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Old 02-02-2016, 02:47 AM   #1
scc
 
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Default [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

OK, with Powers in play every Ability, that is an Advantage modified into being part of a Power, is assumed to have a Signature. So what exactly do these look like and who can see them? Basic makes it clear that for Innate Attacks that these are some how very visible and traceable back to the user, like the classic Sci Fi laser attack.

But what about less flashy Abilities, like a Succubus' ability to inspire lust in her victims? In TV shows this would likely manifest as pink-ish love hearts with dotted trails that somehow no one is able to see. So what such an Abilities' Signature look like in GURPS? And would have the in-ability to be seen by people for some reason carry over?

And does the No Signature enhancement mean that use of your Ability can NEVER be tracked back to you, even if forensic abilities are used?
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Old 02-02-2016, 03:31 AM   #2
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

My understanding is that a power is assumed to have something, a noise, glowing lights, something that can be traced back to the user. All of them have this by default (except for TK, and perhaps some other examples I'm not aware of).

Low Signature of varying degrees may make it harder to notice, use this for powers that are subtle, or require some trick to see the signature.

No Signature means that your power leaves no hard evidence of your power. This doesn't stop someone from noticing your part in using them, perhaps you have a completely subtle attack, someone might eventually realise that the attacks all happen in the direction you were facing, or when you perform some gesture, but nothing after the matter is left behind, forensics won't help you, your power has left no evidence.

I could be wrong, this is just the way I've understood it.
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Old 02-02-2016, 04:48 AM   #3
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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Originally Posted by scc View Post
OK, with Powers in play every Ability, that is an Advantage modified into being part of a Power, is assumed to have a Signature. So what exactly do these look like and who can see them? Basic makes it clear that for Innate Attacks that these are some how very visible and traceable back to the user, like the classic Sci Fi laser attack.

But what about less flashy Abilities, like a Succubus' ability to inspire lust in her victims? In TV shows this would likely manifest as pink-ish love hearts with dotted trails that somehow no one is able to see. So what such an Abilities' Signature look like in GURPS? And would have the in-ability to be seen by people for some reason carry over?

And does the No Signature enhancement mean that use of your Ability can NEVER be tracked back to you, even if forensic abilities are used?

Well...it means exactly what it means...

In your example, the succubus power could leave a faintly "demonic presence" in the ambient or a specific smell of a specific plant, that trained demon hunters know to be the byproduct of succubus doings...

It doesn't necessarily has to be something obvious and in plain sight and it goes according to the campaign tone.

Incantations (like Maledictions, Curses, MC effects...) could leave specific scents in the area where it was performed, markings...

The "No Signature" makes it much harder to notice, but not impossible. It means a mental effect won't leave ectoplasmic traces in the room or psychic energy...which means even specialist wouldn't notice it...at first glance!

If they were stubborn and actually put their time and effort into it, they could actively perform specific rituals or use powers to determine what happened, since they didn't cease to exist...they simply are much harder to notice.
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Old 02-02-2016, 05:23 AM   #4
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

Most abilities have a mundane signature: "If the ability isn’t based on a mental-influence advantage (e.g., Mind Reading or Mind Control) or another trait with explicitly invisible effects, isn’t totally passive, and isn’t enhanced with No Signature (p. B106), then the buyer must describe a set of effects that are obvious to one or more ordinary human senses." (p. P163)

Anyone can sense a mundane signature unless they lack the appropriate sense. Most mundane signatures are as obvious as a gunshot (not necessarily as loud, but just as obvious).

There's no specific number of signatures an attack is required to have. Most guns are very easy to hear, but the muzzle flash may be difficult to see except at night, and the smell of gunpowder may dissipate quickly and require forensics to detect later (residue on skin or fabric). On the other hand a laser might be visible but have no other signature. Decide for each attack what makes sense.

Abilities which are "less flashy" are that way because they have taken Low or No Signature. Powers has many examples of abilities which have taken Low or No Signature to make them difficult to detect (pp. P140-144).

Supernatural abilities may also be supernaturally traceable (decide for each power source whether it is traceable: magic is usally traceable, chi being internal might not be, etc.). Thus supernatural abilities may have both a mundane signature and a supernatural signature. If you want to reduce/remove both signatures you'll need to take Low/No Signature twice (p. P103).

Abilities which can't be sensed by normal people but can by special people probably have taken No Signature for the mundane signature and the special people have the ability to sense or detect the supernatural signature. Or, more mundanely, the ability has multiple levels of Low Signature so that it's really difficult for most people to sense it, but some people have high levels of Acute Senses or Per, possibly aspected to sensing ability usage.

In the Basic Set, No Signature is +20% and means "almost completely unnoticeable" (emphasis added), which still leaves the possibility of it being noticed. Powers suggests interpreting +20% as -8 to Sense rolls and offers the option of +25% (p. P103) which means "undetectable". If it's undetectable, then there's no signature to detect even with forensics/etc.

