Magic/ Psi Placebo

[jacobmuller]

The Placebo Effect is a real, scientifically proven phenomenon.
I'm considering using it in game for magic/psi.
Essentially, if your doctor talks nice to you, you can get a 50% better result from whatever treatment you got (including a placebo treatment.)
In magic/psi terms, I'm thinking you don't need any special language or gestures to work it, but using the Secret Ancient Language Technique gets you a bonus, eg to a quick contest of Will versus a non-user.

IS allowing having spent [4] on an ancient language to grant +1 to overcome your target's resistance too generous?
Or
Would an actual SALT, Hard, for each applicable spell be more cost balanced?
eg SALT, Hard, prereq spell -1, max prereq spell +1.

[jacobmuller]

No comment?

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

The Placebo Effect is a real, scientifically proven phenomenon.
I'm considering using it in game for magic/psi.
Essentially, if your doctor talks nice to you, you can get a 50% better result from whatever treatment you got (including a placebo treatment.)

I'm not sure that I see the parallel between the placebo effect and what you're trying to do below.

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

In magic/psi terms, I'm thinking you don't need any special language or gestures to work it, but using the Secret Ancient Language Technique gets you a bonus, eg to a quick contest of Will versus a non-user.

IS allowing having spent [4] on an ancient language to grant +1 to overcome your target's resistance too generous?

One language for all spells, and you don't even need Native-level Fluency? Yes, IMO "too generous" would be an understatement.

Originally Posted by jacobmuller

Or
Would an actual SALT, Hard, for each applicable spell be more cost balanced?
eg SALT, Hard, prereq spell -1, max prereq spell +1.

Much more balanced. At high skill levels you'd see even better results if you called the default Prereq-2 and the max Prereq and made the benefit a -1 to the target's resistance, however, to avoid sharply-diminished returns due to the Rule of 16.

[schmeelke]

Successful Psychology roll gives a bonus to healing roll?

While the placebo effect does show up as a slight (just outside the margin of error) increase in success, I don't think it's even close to a 50% increase.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by schmeelke

Successful Psychology roll gives a bonus to healing roll?

While the placebo effect does show up as a slight (just outside the margin of error) increase in success, I don't think it's even close to a 50% increase.

Yeah, it doesn't rate more than +1 and is already mostly covered by the Low Tech rules for medicinal herbs or the +1 you get from being treated by someone with Esoteric Medicine even when that skill has no exotic benefi9ts.

What you seem to be doing is creating a form of Esoteric Medicine that does work. Within your setting it can do whatever you want but you're leaving the Real world far behind.