Understanding "Detect"

[Tedology]

Hello all,

 

I'll FINALLY be starting my campaign on Sunday and I'm a bit nervous, as it's been many years since I've run Champions.

 

One of my players has "Detect minds" as an Enhanced Sense.

 

I'm trying to understand how I should keep that in check as a GM:

 

1. If he enters a dark room, would he make a PER roll and determine:

• how many minds are there?
• where the minds are?
• the locations of the minds?

 2. Or would he simply determine that somewhere in the room there is the presence of one or more minds?

 

I'm guessing since it's not a Targeting Sense, he would not figure the location(s), number, etc... but I just wanted to double-check.

 

I like the flavor this has for his character, I just don't want to have my shapeshifter (who might decide to disguise himself like a desk) be spotted by my PC!

 

Thanks!

Ted

[L. Marcus]

What does the build look like, specifically?

[Tedology]

What does the build look like, specifically?

 

Thanks for responding, L. Marcus.

 

Well, he's primarily a mentalist, with a MP of telepathy, mental entangle, mind transformation (erase memories, etc.), telekinetic barrier.

 

(Is that what you meant by "build"?)

[The Hawk God]

No he meant the actual power construction, like this

 

Sapient Sense - Detect A Large Class Of Things 14- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Increased Arc Of Perception (240 Degrees), Range, Tracking  32AP

[Tedology]

No he meant the actual power construction, like this

 

Sapient Sense - Detect A Large Class Of Things 14- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Increased Arc Of Perception (240 Degrees), Range, Tracking  32AP

 

Ah yes... I should have guessed that.

 

From memory (it's from the Champions Powers book/resource), I believe it's just a basic Detect. Not discriminatory, not analyze, not targeting.

 

I think I may have just answered my question. He will be able to walk in a room and detect minds present...but not through a wall, etc.

[L. Marcus]

Well, on that level, unless it's assigned to a Sense Group, it's a matter of "There's a mind right next to me" or not. No details (that's Discriminatory), no Range ... Doe the character have Mind Scan?

[Tedology]

Well, on that level, unless it's assigned to a Sense Group, it's a matter of "There's a mind right next to me" or not. No details (that's Discriminatory), no Range ... Doe the character have Mind Scan?

 

No, he doesn't have Mind Scan.

 

I'll let him know about this... he might have to purchase At Range, or, as you suggest...assign it to a Sense Group (like Sight, etc.)

 

Thanks, L. Marcus and Hawk God!

[Hyper-Man]

Smell/Taste is basically a 5 point basic Detect to make a comparison.

[Gravitron]

Also, keep in mind that the Detect at its base level is NOT a "sense" at all.. so it takes a 1/2 action to use it.

And yes.. he can assign it to a sense group (unless he wants it to be a "special" sense in no group).

This comes with an up-side (you get free modifiers) and a down-side (it gets flashed with that group).