Ghouls and Masking Options

[Pax]

The description for Ghouls in the SR 4 rules states that they are dual-natured and blind.

I am interpreting that as they perceive things using astral sight at all times. Assuming that is correct, if a magician uses Masking or Extended Masking successfully with regards to the ghouls, is he in effect invisible to them or do they see his physical form as with a mundane aura or whatever altered aura he selects within the parameters of the description of 'masking'.

I guess I'm asking if the magician can use masking to just fade into the background and completely surpress his aura so he is effectivley invisible to them.

[Machiavelli]

No, you can just alter the apprearance, not make it vanish.

[GreyBrother]

Even IF you make yourself astrally invisible... they do have enhanced Hearing and Smelling. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[HappyDaze]

I am interpreting that as they perceive things using astral sight at all times. Assuming that is correct

As of Running Wild, Dual Nature allows perception to be changed from physical to astral as a Free Action, but it's not quite "at all times". It's not unreasonable to asume the creature switches back and forth frequently, but this should at least qualify as 'observer distracted' causing a -2 to both Perception and Assensing for the creature.

[PatB]

Masking allows you to change your aura, but it is still a 'living' aura (ie you cannot pretend to be a moving statue as seen in the astral). However, masking allows you to change your aura for something else, be it a non initiate, a mundane, a weak/strong magic attribute, or even another ghoul ... which would be handy to fool another ghoul (well, until he smells you out of course).

To quote the book on p. 198 (SR4A):

or look as though she is a different type of astral creature ..... To disguise her astral form to look like a spirit or other astrally active creature, the character must be capable of astral projection.

[Pax]

Is anyone aware of any superior invisibility style spells which cover scent and aural signature as well as visual stuff ?

Thank you for the assistance on the initial post.

[Dashifen]

Is anyone aware of any superior invisibility style spells which cover scent and aural signature as well as visual stuff ?

Thank you for the assistance on the initial post.

Welcome aboard!!

Some would allow Trid Phantasm to do something like that because it's an open-ended, multi-sensory physical illusion, but check with your GM. I know that I don't allow Phantasm or Trid Phantasm to replicate any other existing spell because otherwise those two illusion spells could be used to do all other illusions in the book.

There's also spell creation rules in the Street Magic rulebook that would help you create a customized spell to do exactly what you're looking for. The drian modifier would likely be:

• Physical Spell: +1
• Range: Let's go with LOS for +0
• Sustained: +0
• Realistic Illusion: +0
• Multi-Sense: +0
• Illusion Hides or Conceals: +2

For a total of (F/2)+3. For reference, Imp. Invisibility is (F/2)+1.

[PatB]

Won't be possible (at least, for a ghoul that is aware). Ghouls and dual natured will always see through invisibility:

SR4A p.208 under the Illusion Spells section:

Though mana-based illusions can be created on the astral plane, their magical auras give them away as illusions to anyone who makes a successful Assensing Test (see Astral Perception, p. 191). Illusions cannot fool assensing to disguise or create auras.

However, if the ghoul is not seeing you, you could always use the Mask spell to prevent being detected by his enhanced smell ability.

[Namelessjoe]

in the digital grimor there was a manascape spell or somthigng simular that changed the astral space this combinded with silence ans some kind of sent masking spell (mayby trid phantism) i would say work but witout foci it would be like a -4 or -6 penality for other dice pools (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Ravor]

It shouldn't be too aweful hard to design your own spell that covered multiple senses, but of course I would never allow a spell to hide it;s own aura, for that you need Extended Masking.