Psionic Powers: Para-Radar Universal Scanner build

[Arcanjo7Sagi]

Hi! I'm trying to make some "Universal Scanner" psi-power, based on Para-Radar with the following build.

I’m still going to improve the description, it’s just a rough draft.

Universal-Scanner:

74 points for level 1, plus 4 points for each additional level

Skill: Universal-Scanner (Per/Hard).

Your can uses psionic-waves to the surrounding environment. You receive vital signs and biochemical information from anything you scan - both the target itself and anything living on its surface. This lets you use skills like Biology and Diagnosis from a safe distance. You can also examine living beings inside inanimate objects.

You can also receive detailed information about the composition, energy output, radiation emissions, etc. of anything you scan. This allows detailed analysis from a distance with scientific skills such as Chemistry and Physics. You can also spot specific systems within a complex machine and analyze them using Engineer skill.

Find your range on the Psionic Range Table (p. 22). Anyone with Psi Sense (p. 41) can detect this ability (while in use) at twice that range. Make a skill roll each minute to use Universal Scanner, as well as to make out fine details, notice clues, etc.

Statistics: Para-Radar [+40]; Bio-Scan [+50%]; ESP [-10%]; Nuisance Effect, Actual range is 1 yard [-20%]; Penetrating [+50%]; Reduced Range (10 Range Divisor) [-30%]; Requires (Per) Roll [-5%]; Scanner [+50%]. Further levels remove Nuisance Effect, and then reduce Reduced Range, followed by adding Increased Range, one level at a time [+4/level]

Ideas? Suggestions? Something I'm missing?

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Arcanjo7Sagi

Hi! I'm trying to make some "Universal Scanner" psi-power, based on Para-Radar with the following build.

Ideas? Suggestions? Something I'm missing?

A quibble with your range modifiers: Para-Radar has a base range of 200 yards and your Reduced Range limiter knocks that down to 20. To take that down to a 1 yd starting range for Level 1 seems like it should be more than a -20% modifier. I'd put it at -25% or -30%. Not a big deal though, price-wise. A better starting point might be to base it on Extra-Sensory Awareness (Psionic Powers, p17). Since that can take the Para-Radar special mods, your initial cost would go to 39* The build otherwise looks technically sound. It seems overpowered for a Psionic Powers game, since it is combining all those enhancements that make it like Radar Sense combined with a version of Aura Reading PLUS the info that Scanner gives. More like an ultra-tech scanner. Maybe use as the model for a gadget build, your own version of the Ultra-Scan ability from Powers p150? Get rid of the finicky range modifiers, but keep the Per roll to represent the skill needed to interpret the results, and add gadget mods as you see fit.

* Extra-Sensory Awareness; Bio-Scan, +50%; ESP, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Actual range is 1 yard, -10%; Penetrating, +50%,; Reduced Range 1/10th Range, -30%; Requires Per Roll, -5%; Scanner, +50% [39]. Further levels remove add Increased Range, one level at a time [+2/level]