Combat while astrally perceiving Options

[ogbendog]

Am I reading page 184 correctly?

It seems to say that an astrally perceiving mage, say one with a wpn focus, uses his melee wpn skill to thump a physical person, but Astral Combat skill to thump an astrally projecting mage.

So you need both skills?

I assume that if the mage is fighting a dual natrued target, it's the melee skill?

[OmegaSupreme]

As I understand it, Astral Combat and Combat while Preciving are two very different things. Only while you are Projecting do you use your mental stats and Astral Combat skill while attacking. If you are physically there and Preciving, the attack is a normal combat roll requiring the normal physical combat skill (assuming Blades).

[Slacker]

What it says is that you use Astral Combat to fight "wholly astral entities", meaning non-manifest spirits, astrally projecting mages, etc.
Another mage that is also astrally perceiving and standing in front of you would not be a wholly astral entity, so you would still use your normal combat skill to attack him.

[ogbendog]

right, so even though you are in your meat body, and using your real Agility and Strenght, you have to use Astral Combat to fight a wholly astral entity, with your fists, a wpn focus, or whatever

but while fighting a dual natured or mundane critter, you have to use the melee wpn or unarmed skill.

kind of weird

[OmegaSupreme]

[Slacker]

Yes you can hit a wholly astral entity from the physical plane. You'd look weird to those around you swing your sword or whatever weapon foci you use at what they see as empty air, but you can still make the attack using Astral Combat.
Just read the page he is talking about. It says specifically that astrally perceiving or dual-natured characters can attack wholly astral entities using Willpower + Astral Combat.

[Magus]

Yes you can due the fact that at that precise moment in time you are a dual natured creature. If you are PROJECTING is when you use your astral combat skill otherwise if you are only PERCIEVING you use your meat bod skills and stats. Same for INIT Passes You do not get your physical passes or speed when projecting. You use your Astral IP and Astral Speed.