Hallucinations

Finalsora811 · 03-25-2012, 04:25 PM

Does RAW have any disadvantages that give you hallucinations? I know Flashbacks, but I want hallucinations that aren't from the past. Like, you randomly see someone smashing their head on a table for no apparent reason, but when you come out of the hallucination, they're perfectly fine as is nothing happened. Something like that.

David Johnston2 · 03-25-2012, 04:31 PM

Flashbacks don't have to be from the past.

Finalsora811 · 03-25-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Flashbacks don't have to be from the past.

O OK that IS true (I did not see that), but it's only while under stress. Is there anything LIKE Flashbacks that's not ONLY while under stress?

Not another shrubbery · 03-25-2012, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finalsora811

O OK that IS true (I did not see that), but it's only while under stress. Is there anything LIKE Flashbacks that's not ONLY while under stress?

You could tweak Flashbacks, I suppose, but what would activate them?

Finalsora811 · 03-25-2012, 05:00 PM

I should explain what I want to do. Basically, I want to make it a person. The person is a hallucination and he causes the other hallucinations. I figured I would make him an Ally with... You know what? I haven't really thought this through all the way. I'll let you guys decide. How should I do this? I want a person who's a hallucination to cause severe hallucinations, like burning beds and whatnot. I also want him to tell me to kill things, disturb my dreams, etc. But SOMETIMES (not too often but also not so rare it almost never happens), I want him to HELP ME. Like give me clues my subconscious would know, but I don't. Or give my suggestions on how to do things in a better way. You get the idea. How should I do that?

Not another shrubbery · 03-25-2012, 05:31 PM

Mostly a minor Enemy, like a Watcher or a Rival, but occasionally helpful like a Contact or minor Ally? I know I've seen a build something like that, though I don't recall how it was managed. Maybe you could represent the "helpful" aspect with something like Oracle, probably with something to make it less useful, like Unreliable or Uncontrollable. Maybe make the Enemy check only when the advantage fails.

kdtipa · 03-26-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finalsora811

I should explain what I want to do. Basically, I want to make it a person. The person is a hallucination and he causes the other hallucinations. I figured I would make him an Ally with... You know what? I haven't really thought this through all the way. I'll let you guys decide. How should I do this? I want a person who's a hallucination to cause severe hallucinations, like burning beds and whatnot. I also want him to tell me to kill things, disturb my dreams, etc. But SOMETIMES (not too often but also not so rare it almost never happens), I want him to HELP ME. Like give me clues my subconscious would know, but I don't. Or give my suggestions on how to do things in a better way. You get the idea. How should I do that?

So the Hallucination Man... I'll call him Bob... only appears to your character, and can only create hallucinations for your character? So Bob is semi-permanent and is sentient? I ask about the sentience because you said he can cause other hallucinations which implies the ability to make choices and have desires. I'm also curious about how it can help you. You mention that Bob would be able to give you clues that your character knows but isn't conscious of at the moment. That implies that it's not a separate entity (contrary to the impression I got from it's ability to cause hallucinations). I guess I'm still a little unsure of what you're trying to accomplish.

I think I agree with the idea of creating a separate character that would act as an enemy. Give it normal stats, and then maybe use the psionics rules to give it telepathic illusion... so it can connect with a mind and make it see things. This would also provide a resistance mechanic... so your character can try to willfully fix his perception. Add something like "being of pure energy", and give it some kind of disadvantage that makes it so Bob only exists to your character. Then just let the GM control it. Bob appears based on the number for the enemy disadvantage, and the GM has him screw with you.

Maybe Bob's goal is actually to make you stronger in the end... it actually has your best interest at heart, but makes things harder for you to test you. This would be why every now and then Bob helps you out. You could use the exact same stats for Bob to pay for an Ally advantage where it appears more rarely than the enemy. This could result in sessions where Bob acts only as the enemy, other sessions where he acts only as an ally, and still others where both appearance rolls succeed and he messes with your character and also helps him out.

So yeah... this sounds complicated, and like it would require your GM be okay with taking on the extra work.

