My build paranoia with this game has gotten me to go kind of crazy. I'm on my third attempt at a build, currently on the second level of the P. Schuyler & Sons dungeon. This is my first attempt at a complete Arcanum run.

The build idea is this: frontier lawman type, good-aligned who goes around solving people's problems with his guns and his wits.

Current Stat distribution.
Level 9
ST: 8 CN 8 DX 9 (+4 from charged rings) BE 8 IN 8 WP 8 PE 12 CH 9
Firearms 3 (w/ expert training)
Melee 1
Electric 2 (for rings)
Firearms 1 (for crafted flintlock at beginning; waste?)
Explosives 1 (bullets)

Equipment:
Revolver (from Doc Roberts)
Electric Light
Heavy Wool Jacket
Boots

Followers (2 Max):

Virgil (w/ magic leather armor, filament sword) - Lvl 9
Sogg (w/ leather armor, enchanted greatsword from Kite Shaman chest) - Level 8

I really want to get Magnus in my party because I've heard that he adds dialogue to the game; however, I don't want to eject Sogg. Should I go for 12 CH as soon as possible or distribute points elsewhere? I would greatly appreciate any tips because I think I'd go crazy if I had to restart again.

Thank you for your time and your help :)

If you want Magnus in your Party, you should raise ch to 12 as soon as possible. That way you will get him at level 11 and he will always be 3 levels below you. If you wait longer, he will always be weaker compared to you. Also pick up the dog before you reach level 13 (same reason).

Or increase your charisma temporarily to 12 and get persuasion expert training (taylor or Lil), that way you also have one more in party.
You can achieve this without spending more levels, by using elixir of persuasion (Jayna as temporary follower for crafting maybe) and the methods shown here. This way you can get Magnus at level 9, with him alway being 1 level weaker than you. Not sure though, if follower count bonus is persistent when persuasion drops.

Example, steal Ring of Influence and Gypsy blessing should be enough (Ring does not give full bonus for tech character), you can unequip ring, when you leveled to 12 ch.

Well, the quickest solution would be to dump Sogg. He's a good fighter obviously, but he doesn't add much to the game in terms of character. Some companions are like that. Magnus is a fighter too, and good enough that you probably won't miss Sogg much.

There are ways to temporarily raise your charisma using magick or items. You can do that just long enough to get Magnus in your party. He won't leave even after your CHA returns to normal. You'll have to repeat the process if you ever drop him and want to get him back.

You could add three more points of CHA. As long as you don't feel like you're sacrificing too much combat ability I wouldn't worry much about it. In a party with Magnus, Virgil, and Sogg you shouldn't have much trouble with battles, even if your PC just plays a supporting role.

Don't worry about constantly restarting with new characters; most of the people who play Arcanum do that. The chargen in this game is surprisingly fun. I've restarted dozens of times.

I always caution new players about using Firearms. It's a cool skill and everyone seems to gravitate to it, but it's one of the worst offensive combat skills in the game, comparatively speaking. There are several threads on this board discussing the reasons for that. Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep going with your gun character - just that there are some tricks that make Firearms a lot easier to play, but you won't know them until you finish the game once or twice. If you're enjoying your current PC, feel free to ignore what I'm saying here.

Just remember, your current weapon is utterly inadequate for the long run, so always keep an eye out for a better gun.

To add to this, get the second schematic for firearms, the fine revolver, It's pretty good in the beginning.

You're welcome! Yes, don't worry about it. Arcanum isn't especially hard when it comes to combat (the mines you just finished are one of the hardest parts because people aren't expecting ore golems that damage equipment), and you have enough companions to help you out. Yes.

They're all pretty useful in their own ways. Even odd skllls like Barter that normally aren't too useful in games like this have some nice benefits if you get training.

EDIT: Oh yeah. Since this is your first time playing through Arcanum, I recommend avoiding guides and other spoiler info. Discovering things in the game is a huge part of its appeal. There's so much to find you'll never get it all in one try anyway.