Mindsword ability (for Psionic Powers)

[Not another shrubbery]

Going through Psionic Powers, I noticed that Rev did not bring across one of my old favorite skills from 3E Psionics, Mindsword. He mimics aspects of it with the Astral Sword ability, but I liked the Telepathy-based attack, mainly for nostalgia reasons (Southern Knights *g*). This won't necessarily fit into any psionics campaign... in particular, it doesn't really make much sense if you're allowing Mental Stab. It's mostly just something I wanted to do :)

Mindsword

13 points for Level 1, plus
10 points for each additional level

Skill: Mindsword (DX/Hard); defaults to DX-6, or Force Sword-2

You can create a visible blade of concentrated mental energy. This resembles a Force Sword or an Astral Sword, but does not have the variable appearance particular to the astral-powered weapon. Damage is unrelated to your ST. The sword does 1d-3 fat damage, plus your Mindsword level, and has Reach C, 1. It can parry attacks from other Mindswords or Astral Swords normally, and is unbreakable.

It can be called into existence quickly, and dismissed instantly at any time, but should the owner wish to keep it active for an extended period, he must make a maintenance roll against Mindsword every minute. Due to its quasi-mental nature, it completely ignores normal armor and shields, and cannot parry, nor be parried by, normal weapons. This nature also makes Mind Shields and Psionic Shields effective defenses against it, either Shield type providing DR equal to half their level.

Statistics: Fatigue Attack 1d-2 (Cosmic:Irresistible, +300% (Mind Shield and Psionic Shield give DR equal to half their level, -50%); Melee Attack, C, 1, -20%; Nuisance Effect, Requires maintenance roll every minute, -0%; Telepathy, -10%) [13] Further levels add +1 damage [10]


The limitation following the Cosmic is just a guess, but the value feels about right. Mindsword should probably have a technique, maybe something like Astral Sword's Penetrating Blow. That would give users more of a fighting chance against defenders with Mind or Psionic Shields, which should be common in most Psionic Powers games.

[Christopher R. Rice]

PK actually wrote this up before, here and here is the main thread.

Ghostdancer

[simply Nathan]

I say use Innate Attack(Beam) or Force Sword; no need to make a new skill.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

PK actually wrote this up before, here and here is the main thread.

*g* Thanks for the reminder... I had forgotten that thread. His write-up is for a PK version, though, rather than a translation of the Telepathy skill from 3E. I was considering doing Melee Attacks for some of the other powers, so at least that will save me some trouble :)

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

*g* Thanks for the reminder... I had forgotten that thread. His write-up is for a PK version, though, rather than a translation of the Telepathy skill from 3E. I was considering doing Melee Attacks for some of the other powers, so at least that will save me some trouble :)

Glad I could help a bit. :) I'll be watching the thread with interest ^_^

Ghostdancer

[Not another shrubbery]

Finally got around to doing another one :)

Neutralizing Sword

20/35 points for level 1-2
10 points for each additional level up to Level 9

Skill: Neutralizing Sword (DX/Hard); defaults to DX-6, or Force Sword-2

You can create a visible blade of concentrated anti-psionic power. It resembles other such weapons in shape and size (Reach C,1), but has no color, instead being pure black. Psis (other than Anti-Psis) often find them vaguely unsettling to be around or to look at. A successful attack requires a QC of the skill vs. the defender's best skill in a random Power. If the attacker wins, that power is neutralized for minutes equal to his MoV, but a failure means that the sword will not affect that target for 24 hours. At Level 2, you can still attack the target after a normal failure. After that, the effect will last longer with each level, up to two days x the MoV at level 9.

The sword can be parried by normal weapons and other Neutralizing Swords, but not by other types of psionic weapons. Psionic Shields can block them, and Psychic Armor adds its level to the defenders QC roll. The Sword can be used to Interrupt, as per Cancellation. Levels of Extended Duration have no affect on such uses.

Statistics: Neutralize (Anti-Psi, -0%; Melee Attack, C, 1, -20%; Increased Immunity 3, -30%; Nuisance Effect, Only one power at a time, randomly determined, -10%) [20] Further levels remove Increased Immunity [35], then add Extended Duration, +20%/lvl, up to level 9 [+10/lvl].

The Crippling Attack and Precision Attack Techniques are as for Cancellation.


I kind of like this idea, but I'm not solid on its presentation, particularly the way it interacts with other defenses, which should be a big part of its 'flavor'. I toyed with the idea of adding the Cancellation special enhancer from Affliction, but decided against it, as it wasn't an option on any other Anti-Psi ability.

[Not another shrubbery]

An Ergokinesis melee attack :)

Electric Wand

10 points for Level 1, plus
3 points for each additional level

Skill: Electric Wand (DX/Hard); defaults to DX-6, or Force Sword-2

You can create a rod of coruscating electrical energy. It can be mistaken for a Force Sword, possibly a malfunctioning one, but usually only by those with just a passing familiarity with those weapons. Damage is unrelated to your ST. The sword does 1d-1 burn damage, plus your Mindsword level, and has Reach C, 1. It can parry attacks from other Electric Wands or Force Swords normally, but not other types of psionic swords.

Like the Lightning skill, the energy to power the Wand must be drawn from a nearby source of electricity, and the damaging ability will be limited in the same manner. Additionally, the skill will take standard range penalties depending on the ergokinetic's distance from the source. Things struck by the wand tend to ignite a bit faster than might be expected for the damage done.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Environmental, Sufficient sources of electricity, -20%; Ergokinesis, -10%; Incendiary, +10%; Melee Attack, C, 1, -20%; Nuisance Effect, Takes penalty based on distance from source, -10%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%; Surge, Arcing, +100%) [10] Further levels add +1 damage [3]

Thunder Wand might be a good technique. It would have the same environmental requirements as Thunderbolt, and (I presume) represent a -4 to the base skill.


I was thinking to write up melee attacks for CyberK and PhotoK, but decided against it, as neither of those subsidiary powers have an offensive ability to easily model it from. I might come back eventually and do one for them anyway.

[B9anders]

what's an appropriate modifier for being able to ignore conventional DR but enjoying protection from Mind shield and equivalent mental defences?

[B9anders]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Nuisance Effect, Requires maintenance roll every minute, -0%
[/B]

This is unnecessary. Innate Attacks are transient for all intents and purposes. If you are not using them as part of a manoeuvre or defence, they effectively don't exist unless you add Aura or persistent to them. Of course, having your melee power blink out of existence every time you're not doing that doesn't look cool, but since it won't make any practical difference whether it does so or not, apart from maybe the effect of an IA working as a light source or similar, it is for all intents and purposes just a special effect to have it 'on'.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by B9anders

what's an appropriate modifier for being able to ignore conventional DR but enjoying protection from Mind shield and equivalent mental defences?

Are you talking about my limited Irresistible construction on Mindsword? That was the best I could come up with after a little thought about it, but I wouldn't call it efficient, nor necessarily balanced. Rev or Kromm might have a better idea.

This is unnecessary. Innate Attacks are transient for all intents and purposes. If you are not using them as part of a manoeuvre or defence, they effectively don't exist unless you add Aura or persistent to them. Of course, having your melee power blink out of existence every time you're not doing that doesn't look cool, but since it won't make any practical difference whether it does so or not, apart from maybe the effect of an IA working as a light source or similar, it is for all intents and purposes just a special effect to have it 'on'.

Sure. That's why is a -0% "feature-level" limiter. It is a restriction (albeit a fairly trivial one) I put in to mimic a similar peculiarity of the same-named 3E psi skill.