Projection (limitation)

Projection is a -50% limitation of Insubstantiality introduced in GURPS Fantasy (this version was reprinted vebatim in GURPS Horror) and reworked in GURPS Powers (p. 55-56) where it also applies to Jumper (p. 57), and Warp (p. 88) while Clairsentience (advantage) had a Projection (enhancement)
==Fantasy and Horror==
:Your Move is twice Basic Speed, as if flying. Normally, you start out where your physical body is – but if you have the ability to perceive a distant place, you can materialize there, and if you can see some immaterial realm such as the spirit world, you can enter it. Your consciousness remains linked to your body by a “silver cord”; you won’t notice physical sensations, but should anything threaten the link between your body and your immaterial form, you’ll be drawn back instantly. This includes attempts at mental or spiritual possession of your body, and any physical injury that requires a HT roll to survive.
The benefit of Horror's limitation (enhanced Move, a free Jumper/Warp-like ability, instant draw-back to defend against Possession (advantage) or Major Wounds) doesn't appear to have decreased its value as a limitation. Perhaps the offset is losing the free chance of becoming an Astral Entity from Powers 44?
==Powers==
Your body doesn’t become insubstantial. Instead, it falls unconscious and you step out of it in insubstantial form. Like someone using unmodified Insubstantiality, you’re visible and present, making you subject to anything that affects insubstantial entities . . . while your body remains in the physical world, vulnerable to material threats; see Projection (p. 44).
==Psionic Powers==
This interestingly introduced a lack of obligation to be nude.
"You do not bring any equipment with you. You may “clothe” yourself as you wish, but it offers no protection."
Normally to avoid nudity in insubstantial form (by default the advantage would just make all your clothing fall to the ground when switched on, leaving your naked) you need an enhancement group called Can Carry Objects with the cheapest +10% for No Encumbrance covering simple clothing.
*Invisibility has similar restrictions: lacking a CCO enhancement, a clothed person who switches on invisibility would be detectable as a hovering set of clothes until they disrobed, and they would be naked when they deactivated their invisibility unless they got dressed first
**an exception to both advantages exists in GURPS Supers called Supersuit on page 30: it changes with your body, not requiring the CCO enhancement to do so (nor counting as encumbrance towards it's limits)
***S77 also covers this under Adaptable Clothing (top of right column) where prices are assigned at TL 6/7/8
PP has effectively introduced a minor version of Shapeshifting to allow clothing to be manifested like this.
Unlike true clothing, this would basically mean that a Contact Agent would still work, because the clothes are actually you.
This actually could be seen as functioning like a very limited Illusion.
The difference between "I shapeshift my torso into a cape" vs "I create the illusion of a cape" would be a subtle but important one, since capes can actually be grappled or damage, while illusions can't.
==Cords==
The silver cord is a vague idea in Fantasy/Horror defined more distinctly as a Hit Location (akin to Vitals) in Psionic Powers.
It's unclear if it's possible to grapple it. If not, comparisons could be made to the Cloaked (or Scarfed) perk from S30, except the cord can't "block" like a shield, while a cloak (and maybe a scarf?) can. The main point of that perk is just to get a reaction bonus and make something ungrappleable.
==see also==
*Becoming a Being of Pure Thought
*Near-Death Projection
*Projection (enhancement)
*Projection (skill)
*Projected Form
*What Causes Ghosts
Category:Limitations