PSI and their standing in the world

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Onkl

Thanks for you suggestions. I was tending to go the "No Disads" route but wanted to know what you all think!

These are the abilities he picked for himself:

TK Grab
TK Crush
TK Bullet

Dream Projection

For that spread of TK abilities, he might want to take the Telekinetic Control package instead. For 8 cp / level, it gives him 1 full level of TK Grab [7/lv] plus 1/3 level each of Crush and Bullet [5/lv]. He can also potentially Levitate at level 6+. They're alternate abilities, which is why there's a cost savings, but means he can only do one of them at once, and if the power is Neutralized they all shut down.

Dream Projection seems like an odd addition, being a very different class of power from his TK. But if you've OK'd it, that's fine.

[Onkl]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

For that spread of TK abilities, he might want to take the Telekinetic Control package instead. For 8 cp / level, it gives him 1 full level of TK Grab [7/lv] plus 1/3 level each of Crush and Bullet [5/lv]. He can also potentially Levitate at level 6+. They're alternate abilities, which is why there's a cost savings, but means he can only do one of them at once, and if the power is Neutralized they all shut down.

I do not allow TK Control in the campaign, also Levitate is unheard of...

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Dream Projection seems like an odd addition, being a very different class of power from his TK. But if you've OK'd it, that's fine.

That's what I thought... but he want's to wander the dreamworld... so I'll let him! :D

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Onkl

His psionic abilities have the limitation "Costs Fatigue", if there is no cost mentioned in the PDF.

Costs Fatigue is -5% per 1 fatigue per activation for discrete uses, or -10% per 1 fatigue/second of use depending on the ability and build.

Originally Posted by Onkl

The PSI PC got his abilities by being part of an experiment in the vault. He's the first survivor of the procedures. So the other PCs might not know about his abilities... but it's improbable.

What can I do to make this character try to keep his secret?

I've looked at the DisAd "Secret" and it seems to be the right choice. The problem with this DisAd is the heterogeneity in a post-apoc world. In my world, there is no central place of authority. So the consequences of the player disclosing his secret are different from town to town.

Secret as a requirement will do this, or just a discussion with the player may be sufficient! If the other players/characters know, they will probably help keep the secret in most games. Secrets become a problem when their frequency is rolled, so if it's number comes up it's a threat. It's totally up to you what kind of threat will come from revealing the secret. If they would worship him in that town, he may get Dependents or Enemy's (Watchers) a sickness from offerings, or whatever fancies you for the point exchange.
The point is, the results of the secret getting out are GM whim, as long as they are bad!

It is a problem though if there is no communication and the secret is effectively intact again at the next encampment (and if so the disadvantages should no longer apply, if they were permanent, the poor guy would be piling them up after a while!). If you don't mind this "reset" you can just say it does and leave it at that.

Or you could skip the Secret and do it as a reaction modifier. Not every character with a 'secret' has the Secret Disadvantage, it's just with the Disadvantage, there is always an ongoing threat of it being revealed with serious and lasting repercussions of it getting out.

Psionic Individual:Reaction +4 People who think that's GOOD! (only when abilities are displayed, -20%)
Psionic Individual:Reaction -4 People who think that's BAD! (only when abilities are displayed, -20%)

You just have to pick a frequency for how common each opinion is, and if they match, it ends up at zero points.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Onkl

I do not allow TK Control in the campaign, also Levitate is unheard of...

Fair enough. But will you let him take the TK abilities as Alternates to each other? Especially with the attack powers, he's potentially spending a lot of points to achieve the same effect in multiple ways.

Sorry if that exchange was off-topic from the point of this thread. For NPC reactions I'd suggest keeping them generally subdued. Not everyone will react as if he's a demon/god. Most societies will simply treat him as a human - perhaps a freak or a paragon, but still human. He'll mostly need to be careful in more superstitious or primitive regions.

[lexington]

Originally Posted by Onkl

I do not allow TK Control in the campaign,

Do you think it's too cheap?

[Onkl]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

If the other players/characters know, they will probably help keep the secret in most games.

That's another problem I see with the Disad Secret. If the PSI PC gets it, it implies that the other PCs (Who all have Sense of Duty(Team)) help him protect his secret. Because they obviously know about it, having grown up with him. But only the PSI gets the points for it.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It is a problem though if there is no communication and the secret is effectively intact again at the next encampment (and if so the disadvantages should no longer apply, if they were permanent, the poor guy would be piling them up after a while!). If you don't mind this "reset" you can just say it does and leave it at that.

News travels fast, even in the wastes... (at least in my game).

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Or you could skip the Secret and do it as a reaction modifier. Not every character with a 'secret' has the Secret Disadvantage, it's just with the Disadvantage, there is always an ongoing threat of it being revealed with serious and lasting repercussions of it getting out.

Psionic Individual:Reaction +4 People who think that's GOOD! (only when abilities are displayed, -20%)
Psionic Individual:Reaction -4 People who think that's BAD! (only when abilities are displayed, -20%)

You just have to pick a frequency for how common each opinion is, and if they match, it ends up at zero points.

Hrm, this seems interesting... I'll have to ponder this suggestion for a while ;) Thanks!

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Fair enough. But will you let him take the TK abilities as Alternates to each other? Especially with the attack powers, he's potentially spending a lot of points to achieve the same effect in multiple ways.

Ehm, what? :) Alternates to each other, what is that? Wouldn't that be the same as the TK Control Adv and Skill? I'm sorry, I must be thick but I don't remember what that means.