Finalsora811 · 03-25-2012, 04:40 PM

I read Flashbacks more carefully, and that's also not EXACTLY what I want. I want the hallucinations to be severe (as in they seem real to me and I feel them) but I don't want to be AS hindered by it. Like, for instance. I'm sitting on my bed. All of a sudden, the bed randomly catches fire and it starts burning. I feel it burning and it hurts, but the world around me is the same and no one reacts to it except me. If that makes sense.

Finalsora811 · 03-25-2012, 07:51 PM

Well, anyway, I think I'm gonna make him an enemy with certain powers and advantages/skills. In this case, would he be a rival, watcher, or hunter? And what would be a good modifier to put onto Enemy since no one else can see him?

vierasmarius · 03-25-2012, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finalsora811

Well, anyway, I think I'm gonna make him an enemy with certain powers and advantages/skills. In this case, would he be a rival, watcher, or hunter? And what would be a good modifier to put onto Enemy since no one else can see him?

Watcher is appropriate if he doesn't interfere with your character directly, only monitors him and feeds information to others (ie, an FBI agent suspects the character but doesn't have proof, so is tapping his phone line and staking out his apartment). Hunter would be someone out to actively capture / kill your character (ie, the FBI is on to you, and has a manhunt out to take you down). Rival isn't quite the feel you're describing, but I think it's the right point cost - someone who'll interfere with you, but not really try to harm you. As long as this apparition doesn't attack you, I think Rival is the best fit.

Having a single character be both Enemy and Contact/Ally is not too uncommon (see this recent thread). He sounds like he'd likely be more "powerful" (ie, built on more points) than your character, so is probably worth a base of [-20], cut down to [-10] because he's just a Rival. Modify for Frequency of Appearance as normal. Season to taste, and cool before serving.

03-25-2012, 04:25 PM	#1
Finalsora811 Join Date: Dec 2011	Hallucinations Does RAW have any disadvantages that give you hallucinations? I know Flashbacks, but I want hallucinations that aren't from the past. Like, you randomly see someone smashing their head on a table for no apparent reason, but when you come out of the hallucination, they're perfectly fine as is nothing happened. Something like that.

03-25-2012, 04:31 PM	#2
David Johnston2 Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: Hallucinations Flashbacks don't have to be from the past.

03-25-2012, 05:00 PM	#5
Finalsora811 Join Date: Dec 2011	Re: Hallucinations I should explain what I want to do. Basically, I want to make it a person. The person is a hallucination and he causes the other hallucinations. I figured I would make him an Ally with... You know what? I haven't really thought this through all the way. I'll let you guys decide. How should I do this? I want a person who's a hallucination to cause severe hallucinations, like burning beds and whatnot. I also want him to tell me to kill things, disturb my dreams, etc. But SOMETIMES (not too often but also not so rare it almost never happens), I want him to HELP ME. Like give me clues my subconscious would know, but I don't. Or give my suggestions on how to do things in a better way. You get the idea. How should I do that? Last edited by Finalsora811; 03-25-2012 at 05:20 PM.

03-25-2012, 05:31 PM	#6
Not another shrubbery Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Hallucinations Mostly a minor Enemy, like a Watcher or a Rival, but occasionally helpful like a Contact or minor Ally? I know I've seen a build something like that, though I don't recall how it was managed. Maybe you could represent the "helpful" aspect with something like Oracle, probably with something to make it less useful, like Unreliable or Uncontrollable. Maybe make the Enemy check only when the advantage fails.

03-25-2012, 04:40 PM	#8
Finalsora811 Join Date: Dec 2011	Re: Hallucinations I read Flashbacks more carefully, and that's also not EXACTLY what I want. I want the hallucinations to be severe (as in they seem real to me and I feel them) but I don't want to be AS hindered by it. Like, for instance. I'm sitting on my bed. All of a sudden, the bed randomly catches fire and it starts burning. I feel it burning and it hurts, but the world around me is the same and no one reacts to it except me. If that makes sense.

03-25-2012, 07:51 PM	#9
Finalsora811 Join Date: Dec 2011	Re: Hallucinations Well, anyway, I think I'm gonna make him an enemy with certain powers and advantages/skills. In this case, would he be a rival, watcher, or hunter? And what would be a good modifier to put onto Enemy since no one else can see him?