|
|
Post by arch2ngel on Mar 16, 2010 3:06:37 GMT -5
Basics
Psychic abilities are often considered a game changing element when added to a campaign. Well rounded characters suddenly find themselves unable to compete in this new field, and are simply dominated. As such, GMs may restrict the use of Psionics in their game. Ask the GM before making a character with any of these Actions, Modifiers, or Equipment.
Mental Contact
To enter a target's mind, the stones you place in the Psychic Action must exceed his combined Intelligence + Mental Defense (though you can ignore the Mental Defense of a willing subject). Note that this basic defense is in effect at all times and requires no stones on the part of the victim. If you wish to enter undetected, you must spend additional stones, which do not count toward establishing contact. If your Psychic Action succeeds, a mental link is formed. The amount you succeeded by is the Difficulty and base Resistance for the target to break the mental link (more on this later). As usual, the total stones you can place in all Psychic-related Action is limited by your Action Number. Note that Psychic Actions typically have a Range of 4 and require a clear line-of-sight.
Maintaining a psychic link costs 1 stone per person per Panel - more, if you wish to remain undetected. During this time, you may scan surface thoughts or basic emotions for no additional cost. Telepathic characters can also send thoughts, if they have the Project Thoughts option, so two-way communication is possible. Scanning deep thoughts, or searching nuances of emotion require you to spend stones at least equal to your target's Intelligence (more, as usual, if you wish to remain undetected). Other options will be discussed in further detail in their respective Actions, except to say the following: stones from the initial contact beyond those spent to overcome the target's Intelligence + Mental Defense + any spent to remain undetected CAN be used to immediately affect the target with any available options from the psychic action, but these stones will not count toward Difficulty and base Resistance. The disadvantage to this course of action has already been stated: it creates a weaker connection to the mind of the target. The advantage is that you don't have to overcome the Intelligence of the target a second time in the first panel (since you already did so to establish the link), and therefore allows the character to potentially get a step ahead in the mental conflict, though at the cost of a weaker connection...
To remain undetected, a character must spend more stones into remaining undetected than the target has ranks in detecting psychic abilities (see Vision, Enhansed [Psionic Waves] under Modifiers). Usually, targets do not have any ranks in modifiers that allow them to detect psychic abilities, so the character only needs to spend 1stone to remain undetected, but this will not always be the case, and could get a psychic character into trouble if he assumes he only ever needs to spend one stone. Also, a psychic character is more familiar with the nuances of the mind, and as such, require an additional stone devoted to remaining undetected in order to not be detected. So, attempting to remain undetected from a Telepath with Enhansed Vision (Psionic Waves [3]) would require 5 stones dedicated to remaining undetected...
If the target senses your presence, he can attempt to drive you out of his mind. This requires an Action, using stones limited by his Intelligence. (Note that Mental Defense does not add to this attempt: it is a first line of defense only, designed to block intrusion, and is therefore of no use in driving out intruders once it has failed. The Mental Fortitude option for Mental Defense, however, still applies.) As mentioned previously, the Difficulty for this attempt is equal to the amount you succeeded in the initial psychic contact (ie. the number of stones left after beating the target's Intelligence + Mental Defense). The base Resistance is also this number, but you can spend as many stones each round to boost the Resistance as you desire. Any Resistance above the base Resistance does dissipate over time (at a rate of 1r per page), but will never drop below the base Resistance without active resistance from the target. Thus, the Resistance can change from panel to panel, as each participant in the link struggles to gain dominance. As with any effort, the GM is never obligated to inform the target of the Resistance he must overcome, although depending on the targets capabilities/familiarity with psychic bonds, the GM may tell the target the general Resistance (ie. weak, fair, strong, etc.) If the target beats the Resistance at any point, the link is broken, and you must start all over again, if you want to re-establish the link. Furthermore, if the target manages to resist with stones equal to twice or more the current Resistance, you are stunned during your next panel, all mental links are broken, and you can take no actions during that time (although you are still alert enough to benefit from Modifier-based defenses, such as Reflexive Dodge.) A psychic link lasts until a) the psychic quits maintaining it, b) the target forcibly escapes it, as described above, or c) the psychic and target are separated beyond the range of the connection (usually Range 4).
