[UT] Criminal Techniques

[jacobmuller]

Looking for some feedback on some future criminal (spy?) techniques. Perhaps they're actually cinematic future Action techniques.
Simply put, am I using the correct stats and skills, are they Hard techniques and is the default -ve and upper limit okay?

Resist Neural Pacifier (Hard, Will -3, cannot exceed Will); not quite as powerful as the medical paralysis Star Trek thing but the same idea.

Fool Veridicator (Hard, IQ -6 or Fast-talk -6, cannot exceed default stat) perhaps that should be -10, limit -4. if you have a DNI (or they pop one on) they can practically read your mind. Sort of like doing this: Pinnochio

Fool Verifier (Hard, IQ-3 or HT based Fast-talk -3, cannot exceed default stat+2) it's like a polygraph but visual cues only, so you just need to keep a "straight face";

Escape Cuff Tape (Hard, ST or ST based Escape, cannot exceed default stat +6) this is like a 2ft length of duct-tape; I can see DX based escape working as usual.

Thanks in advance for critique.

[Desthro]

Why not to all of the above?
If you want to do it, do it!

The only one that is questionable imho is the Escape Cuff Tape.... There IS razor cuff-tape, and using ST to break that inflicts thr cutting damage to the wrists IIRC. (Or something along those lines...) So building a ST-based technique to escape it seems like not a very bright idea.

[vierasmarius]

The Neural Pacifier normally allows a roll of the higher of HT or Will each second to resist; the cinematic Body Control skill can replace the HT roll, while Autohypnosis can give +2 to the Will roll for an hour. I'd allow improved resistance as a technique of Body Control, perhaps in addition to straight HT. Either skill might also be useful against the Verifier (to prevent emotions from appearing on the face) or to escape Cuff Tape (to dislocate your joints or ignore the pain; I'd treat Body Control as a Complementary Skill, giving +2 to the Escape roll rather than replacing it).

However, you may be edging into Perk or Advantage territory. Immunity to a specific poison is a Perk, and I'd allow Immunity or Resistance to a single device or small class of related ones. Realistically, these aren't the sorts of things that can be trained. Think more along the lines of Malcolm Reynolds from Serenity, who shrugs off a Pressure Point attack because that particular nerve was severed in The War. The Honest Face perk might provide its +1 against the Verifier, for instance.

[dcarson]

Make fooling lie detectors a actual Technique of Autohypnosis. Make yourself believe you are telling the truth.

[vicky_molokh]

Remind me, does it (sharp cuff tape) deny DX-based Escape rolls by RAW?

[jacobmuller]

it wasn't sharp cuff-tape I was thinking of but No, not that I can see. It just says you can attempt to break free using STvST.
I think there's notes in Action about escaping different bindings and the mods. I got the impression that cuff tape is comparatively easy to squiggle out of so you'd only need the ST version if it gave you a better chance than regular Escapes. Probably a dumb idea.

PS thank you Vierasimus, I'm switching skills.