Invisibility in combat details

[Saposhiente]

I'm trying to figure out the details of being attacked by Invisible characters and seeing their Fringe in combat.

 

Based on the Invisibility rules and the Inability to Sense an Opponent section, my understanding is that there are three levels of Invisibility detection, in increasing order: 

0. Undetected: 1/2 OCV 1/2 DCV HTH, 0 OCV 1/2 DCV Ranged, possible Surprise bonus

1. Nontargeting Sense (PER roll, 1/2 phase): 1/2 OCV -1 DCV HTH, 1/2 OCV Ranged, lasts until your next phase (Changed from 5th Ed, where it lasted until Stunned or "turned attention elsewhere" (attack someone else?))

2. Saw Visible Attack (PER roll, no time, automatically succeed if you were attacked): -1 OCV, ??? DCV, lasts until Invisible character moves

3. See Fringe (PER roll, ??? time, must be within 2m): No penalty, lasts until ???

 

My questions are:

1. When exactly do you get to make a PER roll to see someone's fringe? As a half phase or zero phase action? As an action that takes no time? If it takes no time, suppose an Invisible character, for their Phase, does a 1/2 move and then attacks you. Can you make this roll between the move and the attack to negate the DCV penalty? If so, do you need to be aware of the character, succeed on a Nontargeting Sense roll, or beat them in a DEX roll to do this?

2. How long do the benefits of seeing someone's Fringe last? Until they move more than 2m away? Until they move at all? Until your next Phase?

3. Do you suffer a DCV penalty against someone whose Visible Attack you saw?

4. If you are punched or hit by an Invisible Power Effects attack, are you considered as Saw Visible Attack or using Nontargeting (Touch) Sense?

 

Thanks for your time

 

Edited July 27, 2018 by Saposhiente

[Steve Long]

1a. When a character has the opportunity to try to perceive an invisible character’s fringe is up to the GM. The rules on 6E1 240 specify that the character has to be within 2m of the invisible character to have a chance to perceive his fringe (or up to 16m for a bright fringe), and of course he has to have LOS to the invisible person.

 

1b. Using a Nontargeting Sense to make a PER Roll to perceive an enemy is a Half Phase Action (see 6E2 7, 23, 125). (And in answer to your specific question, no, a character cannot attempt to perceive an invisible character “between” his Half Move and his attack. There is no “between”; it’s all part of the invisible character’s single action. However, the GM might permit a character to Abort to making his PER Roll in time to remove or reduce the DCV penalty the character suffers because his opponent’s invisible.)

 

2. The rules on 6E2 7 and 126 state that the benefits of making a Nontargeting PER Roll to perceive an invisible character last until the beginning of the perceiving character’s next Phase. Of course, the GM is free to alter this based on the circumstances. For example, he might extend the time during which the Nontargeting PER Roll’s benefits apply, grant a bonus to the subsequent PER Rolls, or let the character make them as a Zero Phase Action, if that seems appropriate.

 

3. If a character succeeds with a PER Roll to perceive an invisible character’s visible attack, in that Segment (i.e., before the attack fades from view at the end of the Segment) he can attack the invisible character with only -1 OCV until the invisible character moves (6E2 126). The perceiving character still suffers the standard DCV modifier (based on whether he has or has not succeeded with a Nontargeting PER Roll to perceive the invisible character). Being able to perceive an invisible character’s visible attack does not alter the DCV modifiers for lack of perception in combat.

 

4. Per 6E1 240, punches and the like are covered by a character’s Invisibility. So the character being punched is at ½ DCV if he doesn’t succeed with a Nontargeting PER Roll to perceive his invisible foe, or -1 DCV if he succeeds (see 6E2 7).

 

As always, the GM can adjust any of these rules to suit the situation if he sees fit. Sometimes he may want actions to take longer, or a character may be in a position that makes what he wants to do quicker and easier.