Empathy?

[SteveZilla]

Is using enhanced senses in this way valid and not broken?

For a mute character who's primary means of communication with others is by giving empathic sensations/'nudges'.  It only operates within 8m from the character, and may or may not need to take Penetrative...

34  Detect (Mental Sense Group) Emotions (Large Class; 10), Sense(2), 360 PER(5), Range(5), Discriminatory(5), Transmit(2), Concealed(-5; 5).

The alternative AFAIK would be building something like:

39 Telepathy 3D6, Alien, Animal, Plant, Machine classes (35 BP), AoE Radius(8m; +½), Reduced END(Zero; +½), IPE(Hide From Targets; +½) (87 AP); No Range(-½), Empathy(-½), Not Through Mind Link(-¼)
43 Mind Control 3D6, Alien, Animal, Plant, Machine classes (35 BP),Telepathic(+¼), AoE Radius(8m; +½), Reduced END(Zero; +½), IPE(Hide From Targets; +½) (96 AP); No Range(-½), Empathy(-½), Not Through Mind Link(-¼)

Which IMO are massive point expenditures for not much effect.  Not to mention they are way over the game's AP cap...

[dsatow]

Even with transmit, I doubt that a detect can make a target feel that emotion, though they will feel that emotion was coming from you (or that you sensed that emotion) regardless of how you look or act.  With mind control, you make them feel that emotion (though the number of dice is rather small).  I don't know many characters who add the 4 extra mental classes.  It just seems like a waste of points.  On the other hand I think you did it to make sure that, like the detect, it would occur on any feeling subject.  You might need to add targeting to the detect, so you know who is feeling the emotion.

 

Personally (YMMV with your GM), even with Analyze and Discriminatory, the telepathy version will give you more information about the feeling.  A detect with analyze will give you the same effect as a EGO level mental ability.  But again, that's just me and my game.

 

Example:

Detect Emotion with targeting: X feels sad.

Detect Emotion with discriminatory: X feels sadness, a sense of loss of a person.  A grieving sadness vs. a sadness(disappointment) vs. sadness(depressed) vs. sadness(pity) etc.

Detect Emotion with analyze: X feels sadness, grieving over the loss of Y.

Telepathy (EGO): X feels sorrow over the loss of Y.

Telepathy (EGO+10): X feels the sorrow over the loss of Y.  They has a close relationship, with many memories.

Telepathy (EGO+20): X feels the sorrow over the loss of Y.  They has a close relationship, with many memories.  Many of a romantic nature.

Telepathy (EGO+30): X feels the sorrow over the loss of Y.  They has a close relationship, with many memories.  The feelings have a romantic nature built over time and unbeknownst even to X.