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Wanderer
Jan 13th, '07, 02:30 AM
Hullo again Steve,

in a recent ongoing Champions thread we are discussing the best way to model "normal-proof" invulnerability for supers. Several Persistent power constructs have been proposed, from Force Walls to Desolidification, Only To Protect vs. Real Weapons (my choice). A sideline topic has developed, concerning whether IPE (SFX Only) would be necessary to make such defenses subtle and undetectable BEFORE the guy gets hit. Some argue that it is inherent in the "I'm really tough" SFX of the Power to be visible only when the defense is hit. Others counterargue that a build using a non persistant power for the base, barring some form of IPE there should be a visible SFX that lets you know that SOMETHING is going on with the target.

What's the correct ruling ? Is IPE (SFX Only) always necessary, or can one sometimes forgo it for the sake of SFX, to make a basically non-persistent defense power like Force Field, Force Wall, or limited Desolidification, skintight and subtle and only detectable AFTER the target has already been hit, instead of say, glowing, humming, force fields somewhat distanced from the body ??

Steve Long
Jan 13th, '07, 08:21 AM
Standard rules for the perceivability of powers, and how to negate that, apply -- there are no free passes just for choosing a specific special effect. ;) Thus, if you use Desolidification or Force Wall to model personal invulnerability, those Powers are perceivable unless you pay for Invisible Special Effects. The fact that they're intended to model personal defenses doesn't change that. The visibility doesn't necessarily have to be a glowing field or something like that, though -- it could be as simple as "You can tell just by looking at him that he's tough enough to bounce bullets off his chest."