakenings
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  An adept with the enhanced coordination power may use both
  hands equally well. Each level of this power counts as 1 level in the
  Ambidexterity Special Skill (see Off-Hand Training, pg. 81, Fields
  of Fire). The adept must have at least 1 level in the Ambidexterity
  Skill in order to buy this power, and may not have more levels in
  the enhanced coordination power than he has levels in the Ambi-
  dexterity Skill.
  ENHANCED HEALING
  Cost: 2
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  This power allows an adept to heal stun and physical
  damage more quickly by entering a state of dormancy. When
  the adept is recovering from stun damage he makes the same
  roll for recovering, but double the number of successes made.
  The adept heals physical damage at a rate of one extra box a
  day. When the adept is healing by this power he is also con-
  sidered to be asleep too, so is oblivious to his surroundings.
  If the adept doesn’t get the required amount of sleep (which
  is eight hours), then the time spent in the dormancy is wasted.
  Notes:  If one extra box a day seems a bit much (and it does to
  many GM’s), please tweak it to fit your needs.  Personally, I would
  simply throw out the “extra box” aspect and make the “double suc-
  cesses” aspect work for stun and physical.  Even allowing this power
  to affect stun damage is debatable, as magic is (canonically) not
  supposed to modify stun damage.  As such, the cost could be re-
  duced and applied only only to physical damage. Also, it is prob-
  ably advisable to disallow combining this power with Rapid Heal-
  ing.
  ENHANCED PERCEPTION    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  This power sharpens your senses. Each level provides
  an additional die for all Perception Tests, including astral per-
  ception, if you also have that power. You cannot have more
  Enhanced Perception dice than your Intelligence or Magic
  Attribute, whichever is less.
  ENHANCED RESPIRATION
  Cost: see below
  Source: ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us
  Author: TH Anderson
  More or less an adept power derived from the Extended
  Volume bioware from ShadowTech.  Works just like it. [Fairly
  self-explanatory from the cost table. - Ed.]
  Level
   Breath    Athletics Modifier     Cost
     1         +45 sec                 -1                   .5
     2         +90 sec                 -1                  .75
     3        +135 sec                -2                    1
  FACE ANONYMOUS
  Cost: .5
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: David Perry
  The power allows the adept to make people unable to
  remember anything about what the adept looked like. This
  power only effects the conscious mind, but has no effect on
  the subconscious mind (i.e., a physical description can be re-
  trieved from someone’s subconscious mind through a tech-
  nique such as hypnosis).
  FLEXIBILITY    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The flexibility power makes an adept’s limbs unusually
  limber, able to twist and bend more than a normal person’s.
  For each level of this power, the adept may add 1 die to tests
  made to slip out of ropes, handcuffs and other such bindings
  as well as tests made to escape from a hold in unarmed com-
  bat.  The adept can also make Flexibility Tests to squeeze
  through small openings and passages that would be difficult
  for a normal person of the character’s size to fit through, such
  as transoms, ventilation ducts, and other close quarters.  The
  gamemaster may determine appropriate target numbers for
  such tests.  Flexibility can only be purchased up to level
  2 (1 point).
  FLUID MOVEMENT
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  This power makes all the adept's major muscles move
  much more fluidly. This has the effect of negating movement
  modifiers from the adept's movement up to the power's level.
  For example, an adept with level 4 Fluid Movements would
  suffer no modifiers from running on open ground (which is
  normally a +4 modifier).
  Notes:  The GM may wish to lower the cost to .25.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  FORCE SHIELD
  Cost: 3
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This power erects a permanent shield to help lessen dam-
  age.  The barrier has a rating equal to the adept’s Magic rat-
  ing for physical and melee combat, 1/2 rating for spells and
  mystical damage, 1/4 rating for firearms and explosives.  Each
  time the shield is hit, the adept suffers drain equal to (1/2
  modified power of the attack)M.  It is possible to take mul-
  tiple drains during the combat turn.
  Notes:  Depending upon whom you ask, this power is either
  well-balanced, weighted against the adept, or weighted against his
  opponent(s).  Powers that cost this much should always be given
  close scrutiny, in my opinion.  GMs are encouraged to look at this
  power carefully and consider how it may affect their game, particu-
  larly if they are dealing with adept initiates (with a high-level ini-
  tiate adept, you may get a guy who laughs too much at the group of
  angry, axe-wielding Trolls cyberzombies).
  FREEFALL    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  For each level of the freefall power, the adept can fall a
  distance of 2 meters without suffering injury or makinga
  Damage Resistance Test, provided that the surface the adept
  falls onto is not in itself dangerous.  If the adept falls a dis-
  tance greater than the allowance of the freefall power, sub-
  tract the maximum distance cushioned by the power from
  the distance fallen before calculated damage.  If the adept
  falls onto a dangerous surface – an alley covered with shards
  of glass or a burning floor, for example – he can still use the
  freefall power to avoid falling damage, but will take damage
  dependent on the surface and the gamemaster’s discretion.
  GENTLE STRIKE
  Cost: see below
  Source: ?
  Author: ?
  This power allows an adept to take a person out with-
  out physically harming the person. When the adept uses this
  power on someone/something, it will never do physical dam-
  age even if there stun overflow.
  Damage Level              Cost
    (Strength)L
   .5
    (Strength)M
   1
    (Strength)S
   2
    (Strength)D
  3.5
  GILLS
  Cost: .5
  Source: dghost@juno.com
  Author: Alfredo Alves
  This power allows the adept to breathe underwater.  This
  ability must be purchased seperately for salt and fresh water.
  Notes:  I’ve had a couple people say the cost should be in-
  creased to .75 or 1 (particularly considering the cost of Deep Breath-
  ing and Enhanced Breathing).
  GLIDING
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: jumbler@gmx.net
  Author: Jumbler
  The ability enables the adept to glide on almost any
  ground like it was slippy ice. For each level, the adept can
  glide 2 meters, up to a maximum of 8 meters. For doing so,
  the adept must accelerate first, whether by running or jump-
  ing or any other form of movement.
  The glided distance is added to the effective rate of move-
  ment for that combat turn. That means, a human with Quick-
  ness(4) and gliding (2) could move up to 15 meters in a com-
  bat phase. Of course, this would require him to jump and
  slide the last 3 meters, leaving him lying on the ground. To
  run or move again, he would have to spend an action to get
  up.
  And, of course, the direction can´t be changed while slid-
  ing and this ability can not be used when using Spider Walk.
  (This would just look ridiculous.)
  Another oddity is that this ability seems to flatten the
  body in a way, making it small enough to, for example, slide
  beneath a car without any danger.  This also translates into
  other situations; for every two levels of Gliding, add one die
  to tests involving squeezing into or out of spaces, including
  Athletics (Escape Artist) tests. Great for getting on the other
  side pretty fast and pretty surprising. Or entering a room in
  a quite dramatic way with both pistols ready for action. A
  must for every Bruce Willis Fan!
  GREAT LEAP    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Adepts with great leap are able to make incredible jumps
  into the air and over long distances.  Each level of great leap
  adds a die for Jumping Tests (see Jumping, p. 47, SR Compan-
  ion).  Each level is also added to the character’s Quickness
  for determining the maximum distance a character can jump.
  Notes:  This canon power replaces the Extended Jump power
  originally created by Mark Mohan for NERPS Shadowlore.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  HARMLESS FORM
  Cost: 1 per 9 points of Physical attributes to
  hide
  Source: hanker@geocities.com
  Author: Arthur S.
  This power enables the adept to look like an average
  member of his race and gender. This means that a human
  with all physical attributes at 6 looks like a human with all
  physical Attributes at 3. This power is a real transformation
  of the adept's body, that means his weight is also average. A
  successful look on the astral (TN 8) reveals that the adepts
  body does not match the “astral blueprint,” his aura. Of
  course, Masking has to be penetrated first. It is not possible
  with this power to “hide” any positive modifications to physi-
  cal attributes through cyber- or bioware. These modifications
  are added to the average. Note: If this power is purchased
  during gameplay, the adept needs new clothing and armor,
  fitting to his new body. And this power is not switchable.
  HYPER-KICK
  Cost: .75
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This allows the adept to kick repeatedly in the same area.
  Leg does not recoil.  Looks similar to Van Damn movies.  Ei-
  ther +2 damage code or 1/2 power(S) physical, chosen when
  power is acquired.  Both may be owned, but not combined.
  HYPNOTIC INFLUENCE
  Cost: 2
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  This power allows an adept to mesmerize people like
  the Influence power of certain paranormal animals. With a
  voluntary subject the adept can access deep memories, plant
  minor posthypnotic suggestions, release inhibitions while in
  the trance state, etc. Unwilling victims require a opposed test
  matching the adept’s magic rating versus the victim’s will-
  power. The adept’s net successes determine the level of ef-
  fect.
  IMPROVED ABILITY    Ω
  Cost: See Below
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  This power gives you additional dice for use with a spe-
  cific Active Skill. Dice purchased for the Active Skill carry
  over equally to any specializations of the skill you know. If
  you are defaulting to the improved skill, only 1/2 (round
  down) of the Improved Ability dice may be used.
