WDMA Abilities Arsenal Update

Mind Cloud

Also known as hypnotism or suggestion

This power gives the user the ability to cloud people's minds.  A target whose mind has been successfully clouded will have an attention span of mere microseconds.  The target will be unable to attack or perform any action during the duration of this power. (He will have the same DODGE level, however.)  Persons affected by this power are extremely prone to suggestion. They can be convinced of all sorts of unreal things. While in this state, they are incapable of lying or withholding information, although they are sort of spacey. User will receive short answers from his targets, usually of the “yes or no” variety.

Mechanics: Power cost is 35 points plus ACT. When attacking with this power, the power's linked BASESTAT level is the active level and the target's PERC level is defending level. Options follow.

·         Change Defending level to the highest of either PERC, IQ or KNOW: 25% cost decrease.  

·         Change Defending to the lowest of either PERC, IQ, WILL or KNOW: Cost SAVE in points.

·         Change stunt roll to deploy power to standard ACC v. DODGE: No cost. 

Range: In general, Mind Cloud works up close and  personal. You have to be in someone’s immediate presence. At no cost, this factors to one half of the linked BASESTAT ACT in meters. The target doesn’t have to see you, but the user must somehow be able to perceive the target.

·         Range Extension I: For an additional 20 points, the range is based on the target being in the close presence of an aspect of the user, most typically his voice. If the target can hear your voice, he is in range.

·         Range Extension II: For an additional 40 point increase, the target can be within the perception range of a projected aspect of the user, such as his image in a picture or voice over the radio or loudspeaker. This also grants the user the ability to hear whatever the heck his target is mumbling about.

·         Range = ACT in meters: skip all that aspect jazz. 10 points per.

·         Range = SAVE in meters: skip all that aspect jazz. 20 points per. .

Duration:

·         2D6 actions: No cost

·         1 plus half of BASESTAT ACT in actions: 50 points per.

This power essentially freezes its target and then enables the user to question the target briefly. Other than this, the user cannot really command the target to do anything. The target will not remember what he/she is doing during the course of MIND CLOUD’S duration, but will remember what happened immediately after that duration is over.

Power Additions

Suggestion: User can leave a strong suggestion in the target’s mind which will linger as if it is one of the target’s own thoughts. It’s something that the target will feel that he needs to take action on, either immediately, eventually or inevitably. The power can also be used to cause the target to forget what he has told the user. This is an additive ability and takes effect the action after the duration of the Mind Cloud has expired. Any target who has succumbed to one action of Mind Cloud may have a suggestion implanted upon them, with no extra stunt roll on the user’s part requires. The urgency or import that the target places on the suggestion should be determined by a Better Roll Rule result. Suggestion is open ended, but is not MIND CONTROL. No matter how well the result may be, the target is highly unlikely to launch an attack against his allies or take any action which could be an existential threat to himself. Cost 20 points.

Note: Should a target have SHIELD or some other mental defense, it needs to be applied at its level, regardless of what defending level MIND CLOUD is set to work against.

Alternative Power

COMPEL THE TRUTH

This is the power to cause a target to communicate truthfully. The target will react to a proposed question and offer the truth as they know it. When confronted with a hypothetical proposal, the target will offer their best educated guess.

Mechanics: This power is always additive to the successful result of some other action or power function. What exactly activates the ability is up to the player’s character concept, but it needs to be a set activity which has been deemed to be previously successful. The duration is either one action (one question) or as long as the triggering event or action. The power comes free with MIND CLOUD, MIND CONTROL and the psychic power H-M Psychic.  To persons endowed with those abilities, compelling the truth is merely an application of a more comprehensive ability. Although person with TELEPATHY or LIE DETECT may know a fib when they hear one, neither of those powers cause a target to focus on what the truth is. The addition of this ability would do so. The stunt roll would be either TELEPATHY or LIE DETECT’s level against the target’s WILL.  In the literature, however, this power is often triggered by a seemingly non psychic action, such as entangling a target in a magic lasso or simply inflicting damage on the target. (Beating the snot out of someone to gain the truth only has demonstrable efficacy in fiction. In this case, the active level can either be COMPEL THE TRUTH’s or the underlying level of another power. The defending level is always the target’s WILL. Targets endowed with SHIELD, FORTITUDE, TOUGHNESS or NERVES OF STEEL are immune to this power. Other defenses may impact either the defending level or duration. Cost is 25 points or 25 points plus ACT if endowed with its own level.

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