[Morg]

I know that in SR3 SOTA 64' there was an adept ability that allowed a much shorted period of astral projection but I no longer see it anywhere in SR4

My players would like to make a mystic adept with the ability. Did this get remove for balancing issues, for flavor, or have I not been looking in the right books?

[Bradd]

Page 192, SR4A: "Only characters who possess the Magician quality may astrally project." There is no (Mystic) Adept power to allow it.

[Ultra Violet]

There are some house-rules (ask Medicineman, he played something like that).

Official there are some ways, 2 I remember...
1. A magical drug or compound named "Shade" (see Arsenal, p. 78 ) and 2. an Asian ghoul variation called "Gaki" (see Runner's Companion, p. 79).

But if you do that, you will face some really tough problems of game balance, cause most of the adept power descriptions are not made for the astral case, so you have to figure it out for yourself or decide if it works in astral space or only on our physical plan.

[Morg]

So in other words i would need to totally rebalanced the ability from SR3 to SR4

[Lansdren]

It would require a complete write up as a house rule but if you dont feel it would damage your game alot I cant see to many issues. Personally I would be inclinded to add it as maybe a metamagic.

The complexity will come in making sure what abilities can cross the boundry with you into the astral.

[Morg]

I like the Idea of making it an advanced metamagic and the rest I can just keep simple

[Lansdren]

Maybe go the route of Metamagics

Basic - Astral perception as per the power
Advanced - Astral projection

Means if you want it takes two initiations which means doable but less likely for most people.

Id even go so far as to offer the advanced option as a basic for mystic adepts or adepts who bought the ability with a power point as they can already percieve



My logic is that it would cost in karma 13 for the basic and 16 for the advanced assuming first initiations (your milage may vary) giving costs of

Mystic adept = 13 karma or 6bp
Adept = 29 karma or 15bp (13 karma or 6bp if using a power point)

Balance cost wise for the adept is abit off compared to just buying a mage but for flavour and expanding skills and roles it seems viable.

[Morg]

Seems solid I think I'll use it

[Sichr]

I rmember somethink about mescaline???

[The_Gun_Nut]

Or peyote.  Wasn't that supposed to help with vision quests or something?

[Dead Monky]

Well hell, why play with those pee-wee leaguers?  Why not just head straight for the big boy: LSD?  If that doesn't give you an out of body experience, nothing will.

[The_Gun_Nut]

Well, it doesn't.  It alters brain chemistry, rather, it overloads the brain with a certain chemical transmitter, which causes synesthesia (weird sensory crossovers) and a feeling of spiritual experience.  It's the Sixth world, so maybe it can play a part, but as a GM I would rule it out simply because it's a normal brain chemical (taken in large doses).  Other, more "natural" drugs would qualify in my game, but I feel LSD is too artificial to fit the magical mold in SR metaphysics.

[Dead Monky]

I know.  I was just making a joke.

Do you know why peyote causes hallucinations?  No?  Because it contains mescaline.  Nice, huh?

[Fizzygoo]

Oh yeah, well mescaline contains oxygen! So does LSD! So it's obvious that oxygen is the "dangerous" element that gives both their hallucinogenic properties! Soon, Brackhaven will criminalize oxygen use in Seattle, which will spread to UCAS legislation. Then you'll only be able to get oxygen legally in CFS and Aztlan. But CFS will "increase the levels" so everyone will be using ozone, and Aztlan (Aztechnology) will attach RFID to each one so they can monitor use and adjust sales accordingly (while monitoring every place where you use oxygen)! Of course, it's accessible to the young which will lead to "oxygen babies," children hooked on the stuff from the womb. It's a bleak and dark future.

[snapping back to the actual conversation at hand]

I'm not sure if adepts-able-to-astral-project was removed due to game balance or not, but my hunch is that it was a "style" issue. However, with tantric yoga (physical) adepts, it would seem that astral projection would fit with their idiom...as well with Native American warrior castes' spirit journeys (back to the mescaline topic). I like the idea of it being a metamagic path.

[Dead Monky]

Oxygen!  By the gods!  That stuff is death itself.  Death I tells you!  DEATH!!

Proof