  You cannot have more additional dice than your base
  skill rating or your Magic Attribute, whichever is less. For
  example, an adept with Pistols 4 and Magic 5 cannot have
  more than 4 Improved Ability (Pistols) dice. Remember that Im-
  proved Ability does not actually improve a skill’s rating, it only
  provides additional dice for tests involving the skill.
  Skill Category
   Cost per die
  Physical Skills
      Athletics, Diving, Stealth
      .25
  Combat Skills
      Edged Weapons, Clubs, Pole Arms
       .5
      Cyber-implant Weapon, Unarmed Combat      .5
      Throwing Weapons, Projective Weapons
       .5
      Underwater Combat
       .5
      Pistols, SMGs, Rifles
       .5
      Assault Rifles, Shotguns
       .5
      Heavy Weapons, Grenade Launchers
       .5
      Whips, Gunnery, Launch Weapons
       .5
  IMPROVED PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTE    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  With this power, you can improve a Physical Attribute
  (Body, Strength, Quickness). Each level of this pwoer increases
  the Attribute by 1. If you later want to increase the Attribute
  using Karma, the cost is based on the total Attribute, includ-
  ing the magical improvements. Improving Quickness im-
  proves Reaction and Combat Pool normally.
  This power allows you to exceed your racial maximums,
  but each level over the maximum costs double (1 point per
  level).
  IMPROVED REFLEXES    Ω
  Cost: see below
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  This power increases the speed at which you react, just
  like Wired Reflexes. For each level, you receive +2 to Reac-
  tion and an additional Initiative die. The maximum level of
  Improved Reflexes is 3, and the increase cannot be combined
  with technological or other magical increases to Reaction or
  Initiative.
  Extra Initiative Dice        Cost
                  1                      1
                  2                      4
                  3                      6
  Note: This power renders Improved Reaction, originally in
  Shadowrun Second Edition, null, and replaces Increase Reflexes.
  Powers
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  Version 1.0
  IMPROVED SENSE    Ω
  Cost: .25 per improvement
  Source: Page 169, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You have a sensory improvement not normally possessed
  by your race. Improvements include Low-Light or
  ThermographicVision, High- or Low-Frequency Hearing, and
  so on. Unless an improvement involves radio or similar tech-
  nological phenomena, any sense provided by cyberware can
  also be provided by this power. Unlike cyberware, there are
  no package deals on cost. Additional Improved Senses are
  described here.
  Direction Sense: Your sense of direction is so acute you
  know what direction you are facing, and whether you are
  above or below the local ground level, with a successful Per-
  ception (4) Test. This ability is especially useful for tribal hunt-
  ers, guides, spies and runners who pursue similar occupa-
  tions.
  Improved Scent: You can identify scents in the same way
  as a bloodhound. By making a successful Perception Test,
  you can identify individuals by scent alone, and can tell if
  someone whose scent you know has been in an area recently.
  The strong smells of most sprawls may impose Perception
  Modifiers on the use of this sense.
  Improved Taste: You can recognize the ingredients of
  food or beverage by taste alone. A successful Perception Test
  allows adepts with Chemistry or a similar Knowledge Skill
  to identify ingestive poisons and drugs concealed in food or
  drink. A successful Perception (4) Test allows adepts to de-
  termine if a sample of water is pure enough to drink.
  Flare Compensation: Your eyes adapt quickly to intense
  light, allowing you to avoid the effects of flash grenades and
  similar weapons. This power function exactly like the cyber-
  netic version of flare compensation.
  Sound Dampening: Your ears are protected from loud
  noises and adjust quickly to sudden changes in noise level.
  The sound dampening power functions exactly like the cy-
  bernetic dampener enhancement.
  Improved Balance*: In many ways, a magical inner ear.
  It provides a -2 to Target Numbers involving the recognition
  of balance, be it walking a tightrope, dealing with freefall or
  coping with a car spinning wildly out of control.  It is, of
  course, the GM’s discretion as to when it does or does not
  apply.
  Distance Sense*: The adept has a sort of “magical
  rangefinder” sense.  This power is not digitally accurate, but
  the adept can gain a good sense (GM’s discretion) of most
  distances.
  * From TH Anderson, ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us
  IMPROVED SENSE  (EXPANDED RULES)    Ω
  Cost: .25 per improvement
  Source: Page 116, Awakenings
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The improved physical senses power is described
  on page 169, SRIII.  The following information offers
  specific variations of this power.  Use the Perception and Success
  tables as guidelines for Perception Test target numbers gained per
  success in using the improved physical senses power.
  PERCEPTION TABLE
  Condition                                        Target Number
  Subject in LOS                                           4
  Subject beyond visible/sensor range            6
  Subject present only in astral space            10
  SUCCESS TABLE
  Successes                     Results
        1
         General information, no details
        2
         Minor details with some inaccuracies
        3
         All details accurate, some minor details obscure
        4
         Complete, detailed information
  INVISIBILITY
  Cost: 2
  Source: ?
  Author: ?
  The adept using this power concentrates so that visible
  light bends around him.  This will fool the naked eye as well
  as cameras and low-light vision, but will not fool non-visual
  sensors (thermographic, ultrasound, scent, etc.).  The power
  allows the adept to become invisible for a number of turns
  equal to his Magic rating, after which the adept must resist
  Drain of (Magic/2)M.
  Notes:  Being that I don’t know who the author of this power
  is, I took the liberty of adding the Drain bit at the end.  Even with
  that, however, Drain may be a bit light; the GM can certainly raise
  it to (Magic/2)+1M or +2M (and so on).
  IRON STOMACH
  Cost: 1.5
  Source: hanker@geocities.com
  Author: Arthur S.
  The adept possesing this power can digest anything or-
  ganic and even to a small degree inorganic material. The adept
  can eat anything and, if it is organic, even if only partially,
  can live off of it. Of course, there must be enough. As a rule
  of thumb, if the adept is running only on such material that
  only micro- organisms would consider food, he must eat at
  least a twentieth of his body weight (without Cyberware).
  When using this power the adept loses his sense of taste. And
  no, you cannot use the adept’s saliva as weapon.
  Notes:  While it isn’t explicitly stated, it’s probably fair to
  say that the adept must still consume essential nutrients
  and such in some way.  Also, it isn’t mentioned whether or
  not this power can be switched on/off (some dubiousness
  is implied by “When using this power”); it can also be
  assumed that the power is permanently on.
  Powers
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  IRON WILL    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The iron will power makes an adept’s will exceptionally
  resistant to outside influence.  For each level of this power,
  the adept rolls an additional die when resisting any attempt
  to control, affect or alter his mind.  This power does not de-
  fend against illusion or mana-based combat spells.
  KILLING HANDS    Ω
  Cost: see below
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  Normal unarmed attacks do (Strength)M Stun Damage.
  This power uses magic to turn unarmed attacks into lethal,
  physical damage. When using Unarmed Combat and Kill-
  ing Hands you may do normal stun damage, or physical dam-
  age as purchased. The use of Killing Hands must be declared
  with the Unarmed Combat attack.
  A Killing Hands attack is effective against creatures with
  Immunity to Normal Weapons. Their defensive bonuses do
  not count against Killing Hands. Killing Hands can also be
  used in astral combat if you have the Astral Perception power
  and are using it to see into the astral plane.
  Damage Level              Cost
    (Strength)L
  .5
    (Strength)M
   1
    (Strength)S
   2
    (Strength)D
   4
  LEGS OF THE WIND
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  Each level of this power adds +1 to the adept's Quick-
  ness for the purpose of calculating running speed.
  Notes:  This power replaces the Enhanced Movement power
  originally appearing in White Wolf #38. The GM may wish to
  raise the cost to .5 and/or cap levels purchased at 6 or Magic.
  LITTLE DEATH
  Cost: .5
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: David Perry
  This power allows the adept to enter a trance. In this
  dormant state, the adept’s metabolic rate decreases to such
  an extent that even modern medicine cannot detect that he is
  alive.
  The only problem with this power is that the adept must
  decide before he enters the trance how long the trance is to
  last. Once this decision is made the adept will not wake from the
  trance until this time has passed, regardless of any outside stimuli.
  It is possible for an adept to remain in trance too long and wake up
  in pieces in the mortuary, having just had an autopsy performed on
  him.
  Notes:  Considering this power costs less than the canonical
  Suspended State power, further restrictions may be desired, such as
  bumping up the cost slightly.
  LUCK
  Cost: 2.5
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  Unlike other abilities covered here, a so-called “luck”
  ability continues to defy scientific analysis. However, anec-
  dotal evidence suggests that some folks are just plain lucky.
  In fact, noted shadow journalist Domingo Higuera devoted
  his 2051 prize-winning simsense documentary, Born Lucky:
  The “Teela Brown” Factor In Shadowrunning, to the exploits
  of a runner for whom things always fell into place.
  The most useful (and perhaps most dangerous) skill an
  adept can possess, Luck directly increases the adept’s Karma
  Pool (SRII, p.191) by one point per 2.5 Magic points spent.
