First things first, I do really appreciate the recruit feature. Got to try Sooma on a couple of matches before I had to leave for work. Much nicer than grinding gold to unlock a new raider with a playstyle that doesn't quite click with me(looking at you, Doldren.)
So, playing with basic cards and an unleveled weapon, my thoughts are a solid ehh. Being able to shield raiders and friendly NPCs is amazing, but the damage buff feels a bit lackluster, and it takes a suprising number of rounds fired to deplete the meter far enough to start absorbing damage safely again.
Her basic gun is certainly interesting but I don't know if it's particularly good. It doesn't seem to cause any self-damage, which is certainly nice yet it doesn't feel like it does much to enemies, either. There's probably a sweet spot you need to hit for maximizing DPS I haven't felt out yet.
I'd say she's average. Not great but not terrible, plenty of room to grow though. One last thought, more about her design. Maybe it's just me, but her head seems oddly small for her body. I don't know what it is, but it's especially noticeable looking at her in profile. Could be her posture, maybe it's her clothing, but I can't unsee it.