Talent/Spell of the Week: Mimic

[Shostak]

This IQ 10, one-point talent lets characters imitate any voice or accent. Success is not automatic: every time the mimicked call or voice is used, each listener gets a difficult IQ saving roll to recognize it as an imitation. Characters expecting better than even odds of detecting the subterfuge need an IQ of at least 14. A Mimic who knows Naturalist can also make accurate animal calls. Though using fewer dice on the saving throw, animals don’t have great odds of success due to their lower IQs.

This cinematic talent has come up regularly over the years in my games, usually chosen for characters whose niche is either the ranger or thief/spy type, although it is ideal for entertainers, too. In the right circumstances, an imaginative player can exploit Mimic to extreme effect, especially if it can be combined with Ventriloquist. The combined talents strain credulity to the limits, but can make for memorably entertaining games. I’ve never seen it attempted, but I’d be inclined to give an Animal Handler with Mimic and Naturalist better chances at communicating with trained animals.

Conversation Starters

• What spells and other talents work especially well with Mimic?
• What situations do you give a bonus or penalty to the roll to detect the use of Mimic?
• What are some memorable uses of Mimic from your adventures?
• Do you have any house rules specific to Mimic?