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Sorry if that exchange was off-topic from the point of this thread. For NPC reactions I'd suggest keeping them generally subdued. Not everyone will react as if he's a demon/god. Most societies will simply treat him as a human - perhaps a freak or a paragon, but still human. He'll mostly need to be careful in more superstitious or primitive regions.

As the first story arc I'm planning will incorporate the question when one stops being human or what exactly human is when mutants wander the wastes, I guess my townsfolk will be quite alert to anything seemingly in-human.

Originally Posted by lexington

Do you think it's too cheap?

I think TK Control is too cheap, I especially don't want the PSI to totally overshadow the other characters and I don't want to turn the game into a circus. Maybe I'm too harsh with what PSI costs in the game.

But that's the way I want to do it in this game. Remember, it's the first PSI game I run and so I want to be careful. So it doesn't implode after 3 sessions :D

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Onkl

Ehm, what? :) Alternates to each other, what is that? Wouldn't that be the same as the TK Control Adv and Skill? I'm sorry, I must be thick but I don't remember what that means.

Alternative Attacks are described in Basic (pg 61), letting you take multiple attacks that are derived from the same source for a lower cost: Full price for the most expensive one, 1/5 price for the rest. They're all manifestations of the same "power" though, so only one can be used at a time, and if one is shut down (by Neutralize, a critical failure burnout, etc) all of them are shut down. Powers (pg 11) expands this to Alternative Abilities, letting any related advantages get the discount, but switching between non-attack powers takes a Ready maneuver.

I think TK Control is too cheap, I especially don't want the PSI to totally overshadow the other characters and I don't want to turn the game into a circus. Maybe I'm too harsh with what PSI costs in the game.

If you do allow the TK powers as Alternates to each other, they could still use separate skills. It's not such a big discount when you enforce the "exclusivity" of the powers (it's not really three powers, just one power that can be used in multiple ways) and include some things that can shut down his TK.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Onkl

That's another problem I see with the Disad Secret. If the PSI PC gets it, it implies that the other PCs (Who all have Sense of Duty(Team)) help him protect his secret. Because they obviously know about it, having grown up with him. But only the PSI gets the points for it.

Well, the PSI is the only one who will get a bunch of new disadvantages if it's revealed. Just about ANY disadvantage affects the group as a whole in some way or another, this is especially true of social disadvantages.

Originally Posted by Onkl

News travels fast, even in the wastes... (at least in my game).

Well, then there is no problem in using a Secret.

[starslayer]

Keep the secret value low- to say 'serious embarrassment', every time the secret is revealed have it morph into an applicable disadvantage until dealt with (If you want him to spend more time KEEPING the secret, have it morph into 2x its value in disadvantage until dealt with).

BAD things:
-Enemy
-Social stigma
-Cursed (Not actually divine curse, just everyone throws rocks at you, kicks you, and you are powerless to do anything in response)
-Insomnia
-Chronic pain (not actually chronic pain, but all of the rocks you keep getting pelted with are giving the same effect)
-Diabolical voices (Not actually voices, but all of the negative things people are saying are having the same effect)

"Good" things:
-Dependents (They love you, they follow you around, they'll do anything you say, but if you abuse them or let them down you get no CP for this session!)
-Noisy (You aren't more noisy, but everyone is looking for you, waving hi, following you around because they think your awesome; same effect)
-Insomnia
-Nightmares/chronic pain/reduced fatigue/etc (You aren't actually having nightmares/chronic pain/reduced fatigue/etc; but <PCs prefered gender> thinks they are god and this is leading to a lot of sleepless nights, strained muscles, and spent energy).

If the PC does not remove the disadvantage in a nice quiet 'this was a punishment for you not keeping your secret' way; have it spiral even further out of control at 2x value (Dealt with enemy by killing enemy; now have enemy group, let your dependents die; now you have an enemy (as well as lost CP; turning down all those offers from the <preferred gender>, get a negative reputation or spurred on by the rejection they turn into full dependants).

When the PC finally deals with the problems effectively, then it reverts to the secret again

[Captain-Captain]

Originally Posted by Onkl

Hi guys

I am planning a post-apoc campaign. One of my players really, really wants to portray someone with psionic powers. After much reluctance (I have never gm'ed a game with PSIs in it) I have allowed him to make a PSI character. His psionic abilities have the limitation "Costs Fatigue", if there is no cost mentioned in the PDF. I am also very restrictive in what PSI abilities I will allow PCs to take.

Now I have stumbled upon a problem I am not sure how to solve.

I don't want the PSI character to walk around and openly declare he has abilities unknown to man. This has two reasons (and probably 100s more I don't):

a) Some people might not particularly like mutants and/or PSIs -> He would be endangering himself
b) Some people might love PSIs, maybe a crazy cult is just waiting for salvation in form of a PSI -> The character could be overwhelmed

The PC, just the same as all the other PCs, grew up in a Vault with about a 1000 inhabitants. So there is no doubt that they all know each other.

The PSI PC got his abilities by being part of an experiment in the vault. He's the first survivor of the procedures. So the other PCs might not know about his abilities... but it's improbable.

What can I do to make this character try to keep his secret?

I've looked at the DisAd "Secret" and it seems to be the right choice. The problem with this DisAd is the heterogeneity in a post-apoc world. In my world, there is no central place of authority. So the consequences of the player disclosing his secret are different from town to town.

He might be the star and a demi-god in one (Which might not be a DisAd at all), in the other he will be shot on sight.

Could you please give me some ideas on how to handle this?

Thanks

Onkl

If the consequence of revealing his secret is likely death, stardom is temporary and a danger. You put the consequences on his shhet. Enforce them.