  This is good for any situation where the Karma Pool can be
  used, but luck points are not permanently exhausted by buy-
  ing successes (for this reason, Luck points should be recorded
  separately from the earned Karma Pool). Luck points can
  never be contributed to Team Karma, nor may they be used
  as “good” Karma. In other words, an adept with this ability
  cannot use Luck to increase Attributes or Skills, bond magic
  items, become an Initiate, or do anything else that requires
  actual Karma points.
  NOTE: Luck can unbalance a campaign, and should be
  introduced with caution.
  MAGIC RESISTANCE    Ω
  Cost: 1 per level
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You possess an inherent resistance to sorcery. Add 1 die
  per level of this power to all your Spell Resistance Tests. Your
  magic resistance does not interfere with spells that you choose
  not to resist. The only critter power this protects you from is
  the Innate Spell power (and critters using Sorcery, of course).
  MAGIC SENSE    Ω
  Cost: .5
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The magic sense power allows an adept to sense magi-
  cal energies and effects within a radius equal to the adept’s
  Magic Attribute x 5 in meters.  Use the Detection Spell Table (p.
  192, SR3) to determine the target number for the adept’s
  Perception Test and the information gained.  Use of this
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  power does not make adept astrally active.
  MASK
  Cost: .5 per die
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  This power allows the adept to alter his or her physical
  appearance, from minor changes to appearing like a person
  of a completely different metatype. It cannot be used to re-
  produce unnatural features, like green hair, blue skin,
  cyberware, etc. Any cyberware the character has will appear
  unaltered, which may lead to discovery, since a troll with a
  human-size cyberleg does look a bit strange.
  To use the power, the adept rolls the Mask dice against a
  target number taken from the table below. To spot the mask,
  onlookers need to roll a Perception test with a target number
  equal to the adept's Magic Rating, and score more successes
  than the adept rolled on his or her Mask test. If this test suc-
  ceeds, the character sees the real adept rather than the per-
  son he or she pretends to be.
  Although it is possible to try and change into a com-
  pletely different metatype, this only works well if the physi-
  cal characteristics of the adept and the intended metatype
  are similar. A human physical adept masquerading as a troll
  will usually be a very short troll, for example, while this same
  adept attempting to look like a dwarf will be a very tall dwarf.
  The same adept trying to impersonate an elf or an ork would
  have little trouble, because their body sizes are similar to a
  human's. When such differences are a factor, the adept should
  roll his or her Mask dice in an open test; this test is in addi-
  tion to the above test to see if the power works at all. Assume
  the maximum height difference that can be attained is equal
  to the adept's Magic Rating multiplied by the result of the
  open test, in centimeters.  The maximum body weight differ-
  ence is the same, except in kilograms.
  Notes:  To prevent adepts from simply using the power repeat-
  edly until they get the most successes, GMs may want to add a +1
  or +2 to the target number for each successive attempt at the same
  mask.  Also, the time it takes to change is not specified, so GM’s
  discretion applies; I would recommend a Complex Action. Finally,
  this power presumably does not affect the adept’s astral appear-
  ance, but this is, of course, up to the GM.
  Desired Changes
          Target Number
  Simple (e.g. hair or skin color)
      4
  Average (e.g. gender, close metatype)
      7
  Drastic (e.g. distant metatype)
     10
  Modifiers
  Attempting to imitate a specific person            +4
  Wounds
        Normal Modifiers
  MELD
  Cost: 3
  Source: nocturnal@primary.net
  Author: Brian King
  This ability allows a physical adept to ‘absorb’ objects
  into their bodies. These objects can be no larger than the adept
  himself though—they include pistols, knives, clothes, silver-
  ware from nightclubs, etc.  The adept can only take in his
  Body Rating x 2 in kilograms.
  Melding/unmelding is a fairly instantaneous process.
  Very small objects (keys, bullets, etc.) require a Free Action to
  meld/unmeld.  Objects around the size of the adept’s hand
  (wallets, small knives, shuriken, etc.) require a Simple Ac-
  tion.  Larger objects (pistols, clothing, small computers) re-
  quire a Complex Action.  At the time of absorption, the adept
  must be holding the object.  Bullets or projectiles cannot be
  absorbed unless they are projectiles the adept has caught with
  the missile parry power.
  The adept cannot ‘lose’ anything in his body.  If he melds
  something, it will unmeld in his hand.  Objects that are
  melded do not exist inside the adept in the same state that
  they outside of the adept; they thus do not show up on scan-
  ners, except as an increased amount of the objects’ constitu-
  ent elements inside the adept.
  The adept may meld foci, but any melded foci must be
  bonded to the adept.  Adepts may not meld any living, mac-
  roscopic creatures; dust mites may be present on clothing that
  is melded, but cockroaches aren’t going to come along for
  the ride.
  Notes:  Some individuals concerned about potential abuses of
  this power may limit it by restricting the level of complexity of
  objects that are melded.  Such a restriction would rule out micro-
  nukes, for example, but not knives or keys.  Objects of intermediate
  complexity (i.e. pistols) would be up to the GM’s discretion.
  MELEE SENSE
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  Each level of this ability negates one target number modi-
  fier from facing multiple opponents. For example, if the char-
  acter is fighting three opponents, and he has Melee Sense
  level one, he will only suffer a penalty of +1. Also, his oppo-
  nents only take a bonus of -1 to their rolls.
  Notes:  It is worth noting that this power only negates target
  number modifiers; it cannot reduce the target number beyond what
  it would be without multiple opponent penalties.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  MISSILE PARRY    Ω
  Cost: 1
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You can catch slow-moving missile weapons such as ar-
  rows, thrown knives, or shuriken out of the air. Make a Reac-
  tion Test (plus any Combat Pool dice you choose to allocate
  to the test) against a Target Number of 10, minus the base
  target number for the range of the incoming attack. For ex-
  ample, against an arrow coming from long range, the target
  number is 4 (10 – 6, the base Target Number for long range).
  If the attack were from short range, the Target Number would
  be 6 (10-4, the base Target Number for short range).
  To successfully grab the missile weapon out of the air,
  you must generate more successes with your Reaction Test
  than the attacker achieved on the Attack Test. Ties go to the
  attacker. Using Missile Parry is a Free Action.
  Notes:  This power replaces the Arrow Cutting power origi-
  nally appearing in White Wolf #38.
  MISSILE PARRY (EXTENDED)
  Cost: 1.5
  Source: leirbakk@pvv.ntnu.no
  Author: Jens-Arthur Leirbakk
  Similar to the Missile Parry power, Extended Missile
  Parry allows the physical adept to extend that power to an
  individual he or she is protecting, up to 3 meters away from
  the physical adept.
  MISSILE MASTERY    Ω
  Cost:
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shad-
  ows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  An adept with the missile mastery power possesses such a
  highly developed talent for for throwing weapons that, in his hands,
  normally harmless items such as pens, credsticks and ID cards
  become deadly weapons.  Adepts make attacks with such
  items using Throwing Skill.  Unorthodox missiles such
  as pens have a base Damage Code of (1/2 adept’s
  Strength, rounded down)L.  Impact armor resists
  damage from such missiles.  Items with an edge
  or point inflict Physical damage, while blunt ob-
  jects do Stun damage.  Adepts using the mis-
  sile mastery power to throw standard missile
  weapons, such as shuriken and throwing
  knives, add +2 to the weapon’s Power Level.
  MOLECULAR AGITATION
  Cost: see below
  Source: ?
  Author: ?
  This power allows the adept to agitate the molecules of
  certain things as to set them ablaze. This power has a range
  of ten yards, LOS.
  Notes:  The GM may wish to change the range to be equal to
  the adept’s Magic rating, or perhaps (Magic rating x 2).  Addition-
  ally, the GM may wish to lower the costs.
  Level    Cost                     Agitate...
     1          2      Paper and light materials
     2          4      Thicker materials such as cloth
     3          6      Organic materials such as skin and living wood*
  *Optional: The adept may set fire to a number of sq. feet equal to
  half his magic rating, this fire may spread though.
  MOVEMENT EFFICIENCY
  Cost: see below
  Source: danders3@gac.edu
  Author: David R Anderson
  For as long as Shadowrun's been around people have
  wanted to be faster.  This has always been accomplished by
  adding points to Reaction or adding dice to Initiative.  I mean,
  look at a MBW 4.  Quite a bit of increase there.  However, to
  my knowledge no one has dealt with the theory of efficiency
  in movement.  This approach of additional actions does not
  add to a character's Reaction or Initiative.  Instead it decreases
  the delay between the characters ac-
  tions.  A normal character must
  subtract 10 from his initiative after
  every initiative pass.  An efficient
  character may reduce his total by
  less.  The first appearance of such ef-
  ficiency was in a Physical Adept.
  Thought the cost of higher levels
  is substantial, it makes it more difficult
  to abuse.  Characters with level 8 gain
  nearly twice as many actions as a nor-
  mal character with the same initiative score.
  GM's should be wary of munchkinism.
