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> Question about Inivs spells, I don't think this is a retread
Deamon_Knight
post Nov 28 2005, 05:43 AM
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I searched but got allot of hits about imp invis v. Sec cameras, but not this.

Say A Mage has a Street Sam brother who like melee combat. They trust each other explicitly, so the mage gives his brother a sustaining focus to sustain imp invis on him, and his brother knows not to loose it (he duct tapes it to his chest to be safe), and the mage keeps on himself. They have a beef with the halloweeners and, safely under the effect of improved invis, decide to knock off some halloweener lieutenants who are hanging out on Their street making trouble. The particularly bloodthirsty Sammie wants to cut the gangers to ribbons with his trusty katana, himself, and asks his brother to hold back watch his hide.

The gangers are largely mooks, and none pierce the illusion as the sammie walks up and casually starts cutting them down, so I have begun to wonder if the surviving gagers should get additional resistance tests (if so, how often?) and a lower TN (if so, how much?) because the illusion is "harder" to believe/sustain. You just can't ignore the evidence, your 3 buddies just got slashed apart, but if you fail the first resistance test, is that it? You are forever fooled by the illusion sans some other magical intervention?

I think I'm going to rule that if someone (who has resisted the illusion) points out to you that you are being fooled by an illusion you get another chance to resist it, and perhaps at a lower TN if the illusion is becoming harder to believe (ie, your 3 friends got chopped open in a way surprisingly reminiscent of an Ork with a Katana).
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hyzmarca
post Nov 28 2005, 05:58 AM
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There is a difference between knowing that someone is using invisibility and seeing someone who is. They'll know that an invisible something is killing their friends and be able to react accordingly but they won't be able to see it. They will, however, be able to utilize searching and suppresie fire against it.
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Edward
post Nov 28 2005, 09:53 AM
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I agree with hyzmarca. Knowing somebody is invisible, even touching them, will not allow you to see them. You can however act knowing they are there, this could include searching and suppressive fire or (if your smart) running away

Edward
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Gerald Fitzgeral...
post Nov 28 2005, 09:56 AM
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What you are proposing is some sort of "I DISBELIEVE" knee-jerk reaction to an illusion.

Something invisible attacked me once. I started shooting like crazy, making my best guess as to the source. "Blind Fire" it is called, someone give me a modifier here. +8?

As for an attempt to actually peirce through the illusion and see the sammie, you'd have to make a willpower save or some shit and this game don't got none of those, chummer. Doesn't matter how hard you squint- you can't see mana.

I'd say blind fire modifiers all around! Blind fire modifiers for everyone! Merry christmas!

P.S. What's the target number to shoot yourself in the head? Called shot. Blind fire. +12?
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blakkie
post Nov 28 2005, 05:48 PM
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QUOTE (Gerald Fitzgerald)
As for an attempt to actually peirce through the illusion and see the sammie, you'd have to make a willpower save or some shit and this game don't got none of those, chummer. Doesn't matter how hard you squint- you can't see mana.

Unless you have to be able to "squint" hard enough to see on the astral. Then it's Aura Reading (and +2 TN on retries?) for Christmas! :)
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PlatonicPimp
post Nov 28 2005, 07:16 PM
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QUOTE (Gerald Fitzgerald)


P.S. What's the target number to shoot yourself in the head? Called shot. Blind fire. +12?

Don't be silly. You CAN perceive your head. It's not like you don't know where it is.
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Aku
post Nov 28 2005, 07:17 PM
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QUOTE (PlatonicPimp)
Don't be silly. You CAN perceive your head. It's not like you don't know where it is.

i donno about that, sometimes i'm confused where it's at...
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Demon_Bob
post Nov 28 2005, 07:18 PM
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QUOTE (PlatonicPimp)
QUOTE (Gerald Fitzgerald @ Nov 28 2005, 09:56 AM)


P.S.  What's the target number to shoot yourself in the head?  Called shot.  Blind fire.  +12?

Don't be silly. You CAN perceive your head. It's not like you don't know where it is.

Don't forget stationary target, and aim modifiers.
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Kyoto Kid
post Nov 29 2005, 10:07 PM
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ahhh...

This is why they make sealed security armour & & gas grenades.

Just pull the pin & drop it at your feet.
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Eyeless Blond
post Nov 29 2005, 11:42 PM
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QUOTE (blakkie)
QUOTE (Gerald Fitzgerald @ Nov 28 2005, 03:56 AM)
As for an attempt to actually peirce through the illusion and see the sammie, you'd have to make a willpower save or some shit and this game don't got none of those, chummer.  Doesn't matter how hard you squint- you can't see mana.

Unless you have to be able to "squint" hard enough to see on the astral. Then it's Aura Reading (and +2 TN on retries?) for Christmas! :)

Well it'd be pretty automatic actually. Even the Illusion spell glows on the astral, so it's not like there's any particular difficulty figuring out exactly where the spell is being cast, and thus where the invisible person is standing.

