Erasing signatures Options

[odei]

Few questions:

Can spell pool be used when erasing a spell?

Can a partially erased spell be erased over and over until it's gone?

Does erasing a signature require astral perception or can it be done while projecting, too?

Having spell pool available, unlimited attempts and the freedom to erase from virtually anywhere makes it seem so easy, but the rules aren't explicit on these.

I was thinking no spell pool, +2 on new attempts and no projection so my players aren't just letting it rip with Force 6 spells all the time and not considering the consequences. I know it's a game-to-game deal, but does anyone think this is too harsh? Every rule is a two-way street after all.

[Pendaric]

No
Yes
Yes

Plus two per attempt sounds resonable to me but it is after all your game, run house rules according to your intended style and theme.
If you wish to impose worry over spell sigs then manipulate the plot tempo so the team have to leave the area while being chased.
Or perhapes the signature is behind wards that pose a real threat to a injured magicain.

[eidolon]

I took issue with the ease of erasing signatures in my last game. It got to be routine.

Mage: I cast a force 8D manabolt at the gaurd. *roll roll* 4 successes.
GM: Okay. *roll roll* He drops.
Mage: I erase my signature (unspoken: with my ungodly amount of dice, and since the rules say that it takes mere seconds to do, you can't justify interrupting me very often, bwuhahahahaha).

I'll be doing something in line with what the OP suggests next time I run. (But again, it's all about personal style and the type of game. I like a paranoid, look over your shoulder because the world is out to kill you game.)

[odei]

It's not exactly "mere seconds." One attempt at a Force 8 spell takes roughly half a minute and even rolling Sorcery 8 you'll likely get no more than 1 success. To erase all eight hours you may be hanging around for 3+ minutes erasing one signature.

Treating it like assensing means that there's a possibility no amount of erasure can get rid of it completely and no runner wants astral house calls after a "successful" run.

[eidolon]

It's mere seconds when they get multiple sucesses and there is nothing else "going on" at the moment. It's mere seconds compared to having to sit a stakeout for 12 hours. Time is relative, of course.

As far as "likely", you can talk probability and statistics all day, but the dice still aren't going to listen. It can go either way on any roll. "Likely" has nothing to do with it.

I was talking about my experience, not "all games", or some kind of statistical conjecture.

[RainOfSteel]

I will now display my raw ignorance and ask for a book and page reference to erasing signatures.

[eidolon]

SR3.172

[RainOfSteel]

[eidolon]

Np. I have nearly all of (and have read nearly all of) the books, but by no means does that ever actually mean I know what I'm talking about, or that I can remember where to find it. ;)

[Trax]

You can erase signatures? Aw crap!

[Shockwave_IIc]

Don't you take drain at FORCE when erasing sig's?

Goes to check books...

Got it, Trauma Dampners strike again.

[odei]

Oh yeah, Drain. Thank you, totally forgot about that. :)

[Catsnightmare]

Yea, the Drain and it takes TIME. It's when the drek hits the fan, and you have to leave in hurry that the time limit really hits you.