Difference between Sense Evil and Presense Sense?

[darthauthor]

What is the difference between Sense Evil (2) and Presense Sense (2)?

Which is better if you had to choice one?

[ShadowLogan]

Sense Evil is more restricted. Sense Evil can only detect SN/CoM who have an evil alignment, and you can't as "easily" sense mortals (even ones w/evil alignment unless certain conditions are met).

Presence Sense is more general allowing you to sense SN/CoM who have Good or Selfish Alignments. And they can sense mortals more "easily" (not saying it as good as a SN/CoM, but it's there).

Which is better is going to come down to the situation(s) you expect to find yourself in.

[Prysus]

What is the difference between Sense Evil (2) and Presense Sense (2)?

Which is better if you had to choice one?

Greetings and Salutations. ShadowLogan covered a fair bit, but there's one additional point I'd like to add.

Sense Evil works automatically, and you don't have to spend any I.S.P. to know evil (within its scope) is in the area. You only need to spend I.S.P. to get an idea of numbers and direction.
Presence Sense is more general, but only works when activated.

So while Presence Sense covers a wider scope and can be useful in more scenarios, Sense Evil is generally going to be more cost efficient.


Example:

Psychic uses Presence Sense (because maybe!). Detects nothing for its duration. That's 2 I.S.P. down. Uses it again 10 minutes later. Still nothing. 2 I.S.P. down. Uses it again 10 minutes later and picks something up. Another 2 I.S.P. down, but at least finally got some useful info.

Psychic with Supernatural Evil just walks around. Senses Evil alerts the psychic to an evil Supernatural Being or Creature of Magic in the area. Activates the power for a greater info. 2 I.S.P. down, but always useful (because you already know it's there, for free).


So, again, it'll depend on the situation, character, and what you want to do with the power. As an individual, since I tend to play more good characters, I find Sense Evil to be more useful. I like not having to spend I.S.P. just in case something might be there, and good Supernatural Beings or Creatures of Magic or less likely to try and stealth kill me. Selfish alignment might, but they generally want something (also, Palladium tends to go extreme evil or extreme good with their Supernatural Beings). However, that doesn't make my experiences and/or preferences true for everyone. Hope some of that helps. Farewell and safe journeys.

[drewkitty ~..~]

... and you can't as "easily" sense mortals (even ones w/evil alignment unless certain conditions are met).
....

Correction: the text (PF2 core book) says that mortal's can't be sensed unless certain conditions are met. Immediate Evil intent, psychotic

Spoiler:

(here I would add 'evil' before the word psychotic because not not all psychotic have chosen to be evil. there is a NOVA program on this subject and the professor who decided to research psychotics had the same brain pathways as his known psychotic MRI subjects)

, or an evil psychic

[Soldier of Od]

What is the difference between Sense Evil (2) and Presense Sense (2)?

Which is better if you had to choice one?

Greetings and Salutations. ShadowLogan covered a fair bit, but there's one additional point I'd like to add.

Sense Evil works automatically, and you don't have to spend any I.S.P. to know evil (within its scope) is in the area. You only need to spend I.S.P. to get an idea of numbers and direction.
Presence Sense is more general, but only works when activated.

Here's a question - does it work automatically? The description in the Palladium Fantasy 2nd edition book doesn't say that someone with the power of sense evil can automatically feel supernatural evil without spending a single I.S.P. - it says "A psychic sensitive will automatically feel supernatural evil without spending a single I.S.P.". Psychic sensitive is the name of a specific P.C.C. in the book - one that has the power to feel supernatural beings without spending I.S.P. - I don't see that the sentence there is referring to anything but what it appears to be referring to - a psychic sensitive, not just anyone with this power. It explains why the psychic sensitive P.C.C. get the sense evil ability as part of their starting powers, and would otherwise make their unique P.C.C. exclusive sensing ability (like, virtually the only thing this pretty crappy class gets!) available to anyone who picks one minor power.

[Prysus]

Here's a question - does it work automatically?

Greetings and Salutations. I'd say yes.

I read your response, but it tries to focus on Palladium Fantasy, and a P.C.C. specific to that setting. This section is Across the Megaverse, and in such situations I'd be more inclined to look at the system as a whole.

In RUE, the "psychic sensitive" line remains the same, except the Rifts doesn't have a Psychic Sensitive O.C.C. (to my knowledge). Furthermore, in RUE they started using capitalization to indicate more proper nouns (such as O.C.C. names and other Trademark type stuff), and psychic sensitive is still lower case. That's not a guarantee though.

The next line after the one you quoted is: "However, to get a clearer picture of the evil force(s) the character must open himself and use the Sense Evil ability." This addresses spending I.S.P. to get a clearer picture, and if this only applies to the Psychic Sensitive P.C.C. from the Palladium World, then other psychics can't spend I S.P.?

A character can be a psychic sensitive (a psychic with sensitive psionic powers) with being a Psychic Sensitive from Palladium Fantasy. And Palladium trying to hype up a single P.C.C. from a single setting across all their Megaversal lines I think is a bit too far of a stretch to the imagination.

With that said, I agree with the sentiment (the Psychic Sensitive needs some love to help make it stand out), and if Palladium Fantasy were the only setting I'd be more inclined to say you have a case. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion though. Farewell and safe journeys.

[Soldier of Od]

[justify]

Here's a question - does it work automatically?

Greetings and Salutations. I'd say yes.

I read your response, but it tries to focus on Palladium Fantasy, and a P.C.C. specific to that setting.

Good point. I used Palladium Fantasy because someone referred to that book in an earlier post - I thought it was you, but turns out it was another person, sorry!
Just to clarify one point I was trying to make: where you say "This addresses spending I.S.P. to get a clearer picture, and if this only applies to the Psychic Sensitive P.C.C. from the Palladium World, then other psychics can't spend I S.P.?", I didn't take the meaning that others can't spend I.S.P., but that others can't get a "clearer" picture - that the psychic sensitive gets some idea and then spends I.S.P. for a clearer picture, but everyone else gets nothing, and just activates the power in order to sense anything as normal.
But, as you pointed out, the words are the same across the books (even predating PFRPG 2nd Ed.), so my opinion was incorrect!

[darthauthor]

I don't know how big a difference it is but I just thought of something..

One difference between Sense Evil and Presense Sense is Presense Sense detects supernatural beings and creatures of magic (whether they are Evil or Not Evil).
While Sense Evil say "Supernatural Evil"

If you take it literally like that then "Sense Evil" won't detect beings without an Evil alignment while Presense can.

Anyone have a better interpretation?