Foci & Astral Projection, Does it work? |
Foci & Astral Projection, Does it work? |
Jan 5 2004, 08:00 AM
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#1
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,965 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Edinburgh, Scotland Member No.: 2,032 |
If I had a sustaining focus that was sustaining an Increase Charisma spell, then astrally projected, what happens?
Do I keep the effect of the spell? or Do I lose the effect of the spell? If I lose the effect of the spell: Does the effect return once I get back to my meatbod? or Does the focus deactivate and I need to cast the spell again? I think it primarily depends on wether you can take the astral form of any foci (not only weapon foci) with you when you project, it also depends on wether you only cast the spell on your physical body or your astral body. Similar questions could be asked about taking the astral forms of other foci such as Power and Specific Spell foci with you when you project. |
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Jan 5 2004, 08:06 AM
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#2
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Great Dragon Group: Members Posts: 5,889 Joined: 3-August 03 From: A CPI rank 1 country Member No.: 5,222 |
Can you Manabolt the body of a projecting mage? I'd allow (almost) all Foci to be used while projecting. No idea whether that's canon, but it certainly makes sense if you can use Weapon Foci. The only one I'm not sure about is Sustaining Focus + Improved Reflexes, and Improve BOD/QUI/STR (although that won't matter much to the projecter, and I'd allow the effect to return when the projection ends). |
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Jan 5 2004, 08:10 AM
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#3
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Canon Companion Group: Members Posts: 8,021 Joined: 2-March 03 From: The Morgue, Singapore LTG Member No.: 4,187 |
I allow all foci and sustained spells. If not, you'll have to make special exceptions for certain spells like Astral Armour or Astral Barrier.
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Jan 5 2004, 08:20 AM
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#4
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
As far as I know, any and all Foci accompany an Astrally Projecting mage. I don't recall canon listing any exceptions to this rule.
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Jan 5 2004, 08:21 AM
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#5
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panda! Group: Members Posts: 10,331 Joined: 8-March 02 From: north of central europe Member No.: 2,242 |
the easyes is to say that achoring or spell sustaing ones stay with the body but the power and weapon ones (atleast the magic in them) go with the mage. this way you avoid a snakepit of exploits.
the other way to look at it is that the physical body and the astral one is connected as any damage done to the astral one will be reflected on the physical one. then you can say that the amgic kinda splits (in lack of a better term) so that if you have a armor spell sustained on the body then you allso have it sustained on the astral form. but then if someone messes with the physical foci (likesay removeing it) expect it to fail in the astral to. it all boils down to logic, and trying to preserve it... |
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Jan 5 2004, 08:22 AM
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#6
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,965 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Edinburgh, Scotland Member No.: 2,032 |
I was basing the assumption that they did not follow on the fact that the ability of mages to take the astral form with him is only mentioned under weapon foci.
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Jan 5 2004, 08:36 AM
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#7
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panda! Group: Members Posts: 10,331 Joined: 8-March 02 From: north of central europe Member No.: 2,242 |
ok now the power foci modifys the magic rating fo the user directly so there isnt mutch of a problem bringing that one along (just describe it as a extra glow on the aura with maybe a very bright spot around where the physical foci was located). the realy icky part starts with the spell sustaining one...
as for why the weapon foci is specialy talked about? it enables the user to trade in his astral combat damage for that of a weapon... |
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Jan 5 2004, 08:47 AM
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#8
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,222 Joined: 11-October 02 From: Netherlands and Belgium Member No.: 3,437 |
In my games, all foci (and non-area Sustained Spells) go with the Astrally Projecting mage.
Sphynx |
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Jan 5 2004, 10:16 AM
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#9
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Target Group: Members Posts: 97 Joined: 17-March 03 Member No.: 4,269 |
I wouldn't see why any spell in a sustaining focus wouldn't remain with the mage. It would make spells like Astral Armor nearly pointless if you couldn't (since you would be forced to cast them in the Astral Plane, most likely causing real physical damage). Remember that the astral body and the physical body are still linked magically... hence a focus in contact with one would count as in contact with the other.
Sphynx -- wouldn't sustained spells get dropped, since projecting is an exclusive action? |
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Jan 5 2004, 11:24 AM
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#10
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Neophyte Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,222 Joined: 11-October 02 From: Netherlands and Belgium Member No.: 3,437 |
Was referring to such things as Quickening, Elementals, Allys, Foci etc.... Yes, you couldn't personally sustain a spell while projecting.
Sphynx |
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Jan 5 2004, 02:59 PM
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#11
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Target Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: 16-December 03 Member No.: 5,907 |
I 'd say the mana spells are going with the mage, and all sustaining focuses too. The physicals effects stay with the body.
As for manabolting the body of the astrally projecting mage, that's a good one. I'd say no, since the affected "thing" isn't there. |
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Jan 5 2004, 10:13 PM
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#12
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Senior GM Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,406 Joined: 12-April 03 From: Redmond, WA Member No.: 4,442 |
From the book under Astral Attributes:
Since modifications to mental attributes from cyberware affects your astral form, then modifications from spells cast and sustained on the physical plane should do so as well.
One could even argue that physical spells, not just mana ones, should give you their bonus as they should be just as effective as cyberware. Personally, I don't think I'd allow it, as it just feels wrong. |
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Jan 5 2004, 11:53 PM
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#13
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,066 Joined: 5-February 03 Member No.: 4,017 |
What physical spells would provide any functional benefit in the astral?
