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During our last Friday's Rifts Skype game session, a few questions arose that surrounds the invocation spell, Astral Projection. In the R:UE, it's listed as a 4th level spell, costs 10 P.P.E., and the spell description basically says to reference the psychic power for the specifics of Astral Projection. As a 4th level spell, according to R:UE, it would take 1 melee action to cast that spell.

Question 1:
Does the spellcaster "go astral" upon the end of the invocation (1 attack/action) with the option of staying in the physical world, or totally enter the astral plane, OR is the spell cast and the spellcaster must be in a trance (per the psychic power description) for 6D6 minutes afterward to be able to "go astral"?

Question 2:
Would spell magic be an option for a astrally projected spellcaster in the astral plane

Question 3:
Would spell magic be an option/affect the physical world/people for an astrally projected spellcaster that chooses to inhabit the physical/real world?

0) the writers got lazy. has RUE 2nd printing, AP is not there. It is in the RMoB.

1) At the end of the incantation.

2) A magic user can still use magic in the Astral Plane. See the Between the Shadows book for details.

3) When "Going Astral" there is always a choice (stay in the physical world or go to the astral plane) if the person is not a novice.

So, to put it another way (and using the in-game situation)- A wizard in astral form inhabiting the physical plane (Rifts Earth) used/cast Electric Arc and Firebolt to kill 8 unarmored Coalition NPC's within their Hellraiser hovertank. Is this an allowable use of astral projection, given the current state of the rules (understanding that it might "break" the spirit of the rules- no pun intended)?

Note, the GM and players have agreed and retconned the adventure to undo the above, thereby changing the specifics of the end of the encounter, but not the overall outcome of the encounter.

The only way for a Astral Being to interact with the physical plain while on the physical plain is through Magic or Psi.

Yes.

The only rule about an astral being not being able to go through anything on the physical plain is when there is some sort of Force Field or magic shield that get in the way.

I would agree with the magic barrier blocking blocking the astral being...but not a Force Field.

I find the rules a bit lacking in clarity about being able to use magic/psi to attack people on earth while coexisting with it in astral form.

We know that an Astral Avengers (psyscape) can do it, but it's worded like that's something unique. I was under the impression that under other circumstances you could only use sensitive psionics and not the more kinetic in nature (healing, physical, some supers, RCC abilities) to do anything.

Grand Paladin wrote:So, to put it another way (and using the in-game situation)- A wizard in astral form inhabiting the physical plane (Rifts Earth) used/cast Electric Arc and Firebolt to kill 8 unarmored Coalition NPC's within their Hellraiser hovertank. Is this an allowable use of astral projection, given the current state of the rules (understanding that it might "break" the spirit of the rules- no pun intended)?

Probably not.
RUE 171
The Astral Self is little more than a mute, ghostly observer...
...A character traveling the Material Plane via Astral Projection may use any psionic powers that do NOT require physical contact. They can generally only affect the physical world (or themselves be affected from physical beings by Sensitive psionic powers such as Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Empathy, etc.; Astral travelers communicate using Telepathy.

While at first blush the phrase "do not require physical contact" would seem to indicate psychic powers that have a range greater than "Touch," I don't think that's what they're talking about, due to the other statements.
If you can hurl fireballs and lightning at people, you're not exactly a mute, ghostly observer, you're an invisible death-machine.
Also, note that there is a mention that astral projectors can generally only affect the physical world by Sensitive psionic powers... NOT physical psionic powers such as Telekinesis, Pyrokinesis, or Electrokinesis.
And I'd think that there would be some kind of mention of those powers if they could in fact affect the physical world while astral.

From what I can tell, if you cast a spell like Fire Bolt while you're astral, the result would be an astral fire bolt that could damage any other astral travelers you might hit, but would pass right on through non-astral people, just like if you punched them with your astral fist.



Also, why were the NPCs unarmored...?

Regarding spellcasting while astrally projected: does it say you bring your PPE along with you in astral form and have access to it?

As for the 'sensitive only' limitation, does that mean we should exclude super-psionic powers, even those of a sensitive nature?

Tor wrote:Regarding spellcasting while astrally projected: does it say you bring your PPE along with you in astral form and have access to it?

I can't conceive of any reason you think they /wouldn't/. but between the shadows makes it clear they can with rules for casting in astral form.

As for the 'sensitive only' limitation, does that mean we should exclude super-psionic powers, even those of a sensitive nature?

If the GM wants to be very strict about the wording, I can see them ruling that way.