Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Illusionists
Message-ID: <245@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Nov-85 10:23:16 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.245
Posted: Wed Nov 27 10:23:16 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Nov-85 03:46:23 EST
References: <9060@ritcv.UUCP> <15300006@convexs>
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (Jim Gardner)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 67

[...]

I realize the dangers of superimposing one game system on another,
but maybe D&D players can pick up something useful from the way
Champions handles illusions.

There are two different types of illusions: Mental Illusions (which
are beamed right into the brain of the target) and "Effect" Illusions
(e.g. Light Illusions which are like holograms, Sound Illusions which
are like traditional sound effects, etc.).

Effect Illusions are experienced by anyone who is in a position to
perceive them.  In Champions, the caster buys so many D6 of skill with
creating illusions and when (s)he casts the illusion, (s)he rolls that
many dice to determine how authentic the illusion looks.  The amount
rolled is compared to the INTs of people perceiving the illusion.
To have people accept very complex illusions, you must score 4x their
INT.  To have people accept very simple illusions (e.g. have them
see a blank wall where there is actually an open doorway) you only
need to match their INT.  Effect illusions have no physical reality
(again, think of holograms) and they can never do damage...well, a
really good blinding light or deafening sound may blind or deafen
you for a few phases, but that's it.

Mental illusions are usually only experienced by a single target,
although you can buy them to apply to all those in a given area.
To cast a mental illusion, you must make an attack roll which pits
your EGO against the target's EGO.  If this attack is successful
(meaning that you have forced your way into the target's mind),
you can then roll for the extent of the effect.  Again, the caster
buys so many D6 of skill in creating illusions, and rolls that many
dice to see how effective the illusion is.  If the roll is 1x the
target's INT, the target sees the illusion; if the roll is 2x INT,
the target experiences the illusion with all five senses; if the
roll is 3x INT, the target can take STUN damage from the illusion;
and if the roll is 4x INT, the target can take both STUN and BODY.

This set-up makes it very easy to figure out how far you can go with
illusions.  Effect illusions are always intangible -- you can't use
them to make a useful bridge, for example.  Mental illusions are
always in the mind, and up to 3x INT, any effect they have is purely
in the target's brain.  However, at the 4x INT mark, they are so
believable that they have a physical effect on the universe (namely,
they do BODY damage to the victim).  This suggests that some sort of
innate psychic/TK ability has been invoked by the vividness of the
illusion.  We therefore play that the target behaves as if the
illusion is really there, even being able to walk across illusory
bridges if need be.  Since it takes an amazing amount of clout (or
appallingly low INT) to get this level of effect, the issue does
not come up too often, and game balance is preserved.

The rules make no allowance for "disbelief" as such, but the level
of effect is reduced if you already have some reason for rejecting
what you see.  For example, if you know that character X is on the
other side of the world but you see him walk through the door, the
illusionist may roll 4x your INT but the effect would only be worth
3x your INT.

I don't know how much this is going to help D&D players, but the
distinction between Mental and Effect Illusions is useful, if nothing
else.  Maybe some D&D guru can see a way to incorporate some of the
things I've mentioned.

				Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo