need help with character who has hallucinations

[Badger]

I am working on a "slightly mentally unstable" villain. Who on extreme occasion suffers from some wacky hallucinations. I already got that as a disadvantage. But I want to figure out a way to kind of create that as a power to make it more accurate and affect things. Closest I can figure would be mental illusions with Self Only and No Conscious Control. Also probably an activation roll and some kind of trigger. Am I on the right track? I want it to be rare, but definitely possible and something that should affect him possibly in gameplay.

[MitchellS]

Re: need help with character who has hallucinations

 

Honestly I'd just consider it to be either a physical or psychological limitation and leave it at that. The disadvantage makes you crazy. You don't need a power which works on yourself to prove it.

[Badger]

Re: need help with character who has hallucinations

 

I guess you got a point. After I asked the question, I asked myself one. "For a power, it wouldnt be much of an advantage. One case of me "overthinking":o Yeah, powers are supposed to be advantage. So, uhh, nevermind.

[Cancer]

Re: need help with character who has hallucinations

 

Though statting-out and carefully defining one or more of the hallucinations can be a great roleplaying tool if you lean toward the Loonie side of player-space. Lapsing into a conversation (or better, argument, and in either case your voice is only one the other players and GM get to hear) with your hallucination can be immensely entertaining.

 

In RL once on a wee-hours bus ride I listened to someone having at least a three-part argument with herself. I think there were more than three participating voices actually, but I was certain only of three. That and the old comic strip Eyebeam have inspired me to some RPG madness along these lines....

 

Also, you win big if your character gets enough experience points so you can remove the "self only" limitation on the hallucinations...

[Flames]

Re: need help with character who has hallucinations

 

I'd say that it's a Physical Limitation Disad, no doubt about it. Psych Lims are things that characters can sometimes will themselves out of, but if a character is schizophrenic, psychotically depressed, or suffers from PTSD, no amount of willpower can overcome the affliction, sadly.

 

Perhaps the villain controls the hallucinations with powerful drugs, leading to a Dependence Disad with Illusions as the effect of not taking the drugs.