Perception Manipulation

Yato is unnoticeable to those due to him messing with their perceptions

Background

Perception Manipulation is the ability to alter, distort, enhance, or suppress the sensory experiences of oneself or others. Perception refers to the process by which beings interpret and make sense of sensory data—what they see, hear, feel, taste, or smell. This ability enables a user to influence how reality is experienced, making them see illusions, hear imagined sounds, or fail to notice certain details entirely.

This power is closely related to Mind Manipulation, but instead of influencing thoughts or emotions directly, it warps how the mind processes incoming sensory data. In more advanced cases, it can result in total sensory domination, where the target becomes entirely immersed in a fabricated reality. The ability can be used in combat, interrogation, psychological warfare, or even in benevolent ways such as enhancing one's sensory abilities for awareness or focus.

Capabilities

• Vision Manipulation: Create, alter, or remove visual input; the user can generate hallucinations or obscure reality to hide objects, people, or surroundings.
• Auditory Manipulation: Control what the target hears, from complete silence to disorienting noise or realistic speech.
• Tactile Manipulation: Simulate or remove the sense of touch, making a target feel heat, pain, pressure, or numbness that does not exist.
• Olfactory/Gustatory Manipulation: Alter what someone smells or tastes, useful for disorienting or distracting targets.
• Perception Amplification: Greatly enhance one's sensory input, such as seeing vast distances or hearing ultrasonic sounds.
• Perception Suppression: Mute or block out specific senses, such as rendering a target blind or deaf to their environment.
• Spatial Perception Distortion: Manipulate one’s perception of space—making distances feel longer, areas seem warped, or obstacles go unnoticed.
• Temporal Perception Distortion: Warp how time is experienced; time may seem frozen, slowed, or fast-forwarded.
• Perception Looping: Trap a target in a repeating sensory experience, such as a memory or scenario replaying infinitely.
• Self-Perception Manipulation: Alter how a person sees themselves, potentially influencing their confidence, sense of identity, or even physical sensations.
• Cross-Sensory Distortion: Induce synesthesia-like effects, making the target hear colors or taste sound, overwhelming their mental processing.

Possible Applications

• Creating lifelike illusions to manipulate or disorient enemies.
• Masking oneself or others by erasing the target’s ability to perceive them.
• Projecting false emotions or events to confuse targets.
• Enhancing senses for reconnaissance or combat.
• Overwhelming an opponent with false stimuli or sensory overload.
• Interrogating targets by simulating trauma or events.
• Trapping someone in a false environment or reality loop.

Practical Uses

• Allows for stealth and infiltration by obscuring presence.
• Can pacify targets through calming illusions or suppressive feedback.
• Useful in non-combat roles like medical diagnostics (enhanced sight/sound).
• Can help one adapt to extreme environments by suppressing painful stimuli.
• Enhances tracking and awareness by sharpening perception.

Possible Limitations

• Altered perceptions are often non-physical and can be overcome with mental discipline or awareness.
• Targets with immunity to illusions, mental manipulation, or enhanced cognition may resist or ignore the effects.
• Some beings may lack the sensory faculties required for manipulation.
• Excessive sensory amplification can backfire, causing pain, confusion, or loss of control.
• Requires line-of-sight, focus, or mental effort in some users, limiting multitarget use.

Users

• Ain (Despera): Ain is unable to be seen or perceived by others, viewing her as only a doll rather then an actual person.
• The Batter (OFF): The Batter's appearance changes based on the user's perception of him.