It's not fubarred.

You can only cast against targets that exist on the same plane(s) as you exist.

So if you are...

Physical, you can only cast against Physical targets and Dual Natured targets.
Astral (via Projection), you can cast against Astral targets and Dual Natured targets.
Dual Natured (Dual Nature or Astral Perception), you can cast against any Physical, Astral, or Dual Natured targets.

The reason being if you are Physical, you can only affect that which has a Physical Plane presence. Likewise, if you are Astral, you can only affect that which has an Astral Plane presence. If you are Dual Natured via a power or effect, then you can affect targets on either or both planes.

You have 3 basic states...

Physical
Astral
Dual Natured (exist on Physical & Astral)

As long as you match up on at least one facet when compared to your target, you can cast against them. It's not a hard concept. Been that way for spelllcasting since SR1.

Yes, but how are you creating your mystical link?

They screwed up how they wrote astral perception.

The rules state that targetting someone's aura is not good enough, unless they are dual natured.
The rules state that while you're astrally perceiving you only see on the astral, and not the physical.

So /how/ are you creating your mystic link to your target so your spell can hit them.

That's not really the question, darthmord. It's the fact that *astral* perception counts as a *physical* sense; you're literally targeting people by their aura. It's only a problem (in this sense) because you're not supposed to do that (which is as arbitrary a rule as any other, so who cares?).

My point was only that I *prefer* a more separate astral/physical system.

because if you can target their aura when you're astrally perceiving, why can't you target it when you're astrally projecting?

Well, because you're not physically there. It's a *different* arbitrary rule. I wouldn't go too far with the logic chains for magic, but it would just be nice if they sounded consistent. Obviously, the rule is, 'you *can* target auras, but only if you're perceiving-not-projecting'. *shrug*

Anyway, I just don't like Perception replacing all the physical visions, and probably also hearing, smell, etc.

I don't either. If only they hadn't made the Astral just a mirror copy with weird photoshop effects.
it would have been much cooler if Astral was distinctly different from Physical.

SR has that as well. It's the meta-planes.

Something I've been considering for my own game is to disallow spellcasting on the Astral Plane altogether. Imagining that the Astral Plane is a "magical" place casting a spell would work about as well as firing a water gun while under water (i.e. it wouldn't work very well). Astral combat would then be handled by melee only, perhaps with some Initiate Grade techniques that a Mage could learn. Some may argue that this would make Spirits especially dangerous on the Astral Plane, but IMO it should be. Just as jumping into the water to fight with a Shark or Crocodile would be dangerous. Just something I've been considering, but haven't yet implemented.

**Begin Disclaimer: The above is IMO only and may or may not conform to the RAW/RAI :End Disclaimer**

I like that idea.

The rule is Aura alone isn't enough to target someone. The other component you need is to be on the same plane as them.

On the physical you are on the physical scene, the astral is on a television somewhere but you haven't turned your TV on.
On the Astral you are on the astral scene but watching the physical scene on television, dual natured beings while they are on the television it is happening so close you can see them right outside your door.
Dual natured, you are the cameraman for that television show that films both the astral and physical at the same time and are on both scenes at the same time because they are so close.

Just like you can't shoot someone on a television, you can't shoot someone from the astral unless whatever action on the TV is happening right by you. Seeing him on TV isn't enough to target him alone, you need to be close by. Just like you might need to be within range of your drone to remote shoot someone with it. Seeing it on another persons feed isn't enough. The cameraman is at the scene you are watching on television and could shoot someone in either scene if he wanted to.

I bet this will only entail that everyone who is able to turn astral perception off will do so and dual-natured critters will still be hunted by spirits.

ninja'ed by Shinobi (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
My post commented on Redcrows post.

Exciting idea.. Astral Combat becomes a useful skill. There would be a need to create several abilities/metamagics/maneuvers/terrain features to spice up the tactical choices though, otherwise it'll be as bland and bad as cybercombat.

Honestly, I think that Dual Natured beings should be able to defaulf on Astral Combat and Assensing. They live in both planes, dammit!

They basically can. That's not the reason they're illogical. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's the spells and Astral Movement rates.