  Movement Conservation is incompatible
  with any cyberware or bioware which directly
  raises Initiative or Reaction.  Cyber or Bio that
  indirectly raises reaction (through quickness or
  intelligence) are compatible.
  All magical increases to reaction or initiative
  function normally with this ability.
  Notes: As mentioned above, GMs should be
  wary of munchkin abuse. The fact that this
  power modifies the initative turn itself may
  be a red flag to some GMs. The GM  may
  wish to cap levels at, say 4, reserving
  higher levels for NPCs. Also, cost may
  be increased at GM’s discretion.
  Powers
  Page 15
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Level       Cost      Initiative Reduction
     1
  .5
        9.5
     2
  1
        9
     3
  1.5
        8.5
     4
  2
        8
     5
  2.75
        7.5
     6
  3.5
        7
     7
  4.25
        6.5
     8
  5
        6
  MYSTIC ARMOR    Ω
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  This power magically toughens your skin to resist the
  effects of damage. Each level provides you with 1 point of
  Impact Armor, cumulative with any worn Impact Armor.
  Mystic Armor does not provide Ballistic Armor. Mystic Ar-
  mor also protects against damage done in astral combat.
  Notes:  Probably not many adepts would min-max to get
  really high Impact Armor, but the GM may want to cap this
  one at a maximum of (Magic) levels or something similar.
  MYSTICAL REACH
  Cost: see below
  Source: leirbakk@pvv.ntnu.no
  Author: Jens-Arthur Leirbakk
  A sort of variant over the Distance Strike power, some
  physical adepts develop that which may only be described
  as "Mystical Reach". Their punches reach farther and their
  kicks cover more ground. Mystical Reach often manifests as
  a (briefly glowing) ghostly image of the limb of the physical
  adept, when the physical adept employs this power.
  Mystical Reach only applies to unarmed strikes, and not
  holds, throws, or armed combat. Races with extended reach
  (such as Trolls) must buy this power at level 2 or above to
  gain any bonus - only the highest bonus to reach is used, no
  matter the source of the reach bonus.
  Level
  Reach
  Cost
     1
     +1
    1
     2
     +2
    3
     3
     +3
    5
  NEGAMAGE
  Cost: 2
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  This power gives the adept an spell defense pool. This
  pool is equal to the adept’s willpower or sorcery skill, the
  higher of the two. An adept with astral perception gains 2 extra die
  while astrally perceiving.
  Notes:  As the new (SR3) Spell Pool is calculated differently,
  you may wish to use it (INT+WIL+MAG/3) to get the value for
  the adept’s spell defense pool.  GMs who feel this power may
  unbalance their campaign are encouraged to increase the cost to
  3+ or exclude the power.
  NERVE STRIKE    Ω
  Cost: 1
  Source: Page 150, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Nerve strike allows an adept to inflict damage that affects a
  target’s nervous system.  The adept makes a standard unarmed at-
  tack against a base Target Number of 4 plus the target’s Impact
  Armor Rating.  Rather than inflicting damage, every 2 net successes
  reduce the target’s Quickness by 1.  If Quickness is reduced to 0,
  the target is paralyzed.  Lost Quickness is recovered at a rate of 1
  point per minute.  Nerve strike is most effective against human and
  metahuman opponents.  When used against critters, the base Target
  Number is 6 (or higher, if the critter has an unusual anatomy).  Tar-
  gets that lack a functional nervous system, such as machines, spir-
  its and zombies, are immune to this power.
  NORMALCY
  Cost: see below
  Source: jestyr@faraday.dialix.com.au
  Author: Lady Jestyr
  This power is somewhat like the magical spell “Disregard,”
  with elements of “Chaos” or “Chaotic World.”  The adept possess-
  ing the power of normalcy becomes a nonentity in the mind of his
  enemies - they are inclined not to notice him.  The adept just looks
  like an ordinary Joe, and everyone's minds are encouraged to be-
  lieve this.  To actively notice an adept with normalcy active, you
  must make a Willpower test, with a target number dependent on the
  level of the power the adept has purchased.  No action may be taken
  regarding the adept's presence until this test has succeeded; one
  test may be made per round.
  The Target Number to actively notice someone using the nor-
  malcy power is 4 + [2 x Level of normalcy power].  This power
  does not function on the astral plane, and use of normalcy negates
  any attempts at active Masking by the adept while the power is
  active.  The normalcy power is only active for a limited duration;
  this is equal to [1/2 Magic Rating] + [level of Normalcy power] in
  turns.  The adept using this power suffers drain when the power
  expires.  The Drain Resistance Test is against [2 x Level]M.
  The Willpower test to act may be granted bonuses if a normal
  person should not be where the adept is.  In other words, this power
  makes the adept “blend in” like a guy on the street.  If a guy on the
  street would be out of place, so is the adept.
  Level
  Cost
     1
    .5
     2
    1
     3
   1.5
     4
    2
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  PAIN RESISTANCE    Ω
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  Pain Resistance allows you to ignore the effects of injury. It
  does not reduce actual damage, only its effect on you. Subtract your
  level of Pain Resistance from your current damage before deter-
  mining your injury modifiers. For example, and adept with 3 levels
  of Pain Resistance does not suffer any modifiers for being Lightly
  or Moderately wounded. At 4 boxes of damage, the adept has only
  a +1 modifier (4 – 3 = 1, or Light damage). Pain Resistance works
  equally on both the Physical and Stun Condition Monitors.
  Pain Resistance also allows you to resist pain from torture,
  magic, illness and so on. The level is subtracted from your target
  numbers to resist pain, such as a Body or Willpower Test against
  the symptons of a painful disease, interrogation, torture, and so on.
  PHEROMONE CONTROL
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  By consciously controlling his or her pheromone glands, the
  adept can affect the reaction people have toward him or her, much
  like the tailored pheromones bioware.
  Each level adds 1 die to the adept's Charisma and Social Skill
  rolls. This power is effective out to twice the adept's Magic Rating
  in meters, in a windstill situation, and the power's level is halved
  (rounded down) when applied to a person of another metatype than
  the physical adept.
  The maximum level that may be purchased is equal to the
  adept's natural Charisma Attribute Rating.
  The adept may choose to specialize his or her Pheromone
  Control power to a specific gender, in which case the number of
  dice rolled for tests made against members of that gender are in-
  creased by 50% (round up) but for tests against the opposite gen-
  der, they are halved. This is in addition to the normal halving for
  using the power against persons of another metatype.
  Specializing must be chosen when the power is bought; if an
  adept wants to specialize later on, he or she must be the Pheromone
  Control power a second time.
  POISON HIT
  Cost: see below
  Source: ?
  Author: Capt. MJB (Michael Best)
  When a physical adept makes a bare-handed strike on a living
  opponent (spirits and elementals count) and hit entirely flesh (or
  scales, etc.), meaning his entire contact surface hits flesh, the op-
  ponent must make a Body success test with the below target num-
  ber or take the below damage for the below number of turns. He
  only makes one test. If he fails, he takes full damage for the full
  number of turns. Every turn, beginning at the next turn. Quite a
  lethal power. It also grants the user immunity to other adepts simi-
  lar hits of a equal or lesser level (i.e. A adept with level two
  poison hit is immune to level 1 and 2 poison hits, but not
  level 3, 4, or 5.).
  Notes:  The GM may wish to allow the victim to resist the
  damage each Turn, particularly considering the Damage codes given
  include Power. The Target Number may also be standardized to
  something (i.e. the adept’s Magic attribute).
  Level Target Number Damage Duration (in Turns) Cost
     1
         2
               3L
           2
  1.5
     2
         3
               2M
           2
  2.5
     3
         5
               5M
           3
   4
     4
         6
               3S
           4
               5.25
     5
         8
               3D
           4
   6
  POWER BLOW
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: Page 13, N.E.R.P.S. Shadowlore
  Author: Mark Mohan <MCM@bton.uk.ac>
  This skill does not need a barehanded attack.  It focuses magi-
  cal energy into the point of attack, so the character adds the influ-
  ence of the Power Blow to any melee attacks.  Ranged combat can-
  not be improved, because of the high speed of the projectile, and
  the fact that the adept cannot be in direct contact with the projectile
  to channel the magical energy.  Each .5 adds +1 to the power of the
  attack.  Note that this ability cannot be used with devices such as
  stun gloves, stun batons, etc., as their effects are solely technologi-
  cal, and the magic cannot affect the power of the attack.  You can’t
  focus magical energy like this into a non-impact weapon, and stun
  batons and the like manipulate electricity to achieve their effect.
  Notes:  This is one of those powers GM’s may wish to put a
  cap on. Troll min-maxer adepts running around with
  (STR+12+3)M katanas is not a pleasant thing for NPC’s with
  families.  The GM can cap this power in a variety of ways:
  increase the cost to .75 or 1 per point; no bonus greater than
  magic rating; no bonus greater than skill level; no bonus greater
  than 1/2 of magic rating/skill level; etc.
  PROJECTION
  Cost: 2
  Source: <briddle@marsh.vinu.edu>
  Author: Shadowdancer
  When the adept chooses this power, he can shoot a blast from
  his hands and choose either flame, ice, acid, or energy for the blast.
