The Unseen Servant forums

Alright. I hear you.

And I understand what you are thinking. But please take a look at the rules as written on page 160, under the heading "The Simulated Sense Group Rule":

Here is a quote from the book:

"Unusual Senses are usually grouped according
to their special effect. For example, if a character
has the ability to smell water, his Detect Water
becomes part of his Smell/Taste Group. This is
called the Simulated Sense Group rule, and it has
two primary effects.

First, an Unusual Sense is subject to Sense-
Affecting Powers that affect the Sense Group
it simulates. For example, Infrared Perception
defined as part of the Sight Group is affected by
Sight Group Flashes.

Second, Enhanced Senses (Unusual or otherwise)
automatically acquire some or all of the
following Sense Modifiers for no additional cost
when assigned to a Sense Group: Discriminatory
(to whatever degree indicated in the descriptions
below), Range, Sense, Targeting. (Note that this
does not include Analyze or Increased Arc Of Perception.)
For example, a Sense assigned to the Sight
Group automatically gains all four Sense Modifiers,
since the Sight Group provides them for free."

(Italic emphasis is mine.)

Take a look at the rules for that. I am not trying to cheat you in any way. Since I defined the sense as assigned to the Sight group, it gets Ranged, Targeting, and Sense for free. Now, the Sight group's Discriminatory is not as good as a full blown Discriminatory sense, so I bought it as an extra so the spell can tell me more than just "there is magic there".

And there is also the suggestion of the Special Powers in a Power Framework. Take a look at the suggested idea on page 311, "Restrictions on Slot Purchases":

"Characters cannot purchase Special Powers
and Talents in Power Frameworks, except with
the GM’s permission. For example, characters
generally cannot buy Flash Defense or Enhanced
Senses in a Power Framework — but most GMs
would allow a character who had a “Gadget Pool”
VPP to do so if he defined the Special Power as an
appropriate, commonly-available object (such as
sunglasses or a telescope)."

(Italic emphasis is mine again.)

This is a common situation, and is also often seen with Magic pools and spells, since they have to be cast and aren't "always on", like a regular Enhanced Sense. It is also why I stated that I needed your permission to create this, since it was going to go into a Magic Multipower pool as a spell. Now, if you feel that is not acceptable, I can always take it back. I don't have a problem with that.

Your response is somewhat telling. Have you had many players attempt to run crazy rules by you in the past? I am very familiar with the Hero System rules, and I have run them many times. Now, I am not a master, and I certainly have to look things up all the time, my memory being what it is, but I assure you there is no intention on cheating you or taking advantage of rules in any way. I am precise in my accounting, and I do take all the benefits I can take based on the structures that are available.

I am using the "Power" skill precisely as it is suggested, and I am not simply recreating the power over and over, nor did I have the intention to do so. I haven't even done it more than once on a single combination, and I have every intention on buying the power as soon as you establish a moment to spend XP. The situation simply called for me to create this spell since in my mind it was the best way to see if there was a way to discover clues or track magical essences in the library. To my appreciation, it was a very appropriate use the "power" skill to create an effect that was useful yet out of present reach for his powers. And it was a good conceptual fit.

But... is everything Ok?

I don't believe I've broken any rules, and I don't think I've so much as stretched any of your intentions for the tone and accounting of the game. Do you have any concerns you think I should consider? Please let me know. I am certainly open to ideas and changes.

Do you feel the "Power" skill is approaching the versatility of a VPP? I get the feeling that it gets too close to your restriction on its ability to create effects extemporaneously. Let me know. I can change the character to not have it. I would just ask to be able to reassign the points into other avenues.

I have no desire to debate this on this channel. If you wish to discuss you are welcome to do it in your private OCC.

I am very far from good, but I will move on.

• I have already ruled on this exact topic before the first adventure. I am sticking consistent to my ruling.
• I already posted the information that you wanted from this event and gave you the win.

I consider the topic over, but like I said if you want the last word take it in the private OCC.

I am taking a few days pause from United Earth. I hope the update will be coming after that respite.

No problem.

I was wondering why you all had not replied to my last post. Then I just discovered it is not there. Sorry about that.

LOL, I have done that more than once before.

Unless there is further input I will move this forward tomorrow evening.

I am good.

Is there anything Warlock can do to attempt to recall the publication in which that article was published? It might even be a possibility that this very library has a copy of it, depending on how esoteric the magazine is.

If we're not going to g looking for the notepad in the library then I'm good too.

If we were playing in modern times then looking for camera footage would be a great idea, but it's the late 80's so I'm not sure we'd get much.

Doubtful we would get much. Maybe you could check with banks they might have gone by but even those are unlikely to have them pointed at the road.

shaidar wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 11:52 am If we were playing in modern times then looking for camera footage would be a great idea, but it's the late 80's so I'm not sure we'd get much.

Darn it. That's correct. I totally forgot. Well, it was a thought, anyway.

It took me a while to get my head around the time frame and cast my mind back to my childhood for reference.

Yeah, I get it. This is probably an error I will be making more than once, since this present world is so ubiquitously all around me. But I'll aim to remember that and make a few more 80s references.

I think we all do it at times. Fun to remember back to that time though.

I should drop more 80s vibe. Point taken.

Ok, Viper.

Warlock has a "Super Criminals of the World" roll at 13-. What does he know of Viper right now? Can he tell if some of the agents he's facing are more of a threat then others? What kind of weapons are we looking at? What do we need to be careful with?

Rolling for Viper info 13-: [_3d6]=(4+4+3)=11

MrKinister wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:33 am What does he know of Viper right now?

Here is the general knowledge of VIPER - viewtopic.php?p=569307#p569307
While VIPER has been suspected of events in Issue #1 and Issue #3, the only group encounter was in Issue #4. In that encounter the group took on some hover bikes and a hover tank. It is assumed that there is a Nest in the greater New Chicago area, but it has not been found as of this time.

MrKinister wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:33 am Can he tell if some of the agents he's facing are more of a threat then others?

At this time you are not aware of any of them being more of a threat than others.

MrKinister wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:33 am What kind of weapons are we looking at?

As mentioned - they are all holding rifles.

MrKinister wrote: ↑Mon May 12, 2025 5:33 am What do we need to be careful with?

Now that would be telling.

Understood. We'll have to play by ear.

On a side note... I just noticed that you have Warlock displayed as DEX 18 in your informal listing on posts. He's actually DEX 20. But, in order to avoid the initiative rolling, I'd like to have him act after Eclipse, so that the order of actions is clear, at least for him.