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Jan 6 2004, 12:34 AM
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#14
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Senior GM Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,406 Joined: 12-April 03 From: Redmond, WA Member No.: 4,442 |
I'm thinking of Increase Cybered Intelligence.
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Jan 6 2004, 06:23 AM
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#15
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 606 Joined: 17-December 03 Member No.: 5,909 |
heres a few thoughts. If the magical part of the focui goes with the projecting mage it would make sense that the physical portion of it becomes temporarly mundane. Whut happens if the mundane part of the focui was physically removed from the body while the person was projecting? Would you lose the effect of it while projecting? or would is simply be like a mage who lost his body type deal you have so long to find the physical focui or it is destroyed. Also along these lines what happens if a mage dies while projecting? Would the focui also die because they are with him on the astral and unable to return with him to their physical forms or would they simply automatically return to their physical forms?
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Jan 6 2004, 06:30 AM
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#16
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,965 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Edinburgh, Scotland Member No.: 2,032 |
To the first part: by the standard rules if a focus is removed from the character's person then it deactivates. I don't see any problem with continuing that so that if a character's foci is stolen whilst projecting the immediately deactivate thus the astral form vanishes from the astral.
As for the mage dieing, IMHO the foci would simply deactivate. If other weird stuff happened then I think it'd be in the rules. |
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Jan 6 2004, 07:03 AM
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#17
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,685 Joined: 17-August 02 Member No.: 3,123 |
I let people choose which foci to take with them. I've thought quite a bit about it and I find this to be the easiest and most elegant route.
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Jan 7 2004, 01:44 AM
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#18
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 282 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 197 |
Not to be a nitpicker (even though I am...)
You're so close to getting it right, Joker. A lot of people here say "foci" when they really mean "focus." You, on the other hand, say " focui." At least it's closer than most :). You see, focus is the singular form. Foci is the plural form. Let's try an exercise. Bob has a focus. Bob buys another focus. Bob now has two foci. Thank you. This has been another lesson from the Anal Retentive School for Calling Imaginary Things By Their Proper Names. |
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Jan 7 2004, 03:20 AM
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#19
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Manus Celer Dei Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 17,006 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Boston Member No.: 3,802 |
Ok Hasaku, try this one:
Bob has one virus. Bob gets another virus. What does Bob now have? On a side note, while I don't like the implications of it most of the time, the idea of the astral forms of foci getting "lost" on the Astral is intriguing... maybe I'll have a special focus that needs its astral form tracked down and restored to be used... ~J |
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Jan 7 2004, 03:49 AM
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#20
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 749 Joined: 22-June 02 From: Parts Without Member No.: 2,897 |
Actually, in earlier medical parlance, Bob would have two virii. "Virii" has been dropped lately, as it has been found that latin freaks out patients. Something about the kinder, gentler face of modern medicine.
I got my players to say "focus" when they mean "focus" and not "foci" by hitting them with my GM staff (which is not a weapon focus.... yet.... now where am I going to get some orichalicum....). Adding a set of sharp antlers to the staff really sped up their progress. It would be interesting to have some sort of "astral quest" to bond such a focus, perhaps reducing the karma cost to bond the "lost and found" focus. This post has been edited by RangerJoe: Jan 7 2004, 03:50 AM |
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Jan 7 2004, 03:53 AM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 282 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 197 |
Bob has to buy a replacement deck :P
Oh, and he has two viruses according to dictionary.com, but I prefer "virii". Alas, my mini-beef was not with plural forms specifically; it was with confusing the singular and plural. On topic: we know that the physical body still "matters" when astrally projecting, as damage manifests both ways. So you're still linked to your physical form. For that reason, I'd say the physical focus needs to be in contact with your physical body, and your astral form carries the focus's astral form, which should at least be shaped like the focus, especially for weapon foci. Take a focus from a mage's limp hands, and he'll know it instantly as its astral form disappears and reappears with its physical form. Treat the focus as you do whenever an active focus loses contact with its user. |
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Jan 8 2004, 01:06 AM
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#22
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Target Group: Members Posts: 75 Joined: 24-August 02 Member No.: 3,168 |
Damage doesn't go both ways... you can kill a mage's body whilst he's astrally projecting and it'll have no ill effect on his astral form - but he only has Essence hours to get his revenge!
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Jan 8 2004, 05:01 AM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 606 Joined: 17-December 03 Member No.: 5,909 |
heres an idea if your body has been killed and your running out of time why not just make a quick trip to the metaplanes to buy yourself some more time. since essence loss rules dont apply while on an astral quest.
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Jan 8 2004, 05:18 AM
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#24
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Immoral Elf Group: Members Posts: 15,247 Joined: 29-March 02 From: Grimy Pete's Bar & Laundromat Member No.: 2,486 |
Don't quote me, but I seem to recall something about Astral Quests having to be specifically initiated as such, and not merely a jaunt from the Astral on a whim.
Besides, what are you buying time for? It isn't like you can contact friends or construct a new body from the Metaplanes. |
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Jan 8 2004, 05:58 AM
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#25
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 606 Joined: 17-December 03 Member No.: 5,909 |
sorry about quoting you ;) but im ptty sure that you ability to visit the metaplanes has something to do with you're initation grade. i wasnt thinking about having a new body made but t ats a really good idea. just visit a metaplain and dick around until you new body is ready. what is everyone's thoughts on this? |
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