secretID
Mar 2nd, '09, 05:04 AM
Mind Control, cumulative, and an attempt to get an effect with the +20 "target doesn't realize/remember." The power isn't Continuous, and we can assume that the first few hits will not be enough to reach the +20 level. The questions are:
1) Is the target aware of the hits?
2) Is the target aware of the misses?
3) If either is a "yes," how can the power be built without those issues?
There are a few things in the rules and FAQs that MAY be in conflict.
5ER on mental powers:
"...the target of a mental attack can sense the source of the attack and knows what Power he's been attacked with. This identification occurs immediately for Ego Attack, Mind Scan, and Telepathy; for Mind Control or Mental Illusions it usually occurs after the Power no longer affects the character."
5ER on Cumulative and mental powers:
"...Until [the total equals or exceeds the required amount] the Power has no effect (though the target realizes he's being attacked with that Mental Power)."
FAQ on whether "Invisible power effects" at the "hides the power effects" level on a mental power negates the need to reach the +20 level:
"No. The Advantage makes the effects of the power completely undetectable by other characters (and, in the case of Cumulative, prevents the victim from feeling the “building” power). The +20 effect hides the effect (the “damage,” if you will) from the victim himself, which IPE can’t do."
FAQ very close to this exact question (so why am I asking? - see below):
"In a Cumulative situation, it doesn’t make any sense for the target to have awareness of the attack right away but forget it later. In this situation, the best approach would be to have the mentalist declare a specific total he wants to achieve (such as “I’ll keep attacking until I get a total Effect Roll of 70,” or what have you). If that suffices to achieve the desired command and the +20, the target’s never aware of the attack. If it fails to achieve that total, the target becomes aware at that point that he was being attacked by a Mental Power that failed. If the attacker stops (or is stopped) before achieving his declared total), the target becomes aware at that point that he was being attacked by a
Mental Power that failed."
So...is there a conflict here. I can reconcile the two FAQs by saying, "Full IPE makes the 'building power' undectable to the target even if the attacker doesn't go for the +20 effect, but if the attacker does go for the +20, the 'building power' is automatically undected." That does still leave an apparent conflict between the second FAQ and the 5ER section re cumulative mental powers. I'll add that personally, I don't see it as nonsensical that the target of a Cumulative mental attack would be aware of it and then forget - certainly not in the case of MC or MI.
Either way, I still have my question #2: What happens with a miss in the series of Cumulative mental attacks, when the attacker is building to the +20 effect level? Is the target aware?
Thanks.
1) Is the target aware of the hits?
2) Is the target aware of the misses?
3) If either is a "yes," how can the power be built without those issues?
There are a few things in the rules and FAQs that MAY be in conflict.
5ER on mental powers:
"...the target of a mental attack can sense the source of the attack and knows what Power he's been attacked with. This identification occurs immediately for Ego Attack, Mind Scan, and Telepathy; for Mind Control or Mental Illusions it usually occurs after the Power no longer affects the character."
5ER on Cumulative and mental powers:
"...Until [the total equals or exceeds the required amount] the Power has no effect (though the target realizes he's being attacked with that Mental Power)."
FAQ on whether "Invisible power effects" at the "hides the power effects" level on a mental power negates the need to reach the +20 level:
"No. The Advantage makes the effects of the power completely undetectable by other characters (and, in the case of Cumulative, prevents the victim from feeling the “building” power). The +20 effect hides the effect (the “damage,” if you will) from the victim himself, which IPE can’t do."
FAQ very close to this exact question (so why am I asking? - see below):
"In a Cumulative situation, it doesn’t make any sense for the target to have awareness of the attack right away but forget it later. In this situation, the best approach would be to have the mentalist declare a specific total he wants to achieve (such as “I’ll keep attacking until I get a total Effect Roll of 70,” or what have you). If that suffices to achieve the desired command and the +20, the target’s never aware of the attack. If it fails to achieve that total, the target becomes aware at that point that he was being attacked by a Mental Power that failed. If the attacker stops (or is stopped) before achieving his declared total), the target becomes aware at that point that he was being attacked by a
Mental Power that failed."
So...is there a conflict here. I can reconcile the two FAQs by saying, "Full IPE makes the 'building power' undectable to the target even if the attacker doesn't go for the +20 effect, but if the attacker does go for the +20, the 'building power' is automatically undected." That does still leave an apparent conflict between the second FAQ and the 5ER section re cumulative mental powers. I'll add that personally, I don't see it as nonsensical that the target of a Cumulative mental attack would be aware of it and then forget - certainly not in the case of MC or MI.
Either way, I still have my question #2: What happens with a miss in the series of Cumulative mental attacks, when the attacker is building to the +20 effect level? Is the target aware?
Thanks.