Static vs. Mind Bullets

[Yako]

Missile spells, I hear?

So, given that most spells that do damage are either missile spells (or their melee equivalent), resisted or some sort of area effect and since we seem to agree that static does not do anything against missile spells...

Then how exactly shall it stop ANY innate attack or similar that is not resisted?
Heat Vision? Mystical energy bolts?
Pretty much any attack like that can follow the same guideline of "it just creates an effect that is then used to damage"

You make a very bad case of nitpicking over special effects if you say that the "magical rock-launcher" is not stopped but the "mystic ether blade" is.
There is no modifier so far that differentiates such things, look at the sample powers in various books.

Almost any attack that directly affects someone instead of "hurling something at him" has a resistance roll and all such attacks are already clearly stopped by static.

I say it again, would that not be the case, then the pricing between things like Immunity to a power, mana damper and static would be really out of proportion, that alone should be enough indication that reading it as an immunity to any kind of innate attack with the appropriate power modifier is a bad idea.

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Yako

So, given that most spells that do damage are either missile spells (or their melee equivalent), resisted or some sort of area effect and since we seem to agree that static does not do anything against missile spells...

Once a missile spell is cast, it's a mundane rock that is somehow on fire. While the force that propels it towards your face is clearly not physics, the flaming rock itself is very much a real rock that is on fire. However, any sort of area effect on Static means that a fireball can't be cast AT ALL. It should also be noted that if you physically pick the mage up, your Static will prevent them from casting any spells, as well.

What a smart super facing somebody with Static vs them would do is get a big enough stick. If your Super-ST is negated when you try to punch somebody, just grab the nearest large object and squash him while standing safely out of range of his Static.

[Not another shrubbery]

Cosmic on your Static will take care of a lot of things that might otherwise bypass your source immunity. Malediction-Proof (Psionic Powers, p14) is like Cosmic with a name-change.

[Snaps]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Once a missile spell is cast, it's a mundane rock that is somehow on fire. While the force that propels it towards your face is clearly not physics, the flaming rock itself is very much a real rock that is on fire.

I don't think this is the case. It's been stated several time that a Fireball is really just a magical ball of force with a slight fire effect. If you cast Earth Missile for example, there's no rock remaining after it strikes a target, the magical stone disappears after striking its target.

Also, I don't see anywhere that states that Static doesn't work on Missile spells. It specifically says:

You radiate energies that completely prevent all powers of one particular source from affecting you.

[scc]

As a rule of thumb Missile Spells are not non-magical once they leave your hand, with the probable exception of Sunbolt (This is why friends don't let friends put magic lasers in their games)

[Snaps]

Think of it like this:

If you have Absorption (Magic Only) would it work on the Fireball or Sunbolt?

If yes, then Static should also protect against it.

[Yako]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Once a missile spell is cast, it's a mundane rock that is somehow on fire. While the force that propels it towards your face is clearly not physics, the flaming rock itself is very much a real rock that is on fire. However, any sort of area effect on Static means that a fireball can't be cast AT ALL. It should also be noted that if you physically pick the mage up, your Static will prevent them from casting any spells, as well.

Sorry, but I think just picking someone up does NOT work like that, not without some area effect.
It does say you or your personal equipment, not you and anyone or anything you carry.
I would see it more as an automatic "force field" like effect (as in like the enhancement of that name).
Of course, anything INSIDE your static (and that should also include the normal version if, say, someone was small enough to actually venture inside of you) does not work at all, but then again, that does not influence the basic situation of how attacks from outside affect you.



And again regarding the missile spell like attacks:

If you do start this road, arguing if something is "a mundane attack created by a power" VS "an attack that is a power at all times", you will get into a very unsatisfying mess.
You can definitely by the rules use powers to make stuff damage you, including superheating the floor you want to step on, throwing mundane rocks at you with telekinesis etc.

This is not considered soemthing that affects you directly, so why should a spell / innate attack that lets rocks / fire / etc rain on you?



And Absorption, by which I assume Damage Resitance with the appropriate enhancement is meant is very definitely something different.
For starters, it would NOT stop a lot of stuff static explicitly does stop (namely all malediction type attacks).

See it like this, if static also served as DR infinite with forcefield, why should you ever buy anything but the most limited forms of DR against a specific power source?
Or why should you have to pay the same points for Immunity to a power source, which does NOT protect from any non malediction / resistable innate attacks?

Why would there be such a careful explanation about how to handle true invulnerability that does not at all mention static?

We have a not quite clearly worded advantage, so should we really assume that it breaks many of the basic design philosophies of other traits just because?

Why should for example psionic powers offer a special "anti psi DR" when four levels of that would already cost more than the infinitely protecting Psi Static?

[Nereidalbel]

Originally Posted by Yako

Sorry, but I think just picking someone up does NOT work like that, not without some area effect.

Amazingly, it does.

Originally Posted by Powers, p98

You radiate energies that completely prevent all powers of one particular source from affecting you. This extends to anything you’re carrying or wearing.

And the only thing that makes missile spells special and not-quite-magical is that they can safely pass through no-mana zones, which any magical thing just shouldn't do.

Originally Posted by Yako

Why should for example psionic powers offer a special "anti psi DR" when four levels of that would already cost more than the infinitely protecting Psi Static?

Because either a) the GM simply forbids Static, or b) you want to be a Psi-user with defense against other Psis.

[Refplace]

My rule of thumb is Static cancels a power, not the effects of a power.
Red sunlight and Kryptonite cancel supermans power if they are close enough to effect him (in the area of effect) but (other then sometimes being itself immune) they do not cancel or protect you from him dropping a building on you from out of range.
Heat Vision could go either way but the special effect in this case is his power generates energy it is not the energy itself.
Magical bolts of energy or created matter I go with the rule of no mana on. If it can enter and work in a no mana zone then it is not neutralized by static unless the source (the casting mage for example) is in the area of effect or targeted by the static power.

[kirbwarrior]

I think a large problem is 'Missile Spells' vs 'Magical Innate Attacks'. GURPS Magic isn't how 4th works. Many things there do break how things should work.

Originally Posted by Belial666

I wonder. How would you stat someone's ability to not be subject to antipowers without being cosmic?

You just remove the part of the power modifier that allows anitpowers (and presumably an UB).