Staring into the sun

[Equinox]

I am looking on how to do the following power:

 

A character who glows as brightly as the sun, and therefore looking directly at him should be very hard.

 

I have been thinking of flash attacks, damage shields...but really I can't think of how to do it so it is "passive" and happens when someone looks at him rather than when someone attacks him.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Nox

[Steve Long]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

This is a "how to" rather than a rules question, so I've moved it.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Darkness?

 

Counterintuitive if you stick with the name, but all it does is stop you sensing and it is an AOE constant power, so with appropriate limtiations it could work.

 

If not I'd go for Change Environment with PER penalties based on range and reduced by flash defence.

 

Something like that.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Welcome back again Sean - its quiet when you are gone....

 

Darkness? Interesting perspective. I see where you are coming from a space that you cannot percieve into or through but it doesn't address the consequences of looking directly at that space or whether you could take precautions (really good shades) and not suffer at all.

 

I think that I might have to insist on some kind of triggered Flash and an area effect cumulative Transform that would blind any sensory apparatus that trained on the area for too long...

 

 

Doc

[Tech]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I simply attribute it to additional DCV levels. You could even make the DCV levels cost END so that if the character is knocked out, the DCV levels turn off along with the power. Give it a limitation that it doesn't work vs opponents with Flash Defense. Cheaper and easier to build.

[Comic]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Darkness, definitely.

 

Possibly with a simple linked no-range cumulative transform explosion with extended area AVLD Flash Defense, reversed by regeneration/regrow limbs (or retinal replacement), doesn't work if target doesn't look.

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I am looking on how to do the following power:

 

A character who glows as brightly as the sun, and therefore looking directly at him should be very hard.

 

I have been thinking of flash attacks, damage shields...but really I can't think of how to do it so it is "passive" and happens when someone looks at him rather than when someone attacks him.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Nox

 

You say that it is difficult to look at him. That is a special effect. What iare the actual game effects that you want?

 

If someone would not be able to describe him except for the glowing light then it is more than just DCV levels. Give us an idea of what the effect makes difficult for people and then it is easy to make the constructs...

 

 

Doc

[Equinox]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

You say that it is difficult to look at him. That is a special effect. What iare the actual game effects that you want?

 

If someone would not be able to describe him except for the glowing light then it is more than just DCV levels. Give us an idea of what the effect makes difficult for people and then it is easy to make the constructs...

 

 

Doc

 

Forget about the character or the effects that I want. I am not looking for specific effects. I am looking to duplicate what happens when you try and look directly at the sun.

 

So what effects does that have? -PER, or it's a flash attack that takes away your perception for a time, it would also be very hard to aim at the target.

 

So I could see -OCV and -PER for a time. And it should be passive enough so even if the "sun" does not see the target, it still affects the target if the target looks directly at the "sun". It also sheds light so it would offset darkness penalties for others etc...you know, like a walking sun....

 

For the specific effects I am not overly worried. It's the "passive" nature that is causing me issues. Darkness is a thought, but it has a finite range...if the "sun" is half a mile away, and you tried to stare at it, it should still blind you. But if you turn your back to it (or avert your gaze), you would be just fine (hence you are not in the "darkness" radius)...

 

Maybe a 0 END AE Radius flash attack that is always on (for the blinding) linked to an change environment "Light" to illuminate the way? That is where I am currently leaning...

 

(and thanks for moving the thread Steve...my bad)

[Jaxom]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

At the root, I am going with the Darkness answer... The rest is special effects and lims.

 

As I recall from memory, you'd want to haggle a special lim with your GM, something to the effect of "effectiveness reduced by Flash Defense X points per point of Flash D" (looking for a function like Power Defense when you write it up).

 

You could also take a linked Flash but I can never recall how you'd write the advantage on it... I'm thinking Continuous since the idea is to do the flash damage every time and as long as someone is looking at you. Or maybe as a Damage Shield? Finding the right mechanic for what I am envisioning here is beyond me at the moment...

[Dr.Device]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Here's another way to do it:

Bright as the Sun: Invisibility to Sight Group , No Fringe (30 Active Points); Not vs. Those with 5pts Sight Group Flash defense (-1/2), Visible (-1/4)

 

The visible limitation is because everyone can tell there's someone there (for vague values of there).

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Forget about the character or the effects that I want. I am not looking for specific effects. I am looking to duplicate what happens when you try and look directly at the sun.

 

So what effects does that have? -PER, or it's a flash attack that takes away your perception for a time, it would also be very hard to aim at the target.

