Mental Power, Area Effect, and Classes of Minds

[Allandrel]

According to the FAQ, Adders can be turned on or off whenever a power is used. I'm wondering about how this interacts with Area-Effect Mental Powers and the "Additional Classes of Minds" Adder.

 

For example, say a human character has Mental Illusion with Area Effect and the Adders "Affects Alien Minds" and "Affects Machine Minds." Normal use of the power will affect all human, alien, and machine minds within its area of effect.

 

Essentially, the effect I'm looking to generate is a more restricted form of Selective Area of Effect, where a character chooses to affect or exempt large categories rather than specific individuals.

 

Question 1: If the character turns off both his adders, would the power affect all humans within its area of effect, but not any aliens or machines?

 

Question 2: Mental Powers affect the character's class of mind by default - but could this class of mind be turned off, even though it isn't strictly an Adder? For example, if a character wanted to affect all Aliens within his area of effect, but no humans? Or would he need to buy a separate version of the power that had Alien minds as its default?

 

Patrick J McGraw

[Steve Long]

1. Yes.

 

2. That’s up to the GM, but as a default given the power construct you have in mind, I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be allowed.