[toad]

Can a mage who is astrally projecting, still cast spells targeting mundane objects and or a normal meta-human (aura). I thought they could not, but am not finding in the book.

[Demerzel]

SR4A p.183

[ . . .]a magician in astral space can only cast spells on targets that have an astral form (though the auras of things in the physical world can be seen, auras alone cannot be targeted).

[Orvich]

In theory, you could hit someone with an appropriate area spell if you had something to target, like an active focus, right?

[Lethe]

In theory, you could hit someone with an appropriate area spell if you had something to target, like an active focus, right?

No, that was in SR2. In SR4 you can only damage the focus aura and deactivate it that way. Also in Astral Space you can only cast Mana Spells. And for Mana Area Spells every target would have to need an astral form.

[farothel]

So while astral you can stunbolt a spirit to disruption but not the cybered troll streetsammy?

[Medicineman]

So while astral you can stunbolt a spirit to disruption but not the cybered troll streetsammy?

Thats right (the Astral Space is like Las Vegas. what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas)
its called Plane separation (Ebenentrennung)
A Dual being can affect both planes though, but not at the same Time (and be affected by both planes )

with  a Dual Dance
Medicineman

[Demerzel]

but not at the same Time

What are you basing this statement on?

Is it, "An astrally perceiving (or otherwise dual-natured) magician can cast spells on a target in either the physical world or in astral space"?

[toad]

SR4A p.183

[ . . .]a magician in astral space can only cast spells on targets that have an astral form (though the auras of things in the physical world can be seen, auras alone cannot be targeted).

Thanks! I had kept looking fruitlessly in the sections on astral projection for it.

[Demerzel]

Glad to be of service.