 

So I could see -OCV and -PER for a time. And it should be passive enough so even if the "sun" does not see the target, it still affects the target if the target looks directly at the "sun". It also sheds light so it would offset darkness penalties for others etc...you know, like a walking sun....

 

For the specific effects I am not overly worried. It's the "passive" nature that is causing me issues. Darkness is a thought, but it has a finite range...if the "sun" is half a mile away, and you tried to stare at it, it should still blind you. But if you turn your back to it (or avert your gaze), you would be just fine (hence you are not in the "darkness" radius)...

 

Maybe a 0 END AE Radius flash attack that is always on (for the blinding) linked to an change environment "Light" to illuminate the way? That is where I am currently leaning...

 

(and thanks for moving the thread Steve...my bad)

It sounds to me more like Images, rather than Darkness. Images only affect those looking at the image, right? So -X PER when looking at the guy. Perhaps with an environmental Side Effect - if you look at other nearby stuff it's easier to see, or counteracts darkness. And an Image can be seen from as far away as you could normally see it.

 

I'd ignore or handwave the long-term/permanent blindness part. You'd have to stare into the sun for a long time before you seriously impair your vision permanently.

[Sean Waters]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Well I've just been and tried and I conclude:

 

1. It hurts - it is almost impossible to actually look at the sun without pain, or something very like it.

 

2. The effects continue for some time after you stop.

 

I think that Doc's suggestion of a constant flash attack explosion probably does everything you need, although ACTUALLY looking at the sun for any extended period would probably make you blind for a LONG time if not permanently. Perhaps add in a small transform to 'blind target'.

 

Hi Doc

 

Flash works well because it stops you seeing anything but sun goggles cut or remove the penalty and it continues after you move away.

 

You could do the pain thing with a small AVLD (flash defence) as Comic suggests.

[Susano]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I used + X DCV, "Not Versus Flash Defense."

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Well I've just been and tried and I conclude:

 

1. It hurts - it is almost impossible to actually look at the sun without pain, or something very like it.

 

2. The effects continue for some time after you stop.

 

I think that Doc's suggestion of a constant flash attack explosion probably does everything you need, although ACTUALLY looking at the sun for any extended period would probably make you blind for a LONG time if not permanently. Perhaps add in a small transform to 'blind target'.

 

 

That's what I like to see, good down to earth basic research.

 

Please dont look directly at the Sun, Sean, it harms your eyesight!

 

Doc

[Doc Democracy]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Forget about the character or the effects that I want. I am not looking for specific effects. I am looking to duplicate what happens when you try and look directly at the sun.

 

Then you are looking how you might replicate the effects of looking into the Sun within the game...no??

 

So what effects does that have? -PER, or it's a flash attack that takes away your perception for a time, it would also be very hard to aim at the target.

 

So I could see -OCV and -PER for a time. And it should be passive enough so even if the "sun" does not see the target, it still affects the target if the target looks directly at the "sun". It also sheds light so it would offset darkness penalties for others etc...you know, like a walking sun....

 

I reckon a few of the things that have been quoted to you would have those effects. The added DCV would be passive as would the Flash explosion. You might want to add a megascale Change Environment as well.

 

Darkness is a thought' date=' but it has a finite range...if the "sun" is half a mile away, and you tried to stare at it, it should still blind you. But if you turn your back to it (or avert your gaze), you would be just fine (hence you are not in the "darkness" radius)...[/quote']

 

Well, you are going to have to decide how big you want the effects to be. If you had the Sun on the Earth then we'd all be in trouble due to the heat but possibly also due to the problems of so much light. Do you really want the effect of the character to be able to blind people even when they are 93 million miles away (like the real sun)??

 

The area of effect is something you need to decide for yourself - it is possible to do this by buying a continuous megascale Flash explosion that will only affect those looking at the target - you might be in real trouble with the damage caused to millions of onlookers though...

 

Maybe a 0 END AE Radius flash attack that is always on (for the blinding) linked to an change environment "Light" to illuminate the way? That is where I am currently leaning...

 

You'll have to do a bit more than simply Flash, Always on. Possibly continuous, possibly triggered, possibly something else that will work for you. I was thinking of an explosion suppress that would suppress sight only when looking in the direction of the PC. Explosion works well as it reduces the effects the further you are from the centre of the effect.

 

Your big question is how far you want the effects to take place, how extreme you want them to be, how quickly you want people's vision to return to normal but, if you want to mimic reality to some extent, then the longer they have been looking at the Sun the longer things will take to go back to normal and if they look long enough then only extreme measures would restore their sight - essentially adding a physical limitation - blind to the viewer. This could be done through transform.