I think it's kinda silly really. Spells made specifically for the purpose of concealment should ought to be concealed on the astral as well, in my opinion. Then again I also don't like how invis is so all-or-nothing on the physical plane; I'd rather make it something like adding Force+2xnet successes to the TN to spot the person (or in SR4 just add Force+net successes to the perception Threshold), both on the physical and the astral.
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Deamon_Knight
post Nov 30 2005, 04:45 AM
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It does seem kinda bizzare to me. This makes Invis even more powerful than I thought. It also seems out of place in a system that prides itself on degrees of success, nearly any spellcaster should be throwing many more dice at a TN 4 than any average person could even hope to use to resist.

Am I conceptualizing this wrong, or do the Gangers in my example have simply No chance?
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TheNarrator
post Nov 30 2005, 06:00 AM
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There are ways of dealing with invisible people. Ultrasound scopes being one of the more expedient, vehicle sensors (which include ultrasound and radar) being another. Improved Invisiblity is hardly an automatic win. Especially when grenades and other area-effect explosives are so easily available.
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Deamon_Knight
post Nov 30 2005, 06:16 AM
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True, but as often as you can use a confined space to limit the invisible character, that same character will be positioning himself to act in open spaces and maximize his advantage. For someone not important enough for major magical security, who must eventually leave their enclave, how can they deal with an invis asassin? It seems for situations like a streetfight or barbrawl, invis is a huge advantage.
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nick012000
post Nov 30 2005, 06:37 AM
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QUOTE (Eyeless Blond)
QUOTE (blakkie @ Nov 28 2005, 09:48 AM)
QUOTE (Gerald Fitzgerald @ Nov 28 2005, 03:56 AM)
As for an attempt to actually peirce through the illusion and see the sammie, you'd have to make a willpower save or some shit and this game don't got none of those, chummer.  Doesn't matter how hard you squint- you can't see mana.

Unless you have to be able to "squint" hard enough to see on the astral. Then it's Aura Reading (and +2 TN on retries?) for Christmas! :)

Well it'd be pretty automatic actually. Even the Illusion spell glows on the astral, so it's not like there's any particular difficulty figuring out exactly where the spell is being cast, and thus where the invisible person is standing.

I think it's kinda silly really. Spells made specifically for the purpose of concealment should ought to be concealed on the astral as well, in my opinion. Then again I also don't like how invis is so all-or-nothing on the physical plane; I'd rather make it something like adding Force+2xnet successes to the TN to spot the person (or in SR4 just add Force+net successes to the perception Threshold), both on the physical and the astral.

Unless the spell's being masked by a suitably powerful initiate, in which case you'll be completely invisible on both planes.
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brohopcp
post Nov 30 2005, 07:01 AM
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QUOTE (Deamon_Knight)
It seems for situations like a streetfight or barbrawl, invis is a huge advantage.

And it should be. A powerful magician should have a great advantage in these situations. Plus, the sam could probably take out the street scum even without the invisibility.

In a game I was part of as PC and GM, one of the mages used invis to sneak up and stab a ganger on an apartment porch. However, the mages strength was low and stabbity skill also low, the ganger managed to stage most of the damage down each melee.

With the example given, I completely understand how it would seem gamebreaking. But, just like other tricks and tactics; I see no reason to disallow them. Just remember, the high level enemies can pull them off too.
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Edward
post Nov 30 2005, 07:36 AM
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You can’t mask your existence. Only your nature

If you masked the invis spell you would be invisible on the material and look like a normal person on the astral, this inconsistency creates the conclusion that you are an invisible initiate with masking.

Edward
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Critias
post Nov 30 2005, 07:46 AM
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QUOTE (Deamon_Knight)
It seems for situations like a streetfight or barbrawl, invis is a huge advantage.

Yeah, imagine that. No one being able to see you helps out in a fight. Craziness!
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Kyoto Kid
post Nov 30 2005, 10:04 PM
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QUOTE (TheNarrator)
There are ways of dealing with invisible people. Ultrasound scopes being one of the more expedient, vehicle sensors (which include ultrasound and radar) being another. Improved Invisiblity is hardly an automatic win. Especially when grenades and other area-effect explosives are so easily available.

Also, Olfactory Booster, Thermo Sense, and Spatial recognisor implants. Invisibility does nothing to hide scent. body heat, or sound. That's why it's so fun to see the expression on the invisible mage's face when he's set upon by a Hellhound or pack of Worgs.

Other good things are dust & powders - the invisible character still leaves footprints unless they are also levitating (and adding modifiers for sustaining).

Of course, this is coming from the mundane point of view. Yeah, we don't have Astral Perception, but there are a lot of effective (and fairly affordable) countermeasures.

BTW, Grenades? My favourite toys...(see earlier post this thread)

One of my characters carries around a couple of dye grenades. *Poof* and there is now a solid blue target where no one seemed to be standing before.

For security systems, pressure plates will still register the character's weight, Dusts or powders can be released on the floor (some that are only visible in certain light/sensor spectrums). Then there is the old Ultracound sensors and air "Sniffers" (I'm sure that most people breaking into an installation would be sweating just a bit).

Paranoid corps may have these and other nasty little ways of detecting invisible intruders.
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