astralfrontier Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 My character, Thomas Temple, has a "matter sense", right now bought as Detect Matter with various enhancements and such. I want to expand this to let him directly analyze DNA samples with his powers, but rather than buying outrageous levels of Magnification, I thought it might be more appropriate to take a separate power, Detect DNA with Analyze, RSR SCI: Genetics or somesuch. Does this power also require Magnification, or is the fact that it can't operate at larger scales good enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caris Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Would depend on the GM, but I would probably base my decision on the size of the sample of biomatter you would need to have access to. Pool of blood, no problem. Locating a single blood cell in the room... problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 How are you going to analyze it, i.e., what info do you intend to gain? I ask because this could be a back door to knowing way too much about enemies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astralfrontier Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Detect only gives you presence and intensity, as described. The character's goal is to be able to compare DNA samples against each other, for example to confirm that a pool of blood was actually the victim's in a murder case. I wouldn't intend for any sort of DNA analysis to reveal more than a conventional forensic examination could otherwise, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Okay. I'd probably be more liberal than caris about the degree of volumes required, but I'm more liberal that way. I think it does not require magnification as you've defined it, that can be fairly assumed with the proper tools to use his science skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caris Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Originally posted by zornwil Okay. I'd probably be more liberal than caris about the degree of volumes required, but I'm more liberal that way. I think it does not require magnification as you've defined it, that can be fairly assumed with the proper tools to use his science skills. Just out of curiousity, what is the smallest sample size you would let him work on without magnification using the sense "raw"? Would you apply any modifiers to the perception roll? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGreenwade Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Okay, here's my input based on some of the research I've done into forensic techniques and technology. The basic Analyze Adder on Detect DNA would give nothing more than the subject's DNA makeup and profile. Knowing what any particular gene is for (to, for example, use a DNA sample to predict what the subject looks like) would require a special Skill; I'd go with -4 to SS: Genetics, or a straight KS: Human Genome. Without the Microscopic Adder, the character would be able to run the Detect normally, but only on samples that could be seen with the naked eye. To run on smaller traces (as is possible with much modern equipment) would require some bonuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astralfrontier Posted December 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Originally posted by BobGreenwade The basic Analyze Adder on Detect DNA would give nothing more than the subject's DNA makeup and profile. Knowing what any particular gene is for (to, for example, use a DNA sample to predict what the subject looks like) would require a special Skill; I'd go with -4 to SS: Genetics, or a straight KS: Human Genome. Without the Microscopic Adder, the character would be able to run the Detect normally, but only on samples that could be seen with the naked eye. To run on smaller traces (as is possible with much modern equipment) would require some bonuses. This sounds pretty fair to me, and my GM is reading this thread for peoples' opinions as well. Developing the necessary forensics and genetic knowledge is something that'd be good for the character and an under-used NPC doctor in the game as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zornwil Posted December 15, 2003 Report Share Posted December 15, 2003 Originally posted by caris Just out of curiousity, what is the smallest sample size you would let him work on without magnification using the sense "raw"? Would you apply any modifiers to the perception roll? I rethought it based partly on a character we have and the rule itself, I'd say whatever he can see with the naked eye would be the minimal sample size. Modifiers, sure, if he had some equipment that magnified naturally, but also there's preparation as normal, representing that he's going around the room and taking samples where something might be that he can't see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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