How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

[Adventus]

How would you create the effect of Sensory Overload as an attack Power?

 

Without it costing an arm and a leg?

[Edsel]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

What sort of effect are you looking for with this attack. A stunned and dazzled opponent, an unconscious one, a paralyzed one?

[Adventus]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

like in this thread but on another person

[Alibear]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

Int drain, maybe? Not v people with flash defence perhaps.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

like in this thread but on another person

 

Well, the original post in that thread is about as clear as mud regarding the actual effect on the character so I must repeat Edsel's question.

 

What do you want the end result to be?

 

A character who is:

1. Blind to one or more senses (Flash)
   
2. Paralyzed (Entangle, Mind Control)
   
3. Stunned (some type of EB Damage or Drain vs. STUN)
   
4. Confused (Drain vs. INT)
   
5. Something else entirely?

As you can see, answering this question tends to point to the HERO answer by default.

 

So far we've got a variety of special effect descriptions. To be able to help you with a 'how to' question we need an final effect description as well.

[Sean Waters]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

I had this sort-of-villain called Santiago DeCruz who could trigger a massive pleasure response in a target. He had people queuing up...

 

Anyway, the point was it, in effect, was a massive sensory overload, and I did it the same way I suggested for the disadvantage on the other thread: with the stunning mechanic.

 

The basic power was an EGO attack, something like 6d6 (it was a relatively low powered campaign - you might want to go to 8d6 or even higher). All but 2 of the dice had the limitation 'only for stunning effect - no actual damage', so it took quite a while to KO someone, but in the meantime they were not actually doing much.

 

There was also a 1 point major transform linked to the power that, eventually, made you an addict.

 

That would seem the most straightforward approach though. It is not cheap, but it is not exorbitant either.

 

You could also try mental illusions.

[Sean Waters]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

Another option (bouncing off what Hyper Man said) would be to simply buy 12d6 supress INT.

 

INT controls PER, so you have sensory overload modelled, and even a 20 INT (assuming no significant power defence) is going to get the target down to -20 INT, which means they have to make a 5 or less roll to even think of something they want to do.

 

That seems to fit the bill.

 

Personally I'd never allow that for a player. It might make an interesting villain power though.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

Champions Genre Book has a power that does just this p122.

 

EB, NND, Continuous. As its core build. The idea is that eventually all the sensory input just overloads your brain and you shut down from it (enough Stun Damage to fall unconscious).

[Sean Waters]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

Champions Genre Book has a power that does just this p122.

 

EB, NND, Continuous. As its core build. The idea is that eventually all the sensory input just overloads your brain and you shut down from it (enough Stun Damage to fall unconscious).

 

It just does not seem right though: you are unaffected by the sensory input - not even distracted (unless you are stunned, and the build makes that most unlikely), until the point where you pass out. Each to their own, but that just seems like the build and stated sfx are miles apart.

 

As with all powers, it is rarely good enough to simply say that it causes 'sensorty overload' - everyone would have a different interpretation of that - what you really need to do is decide mechanically what the effect it: I'd imagine sensory overload would be instantly disorientating and eventually incapacitating, but others may not agree.

[ghost-angel]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

I said it was a build, not necessarily a good build.

 

Having watched my cousin who does suffer from auditory overload due to his autism, it does disorient him much but it sure as heck irritates him.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

As others have stated, thats very vague. There are many ways to "overload senses" since that is just a SFX. That aside, there is a character in Villains, Vandals, and Vermin called Blindside whose entire shtick revolves around this. It's a very unbalanced villain that is unsuitable for use against most groups because of the unlikelihood of the group having appropriate defenses to have a chance against him. However, might be useful as a reference point.

[clsage]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

like in this thread but on another person

 

From the thread in question:

 

 

Physical Limitation: stunned by extreme or unexpected sensory overload (Frequent, Fully) 20 points

 

That way when an extreme or unexpected sensory situation occurs the character basically stands there doing very little and is vulnerable for a few seconds.

 

The frequency is obviously up to the GM, and it does not have to be 'automatic' - the GM could roll, and apply the limitation on 11-, for example.

 

I decided that the closest effect to what I was looking for (the char stands there, dazed and confused for a few seconds while her sensory systems deal with the overload) is how Sean suggested...But I went with an 8- occurance rather than Seans suggested 11-. So to apply the same sort of effect to an opponent it would be (basically) a Stun based attack. Number 3 on the list in the post from Hyper-Man ("....Stunned (some type of EB Damage or Drain vs. STUN)" ).

 

-Carl-

[Tonio]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

What about a BOECV Entangle? "Mental Paralysis"-type effect?

[Sean Waters]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

What about a BOECV Entangle? "Mental Paralysis"-type effect?

 

I had an NPC called Fendahl once who could do mental paralysis.

 

Blimey: what a dangerous power.

[rjcurrie]

Re: How To: Sensory Overload as a Attack Power

 

The Mysterious Mister Z of SuperSquad America has a sensory overload Power, it's defined as:

 

Total Sensory Overload: 6d6 Flash (Sight, Radio, Smell/Taste, Touch, Hearing and Mental Groups) plus 4d6 NND (Defense is Any Flash Defense); Linked (Flash)