 

 

Doc

[Sean Waters]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

That's what I like to see, good down to earth basic research.

 

Please dont look directly at the Sun, Sean, it harms your eyesight!

 

Doc

 

You think that is a problem: the reason I haven't been posting for a while is that I'd been researching the 'killing attack' thread

[Zed-F]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I used the following for a character who had a power like this -- the effect was bright enough to make it difficult to look directly at her but not bright enough to temporarily blind. For that, she had a VPP with a variety of powers, including flash.

 

Stare Into the Sun: Darkness to Sight Group 1" radius, Personal Immunity (+1/4) (12 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Not vs. Sight Flash Defense (-1/4)

Notes: Glows so brightly it's difficult to look at her.

 

I should probably have put 'self only' on that as well so she can't just leave a trail of 1" radius blinding patches behind her everywhere she goes.

[pinecone]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Here's another way to do it:

Bright as the Sun: Invisibility to Sight Group , No Fringe (30 Active Points); Not vs. Those with 5pts Sight Group Flash defense (-1/2), Visible (-1/4)

 

The visible limitation is because everyone can tell there's someone there (for vague values of there).

 

I thought of this too, but add in Bright fringe!

[Trebuchet]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I have a supervillainess named Plasma for whom I used Darkness to create this effect; with the Limitation "Not vs. characters with 5+ Sight Flash Defense: -½" and defined as light so bright you literally can't see through it.

[Mister E]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I think I'd go with a Flash attack... and give it No Range (centered on you)... Explosive... Megascale (+1/4, 'cause it seems like you want some serious range on this, which I think is cool)... Continuous... Indirect (because the sunlight emanates from his whole body, hands, feets, everywhere)... and Visible to simulate how freaking easy to detect he is, and so as to give potential victoms fair warning before they enter the area allowing them a choice not to look directly at you and go blind.

 

You probably already know this, but: A Constant AoE/Explosive power, "remains in effect in the Segments between the attacker's Phases," which is pretty much perfect. Furthermore, "any target who enters the area takes damage or is effected in the Segment he enters and every time the attacker's Phase occures while the target remains within the area." Also, once a target is blind, they don't get further Flashed until they can see again.

 

If this character was going to be an NPC, the business of potential targets having the option to avert their eyes would imo best be concluded as a SFX disadvantage that gives no points. Players pull that move all the time in RPG's versus medusa-gorgons and stuff. However, since this is a PC, I'd give him linked Invisibility with No Conscious Control which the GM only activates when people attempt to target him while averting their eyes.

[Zed-F]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I suppose there are lots of ways to build it depending on how powerful you want it to be. Something that's difficult to look at directly but won't leave you temporarily or permanently blind afterwards is a lot simpler and potentially less munchkiny than a more powerful version. It would also tend to be a lot cheaper.

 

Simple & Cheap:

-- Darkness 1" radius defined as 'too bright to look directly at', with limitations (e.g. not vs. flash defense)

 

A little stronger & more expensive:

-- CE causing penalties to sight PER rolls within x" radius (possibly stacking with the above darkness at the center)

 

Stronger yet but costly:

- Continuous AoE flash builds centered on self, blinds everyone in radius but effect fades quickly outside of it

 

Actually damaging to the eyes but wickedly expensive:

- AoE Transform to blinded person

 

Combine to taste, and per your points budget.

[Equinox]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Some great ideas here guys, thanks very much.

 

Yes, I would love to megascale the range, but honestly the amount of points that I have to play with won't allow it. What I wanted was to see what you guys felt would be the effect of staring into the sun and scale it appropriately.

 

Right now I think I am going to go with the darkness idea, and hook in some +DCV to refelect that it's hard to aim at a brightly glowing target, also maybe linked to a change environment dark to light...

[McCoy]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Change Enviroment, penality levels to PER and OCV targeted by sight.

[Equinox]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

I ended up going for images (light only) for the lighting of the sky, +DCV linked to images to reflect that it is hard to look directly at him.

 

For now...that's all I can afford, pointwise. It will do. I eventually will try and link in a flash attack to make them PAY for looking upon my glorious self.

 

Thanks a ton for the help.

[Thaingar]

Re: Staring into the sun

 

Perhaps a cumulative Flash? (Cheesy, I know ... since, once flashed people are usually immune to further flashing until it wears off ... but it could work.)