I've been trying to determine if Physical Adepts in SR3 are allowed to use the Sorcery skill for spell resistance. SR3 sourcebook seems to contradict itself by saying that Adepts cannot use Active Magic Skills (SR3 p.160), but later it says adepts can use Astral Combat specialization of Sorcery in Astral Combat... (SR3 p.174)

So my point is that if Adepts can have Sorcery, do they also have Spell Defense dice equal to their Sorcery skill? Thanks,

-Z

No. It is quite specific in that the only thing Adepts (other than Magician's way Adepts) can use Sorcery for is Astral Combat.

Weird. Why let adepts take the skill at all then? If I'm an Adept that is astrally perceiving, why wouldn't I put points into unarmed combat instead of Sorcery... I can use Unarmed Astral or not. Sorcery only works astrally. Seems silly.

-Z

indeed. it's also a nice 'backup' option--my adept has killing hands M and 8 dice in karate, but that did him no good at all recently when he was attacked by a force 6 sea spirit while sneaking up on a boat. my willpower 4, and the focus will maneuver that everybody laughed at me for taking, saved my butt--i engaged it in a battle of wills, like any other mundane, because i didn't have the underwater combat skill.