Help building a mental illusion-based invisibility

[Blackberry]

Long story short, I'm building a superhero character named Rave. He was an intense raver who had a whole lot of homemade mind-altering drugs in his body when he was involved in some horrible raving accident... details to be filled in later.

So, he's basically only borderline sane and functional now. He has a constant rave going in his mind, and he can project elements of the rave -- dark room with a bright, swirling light show; a confusing throng of people; endlessly pounding, driving music -- into other people's minds.

He has a lot of powers related to that, taking the form of Mental Illusions, Ego Attack, Succor, Drain, and Missile Deflection. All but the last are in a "Rave-Confusion" Elemental Control. But he badly needs a defense.

I was thinking of a defense related to the idea that he can simply create an illusory crowd of faceless dancers and then blend into them going totally unnoticed. They don't have to be terribly convincingly real; part of the illusion is to make him look like all the rest of the dancers.

What I wrote up was two linked powers:

- in the EC: Mental Illusions, 5d6, AE 3" radius nonselective, no range, must center on self, Personal Immunity, only to create a packed crowd of ravers, stops working if mentalist is stunned

- outside the EC: Invisibility to sight group, hearing group, smell/taste group, touch group, spatial awareness, linked (must use together), only invisible to those hit by Mental Illusions and affected at least > EGO

Buying enough Mental Illusions AE radius so that anyone who sees him would be affected is impossible in 350 points, but just Invisibility doesn't really do it. Plus a totally invisible mentalist is just asking for trouble.

How would you build this?

Invisibility with Requires Skill Roll defined as requiring an ECV vs ECV to-hit roll vs anyone who can perceive him and doesn't work vs. those with Mental Awareness?

Change Environment to cover a large area and provide OCV and PER penalties (with selective targeting), somehow Based on ECV and only for people aiming at or perceiving Rave himself?

Force Field with really ridiculously implausible special effects?

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

i think change environment to make everyone's OCV really really bad, would be a fun way to go about it

[Black Lotus]

I'd just build the first Power to create the illusion of the rave party, and link Invisibility (visual, aural, or both) with it, much as you did. Write the SFX of the Invisibility to reflect the fact that your character's getting his invisibility from the rave illusion.

OR -- you can build the illusion Power for the rave, and link another Power to it that drastically improves the character's Stealth skill. I think I might go with that way, since it's more elegant than the Invisibility route and gives enemies a chance to spot him.

[schir1964]

Have you thought about using Images with BOECV. Just another avenue you could explore.

- Christopher Mullins

[Blackberry]

Have you thought about using Images with BOECV. Just another avenue you could explore.

I have thought about that. The problem is that Images doesn't actually do anything! It can cause damage if you get an immense enough result, but there's no way I could get INT+30 with the dice I'd have from making it AoE and BOECV, and DCV isn't exactly damage...

[schir1964]

I have thought about that. The problem is that Images doesn't actually do anything! It can cause damage if you get an immense enough result, but there's no way I could get INT+30 with the dice I'd have from making it AoE and BOECV, and DCV isn't exactly damage...

Oh, I just thought they were insubstantial illusions. Sorry about that. However, the one benefit that Images has is that anyone looking at the area affected is going to see the images.

However, although it may be more expensive, it's possible to simulate the same thing with Images with a Linked Uncontrolled Telekinesis. But that might be a bit too complex for what you want.

- Christopher Mullins

[Blackberry]

Oh, I see what you mean. Images, Based on ECV, to create the "rave" image, then link to DCV levels and Stealth levels with the limitation that it doesn't work on those with Mental Awareness or for whom the Images doesn't beat their INT? I think that's the best way so far.

[prestidigitator]

Why use anything on top of the Images? Images makes people see what you want to see within an area. That means they could see your image instead of you. I don't see why it can't function as a sort of Invisibility, but it is going to have limits (such as allowing a Per roll, allowing an intelligent viewer to know the rough area you occupy so they could easily launch things like AoE attacks, etc.).

[Blackberry]

Why use anything on top of the Images? Images makes people see what you want to see within an area. That means they could see your image instead of you. I don't see why it can't function as a sort of Invisibility, but it is going to have limits (such as allowing a Per roll, allowing an intelligent viewer to know the rough area you occupy so they could easily launch things like AoE attacks, etc.).

Doesn't the write-up for Images says that it has no game effects unless you get INT+30, and even then, all it does is damage? There's no provision for having a certain penalty to PER based on how successful your image is. The book also says that you shouldn't duplicate one power's effects by manipulating another power until it matches, if the other power already exists. If you make the image of a slick floor, can it act in all ways like a Change Environment with a DEX roll, or do you need to buy Change Environment for that? If you have illusion-based invisibility, shouldn't you just buy Invisibility?

[Supreme Serpent]

I think that the images or mental illusions would be enough.

He disappears into a crowd - ducks down an alley - wall appears in front of where you thought he was - he teleports away - etc. - all easy enough from images or mental illusions, and effectively render you "invisible" to the target.

[Blackberry]

I think that the images or mental illusions would be enough.

He disappears into a crowd - ducks down an alley - wall appears in front of where you thought he was - he teleports away - etc. - all easy enough from images or mental illusions, and effectively render you "invisible" to the target.

Okay, but... (1) if it's Mental Illusions, how do you get it so that it affects everyone who can see you? That can be an awfully big AE:Radius. (2) If it's Images, what level of Images corresponds to what modifier to be hit or seen? What level corresponds to total invisibility?

[Supreme Serpent]

Okay, but... (1) if it's Mental Illusions, how do you get it so that it affects everyone who can see you? That can be an awfully big AE:Radius. (2) If it's Images, what level of Images corresponds to what modifier to be hit or seen? What level corresponds to total invisibility?

1) depends on how you envision the power - would he really be able to affect everyone who can see him? Or would he project it only to those nearby, and leave himself open to the unknown sniper down the street?

2) Not sure if it's really addressed in the rules - probably a GM call as to what equates to "total invisibility". But a significant penalty from images and a complementary stealth roll would be pretty darn close.

[Blackberry]

I do like the idea of saving a few points, but I think my GM and I will like it better if I go with the Images and link some levels with DCV and Stealth to give a definite effect. I'll probably stair-step the levels to match the successfulness of the Images.

[Doc Democracy]

What about using Darkness rather than images. The special effect of the darkness could be a field full of human shapes dancing in flickering light where features and other useful things are hidden.

Everyone will see the figures dancing and the flashing lights and dancers. The game effects would be similar to that of darkness and give you the defence that you seem to be looking for...


Doc

[Blackberry]

Hmm, Darkness based on Ego somehow and always thrown on himself? It's essentially just Invisibility at that point, right, since he'll always hit himself with the Darkness and it's infallible?