  Elemental effects apply.  Range is Magic x 3, and damage is (1/2
  Magic)M.  Target Number is Essence(R).  The adept suffers Drain
  of [(Power/2) +3] S.  The adept can upgrade the wound severity by
  1 for every 2.5 magic spent (i.e., from M to D costs 5 magic).
  Notes:  It is not made explicit whether or not the elemental
  effect is chosen at the time of purchase or time of use, and I would
  recommend at time of purchase.  Further, targeting Essence makes
  this power almost absurdly potent against heavily cybered charac-
  ters; the GM may wish to change the target to Body, Willpower, or
  Quickness.
  Powers
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  QUICK DRAW    Ω
  Cost: .5
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The quick draw power allows an adept to use the quick
  drawing rules (p. 107, SR3) to quick draw weapons other than
  pistols.  In other words, the adept can draw and use a single
  melee weapon, missile weapon, throwing weapon or firearm
  in one action.  The adept need not spend 2 actions to draw
  and ready the weapon and attack; drawing or readying the
  weapon and attacking occur in the aciton used for the Attack
  Test.  If using a weapon requires a Complex Action, the adept
  may draw the weapon and attack in asingle Combat Phase.
  If the weapon requires only a Simple Action to use, the adept
  can draw it and make two Attack Tests in a single Combat
  Phase.  The adept must succeed in a Reaction (4) Test to quick
  draw.
  QUICK STRIKE    Ω
  Cost: 3
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Adepts with the quick strike power possess the ability
  to leap into action with startling suddenness.  This power
  allows the adept to act first in one Initiative Pass per Combat
  Turn.  This action uses up the adept’s action for that Initia-
  tive Pass.  This power cannot be used during an Initiative
  Pass when the adept does not have an action.  The adept’s
  Initiative Score is not affected.  The adept must be unwounded
  to use this ability.
  RAPID HEALING    Ω
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  You recover more quickly from all forms of injury, using
  magical energy to boost the normal healing process. Each level adds
  1 die to your Body for Healing Tests as well as Body Tests to deter-
  mine if you suffer a crippling injury from a Deadly Wound. The
  power does not increase resistance to injury, toxins or pathogens,
  but does allow you to recover from their effects more quickly. Rapid
  healing has no effect on checks for magic loss.
  Notes:  Although it says “allforms of injury,” it is not entirely
  clear whether or not this power affects Stun as well as Physical,
  but, considering the canonical stance against magic’s ability to heal
  Stun damage, it seems likely that the power affects only Physical
  damage.
  REGENERATION
  Cost: see below
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  This powerful ability allows the adept to heal faster from physi-
  cal wounds. This power does not interfere with any other form of
  healing (though it will startle a street doc!). Almost all physical
  wounds (with the exception of the most serious ones) taken will
  heal without even scarring.
  Notes:  GMs worried about the impact of the higher level(s)
  of this power may cap its purchase at 75% or 50%.
  Healing Time   Cost
          75%             1
          50%             3
          25%             5
  REVITILIZATION
  Cost: see below
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  This power is to stun damage what Regeneration is to physi-
  cal damage. In other words, it reduces the amount of time taken to
  recover from stun damage.
  Notes:  Following the canon, healing stun damage shouldn’t
  be affected by magic, and so GMs are strongly encouraged to
  give consideration before allowing this power.
  Healing Time   Cost
          75%             1
          50%             2
          25%             5
  ROOTING    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The rooting power allows the adept, by spending a Simple
  Action and concentrating for a moment, to extend the force of his
  aura to root himself to the ground and become an immovable ob-
  ject.  Each level of the power adds 1 die to all tests the adept makes
  to resist being knocked down, thrown, levitated or otherwise moved
  against his will.  The adept cannot move while using this power,
  but can otherwise act normally (including making attacks), modi-
  fying all target numbers by +2.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  SHOCKWAVE
  Cost: 1
  Source: jumbler@gmx.net
  Author: Jumbler
  By using this skill, the adept charges his body with kinetic
  energy and becomes ground-zero of a physical shockwave which
  affects everyone except himself. The radius is Magic/2 meters.
  Everyone who fails a strength test against the magic attribute of the
  adept is thrown a distance of meters equal to the Magic rating of
  the Adept minus the meters he stood away from the center of the
  wave. Every success can be added to the distance the vicitim stood
  away from the Adept. If a victim is thrown back (i.e. distance +
  successes does not equal or exceed the adept’s Magic), the victim
  is automatically knocked down. If a victim scores enough successes
  to avoid being thrown back, he must still make a Strength test against
  the adept’s Magic rating and score 2 or more successes to avoid
  knockdown. This power needs 10 minutes to recharge.
  Example: Maximum Standard is  surrounded by some slots
  calling themselves the "Golden Gators". One of them just tried to
  hit his face while two others are at 3 and 5 meters. Max chooses to
  use Shockwave and there goes the party. He has Magic 8, making
  his effective radius 4 meters. Gator 1 is in close combat with Max,
  making his distance ground zero. He scores 3 successes in his
  strength test, making him fly away 5 meters (8 (Magic rating) - 0
  (the distance from ground zero) - 3(the successes scored)).  Nr. 2
  scores one success and is standing 3 meters away. He is thrown 4
  meters. (8-3-1 = 4). Nr.3, being at 5 meters is out of range and
  watches his buddies fly high above him, leaving tiny little cracks in
  the brick wall behind him.
  SIXTH SENSE    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Adepts with sixth sense possess the ability to immediately sense
  personal danger and leap into action with startling suddenness.  Each
  level allows the adept to roll an additional die when making Reac-
  tion Tests for Surprise (p. 108, SR3).  These dice do not apply to
  any other type of Reaction Test or Initiative roll.
  SMASHING BLOW    Ω
  Cost: 1
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The smashing blow power allows an adept to focus magical
  energy into a devastating strike designed to smash through barri-
  ers.  The adept makes an Unarmed Combat Test against the Barrier
  and compare the result to the unmodified Barrier Rating, determin-
  ing the effect according to the Barrier Effect Table (p. 124, SR3).
  This power can be devastating when combined with the increased
  strength or strength boost powers.  Smashing blow can be used
  against objects (including astral barriers) by adepts with astral per-
  ception: the power adds +2 to the adept’s Charisma for such at-
  tacks.
  SONAR
  Cost: .5 per level
  Source: dghost@juno.com
  Author: Alfredo Alves
  An adept with this ability may detect objects by echolocation.
  This power works at a range of Hearing Perception Rating (Intelli-
  gence plus any extra dice that apply towards hearing perception
  tests) times level purchased meters.  Anything within that range
  may be detected and identified by rolling the level purchased against
  a target number chosen by the GM.  The smaller the object, the
  higher the target number should be.  This is the target number to
  identify the general nature of the object.  The range of this ability is
  x10 underwater.  High-Frequency Hearing will detect the use of
  this power and an adept who wishes to use this power must first
  purchase High Frequency Hearing ( part of the expanded rules for
  Improved Senses).
  Target Number to Identify an Object
  Size                         Target Number
  Metahuman sized
   6
  For each x1/2
  +1
  For each x2
  –1
  Target Number Modifiers based on detail desired
  Detail Level                                         Target Number
  General (Gender/Race)
  +2
  Detailed (Rough Approximation of build)
  +4
  Specific (Facial Features)
  +8
  SONIC SCREAM
  Cost: see below
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: Herbert L. Helzer II
  This power allows the adept to create a yell/scream that can be
  heard from a great distance. The force of this scream is so great that
  it can shatter glass, deafen people, or even knock people out. Such
  an attack leaves people with a ringing sound in their head which
  causes deafness for a number of minutes equal to the adept’s magic
  rating and also create a +2 modifier to all target numbers, unless
  the person has some sound damping which would then ignore the
  these effects. The area effect radius is equal to the adept’s magic
  rating in meters. Any distance beyond that radius and the power
  begins to drop 1 point per meter. The adept rolls his magic rating
  versus a target number of 4. For every 2 net successes raises the
  wound level by 1. People resist this attack using Body. All damage
  is Stun. Anybody wearing protective headgear lowers the power
  rating by the impact armor rating of the head gear. Anyone one
  who has sound dampeners lowers the power by 4. Singing skill will
  add a number of dice to the attack equal to the one half the skill’s
  rating.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Damage Level             Cost
  (Willpower/2)L
  1
  (Willpower)L
  2
  (Willpower)M
  4
  (Willpower)S
  8
  SPELL SHROUD    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  Adepts with the spell shroud power possess the ability
  to “cloak” their presence in astral space, making them diffi-
  cult to detect by spells designed to do so.  For every level of
  the power, the adept adds 1 die to Spell Resistance Tests
  against detection spells only.  Note that the spell shroud
  power does not affect attempts to read the subject’s aura via
  astral perception or otherwise spot the character in astral
  space; nor does it affect Masking Tests.
