Gaze attacks: how do they interact with technology?

[Rosc]

So. Many PF monsters made it into space, and that can potentially change their interactions with everyone else.

With that in mind, is there any ruling on how a monster like the Medusa would interact with a world where streaming and comm units exist? Does their stoney gaze travel through screens? Does an instagram filter cover it up?

Are there any examples in game? I'd love to include Medusa tech gurus and streamer divas in my games but I'm not sure how to handle the logistics.

[BigNorseWolf]

1) effects require line of sight, a camera doesn't give that, so no

2) Mirrors and reflected light didn't trigger the gaze effect, so no

3) there isn't a weekly cyber terrorist attack click here for hot alien babes and thousands of people stuck stoned (although... that would be a cool adventure idea)

[Metaphysician]

I lean to setting things in two categories:

1. If the gaze attack doesn't work through a mirror, it doesn't work through a camera. End of scenario.

2. If the gaze attack *does* work through a mirror, then it can work through a camera. . . but *only* if the target is within the normal range limit of the gaze attack. So, if the alien has a 60' range gaze attack, and you are 30' away looking at them through a digital display in your helmet? Roll to save. If you are looking at them on a video screen ten AUs away, or even just 90' away? Your good.

I would also be *extremely* reluctant to allow for a gaze attack that has neither the mirror limit nor a a range limit. Like, its not necessarily logically impossible in the setting, but it'd have the same kind of rarity, difficulty, expense, and restriction of a major weapon of mass destruction. . . because that is exactly what it would be.

[BigNorseWolf]

If the image worked, adventurers would just stroll through the dungeon with LCD T shirts with a medusa on them

[FormerFiend]

Yeah I'm on the, an image on a screen is just a collection of pixels projected in the shape of the creature and not the creature itself so it's gaze attack shouldn't transfer through.

That does open up the possibility of making a helmet that completely blocks vision but uses a mounted camera to stream a live feed onto a screen inside the face mask like a VR headset.