Psychic Null

[furashgf]

The Warhammer 40K Universe have psychics (kind of like DFRPG wizards), but also the opposite - psychic nulls. Depending upon their power level, psychic powers and effects just don't work on them and things near them. They have negatives (e.g., they creep people out).

If I wanted to craft a template for a Magic Null, how might I tackle that? I don't want to make them too powerful, but I'm not sure what powers to give them. There are counterspells, which are kind of like this, but I imagine their powers as more "always on."

As always, any thoughts are appreciated.

[Stormraven]

Physical Immunity to magic, define it as working against Mental and Social stress and Consequences, but only if such are direct results of magic.  So if a wizard causes a gas main to explode, he takes damage, but not to directly evoked fire.

It's expensive, but immunity to magic would be.  Though I might grant a minor reprieve to the cost for being immune to beneficial magic as well - maybe.

[MijRai]

The Warhammer 40K Universe have psychics (kind of like DFRPG wizards), but also the opposite - psychic nulls. Depending upon their power level, psychic powers and effects just don't work on them and things near them. They have negatives (e.g., they creep people out).

If I wanted to craft a template for a Magic Null, how might I tackle that? I don't want to make them too powerful, but I'm not sure what powers to give them. There are counterspells, which are kind of like this, but I imagine their powers as more "always on."

As always, any thoughts are appreciated.

Physical Immunity-Magic (-8 power +2 protecting against 1 thing +1 rarity of magic).
Make a custom power that runs like a manuever that messes with magic around you. Gives you or an ally a free tag per scene against magic.

[Falar]

Math on a Physical Immunity to Magic is +2, +2 (anything not magic is easy to come by), and possibly +1 for being able to be researched.

[MijRai]

Math on a Physical Immunity to Magic is +2, +2 (anything not magic is easy to come by), and possibly +1 for being able to be researched.

Thank you, I mixed it up. I remember someone who made a cloak IoP that only gave Physical Immunity to magic. I messed up the price.

[furashgf]

Thanks all.

1. The immunity makes sense - you've got a defense against magic, but if someone makes a roof fall on you with magic, it won't help. Or mind controls someone to kill you.

2. In terms of just being a magic null/void (disrupting magic in the same way that mages hex technology), is that handled with the aspect mentioned above?

3. How do you handle (or do you handle) the fact that NO magic works on you (even good things you might like)?

4. How do you handle the fact that its essentially a distance effect - it's pretty much a zone around you - you need to move away 1 zone from your magic user friends so they can do their thing.

[Bruce Coulson]

Add the area refresh (-1) to the power.

The fact that magic (of any type) doesn't work is kind of built in to the power.

[adgramaine]

3. How do you handle (or do you handle) the fact that NO magic works on you (even good things you might like)?

Have the Null spend a Fate point to be able to accept benevolent magic. Or maybe have the spell slinger set up a maneuver to give you an Aspect: A Chink in the Armor, that when tagged allows your character to be targeted by magic during the following round. Or do both, the latter being a great balance for the normal immunity.

... I wouldn't let the Counterspell be 'always active'; maybe spend a Fate point to allow it to be active for the entire combat round. Roll Conviction or Discipline at the start of the round. Use the generated shifts to increase the number of shifts the caster needs to call upon. If I had my book with me, I could stat it out more accurately....

Thems my $0.02.

[Belial666]

Well, I see several ways to represent a "null", depending on how the ability works and how effective it is.


Area magic/psi "damper"
Magic effects on or around you, as well as the power of supernatural creatures, are weakened.

[-1] Damper - any threshold you are in is 2 shifts higher (this is equivalent to "bless this house" only it isn't a holy power)
[-2] Area Damper - your damper works in the area around you (providing a threshold of Fair) without needing an existing threshold to work.
[-1] Personal Damper - if the powers are used against you, directly, the threshold is 2 shifts higher. (this is an optional stunt)



Magic/psi "negator"
You can negate, block or otherwise dampen magic and supernatural power actively.
[-2] Negate Magic - you can make ranged blocks or maneuers at conviction+2 against the use of magic or supernatural creatures (this works exactly like ranged incite emotion)
[-2] Mana Burn - you can also make ranged attacks against supernatural creatures and magic users. These are weapon 4 mental attacks; takeout results in targets that use magic powers to be temporarily powerless while creatures requiring magic to exist might die. (this works exactly as the potent emotion upgrade)
[-1] Reflexive Block - by sacrificing your next action you can create a block with "negate magic" as a reaction to someone employing powers nearby. (this a stunt similar to a lot of weapon stunts)



Power "null"
You cannot be affected by magic directly either physically or mentally.
[-4] Physical Immunity: Supernatural Powers
[-4] Mental Immunity: Supernatural Powers
Catch  -  for physical the catch is nonmagical attacks (+2 cause everyone has access) and easy to know (+2) assuming most people would recognize a null after magic failed. For mental the (stacked) catch is the same. Costs already accounted for.

[sinker]

You know you could always mod the hexing rules to fit your character. Don't know what that might cost (maybe Channeling:Magic Hexing -2?) but that would be the way I'd go if you wanted to have a conscious effect. Otherwise immunity to magic is a great way for a passive effect.

[Falar]

You know you could always mod the hexing rules to fit your character. Don't know what that might cost (maybe Channeling:Magic Hexing -2?) but that would be the way I'd go if you wanted to have a conscious effect. Otherwise immunity to magic is a great way for a passive effect.

Or you could, you know, take Mana Static [-1] which does the same thing.

Although I'd go with something more like ... ah ... Magic Static [-2?] instead which creates a zone around you which has a Half-Hard Tag of harder to magic, so a +1 to any difficulties, +2 if you spend a fate point to invoke your high concept, along with Immunity to Magic [-4/3].

[furashgf]

Hi. Can you explain the last one (Half Hard) ? sorry, I'm still new to the game.

[Falar]

It comes from Rob Donaghue's post ... I have it linked from a topic on the first page of the forum. It's not actually a part of the system, per se.

http://rdonoghue.blogspot.com/2010/10/hard-and-soft-tags.html

It's about 3/4ths the way down, but it's definitely an interesting way to extend the system and I think a bit more logical.