Multiple Connections
If a Telepath chooses to telepathically attack a target already in connection with another Telepath, the Telepath with the connection may choose whether to resist the attempt himself, or let the intended target take the assault. This may be done even if the intended target is willing to receive the new connection, or even if the target didn't know about the original connection!
Telepaths who are in contact with a mind that has another connection can make assaults down those lines as if they had made the connection themselves. Doing so bypasses the new target's Mental Defense (though not his Intelligence or Mental Fortitude). It is, thus, dangerous for a Telepath to battle another Telepath while connected to his allies, as those allies could quickly become targets! Likewise, if there is another Telepath on the opposing team, it is not a good idea to attack his allies, as he may attack you back, if he already had a telepathic connection with that ally!
Actions
Empathy AN+0CL
This Action allows the character to make mental contact with other minds and read the emotions of his target. The target can be either a sentient creature (including humans) or an animal. Understanding the nuances of a target's emotions can tell you whether or not they are lying.
Options
+2CL = Project Emotion. This allows the character to cause his target to feel a particular emotion, chosen at character creation (ie. fear, anger, love, calm, etc.) For an additional +1CL, the character is not limited to one emotion (though he can only affect any given person with one emotion at a time). The Empath decides what emotion the target feels, and what is causing the emotion. (So you can make your target love you, or fear the doors to the exit, etc.) Situational Modifiers may work for or against the target (fear of the doors to the exit don't negate fear of capture, so the target could gain a situational modifier to resist his new fear of the doors), though these sitmods shouldn't be greater than 1 or 2 stones.
Mental Bolts AN+0CL
This Action allows the character to make attacks directly against the target's mind. It is not necessary to form a mental link, as described above (indeed, characters without Telepathy or Empathy are unable to form mental connections), though there can be a substantial advantage to creating links before attacking with this Action. Mental Bolts is an attack (Range 4) that ignores the target's typical defense (including Reflexive Dodge and Toughness), but instead is resisted by the target's Intelligence and Mental Defense, or just Intelligence, when the character is mentally linked with his target. Any stones that get through can either cause "normal" damage or stun the target. If the target is stunned, he can do nothing during his next Panel. During each successive Panel, he automatically tries to snap out of it, using stones equal to the lowest of: a) his Intelligence score, b) his Energy Reserve, or c) the Resistance (he never needs to waste stones by exceeding the Resistance). The Difficulty o fthis attempt is 0, and the Resistance is equal to the number of red stones that got through his defenses. Each attempt wears the Resistance down, as usual, as the target clears his head. During the Panel in which he finally snaps out of it, he can take a second Action if he has already placed stones in an appropriate manner to do so. Obviously, this is a risky proposition, given that the stones may be wasted, but good for simulating someone trying to focus his thoughts to act coherently and finally managing to do so. It is not possible to psychically remain undetected while attacking with a Mental Bolt. Normal damage sustained from a Mental Bolt cannot be healed by any of the levels of Healing Factor, but requires the Healing Factor, Mental option (see below).
Psychometry AN+2CL
This action allows the character to to deduce facts about past events by touching objects related to them. The character must know what event he wishes to learn more about, and have in his possession an object (or be standing in the place) of that event. The more emotionally charged an event (for those who participated in the event), the easier it is to learn about it. The more detailed the information requested, the harder it is to yield. So seeing the face of a murder, while holding the murder weapon is easier than learning his name or home address. If the victim was taken by surprise and killed quickly (and the killer was a sociopath who felt little emotion), the details would be harder to gain.
Options
+1CL = Empametry. Requires that the character also have Empathy. Allows the character to know the emotions participants of the event were feeling.
