Opinion wanted about coverage of Detect Life Force power

[badger3k]

Re: Opinion wanted about coverage of Detect Life Force power

 

Just realized that I have a second question with respect to this power AS CONSTRUCTED. Can both detects be used at the same time on the same subject without taking the time to switch them? If it had been bought as a Sense (i.e. a zero phase action to use the detect), my answer would be "yes". However, I am not so sure about this case where the detect takes an extra phase to start up. Obviously, once it gets started/tuned in, details can be picked up as quickly as a normal detect, however, the question is only about Detecting Life switching to Detecting Physical Health/Injury/Symptoms or visa versa.

 

Gemphyre

 

If they both work off the same sense, then I would be wary of letting them both be on at the same time (unless they are "sense" as you said). To me, though, this does sound similar to the "multiple power attack" mechanic, and if used in this case, you'd make one die roll for both powers and use that result.

 

If they used different senses, then I wouldn't have any problem with both on.

 

If either had the "concentration" limitation, then I definitely wouldn't allow it.

[Gemphyre]

Re: Opinion wanted about coverage of Detect Life Force power

 

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions. I have written up a fairly detailed rundown of what the power can and cannot do, including incorporating many of your various suggestions. The person that is playing the character with this power is pretty new to the Hero System, but not to gaming, which is part of the reason for the level of detail. As some background, the character is a mentalist (biokinesis), and a surgeon. She has Paramedics 15-, PS:Physician 14-, PS: Surgeon 15-, SS:Anatomy 15-, SS: Medicine 15-, and the Perk: License to Practice Medicine. She work in a Chicago hospital in the ER. Therefore, she does have the knowledge and skills to interpret what she sees with these detects.

 

Here is the power write-up with the notes:

Living Medical Tricorder: Detect Health Status, Physical Symptoms, Physical Integrity / Detect Life and 18- (Mental Group), Discriminatory, Analyze (30 Active Points); Extra Time (Extra Phase, Only to Activate, -1/2)

 

Common to Both Detects

How much information is based on how good the roll is.

Can be blinded by Flash attacks against the Mental Sense group.

Can be fooled by Mental Illusions and similar powers

Can be seen with Mental Awareness.

Need to see the subject for them to work. Will work through normal Supers armor, but not an opaque vehicle or around a wall.

Force Fields/Force Walls/Armor with Mental Def. included in it will interfere with the detects; penalty is -1 / 2 Mental Def.

Both powers cannot work at the same time. One must be switched off before the other can be turned on.

Does not allow you to target an attack through it.

 

 

Detect Health Status, Physical Symptoms, Physical Integrity

Acts as a living medical tricorder from Star Trek.

Can approximate temperature of the person’s body in or near human norms (~70F – ~115 F).

Can detect and analyze most physical injuries, both internally and externally.

Can determine the symptoms of an illness.

Can “see” where a person is in pain, or would be if conscious.

Can pick up details 1 item at a time after the externally visible ones. (i.e. a compound fracture is visibly obvious; a sprain, internal bleeding, or a simple fracture is not visibly obvious.) The details are picked at 2/phase.

Cannot tell what disease subject is suffering from.

Cannot determine genetic anomalies.

Cannot see microscopic structures, many parasites, viruses, bacteria, or sources of bleeding that cannot be seen with the human eye.

 

 

Detect Life

Is there life?

What kind of life? (animal, plant, etc)

What general information (carnivore, sessile, etc.)

What species?

What sex, age, general health (sick, healthy)?

Can determine is subject is a mutant on a very good roll (vs. a mutate) for species user is familiar with.

Can determine if subject is a humanoid alien.

Can determine individual life signs/life force. This allows you to differentiate between individuals. Only good for a few days (i.e. 1 scenario/adventure)

Out of combat only, can be used to “scan” for “life signs”. This is a case where you are trying to find someone buried in rubble, for example. It is only good through about 6 meters of rubble, and you lose everything except “Is there life”. (basically, you on concentrating on finding the person to the exclusion of almost all else.) Penalty: -1 / 1m of rubble/material minimum

 

 

Same info in a Word Document is attached.

 

Any more suggestions and comments would be welcome.

 

Gemphyre

[badger3k]

Re: Opinion wanted about coverage of Detect Life Force power

 

I won't quote all that, but it looks good to me.

 

Should be fun to play - I think you covered the bases we all brought up (and your own, natch).