Steve Jackson Games Forums - Skill-Based ST for Psionic attacks?!

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Skill-Based ST for Psionic attacks?!

Hey, y'all!

I was looking at Generic Universal Eggplant's "Mind Blade" power, here:

https://enragedeggplant.blogspot.com...ind-blade.html.

This feature of the power caught my attention:

Quote:

It is wielded with the Force Sword skill, but for the purpose of damage use your Mind Blade skill instead of ST....

So I started to try to track down where this skill-based ST rating came from in the rules. Since the Mind Blade is built using the Natural Weapons rules (which may be somewhat problematic for some folks), I looked at Pyramid 3/65, "Natural Weapons," by Ítalo Gomes Gonçalves, where I found this power:

Quote:

Telekinetic Push: Natural Weapon (Crushing; Cannot Parry, -40%; Cone, 5 yards, +100%; Double Knockback, +20%; Hidden, +20%; Intangible, +50%; No Blunt Trauma, -20%; No Wounding, -50%; Power Modifier, Psychokinesis, -10%; Projected, +50%; Ranged, +100%; Swing-Capable, +20%) [17]. Notes: If you are using GURPS Psionic Powers, damage and range can be based on the psionic skill (instead of ST) as a special effect. 17 points.

So then I looked at GURPS Psionic Powers - and I can't find the source of this "special effect" anywhere. Am I missing it? I think it's pretty cool, but did Gonçalves just make it up?

Re: Skill-Based ST for Psionic attacks?!

Sounds like something that was made up by the author of the Pyramid article, but I don't have Psionic Powers to check and see if you may have just overlooked something.

I will note that canonically basing an effect (such as damage) on a different attribute seems to use the same pricing as basing a success roll on a different attribute, and the "Skills for Everyone" guidelines from Powers suggests allowing any attribute roll to be replaced by a skill roll; combining these factors may well be the justification for basing damage off skill.

Re: Skill-Based ST for Psionic attacks?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulianLW (Post 2446124)

So then I looked at GURPS Psionic Powers - and I can't find the source of this "special effect" anywhere. Am I missing it? I think it's pretty cool, but did Gonçalves just make it up?

It comes from Pyramid #3/69: Psionic II, p. 18. I created it. Originally, I had it sitting at +20% per level, but PK and I both agreed that it should be lower. Thus it was +10% per level.

Re: Skill-Based ST for Psionic attacks?!

since there is already an option to sub Will for ST to determine Basic Lift, I'd say it's not farfetched to allow a trained will-based skill