Extended Ectoplasmic Hands, elbow joints & magic touch range

[Jesterzzn]

Damn that was an involved post...
But it's still nice to see you posting again Ty.

Anyways, I think it would manifest in a similar manor to a praying mantis' limbs. Meaning collapsible.
Remember in Total Recall when the cab driver extended his hand to prove he was a mutant, but he also had full use of his normal looking "human" hands? I think it would look kinda like that.

[Rali]

What I am interested in knowing, is how the ectoplasmic hands and extended ectoplasmic hands powers from Transdimensional TMNT pg 14, work.

Interesting. I've never really paid Ecto Hands or Extended Ecto Hands much attention. I don't have my TD:TMNT on hand, but I do have AtB2 which has the same powers available. I'll have to check later to see if there are any differences.

For one, they have a reach proportionate to the normal limb, and secondly, it mentions that if a person is missing parts of a limb, that it recreates them, including things like an elbow. This says to me that the ectoplasmic limbs have joints.

The Ecto Hands descriptions makes me think of "Phantom Limb Syndrome". Especially in regards to those who are "lacking other parts of the arm." In that case I can understand why it would recreate the wrist, elbow, shoulder etc. It's recreating what the character knew or would expect.

I believe BOTH ectoplasmic hands powers were created only with Hands: None in mind. This is because that creates stubby fingers...

Ecto Hands creates stubby fingers? Is that what it ways in TD:TMNT?

so what happens is in the case of Hands: Partial, it would only create the last 2 digits of the fingers so that the unified flesh-ectoplasm hand is now articulate.

For those who have Hands: None or Partial, the Ecto Hand would appear as a "Full" version of hands (think of them like a pair of gloves) slipped over the existing set of hands/paws. As for the characters' real digits, just ignore them and any "logical" penalty that they might represent. This is a "game" after all and some concessions to logic must be made.

I do not think they are prehensile tentacles like the normal power due to how they are described.

As I describe in the Ecto Hands, they would most likely recreate the limbs joints and all, and not have a prehensile tentacle. (Though that would be very cool! Anyone seen Elfen Lied?)

In the description I'm reading it says that these have the "same weaknesses and disadvantages" as the Ecto Hands, and that they also have the range of normal hands, but they that they can move through solid objects. I am hit with the image of those persons who claim to have the ability to "lay on hands". A character would set their hand/paw(s) onto the person/object they wanted to reach into and then move the Extended Ecto Hands though the surface of the object/person they were interacting with.

Those with this power who are missing limbs might be at a distinct advantage if they could move the entire portion of the missing limb into something. Unless only the hand can move through solid objects. *shrug*

Let us presume the person has his arms cut off at the shoulder. It is a simple matter, because you can say everything is twice the distance apart. BUT should that distance not also remain consistant for a character with arms? In this case, the 'upper arm' of the ectoplasmic arm that is created would actually reach the length of about a person's wrist I wou assume.

I am very confused where you came up with this. If the character's arm were cut off at the shoulder both Ecto Hand powers would recreate the entire limb just as it was or would have been.

This means that when they use the power, the persons real flesh elbows should be forced into a locked/extended position, as if they bent, the ectoplasm would bend, which it is unable to do, because the ectoplasm cannot exit the limb, the only part of the ectoplasm which can be outside of the limb is part which is replacing a lost part.

You completely lost me here. Why can't the ectoplasm exit the limb? I'm not sure if there is something in the TD:TMNT book's description that would cause this. I'm thinking that your logic circuit got fried while working on this

The question here is, does 'touch' apply to ectoplasmic limbs? ... Or would you have to touch their flesh?

Yes. No. All you have to do is make Ecto/Physical contact with the target. And by physical, I do not mean that you have to touch their flesh with your flesh. Physical contact means that you touch some part of their body (covered or not) unless specifically noted. I believe that includes bionic limbs. Whether or not gloves can impede a spell casters "touch" is up to the GM.

Would it work for a psychic spellcaster who got an ectoplasm power, or who cast an ectoplasm spell?

This is more in the realm of Beyond the Supernatural question. You should check out the Magic FAQ board to see if this has been answered.

...a mutant human can select extended ectoplasmic limb, and the super power of creating an electric field. This charges their melee attacks, as well as any attacks with any conductive (metal) weapons, with electric damage. Would that be applied to punches from the ectoplasmic limb, or attacks with metal weapons held by it? I think probably not... but I'm not totally sure. I just don't see ectoplasm as something conductive of electricity.

This is something you might want to ask in the Heroes Unlimited board or the HU FAQ. However, in my opinion, ectoplasm is etherial, and the ether is not an insulator. I would probably imagine that ectoplasm would probably conduct electricity. If it didn't, then there would probably be something stating that ectoplasm was resistant to electrical or energy based attacks.

I'd actually have a much easier time of seeing it conduct magic since psychic/magic are related sometimes and there are ecto-plasm type magic spells

IMHO, they are all a form of energy.

In the end, it should ultimately be up to the GM as to how they want to work the Ecto Hands powers in their game.

[Rali]

I've just read through the TD:TMNT version of the Ecto Hands powers, and the main difference in AtB2 is that they no longer have range. The range in AtB2 is listed as "Special", and any mention of using the Ecto at range is removed from the descriptions.

Also, the "physical disabled" requirement has been removed and the final note that says "Only available to human mutants..." in TD is replaced with "Only available to mutants..." in AtB2.

Other than that they are the (copy-paste) same.

[Rali]

Okay. After reading the original powers some more, it would appear that the original intent of the Ecto Hands and Extended Ecto Hands was that they would extent beyond the characters existing hands/paws, or, in the case of characters missing part/all of the limb, extend from the point the limb ends. In the case of Extended Ecto Hands, they can reach up to 6 feet.

If you look at it like this, then you don't have to worry about the character's existing stubby digits getting in the way.

AtB2 seems to have gotten rid of the Extended Ecto Hands extra range, so both ecto hands wrists in this setting probably start at the end of the character's hands.

It would probably help if someone were to have illustrated these powers in use.