A Killing Song

[ghost-angel]

Re: A Killing Song

 

I'm not sure how I would rule the IPE. I understand that the intent is to make the effects of the power fully invisible...but having the target not know they are taking damage seems to stretch things for me.

 

I think I would almost rather go with an RKA that takes Extra Time. Maybe Continuous, maybe AF, not quite sure.

Going from the source quoted in the first post the Duke didn't notice he was being killed until he clutched his through and died. Sounds like IPE: Effects & Source to me. Otherwise is would be apparent the Duke was 1) taking damage and 2) it was coming from the Bard (at least to him).

[Rapier]

Re: A Killing Song

 

Going from the source quoted in the first post the Duke didn't notice he was being killed until he clutched his through and died. Sounds like IPE: Effects & Source to me. Otherwise is would be apparent the Duke was 1) taking damage and 2) it was coming from the Bard (at least to him).

I totally agree that the source and effects was IPE, but I'm just having a problem wrapping my brain around the fact that the Duke did not know he was taking damage. He is taking damage and the source and any effects of the damage are not visible to others, but he is still feeling pain and knows he is taking damage.

 

Mechanon wants to buy a Microwave Cannon which will cook puny organics from the inside. He buys this as an RKA 3d6, Invisible To Sight. Since he does not want the damage caused by the attack to be obvious to observers, he pays double for the IPE Advantage -- +1 instead of the usual +1/2. When he uses this attack, its special effects, source, and effects will all be Invisible. The victim will know he's taking damage, and will feel terrible pain, but observers will not see any burns, bruises, injuries, or other signs that he has been attacked.

Emphasis, mine, obviously. There is no power modifier (other than some kind of Mental Illusions construct) that will stop someone from knowing that they are taking damage. In this case, with the Gradual IPE RKA, the Duke will know he is taking damage the first time the damage strikes. I doubt he is going to sit there all happy as a clam while he does it. He is still taking BODY and STUN.

 

I would have to say the power is more likely to be an RKA with Extra Time.

[Robyn]

Re: A Killing Song

 

Mechanon wants to buy a Microwave Cannon which will cook puny organics from the inside. He buys this as an RKA 3d6, Invisible To Sight. Since he does not want the damage caused by the attack to be obvious to observers, he pays double for the IPE Advantage -- +1 instead of the usual +1/2. When he uses this attack, its special effects, source, and effects will all be Invisible. The victim will know he's taking damage, and will feel terrible pain, but observers will not see any burns, bruises, injuries, or other signs that he has been attacked.

Emphasis, mine, obviously. There is no power modifier (other than some kind of Mental Illusions construct) that will stop someone from knowing that they are taking damage.

 

Note that, in the section you cited, Mechanon only bought his RKA with Invisibility to Sight, out of three senses the power is perceivable by. A fully invisible power would arguably be completely undetectable. I would tack on a Variable Effect on the Indirect, to make it feel like guilt or some other appropriate emotion to the target - but then they would be able to completely shrug off the effect if they were innocent (that is, if the bard guessed wrong as to which emotion the target would suffer from, hearing such a song; in that case, the victim would be able to recognize the emotion as foreign to themselves, and escape the spell).