"Hey! Look at me!"

[Tornado]

Is there a power or build for a power in existence that has the function of shooting light or sound or other perceived signals over a long distance to alert allies of your location? The sort of power you'd stick OAF and Charges on to make a Flare Gun? I know the visible limitation kinda does this, but not really.

 

So is there a power/build/house rule for this?

[Erkenfresh]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

How does this look?

 

Flare Gun: Telepathy 6d6 (30 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1), Only to alert people to your presence (-1), Broadcast Only (-1/2), Requires a Sight PER roll to notice (-1/2), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-1/4), Communication Only (-1/4) (Real Cost: 5 points)

[Erkenfresh]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

The wierd thing with that is if you don't roll high on the telepathy roll, you might be under their EGO which is an automatic miss. You might consider that as the flare failing or the gun jamming. Or perhaps there's a build with Mind Link that's better suited.

[schir1964]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Is there a power or build for a power in existence that has the function of shooting light or sound or other perceived signals over a long distance to alert allies of your location? The sort of power you'd stick OAF and Charges on to make a Flare Gun? I know the visible limitation kinda does this, but not really.

 

So is there a power/build/house rule for this?

Oddly enough, Images, would be the power you would use. Increase the Perception modifier as needed.

 

Images with Continuing Charges sounds like a good fit.

 

- Christopher Mullins

[Erkenfresh]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Err, OK. The telepathy thing was bothering me. This seems better:

 

Flare Gun: Mind Link , Any Willing Target, Area Of Effect (64" Radius; +2 1/4) (49 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), OAF (-1), Only to alert others to your presence (-1), No Range (-1/2), Requires a Sight PER roll to notice (-1/2), Instant (-1/2), Nonpersistent (-1/4) (Real Cost: 8 points)

[Erkenfresh]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

OK, use Images and forget anything I said.

[prestidigitator]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

If you really wanted to do it over a looooong distance, I'd suggest Mind Scan instead of or in addition to Mind Link (I don't see any reason the target of Mind Scan couldn't be made as aware of distance and direction as the attacker--I'd call that a -0--but at the worst the information could be communicated over a Mind Link established using the Mind Scan).

[Lucius]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

I would build it as a Flash, perhaps Exploding.

 

Think about it. First, I'd give a major bonus to perception rolls to notice a Flash to either hearing or sight. Second, I find it hard to imagine how you would justify a flare gun or siren or whatever that WOULDN'T temporarily blind or deafen someone who was standing too close.

 

Possibly you could add Megascale, not to effect either the range or the area, but to effect the range at which it is perceptible. With one level of Megascale, there's no penalty out to 4 km.

 

Alternately, you could use Images, possibly again with the Megascale.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

With a Megascale Area Effect No Normal Defense Summon Palindromedary....

[prestidigitator]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

BTW, my above Mind Scan suggestion would of course be more appropriate for alerting a single individual to your presence rather than everyone. Modifiers could change that, but if you want everyone, and especially if the distance isn't astronomical, I'd agree with the Images.

[Dust Raven]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

I'm just thinking this is a job for SFX. Specifically the SFX of some other Power the character may already have. If the character doesn't have any such Power, think of what the Power may accomplish as a weapon in combat. Perhaps it's a simple EB 4d6 (versus PD) with a Flash Sight Group 3d6 Explosion Linked (-1/4). As a matter of SFX, it create a loud POP and a bright flash of colorful light (that lasts several segments although the effects of the Flash are instantaneous) which is perceivable from a mile or so away.

 

Of course, Images if a perfectly valid build, but you can't shoot someone with an Image.

[prestidigitator]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Of course' date=' Images if a perfectly valid build, but you can't shoot someone with an Image.[/quote']

Err...when were we talking about shooting people?

[Dust Raven]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Err...when were we talking about shooting people?

 

Guess we weren't, but they way I see it, I'd rather have a Power that I can use to make a big noise, but is also an impromptu weapon, than just a really fancy noise maker (especially if the cost is about the same).

[prestidigitator]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Guess we weren't' date=' but they way I see it, I'd rather have a Power that I can use to make a big noise, but is also an impromptu weapon, than just a really fancy noise maker (especially if the cost is about the same).[/quote']

Well, there might be some question as to how noticable you can make the SFX of a Power not directly intended to illicit attention. Images, however, have a well-defined system for making them noticable. So if it is for the immediate area I think your solution is fine. If it really needs to attract attention from afar, I think a Power specifically designed for it is the only sure way to go without GM permission.

[pinecone]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Howz about E-atk 8D6, no KB -1/4, Visable/Noisy -1/4, OAF, clips (1x) x6, Beam-1/4, not when submerged -1/4 (or Jams (14) or so )....-3 lims so 10 points in cost........And you can shoot people with it! add in SE(Flash) enviromental if you want more cheese......

[ideasmith]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Buy Transmit for your normal sight. Enhanced Senses.

[Mister E]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

If Images doesn't do it for you, I'd build it as:

 

1d6 EB; Reduced Penitration (-1/4), Visible "Noisy" (-1/4).

[austenandrews]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

I'm just thinking this is a job for SFX.

Bingo. Anything more is overthinking it.

[Dust Raven]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Well' date=' there might be some question as to how noticable you can make the SFX of a Power not directly intended to illicit attention. Images, however, have a well-defined system for making them noticable. So if it is for the immediate area I think your solution is fine. If it really needs to attract attention from afar, I think a Power specifically designed for it is the only sure way to go without GM permission.[/quote']

 

True, but I figure if you can buy your Flight with the SFX of "leaves a bright energy trail" (an example straight from the books), you can do that with other Powers as well. The drawback in this case is in the Powers utility (since it is an Attack Power, you can't just shoot it off anywhere, rather than the bad guys can see you too.

[Zeropoint]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Given that a burning flare would hurt if it hit someone, I don't see a real problem building this power as a low-level attack with Noisy on it.

[BigJackBrass]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

How about an item of equipment for the undercover agent with a sense of fashion: 1970's-style disco trousers, rocket-assisted to achieve altitude before exploding.

 

Call them "Distress flares."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ahem. I'll get my coat...

[Zeropoint]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

No one with a sense of fashion would be wearing 1970's disco trousers.

[austenandrews]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

And superheroes are known for their impeccable fashion sense.

[Dust Raven]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Noisy

What's this "Noisy" Modifier I keep seeing? What book is it from?

[stan da ork]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

5ER. It's an "extension" of sorts of the Visible Limitation, and is described under that Limitation.

[Zeropoint]

Re: "Hey! Look at me!"

 

Basically, wheras Visible takes something that normally wouldn't be visible and makes it visibly, Noisy makes something REALLY visible (audible, etc.)

 

For instance, if you had an electrical character who had an energy blast which was an honest-to-goodness lightning bolt, that would probably be Noisy. When one of those puppies goes off, it'll be the most noticable thing in a half-mile radius.