Okay. I'm wondering something about this physical barrier spell... why is it so easy to collapse it? Apparently all you need to do is use the shooting through rules and you end the spell... which would be okay if the walls themselves weren't a little wimpy as compared to any of the weapons, even hold out pistols. A really good wall would be Armor 6 Structure 6... except the structure doesn't matter if someone has a ranged weapon apparently...

Plus the drain is killer... bleh...

Am I interpeting this right?

No, shooting through it doesn't end the spell from what I can see. The reference to penetration is the confusing bit, but that's referring to trying to damage the barrier itself, not shooting through it. The whole reference to healing damage each turn would be kind pointless if even the slightest bit of damage took it down

yeah, you have to destroy the barrier, not just damage it. people can shoot through it, which won't damage it, and which will give the person behind extra armor and such, in addition to a -1 on the attacker's dice pool from poor visibility.

sure, it's not an impenetrable barrier, but it's adequate...

It seemed that way, but the wording seemed so wacky I had to confere with someone about how it was used.
So basically its not "penetrated" so much as "hole blown in" using the standard damaginga barrier rule? I'm fine with that.

I don't even think it's "blown a hole in", I think it's more "blown the ##%@ out of it". Blowing a hole in it is just damage, which it regens at the end of each turn.

I think what the rule is trying to say is that if someone takes it down completely, the spell is over, it doesn't regen at the end of the turn

isnt that how its allways have been?

unless you do enough damage in the space of a single turn (as in a single group of phases) to go over the power of the barrier, the barrier stays up.

overload the barrier with damage and presto, down it goes.

still, its ability to hinder or block damage to those on the other side of it will not the affected by damage done to the barrier itself. ie, it will have the full effect on damage aimed at targets on the other side until it goes down.

so, either bring some explosives or just keep spraying it with lead until it goes down

or bring along a magician of your own and ignore the barrier. or use indirect fire. there's nothing saying you can't just lob a grenade over the barrier... and apparently, it's at least somewhat visible, so you know exactly how high you need to lob it as well. or try other methods of getting around it.... like blowing up the walls beside it if you feel it's too strong of a barrier.

I had a GM not too long ago that ruled that the shoot through rules counted for peircing the barrier in SR3.

He was an excellent GM, but I just found this kinda... annoying... since I tended to enjoy using spells in unique ways... like large sniper shields... (that visual penalty is surprisingly useful... or would have been... now if only I could have worked up one that would not be see-through and apply the blindfire rules....)

My view point was; its hard to counter what you haven't thought of yet.

It can be shaped in various ways, so long as its connected I suppose. A dome, a curved wall, a right angled shield, and a straight wall all work for the spell from what I gather. But yes explosives have a tendency to destroy things.