Damage Field and Ranged Touch

[slaughterj]

Damage Field automatically applies damage to anyone who touches the Damage Field character, so if another person with Ranged Touch is within range and perceives (with their touch sense) the Damage Field character, wouldn't that mean the person with Ranged Touch automatically takes the Damage Field damage?

 

Could the Ranged Touch character turn off the sense?  One can't turn off touch normally, and takes some effort to turn off hearing (cover ears) or smell (hold nose), though a little earlier for seeing (just shut eyes).

 

If they could turn off the sense somehow, presumably they could not be selective about it generally (e.g., turn off the sense to the extent it is touching the Damage FIeld character, but continue to touch everywhere else)?

 

The above generally assumes 360 degree touch, though I understand one might just have 120 degree touch and then rotate that cone away from the Damage Field character.

[Steve Long]

First, just to be clear, there is no such thing in the HERO System rules as a “Damage Field.” I assume you’re referring to Damage Shield, but if I’ve somehow misinterpreted what you’re asking about please post a follow-up question.

 

You’ve folded a couple of questions into one here, so I’m going to break them out and state them generically so everyone understands what I’m answering. Again, if I’ve misread what you’re asking, please post a follow-up.

 

Q:  If a character has bought the Ranged Sense Modifier for his Touch, and he uses his Ranged Touch to touch someone who has a Damage Shield, will the character take the damage from the Damage Shield?

 

A:  Yes.

 

 

Q:  If a character has a Sense, can he “turn off” that Sense, or otherwise refuse to use it?

 

A:  This is up to the GM, and usually involves applying the usual mix of common sense, dramatic sense, and consideration for game balance. Obviously it’s possible for anyone to shut (or cover) his eyes, put in earplugs or noseplugs, or otherwise stop most Senses from working, and that would typically extend to any “powered” or “special” Senses assigned to the relevant Sense Group.

 

Just as obviously, “turning off” Touch or Taste is a different matter. An ordinary person can’t shut those off at will, so it seems unlikely that most GMs would allow characters to either. However, in the case of certain Sense Modifiers, such as Ranged, applied to those Senses, I think it would be reasonable for a character to claim to be able to turn them on and off, and I think most GMs would permit that. But some GMs in some campaigns might not.

 

In the case of Senses that don’t exist in the real world, the issue really depends on the special effect of the Sense, how the GM defines that Sense as working in his campaign, and so forth. Can a character “turn off” his Spatial Awareness, his Radio Perception, his Detect Magic, his Mental Awareness, his Danger Sense? That’s up to the GM.

 

All this assumes, of course, that the Sense in question is a typical sort of Sense that costs no END, is Persistent, isn’t a slot in a Power Framework, and so on. Obviously under the rules if a Sense costs END, a character can turn it off by not paying the END.