Area Effects: Perception

[stranger_among_us]

The Perception shape listed under the Area extra notes that "[t]argets get a Dodge resistance check, as usual, but if the check is successful suffer no effect (rather than half)."

However, under the Range section of the Area extra, it states "[p]erception area effects neither require an attack check nor allow a Dodge resistance check, although targets still get a normal resistance check against the effect."

Can anyone elaborate more on when a Perception Area Effects allow a Dodge resistance check? Can a Perception Range Effect also have a Perception Shape?

[Arthur Eld]

Perception Area effects always allow a dodge save, just like other Area extras.

Perception Range effects with the Area extra do not. This includes the Perception Area extra.

There's nothing that says you can't have both, so if I had Visual Dazzle 10, Perception Range, Area-Perception, I could place the origin point anywhere I could perceive, and then anyone who could perceive that point would be affected. This might be a way to describe say a beam of light that you bounce off a target point and then affects everyone who can see it.

As opposed to a Close Range Perception Area Dazzle, which would be like a character glowing so bright everyone who sees them has to save, even if the character in question can't see them.

[grod_the_giant]

It's two slightly different uses of the term "Perception."

Perception Area is a sense-based signal. A blinding flash of light, a hypnotic speech, an Elder Evil that drives you mad to look at it... if YOU sense IT, you're affected. The Dodge check is to cover your eyes or ears in time to avoid it.

Perception Range is sort of the opposite. If the attacker senses YOU, you're affected. Perception Range powers are usually mental- telepathy, telekinesis, and other things where there's no "carrier." No energy beams, not bullets, no fists, no way to dodge.

[stranger_among_us]

Thanks for your posts, guys. It helped me understand how to interpret the differences.

[Saltcrow]

btw, Perception 'Area' is basically a Perception-ranged Area effect with Sense Dependent flaw.

[Greyman]

btw, Perception 'Area' is basically a Perception-ranged Area effect with Sense Dependent flaw.

No it isn't. They are quite different.

For one thing: Perception-Area effects can affect targets the user cannot perceive. Perception-ranged Area effects cannot, Sense-dependent or not.

For another: A Subtle Perception-Area can effect targets that cannot perceive the attack, while a Subtle Sense-dependent attack is rather pointless.

[JDRook]

For another: A Subtle Perception-Area can effect targets that cannot perceive the attack, while a Subtle Sense-dependent attack is rather pointless.

Not pointless in every case. A psychic scream could be Subtle (Exotic Sense: Mental) and Sense-Dependent (Mental Awareness), so non-psychics wouldn't notice it but psychics would be affected, which would be an excellent way to ferret out psychics in mixed groups.