+2CL = Telepametry. Requires that the character also have Telepathy. Allows the character to see details from the thoughts of those who participated in the event. These are equal to small details in difficulty.
Telepathy AN+0CL
This Action allows the character to make mental contact with other minds and read thoughts. Without the Project Thoughts option, he has no ability to send thoughts, so two-way communication is not possible. As noted in the corebook, this action also grants the character the Mental Defense modifier, with a bonus equal to your Action Number, at no cost. If you wish to increase this value, you start paying from this point, not from 0. For example, Telepathy 6 grants Mental Defense +6. If you wish to increase this to +7, you must pay 2 white stones (the difference between the costs of Mental Defense +6 and +7, ie. 4 white stones and 6 white stones.)
Options
+1CL = Project Thoughts. This option allows you to send thoughts, in addition to base action's ability to receive them, thus allowing the character two-way telepathic communication. It is a very useful option, especially in conjunction with several of the options listed below.
+1CL = Create Links.This option allows the Telepath to create "permanent" links with others. The other mind(s) in question must be willing to create the link, and must have shared a link with the Telepath at least one other time. Permanent links are listed on the character sheet like specialties (so the character may create up to his AN in permanent links). The advantage to permanent links is that they cost zero stones to maintain the connection, and aren't limited by the Range 4. Both parties must know where the other is when establishing the link (this usually means they are in line of sight to each other, but other means of detection is possible), and being linked to the Telepath while he is telepathically assaulting someone opens the linked character up to telepathic assault from the Telepath's target, so care should be taken when maintaining a permanent link. Still, the Telepath can act like a switchboard, connecting the whole team together in telepathic communication without spending a stone or action to do so, and that can be a very valuable asset, especially for the defense of those teammates. For an additional +1CL, the character can have 2x his Telepathy Action Number in permanent connections.
+2CL = Control Others. Characters being controlled automatically know they are, so no stones should be spent into remaining undetected when the Telepath chooses to control his target. If the target chooses to resist the control, he takes control of one of his two actions, though he may only use it to resist the control, and may spend no more than half of his energy pool or all of his Intelligence, whichever is lower. The other action (and remainder of the energy pool) is in the control of the Telepath. If the target is in physical pain, the difficulty to break the connection is reduced by one per white stone of damage taken, and the resistance is reduced by 3 per white stone of damage taken. If the Telepath is forcing the target to do something he is morally opposed to, the Difficulty is reduced another stone or two (if this reduces the Difficulty to zero, additional stones lower the Resistance). Additionally, a friend or ally of the victim may attempt to talk them out of their mental prison. Stones of Social Skills or Psychiatry are compared to the Difficulty of the mental control; any stones in excess of the Difficulty are taken out of the Resistance. Allies with a powerful connection to the victim (family member, lover, best friend) may benefit from a situational modifier. If the Telepath doesn't have the Project Thoughts option, commands must be issued verbally. If the Telepath cannot communicate verbally with the controlled target, then the target will just stand there, waiting for instructions from the Telepath. Having both this option and Repair Minds allows the character to Implant Suggestions (see below). If the telepath is limited to
+3CL = Swap Minds. This option requires that the Telepath boost the Resistance to twice the Intelligence of the target. Upon success, the mind of the the Telepath (along with all mental abilities, actions, and modifiers) is placed in the body of the target (retaining all physical abilities, actions, and modifiers), and vice versa (the target's mind in the Telepath's body). Now that he's on the other side of the connection, the Telepath must break the resistance of the connection, while the target tries to increase the resistance to double the Telepath's rank in telepathy. If the target succeeds, the two switch minds back to their original bodies and the connection is severed. If the Telepath succeeds, the connection is broken, and no further maintenance is required. However, the Telepath must eventually return to his own body. For every 24 hours that pass in which the Telepath is not in his own body, his Intelligence is reduced by 1. If he doesn't regain his own body before he hits 0 in Intelligence, he slips into a coma and will soon suffer brain death. It is therefore a good idea to keep an eye on your body if you have this option! (If the character also has the Control Others option, the cost of this option is reduced -1CL.)
