Confuse

Type: Sensory (mental)

Action: Standard (active)

Range: Ranged Duration: Instant (lasting)

Saving Throw: Will Cost: 1 point per rank

The target of this effect becomes confused, unable to independently determine his or her actions. If the target’s Will save fails, roll on the Confused Behavior Table at the beginning of the subject’s turn each round to see what the subject does that round.

A confused character unable to carry out the indicated action does nothing (like a result of 6-10 on the table). Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused character. Any confused character who is attacked automatically attacks its attacker on its next turn, as long as it is still confused. The target gets a new Will save each round to shake off the Confuse effect, with a +1 bonus each round.

CUSTOMIZED CONFUSE

Gamemasters may allow substitutions on the Confused Behavior Table to customize the effect, such as changing “Do nothing but babble incoherently” to “Sing and dance Broadway show-tunes” or making “Flee at top possible speed” into “Close eyes and mutter ‘go away, go away, go away,’” or the like. As a general rule of thumb, a 1–2 result should always be something detrimental to the poweruser, and 3–5 should remain “Act normally” but otherwise feel free to modify (or expand) the Confused Behavior Table as desired.

POWER FEATS

• Incurable: At the GM’s discretion, this power feat can simulate a Confuse effect that cannot be countered by other powers, only by time and the victim making a successful saving throw. It may be suitable for Confuse effects that are particularly powerful or unusual in nature.

• Reversible: You can reverse your Confuse effect at will as a free action.

EXTRAS

• Alternate Save: Confuse may be based on Fortitude rather than Will to reflect a biochemical effect, such as a drug or pathogen. Such forms of Confuse are also often touch range and may also have the Disease or Poison modifiers.

• Contagious: A Contagious Confuse effect might represent some sort of “plague of madness” or “telepathic virus” that spreads from subject to subject.

FLAWS

• Sense-Dependent: This flaw may reflect a Confuse effect requiring eye contact or based on flashing lights, maddening music, or an inhaled psycho-chemical, for example, rather than affecting a target automatically. These version of Confuse must be Perception range.