Last edited by munin; 02-02-2016 at 06:24 PM.
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Old 02-02-2016, 06:27 AM   #5
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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In your example, the succubus power could leave a faintly "demonic presence" in the ambient or a specific smell of a specific plant, that trained demon hunters know to be the byproduct of succubus doings...
Exactly. And people tend to forget the other senses (apart from sound and sight).

A prominent smell as you mention. But could also be a drop in temperature, or increase. "Does anyone else suddenly feel very hot?", might be appropriate for the lust power. But it could be more weird. Light flickers. You feel a pressure in your chest or in the ears. Static electricity makes hair stand on end and so on.
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Old 02-02-2016, 06:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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Originally Posted by munin View Post
Most abilities have a mundane signature: "If the ability isn’t based on a mental-influence advantage (e.g., Mind Reading or Mind Control) or another trait with explicitly invisible effects, isn’t totally passive, and isn’t enhanced with No Signature (p. B106), then the buyer must describe a set of effects that are obvious to one or more ordinary human senses." (p. P163)
That's interesting, it sounds as if something that effects the mind has no signature. So would the default Affliction have one? What about the Lust Ability I mentioned?

Quote:
Originally Posted by munin View Post
Anyone can sense a mundane signature unless they lack the appropriate sense. Most mundane signatures are as obvious as a gunshot (not necessarily as loud, but just as obvious).

There's no specific number of signatures an attack is required to have. Most guns are very easy to hear, but the muzzle flash may be difficult to see except at night, and the smell of gunpowder may dissipate quickly and require forensics to detect later (residue on skin or fabric). On the other hand a laser might be visible but have no other signature. Decide for each attack what makes sense.

Abilities which are "less flashy" are that way because they have taken Low or No Signature. Powers has many examples of abilities which have taken Low or No Signature to make them difficult to detect (pp. P140-144).

Supernatural abilities may also be supernaturally traceable (decide for each power source whether it is traceable: magic is usally traceable, chi being internal might not be, etc.). Thus supernatural abilities may have both a mundane signature and a supernatural signature. If you want to reduce/remove both signatures you'll need to take Low/No Signature twice (p. P103).

Abilities which can't be sensed by normal people but can by special people probably have taken No Signature for the mundane signature and the special people have the ability to sense or detect the supernatural signature. Or, more mundanely, the ability has multiple levels of Low Signature so that it's really difficult for most people to sense it, but some people have high levels of Acute Senses or Per, possibly aspected to sensing ability usage.

In the Basic Set, No Signature is +20% and means "almost completely unnoticeable" (emphasis added), which still leaves the possibility of it being noticed. Powers suggests interpreting +20% as -8 to Sense rolls and offers the option of +25% (p. P103) which means "undetectable". If it's undetectable, then there's no signature to detect even with forensics/etc.
You make it sound like the system for stating am Abilities Signature can be gamed.
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Old 02-02-2016, 08:12 PM   #7
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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That's interesting, it sounds as if something that effects the mind has no signature.
No physical signature. Detect Telepathy is still going to catch your telepathic Mind Reading (for example).

If you mean "Can be gamed, as in the player and the GM have a conversation about it", I suppose, but that's not the normal meaning of "gamed". If you mean "argue that all your abilities have the least amount of signature you can justify without buying Low Signature", as well as "somehow don't have a supernatural Signature", I'm liable to call that "being a bit of a jerk" and question why you're in my game.
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Old 02-02-2016, 08:28 PM   #8
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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Originally Posted by scc View Post
That's interesting, it sounds as if something that effects the mind has no signature. So would the default Affliction have one? What about the Lust Ability I mentioned?
.
An affliction by default is something that affects the body, not the mind. Or rather it affects the mind by doing something like applying drugs or sonics to the body and then letting body affect the mind. Ordinarily it would be noticeable through a mundane sense unless you got reduced signature.
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Old 02-02-2016, 08:52 PM   #9
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Default Re: [Powers] What Exactly Is An Abilties Signature?

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But what about less flashy Abilities, like a Succubus' ability to inspire lust in her victims?
In the movie Iron Monkey (1993), the villain hits the Iron Monkey in the back with the dreaded Buddha's Palm. The Iron Monkey escapes back to the home of his alter ego, Yang Daifu, where he removes his shirt to reveal a dark red bruise in the shape of a handprint. His assistant, the lovely Miss Orchid, provides immediate medical attention via acupuncture. Each time she inserts one of her rather large needles into the handprint, Yang Daifu's blood streams out black instead of red. Only the timely intervention of Huang Qiying (father of the later much more famous Huang Feihong), who researches an obscure herbal remedy, saves Yang Daifu from death.

That's an example of a dianxue (pressure points) ability with a signature. Recognizing the signature (made all the easier by the villain's habit of boasting about the ability by name) allows Yang Daifu, Miss Orchid, and Huang Qiying to puzzle out a medicinal counter that saves Yang Daifu. They later go on to confront and defeat the villain in proper over-the-top wuxia style.

I recommend the movie if you can stomach wuxia films (some people can't). It's on Netflix. I'm re-watching it now for the umpty-leventh time. :)
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