SURGE-claws a "Natural Weapon"? Options

[Dakka Dakka]

They seriously need to get over the archaic "all astral attacks do Charisma damage, omg" rule and just let dual-natured/astrally perceiving characters attack astral forms normally. Leave the Willpower + Astral Combat and Charisma damage stuff for those attacking with their force of will/traditional astral combat. It's silly that they tried so hard to make the Astral Combat skill "important" in this way regardless of all the issues and silliness that results because of it.

To me the necessity for the skill isn't even the sillliest part of the whole thing. It's the linked Attribute Willpower. Not only makes this the attribute even more important (Stun Boxes, Resistance against most spells, etc.) it also doesn't fit in with the Astral Attributes table (SR4A p. 192). It should be LOG+Astral Combat.

[Saint Sithney]

I just don't get dual natured creatures at all. An astral form can fly at a gajillion miles an hour, so there's no way a meat-body creature, even one who could fly, could hope to get within striking distance of an astral mage throwing manabolts. It's just a hopeless death sentence.

[Dakka Dakka]

Against Mages you are right, but not all astral creatures have astral ranged weapons. Against those a simply withholding your action should be enough.