Cerebral Booster for hermetic mages

Hi there!

Just a short question: If a hermetic mage has a cerebral booster implant increasing his logic attribute (and reducing his magic attribute), is the augmented logic attribute used for resisting drain or the natural?

(cerebral booster see page 339 core rule book,
drain see page 167, 174 core rule book)

I could not find anything prohibiting the use of a cerebral booster for resisting drain but I fear I missed sth. ;-).

Yours
Stampede

Yes, the Cerebral Booster would augment the Logic Attribute used for calculating the Drain Resistance pool. However, you would lose an entire point of magic for the fraction of a point you lose for inputting the Cyberware. Most mages (though not all) do not believe that the sacrifice is worth the price.

The same dilema for the player behind the character: more dice to resist drain, or higher magic attribute to cast and to get drain stun damage. It would fit the background I have in mind, though...

I'll think it through. At least I'm reassured that it would work the way I thougt.

From a "Background" perspective, it is not hard to imagine that the Mage in question got the Cerebral Booster as a teenager, or young adult, before becoming aware of the latent magical potential. There isn't really any good description in the back story about how most characters discover their magical abilities; so if you don't already know from childhood, it's not hard to imagine how a Cerebral Booster would assist in school, or at a job. And once it's in, it doesn't do much good to remove it... The magic is already lost.

Just another question regarding magicians: Is it dangerous for a magician to use stimulant patches (compared to mundane using them)? I remember sth. like that from Shadowrun 3 but I'm not sure. And I didn't found sth. like that in the SR4 rules. Anyone knows sth. about this?

Now that you mention it, I remember that too, but I haven't run into it in SR4. I will nose around and see what I can sniff up

SR4 there is no penalties for stims or drugs like there use to be. The only times they mention magic loss now is through Critical Glitches, essense, or poor medical assistance upon near death.

Well if you spent the .6 essence for the lvl 3's, get Trauma Dampner and Platelet Factories. Both of those will reduce and allow for some absorption of the variable factors of casting drain. As well as worth 6 Body in terms of dice and guranteed hits to absorb damage externally delt.

Also, if drain really matters you can use Fetishes with your spells to add 2 dice. Blood fetishes add another 2 dice for drain...but expect bad reactions from most who can identify them.