How Do I...? "Detect Spying" Question

[Black Rose]

This is for a spell, and the effects I'm going for are:

• This spell lets me know I'm being "spied upon" (Detect Observation). The observation can't be obvious, it must be covert in some manner -- anything from scrying, to CCTV cameras, to a location-tracking bug, to a bloke wiv' a newspaper what's got eyeholes innit. I can't automatically target them, I only know that they exist and they're in roughly that direction; I can try to find out more details with a bit of effort (END cost).
• A variation of this spell lets me do the same thing with a defined area. Pretty much just as above, but takes more effort (increased END cost).
• Finally, I can make it so another person will know if they have been observed. Nothing "happens" when they are observed beyond them knowing it -- there's no visual effect or anything, they just know "I'm being spied upon!"

 

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

TIA

[Ninja-Bear]

I would think a straight up Detect with all the proper extras added on should suffice. Sfx could be the hairs on your back are raised.

[LoneWolf]

I agree with Ninja-Bear it would be s straight detect observer (Large class of things).  You are probably going to want to add increased arc of perception (360 Degrees), Range, and sense at minimum.  Depending on the campaign and the spell other modifiers may also be appropriate.  Without Range you would only be able to detect an observer that was next to you.

 

The defined area variant is not going to be needed because if you have ranged you can already do this.  Without range the spell is pretty much useless.

 

Add UBO for the third variant. 
 

[Grailknight]

I'd just go with Danger Sense.

[tombrown803]

Danger Sense would only work if they meant you immediate harm. if they are only watching you Danger Sense wouldn't trigger

 

[Grailknight]

Danger Sense is broad and covers many types of threats. Detect OTOH is far more specific and more SFX bound.

 

How would you define a Detect that encompasses mechanical sensors, direct observation, Mind Scan and Clairsentience? They're all means of observation but if it was easy to define a Detect that covers all the possible SFX variations, we wouldn't be here.

 

Danger Sense is a catch-all already built into the system. Many of the variations the OP asks for are already baked into the established Adders of the power. Add in an Custom Advantage/Adder/Limitation to make it only for observation(specifically observation with hostile intent) and you're good to go. And don't turn it on in a mosquito filled area🙂

[Christopher R Taylor]

I'd just go with Danger Sense.

 

That works but... if you're building a spell around it, you gotta go to the base of how Danger Sense was built for the Talent and its just Detect yadda yadda.

[Hugh Neilson]

Start with the Danger Sense build and change "danger" to"surveillance".  You should end up with a reasonable cost.

[Black Rose]

Okay, starting with the Danger Sense build:

Detect Danger Detectable By Normal Human Senses In Combat, Including Range To Danger, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) (total cost: 10 points) plus Targeting (10 Active Points); Only If Character Makes Half Roll (-1) (total cost: 5 points). Total cost: 15 points. That's 5 CP for the Detect, +5 CP more for the Increased Arc Of Perception, and +5 CP more for the Limited Targeting. This gets me the base Danger Sense construct. +2 CP gets me "functions as a Sense", and +1 CP per +1 to Danger Sense roll.

 

Moving on to Dangers Detected:

+5 CP lets me perceive dangers in and out of combat -- I assume that would simply be another class of things (Detect Danger Detectable By Normal Human Senses Out Of Combat) for +5 CP, or expanding to a large class of things (Detect Danger Detectable By Normal Human Senses In and Out Of Combat), also for +5 CP.

+10 CP lets me perceive dangers in and out of combat, even if I lack the Senses to perceive it. Is that simply rewriting it as "Detect Danger In and Out Of Combat", and removing the mention of "normal human senses"?

 

Next is Area Covered:

+5 CP for "immediate vicinity"

+10 CP for "general area (city-wide)"

+15 CP for "any area (planetary area)"

 

Ordinarily I'd assume Range, Telescopic, or MegaRange, but 6e1 112 specifically says "These forms of Danger Sense do not suffer from the Range Modifier, nor do they require Telescopic or MegaScale to work." So that's out. Anyone know or have an idea what the thinking is behind the Area Covered costs?

[dmjalund]

area covered (i believe) has to do with the target of the danger rather than the source

[Christopher R Taylor]

All we get in the Talent build is 

 

Quote

Detect (Danger Detectable By Normal Human Senses In Combat), Range, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), plus Targeting; Only If Character Makes Half Roll (-1)

 

I am not sure what the notes mean by not buying telescopic or megascale.  I suspect strongly that some hand waving is going on for the more powerful versions of DS.

[dmjalund]

there is no 'distance' to danger sense because the default target is YOU (your character) any danger that can hit the target can theoretically be sensed. range is not required to sense it.

[Christopher R Taylor]

One of the settings of danger sense is a very large area (city wide, etc).  Spider-Man -- the baseline origin of the power -- can on occasion sense danger to the entire world, if its a big enough threat.  So its capable of being an extremely large area as a concept at least.

[unclevlad]

13 hours ago, Black Rose said:

 

+10 CP lets me perceive dangers in and out of combat, even if I lack the Senses to perceive it. Is that simply rewriting it as "Detect Danger In and Out Of Combat", and removing the mention of "normal human senses"?

 

Ehhh...I think it's intended more actively, but striking the "detectable by normal human senses" leaves things ambiguous as well.  Go back to 6E1 111, and the gas trap example.  An odorless, colorless gas is Invisible, with No Fringe.  Normally won't trigger Danger Sense...unless it has this adder.  The gist, to me, is you don't ask how at that point...with this adder, You Just Know.  It's a lot like an Unusual Sense at that point, but they don't want to get into interaction issues *at all*.  For example, most mental powers are invisible to anything *but* Mental Awareness...and, when appropriate, Danger Sense.

 

So, Scrysense version 1 (you) would be 27 points...the base 15, plus Sense and the Any Danger enhancement.  Your "a little more effort" angle is a minor tweak to the Targeting portion of the build, but as such, costing normal END isn't worth an extra Limitation...and note that it would likely only save a point at most anyway, since the Targeting has a -1 limitation on it anyway.

 

The room version...the base Detect is 5 points.  We have to add UBO...so others can pick up on it.  The base UBO for just +1/4 is what's used with the gate style of teleport, where we don't know in advance how many are gonna use it.  Kinda cheap and cheesy, but...ok, fine.  I think I'd add the size of the room as an AoE advantage, so larger rooms are harder.  The rest is pretty much as per version 1.

[Christopher R Taylor]

One of the spells I built for the Jolrhos Codex is Reveal Danger (based on a "spell" in the novel Dream Park, actually).  The spell detects danger, and then reveals that danger to the "party" by images showing a glow that only they can see.  That way only the PC has to have danger sense, but everyone benefits from it.