Psionic Powers: Brute Force vs Will

[Edges]

I like the Brute Force Attacks option on PP65.

But it is restricted to only working on mental defenses that are advantages. It has no effect on high Will. How would the rule be modified to break through someone's Will?

Is there a balance issue with just saying that every point of Will above 10 is effectively 1 level of Mind Shield for the purposes of Brute Force Attacks?

Should it be made a technique?

The possibility to even reduce someone's effective Will below 10 could be fun too. If your telepathy skill is an 11 and the target's Will is a 10, you may want to use a bunch a FP to get his effective Will down to an 8 to be more likely to get through.

EDIT: Oops. I should have put "Psionic Powers" in brackets in the title.

[David Johnston2]

A mind shield is like a wall. You use a battering ram to break through it. Will is more like a shrubbery maze with someone in it who is running around hiding stuff from you. The higher your will, the trickier the maze.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

A mind shield is like a wall. You use a battering ram to break through it. Will is more like a shrubbery maze with someone in it who is running around hiding stuff from you. The higher your will, the trickier the maze.

That's what bulldozers are for.

This may or may not be a valid extension of the analogy, depending on the local rules of psionics. The original analogy is subject to the same dependency, of course.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

That's what bulldozers are for.

I thought of that, but figured that was closer to Affliction Lower Will.

[Edges]

Thanks for the responses.

Just to be clear, I'm not looking for reasons why Brute Force vs Will wasn't in the book nor am I looking for reasons why it shouldn't be possible. I'm putting it in my campaign and I'm looking for advice on reasonably balanced ways to do it.

[David Johnston2]

Then I'd say that the best approach would not be to lower Will, but to increase skill in return for extra energy expenditure.

[Edges]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Then I'd say that the best approach would not be to lower Will, but to increase skill in return for extra energy expenditure.

I considered that.

The two obstacles to this (which I welcome advice on overcoming) are:
1. The Rule of 16 limits the benefit of high skill (especially vs a high Will)
2. There are no EE-for-skill rules for Psionics (that I know of).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Edges

I considered that.

The two obstacles to this (which I welcome advice on overcoming) are:
1. The Rule of 16 limits the benefit of high skill (especially vs a high Will)

No, it's the other way around if I understand that rule right. Higher skill above 16 still works to neutralize defender resistance which is also above 16.

[Edges]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

No, it's the other way around if I understand that rule right. Higher skill above 16 still works to neutralize defender resistance which is also above 16.

As I understand it, if you have a 20 skill and you face a 16 Will, it's 16 vs 16. If you trade all your FP for a bunch more skill, it's still 16 vs 16.

EDIT: Higher skill lets you roll even odds against higher Will, sure. But who wants even odds? That's where the FP comes in.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Edges

As I understand it, if you have a 20 skill and you face a 16 Will, it's 16 vs 16. If you trade all your FP for a bunch more skill, it's still 16 vs 16.

EDIT: Higher skill lets you roll even odds against higher Will, sure. But who wants even odds? That's where the FP comes in.

Exactly right. Higher skill lets you do trickier stuff but you still need to lower your skill to 16 or the defenders Will. So if your target has a 16 or less Will your adjusted kill can't exceed 16, but if he has say a 17 will your skill would be adjusted to that. Says so on p. 349 of the Basic.

Ghostdancer