Electromagnetic vision power

[Lameth]

I am attempting to make a electromagnetic vision power, seen in the TV show Black Lightning. For my modern urban fantasy/horror game.

If a person is invisible, this ability would see them. If they are behind a simlpe wall, the PC will see their electro outline.

Basically being able to see the living elecromagnetic aura around living people only, even through objects. It seems like it would be a combination of See Invisible and Penertating Vision, correct?

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Lameth

I am attempting to make a electromagnetic vision power, seen in the TV show Black Lightning. For my modern urban fantasy/horror game.

If a person is invisible, this ability would see them. If they are behind a simlpe wall, the PC will see their electro outline.

Basically being able to see the living elecromagnetic aura around living people only, even through objects. It seems like it would be a combination of See Invisible and Penertating Vision, correct?

I'm not familiar with the series, but it sounds like you have the right traits based on your description. Both of them will have a limitation if they can only be used to see people. That's a bigger hindrance for PV than for SI, I would say.

[cosmicfish]

A few comments:

1) Human beings only radiate significantly in the infrared, so an ability to see other electromagnetic fields wouldn't help you to see people.

2) Electromagnetic vision, infrared or RF or whatever, would presumably see other sources as well.

3) Seeing radiation through a barrier would depend on the barrier not stopping those waves.

So either electromagnetics works differently in your universe (which would get very complicated very quickly) or this power is unrelated to electromagnetics.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by cosmicfish

So either electromagnetics works differently in your universe

Pretty much a given, as the OP says he's trying to duplicate a superhero power.

[Bruno]

Considering that humans already have electromagnetic vision, I really wouldn't sweat the handwavium, and focus on the SFX.

An alternative option might be Detect Life (Precise), if it doesn't pick up electrical wires and computers. That will defeat invisibility vs traditional sight too.

[Lameth]

From Superpower wiki

User can create, shape and manipulate electromagnetism which (with the exception of gravitation) account for almost all physical phenomena observable to the unaided human senses, including light and other electromagnetic radiation, all of chemistry, most of mechanics (excepting gravitation), and of course magnetism and electricity. That said, only few truly powerful individuals are capable reaching such heights of power, most users have to content themselves with lesser if still impressive abilities.

Due to the intense versatility with electricity (such as electrocution, heat generation, computer and mind hacking, and electrolysis) and magnetism (such as metal manipulation, magnetic levitation, atomic manipulation, and attract and repel), electromagnetism is one of the most powerful and versatile abilities in existence


Essentially right now he only has Control Electricity and Control Ferrous Metals, with a good amount of abilities under them. It is described as a small facets of a very broader scope of a potential power of control over all Electromagnetic. But since that encompassing power wound basically make you one of the most power supers with control over possibly life itself [as above] he instead has very small aspects of it.

He has various "Magneto" like powers and some "Electro" like powers. He is very close to the character in the video game Infamous; Cole MacGrath. All his powers are at a smaller level to outline a person just starting out, only got his powers a few months before.

One of the abilities I wanted was being to see the "electromagnetic aura" around living things, or maybe even all things.

[cosmicfish]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Pretty much a given, as the OP says he's trying to duplicate a superhero power.

But this has in-game implications. If it is just a matter of seeing the radiation, then there could be cameras that can see people behind walls and detectors that can tell when a person is near. Plus people would be interfering with anything transmitting in their spectrum.

There is also still the question if why he can only see people. Are people emitting in a spectrum that is otherwise dead? And why is that the only spectrum the character can see?

I have no problem with the superpower, but explaining it as electromagnetic in nature causes problems.

[Daigoro]

Because he can see biofields with Kirlian vision!

Slightly paranormal, but that would be the justification to go with.