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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: MEYFROIDT Andy <ameyfroi@****.MOBISTAR.BE>
Subject: magical shapeshifters
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 15:09:48 +0100
Hi Guys

Well, I am in the process of creating a new character, and since I don't
like playing ordinary street pizza, I decided to play a shapeshifter.
However, I also like to play magically active characters. But, ..., I've
allready played mages and shamans. So this time my character is gonna be
a houngan (yeah voodoo yeah).

Now, I've got a few questions concerning the combination of magic and
shapeshifters that a would like you to think about...

What about shapeshifters and astral projection?? Is it possible (should
be, since it's a full magic user), if yes what about the dualm nature??
The physical body stays behind, but what about the astral presence???
What should be it's initiative when astral projecting, the one of a full
mage or the one of a dual natured being.

Again what about shapeshifting and astral projection?? Does the astral
body (when astrally projecting) use the stats of the being in human form
or in animal form. Does this depend onthe form of the shapeshifter when
the projection starts, Can it change once it is projecting???

What about spells do they affect both presences (astral and physical)?
For instance the armor spell which gives the being dermal armour in the
physical, does this also affect it in the astral plane?

What about spell locks and foci? do they also work on the astral plane.

.... (please feel free to add question/answers/remarks).

Hey, I guess this is gonna be one interesting character to play!!!
Oh yeah a while ago people on the list were discussing how to kill a
shapeshifter. I can think of at least 2 ways: astrally: use a level 7
fireelemental, he should be a lot faster than the shapeshifter and
(using the old SRII, that is) he uses ranged combat!!
The second way is using a fast street pizza with a big gun. After a
deadly wound the shapeshifter drops unconsious, and the pizza can finish
him of by just pumping bullits in it until it finally really dies.

P.S. we are still using SRII in our group but SRIII remarks are also
welcome.

thanks,
Krypton
Message no. 2
From: "Davidson, Chris" <Christopher.Davidson@***.BOEING.COM>
Subject: Re: magical shapeshifters
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 10:17:36 -0800
> What about shapeshifters and astral projection?? Is it possible (should
> be, since it's a full magic user), if yes what about the dualm nature??
> The physical body stays behind, but what about the astral presence???
> What should be it's initiative when astral projecting, the one of a full
> mage or the one of a dual natured being.
>
Shouldn't be a problem, since they are dual
natured. If anything, that should make it easier.

> Again what about shapeshifting and astral projection?? Does the astral
> body (when astrally projecting) use the stats of the being in human form
> or in animal form. Does this depend onthe form of the shapeshifter when
> the projection starts, Can it change once it is projecting???
>
I believe that your astral self always uses the animal form...and looks like the animal
for at all time...unless of course your mage is a initiate, where it can mask it's animal
aura to look more like human...

> What about spells do they affect both presences (astral and physical)?
> For instance the armor spell which gives the being dermal armour in the
> physical, does this also affect it in the astral plane?
>
Hmmm...not sure, but spells that adversely effect dual natured things (like undead
critters) would have the same effect...

> What about spell locks and foci? do they also work on the astral plane.
>
Yup.

-Toffer
Message no. 3
From: Starjammer <starjammer@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: magical shapeshifters
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 13:26:42 -0500
At 03:09 PM 1/29/99 +0100, MEYFROIDT Andy wrote:
>
>What about shapeshifters and astral projection?? Is it possible (should
>be, since it's a full magic user), if yes what about the dualm nature??
>The physical body stays behind, but what about the astral presence???
>What should be it's initiative when astral projecting, the one of a full
>mage or the one of a dual natured being.

Magically active dual critters can project. When the character projects,
use the rules for astral forms, but bear in mind that the astral form of a
dual critter uses the physical attributes. You do get the initiative bonus
for a projecting form.

>Again what about shapeshifting and astral projection?? Does the astral
>body (when astrally projecting) use the stats of the being in human form
>or in animal form. Does this depend onthe form of the shapeshifter when
>the projection starts, Can it change once it is projecting???

According to the shapeshifter PC rules, shapeshifters can only project in
human form. (I suppose this is for game balance, since I can't think of
any other good reason why this should be so.) Use the human-form stats.

>What about spells do they affect both presences (astral and physical)?
>For instance the armor spell which gives the being dermal armour in the
>physical, does this also affect it in the astral plane?
>
>What about spell locks and foci? do they also work on the astral plane.

Armor spells do not work on the astral, they create an effect in the
physical world. Spells that work on the physical form (Increase Physical
Attribute spells, etc.) do not work on the astral form, except for Healing
spells which will work on an astral form. Spells that work on the mind
will affect an astral form.

All foci function on the astral, but a spell lock is worse than useless if
the spell it's locking only works on the physical form. Under SR2 rules,
any focus in astral space can be attacked and used to ground a spell into
the physical world, and a lock is only a rating 1 focus. After the third
or fourth fireball, your teammates will learn to hate spell locks.


--
Starjammer - starjammer@**********.com - Marietta, GA

"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death
that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it
to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn
the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be
nothing. Only I will remain."
-- Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear, Frank Herbert, Dune

Further Reading

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!