Darkness: Can be penetrated by Nightvision.

[Mark Taylor]

Opinions from HERO fans, please:

If a character's Darkness can be penetrated by Nightvision (in a campaign where Nightvision is reasonably common) is this worth a -1/4 limitation on the Darkness power? If yes, then what if the character himself has Nightvision? Is the value of the limitation then reduced to -0 as the benefits (the character has the equivalent of personal immunity) and drawbacks (opponents with Nightvision can see through his darkness too) cancel each other out?

[schir1964]

First, Officially, Darkness trumps anything in the sense group that the Darkness is bought for. If the GM wishes to change this default, then the Darkness wouldn't necessarily deserve a limititation.

However, if the GM says that Darkness that doesn't affect Nightvision in the Sight Group is a -1/4 Limititation (which would seem about right), then any character that purchases Nightvision, shouldn't affect the value of the -1/4 Limitation.

- Christopher Mullins

[Agent X]

Opinions from HERO fans, please:

If a character's Darkness can be penetrated by Nightvision (in a campaign where Nightvision is reasonably common) is this worth a -1/4 limitation on the Darkness power? If yes, then what if the character himself has Nightvision? Is the value of the limitation then reduced to -0 as the benefits (the character has the equivalent of personal immunity) and drawbacks (opponents with Nightvision can see through his darkness too) cancel each other out?It should still be a -1/4 limitation. The character PURCHASED Nightvision so he paid points for that anyway AND other characters, including ones he might wish couldn't, can see through the darkness if they have nightvision.

[Armitage]

Opinions from HERO fans, please:

If a character's Darkness can be penetrated by Nightvision (in a campaign where Nightvision is reasonably common) is this worth a -1/4 limitation on the Darkness power? If yes, then what if the character himself has Nightvision? Is the value of the limitation then reduced to -0 as the benefits (the character has the equivalent of personal immunity) and drawbacks (opponents with Nightvision can see through his darkness too) cancel each other out?

Since Nightvision is +4 PER to counter darkness penalties, you could define the darkness as Change Environment causing -4 on PER rolls. It's "dark", but it's not "Dark".

[Mark Taylor]

Thanks everybody for the input! I'm inclined to agree with Agent X's interpretation, and it seems a more elgant construction for what I want to achieve than using change environment.