[Reiper]

Sorry about the previous post, I didn't realize dual-natured automatically gave you astral perception(in an enhanced version, even!).  My question is... how do you appear to other things viewing the astral plane?  Do you just look like a strong aura?  Are you obviously an astral planar being?  Is hiding among a group good enough, or would that just look like a person trying to hide in a group of blurry colored auras?  Would he appear to be an animal in his astral form, or would it mimic whatever form he was in currently in the real world?

My book is at home, so someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

I believe it stated that the shifter's true nature is obvious when viewed astrally no matter what form they are taking. Which further leads to complications since they are often hunted, and in most countries have little to no meta-human rights. But at the same time,

[RHat]

Can't find any mention in RC.

As far as the rights/hunted thing goes: non-issue for a Seattle based character at the very least.  The bit about bounties on them is specific to non-UN nations, and many countries (the NAN states included) will issue SINs to shifters, as can corps.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

If you wore a complete suit of full-body armor, would that hide you on the astral plane?  I've always been uncertain about what blocks and what doesn't.  If there's a thin sheet of metal between you and the viewer, no LOS.  If you're wearing metal 3 times as thick, they still have LOS on you.  Carry a paper-thin umbrella like was suggested, tada, somehow they can't see through that even though they can see through your super thick, non-organic, was-never-alive armor.

[Reiper]

If you wore a complete suit of full-body armor, would that hide you on the astral plane?  I've always been uncertain about what blocks and what doesn't.  If there's a thin sheet of metal between you and the viewer, no LOS.  If you're wearing metal 3 times as thick, they still have LOS on you.  Carry a paper-thin umbrella like was suggested, tada, somehow they can't see through that even though they can see through your super thick, non-organic, was-never-alive armor.

I don't think armor hides your aura, and depending on how exactly it works the armor and the body wouldn't quite match up anyways if you're a fox shifter in human form.

Your armor would be shaped like a human, your astral aura would be shaped like a fox, at least that how I'm reading it.

I don't remember which one it broke the rules down in seeing them in astral space, it was either RC or RW.

[RHat]

One way to look at it is that wearing something brings it into your aura.

[mtfeeney = Baron]

One way to look at it is that wearing something brings it into your aura.

I think you're on to something...  So your aura would extend a set distance from your physical body.  To get cover from something, it would have to be further than that from your body and still block sight.  Makes sense, good call.

[Falconer]

Yes... any worn armor by the rules does not hide the aura... even the heaviest full body combat armors.


However... if you step up from armor and instead get in a vehicle you're good.   So if you ran around in a horseman personal mobility vehicle... that would shield you from astral observers.

[Reiper]

Yes... any worn armor by the rules does not hide the aura... even the heaviest full body combat armors.


However... if you step up from armor and instead get in a vehicle you're good.   So if you ran around in a horseman personal mobility vehicle... that would shield you from astral observers.

Its like Superman and his clothes then.

At least wish shifters though, using a pmv is counter intuitive to how they probably should be played.

[RHat]

One way to look at it is that wearing something brings it into your aura.

I think you're on to something...  So your aura would extend a set distance from your physical body.  To get cover from something, it would have to be further than that from your body and still block sight.  Makes sense, good call.

I'd say it's more symbolic.  If something somehow becomes an extension of you - something you wear, something your wield, and so on - your aura extends beyond its previous bounds and covers that.  Astral space isn't physical space, so there are some things there that work in a very different way.

[Falconer]

It sounds to me like you have a siege mentality here...

You're not going to be attacked everywhere and anywhere.   You're no different than any other shadowrunner... and far better off than most of the other 'freaks' in runner's companion (who don't fit in, and stand out like a sore thumb anywhere they go).   The runner's first line of defense always and anywhere is 'anonymity' just being one of the masses.   Only hard-core pink-mohawk games don't follow that rule.

Almost any runner is at the mercy of an astral magician tracking them... stop and think about this... the magician simply conjures up a spirit and has it materialize and neutralize the runner.   Dual-natured simply removes a step.   If you're masked... he's gotta find you and see you in the frothing mass of humanity as well.


But one more caveat with shifters... when their magic is reduced to zero they shift to their animal forms.   BGC's of 1 are very common.   So even if you don't buy adept/magician... you'll want to raise magic up some.   Ask your GM if he'll let you initiate and learn masking to disguise your aura even if you wouldn't normally be able to learn it as a house rule.   But really... shifters are one of the best candidates for adepts or magicians since they're magical already and those abilities function even in animal form.

[Reiper]

It sounds to me like you have a siege mentality here...

You're not going to be attacked everywhere and anywhere.   You're no different than any other shadowrunner... and far better off than most of the other 'freaks' in runner's companion (who don't fit in, and stand out like a sore thumb anywhere they go).   The runner's first line of defense always and anywhere is 'anonymity' just being one of the masses.   Only hard-core pink-mohawk games don't follow that rule.

Almost any runner is at the mercy of an astral magician tracking them... stop and think about this... the magician simply conjures up a spirit and has it materialize and neutralize the runner.   Dual-natured simply removes a step.   If you're masked... he's gotta find you and see you in the frothing mass of humanity as well.


But one more caveat with shifters... when their magic is reduced to zero they shift to their animal forms.   BGC's of 1 are very common.   So even if you don't buy adept/magician... you'll want to raise magic up some.   Ask your GM if he'll let you initiate and learn masking to disguise your aura even if you wouldn't normally be able to learn it as a house rule.   But really... shifters are one of the best candidates for adepts or magicians since they're magical already and those abilities function even in animal form.

Its a mentality I always have. I don't think most GMs would abuse it though, so it is something I'd talk to the GM about ahead of time rather than just "oh <expletive> where did that come from."

[Mirikon]

Talking with the GM ahead of time is always a good thing, just to make sure you're on the same page. Don't want to be playing someone with the Shark mentor spirit and suddenly find out in the middle of your first combat that the GM interprets Frenzy to mean "You no longer get to roll Defense against attacks."