| From: | "S. Keith Graham" <vapspcx@***.GATECH.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | PSI: Misc discussions |
| Date: | Sun, 17 Jul 1994 02:46:04 -0400 |
_Coils_ had a character that could psionically talk to computers.
By the end of the book, he was doing things like making credit
card machines accept his card, fake out security systems, read
data off the machines, etc. Without any kind of jack, etc.
Not sure I buy it at all, but its been done in the fiction.
Not sure it works well with "remote decking", but it might
work with a "technician" or "thief" kind of character.
=======================================================================
>From: "Robert A. Hayden" <hayden@******.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
>On Fri, 15 Jul 1994, S. Keith Graham wrote:
>> Psionics could have the same kind of thing, only instead of
>> only have 2 (or 3 counting Enchanting) sets of pool/skill, you have 6 (?)
>> different ones, with 6 different skills (and 6 different "Psi
Ratings").
>> (And you can specialize in a given sub-area, to do that well, at
>> the expense of the rest of the abilities in an area.)
>One of the problems is that at creation it unbalances the process
>somewhat by using skill points instead of force points for your powers.
>This is like requiring a mage to spend skill points in ATTACK, HEALTH,
>MANIPULATION, etc. I think, personally, it's a little extreme and
>artifical.
Well, mages already spend 15'ish points (that are already really
tight because of a lack of A pick) for their 3 skills, so expecting
psionics to do about the same is not unreasonable. This gives
them 3 skills at 5, or 5 at 3. (Out of what, 7 categories now?)
I don't think this is an unreasonable number of skill points to
burn, to keep them in line with magic. Its different than
buying new spells, but the long term cost is about the same.
(30 karma to get to 5 skill in an area, vs. buying 6 spells
concentrated in an area. And 20 karma gets you to 4, vs 3.5 spells.)
Note that Physical adepts don't use "force points" at all, nor
do summoning adepts, and they both have to burn several skills
to get the dice for their specializations. (Be it stealth/unarmed/
armed or conjuring/magic theory..)
>> If we make Psionics buy each "area" with Psi Points, you're
>> going to end up with 2 types of Psionics. [One specialist, one
>> generalist]
>Just as with mages, a PSI who is really good at something will take a
>very high power. You system allows PSIs to take a really high
>Psychokinesis rating and then be able to do all TK related stuff. This
>is like a Mage buying ATTACK really high as a skill and then being able
>to cast of the spells under it.
Exactly. However, that PSI won't be able to do any healing,
illusion, mind alteration/control/probing, etc. The mage
can buy 6 attack spells (for that 30 karma), and then get
a force 6 heal for a mere 6 karma. PSI's won't be able to
do that, but in the process, they will be really good if they
choose to specialize. (And more medicore than mages if they
generalize, but able to do more things. Much like a mage that
takes 30 spell points, and buys 25 spells at force 1-2.)
In the meantime, a mage can get 6 or 8 decent spells in a given
concentration at the beginning, and that should give most of the
varieties of a given class of spell, or else a good mixture of
spells from all categories (at no penalty). Given we're only looking
at 10-15 areas per subcategory, I don't see a problem with a specialist
getting all 10, and no other PSI abilities.
>> Its fairly simple to figure what bioware/cyberware should
>> count (more). The 2 cyberware items that add dice to reaction,
>> the 1 bioware item that adds dice to reaction, and anything
>> that is installed in your head, or has effects in your head.
>> (i.e. smartgun links are in your eyes.) (or Bioware that
>> effects an organ in the head.)
>Quite hinestly, I don't have time in my creation process to determine
>what percentage of each individual piece of hardware is in my brain. Use
>essence. That's what FASA put it there for.
I'm just proposing that "Headware, WR, reflex boosters, (smartcam?),
smartlinks, (simrigs?), (simlinks?), skill-wires/hardwires,
VCR, adrenal pump, cerebral booster, damage comp, pain editor,
mnemonic enhancer, reflex recorders, synaptic accel, and trauma
dampers all reduce PSI by their essence loss".
I'm not proposing generating a new stat for each device. Just
that muscle replacement and dermal plating shouldn't effect
your PSI rating...
>> What if we make it optional? You can use either Will, or Int,
>> but you have to decide at character creation...
>Why? It's just another rule....
>Unless, using the FORCE OF WILL meta-power, and assuming we have two
>flavours of psi, we can let the scientific PSI take FORCE OF MIND and the
>Zen PSI take FORCE OF WILL.
For starters, I don't like the "Force of Will" meta-power. (And you
can design Vader as 4 cyber-limbs with massive increase strength, wearing
full battle-armor with life support. If you use the above rule,
cyberlimbs don't affect the central nervous system, therefore don't
reduce PSI.)
Second, "INT vs WILL" would be the foundation of the difference between
scientific, and Zen, and we could tweak each groups rules much like
hermetic vs. shamanic.
And "just another rule" adds some more variety to the characters, and
opens role-play possibilities. (After all, shamanic vs. hermetic is
"just another rule", but it makes for some really nifty characters.)
Keith Graham
vapspcx@***.gatech.edu
