[Basic|Psionic Powers] What counts as a "change" for Conditioning?

Celti · 11-15-2019, 03:35 PM

My group is working through a Psionic Powers game, and there's a point of contention over exactly how Mind Control with Conditioning (p. B69) — or more precisely, Mental Surgery (Psionic Powers, p. 61) — works.

Both books cite a penalty of "-1 per full -5 points of disadvantages changed." One of us was under the belief that that means you can transform one disadvantage into another of equal cost for that penalty; e.g., Callous [-5] into Selfless (12) [-5] for a -1 penalty.

Both books also have the language "add or remove any mundane mental disadvantage." (or similar). The other of us assumed that meant that you would need a penalty to buy off the original disadvantage, and another to add the new one; e.g., Callous [-5] into Selfless (12) [-5] is a total of [-10], for a -2 penalty.

Which assumption is correct? Or neither?

11-15-2019, 03:35 PM	#1
Celti Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USA, Arizona, Mesa	[Basic\|Psionic Powers] What counts as a "change" for Conditioning? My group is working through a Psionic Powers game, and there's a point of contention over exactly how Mind Control with Conditioning (p. B69) — or more precisely, Mental Surgery (Psionic Powers, p. 61) — works. Both books cite a penalty of "-1 per full -5 points of disadvantages changed." One of us was under the belief that that means you can transform one disadvantage into another of equal cost for that penalty; e.g., Callous [-5] into Selfless (12) [-5] for a -1 penalty. Both books also have the language "add or remove any mundane mental disadvantage." (or similar). The other of us assumed that meant that you would need a penalty to buy off the original disadvantage, and another to add the new one; e.g., Callous [-5] into Selfless (12) [-5] is a total of [-10], for a -2 penalty. Which assumption is correct? Or neither?