Possession spirits, A few questions Options

[MadPiper]

I am a complete newb, so please bare with me!

1. If a spirit possessing you has banish resistance as a power, does that apply if someone is trying to banish it when its possessing you? Its a passive power right?

2. At the cost of a service I can use a spirits power (that is has) on myself and/or teammates (if the power allows), However if the possessing has the power endowment, I can have it endow a specific power on myself that I can use as long as I wish, as long as I am possessed by that spirit.

3. If a magician cast a mana spell with the target being the spirit inside of me, do I get to roll counter spell against it since it is inside of me? (without stating I am defending?)

4. Is it even worth taking the binding skill? Since I lose a service every 24 hours anyways? What would it be, 3,000 nuyen for a weeks binding at best?

I will probably have more later, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. The possession FAQ answered many of my questions. So who knows, this may be it hehe.

Thanks!

[Lionhearted]

3. Only if you have channelling or the spirit possess the magic guard ability

[Malicant]

1. Short answer: yes.

2. When you are possessed by a spirit, you can not do or use anything unless you have the channeling metamagic. You can only order the sprit to do stuff.

3. Again, no, unless you have channeling, or the spirit has magical guard.

4. Without binding, you don't get most service options and you can't have fun stuff like Great Form spirits. Also, bound spirits don't burn a service every 24 hours.

[Cabral]

2. If an item, instead of you, is possessed by a spirit with endowment, yes. With or without channeling.

4. Binding is the only way to summon more than one non-watcher spirit at a time.

[MadPiper]

4. Without binding, you don't get most service options and you can't have fun stuff like Great Form spirits. Also, bound spirits don't burn a service every 24 hours.

Sorry, 12 hours I mean.

4. Binding is the only way to summon more than one non-watcher spirit at a time.

Good point there. Although if I am possession tradition anyways, summoning more then one would be kinda pointless wouldn't it?

Also, does a watcher spirit from a possession tradition have to have a body to be summoned, or can I just summon it, have it watch someone, works normally basically, but lacks the ability to manifest to say, speak a message to someone, interact in the physical etc, etc?

Thanks for the answers!

[WeaverMount]

Tasks on a bound spirit remain until used. What I think you may be thinking of is that indefinite tasks such as "Don't let anyone but me in this room" cost you a new task each sunrise sunset unless you pay karma.

[Rasumichin]

Sorry, 12 hours I mean.



Good point there. Although if I am possession tradition anyways, summoning more then one would be kinda pointless wouldn't it?

No, certainly not.
Spirit powers are so versatile and useful that there are tons of applications where you may want the aid of several spirits at once (like using a concealed, guarded and accelerated vehicle for escape).
Plus, it's good to always have some bound spirits as a backup if thinks go south and you do not have the time (or would not want to stomach possible drain) to summon an unbound spirit- or if your unbound spirit is busy doing something else.
Of course, it still is expensive, you will have to think twice before using the services of your bound spirits, but then, consider the expenses riggers or street sams have to face.
Mages don't have to scratch together every spare (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nuyen.gif) for new ware or equipment- which means that they are much more likely to have money left to burn.

Also, does a watcher spirit from a possession tradition have to have a body to be summoned, or can I just summon it, have it watch someone, works normally basically, but lacks the ability to manifest to say, speak a message to someone, interact in the physical etc, etc?

Thanks for the answers!

Posessing watchers are an optional rule.
Normally, they just float around on the astral.
BTW, posessing spirits don't have to have a body to posess if you don't want them to use physical powers.
They can stay in astral space just like materializing spirits can, the only difference is that they...well, cannot materialize and therefore have to use a vessel in cases where this is desired.

[FrankTrollman]

1. Yes.

2. Actually you'd want to not be possessed by the spirit, but otherwise yes.

3. Spirits and vessels are targeted together so long as they are merged. So you'd be able to benefit from counterspelling applied to either and you'd suffer the full effects of any spell which targeted either.

4. Yes. The Binding Skill is fucking awesome. It allows you to have more than one spirit at a time. They can possess different things. Also, Bound Spirits don't burn a service for being around at any particular time period in SR4.

-Frank

[MadPiper]

2. Actually you'd want to not be possessed by the spirit, but otherwise yes.

2. If an item, instead of you, is possessed by a spirit with endowment, yes. With or without channeling.

Why does the spirit have to be not in my body for me to use its powers or endowment? Just curious, I cant find anything in the books about that.

Thanks for clearing up the other questions, Mucho appreciation!

[Cabral]

The spirit can't endow you when it is possessing you because the you/spirit combo already has the power. Additionally the spirit has to be on the physical plane to endow you unless you are astrally perceiving/projecting.

Apart from that, you'll need to have the spirit possess something/someone else. By the way, a possession tradition mage with Binding can have up to 1+Cha people/items possessed by spirits and Cha items/people possessed by watchers. (Think a +1 Body would help protect your bike, or need a dim autopilot? summon a watcher. Buddy is KOed and need to evac? Summon a watcher. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )

[MadPiper]

The spirit can't endow you when it is possessing you because the you/spirit combo already has the power.

Wait, what? I thought to use a spirits powers(that is in my body) I have to use a service to activate it? So it would be the same process whether the spirit is in my body or not?

Apart from that, you'll need to have the spirit possess something/someone else. By the way, a possession tradition mage with Binding can have up to 1+Cha people/items possessed by spirits and Cha items/people possessed by watchers. (Think a +1 Body would help protect your bike, or need a dim autopilot? summon a watcher. Buddy is KOed and need to evac? Summon a watcher. )

Don't I have to prepare whatever I try to have possessed?