Probably should've also asked for clarification on what a PAB III is in my previous post. Been trying to find it in my books (assuming I have the right one, somewhere).

That creature feeds on certain specific types of mana. The very types that a Background Count would mostly produce an adverse response. So the way I see it, FAB is in essense trying to eat poison if it enters a domain, not all mana is edible, so to speak.

FAB (not PAB) is detailed in Street Magic. Strain III is basically a dual-natured bacteria that forms colonies that float around and hunt magically-active auras to feed upon. They're measured in Force and, once they exceed Force 6, they split into two new colonies, one at Force 6, the other at Force 1.

I was under the impression that it went up to force 11, then split into new colonies of 6 and 5. (Page 127)

Thanks, found I was looking in completely the wrong areas to boot. And in reading up on this stuff I found you had an error regarding their size, and more that is interesting.

A FAB cloud splits when it reaches a force of 11, leaving a force 6 and a force 5 cloud behind (you're right, Harbin). Also, a FAB cloud may feed off of areas with a positive background count (such as a character with Astral Hazing or a cyberzombie), but only at a force equal to a background count.

So while an Astral Hazer can't inadvertently breed more FAB because the bacteria is gimped (they never reach that critical mass of force 11), the character can most certainly be a carrier to spread it around until such the FAB find something more enticing.

Why would they never reach the critical mass of force 11?
Force 6 goes in,goes down to force 2, feeds, is back at force 6, feeds some more, is now at force 10.
When it leaves the background-count, it goes straight up to 14 and splits. Or am i missing something?

Is it 11? Hooray for fuzzy memory! Sorry about that.

I still doubt such a non-sentient being like FAB III would voluntarily enter a background count like that. And even if involuntarily forced to, it would flee like a bat out of Hell as soon as it could. I mean, it's the opposite of healthy mana. Especially since most beings who have Astral Hazing specifically aren't magical. And even if they were, it would be like putting a slug next to a bed of salt that has some really tasty piece of food in the center of it. Do you think the slug would go through the hassle to get it?

No worries Dr. Funkenstein.

But considering that Astral Hazing is a positive background count, there's excess mana that's equally disruptive to many things as an equal lack of it. It does not actually mean the mana is unhealthy, just that there's more of it in the area than there should be. The very description of Astral Hazing is that the creature is an aspected domain with a background count of 4, not a mana ebb with a background count of 4.

A weak and/or starving FAB III cloud (anything at force 4 or less) would actually try to stick around an Astral Hazer if there is no other option at all. SM does say "They may feed off areas with a positive background count, but they can only survive there for extended periods at a Force equal to the background count." I take this to mean that a FAB III cloud is not weakened by entering an area of a positive background count, like close proximity to an Astral Hazer or Cyberzombie, but also cannot reach critical mass (force 11) if there is nothing else to feed on if that background count is not at least 11. On top of that, since an Astral Hazer is astrally active in a fashion (by nature of creating an aspected domain with a background count of 4), a weak/starving FAB III cloud with no other option would actually try to stick around as much as possible. It is a dual-natured bacteria after all; it can cling to clothing, hair, and even skin. It just likely won't use its Energy Drain ability on an Astral Hazer as the Astral Hazer truly isn't magical in most cases (blending in with the background count, in a fashion; especially if the Astral Hazer is essence 4), and will "jump ship" at the first opportunity of better food.

A better analogy might be to see it like a [meta]human being forced to drink tainted water. If that tainted water is your [u]only[u] source of water you will drink it or die.

Huh, this sounds like my (bad) idea for an awakened shadowrunner who ran around constantly exposed to FAB III in order to spread it when the chemical seal of his suit broke (and thus let the FABIII out, presumably in combat.)

Except that it would actually possibly sound plausible.

This character is starting to sound more and more like the antithesis of magic. Mages throw spells and they bounce off/vanish completely while MAGE CANCER eats them alive.

If you want mage cancer, you are better served by something else.

I was under the impression that FAB III was essentially mage cancer with what it did and all.

It's a common mistake. It's an "aspected background count" in name only; it's actually aspected for no one. To this day I have no idea why they call it that. And it certainly isn't aspected for FAB III, of which most should instantly die as soon as it touches it since it's reduced to Force 0. (Please, God, don't argue that "0" doesn't exist in the game as an actual stat value again.) It's absolutely no different than a spirit. But if you think spirits would seek out hazed characters and hang around them because it's a happy happy joy joy place for them -- what, with all the surplus mana floating around -- that's... well, that's your prerogative. I can tell you now, though, you won't be able to convince me that's the case.

And considering that it's either "live and find another source of mana" (since they'd only be 'starving' at Force 1) or "die instantly by going in there," I believe that even a non-thinking being like FAB would make the obvious decision.

I prefer ADS and MADS as mage's cancer myself.

When it comes to spirits (creatures of living mana), I have no doubt that they risk disruption if pushed into an Astral Haze if they are not strong enough and will seek to avoid proximity to such characters if at all possible. Also, I won't argue that zero doesn't exist in game as an actual stat value; I'd probably argue that it does, with negative consequences depending on the stat.

But the very nature of FAB III is different than a spirit. FAB III is a dual-natured bacteria that seeks out and feeds on magical energies and astral forms, not a creature of pure magic that exists because of it like a spirit. As such, FAB III would have its Magic score reduced by entering a domain (an attribute it does not have), not its Force. And before someone says, SM page 118: "Pre-existing wards, mana barriers, active foci, sustained spells, and quickened/anchored spells are similarly affected. Reduce their Force by the absolute value of the background count." FAB III is not a ward, mana barrier, foci, or spell of any sort.

And in reading the updated version of Energy Drain in SM, I correct myself about FAB III draining an Astral Hazer as it ignores essence (originally I thought it did, along with Magic & Force).

This argument gets a little fuzzy in the books. FAB III is quoted as having the ability to feed off of background counts, but it's also a magical being with a Force so it should be weakened by them. It feels like we're missing something. RAW, FAB should be weakened upon entering a background count and then be able to feed off of it to maintain its force so long as its force isn't more than double that of the background count. IMHO RAI would have it that FAB III isn't affected by the Force reducing power of background counts and a Force 4 FAB III cloud would be able to feed off of an Astral Haze until it found some real prey to latch on to, but I've got no proof so I'll leave that argument where it is.

It's gotta be a judgment call. Either, FAB III is a magical entity, (specifically a bacteria,) with a Force which is reduced by BC, or FAB III is a magical parasite, (it is pretty unique in its magic drain,) which feeds on mana in whatever form it may find. The 1st interpretation is how it is written in the books, however in the description of how it operates, the 2nd seems more fitting.

I really don't want to do that to my players. Have them walk through some BC area, grunching their Magic stat until they leave, only to find out upon their exit that they're covered in aura leaches. It's just mean. In the meantime, I'm dreading the day someone makes their mage HK based on this concept..

SR4 is more vague on how FAB reacts to a background count, but in SR3, it says "FAB is attracted to the background count constantly generated by cyberzombies." (Man & Machine, pg. 57, emphasis mine).