 Combat or Astral Combat?, Which Pool to Use |
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 May 22 2004, 03:17 AM
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#1
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Running Target  Group: Members Posts: 1,362 Joined: 3-October 03 From: Poway, San Diego County, CA, USA Member No.: 5,676  |
If an astrally perceiving character is engaged in melee with an astrally projecting character, does he use combat pool, astral combat pool, or neither? Also, in the description of the possesing metamagic, it says that to posses someone, you must defeat them in astral combat. Does this mean that the possesor has to fill up their stun bar, or merely win a single round of close combat and inflict any amount of damage?
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May 22 2004, 03:23 AM
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#2
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,616 Joined: 15-March 04 Member No.: 6,158 |
Combat Pool. Astral Combat Pool is reserved for projecting/fully astral characters, hence it using Intelligence twice instead of Quickness and Intelligence. Dual-beings (of which an astrally-perceiving temporarily is) are stuck using their physical abilities in such situations.
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May 22 2004, 03:28 AM
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#3
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,685 Joined: 17-August 02 Member No.: 3,123 |
Combat pool. The astral pool is only for when you leave your body. It exists only so your physical body doesn't determine your combat pool when you've got no body.
As far as I know you just have to win one round. You need not necessarily even do damage (i.e. if they get hit but soak it all). |
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May 22 2004, 05:07 AM
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#4
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,362 Joined: 3-October 03 From: Poway, San Diego County, CA, USA Member No.: 5,676 |
Actually, astral combat pool doesn't use intelligence twice. It's Intelligence + Charisma + Willpower, divided by two, so it's not calculated in the same manner as combat pool. Anyway, this is good news. The target of a possesion will likely have a lower combat pool than astral combat pool. Can characters substitute sorcery for a combat skill while merely perceiving?
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May 22 2004, 05:09 AM
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#5
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,616 Joined: 15-March 04 Member No.: 6,158 |
Well, whatever. It's still only available to astral beings.
EDIT: And yes, Sorcery (Astral Combat) is very much available to dual-beings. There's a difference between astral combat and the Astral Combat Pool. |
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May 22 2004, 05:11 AM
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#6
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
I'm pretty sure one can use Sorcery as a combat skill while perceiving as it is specifically mentioned that adepts with astral perception can learn Sorcery for that express purpose. |
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May 22 2004, 05:25 AM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 606 Joined: 17-December 03 Member No.: 5,909 |
Heres a question. What if your trying to posess a cyberzombie? They are dual natured and can be posessed but how do they defend against astral combat? If im not mistaken they cannot preceve so they can not see to counter attack their attacker.
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May 22 2004, 05:29 AM
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#8
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,616 Joined: 15-March 04 Member No.: 6,158 |
Dual-natured automatically means they exist on both planes, and can perceive it just fine. I believe they even talk about how cyberzombies have difficulty understanding what they're seeing at first because of that.
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May 22 2004, 05:52 AM
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#9
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Senior GM Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,406 Joined: 12-April 03 From: Redmond, WA Member No.: 4,442 |
I think that defeat here means to stun them to the point of being unconscious. The book doesn't actually say "defeat" in the description of Possessing, just that the character attempting the Possession has to "win" the astral combat. I think it's the same amount of damage a Samurai would have to do in order to loot a body. Even if the target loses the first round of the melee, I don't think the Possession should happen until the target reaches the point of being unconscious. This gives the target's comrades a chance to come to his aid, or for the target to turn off his astral perception (if he can). |
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May 22 2004, 06:01 AM
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#10
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,685 Joined: 17-August 02 Member No.: 3,123 |
That's how I do it in my game; I think it makes for better balance.
I don't think that's what the rules say, though. They specifically mention that unconscious dual-beings can be possessed without resistance. Since that's the case, why focus on astral combat? There are dozens of other ways to knock someone out. |
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May 22 2004, 08:17 AM
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#11
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 152 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 2,074 |
Like waiting until they fall asleep. Whoa, that would suck - Do cyberzombies ever sleep?
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May 22 2004, 10:56 PM
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#12
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Running Target Group: Members Posts: 1,362 Joined: 3-October 03 From: Poway, San Diego County, CA, USA Member No.: 5,676 |
Maybe, depending on what ware they have, but they sure go into comas a lot.
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