Challenge: Psi boss(es) to take on 500 point Supernormal warriors

[Vynticator]

I need help designing a boss (or perhaps a trio of allied bosses) with primarily Psi powers to take on a party of five 600 point supernormal warriors. I have v little experience with the Psi powers in GURPS but I now own Powers and Related supplements so I will understand references you make.

The party are regenerating immortals with a melee focus. There is no magic; it is TL3/4 there is one dps-warrior, two tanks, and two all rounders. All have decent telepathy resistance (so direct mental control is not a reliable option).

I am thinking Psychokinetic shield will need to be very high to ensure survivability while other powers take effect. The bosses can be built to about 1000 points but of course I don't want them to be unbeatable. They will choose the terrain and timing of the engagement, too. Would really appreciate any ideas to help build (a) worthy challenger(s).

[ericthered]

High levels of TK can make any squishy psi into a damage dealing boss. The following will be particularly useful against that particular group:

Long Range: start engaging quickly. up close the party has a large advantage.
Binding: With regenerating immortals, Binding is going to be more cost effective than damage. Its also dramatically exciting!
High Knock-back: When a TK hits you, you fly further than normal. VERY useful for keeping them off your back.
Area attacks: particuarly useful with high knockback for getting the villain to saftey, and also for getting around that pesky dodge.
Compartmentalize Mind: It multiplies. The guy is squishy enough one guy with three comparmentalized minds is probably as good as 3 guys without it. For best effect take four levels, so each character gets one effect per round.

[Anthony]

It's not really possible to fully design a villain without a lot more information about the characters. From the described features, a simple telekinetic who levitates out of reach, protects himself from missiles with a pk shield, and then plays TK games might be an unbeatable foe -- or not.

A separate question to ponder is what makes an interesting foe. Multiple on one tends to devolve into surround-and-pound, which is pretty boring.

[Vynticator]

Originally Posted by ericthered

High levels of TK can make any squishy psi into a damage dealing boss. The following will be particularly useful against that particular group:

Long Range: start engaging quickly. up close the party has a large advantage.
Binding: With regenerating immortals, Binding is going to be more cost effective than damage. Its also dramatically exciting!
High Knock-back: When a TK hits you, you fly further than normal. VERY useful for keeping them off your back.
Area attacks: particuarly useful with high knockback for getting the villain to saftey, and also for getting around that pesky dodge.
Compartmentalize Mind: It multiplies. The guy is squishy enough one guy with three comparmentalized minds is probably as good as 3 guys without it. For best effect take four levels, so each character gets one effect per round.

Thanks, these are all excellent ideas.

Originally Posted by Anthony

It's not really possible to fully design a villain without a lot more information about the characters. From the described features, a simple telekinetic who levitates out of reach, protects himself from missiles with a pk shield, and then plays TK games might be an unbeatable foe -- or not.

A separate question to ponder is what makes an interesting foe. Multiple on one tends to devolve into surround-and-pound, which is pretty boring.

Yes, hence my post. What else would you like to know about the characters? They are hugely strong and have good spear throwing skills (think Spartans) so floating closely above them you would need a *very* strong PK shield. I think hit-and-run attacks with Blink and knockback might be more on the interesting scale of things. Other ideas very welcome indeed!

[ericthered]

Clauridence and Clairvoyance make for an interesting twist on the TK: He's hiding in the area, and is trying to trap the characters before they can find him.

I may stat up this guy. He sounds fun. (Mostly because of the visual effects I'm seeing).

[benz72]

I'd start with a 'flavor' for the villian.

Does he prefer to turn his foes against each other? Have him use his Psi powers to incite jealousy, hatred, paranoia or otherwise capitalize on those disads the PCs have dangling out there.

Does he like to use the environment against his foes? A guy who can throw annoyance attacks at you in perpetuity but can also teleport himself up the side of a sheer freezing cold mountain and then bury his pursuers in an avalanche is pretty menacing.

Maybe the villian is a manipulator who will attack (or corrupt) those the PCs care about. Unless they are all orphans and only form relationships with each other there is somebody who IS vulnerable to his mental manipulations that the PCs care about.

What about the Grimer Wormtoung approach? Psi villians should have a pretty easy time getting in good with the local powers that be. Frame the PCs for burning down an orphanage, or kicking puppies or whatever and have the king deal with the PCs to 'serve out justice'.

A smart opponent will use his environment in the fight. That battlespace can be physicial, but also moral, pshcyological, economic or legal.
Would it embarrass the PCs to have bards slander them? A Psi master could arrange that.
Does your Psi guy have illusion powers? Can he disguise himself as one of the PCs and rob a merchant, or pee on the church altar, or pinch the princess on the back side?
A psi should be able to totally mess with the PCs by turning everyone against them. Heck, he might make their lives so miserable they will kill themselves.

[ericthered]

TK 30 (50 yard range +20%) [180]
Compartmentalized Mind 4 [200]
Psychokinetic shield 20 (force field +20%, requires skill roll -10%, physical objects only -5%) [105]
Clairsentience (50 yard range +20%) [60]
360 degree vision [25]

TK Clear Area 5d crushing (8 yard Area effect +150%, emanation -20%, No wounding -50%, double KnockBack +20%) [50]
TK Fist 10d crushing (double knockback +20%, overhead +30%) [150]

give him 100 or so points in skills such as innate attack, Judo, Karate, throwing, stealth, and camouflage, block (PK shield), and perhaps a melee weapon (yes, its probably cheapest to just raise DX) and you have a powerful and devious opponent.

As a note, he can either engage all five OR he can engage four of them and move. The forceFeild can be improved by not requiring a skill roll, which gives no advantage to surprising him.

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Psychokinetic shield 20 (force field +20%, requires skill roll -10%, physical objects only -5%) [105]

Limited: Physical Attacks on Damage Resistance has an official/published value of -20%. (GURPS Basic, pg 46)

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Sunrunners_Fire

Limited: Physical Attacks on Damage Resistance has an official/published value of -20%. (GURPS Basic, pg 46)

wow, its in basic!

I put it at -5% because I didn't think the heroes had access to lightning bolts, balls of fire, laser beams, TK, or Archimedian Mirrors. Its effective value really does change from campaign to campaign.