[Basic/Powers] Low or No Signature And Visible

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I spent much of last night poking through the Basic Set and trying to categorize the advantages vis a vis "obviousness". I clearly need a hobby... oh wait!

There seems to really be four rough categories. In the discussion below, I'm making heavy use of the Basic Set distinction of Physical, Social, and Mental traits, which are capitalized because they're very important to Modular Ability, Possession, bodily transformations that leave the mind the same, impersonations, and so forth. They seem to

They seem to what? You left an unfinished sentence there...



Also, you appear to have not fully addressed the case where one character has an ability that affects another target, e.g. Healing (which as we all know can have Ranged) or Telekinesis.

In both of those cases, there either is or is not a visible effect emanating from the character to the target, i.e. to the other living being he's healing or to the rocks he's moving around with his Telekinesis (-??% Only Earth/Sand/Rocks). And one case should cost more than the other.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

They seem to what? You left an unfinished sentence there...

I honestly have no idea any more. *puzzled*

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Also, you appear to have not fully addressed the case where one character has an ability that affects another target, e.g. Healing (which as we all know can have Ranged) or Telekinesis.

I basically only looked through unenhanced advantages, because ohgod the combinatorial problem of digging through enhancements.

Telekinesis officially has a ruling that (when unmodified) there is nothing visibly linking the effect to the TK. Rocks floating around are certainly obvious, but who's making the rocks float around is not - without Visible, there's no blue ray from your forhead to the rocks, nor a green glow around your hands as you point your fingers at the rocks and a matching green glow around the rocks, nor visible marionette strings, nor whatever.

Healing I put in the group where the effects are rather inextricably linked to the user.

Putting Ranged on it, to me, suggests nothing that makes the effect less visibly linked to the user; if anything, you're making it work more like the Attack advantage group and might ensure that there's a visible effect linking you and the subject.

Definitely the Weaponized enhancement from Psionic Powers/Enhancements should kick it into that group, and that's really "Ranged for powers that are better than ranged by default"

[starslayer]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I honestly have no idea any more. *puzzled*



I basically only looked through unenhanced advantages, because ohgod the combinatorial problem of digging through enhancements.

Telekinesis officially has a ruling that (when unmodified) there is nothing visibly linking the effect to the TK. Rocks floating around are certainly obvious, but who's making the rocks float around is not - without Visible, there's no blue ray from your forhead to the rocks, nor a green glow around your hands as you point your fingers at the rocks and a matching green glow around the rocks, nor visible marionette strings, nor whatever.

Healing I put in the group where the effects are rather inextricably linked to the user.

Putting Ranged on it, to me, suggests nothing that makes the effect less visibly linked to the user; if anything, you're making it work more like the Attack advantage group and might ensure that there's a visible effect linking you and the subject.

Definitely the Weaponized enhancement from Psionic Powers/Enhancements should kick it into that group, and that's really "Ranged for powers that are better than ranged by default"

While telekinesis does not have a visible beam or other effect; its limited to ten yards by default and requires a concentrate to keep going- which will make it pretty obvious WHO is doing it (barring other modifiers being put on it)- I think it might just fall into the category of 'advantage that already have modifiers built into its default' (IE Telekenisis has reduced range, requires concentrate, and no signature 'built in')

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by starslayer

While telekinesis does not have a visible beam or other effect; its limited to ten yards by default and requires a concentrate to keep going- which will make it pretty obvious WHO is doing it (barring other modifiers being put on it)

Not particularly.
If you're hidden, it's not going to reveal you. Nor is it going to associate you with the effect if you're one of a crowd.
If you use an innate attack, it comes with about the same amount of signalling as a gunshot - making using it from stealth, and keeping a low profile rather difficult.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Bruno

Not particularly.
If you're hidden, it's not going to reveal you. Nor is it going to associate you with the effect if you're one of a crowd.
If you use an innate attack, it comes with about the same amount of signalling as a gunshot - making using it from stealth, and keeping a low profile rather difficult.

I'd say that a non-tracer gunshot has built-in Low Signature already. It's non-trivial to determine exactly where the shot came from. When I envision an unmodified Innate Attack, it's something like a lance of fire, shooting out from the shooter's location and being visbile for a sizeable fraction of a second.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

I'd say that a non-tracer gunshot has built-in Low Signature already. It's non-trivial to determine exactly where the shot came from..

Counterbalancing that is the production of a loud report that can alert people to it's use even when they are out of eyeshot. Low signature makes it difficult to figure out that an advantage exists at all.

[scc]

Since this somehow weirdly ended up the thread where I'm getting my lust Power double checked by the hivemind I need to run something else just you guys. An idle net search turned this up in Pyramid's archive:

Emotion Field

10 points for first level, 5 points for each additional level

The character radiates a field that triggers a specific emotion in all who come within the area of the field. The field fills the caster's hex(es) at first level, and radiates out 1 hex per additional level. The emotion must be specified at character creation (such as fear). All within the area must make a HT roll or be overcome by the emotion. If there are circumstances that would enhance the emotion (such as a being of incredible beauty in the presence of a lust aura or a ferocious beast in the presence of a fear aura) the HT roll can be modified by as much as -5 (there is no corresponding bonus, however). If the victim critically fails the HT roll, the victim is subject to severe penalties (for fear, treat as a failed Fright Check, for other emotions, use similarly strong penalties, but appropriate for the emotion).

Special Enhancement: The character can inspire more than a single emotion; +25% for each additional emotion possible; or +200% if the character can inspire any emotion.

Special Limitation: The character cannot turn the field off. -50% for emotions that cause others to react negatively (like fear) to -10% for emotions that merely cause problems (such as love). There is no reduction if the emotion would not be a hindrance (like trust).

Now given that that's dated 2001 it's for 3rd ed, so how do I update it? I'm guessing that distance would be increased by using the Increased Range Enhancement B106, but the base cost, is that OK? And would it still have levels? I'm guessing they'd work like Affliction, decreasing the resist number.

[Dragondog]

Affliction with suitable Disadvantage or Terror. Adding Area Effect for the radius you want and Emanation so that it radiates from you.

There's an Always On limitation that you can use and some abilities, such as Terror, has Always On listed with the ability itself.

I would suggest alternative abilities for additional emotions and as far as I know there is no ability that will allow you to inflict any emotion. You have to specify the ones you want.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

I'd say that a non-tracer gunshot has built-in Low Signature already. It's non-trivial to determine exactly where the shot came from.

There's a flash, and a big bang. It's non-trivial to hide that it came from your direction. You can buy a silencer and a flash suppressor, and that's the combo that would make it Low Signature. Guns are the standard for "a signature". They're the example given. They're the definition. You can't say the definition doesn't fit the definition.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Bruno

There's a flash, and a big bang. It's non-trivial to hide that it came from your direction. You can buy a silencer and a flash suppressor, and that's the combo that would make it Low Signature. Guns are the standard for "a signature". They're the example given. They're the definition. You can't say the definition doesn't fit the definition.

Okay. So does that mean that my loud, bright & blatant "Lance-of-Fire" Innate Attack is entitled to a Visible Limitation?