  SPIDER WALK
  Cost: 1
  Source: jumbler@gmx.net
  Author: Jumbler
  Using this power, the Adept is able to move along walls
  and ceilings (almost) like on normal ground. The adept can
  support his own weight, plus 15 kg for every point of strength
  he possesses, be them magical or cybernetically enhanced.
  All combat-related tests are at a +4.
  If the adept tries to run and fails an athletics(6) test, he
  looses touch and falls down.
  Note: Beware that the adept is just able to literally "hang
  around" in some places. Never, NEVER, is gravity reduced or some-
  how changed. All objects the adept drops will fall to the ground.
  The same is for clothing, so any adept hanging around upside down
  should think twice about wearing capes and coats and stuff like
  that. They might get in the way.
  STEEL FINGERS
  Cost: .5 per point
  Source: Page 13, N.E.R.P.S. Shadowlore
  Author: Mark Mohan <MCM@bton.uk.ac>
  The adept has practiced thrusting his fingers into soil
  and sand while focusing his magical energies to obtain this disci-
  pline, and can penetrate through most forms of body armor.  Why,
  even plate mail is said to be useless against a master of Steel Fin-
  gers!
  For game purposes, each .5 spent negates one point of
  impact armor in melee combat.  Masters of this skill also make
  superb gardeners.
  Notes:  This power, like Power Blow, is just asking for min-
  max abuse.  Unless the idea of impact armor becoming no
  concern to an adept appeals to the GM, he may wish to cap this
  power.  Possible methods include: upping the cost to .75 or 1 per
  point; incompatability with other powers (like Power Blow); no
  more points than 1/4(Magic); etc.
  STONE BREATHING
  Cost: .5
  Source: White Wolf #38
  Author: David Perry
  This power allows adepts to go for a prolonged period of time
  without oxygen. The amount of time is equal to the adept’s magic
  rating or the magic rating minus the number of minutes the adept is
  exerting him/herself. After this time period the adept must spent 1
  minute to catch his breath before the adept can reuse this power.
  STRETCH ATTACK
  Cost: 1.5 per level
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  This power allows the arms or legs to stretch to cover dis-
  tances.  Each level allows the adept to stretch Arms/Legs one meter;
  +1 reach in combat.  The maximum level is 3.
  Notes:  Yoga fire!  Yoga flame!
  (I’m sorry, I could help myself...)
  SURROUND SENSE
  Cost: .5
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  This is a mystical sensing power which allows the character to
  see up to 270° (not the 90° directly to the rear). This does confer
  several obvious advantages (attacks from the rear get no bonus,
  and it's much more difficult to sneak up behind someone who's
  using this power!). There is a limitation, though: Usage of this sense
  adds +1 to all target numbers - seeing in all directions can be dam-
  nably confusing!
  SUSPENDED STATE    Ω
  Cost: 1
  Source: Page 170, Shadowrun Third Ed.
  Author: FASA
  This ability allows you to enter into a meditative state, reduc-
  ing your metabolism and therefore your requirements for food,
  water, air, or your rate of bleeding. To use Suspended State, roll
  your Willpower against a target number of 4, applying any injury
  modifiers. Consult the description of the Hibernate spell and use
  the successes as indicated. If an adept with this power takes a Deadly
  physical wound and falls unconscious, the power automatically ac-
  tivates.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  The adept’s body is exceptionally resistant to extremes of heat
  and cold.  For each level of the temperature tolerance power, the
  adept gains an additional die for resisting the effects of exposure to
  extreme temperatures.  This power does not protect the adept from
  exposure to physically harming agents such as open flames or the
  freezing cold of the Antarctic Ocean, but will help the character
  resist the effects of sources of extreme heat such as burning coast,
  heatstroke and sunburn, as well as frostbite and exposure to below-
  zero temperatures.  This power also protects against both the pri-
  mary and secondary effects of elemental manipulation spells.
  THERMAL CLOAK
  Cost: .5
  Source: ryumyo@ic.mankato.mn.us
  Author: TH Anderson
  For a limited duration, the adept is virtually indistinguishable
  from the background temperatures.  The character performs a Stealth
  or Bio-feedback Test against a Target Number determined by the
  GM based on the environment.  Success means that the character is
  "invisible" on the thermographic spectrum until such time as the
  GM determines the environment would require additional testing.
  Notes:  As the GM is responsible for determining Target Num-
  bers and such, some rough guidelines might run: 4 for moderate
  evironments, 6 for unusual environments (meat locker, sauna), 8
  for extreme environments (arctic winter, desert summer), and so
  forth.
  THERMAL MASKING
  Cost: 1.5
  Source: jumbler@gmx.net
  Author: Jumbler
  The term "thermal masking" is not 100 percent accurate, but
  for the sake of simplicity, this shall be its name. What this power
  does is pretty easy to explain. It shuts down the metabolism of the
  adepts body so far, that the adept can hardly move faster than slow
  walking, but raises his signature for thermal scanners to 15.
  Any physical attribute test, any movement other than slow
  walking and any use of a combat or motion intensive skill (like
  athletics, throwing or dancing) ends the effect.
  When this happens, the signature is reduced to 4 for 10 com-
  bat turns, simulating the heart pumping too much blood into the
  veines and the body going to a full-alert status.
  Additionally, the adept suffers 4M Stun damage from this. If
  the adept chooses to end the masking, it takes 2 combat turns to
  bring the bodyfunctions to a normal level. After that, the signature
  is set to a normal level and all penalties vanish.
  TOUGHNESS
  Cost: .5 per die
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  When resisting Stun damage of any kind, the adept adds the
  toughness dice to her Body or Willpower rating.
  Notes:  Here is yet another power that should probably be
  capped.  I can just see the min-maxer physical magician who never
  has to worry about drain again.  Suggestions for capping Tough-
  ness include: no more extra die than the attribute; no more extra die
  than 1/2 the attribute; cannot be used toward drain (for physical
  magicians); etc.
  TOUGH SKIN
  Cost: 1 per level
  Source: briddle@marsh.vinu.edu
  Author: Shadowdancer
  Tough skin is a magical variant of the bioware enhance-
  ment “Orthoskin.”  Skin acquires the same texture and tactile sen-
  sations as Orthoskin.  +1 Ballistic/+1 Impact per level.
  Notes:  +6 B/+6 I sound scary to anyone else?  Okay, how
  about a Troll with +6 B/ +6 I.  Yeah, okay...I thought so.  Sugges-
  tions for capping Tough Skin include: increase the cost (1.75 or 2
  per level, perhaps); just cap it at level 3; cap it at 1/2 Magic; give
  Charisma penalties for high levels (Level 6 Tough Skin has to make
  a guy look funny); etc.
  TRACELESS WALK    Ω
  Cost: .5
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  An adept with the traceless walk power can move over soft or
  brittle surfaces such as snow, sand, or thin paper without leaving
  any visible traces.  An adept with this power makes no noise from
  contact with the floor or ground (though movement from clothes or
  gear may still cause noise); apply a +4 modifier to hearing-based
  Perception Tests.  An adept with this power will not trip ground-
  based motion or pressure sensors.  The adept cannot walk across
  liquid surfaces (but can cross deep snow without sinking) and can
  still be tracked by nonvisual clues, such as scent.
  Notes:  Note that “ground-based motion or pressure sensors”
  probably do not include laser trip sensors, wire trippers, and such.
  Powers
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  TRAUMA COMPENSATOR
  Cost: 1
  Source: eric@freenet.victoria.bc.ca
  Author: J. Eric Seaton
  This power enhances the body's ability to cope with damage.
  Whenever the adept takes mental or physical damage of moderate
  or worse severity, subtract one box of damage from the amount
  taken.
  Notes:   I would recommend that this power be limited to use
  on physical damage only, per the canonical standard of magic’s
  inability to affect stun damage.
  TRUE SIGHT    Ω
  Cost: .25 per level
  Source: Page 151, Magic in the Shadows
  Author: FASA/Stephen Kenson
  An adept with the true sight power is more resistant to
  the effects of illusions.  Each level of this power gives the
  adept and additional die when making Resistance Tests
  against illusion spells and illusion-based critter powers.
  VIRTUOSO
  Cost: .5 per +1 to Performance Rating
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  Adepts with this power possess an uncanny ability to
  perform music on nearly any instrument. They add their Vir-
  tuoso level to the Performance Rating whenever they play a
  musical instrument, as explained on pages 12 and 13 of
  Shadowbeat.
  This power only works when the adept must actually
  touch the instrument; that is, it works fine for pianos, gui-
  tars, flutes, triangles, and so on, but not for instruments controlled
  entirely by computers or by thought - when programming a com-
  puter to play a piece of music, the physical adept doesn't receive
  the Virtuoso power bonus (because the adept isn't playing the mu-
  sic himself), while for an instrument controlled through a synthlink
  the bonus is halved, rounding down, due to the greater metaphysi-
  cal "distance" between adept and instrument.
  Virtuoso also cannot be used to compose a piece of music, or
  when singing without playing an instrument.
  VOICE ALTERATION
  Cost: 1.5
  Source: gurth@xs4all.nl
  Author: Gurth
  The adept can make his or her voice produce any natu-
  ral sound; this takes practice to get right especially if the adept
  has never heard the sound before and must try to picture to
  himself what it would sound like.
