Hypnotic Hands

IQ/Hard
Defaults: None.
Prerequisites: Trained by a Master and Hypnotism at 14+.

You can induce a trancelike state in others through hypnotic hand motions. You can only affect a single victim, who must see your hands. Hypnotic Hands doesn't work on those who are blind, facing away, etc., and is affected by any defense effective against hypnotism or chi-based mind control.

To use your skill, take a Concentrate maneuver. At the end of your turn, you can either roll to influence your target or opt to continue the motions. If you continue, take another Concentrate maneuver...and so on, until you decide to attempt your skill roll. The total focus and complex motions required by this skill give you -2 to all active defenses while concentrating.

Once you decide to project your chi to influence your victim, spend 1 FP and roll a Quick Contest of Hypnotic Hands against his Will.

Modifiers: -1 per two full yards of distance between you; any visibility penalties (for darkness, smoke, etc.); +1 after two turns of concentration, +2 after four turns, +3 after eight turns, +4 after 16 turns, and a further +1 per doubling of time, with no upper limit.

If you win, your opponent is mentally stunned for seconds equal to your margin of victory. After that, he may roll against IQ each turn to recover. Until he does, you can use your Hypnotism skill on him – even in combat! This takes the usual five seconds, but your subject resists at Will instead of at Will+5. See Hypnotism for effects. If you know Invisibility Art and choose to use it, your victim is at -5 in the Quick Contest to notice you.