Dust/debris cloud

[GCMorris]

I have a character who creates a blinding cloud of dust, debris, leaves in his power set. Would this be treated as Flash or Darkness?

[Hyper-Man]

What do you want the power to do is the better question. The special effect you describe could be applied to either set of mechanical builds.

 

HM

[eepjr24]

Depends on how long they stay around and what the exact effect is. If it were me I would probably model it as a Change Environment (-X to Sight and Hearing Perception) with a linked flash. So the initial "blast of debris" would flash folks in the area and the remaining cloud would make seeing and hearing difficult but not impossible.

 

- E

[Doc Democracy]

Yeah - all down to what you want it to do.

 

Darkness - the debris cloud stays in place as long as the character pays END for it and anyone who enters the area cannot see unless they have appropriate senses.

Flash - the power is instant and anyone in the area is affected whether or not the cloud remains in place.

Change Environment - more nuanced than Darkness but similarly in place as long as character pays END.

 

There may be other ways to build it and other things you might add to the effects but you need to think about the effect rather than the special effect (even if that is the inspiration for the power).

 

 

Doc

[Hugh Neilson]

Before the CE days, I had a character with Darkness Bombs that acted both as Darkness and a Triggered Flash when opponents left the area of the darkness, the latter reflecting the lingering irritation effect of the chemicals in the darkness cloud.

[Armitage]

The Earth Powers chapter of Champions Powers has several versions in the Sand Powers subsection.  The Flash is only a single target, but it does have Area Effect options.

 

Dust Blast: Sight Group Flash 6d6, NND (defense is solid coverings protecting the eyes; +½) (45 Active Points); Limited Range (80m; -¼).

 

Sandstorm: Change Environment, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls, Area Of Effect (32m Radius; +1).

[bigdamnhero]

Yeah, depending on how you see it working you really justify Flash, Darkness, or CE. If the cloud itself is blocking sight, then I'd say either CE or Darkness, depending on how strong you want it to be. If you're throwing dust in people's eyes, that sounds more like Flash. Does Flash Def (ie goggles) protect against it? Also think about whether you see it as a Constant effect (ie - lasts as long as the character keeps it running), or an Instant effect with lasting effects (ie - you throw dust in people's eyes and it takes them awhile to clear it out. Totally up to you.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Flash, darkness, change environment, AVAD blast vs life support, drain CV all make sense, depending on what you want to happen.

[Christopher]

As the other posters said well:

"Dustcloud" is a special effect. That could work for a lot of different hero system Powers. So within limits you can build it however you want it to be build.

 

When building a power, always start with the game effect.

Do not model the special effect. That is a classical mistake.

The special effect has little meaning in the end of the day and should not even force any limitations (it can still guide you there, but no enforced limitations).