OAF and Visible?

[BenKimball]

I'd like the opinion of Herodom Assembled on this one. I'm preparing to GM for the first time, and I'm overseeing character creation. One of my players has a mentalist whose powers come from a strange helmet that he's learned to control. The player also likes the idea of his character's mental powers being visible. The trouble is, I'm not sure if these two limitations make sense on most (if not all) of his powers:

 

Mental Illusions, OAF (helmet) -1/2, Visible -1/4.

 

Mind Scan, OAF, Visible.

 

and my favorite: Mind Link, OAF, Visible.

 

Now, if an illusion has a visible power effect, wouldn't that make it less likely to work? ("Uhm, Bob, there's a weird blue energy stream connecting that mentalist with that dinosaur.")

 

If a Mind LInk is Visible, does that mean there'd be a glowing green line linking all of the PC's heads?

 

In short: if a focus is already Obvious, does it make sense for its powers to be granted -1/4 for Visible as well?

 

Thanks!

Ben

[Dust Raven]

There is really no difference from an OAF on a normally visible Power and an OAF on a normally invisible Power with Visible.

 

Visible only gets tricky when the Mental Powers is used. As a default, the target of a Mental Power isn't aware he's being affected by it until it wares off. He'll see the visible effect, be affected by the Power, but only be aware of the visible effect (maybe he thinks it failed). If you want to grant a target a bonus to break out of the effects if it's really obvious that something strange is going on, go ahead. It is a LImitation afterall.

 

Specifically...The blue energy stream would connect the attack with the target, not the illusion, and only the target will perceive the illusion.

 

A glowing green line would indeed connect everybody in the Link.

 

An EB is visible, and can be put in a Focus. The only thing is that it becomes obvious that the Power comes from the item, not the character. Visible just makes sure everybody can see it, otherwise only characters with Mental Awareness would be able to see the Power to know it's from the Focus.

[Super Squirrel]

OAF, Visible Mental Illusions could be described like this:

 

OAF - The person has a spiral hypnotist disk. Duh... I wonder what it does.

 

Visible, when using the power, you can see a sort of outline of the type of illusing being cast if you are not the intended victim.

 

 

 

OAF, Visible Mind Link

 

OAF - Hat says "Good guys communication device"

 

Visible - A string on a tin can connected from the hat to all other members.

[Zed-F]

That is an OIF hat, not an OAF hat, since you're taking the -1/2 lim, right? It's strapped on, and not just sitting on top of his head?

 

The focus makes it obvious what the source of the power is (and thus how it can be taken away.) The visible makes it obvious that a normally invisible power is being used to anyone other than the target. Normally, the target already knows when a mental power is being used against him and who is using it, though he may not gain that knowledge or be able to do anything about it until the attack fails/wears off.

[Lord Liaden]

I've always treated an Obvious Focus for Mental Powers as being Obvious for anyone who can perceive the use of a Mental Power, i.e. anyone with Mental Awareness could tell that the Power comes from the Focus rather than the character, as can the victim of the Mental Power once he becomes aware that the Power has been used on him. Making a Mental Power Visible would increase the number of Sense Groups that can perceive the Power being used.

 

In the case of Visible Mental Illusions, I would rule that it would be obvious to any onlooker that a Power was being used by the wielder on the target (a ray that strikes the target, wielder's and target's eyes both glow, etc.) but the actual illusion created would only be visible to the target unless defined otherwise under the SFX of the Power.

 

You should feel free to get creative with visuals of the Power; Visible doesn't necessarily mean an unbroken connection between the user of the Power and his subject. A Visible Mind Scan might manifest something detectable around the user, and around his subject miles away, which makes it plain that the Power is in use, but need not leave a trail that anyone can follow from one to the other. That's true for the visuals of any Power use.

[BenKimball]

Excellent! Thanks for all the great advice. Good catch, Zed-F; I meant to type OIF.

 

Based on further correspondence with the player, who describes the helmet as some sort of mechanical device with a big, loud turbine (!) attached, I think I'm going to grant him a custom limitation Audible (-1/4), and incorporate the suggestions here.

 

Mental Illusions: A load whirring noise comes from the mentalist's helmet, which can be seen spinning up; onlookers can perceive that the rush of wind/power/sound is directed at the target, who is clearly disoriented; the target perceives the illusion, and may be dimly aware of something like jet plane noise around him (maybe with a PER roll).

 

Mind Scan: Same effect for the mentalist, and the target is suddenly surrounded by this loud noise as well. ("Whoa! Where's the plane?!")

 

Mind Link: As Mental Illusions, but the effect is audible to anyone with a Hearing Group sense. The actual content of the conversation is, of course, not audible.

 

Sound about right? (No pun intended; hey, at least I didn't mention his turbine turban. )

 

[Edit: Hey! I'm competent! Yay!]

 

Cheers!

Ben

[Maccabe]

Mental Powers Visible & OAF

 

Ok it's my two cents, but this is how I would handle it.

 

Mental Illusions Visible; How does anyone really know it's an illusion. Could be the special effect of a Summon, or Ego Attack, Energy Blast even.

 

Mind Link: The persons head glows. Big Deal. It has to have a visible effect BUT figuring out what is happening is another story. Do you wanna take a chance this guy is calling for reinforcements???? Or maybe he just has Light Generation and is trying to "psyche you out"

 

Mind Scan: By itself it would last about a phase/segment.

You know you are being affected but does that mean that the traces of it are still visible after it's use???

 

Maybe leaves trail obvious to target might be a good disad?

[prestidigitator]

Audible is covered under the Visible Power Effects Limitation. Don't let the literal wording of the Limitation fool you; as many things in the Hero system, it is named after the most obvious use/interpretation, but the mechanics cover a much wider base.