  In game terms, the adept rolls an Intelligence test against a
  target number of 8 to correctly reproduce the sound. For
  every two previous successful attempts, subtract 1 from the target
  number; if the target number drops below 0 (i.e. after 16 successful
  attempts), the adept can reproduce the sound flawlessly in future.
  If the adept has never heard the actual sound before, he must
  apply a +6 modifier to the target number -- this even applies if the
  adept has successfully produced the sound himself without ever
  hearing the real thing.
  Reproducing a (meta)human voice of a specific person in or-
  der to fool others into believing the adept is that person has a target
  number of 14, modified as above. In case the adept is trying to fool
  people for personal benefit, they are allowed a Perception test against
  the adept's Magic Rating to spot that the adept is not who he or she
  pretends to be; they must roll more successes than the adept. If they
  can see the adept, this test may automatically succeed if the adept
  isn't disguised as the person he is trying to imitate, while if the
  sound quality is poor (like when the adept is talking over a bad
  telephone connection), the adept may get a lower target number, at
  the gamemaster's discretion; suggested is -1 to -4, depending on
  how bad the connection really is.
  Notes:   This power replaces the Adept Mimicry power
  originally appearing in White Wolf #38. If the GM feels that
  voices may be too readily reproduced after practicing, he may let
  the target number drop only to a certain point (i.e. 3 or 4) for
  voices.  To prevent “instant learning,” the GM may enforce a time
  requirement for each practice session (i.e. 15 dedicated minutes
  each roll), target number modifier while practicing (i.e. +2), and/
  or the necessity to speak at an easily audible level while
  practicing.
  VOLATILE AURA
  Cost: 1
  Source: hanker@geocities.com
  Author: Arthur S.
  A must-have for the mildly paranoid!  With this power every
  single cell seperated from the adept’s body loses instantly the adept’s
  aura and can therefore never be a Link for Ritual Magic. A DNA
  analysis is possible of course. A side effect of this power is that
  items handled by the adept do not have such a strong psychic “im-
  age” of their user as normal. Apply a +1 modifier if using such
  items as symbolic representations of the adept. Because of the same
  reason, Adepts bonding a focus must pay one extra Karma Point,
  due to the the extra effort they put in synchronizing the aura of the
  focus and their own.
  WILL TO LIVE
  Cost: 1
  Source: hanker@geocities.com
  Author: Arthur S.
  (Not the same things as the SR Compendium edge!)  Stay
  alive in the seediest parts of town even with a big bad chest wound!
  This power automatically stabilizes the adept in a matter of sec-
  onds if he has a deadly wound. The adept needs no first aid to sur-
  vive, but he will be in a coma until his wound is properly treated or
  heals (A deadly wounded PC lying on a garbage dump will very
  unlikely heal without any help. It is more likely he will end
  as a snack to whatever lives on a garbage dump). Note that
  Powers
  Page 22
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Have a good
  adept power
  you didn’t see
  here?
  Let me know!
  Just e-mail me at
  brbrown@vassar.edu with the
  Subject line “Adept Powers”.
  Powers
  Page 23
  if the Sudden Death Rule (Fields of Fire) is in effect, this power
  may be limited in its use. And, of course, the last bullet in the head
  to “finish them off” is also a good way to prevent this power to
  stabilize anyone.
  Notes:   Some people have said this should be bumped up to
  1.5 or so.  Noting the ease of obtaining the relatively low-impact
  Stabilize spell, 1 is probably a fair cost for this power, but, of
  course, always apply GM’s discretion.
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  POWER SETS
  Shadowrun Third Edition Adept (by FASA)
  Overall Cost: 5.50 (6.00 if Str. exceeds racial max.)
  Improved Strength (1)
  Improved Unarmed Combat (2)
  Increased Reflexes (1)
  Killing Hands (M)
  Pain Resistance (3)
  Anti-Sammie Beginner Set
  Overall Cost: 6.00 (may vary depending on Str. max.)
  Increased Reflexes (1)
  Combat Sense (1)
  Killing Hands (S)
  Improved Armed Combat (2)
  Improved Strength (2)
  “The street samurai thinks he improves himself with
  his clockwork; this is understandable.  But what, to
  paraphrase, does it profit a man to gain nuyen and
  lose his soul?  My path opens up before me like a
  blossoming orchid...his closes around him like a fly-
  trap.  Show me a samurai, and I will teach him this
  wisdom in combat...”
  Scout Set
  Overall Cost: 6.00
  Astral Perception
  Enhanced Perception (2)
  Improved Stealth (4)
  Gentle Strike (S)
  “Yeah, ok...I can’t project.  But I don’t have to sustain
  50 million spells to be effective.  I can get in, check
  things out, and get out.  And anyone I meet on the
  way won’t remember a face he only sees for a
  couple seconds...y’know, the couple seconds before
  I drop him.”
  Demolitions Set
  Overall Cost: 6.00 (may vary depending on Str. max.)
  Breaking Blow (4)
  Smashing Blow
  Power Blow (2)
  Improved Strength (4)
  “See that car?  Say the word; it’s waste.  Just goes
  to show, chummer...sometimes you just can’t let
  guns in to do a man’s job.”
  Survival Set (by Gurth)
  Overall cost: 6.00
  Animal Control
  Camouflage (2)
  Deep Breathing (2)
  Temperature Tolerance (4)
  Voice Alteration
  “Dad used to take me camping all the time; he never
  did understand why ‘junior seemed to chirp to the
  birds so much.’  Of course, he didn’t understand why
  the blue jays always crapped on his head, either.
  I’m no forest ranger—just good at what I do.  It can
  work out good for you, too...and I think that blue jay
  above your head would tend to agree...”
  The Power Sets section is sort of an ‘adept archetype’ list.  These aren’t package deals, in the sense that
  they don’t offer discounted costs on any powers.  Rather, they are just prefabricated sets of powers that can
  be quickly applied to any adept character. The level for each power, if applicable, is listed in parentheses
  following the power name. If you have any ideas for power sets, please feel free to submit them; I’d love
  to see this section expand.
  Power Sets
  Page 24
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Meditation
  Jolly Roger
  The following is excerpted and paraphrased from
  an article originally posted to ShadowRN, the
  Shadowrun discussion mailing list, by Jolly
  Roger (taz@media.mit.edu).
     Here’s an idea.  Let an Adept choose the modi-
  fications he wants for the next day when he goes
  to sleep, keeping to his magic attribute, of course.
  Then, if he gets a sufficient amount of sleep (8
  hours or so), he will wake up with the chosen pow-
  ers.  If he is woken prematurely, the powers are
  the same as when he went to sleep.  Makes for a
  more flexible character.  Again, this may un-
  balance things.
     One way to control things would
  be that you must sleep, or meditate,
  a number of hours equal to your
  magic attribute plus one.  After the
  first hour, all of the old skills are
  ‘erased.’  Then, the most expensive
  modification starts to develop, taking
  a number of hours equal to its magic
  cost.  This continues until all of the
  skills have had time to accumulate.  If
  the Adept is woken up or his medita-
  tion is interrupted for longer than a
  number of minutes equal to his
  magic attribute, the process
  aborts and he is left with what-
  ever modifications had time to
  fully develop.  Any activity re-
  quiring a success test auto-
  matically aborts the process.
  The Adept will also know
  when this process is com-
  pletely over.  So, when he wakes up he can
  then start to meditate to continue the process.
     If the process aborts, the whole thing must be
  repeated, it can’t be picked up from where it left
  off.  Also, everything must be changed if
  anything is changed.  Even if you prefer to
  have thermographic vision tomorrow instead of
  low-light, all of the modifications need to be
  changed. This is because the pattern of magic
  within the body is intricate and must be com-
  pletely reformed for any change, no matter how
  minor.
     For example, Jobu the Adept picks Increased
  Reflexes level 2, and Killing Hands (Serious) in
  preparation of a daylight run for the next day.  His
  Magic is 6, so he needs to sleep/meditate for 7
  hours.  Oh, and he’s a light sleeper.  He goes to
  sleep, and after one hour, the modifications from
  the previous day go away, the magic having to re-
  form for his new modifications.  The Increased
  Reflexes cost 4 vs. the Serious Hands cost
  of 2, so they are worked on first.  After
  2 hours, his roommate comes home and
  wakes him up.  After a bit of cursing
  and yelling, nothing that really takes
  any effort on Jobu’s part, he decides
  to meditate for the rest of the time.
  After 2 hours of meditation, Jobu’s
  magic had developed enough that the
  Increased Reflexes are in effect.  It
  has now been five hours, two more
  hours of meditation before the Se-
  rious Hands and fully developed.
  Unfortunately, his wife comes
  home and finds the roommate
  (read mistress) naked in bed.
  She tries to hit Jobu with a fry-
  ing pan.  Even though she
  misses, Jobu had to dodge,
  and the process is aborted.
  He will have to start to
  whole thing over if he
  wants to utilize those last
  2 magic points.
