According to the rules foci are present on an astral magician. So if my character turns a suit of chain mail into a power focus and a shield into a sustaining focus, does my character get the benefit of a shield and armor in the astral?

No, but nice try.

I am impressed this was clarified and loop hole closed in SR4.

Take that munchkin

Why is wanting to have a sword (weapon foci), shield and armor in astral space munchkinie? It's not like the bulk of combat in a game is going to take place in the astral unless you have an all magician party (though I guess you could make that suit of armor a sustaining focus and use it to sustain a armor spell).

not a normal armor spell but a astral armor spell sure.

I'd go for that.

And as soon as it is damaged it loses its enchantment.

Munchkin? On Dumpshock? Surely, sir, you jest. People here make characters that make me feel like a hardcore roleplayer, creating characters with 2 and 3 in skills and maxed stats in things that have nothing to do with their actual abilities.

The REASON it doesn't work is that astral combat and physical world combat are inherently different. The Astral Plane is NOT the physical plane, and thus the same rules don't apply. You are dealing with a realm where intent and emotion and life are the primary things to watch out for, not small things like physics, locations, or distance. This is why you need the astral combat skill to fight in the astral plane.


Things get kinda weird when dual natured people (such as an astrally percieving adept) try to fight astral beings. Fun times . . . fun tiiiimes.

So you'd be quite happy with a force 6 weapon focus in the form of a small ring? Which physical combat pool would that help with?

According to the section dealing with Foci in Astral space, unless they had something in one of the erratas...

p.191, SR4
"When activated, foci have an astral form and will accompany an astrally projecting magician to which they are bound. A projecting magician must activate any foci she wishes to take with him in advance(though she can deactivate them at any time)."

...you could have a Weapon Foci(Sword), with a Sustaining Foci(Armor) sustaining an Astral Armor spell, and I suppose you could have a Power Foci(Shield), but Counterspelling Foci(Shield) would probably make more sense considering the Telesma. So long as they're activated on the Physical plane and the Astral Armor spell was cast on the Astral plane, then these should all work effectively while giving you that kick-a** appearance of an Astral Knight. You won't gain the actual benefits of the material armor or shield, but instead the effects of your Astral Armor spell and there's nothing that says you can't have the theatrics of using your Shield in conjunction with that.


Unarmed Combat. Gotta keep my pimp hand strong!

i would go for some gloves...

Spellcasting Foci(Gloves/Gauntlets)?

or weapon foci

Physics don't work on the astral plane, ie there is no kinetic energy, and thus normal weapons and armor are useless. Your force of personality is your weapon in astral combat, and your wits is your shield.