+1CL = Repair Mind. As described in the book, this acts just like Mutant Healing, except that it only works on mental damage. At the GM's discretion, this Option can also be used to remove phobias, bad habits, and memories or even cure insanity. The Difficulty should be set, as usual, based on the severity of the ailment. The Resistance is typically MUCH higher, possbly requiring numerous "sessions" to overcome, and the Resistance may be doubled or tripled if the subject is unwilling. You cannot take this option unless you also have the Project Thoughts option. Having both this option and Control Others allows the character to Implant Suggestions (see below).
+0CL = Implant Suggestions. Characters must have both the Control Others and Repair Minds options in order to take this option, though it's free to those who have both. This allows the Telepath to implant suggestions into the mind of his target that will be acted on hours or even days later. He must first make telepathic contact, as usual. After that, he can implant suggestions at a rate of one per Action. The number of stones he places in each suggestion (that is, the number placed in the Telepathy Action during that panel, beyond the basic number that she has to use just to retain contact) determines the strength of the suggestion. This acts as the Resistance that will be involved in overcoming the compulsion. Once a suggestion has been implanted, the telepath need not spend Energy to maintain it, thereafter. Since it now resides in the subject's mind, contact is no longer required, and the range between the two becomes irrelevant. Note that it is possible to implant suggestions secretly; however, this adds stones to the maintenance cost, as usual, which does not contribute to the strength of the suggestion. This is an exception to the usual rule that mental control must be overt, due to the special nature of the contact. The subject makes no attempt to resist the suggestion at the time that it is implanted (his resistance would have been against the initial contact). Instead, he does so when it comes time to act on the suggestion. At this point, the subject can resist with stones limited by his Intelligence, plus free Mental Fortitude stones, if that Option and Modifier are possessed. If he succeeds in defeating the Resistance represented by the strength of the suggestion, then he snaps out of it and does not act on the command. If he fails, he performs whatever deed is required of him. If the action in question would take several Panels to perform, then the GM may allow the subject to try to resist periodically (one per panel or per minute or whatever seems appropriate, based on the nature of the action.) His attempts would wear down the Resistance as usual. Whether or not the GM allows this should depend on the nature of the deed. If it is something that the subject would be strongly opposed to, then the GM can be more lenient. If it is something that he has no strong feelings about, then the GM should probably only allow one attempt to resist the command. At the GM's discretion, a suggestion may begin to fade, over time. As a rule of thumb, assume that the strength of the suggestion (and thus, the Resistance it presents) drops by one stone per week. Once it reaches zero, the suggestion is gone. Again, this is an optional rule, and the GM need not use it for every suggestion. Some suggestions can last for months or even years, if this will enhance the story. There is a limit to the number of suggestions that can be implanted in a specific victim by a specific telepath at any one time. The total of all stones placed in these suggestions cannot exceed 2x his Telepathy Action Number. Any stones beyond that number are wasted, resulting in weaker or non-existent suggestions. Of course, a smart telepath will usually add in at least one extra suggestion, on top of everything else he wants the subject to do: “After you have performed this deed, forget that you did so.”
+1CL = Mental Block. This option allows you to lock away a target's powers, temporarily blocking access to some or all of their ability. With enough time and effort, a mental block can be made permanent. You cannot block an Action that you don't know exists; in other words, you must have seen the power in use, or have learned of its nature through telepathic probing or some other method first. You cannot create Mental Blocks for powers that are physiologically not under the target's control (ie. you could block Nightcrawler's Teleportation, but not Rogue's Steal Superpowers or the Thing's Toughness). As usual, you must first create a psychic link before you can create the block.
