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Dumpshock Forums _ Shadowrun _ Are dual natured beings suckers for astral attack?

Posted by: burk Mar 6 2006, 01:32 PM

It's clear that the down side of being dual natured is that such critters can be attacked on the astral plane but the critters stats in the book don't include any Astral Combat skill so can they defend them selves at all?

The obvious thing to do is to let them use their physical combat skills on the astral plane but the rules don't let them do that.

QUOTE
SR4 p.287 : Dual-natured creatures have the ability to perceive and interact with the astral plane in the same way as characters using astral perception.


QUOTE
SR4 p.184 : Astrally perceiving and dual natured characters use their physical attributes and skills to fight opponents with a physical body, and their Willpower + Astral Combat skill to fight wholely astral entities.


So if I set a spirit on a barghest on the astral plane the barghest must use Astral Combat because the spirit is wholely astral, a skill which it doesn't have and which can't be defaulted.

It seems the only time you can use physical combat skills on the astral plane is if you are astrally perceiving and have a weapons focus.

QUOTE
SR4 p.191 : The character still relies on her physical attributes and skills in combat; the weapon focus merely makes him more effective. This also applies to astrally perceiving characters fighting an opponent on the astral plane.

Posted by: TinkerGnome Mar 6 2006, 02:13 PM

Looks like it. As a GM, I'd just assume that all dual natured critters have astral combat and that the stat entries for those that don't are in error.

Posted by: Dashifen Mar 6 2006, 03:26 PM

I'd rule it that dual natured critters don't have any concept of the seperation between the real and astral worlds as they are permanently dual natured and are that way from birth. Thus, I'd just use their physical combat skills on the astral plane and call it even. Sure, the spirit they're attacking doesn't have a physical form, but that wouldn't really bother me. The extra initiative passes the spirit probably has are more than enough to make the critter pulp, more likely than not.

Posted by: Aku Mar 6 2006, 03:26 PM

or rule, that since they are dual natured (and not just astrally projecting) that those CAN default on the astral combat skill.

Posted by: Voran May 20 2006, 12:29 AM

Makes you wonder a little if the people you see in real life that seem to be fighting thin air, are actually just dual natured and are fending off evil spirits to keep us safe.

Posted by: Kanada Ten May 20 2006, 12:39 AM

And here I though giving dogs orichalcum teeth was just for the bling.

Posted by: fistandantilus3.0 May 21 2006, 07:09 AM

so would a ghoul use unarmed combat to attack an astral form then? Seems logical since they are listed under critters, and are ni many cases dual natured from birth. Would that work differently for a ghoul that became one by infection?

Posted by: NightHaunter May 22 2006, 02:41 PM

As I've mentioned before.
I believe that Astral Combat is a Combat Skill for an Astral Form, and that if you Are Physical then you use a Physical Combat Skill.
It doesn't matter what you are fighting, it's the skill YOU possess at the craft at hand.

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