I’ve been tinkering a bit with astral detection and stealth and made a quick and dirty change in order to make the mechanics include people with less essence and awakened in a more refined manner.

Using the perception test modifier table we can add a suitable add-on to perception tests.

Perceiver is using astral perception
Target Essence: + Rating
Target Magic: + Magic

Object has active enchantments (Astral Perception Bonus Only)
Perceiver Dice: +Rating

Cover is often an annoying part for observers as it allows for people to sneak past them.

Object is using Cover (Perceiver looses dice)
Partial Cover: -2
Partial Cover: -4
Good Cover: -6

The material one walks on can also affect detection as anyone who has walked on a nightingale floor can testify, the more uneven ground the easier to detect.

Ground Material
Soft: +1
Uneven: -1
Hard: 0

Since living things have a more visible and vibrant aura and awakened even more so they can be quite easily be found on the astral, but nothing is foolproof and even mages can be foiled.

IF the mage finds his target he can then assense them if he so choose.

So let’s assume that Magnus the mage is looking for Simon the Skulker during a night raid at a warehouse. Simon is a moderately cybered individual (Essence 3) and a complete mundane – his friends would even call him boring but that wouldn’t help him in this situation.

It’s night (partial light) and there is a storm ongoing (heavy rain). The warehouse is rather cluttered and part of the roof have collapsed and the rain is pouring in and Simon is using the mess to skulk around and is equipped with low light vision goggles. The warehouse has basically just been planted on gravel.

Magnus have a good spot near the roof but due to the partial collapse of the roof he’s forced to look through a metal grill that was part of the roof support – but he has a good view of the entire area.

Attributes: Magnus Base Perception: 8D6
Attributes: Simon Base Stealth Pool: 6D6

Magnus is using astral perception
Actively Looking for Simon: +3
Darkness Modifier: -0 (Astral Perception ignores it)
Simons Essence: +3
Partial Cover: -4
Heavy Rain: -4
Interfering Sight: -2 (Metal Grill)

Dicepool: 4D6

Simon is using mundane means
Darkness Modifier: -0 (Low Light Ignores it)
Uneven Ground: -1 (Gravel)

Dicepool: 5D6

What do you think?

Okay, few questions. First, why isn't Simon being effected by the rain? Shouldn't he get the same -4 that Magnus does? Similarly, shouldn't
Oh, we're looking at Simon's stealth, not perception. I do like that it gives some rules to astral perception as opposed to simply making astral an all seeing eye.

Thought observe in detail was a +2 bonus, not +3, but I could be wrong. I'll assume you know since you just looked it up.

Well, I basically wanted to give astrally perceiving characters some challenge and also add the Cyber VS Magic by giving heavily cybered characters a bonus to stealth since they are harder to spot as their aura is 'dimmer' than others while magically active characters really light up the place.

makes a difference between mundanes, cybered and awakened.