No, but it is way to indiscriminate for defensive uses.

Well in SR4, the barghest's paralysing howl is Magic + Charisma vs. Willpower. So 7 dice, vs. 3 on average. It will only be one or two hits normally, which takes a point off Reaction for each. Even if Reaction should reach 0, it doesn't mean you stop breathing or your heart gives out. It passes eventually.

You can also apply dice pool modifiers for sound dampening and background noise. So if it howls in downtown Seatle, it will have a short range due to traffic, people being indoors, obstructing buildings, etc. Give the security guards ear muffles, and it's probably fine for use as a guard dog. Swap in Hell Hounds if you want to, though. Similar power, with the same dual nature advantage. No indiscriminate attacks.

Mind you, there's nothing in the description that I recall which says the attack has to be indiscriminate. It's magical and perhaps the barghest merely howls at its intended targets. Other people might just get shivers down their spine.

For defensive purposes when there are pitiful metahuman guards around, I like hellhounds. Nice, targeted fiery goodness.

Well I'd worked out that you were using pre-SR4 rules, but the topic here is Shadowrun, not a specific sub-category like the SR4 section so someone might find it useful. But mainly, I was showing youhow you could keep some of the significance during the scope of the run, but not give it the precinct-devastating significance it has in ordinary life.

You'll also notice two further suggestions that are compatible with pre-SR4, which is that you can apply modifiers for background noise, and that the attack could still be willfully targeted at particular victims even if it has an sonic vector.