New Power build: Supernatural Invisibility

[Willpower]

First off I got on looking for the Online Super Powered Database. Was that taken down? I couldn't find it.

Next, I am not looking for a build for this power, as I have one, but any ideas on why it might not work, or what might work better would be good.

I am making an angelic character, and one common thing in fiction for this type of character to be able to do is to be invisible to others. Not only can they be invisible to others though, but they can be invisible to all except those they WANT to see them.

The best way to do that I thought would simply be to add a Selective advantage to invisibility. The only problem, is that the current Selective is not so much an advantage, but an optional addition to the advantage Area Effect. I can't remember offhand, but I believe it is a +1/2 addition to the standard Area Effect. So I thought it would be fine to simply use Selective as a +1/2 advantage. Any thoughts on this?

[CrosshairCollie]

Hmmm. Off the top of my head, all I can think of is to buy the Invisibility Power, then a Detect (Name of Character), as an Unusual Sense, Usable By or Against Others, which you grant to the people you want to see you.

[Lord Liaden]

First off, the Online USPD hasn't actually been taken down from the website, but apparently the links to it for other pages have been removed. I assume that's because it has been pretty much incorporated into the published USPD II, along with lots of new stuff. However, you can still access the online archive, here (http://www.herogames.com/USPD/thedatabase.htm).

Secondly, I don't think Selective works that way with Invisibility by default, since Invisibility doesn't require any kind of targeting roll. My suggestion would be to give the angelic character a Detect enabling them to perceive beings like themselves when Invisible (several published mystical characters have this, defined as "Astral Sight" or "Astral Awareness"), then apply the Usable On Others Advantage to that Detect.

[transmetahuman]

Were you looking for a 100% official build, or more wondering how to price it? Me, I'd probably just use Selective and call it a day. Or use a special, one-off advantage, maybe at +1/4; I don't think it's really worth +1/2. But I get loose and funky that way when the rules need to be seriously shoehorned to fit a concept, and that's not everyone's style.

[Willpower]

Well, I wasn't exactly looking for a 100% official build, though I like to make characters as legal as possible, so I don't have to get GM approval for it.

The idea of also giving the character some sort of Astral Sight, that is usable by others, is also a really good way to do this that I hadn't thought of, and wouldn't require a reworking of the existant Selective advantage, which is what I was suggesting in the first place as I had already mentioned that the existing Selective didn't really work this way. The only problem I see with it, is that you would also then have to make the sense ranged as well as usable by others, or am I wrong on that? I truely am an expert on the Hero System, but I have been away for several years, and as such I am really rusty.

[The Monster]

It seems a bit complex, but you could build your Invisibility normally, then buy a Linked, low-power, highly-limited Mental Illusions so that you could "appear" to certain people as you will.

[Robyn]

I am making an angelic character, and one common thing in fiction for this type of character to be able to do is to be invisible to others. Not only can they be invisible to others though, but they can be invisible to all except those they WANT to see them.

I would go with Monster's proposal on this. It fulfills the additional angelic traditions of that entity appearing to each person as they would perceive an angel (particular to culture, usually).


The only problem I see with it, is that you would also then have to make the sense ranged as well as usable by others, or am I wrong on that? I truely am an expert on the Hero System, but I have been away for several years, and as such I am really rusty.

Some senses are Ranged by default, such as Sight; you don't need Ranged on those.

If you wanted them to be able to feel you from a distance, through Touch, you would have to buy this as part of the Sense (the power already has its own rules for doing this).

[transmetahuman]

You would have to buy ranged for the UBO aspect of it, though. The advantage, not the sense modifier. UBO is normally touch range, right? I think that's what he was referring to.

[Hugh Neilson]

I would simply alow the Selective advantage and move on. All the other suggestions are cumbersome and limited. For example:

- UBO requires the target activate the power. Why would they, unless they know they have it?
- UAA requires targeting (you missed - he can't see you) and must have a easonably common defense
- Mental Illusions means higher EGO targets have greater difficulty perceiving you

[Robyn]

Ooh, so that's what the Multiquote button does.


You would have to buy ranged for the UBO aspect of it, though. The advantage, not the sense modifier. UBO is normally touch range, right? I think that's what he was referring to.

