Opposite of Easy to Read

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

I'll have to look at my books for the resolution mechanic; it seems to me that this is a prime candidate for a Quick Contest, in which case it can be phrased as increasing/decreasing the margin of success of the contest, and it really doesn't matter where they penalties are assigned. If it's an unopposed roll, well, that's just darn odd. "I'm better at X" is most often modeled well by actually being better at X, though I'll grant that the imposition of penalties to others is not well modeled by a Talent.

Some of the resolution mechanics are not Quick Contests. I had the same thought you did, so I checked. I also thought about getting +2 or +4 from Abilities Helping Skills, but that doesn't seem to work either.

[GnomesofZurich]

Thanks for all of the responses. At this point I'm leaning towards a new advantage. Obscure really doesn't seem a good fit - it's active interference with a sense and affects a 2 yard radius. Getting -10 for 10 points also seems like too good of a deal.

The ability I'm picturing would be someone who could control their respiration, heart rate etc. to make it much more challenging to detect telling falsehoods, etc.

I'm trying to convert the Adjustable Heart from Ultratech 2, p. 105 (3E), and the 'Steady' setting gives this sort of effect: "Allows the user to selectively moderate his heartbeat (divorcing it from glandular control), regardless of current mental state. This will give a -4 on rolls to "read" him using
Body Language, Detect Lies and Muscle Reading."

[Gigermann]

I have used a new Advantage: Hard to Read for creatures/races (including robots) with, for example, no actual facial expressions. It's a logical reversal of Easy to Read, and doesn't need any tweaking beyond that, IMO. It's one of those I think should have already existed.

[Refplace]

Seems like Unfaseable or Indomitable are related so either another advantage similar or an enhancement on say Indomitable since its counters Reaction skills without a requisite Empathy advantage.

+50% Cosmic for 8 additional points seems about right.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

The ability I'm picturing would be someone who could control their respiration, heart rate etc. to make it much more challenging to detect telling falsehoods, etc.

Ok, so this makes me think of Metabolism control. Maybe an enhancement to that advantage? Or maybe use Body Control as a complementary skill to Acting?

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by Anders

Ok, so this makes me think of Metabolism control. Maybe an enhancement to that advantage? Or maybe use Body Control as a complementary skill to Acting?

My initial thought, too, but Metabolism Control only benefits your HT rolls. This would be imposing penalties on others as a result of your control. So, it might work as an enhancement, or I could just do as others suggest and simply reverse Easy to Read to create a 10 point Hard to Read advantage.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

Thanks for all of the responses. At this point I'm leaning towards a new advantage. Obscure really doesn't seem a good fit - it's active interference with a sense and affects a 2 yard radius. Getting -10 for 10 points also seems like too good of a deal.

The ability I'm picturing would be someone who could control their respiration, heart rate etc. to make it much more challenging to detect telling falsehoods, etc.

I'm trying to convert the Adjustable Heart from Ultratech 2, p. 105 (3E), and the 'Steady' setting gives this sort of effect: "Allows the user to selectively moderate his heartbeat (divorcing it from glandular control), regardless of current mental state. This will give a -4 on rolls to "read" him using
Body Language, Detect Lies and Muscle Reading."

Obscure is exactly what you need. Just need a few tweaks. First, check out my article "Necropsi" in Pyramid #3/99: Death and Beyond, and the "Umbra Obscura" (p. 9). I specifically call out "Emotions" as a possibility for Obscure. Next, add "Always On" (-50%), "No Area Effect" (-50%), "Defensive" (50%), and "Stealthy" (+100%). This results in an advantage that costs 3/level, gives a -1 to Body Language, Detect Lies, Criminology, etc. per level. Want to be difficult for others to use Intelligence Analysis, Tactics, etc. on you? Add "Extended, Mundane Predictions" (+20%).

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Obscure is exactly what you need. Just need a few tweaks. First, check out my article "Necropsi" in Pyramid #3/99: Death and Beyond, and the "Umbra Obscura" (p. 9). I specifically call out "Emotions" as a possibility for Obscure. Next, add "Always On" (-50%), "No Area Effect" (-50%), "Defensive" (50%), and "Stealthy" (+100%). This results in an advantage that costs 3/level, gives a -1 to Body Language, Detect Lies, Criminology, etc. per level. Want to be difficult for others to use Intelligence Analysis, Tactics, etc. on you? Add "Extended, Mundane Predictions" (+20%).

Thanks, I have read that one, but didn't consider it for this.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by GnomesofZurich

Thanks, I have read that one, but didn't consider it for this.

Sure! One of my players in my upcoming urban fantasy campaign has this and he's gonna be devastating in social situations because of it.

[GnomesofZurich]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Sure! One of my players in my upcoming urban fantasy campaign has this and he's gonna be devastating in social situations because of it.

One question: is the Always On modifier appropriate here? It doesn't seem all that disadvantageous to have this always working.

Here's a working draft of the Adjustable Heart, converted for 4E.

Adjustable Heart (TL9)
This is a cybernetic pacemaker and adrenaline pump that allows a character to manually override his natural heart rate, causing his heart to beat at a constant rapid or constant slow rate. In addition to the "normal" setting (in which the heart operates normally), there are five override settings.
High: Basic Speed +1.00 (Cardiac Stress, Every 10 minutes, -20%; Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical and Impulsiveness, -30%) [10]. Special Effect: The effects of toxins (including alcohol) take half as long to take effect but last half as long. 10 points (2 points as alternative ability).
Low: Deep Sleeper [1]; Metabolism Control 2 (Temporary Disadvantage, Absent-Mindedness and Electrical, -35%) [7]; Reduced Consumption 2 (Includes Air, +200%; Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [12]. Special Effect: Toxins and drugs take twice as long to take effect, but last twice as long. 20 points (4 points as alternative ability).
Steady: Fearlessness 2 (Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [4]; Metabolism Control 2 (Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [8]; Obscure 4 (Emotions; Always On, -50%; No Area of Effect, -50%; Defensive, +50%; Stealthy, +100%, Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [11]. 23 points
Very High: Basic Speed +2.00 (Cardiac Stress, Every minute, -30%; Costs Fatigue 1, -5%; Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, Impulsiveness and Overconfidence, -35%) [12]. Special Effect: The effects of toxins (including alcohol) take one-quarter as long to take effect but last one-quarter as long.12 points (3 points as alternative ability)
Very Low: Fit (Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [4]; Metabolism Control 8 (Hibernation, -60%; Temporary Disadvantage, Electrical, -20%) [8]. 12 points (3 points as alternative ability).
35 points