Orion
Feb 18 2005, 10:49 PM
If you are blind, can you take Astral Perception? Also, if you use Astral Perception to fire a weapon, do you negate all sight penalties except for the +2 applied for using Astral Perception.
I ask because we have a player in a game whose character is blind. He's a physical adept with Blind Fighting and Astral Perception. He centers against penalties imposed from the astral perception and even if its in total darkness, raining, or smog, he only has the +2 modifier.
Granted, I'm a little jealous cause I didnt think of this abuse of the rules first, but I keep thinking there must be a catch somewhere.
So now I'm running a game, and a friend of his has asked to make the same character in my game. While I'm going to say no just because its annoying, it would really be helpful if there is some way I can explain this as being wrong.
Any ideas?
mfb
Feb 18 2005, 10:51 PM
yes. yes.
i believe that fog imposes perception modifiers on astral perception. check out MitS.
the downside to percieving all the time is, you're always subject to attack from the astral plane.
Shockwave_IIc
Feb 18 2005, 10:55 PM
It would be worse if the Character in question was Dual Natured. No +2 at all that way.
A thread that might be worth reading.
http://forums.dumpshock.com/index.php?show...s,and,blindness
Kanada Ten
Feb 19 2005, 12:03 AM
Also note that the source of light on the Astral Plane is from life. Sterile areas and those where life is choked from existence (say, for instance, inside some smog clouds), astral light is reduced.
Orion
Feb 19 2005, 12:12 AM
QUOTE (Kanada Ten) |
Also note that the source of light on the Astral Plane is from life. Sterile areas and those where life is choked from existence (say, for instance, inside some smog clouds), astral light is reduced. |
I think a case could be made for weather, rain, snow etc. giving astral visibility modifiers since they could be full of both organic life and pollutants.
Still, our GM is a by the rules person. If its not in the rules it seems you can exploit it.
Oh well...
Kanada Ten
Feb 19 2005, 12:17 AM
Background Count is added to Astral Perception TNs and areas with heavy pollution do create a Background Count, as do totally sterile areas. That table is in MitS along with descriptions of the various levels.
Sokei
Feb 21 2005, 09:50 PM
ok I have a question along these lines. Dual natured pc's see the astral plane and the physical plane simutaniously like thermo vision in trolls , am i correct? Now along the lines of light and dark modifiers would a dual nature being be able to see in total PYHSICAL darkness but with the faint light given off on the astral. also would they ever gain bonuses for or against them based on number of people/life present (ie jungle fighting etc). I realized alot of that last question is probably up to the GM but i was just curious what the general concensus was.
mfb
Feb 21 2005, 09:56 PM
light and dark modifiers don't apply to anyone viewing the astral plane. the astral is sufficiently lit by the astral form of the earth itself to see just fine, even in otherwise total darkness.
mods for excessive life (jungle, the top few meters of the ocean) are covered in MitS.
Sokei
Feb 21 2005, 11:47 PM
thanks
akarenti
Feb 22 2005, 01:33 AM
QUOTE (mfb) |
light and dark modifiers don't apply to anyone viewing the astral plane. the astral is sufficiently lit by the astral form of the earth itself to see just fine, even in otherwise total darkness. |
Provided what you're looking at is living. Non-living (non-magical) forms are shadowy and difficult to see at best. So you'd be able to fight just fine with security guards, but fighting against drones would probably get some visibility modifiers. As would trying to read signs, traffic lights, etc.
I believe there's a post around here somewhere linking to an article cut from Renraku Arcology: Shutdown that mentions an astrally projecting mage trying to navigate the Arcology (and failing because he couldn't read the signs to tell which room/floor he was on). Don't remember where the article is though...
Now that I think about it, wouldn't an astrally percieving character be his own source of light, seeing as s/he's alive and all?
Kanada Ten
Feb 22 2005, 01:36 AM
Microbiologcials also light the astral plane. No words can be read while projecting, though percieving characters can since their normal vision also applys (unless they are blind, but reading is not as important in the 6th World).
mfb
Feb 22 2005, 01:45 AM
you can see non-living objects with astral perception just fine. they appear in muted colors, but you can still see them, and they're still lit by the light of the earth's astral form.
Kanada Ten
Feb 22 2005, 01:48 AM
I don't remember any mention of the Earth's glow third edition. I'm not even sure it's considered alive anymore.
akarenti
Feb 22 2005, 01:49 AM
QUOTE (mfb) |
you can see non-living objects with astral perception just fine. they appear in muted colors, but you can still see them, and they're still lit by the light of the earth's astral form. |
Maybe I'm fusing SR astral perception with some type of ED astral perception (which comes in like 4 flavors, each slightly different).
hahnsoo
Feb 22 2005, 02:42 AM
QUOTE (Kanada Ten) |
I don't remember any mention of the Earth's glow third edition. I'm not even sure it's considered alive anymore. |
pp 80-82 of MitS. Earth is dual-natured, also from p82:
QUOTE |
ASTRAL VISIBILITY The astral plane is constantly lit by the glowing aura of the Earth, as well as other living things. The light level on the physical plane has no effect on astral visibility because of this diffuse light level. |
Kanada Ten
Feb 22 2005, 02:45 AM
It can't be dual natured.
hahnsoo
Feb 22 2005, 02:47 AM
QUOTE (Kanada Ten @ Feb 21 2005, 09:45 PM) |
It's not dual natured. |
From p80 of MitS:
QUOTE |
PASSING THROUGH EARTH Mother Earth is a dual being, having a simultaneous existence on both the physical and astral planes. |
I'm not trying to ride your ass about this, I'm just posting what's in Magic in the Shadows, that's all.
Kanada Ten
Feb 22 2005, 02:48 AM
Which makes no sense. And I am being an ass about it. It is not logical to allow astral beings to pass through dual natured objects.
hahnsoo
Feb 22 2005, 02:52 AM
QUOTE (Kanada Ten) |
Which makes no sense. And I am being an ass about it. It is not logical to allow astral beings to pass through dual natured objects. |
More quotes:
QUOTE |
While astral forms are solid to each other and cannot pass through each other, the size of the Earth’s astral form makes it an exception to this rule. Astral forms can pass through the (relatively) diffuse astral form of natural Earth, but the going is slow and difficult, not unlike digging through physical earth. |
Doesn't mean I agree with it, but it does prevent astral forms from taking a "shortcut" through the center of the earth to get to the other side.
Kanada Ten
Feb 22 2005, 02:55 AM
Oh, I remember the whole section now, and why I blocked it out. But thanks for looking it up.
hahnsoo
Feb 22 2005, 02:56 AM
QUOTE (Kanada Ten) |
Oh, I remember the whole section now, and why I blocked it out. But thanks for looking it up. |
Yeah, wasn't trying to offend you personally, just presenting what is in MitS, that's all. Personally, I think it makes enough sense to ignore unless a player is being an ass about it.
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