Done few searches not seeing anything regarding this. Always wondered what happened to 1st/2nd edition spirit power of Alienation. Remember haveing some fun with that one and been toying with idea of updateing it for 4th edition and either making it optional power,great form power or free spirit power. Maybe I'm missing somthing was there a reason was removed, has been replaced or just obsolete?

Ok dug out sr3 critter book and went back over sr4 spirit powers looks like concealment was rewrittten to act as watered down version of alienation. With the ability to hide things from others as well as conceal themselves ( no longer constrained by domain).

Biggest difference I see is intagible fuction of alienation not only does target become become invisible to others (includeing infrared) but seems to be saying also cant be felt or actions noticed. Essentially removeing target from "reality" with everyong else haveing no clue were they've gone (appears as if purely electronic sensors will still pick up the target though).

Looks as if offensive use of alienation has been removed and concealment given broader ability to replace it.

I think that if you wanted to bring it back as a rare free spirit power and use it as a plot device, then go for it. It shouldn't be hard to convert. As you said, it basically shifts you out of phase with reality in a weird star treky sort of way.
Could make for a very fun run.

Been mulling this one over for while now, after looking back over first edition version of this. It appears as if the alienation aura that is placed around the subject doesn't really put him out of "phase". I was thinking the reason this power was removed was due to ability to misuse it, as in intangible or incorporeal being you could get into places unseen and undetected. But after reading first edition version and versions presented in paranatural critters guide to north america and europe I'm under the impression that the
"Alienation Aura" acts more like an illusion. Others cant see,hear,smell or feel your presence but you can still be run over by a car or shot if you in the path of someones fire. The perception test involved is for others to realize your still there even after you've seemingly blinked out of existence. (this is how I remember using the power from first edition). This isn't as clear as it should be but the paranormal guide to North Am seems to point to this conclusion.

Alienation is more powerful version of invisibility more akin to a very specialized Phantasm spell. Along with those outside the aura not being able to see,hear,smell or feel your presence, actions from inside aura DO NOT affect the outside world but aura does not stop things from outside affecting target.

The ability was used by Man and Hearth spirits and by somewere between 8-12 paranatural critters,spirits and faerie. Also mentioned in the big D's will as one of the free spirits to be summoned with donated cash, "An ally spirit will use its alienation power on Sir David Meyerhoff for a period of seven weeks."

Some other things to clear up as invisibility and not an improved version I would assume the target could still be "seen" by technological sensors. Also I would imagine target could still be "seen" by the creature/spirit using the power. Therefore used as both defensive measure to lower your attackers numbers in a divide and conquer move and also to separate someone from group for one on one conflict. This fits with spirit of man concept ie "haunted house" scenario were spirit one at a time would alienate the team. (used this once lots of fun).

Three ways to return this ability give it back to spirit of man and critters, give it as optional power, add it as great form power or limit it to free unique free spirits.

Crunch

Treat alienation as invisability spell with force equal to critter/spirits essence.

Opposed roll targets willpower vs. critters/sprits essence.

Duration is essence in hours + net hits on opposed test

Perception test allowed to realize target is still there and get idea of there location.
With target of critters/spirits essence +net hits from opposed test. Target can also use opposed test get someones attention as to avoid dangerous situations using willpower in place of perception for that test.

I always kinda thought it was like "A beautiful life" or whatever that movie is they always show at christmas time. WHich makes it a great plot devise but a terrible possibility for pc's to comtrol.

Sounds like an SEP (Somebody Else's Problem) field from Hitchihiker's guide. You can move around and move things around, but no one really notices you or cares what your doing because your Somebody Else's Problem. I don't know the exact text of the power (I join this crazy SR club during third edition days) but it's an interesting idea.

My take on it was that it was meant to break up a group. If a critter was attacked by an organized group, it could alienate some or all of them making them unable to see or communicate with each other, thus making them less effective and easier for the critter to kill or escape from. So, you could alienate the leader of a group and for all intents and purposes, they would drop off the face of the earth as far as their mates were concerned. However, they could still shoot you without any problem.

Concealment, on the other hand, was meant to enhance a group by making them harder to spot, but at the same time, all the concealed subjects could see or at least knew where the others were, provided they were all concealed by the same critter. If hlf the party was hidden by one critter and the other half by another, those groups would effectively be hidden from each other.

Thane I've always used it in sitiuations you mention but all descriptions of ability state target is intagible while under effect of power, sort of polerized power leaveing target ineffective while still in danger from outside world that no longer can locate him.

It would be great to use for hiding prisoners too.

"What do you mean we are torturing people in this warehouse? There aren't any people here at all!"

-Strobe

This power sounds like pure hilarity. So many fun ways to screw with players and NPC's.

After even more digging through old SR material found another reference to alienation power in DMZ box set which again seems to indicate subject is affected by outside sources.

This source says spirit may only use ability on one target at a time and must maintain line of sight.

Again theres mention of target being invisible,inaudible,oderless and intagible to others. While still being in danger of his surroundings. ( theres example of gernade going off near subject and still affecting him)

Guess most problomatic part of whole ability is simply the intangibility.

Intangible= not tangible; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch.

Using this definetion, could do away with out of "phase" problems and allow target to continue interacting with outside world, this would allow target to find outside sources through which to communicate? But still be limited and certainly in danger.