Hi, I'm a new player to the game and I have several questions. I really hope you can help me because I’m really confused.

Q1: My character in the game is a shaman. As I understand it, shaman have the ability to bind spirits to them (animal spirits, elemental spirits, Est.), I was wondering if it was possible to bind another persons soul. For example, lets say a person was about to die or was just killed and their soul was on the astral plane; could a shaman bind that persons soul or spirit?

Q2: Shamans have the ability to bind spirits to themselves but, can they bind spirits to other things like objects?

Q3: In my character creation, I stumbled over these to spells [Elemental] Aura and [Elemental] Wall, I wanted to add them to my list of spells but, I couldn't find any stats or info on them, what they do, or what elements they work with. Can you help me?

Q4: Finally, I was wondering about other elements in this game. My character uses elemental strike and in looking up element effects I saw a reference for Acid, Fire, Lightning, Sand, Ice, Metal and Water but, not Wind, Earth, and Wood. Was it that I couldn't find them or were they left out of the game? Also, if they do exist in the game, what are their secondary properties and in what spells or abilities can they be used in.

Q5: I've been seeing many different spells online, some that I really don't understand and seem made up; is it possible to create spells in this game, the same as weapons.

Q1: NO, You cannot bind a SOul...

Q2: Possession Traditions of Magic can have their spirits occupy objects...

Q3: [Elemental] Aura/Wall Spell Descriptions are in Street Magic, Page 173... Elemental Effects are also described in Street Magic on pages 164-165...

Q4: See response to Question 3 Above... Some elemental effects have not been detailed, as there are a vast number of such effects

Q5: Yes... it is possible to create your own spells... See Street Magic (Starting around pages 164 or so)

Keep the Faith

Shadowrun magic doesn't deal with people's souls, so no.


The short answer is "sortof." Some spirits can possess people or objects known as vessels; this is covered in Street Magic.


They're in Street Magic, each spell is a different element: Fire Wall, Water Aura, etc.


The elements could more appropriately be described as Elemental Effects, rather than traditional elements like Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood; Wood, Earth, and Wind are not currently covered in sourcebooks.


Yes. Street Magic has rules and guidelines for crafting your own spells.

I'll spare you 20 years of detailed information on the subject and just summarize as 'You really, really don't want to know. And even if you did, it wouldn't be possible for you as a PC' See the next question, too.



No. The process of 'binding' is just a fancy way of saying you're keeping a spirit around long-term. As a shaman, you summon standard spirits that cannot be placed in objects. See Street Magic regarding Posession Traditions, who CAN do this (after a fashion) but their spirits can't materialize on their own.



These spells do not actually exist. Instead, you choose ONE element when you learn them, and can learn each one multiple times (taking a new element each time.) Elemental effects are covered in more detail in Street Magic.



These were originally presented in Street Magic, so full rules should be in there. Some of it probably made it into SR4A, but I'm not positive.



Rules for Spell Design are in Street Magic (Yeah, you're gonna end up getting that book.)

At first, shaman or other mage has to SUMMON spirit, which leaves at next sunrise or sunset - if it is not bound. Binding prevents spirit from vanishing rather than "stick" it to the mage.

Q1: My character in the game is a shaman. As I understand it, shaman have the ability to bind spirits to them (animal spirits, elemental spirits, Est.), I was wondering if it was possible to bind another persons soul. For example, lets say a person was about to die or was just killed and their soul was on the astral plane; could a shaman bind that persons soul or spirit?
No magic a PC has access can affects 'souls' directly (asssuming they exist in setting at all). Spirits are something else entirely.

Q2: Shamans have the ability to bind spirits to themselves but, can they bind spirits to other things like objects?
Clarification:
You can summon spirits - they remain untill sunrise or sunset and owe you services
You can bind spirits you have summoned (or banished) - they remain under you control untill you have exaused your services typically "resting" in the meta planes untill called on
You can instruct a spirit to obey someone other then yourself
What has been refered to by AH and Ty for object "binding" is the Possesion power - as a Shaman your spirits do not have this power, instead they can Materialise. I suppose you could theoretically instruct the spirit to obey the instructions of a computer teminal or house plant if you would like.

Q3: In my character creation, I stumbled over these to spells [Elemental] Aura and [Elemental] Wall, I wanted to add them to my list of spells but, I couldn't find any stats or info on them, what they do, or what elements they work with. Can you help me?
You are probably using a character generator, I would suggest only using spells you have the rules for at hand if you are new, it can get tricky otherwise - if you are really interested in the magic system though Street Magic is a good buy.

Q4: Finally, I was wondering about other elements in this game. My character uses elemental strike and in looking up element effects I saw a reference for Acid, Fire, Lightning, Sand, Ice, Metal and Water but, not Wind, Earth, and Wood. Was it that I couldn't find them or were they left out of the game? Also, if they do exist in the game, what are their secondary properties and in what spells or abilities can they be used in.
I would have wood elements secondary effect to make Vampires VERY VERY sad. the rest of the rules for this and other custom idea is in Street magic... air would act alot like water knocking people over etc, earth is closest to... hmm sand maybe?

Those are long and arduous answers, and open up a can of worms. The simple answer is "Megacorps can kinda do it, but there is no way that you can do it by yourself."

Let's start by saying that there is no "Soul" magic. There CAN be spirits of dead people (ghosts, not the elven special forces but actual ghosts), but these are more like "Impressions." Kinda like a 'soul echo.' They will basically stay around and give people information (usually pertaining to who their killer is or whatnot.) As far as I know, there is no real way to control/bind them, though I seem to recall you being able to banish them.

As for question 2 . . . well, let's talk about cyberzombies.

The only real part of that Shadowrun deals with souls in essence. Basically, once you replace enough of your body with machines, your soul will be unable to recognize your body, and it will leave, and you die (which is why you only have 6 essence to play with when making a runner.) Corporations have found a way to bypass this by forcibly binding a soul to the body even after it has more than 6 essence worth of cyber/bioware. The process requires a bunch of magicians, all initiated, a special procedure (which is kept on ultraviolet nodes) and a crapton of money in special magical components. Even so, the mage has to do constant 'tune ups' on the cyberzombie, and he will eventually fail after a few months (maybe a year, tops.) Most mages who have seen the operation (or performed it) liken it to the most atrocious thing possible, worse than killing kids or, well, anything. The amount of pain you bring to the soul is almost unbearable to watch, and no one can imagine what it's like to go through (because cyberzombies, basically, loose almost all emotion and sense of self.)

Hi, I'm pretty new to the SR4/SR4A game as well, so I hope I can help.

If I am not mistaken, you have to summon a spirit first before binding, so you would have to summon your buddy as a spirit of man first, I guess? What force your buddy's soul is would have to be determined and then you guys would roll appropriately against each other, I would guess.

Sorry, I'm distracted by chat right now, so I will try to see if I have any ideas on your other questions later.