signature rating for spirits Options

[mfb]

anybody know how to determine the signature rating of a manifested spirit? i can't find anything in SR3, R3, MitS, or Critters.

[Jebu]

There's no Signature for spirits listed anywhere, at least to my knowledge. However, in SR3 p. 133, under Signature, it says: "The Signature Rating indicates a vehicle's vulnerability to electromagnetic or thermal detection." It also says in the end of the paragraph: "Note that Signature of a human-sized biological form is 6."

In M&M, p. 75, in the game effects of Thermosense organ, it says: "The target number is based on the object's Signature Rating (p. 133, SR3), which is 6 for most human-sized biological forms; 5 for trolls."

So, the Signature for non-vehicles seems to be based on their heat output, and size. Troll's average Body is 8, so when deciding the Signature for a spirit, I'd look at the pages 266-267 in SR3, for spirits' stats. They all are based on spirit Force, with a possible minus or a plus. The Body for an earth elemental is F+4, so I'd use Signature of 6 for earth elementals of Force 1-4, perhaps, and Signature of 5 for Force 5 and up.

Some spirits should be considered separately, I think fire elemental and storm spirit at least. The fire elemental would have lower Signature for having high heat output, and storm spirit for electromagnetic detection.