Take Control Of Another's Spell

[Black Rose]

I'm trying to figure out how to do this effect in HERO, and would appreciate the help of the Assembly. This is specifically for Illusion spells, but any thoughts about doing it for other types of spells are appreciated.

 

When you have enough experience (high enough skill level) and power (big enough Multipower pool), you can try to "take control of another illusionist's spell", letting you make it do what you want. I've seen writeups in Champions Powers for using Mind Control to simulate "controlling" simple devices (effective INT is Active Points/5; this is covered in more depth in APG 72-73), and I could go that route. But I wondered if there was already something done that was a bit more elegant?

 

Anyone? TIA

[LoneWolf]

I would probably do this as a transformation. 

[Black Rose]

34 minutes ago, LoneWolf said:

I would probably do this as a transformation. 

 

Like Magomorphosis (HSG 24)? It's probably the best "official" writeup for the concept, but a bit pricy.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Another approach would be mind control (only to control the illusion) or a in images or a (maybe indirect) mental illusion that mimics their illusion and a suppress on them to shut down what they are trying to do

[LoneWolf]

Assuming we are talking about an image instead of a mental illusion it is not that expensive.  Changing the appearance but not the special effect of a power is a cosmetic transform.  At 3 points per die that is not all that expensive.  Taking control of any other power is going to be more than a cosmetic transform, but changing an image is cheap.  

 

If you are talking about mental illusion the best way to do that would be with your own mental illusion.     
 

[Ockham's Spoon]

Under the assumption that one can only take control over a type of magic that you actually practice yourself, then an illusionist taking over another illusion would be similar to just casting their own illusion to override the existing illusion.  That sounds like a Dispel linked to your illusion.  When you cast it, the original illusion is Dispelled and replaced by the illusion you control.  The special effect is that you are taking control of the illusion yourself.

[Utensil]

This sounds like a can of worms LOL. I know request was for mental illusions/images ...

But controlling an Ice Spell that creates a block of Ice (i.e. entangle target) would get messy.

i not think anyone one perfect catch all for controlling another caster's spell.

It would be if this spell is cast then I use the following spell (see game mechanic that works) effectively negates the attack and then redirects the effect to oneself in control of said effect.

 

I a bit behind in many books .. what is HSG (assuming page 24?)

 

[Christopher R Taylor]

Another idea is to just do what they are doing, but better, so that yours takes precedent and overwhelms the other person's ability

[drunkonduty]

I assume it would only be continuing spells.

 

You could make it a limitation on magic in your campaign. A sorcerer must make a skill vs. skill roll to take over another's spell. 

 

Maybe you could only try to take over a spell you know; or maybe in the same school of magic, if you're doing schools of magic.

[Christopher R Taylor]

A campaign rule like that is probably the best way to approach it

[SCUBA Hero]

19 hours ago, Christopher R Taylor said:

A campaign rule like that is probably the best way to approach it

 

I agree.  Quite often we get too into trying to get an effect via RAW.  But check out Killer Shrike's variant magic systems - they use Hero System mechanics but not RAW to create the desired magic systems - "reasoning from effect".

[Killer Shrike]

On 5/10/2022 at 6:43 PM, Black Rose said:

I'm trying to figure out how to do this effect in HERO, and would appreciate the help of the Assembly. This is specifically for Illusion spells, but any thoughts about doing it for other types of spells are appreciated.

 

When you have enough experience (high enough skill level) and power (big enough Multipower pool), you can try to "take control of another illusionist's spell", letting you make it do what you want. I've seen writeups in Champions Powers for using Mind Control to simulate "controlling" simple devices (effective INT is Active Points/5; this is covered in more depth in APG 72-73), and I could go that route. But I wondered if there was already something done that was a bit more elegant?

 

Anyone? TIA

 

Buy an illusion spell and then take a big Limitation on it "Only to `take control of` existing illusion(s) in my area", or words to that effect.