Trying to extrapolate psionics impact in a scifi setting

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Johnny1A.2

This^^^. Unless the psion has hugely high level of PK, a little bit of Telepathy or ESP well used is far more dangerous. .

This conclusion needs to be backed up with sample builds. The entry level prices for psionics in 4e are extremely high compared to 3e.

30pts will get you mind Reading but you're penalized for range on the Speed/Range table. Then it's another 20 pts for Mind Probe (and 5-20 for the Telepathy Talent). That's mostly useful for psychic James Bonds who can get into the same room as their target. It'd be another 30 pts in Enhancements to take off the Range penalties altogether to get our master psychic who can sit in a bunker in Germany and steal all the Allies secrets while they're still in their own countries.

Clairvoyance might be worse. That's 50 pts for a Power that requires 60 seconds of start up to allow you to see into a room 10 yards away. Enhance!, Enhance! Enhance! if you want to but that 50pt base price makes it expensive.

Telekinesis is almost unique in having low buy-in prices. It's comparatively cheap to have range enhanced TK that would let you pull the pin on any grenade in line of sight.

[AlexanderHowl]

Most Ultratech weapons will probably not use manual pins or triggers and will probably use biometric triggers or digital pins (to prevent enemy soldiers from using their weapons), so the utility of TK is questionable compared to other psionic powers.

However, let us examine Mind Control (Conditioning Only, -50%; Contact Agent, -30%; Melee Attack, -30%; Slow and Sure, +40%; Psionic, -10%) [10]. For 10 CP, you have the ability to reprogram enemies soldiers and/or civilians to be loyal to your cause, meaning that they will become your fanatical secret agents. Of course, you have to restrain them for a couple of hours, but they will support your actions when you finish dealing with them, and the effects are permanent.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

However, let us examine Mind Control (Conditioning Only, -50%; Contact Agent, -30%; Melee Attack, -30%; Slow and Sure, +40%; Psionic, -10%) [10]. For 10 CP, you have the ability to reprogram enemies soldiers and/or civilians to be loyal to your cause, meaning that they will become your fanatical secret agents. Of course, you have to restrain them for a couple of hours, but they will support your actions when you finish dealing with them, and the effects are permanent.

My first gurps PC had almost that exact ability, and he was built around it. I struggled to use it, because the GM usually had us on a very tight schedule. You need to stay in a location for a while for it to come into play. Its more useful for governments in control of an area and long-term agents than for adventuring.