Building Possession

[Wyrm Ouroboros]

I'm thinking Desolid, with a minor (-¼?) limitation that the possessing entity (spirit, Agent, whatever) does not take the damage, but the body they're possessing DOES. A Mind Control would also be required, enough to reach EGO + 30, in order to place the 'possessed individual' under full control. Most likely the possessor would want to reach the +10 'Does Not Remember' level as well as the +10 'Contradicts Psych Lims' level, so you'd be looking at +50 total -- or an average/reliable roll of 60 points. Using the 'Average Effect' suggested rule, then, we're looking at between 11d6 (low end) and 17d6 (high end) to reliably possess normal people, even 2-3d6 higher if you want to get to the 'Remembers actions and things them natural'.

Now, granted I'm using this for a villian -- heck, he's even a nemesis for two of my 375-point characters. But I don't want to do a lot of handwaving on this, I need to nail down what, exactly, the powers involved are; one of the two characters may have access to the powers in the future, so I want to be able to provide a solid, tight group of abilities.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Snarf]

I think you might also need invisibility, unless you want it to be obvious when someone is possessed.

Is the posesser always desolid or do they "dissapear" when their using possession?

[Crimson Arrow]

I thought this would be about the Amityville Horror. :)

Seriously, this has been discussed before, when people wanted to build Jericho, from the New Teen Titans.

For example:-

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=4018&highlight=jericho

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=5436&highlight=jericho

See also Bodyjacker and the USPD, both as referenced in these threads.

[Hugh Neilson]

So what if it's been discussed before? There's no original concepts left anyway...

Hmmm...can we use a Transform on the target to make him an Unwilling Slave, then use Despolid only to hide in a transformed slave?

What about Extra Dimensional Movement Usable on Others (target just "goes away" until "vacated") and a VPP only for Multiforms, only to take on the form of the person you possessed. Maybe some limits to cover off characters who just cannot be possessed.

This is one of those concepts that works great in the comics (where the writers decide who you can and can't possess) but can be dicy at the gaming table.

[Crimson Arrow]

The point being that it might help to see what other people have suggested for ways of building a similar power to the one he wants?

I never said that was the be-all and end-all, or that it shouldn't be discussed further, just that those sources might be what WO was after.

I also didn't critcise it for being unoriginal; there's no harm in building a power that you've seen somewhere else.

I didn't think I had anything useful to add to what was said in those places, so I pointed them out, rather than just leaving Wyrm dangling (charming image).

[Hugh Neilson]

No offense intended, CA - I went to your links myself, and they are the obvious answers but, as one poster notes, very expensive for their effects.

In any case, I'm sorry if you took my opener as a shot - it wasn't intended as one!

[Yamo]

What about EDM into the target's mind along with a big Mind Control and some Telepathy? You'd need a Limitation on it that the possessor was automatically effected by all Mental Powers used on the target, of course.

I never likes the clunkiness of Desolid/Clinging. EDM seems cleaner to me.

[Crimson Arrow]

Originally posted by Hugh Neilson
No offense intended, CA - I went to your links myself, and they are the obvious answers but, as one poster notes, very expensive for their effects.

In any case, I'm sorry if you took my opener as a shot - it wasn't intended as one!

I thought it probably wasn't, but I might have slightly overreacted.:o Thanks for clearing it up though.

[Snarf]

I kind of like the idea of Desolid, because it leaves the possessor vulnerable. He has to hang around the victim where he can be possibly spotted or mentally attacked. It is pretty clunky though. You would have to buy life support and stuff like that to undo many of Desolidifications special effects.

[Arthur]

I was thinking more of Deadman, from DC. He was a ghost all the time (fully invisible except to mystic senses and Desolid all the time: I believe he was vulnerable to magic).

One thing to simulate is "how does the Desolid possessOR stay stuck to the possessEE?". Maybe it was a bit kludgy, but I did it like this:

Clinging, STR 10, Affects Real World (+2); Only to stick to possessed subject (-1). 15 points. That and Mind Control - I figured someone with lots of Mental Defense could resist being possessed, or at least make it difficult (In Game Terms, the ghost is only getting to EGO+10 or whatever).

[Yamo]

Another problem with the Desolid method as it's been written is this:

There's no invisibility effect, so a 6'4, 230 pound man trying to Desolid/Cling possess a 5'1, 120 pound woman is going to have various "bits" of him that overlap the subject jutting out everywhere for all the world to see.

Even if the possessor is small enough to hide completely within the subject, Desolid doesn't let you see through solid objects you're inside of or even breathe. How does the possessor see where he's going and breath?

For the published version to really work, you need a host of Powers. Desolid, Clinging, Invisibility, N-Ray Vision and Self-Contained Breathing for starters.

I just don't think it's the most elegant way to do it. Again, the method I advocate:

1. EDM to the target's mind with a Limitation that the user is automatically subjected to all Mental Powers the target is.

2. Big Mind Control with Telepathic and Transdimensional.

3. Telepathy with Transdimension if the possession lets the user sift through the target's memories.

[Hugh Neilson]

Hmmm...what about a Transform that transforms the target into your possessed slave, and linked EDM that moves you to another dimension when Transform completes the transformation.

Make the Transform non-cumulative and fixed effect - sufficient Power Defense or BOD renders the target immune. Not everyone could be possessed by these guys, after all.

I'd let you switch the defense to Mental Defense (or maybe some other esoteric defense about equally common) depending on special effects.

Anyone out there generous enough to give me the EDM as a side effect? ;)

[Snarf]

1. EDM to the target's mind with a Limitation that the user is automatically subjected to all Mental Powers the target is.

2. Big Mind Control with Telepathic and Transdimensional.

3. Telepathy with Transdimension if the possession lets the user sift through the target's memories.
That looks the best. It saves the complexity of buying a huge package of abilities and still leaves the possessor vulnerable to attack. Plus, there's interesting roleplaying hooks if the possessor can be followed into the world of the target's mind.

The transform sounds a little too powerful. Mind control gives people a better chance to resist and break free. But it works if you don't want to give them that chance.

[BobGreenwade]

Has anyone yet consulted the Bodyjacking power from USPD pages 151-152? :) It may not be quite what's being sought here, but it may be something to look at....

[Wyrm Ouroboros]

Don't have the book. Don't have the money; don't have the playing group from which to borrow it. ;)

The Agent would be clearly 'obvious' in taking over the target (I actually thought of twin Transforms, mental and physical), but the thing is that when the target is injured/killed, the Agent would, of course, not be; he can simply jump into another person, gun reloaded, glasses back on, and just continue pumping bullets. However, it's obvious at the same time that the body IS transformed to an extent: faster, stronger, smarter, etc.

And, of course, he always has a gun.