This seems like a contradictory rule then, imo. At my table, if it ever came up, i'd think i'd go with the sensor detecting rules, for drones (p. 162 SR4), and probably apply a dicepool monitor for net hits on the test for drones. I always understood that line to mean something like a monitor that someone is watching.

Wait, what? It's entirely straightforward: you beat the technological sensors with the spell. Doesn't matter if they're being watched by no one, an agent, a person, an AI, a Pilot…

What in the rule is contradictory, if the caster gets 3+ success on improved invisibility the drones camera doesn't detect the target of the spell at all.
Ofcource that isn't very usefull for hiding from a drone, all of it's other sensor are after all unaffected.

SR4A was going to be 1, 2, 4, 6+, and the first pdf version was that way, but there was a public outcry and it was changed back before it hit print.

crybabies and chicken imho. why should a mage be able to do everything ever? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleepy.gif)

Well the big problem is that OR affects all illusion spells and OR 4 for cameras prettty much makes such fluff tables as special effect wizards pretty much unable to do their job.

That wasn't just OR. It was the standard Threshold progression, for everything.

Which was too much. Especially if you use Perception RAW.

All of what other sensors? The drone can still hear the mage yes, but it can't see the mage, because any sensor that allows it to see the mage is a sensor and thus affected by the spell.

Invisibility only works against visual senses, in the case of a drone that would be any cameras it has.
If it has for an example a radar sensor, then the spell does the mage jack shit.

And the same is true for a character, independent of the outcome of his resistance test.

That's the thing about monosensory illusions — they can be sidestepped. OR or resistance doesn't factor in there.

I feel this post is extremely important to the OP, if you didn't know Shon you can use edge on your spellcasting test which will remove the Force limit of the spell. if you are having trouble casting higher force spells this rule may be of use to you for important tests.

Improved Invisibility defeats visual perception. Runners up: Ruthenium polymer.
Stealth defeats ultrasound/hearing.
Scent masking cigarettes defeat smell-based perception.
False Impression defeats astral perception. Runners up: masking/flexible signature/astral chameleon.
Thermal damping defeats Infrared perception.

Then nothing defeats radar/UWB and nothing defeats rain (other than a phantasm). Is this by design? I mean I suppose a mage could design their own spell, but I feel like this was done on purpose.

There is a spell that defeats Radar by degrading its rating, once the Radar is degraded to 0, then it no longer works... this will be difficult, yes, but still possible to utilize.

Cannot remember the name of the spell, as I am away from my books currently. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smokin.gif)

Doesn't it basically just emulate a jammer?

You're not exactly "hiding" your presence from the radar, though. They'll know SOMEONE is jamming their signal, they just won't know exactly where from.

I think the only methods of hiding from radar in SR is vehicle Signature Masking from Arsenal, and/or the Infiltration skill hiding among a lot of radar-reflective clutter.



-k

I guess chaos/chaff/sense removal (radar) work, but I figured whoever (or whatever agent) is interpreting the signal would observe that there is something going haywire with the radar sensor which doesn't make it the most useful thing for infiltration.

The same goes for jamming. You can jam radar signals, but if anyone is paying attention I figured that it would be obvious that the sensor is being jammed.

Can anyone say if my interpretation of those spells/jamming is right?

Edit: Apparently KarmaInferno agrees.

I'm not sure that False Impression actually 'defeats' Astral Perception. It's a little vague, but the text seems to give it a very limited ability to alter things. Useful, yes. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The only problem you do have is background ratings of 1 and 2 are not uncommon as per Street Magic. Just because your force 4 or 5 spell gets the minimum number of required successes does not mean it will continue to work in a facility with cameras.

Star Wars D6 handled it nicely : the jammer's rating was added to any sensor roll to detect there was something going on, but substracted from a roll to identify what and where exactly.

That's like my hearing. I can hear even exceedingly quiet sounds, but I'll have no clue where it is coming from, and have about an 80% chance of thinking it is from the complete opposite direction.

Edit: To add some relevance, that sounds like about how it would work in SR too, though less specifically stated. After all, if you suddenly go 'blind' because someone is jamming your UWBR, you'll know something is wrong, but you'll have no idea what is causing it.