Ahh, yes. Makes sense.


- Mental Illusions means higher EGO targets have greater difficulty perceiving you

Could an Image be made for the Mental Group?

[Hugh Neilson]

Could an Image be made for the Mental Group?

Sure. Of course, now we have the issue that only people with mentakl senses can perceive it. Plus, any Imgae has the problem that more perceptive characters are less likely to be "fooled" by the image which was supposed to be the reality. Plus, as images don't require an attack roll, they're no more bok legal with Selective than the invisibility would be.

[Zed-F]

Sounds like a good time to make a custom advantage. Basing the cost off Selective sounds reasonable.

[Willpower]

Sounds like a good time to make a custom advantage. Basing the cost off Selective sounds reasonable.

Yep, that was my initial presumption.

[Lord Liaden]

I dunno... being Selectively Invisible sounds like more than a +1/4 Advantage to me. No need to roll to target anything, your allies can see you but your enemies can't... and you're not actually making the Invisibility Selective, you're making the ability to see through it Selective.

Personally I'd still favor a Sense that's Usable As Attack. So you have to roll to hit; make it One Hex Accurate and you'll likely "hit" almost every time. If you happen to miss the first time, roll it again - this isn't for a combat situation, so you have time. Heck, you're Invisible to your target, so he's already at a DCV penalty.

But of course, this has to be what feels right to you. :)

[Hugh Neilson]

Personally I'd still favor a Sense that's Usable As Attack. So you have to roll to hit; make it One Hex Accurate and you'll likely "hit" almost every time. If you happen to miss the first time, roll it again - this isn't for a combat situation, so you have time. Heck, you're Invisible to your target, so he's already at a DCV penalty.

But of course, this has to be what feels right to you. :)

It feels kind of off that it's harder to make yourself visible to someone who can already detect you...

[gojira]

I dunno... being Selectively Invisible sounds like more than a +1/4 Advantage to me. No need to roll to target anything, your allies can see you but your enemies can't... and you're not actually making the Invisibility Selective, you're making the ability to see through it Selective.

I dunno. Can you imagine a fantasy character with this ability? "The party can see me but the monsters can't..." *shudder*

But for what he's doing, it sounds ok. I might go with up to +1 advantage on Invisibility however in the general case.

[Robyn]

It feels kind of off that it's harder to make yourself visible to someone who can already detect you...

True, true.


I dunno. Can you imagine a fantasy character with this ability? "The party can see me but the monsters can't..." *shudder*

How about Limiting the Invisibility to "whoever I try to attack can see me", then? You just "attack" the people you want to notice you with a power that can't possibly damage them (use something silly like Aid), and it may take a few actions but eventually you've got them all.

To make it quick, use an AOE Selective (for targeting the people you want to be able to see you) and maybe use Trigger to have it take effect the very moment you turn Invisible.

[Hyper-Man]

Why not use Images instead of Invisibility which allows you to use the Selective Target advantage?

[Robyn]

Why not use Images instead of Invisibility which allows you to use the Selective Target advantage?

See post #11 for the problems with Image.

[Hyper-Man]

Sure. Of course, now we have the issue that only people with mentakl senses can perceive it. Plus, any Image has the problem that more perceptive characters are less likely to be "fooled" by the image which was supposed to be the reality. Plus, as images don't require an attack roll, they're no more bok legal with Selective than the invisibility would be.

Actually, the writeup for Selective in both 5E and 5ER states that it IS a legal advantage for Area Affecting powers like Images, Darkness or Change Environment. However, using it does requires an attack roll vs. the normal DCV of each target you want the power to affect.

[Hyper-Man]

Another alternative that avoids the targeting requirement of Selective would be to use Personal Imunity as a Naked Advantage and then apply Usable By Others and Ranged to it.

60 Personal Invisibility: Invisibility to Sight, Mental, Radio, Hearing, Smell/Taste, Touch and Mystic Groups , No Fringe End 6

37 YOU can SEE ME!: Personal Immunity (+1/4) for up to 60 Active Points of Personal Invisibility, Ranged (+1/2), Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once; +1) (37 Active Points) End 4