The Difficulty is equal to the portion of an Action Number you wish to reduce. Thus, if you wanted to reduce an Action Number from 6 to 2, the Difficulty would be 4. Your Telepathy AN must meet or exceed the Difficulty to even attempt this procedure.If an Action Number is reduced to zero, the Action cannot be used at all, even if it has an associated ability bonus or modifier. The Resistance of creating a mental block is equal to the Difficulty x the desired Duration (found on the Difficulty & Resistance chart). To create a permanent block, multiply the Difficulty by 20.You do not need to overcome the Resistance in one attempt, but all contributing attempts must be made in consecutive pages, without interruption.
Removing a mental block requires the Repair Minds option; however, a telepath can always remove a block of their own creation, even without the Repair Minds option. To remove a mental block, a telepath must first overcome the same Difficulty (equal to the AN that has been blocked). The Resistance is equal to the Difficulty x the remaining duration. The Resistance of removing a permanent block is equal to the Difficulty x 20 stones.
+1CL = Mind Scan. This allows the character to scan an area to locate a particular mind that you already know. The stones you place in Telepathy determine the area covered (as per the DRC). If the mind in question i sin that area, you will sense its direction and approximate distance (within five yards) from your present location. If the target is someone you share a permanent psychic link with (see the Create Links option above), you can make contact with that mind (just as if you could se the target), as long as you do so during your next Panel. If you do not share a permanent psychic link with the target, but they are within the range of your Telepathy (Range 4), you can attempt to make a connection as if the target was in line of sight.
+1CL = Illusions. This option allows the character to project images into other minds, and requires the Project Thoughts option in order to take it. As usual, the Telepath must create a link with his target's mind. Once a link has been established, the character can implant images into the target's mind. The illusions last only as long as the Telepath can maintain the link. Remaining undetected, as usual, costs extra stones to maintain. Mental illusions are purely in the mind of hte victim and cannot be seen by anyone else. As such, they do not show up on film and cannot be detected by machines. Because they bypass hte victim's senses and work directly on the target's mind, they are very difficult to ignore, even if the target knows they are only in his mind. If the victim has no reason to doubt the illusion, he will automatically fall for it. If he does have a reason to doubt and tries to resist, he may do so only by severing the connection with the telepath (described above). Illusions cannot deal damage directly, though Telepaths with the Generate Pain option can combine the two to great effect, and indirect damage is definitely possible (an illusion that makes a cliff face look like level ground, for example).
+1CL = Read Psychic Imprint of the Dead. When a person dies, especially under traumatic circumstances, they often leave a psychic residue or imprint. This option allows the character to connect with this imprint as if it were a living mind, and access the "memories" contained (which rarely include the full memories of the deceased; usually, only the memories pertaining to the deceased's last remaining hours and/or cause of death are contained in an imprint.) Please note: an imprint is very different from a ghost, which the Telepath is unable to contact (containing the soul of the deceased, but not the mind). Imprints have been known to become poltergeists, however, so care should be taken when accessing their memories, lest they turn violent. Accessing an imprint's memories is handled exactly the same as accessing a living person's memories, described previously.
+2CL = Generate Pain. This option allows the character to trick his target's mind into thinking its body has taken damage. This, of course, makes the target aware of the mental connection (if the telepath was attempting to remain undetected), unless combined with the Illusion option (providing the mind with a source of the pain other than the telepath). The target will suffer damage as if it suffered a real attack, and will further receive a situational modifier against all his actions per white stone of damage taken (as his mind rebels against itself). If the target is "killed" by this option, he instead falls unconscious for two Panels per red stone of damage taken. Because this damage is not real, if the target learns or knows of the connection and is able to sever it, or the telepath choses to sever the connection himself, all damage is immediately "healed." This does not affect the duration of targets who have been knocked unconscious by this option. If the telepath must maintain physical contact to use Generate Pain, this option's cost is reduced -1CL. This is cumulative with the Requires Physical Contact disadvantage, if the telepath has other options under his telepathy.
