Magic

Spell effectiveness depends on three factors: Sorcery skill level (by far the most important), spell level, and posture (which has the least effect- offensive postures do nothing to increase power). If you're playing as a Gator Shaman, save your money for a friend, while you plug your Karma points into your Sorcery ability.

Prices range is "item's price with negotiation 0"-"item's price with negotiation 12". It's the "maximum price"-"minimum price".

 
Merlin's Lore is one of the three Magic shops in the game. It can be found in Renraku Arcology, and is the place to go for Mana attack spells.

	Mana Zap:	Mana Zap is the starting spell for your Gator Shaman, and is the equivalent of a light pistol. Don't waste Nuyen on this.
	Mana Blast:	Mana Blast is equivalent to a medium pistol-more damage, and more power. An excellent default attack spell.
	Mana Storm:	Mana Storm is the equivalent of a grenade. Be VERY wary of using this one, lest you kill your own team with your enemies. Also, keep some fetishes handy, if you're going to whip this one out.
	Super Barrier:	Super Barrier creates a magical force field, which may be neither walked through, nor may bullets pass. It's a great defense when you're being chased by things too dangerous to let close.
	Rockskin:	Rockskin enhances your armor ratings. Very useful, when you know you're about to enter a boss fight.
	Heal Wounds:	Heal Wounds will heal physical damage. Very useful. You only need level one in this to completely cure your team-but maxing it out lets you heal a Runner in only one casting-useful in the middle of a fight.

While you're there, you can pick up a couple of magic items and foci as well:

	Fetish:	These will absorb mental damage from casting powerful spells. Kind of like ammo for your gun-if your gun were a bazooka, and you could shoot your own blood in the absence of a rocket. Price range: 650-450¥.
	Protection Talisman:	Reduces damage to the user. Rating 4 Protection Talisman available. Price range: 52,500-36,100¥.
	Combat Sense:	Increases combat ability. Higher the rating, the more effective it is. Rating 3 & 4 Combat Senses available. Price ranges: 35,000-24,070¥ for the rating 3 and 56,000-38,500¥ for the rating 4.
	Spell Foci:	Increases the power of the corresponding spell. Barrier(3), Stink(2), Mana Storm(2,4) and Rockskin(2,3) available. Price ranges: 7,200-4,950¥ for the Barrier(3), 4,000-2,750¥ for the rating 2 foci, 12,800-8,800¥ for the Mana Storm(4) and 8,800-6,050¥ for the Rockskin(3).

	Flame Dart:	The fiery version of Mana Zap. Save the cash.
	Flame Bolt:	The best attack spell in the game, unless facing hellhounds or other fire immune enemies. Equivalent to a heavy pistol. This and Mana Blast should be your two main attacks, if you're a Gator shaman.
	Hellblast:	A fireball that explodes, like a grenade. VERY dangerous.
	Barrier:	Like superbarrier, but only impedes movement. If you're attacked by Hellhounds or other melee opponents, and your team is loaded for bear, cast this spell to keep them at a distance so your Samurai can pick them off.
	Rockskin:	Rockskin enhances your armor ratings. Very useful, when you know you're about to enter a boss fight.
	Heal Wounds:	Heal Wounds will heal physical damage. Very useful. You only need level one in this to completely cure your team-but maxing it out lets you heal a Runner in only one casting-useful in the middle of a fight.

While you're there, you can pick up a couple of magic items and foci as well:

	Fetish:	These will absorb mental damage from casting powerful spells. Kind of like ammo for your gun-if your gun were a bazooka, and you could shoot your own blood in the absence of a rocket. Price range: 500-350¥.
	Protection Talisman:	Reduces damage to the user. Rating 2 & 3 Protection Talismans available. Price ranges: 17,500-12,040¥ for rating 2 and 35,000-24,070¥ for the rating 3.
	Combat Sense:	Increases combat ability. Higher the rating, the more effective it is. Rating 2 & 4 Combat Senses available. Price ranges: 17,500-12,040¥ for rating 2 and 61,250-42,110¥ for the rating 4.
	Spell Foci:	Increases the power of the corresponding spell. Hellblast(2,3) and Heal Wounds(2,3) available. Price ranges: 4,000-2,750¥ for rating 2 and 7,200-4,950¥ for the rating 3.

	Invisibility:	This one is actually not only useful, but invaluable, even for a predator like yourself. When performing Aquisition or Extraction Runs, this spell can turn you-or one of your Runners- invisible. This lets you walk right past security guards. And in Shadowrun, private security guards tend to wear heavy armor and carry automatic weaponry.
	Sleep:	Mental damage, knocks enemies unconscious.
	Confusion:	Distracts enemies in its area of effect. I never used this much.
	Stink:	A Rat shaman's favorite spell. Not for you. Deals mental damage.
	Heal Wounds:	Heal Wounds will heal physical damage. Very useful. You only need level one in this to completely cure your team-but maxing it out lets you heal a Runner in only one casting-useful in the middle of a fight.

While you're there, you can pick up a couple of magic items and foci as well:

	Fetish:	These will absorb mental damage from casting powerful spells. Kind of like ammo for your gun-if your gun were a bazooka, and you could shoot your own blood in the absence of a rocket. Price range: 500-350¥.
	Protection Talisman:	Reduces damage to the user. Rating 4 Protection Talisman available. Price range: 35,000-24,070¥.
	Spell Foci:	Increases the power of the corresponding spell. Sleep(2,3), Invisibility(2,3) and Confusion(2,3) available. Price ranges: 4,000-2,750¥ for rating 2 and 8,000-5,500¥ for the rating 3.