Annoyance Factor

Annoyance Factor (minor) by Taalismn

“That’s cool, Captain Stupendous! Real cool! Can you show me more? I wanna see more! Say, can you do this? See what I can do! What do you think of this?! Tell me what you think! You’re real cool, Captain, you know that? You’re my favorite! What do you think are the coolest powers? Who do you think’s better than you? Who do you like more? What’s the best super-vehicle? Huh? Huh? Tell me more! I wanna see more! Moar! Moar!“(ad nauseum)

This is a ‘near-psychic’ power in that it attacks the nervous system with similar effects to psionic attacks. Annoyance Factor is the dubious ability of the superbeing to do just about anything in such a way as to negatively distract and annoy those around him or her. Even simple things like the superbeing pacing, playing with a pen or pencil, conversing, or even breathing, become tedious ordeals to onlookers when this power is in effect. This power is of questionable personal value, because it can affect ally and enemy alike, destroy friendships, crack people’s calm and self-control, drive saints to bloody rage, cause temporary alignment shifts, and put acquaintances’ hands around the superbeing’s throat. As a result, most superbeings who have this power are either not aware that they possess this power(mistaking it for something else), or else are very self-preservation conscious and ready to bolt for cover when their acquaintance of the moment goes psychotic on them.

Bonuses: +1d4 to the character’s M.A., the resultant number which becomes the superbeing’s Annoyance Factor. The character can still use their M.A. to induce trust/intimidation, but it will take more of an effort on their part as they are better known for being annoying.

Passive Mode: This is an area of effect that can be always on, at the superbeing’s discretion. Whether it’s by doing something actively annoying(like humming off key, chattering to oneself, tapping fingers or feet, noisily chewing gum, pacing, etc...) or just by the sheer teeth grinding anxiety of anticipation that the character is GOING to do something annoying(“Oh GOD, please go away and not talk to me....”), the superbeing can erode the calm of an entire room of people.

Range: 10 ft radius, plus 5 ft per level of experience

Duration: Always on, unless otherwise specified

Effect: Everyone caught in the area of effect must save versus the superbeing’s MA/AF(bonuses against psionic attack apply) or lose initiative and be -10% to all skill rolls.

Active Mode: In active mode, the Annoyance Factor can be focused on a single individual, taking up an Action Per Melee, in order to drive the target NUTS.

Range: 60 ft +10 ft per level of experience. Target must be in line of sight(and preferably earshot as well)

Duration: Takes 1 APM to maintain per melee

Effect: Victim must roll better than the Annoying superbeing’s Annoyance Factor(bonuses against psionic attack apply); failing to do so, the victim must roll on the following to determine resulting mental state:

01-20 Vexed---The victim is annoyed, but still mostly in self-control. However, the target is distracted and is -3 to Initiative, and -15% to all skill rolls from the unwanted distraction.

///21-50 Driven Up the Wall---Victim is more seriously distracted, but is still hanging on to a semblance of control. You can see the veins pulsing in their foreheads, though. Victim is likely to be rude and brusque and clearly agitated(eager to get the annoyance moving along); -5 to initiative, lose 1 APM, and -20% to all skills.

51-74 Blown Cool---Victim loses self-control and all pretense of being polite to the annoyance, likely lashing out with a verbal attack(yell at the annoyance, curse audibly and articulately, reach employment-termination levels of rudeness, etc..), but hasn’t yet gone physical. The victim’s attention is now almost fully engaged on the source of the annoyance, and previous trains of thought almost certainly derailed. Lose ALL initiative, lose 2 APM, and -25% to all skills.

75-90 Sputtering Fury---The target shifts an alignment level down and is seriously contemplating physically harming the source of his annoyance, but is badly twitching in place(clenched fists, spastic leg movements), cursing under his breath(otherwise has gone sputtering inarticulate), and gone the equivalent of red in the face. The attention of the harassee is likely to be entirely on the source of annoyance. Lose ALL initiative, lose 2 APM, all skill rolls are HALVED.

91-00 Psychotic Break---The target shifts two entire alignment levels down, and goes berserk in foaming RAGE!, 80% likely to be directed at the source of the annoyance, but 20% chance of lashing out at anybody else in the immediate vicinity. Fortunately, the victim has NO initiative, only HALF his normal APMs and normal combat bonuses, skill rolls are at -75%, and the victim is temporarily -3 to save versus other psionic attacks. The berserk state lasts 1d6 melees(even after the removal of the annoyance) or until the target is forcibly calmed down.