+1CL = Mental Fortitude. The character gains the Mental Fortitude option for the Mental Defense feature of Telepathy. See Defense, Mental in the Modifiers section below for more details.
+2CL = Intelligence Bonus. Instead of the usual +5CL.
-1CL = Can't Read Minds. The Telepath is able to establish a connection with his target, but cannot read his target's mind. This is for characters who want one of the options of Telepathy, but don't want the Telepathy itself.
-1CL = Requires Eye Contact. The character must make eye contact with his target before he can establish a link.
-1CL = Requires Physical Contact. The character must physically touch his target before he can establish a link.
Telepathy provides a -1CL discount to Mental Bolt, Telekinesis, and Astral Projection.
Modifiers
Defense, Mental MN+0CL
As per core rule book p.68, with the following exception:
Options
+2CL = Mental Fortitude. As listed above, Mental Defense is of no use once someone is entrenched in your mind. With this option, however, Mental Defense always adds to your Intelligence when resisting mental effects, even against psychic attacks focused through an already established link. Furthermore, it provides free stones from the General Pool when you attempt to actively drive someone out of your mind with your Intelligence, as described above. In general, people with a high level of Mental Fortitude are almost impossible to control or delude for more than a Panel or two, since they can mount a strong resistance, every panel, at very little cost. A character with Telepathy can take Mental Fortitude as a +1CL option. In this case, Mental Fortitude applies to any Mental Defense the character possesses above and beyond that included in Telepathy. He does not need to pay more than the +1CL option for Telepathy.
Healing Factor
As per the non-psychic Modifiers page, with the following exception:
Options
+1CL = Heal Psychic Damage. This option gives the character the ability to heal mental damage as if it were physical damage. (Ordinarily, the character is unable to heal mental damage with Healing Factor.) If the character is ONLY able to heal mental damage, reduce the cost of this modifier by -2CL.
Psi-Null MN+7CL
Characters with this power completely negate all psychic abilities in their vicinity. The Radius of this power is equal to Modifier Number on the Area row of the D&R chart. The effect lasts until the psychic is out of range or the Psi-Null is knocked unconscious. The power is active all the time, and cannot be "turned off."
Options
+3CL = Selective. Allows the character to choose who is and isn't affected by this power.
Vision, Enhansed 1r/option x MN
As per core rule book p.71 and the Guide to the X-men p.51, with the following exception:
Options
Psionic Waves. Characters with this option are able to see Psionic Waves, and are thus able to identify Telepaths within Range 2 that are not actively trying to hide their powers. This option also allows characters to see when a Telepath is trying to establish a mental link, even if the telepath is trying to remain undetected. A Telepath must spend one more stone than the Modifier Number of this power in order to remain undetected. So if a Telepath spends 3r to remain undetected, but his target has Enhansed Vision: Psionic Waves at MN 3, the target will know the Telepath is trying to create a connection.
Equipment
Dampening Field Generator MN+3CL
These pieces of equipment are able to dampen psychic abilities within Range 2. Any psychics within the affected area have their psychic actions reduced by the modifier number of the Dampening Field. So a character with a Telepathy 4, who is within the effective range of a Dampening Field Generator with an MN 3, is reduced in power to a Telepathy 1. If the Dampening Field lowers the psychic action to 0 or below, the character cannot use the action, even if the action has an ability bonus or modifier.
Options
+1CL = Extended Range. Dampening Field Generators with this option are extended to a Range 4.
+3CL = Selective. Dampening Field Generators with this option can be programmed with pyschic brain wave patterns, allowing those psychics to continue using their psychic abilities at full strength.
Enhancement Crystals MN+2CL
Different crystals, mystically attuned, have been known to aid a psychic in his abilities. These Enhancement Crystals work exactly like the Generic Modifier (on the non-psychic Modifier page), but only affect one OPTION of telepathy, or one EMOTION for Empathy.
|
|
