What does mystic armor look like?, As well as other questions Options

[Marston]

What does mystic armor look like?
I've read through most of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th ed about mystic armor to determine if a PC can "see" it?

This is for a SR4(A) custom campaign.
If they can see it in the physical world, could the armor look similar to what is seen in "Karas?"
For example, increased levels of mystic armor would become increasingly complex. (I recently finished watching the two parts.)

If they can't see it in the physical world, in astral, would the armor have a specific look?

Certainly, it may be up to the GM to determine whether or not mystic armor can or cannot be perceived through either astral or the physical realm.



Several questions:
As beginner GM, I was wondering where to begin looking for resources on how to effectively maintain the chaos, or does that just come with practice?
Where would be a good place to discuss custom campaigns? Somewhere to flesh out ideas, so transitions are not "staccato-like?"

Please inform.
Thanks.
-Marston

I've lurked in these forums for awhile, though I haven't registered until recently, where several questions cannot be answered by my GM, as I am attempting to run a custom campaign, with my old GM as a PC. (I wonder if that makes any sense.)

[O'Donnell Heir]

It looks like what you want. 90% of spells in Shadowrun is roleplaying. Things like looks, feel, even smell of the effects you create are up to you so long as you fit it within the general description of the spell. Other than rolling the dice, it's up to you. This is what has created the different schools of thought and religious aspect of mages and shamans in Shadowrun.

[ShadowPavement]

Pavao's site has some good cheat sheets to help with the different game mechanics. HERE

I downloaded a couple other help sheets that I use alot, but I can't seem to find the place I downloaded them from. I'll send you PM with a link to download them since I'm not sure if the author would want me to post them up here for everyone.

As far as maintaining order during a game, Just take things slow and be organized. I always try to have all my bad guys typed out on one sheet, two at most. For my game material I use a binder with the clear plastic sleeves that I use to keep all my quick references for combat, decking, and magic handy, as well as other rules that seem to come up a lot like burst and auto-fire, and electricity damage. I still have to do some flipping at times but it's through a very limited number of pages instead of the whole book.


As far as the Mage Armor imagery goes I usually just describe it as a force-field like skin that covers the mage, with the thickness increasing with the power of the spell. Though (if I ever get to play again instead of GM) I'd like to have a mage who's armor spell takes the shape of a glowing suit of samurai armor around him. With a manabolt spell that takes the form of a giant katana that lashes out to strike down his foe's.....hmmm....I think I have a new NPC for my game. W00T!

[Octopiii]

You have to make a Perception test just to see a spell, so it's definitely subtle. Slight warping of space around the character, perhaps?

[ludomastro]

It looks like what you want. 90% of spells in Shadowrun is roleplaying. Things like looks, feel, even smell of the effects you create are up to you so long as you fit it within the general description of the spell. Other than rolling the dice, it's up to you. This is what has created the different schools of thought and religious aspect of mages and shamans in Shadowrun.

I have to second this. It could very well be that the player forgoes the normal Perception test to notice magic so that she can have her character look like Joan of Arc when under the Armor spell.

Another player might opt to have his character create an invisible field that pushes bullets out of the way (assuming the attacker didn't score enough hits. Either way works. Just make sure the GM and players talk.

[Screaming Eagle]

Odd, I'm reading that the question is about the adept power... for most adept powers I generally have them be totally invisable until they come into effect. As for astral visablity I don't think there is any hard rules for it but I usually run with 3 hits on an assencing test to get the "overall feel" an adepts powers (tough like nails, fists of iron) have and 5+ hits getting details on the specific powers (mystic armor X5, killing hands, critical strike X4, missile parry). The rest is in the assencing table (I think).

On the otherhand the manafestation of an adepts powers are very personal. Mystic Armor will range from "unnatural toughness" - gets shot but the wounds are not in any way crippling, to ablative force screen - bullets bounce off of the air ro slow before striking, to the Darth Vader "Stick your hand in the way to block the bullets". If he wants a shimmering field of force - sure, his call. Down side - noticable superpowers, upside - intimidation bonuses.

Killing hands is my favotrite for these variations - do your massivly powerful blows crush bone and mangle flesh? Or do you strike with lightning presision, dislocating joints or in one case I approved: do your hand really cut like knives, you chi extending the slightest distance beyond your own body to wound your foes just before you touch them.

Controling the Chaos: keep notes, about everything, after every session write stuff down, as much as you can recall. This is also the best way to keep a "by the seat of your pants" campaign going, if you have alot of past material you will need to work LESS over time.
Be ready for the players to ignore everything you have prepared, regardless of how much you have prepared - often.
A list of names - location names, fixer names, whatever, names on the fly are one of my banes.
Other then that? Try to have a good time. If you get stuck, run Stuffer Shack (Food Fight). Everyone loves Stuffer Shack.

[Kev]

Well, I know the armor SPELL is specifically stated as a glowing aura, but that could probably take the form of a traditional armor of the magician's casting (maybe the hermetic is surrounded by glowing, translucent plate mail).

The adept ability, as far as I know, is completely hidden on the material world. They're just able to take a ridiculous amount of damage and walk away. Bullets flatten on their skin, stuff like that.

I also always imagined killing hands acting like the physical damage done by cyberarms and/or bone lacing, but that "cuts like knives" thing actually makes for pretty bad-ass imagery.

[Screaming Eagle]

It would have been worse/ better if she had taken "Delay damage" as well. That would have been dead sexy. 3rd edition if any one is wondering.

[Marston]

Alright, thanks.
I had meant Mystic Armor as the adept power.