     To further restrict things, you may require that
  the Adept go through the whole thing every 24
  hours, whether or not something has changed, in
  order to refresh the magic.  Or change this
  to 48 hours or whatever.
  ARTIClES
  Articles
  Page 25
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Meditation
  Gary Carroll
  The following is excerpted and paraphrased from an
  article originally sent to me by Gary Carroll
  (gary@NACM.COM).  It offers an alternative to the
  previously discussed form of meditation.
     I thought that meditation was too open.  I
  thought that there had to be some limit to which
  abilities you could know.  That way there would
  be some form of goal, and or a reason to interact
  with other Adepts and even a reason to form a
  group.  Soooooo, I decided to make this limita-
  tion.
     When selecting meditation you are allowed to
  select an ability for every magic rating point, not
  including meditation, (including a new ability for
  every magic increase due to initiation)
     Example: I pick increased reflexes, astral percep-
  tion, killing hands, improved ability, astral cloak,
  negamage (a total of 6 skills, corresponding to his
  6 magic points).
  Then when using meditation you call allocate to
  whatever level you want.
     Example: Today, I pick Increased Reflexes level
  2 (4pts), Astral Cloak level 2 (1pt), Improved Fire-
  arms 1 die (1pt Tomorrow , I choose Increased Re-
  flexes level 1 (1pt), Astral Perception (2pts), Kill-
  ing Hands Serious (2pts), Improved Unarmed 2
  dice (1pt)
     This gives some limits to meditation, and also
  gives the GM some room for role playing and get-
  ting new adept skills. (I.e. maybe you can only
  start with 1/magic rating but you can learn 2/
  magic rating)
  Meditation
  Lady Jestyr
  The following is excerpted and paraphrased from
  Lady Jestyr’s (jestyr@faraday.dialix.com.au)
  website.  It offers a unique way of looking at medita-
  tion.
     For every 1 point of Magic Rating an adept
  “spends” on powers, he gains an additional
  0.25 points in bonus powers. However, an
  adept may only have a number of points in pow-
  ers equal to his Magic Rating active (or immedi-
  ately available to activate) at any given time. The
  adept has the option of exchanging active powers
  for other powers he has access to through medita-
  tion.
     In order to exchange any powers, the adept must
  meditate for a number of consecutive hours equal
  to his Magic Rating divided by 2. At the end of
  this time, all powers will have been exchanged as
  desired and are available to the adept as per the
  normal rules. If the adept is disturbed during
  meditation, the process is aborted and the pow-
  ers will remain as they were before the medita-
  tion began.
     The adept has the option of making only a por-
  tion of a power active if the power is available to
  be reduced (i.e. could have been “purchased” at a
  lower level). If he chooses to do so, he must do
  this in increments equal to one whole level of the
  power (i.e. powers “bought” in increments of .5
  points by must be utilized in increments of .5
  points). Also, an adept cannot utilize a power at
  any higher level of ability than he has “purchased”
  with his Magic Rating. Thus, an adept who has
  “purchased” Increased Reflexes at level 2 can uti-
  lize this power at level 2 or level 1, but not at level
  3.
     The adept may choose to adjust his powers
  through meditation as often as he likes. The pow-
  ers remain in their current state until the adept
  successfully meditates and changes them. The
  meditation that Adepts utilize to adjust their pow-
  ers is an ability available only to Adepts, and is
  not a learned skill. It is treated as an ability that
  all Adepts inherently know how to do. The real-
  location of powers does not require a success test
  of any kind. This special meditation ability can-
  not be used as a Centering skill. However, if the
  adept learns another form of meditation, he may
  utilize it in conjunction with his special medita-
  tion ability to obtain both goals at once.
  Articles
  Page 26
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  Meditation
  Hobbis
  This is yet another way to treat meditation, for GMs
  who are looking for a more costly method of medita-
  tion.
     All of the aforementioned meditation methods are
  certainly viable options.  However, they don’t really
  cost anything.  No money, no karma...not even any
  body parts.  Some GMs—or players, for that matter—
  may feel this to be a bit light on the adept, and/or un-
  realistic.  For them, I propose a cost system.  It’s all
  pretty straightforward, and pretty customizable, de-
  pending upon your desires.
     The first cost to impose is a karma cost.  This can
  discourage frivolous switching of powers.  The karma
  cost for each meditation is based on the number of
  Magic point the adept is switching.  In cases of frac-
  tional Magic point costs, round up.  The exact karma
  cost can vary; for a low cost, use half the number of
  changing points, while twice the changing points
  makes for a more expensive change.  Say Johnny the
  adept is switching 4 Improved Stealth dice to 4 Im-
  proved Swimming dice; he would be changing 1 Magic
  point worth of powers.  If his GM requires a 1:2 or 1:1
  ratio of karma points to Magic points, Johnny would
  have to spend 1 point of Good Karma to change the
  powers.  A 2:1 ratio would require 2 karma points from
  Johnny for the switch.  Even if Johnny was changing
  1, 2 or 3 dice, he would still treat it like a full Magic
  Point, because he would round up.
  Metamagic
  Lady Jestyr
  The following is excerpted and paraphrased from
  Lady Jestyr’s (jestyr@faraday.dialix.com.au)
  website.  It offers some house rules on metamagic
  for adepts.
   Adepts have full access to the following
  Metamagical skills: Centering and Masking (pierc-
  ing Masking requires the power of Astral Percep-
  tion). They also have limited access to Shielding .
  Adepts do not have a Magic Pool, thus they only
  receive a number of dice toward Shielding equal
  to their Initiate Grade. Adepts have no control of
  their Shielding abilities, thus once turned
  on via Initiation, their Shielding is always
  active. The time for learning how to use
  Shielding still applies, but it is treated as an at-
  tuning process, rather than a learning experience.
  In order for Shielding to function at all, it must
  first be attuned.
  Adepts Reexamined
  Digger
  The following is excerpted from an article by Differ
  (digger-@home.com) on The Shadowrun Archive.
  This is not the full article, but an excerpt from the
  Designer’s Notes section of the article. If this piques
  your interest (and even if not), I strongly encourage
  you to visit the full article at:
  http://shadowrun.html.com/archive/Graveyard/
  ShowGY.php3?page=PhysadsReexamined.htm
      The purpose and intent of this article is to reexam-
  ine the physical adept as a character archetype, and to
  address some inherent problems with in his current
  design. Using all of the supplements available for
  shadowrun, the average street samurai usually has
  initiatives in the high teens to mid twenties. The aver-
  age mage usually works out to be about the same, and
  the average physical adept usually winds up in the
  single digits to low teens.
      The mage and street samurai both have the advan-
  tage of range. They can hit there targets from greater
  distances and have better base damage potentials than
  that of the physical adept. So what is the physical ad-
  epts advantage? Simply put, skills. The physical adept
  can achieve levels of skill that are virtually unattain-
  able to the other character types in the campaign.
      The problem with this becomes fairly obvious after
  the physical adept is allowed to initiate. As a starting
  level character the physical adept is slow and lacks
  much of an advantage over his fellow character arche-
  types. After a few levels of initiation, however, the
  physical adept can become a very unbalanced charac-
  ter on the opposite end of the spectrum. By concen-
  trating his abilities in one combat skill, the physical
  adept can soon be rolling as much as 15 to 20 dice with-
  out the use of combat pool on an opposed skill test.
      This ability allows the physical adept to become far
  to powerful in relation to the other characters within
  the campaign. But one cannot limit the physical ad-
  epts power potential without first addressing the sub-
  ject of the power curve as a whole. This rule system
  was designed to make the physical adept faster and
  less vulnerable as a starting character, but less power-
  ful after several levels of initiation.
      A few things to remember about the poten-
  tials of our faster physical adept. The physical
  adept is the master of close combat. As such,
  Articles
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  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  when he attacks his opponent in melee combat his op-
  ponent is granted a counter attack regardless of his
  initiative, and the opponent still may act normally on
  his next initiative. The ranged weapons used by most
  physical adepts have a much lower damage potential
  and much lower ranges than that of a street samurai
  or mage, and those projectile weapons that do have
  good damage potentials are large and bulky weapons
  that cannot be concealed or fired from cover easily.
  Imagine trying to walk into your local bar with a
  Ranger-X longbow under your longcoat. What about
  physical adepts that do use guns? What about them?
  The new limits on skill enhancements and the lack of
  access to such cyberware as smartgun links make these
  adepts far less effective with guns than a street samu-
  rai. Thus it is possible to improve the physical adepts
  speed and potential as a starting level character and
  not effect game balance, and to limit his potential af-
  ter initiation so that he is still more balanced with the
  other characters in the campaign.
  Have some-
  thing to say
  about adepts?
  Articles
  Page 28
  Publish it here!
  Just e-mail me at
  brbrown@vassar.edu with the
  Subject line “Adept Articles”.
  
  The Adept Handybook
  Version 1.0
  F • I • N • I • S
  Finis
  Page 29
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadowrun [multi]/EXTRAS/Magic/Phsyical Adept/Adept Handybook (net).pdf