Perception Manipulation

The ability to manipulate perception. Sub-power of Perspective Manipulation.

Also Called

 * Awareness Manipulation
 * Consciousness Manipulation
 * Sensing Manipulation
 * Understanding Manipulation

Capabilities
The user can directly alters others’ perceptions, making them experience the world exactly as they wish - this could be as simple as creating visual illusions to distract an opponent, or robbing them of their senses entirely.

With a sufficient deal of control over this ability, it becomes possible to quickly and easily shape even complex “illusions” for others - to the point where even those who are aware of what is happening begin to doubt their own senses. There doesn’t seem to be any way to tell when this is being done, and as such there is no clear defense. Used on one's self, this power can render one effectively immune to any other form of illusion, as they would be able to perceive the underlying reality near-instantly. It is also a potent tool for gathering information, as it can be used to experience distant events, amongst other things.

Of course, although the illusions this creates can be made flawless, they are still only illusions, and thus cannot actually affect anything, although they may seem like they do. Being stabbed by an illusionary sword would still hurt, although it won’t actually kill.

Nature
Perception is what we might consider the result of the combined experience of all of one's senses - the means by which someone is aware of the world around them. Manipulating perception is more than simply creating illusions. Rather, it is the act of directly changing an individual's ability to experience the world. From the basic senses such as sight and hearing, to those lesser known, such as proprioception or nociception, to the rare abilities to sense auras or magic - all of these senses together make up an individual's perception of the world, and manipulating it entails nothing less than restructuring the world as they are able to sense it.

Unlike regular illusion magic, which functions by creating some new form or sensation to be perceived, this acts directly on the mind of the target. As such, the illusions it creates are effectively flawless, barring some deliberate clue left by the wielder of the power. By shaping the way someone perceives the world, it’s possible to subtly alter what they can sense, adding, removing, or altering small details; or to go further and completely reshape how they sense the world, effectively trapping them in a perfectly detailed hallucination.

However, affecting others’ perceptions in such a way is but one use of this power. It can also be used to see through illusions, or even into the minds of others. Being that there is no difference between affecting your own perception or that of another, it can grant these abilities to anyone, for as long as the wielder is willing to apply the effort needed to maintain the effect.

Owing to the way this power functions, it isn’t something that can be easily overcome. Only incredibly powerful individuals, or those whose own abilities deal specifically with the senses, have any hope of overturning its effects. To everyone else, it becomes impossible to tell if anything they perceive is real, or merely something fabricated by this power.

Applications

 * Experience Manipulation
 * Illusion Manipulation
 * Absolute Illusion
 * Imagination Manipulation
 * Knowledge Manipulation
 * Omni-Perception
 * Omni-Senses
 * Self Perception
 * Sense Manipulation
 * Reality Filtering

Associations

 * Interaction Manipulation
 * Light Manipulation
 * Perspective Manipulation

Limitations

 * Reality Perception may resist this power (but not immutable).

Manga/Anime

 * Sōsuke Aizen (Bleach)
 * Shinji Hirako (Bleach)
 * Kōga Kuchiki (Bleach)
 * Tsukuyomi users (Naruto)

Live Action TV

 * Angels (Supernatural)
 * Reapers (Supernatural)
 * Wraiths (Supernatural)

Western Animation

 * Spellbinder (Batman Beyond)

Other

 * Visage (Planescape)