Tri-Stat dX Telepathy rules revision By Zegon Destructacon Cost: 1-3 CP/level Relevant Stat: Mind Required PMVs: Targets Optional PMVs: Area, Range Progression: Linear; +1 slot/level Reductions: Attribute always used in the same way Restrictions: Under certain conditions, time limit, usage weakens character Telepathy is commonly used by telepaths, psions, powerful aliens, and other characters who can 'probe' minds, make mental contact, and conduct mental attacks, combat, or even erase memories. Telepathy costs 1 point/level if its utility is quite restricted (only with a class of animals, only with friends). It costs 2 points/level if it's somewhat restricted (only with humans, only with beasts). It costs 3 points per level if it can be used with anything. Targets determines how many the telepath may be in contact with at one time, while range is how far the telepath may be from the focal point of their telepathic 'focal point' and area is how large the telepathic area around which the focal point they may make contact. Each level of Telepathy grants the character one 'slot' with which to purchase an ability. Each ability may only be purchased once, and GMs are free to come up with their own. (I will keep my eyes open for suggestions to place on this page, and give credit where it's due.) Remember that the more powerful abilities have prerequisite slots that must be taken first. For telepathy to work, mental combat must be made with the target. This commonly does not require a roll, but if the target posesses telepathy or mental defense, then an opposed mind roll is required to get in. The initiator get a bonus equal to your telepathy level plus any power usage you possess for telepathy. The defendant gets a bonus equal to their telepathy level plus any mental defense they have. Both rolls go against their respective mind stats. If the initiator wins, they have successfully gotten through the mental protection the defendant has. If the defendant wins, they successfully warded off the attempt, and any new attempts against that target automatically fail if made during the encounter against the same target. The target knows of the attempted mental contact, who they were (a simple name), and their rough intentions (To help or to harm), IF they resist such contact. A note to GMs: By allowing this attribute into the game you are saying it is 'okay' for players to utilize it against other characters and NPCs. Some people have problems with this attribute. If it causes OOC problems in your game, it is not the character or player who's using its fault, it is your own because you permitted the use of this attribute by allowing it to be taken. Thank you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conscious Mind Reading You may read the minds of those around you for rough information. Such things that are on their mind. This does not permit delving into memories, subconscious or no, that are not being thought at the moment. Nor does it refer to basic information. Massive Information Transmission You can transmit information at the speed of thought to telepaths and non-telepaths alike. Transmitting this information takes no effort on your part, and may even happen without intention if you're not careful. Using massive information transmission, you can literally send entire experiences to others either as they happen, as you experience them, or even as you dream them up. Reading a book to non-telepaths can be a very rewarding experience indeed. This ability requires Sensory Impressions - Transmitting and Mental Communication - Transmitting. Massive Information Receiving You can receive information from telepaths and non-telepaths alike at the speed of thought processing. While you can take in all this information, you still need to be able to process it to use it. You constantly cover the area in your area PMV and read the maximum targets in that area subconsciously. You can turn this ability on and off at will. This ability requires Sensory Impressions - Receiving, Conscious Mind Reading, and Mental Communication - Receiving. Mental Combat - Advanced Engaging another in mental combat is even easier for you. You may separate your attacks between real-world and mental attacks, and you can defend in both the mental and physical world simultaneously. You do not gain any extra attacks per round, although you get one mental defense and one physical defense a round automatically. Extra attacks or defenses only apply once per round. If you are hit by an attack that deals damage and you initiated mental combat, it still ends for you. This ability requires Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Advanced, Sensory Impressions - Transmitting, and Mental Combat - Basic. Mental Combat - Basic You may break through and engage another's mind in mental combat. If someone does block a simple mundane mental contact attempt, you can force mental contact if you have this ability. To do so requires an attack action to engage that target in mental combat. For more information on mental combat, see the mind combat rules. This ability requires Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Advanced, and Sensory Impressions - Transmitting. Mental Communication - Advanced You may send and receive communicative phrases at communication speed with non-telepaths and telepaths alike. You do not need to engage in concentration to do so. You may even 'hub' out, transmitting information to normals from other normals across your mental contact 'web', at slightly slower than speaking speed. You can speak with telepaths at faster than conversation speed, but only marginally so. This ability requires Mental Communication - Transmitting and Mental Communication - Receiving. Mental Communication - Receiving You may receive simple phrases or messages to others. Doing so takes considerable effort and mental contact, but you can. Two telepaths can engage in conversation at slower-than-speech speed using only Mental Communication - Receiving. If combined with Mental Communication - Transmitting, this slower-than-speech speed may be conducted with non-telepaths, and may be done at speaking speed with telepaths that also possess these two qualities. Mental Communication - Transmitting You may send simple phrases or messages to others. Doing so takes considerable effort and mental contact, but you can. Two telepaths can engage in conversation at slower-than-speech speed using only Mental Communication - Transmitting. If combined with Mental Communication - Receiving, this slower-than-speech speed may be conducted with non-telepaths, and may be done at speaking speed with telepaths that also possess these two qualities. Mind Alteration - Advanced This ability is the same as Mind Alteration - Basic, except you are even better at altering minds. Altering minor memories or small personality quirks takes minutes, while altering major memories or phobias takes hours. Minor alterations last anywhere from a month to years, or longer, while major alterations last for anywhere from a week to a year. This ability requires Subconscious Mind Reading, Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Advanced, Conscious Mind Reading, Sensory Impressions - Receiving, Sensory Impressions - Transmitting, and Mind Alteration - Basic. Mind Alteration - Basic You can alter the memories and personality of the target. To do so properly you require a Social Sciences (Psychology) Mind roll. Against targets you are not familiar with (Spirits, extraterrestrials, etc) this is done at a +X/2 penalty. The target must be either broken or willing. If they are unconscious, you must still enter mental combat to alter memories. Altering minor memories or small personality quirks takes hours, while altering major memories or instilling or removing phobias can take as long as days. These alterations last for anywhere from one week to two months for minor alterations, and one day to two weeks for major alterations. This ability requires Subconscious Mind Reading, Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Advanced, Conscious Mind Reading, Sensory Impressions - Receiving, and Sensory Impressions - Transmitting. Sensory Impressions - Receiving You may take in the sensory impressions of any you are in current mental contact with. These may be sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing, or even a sixth sense or heightened sense. This can also receive vague concepts, such as a picture, a flower, or seething hatred. Sensory Impressions - Transmitting You may transmit your own sensory impressions to any you are in current mental contact with. These may be sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing, or even a sixth sense or heightened sense. This can also emit vague concepts, such as a picture, a flower, or seething hatred. Skill Acquisition You may acquire the basic skills as well as very basic knowledge of a person you mentally contacted. This may take anywhere from a round to a minute to complete, and forms a mental 'link' between you and the target. The target must be within your range PMV. While this link is in place, you may use one of their skills at a time to complete an action. The skill rank you use is 1/2 their skill rank (rounded down). You also gain their specializations if you do not already have them. If you already have the skill, you do not add the two ranks together but rather use the higher one. You do, however, use all specializations you both have. Once the link is severed or something happens to disrupt it (such as a damaging hit), the artificial skill ranks are lost until contact can be re-established with the target. This ability requires Subconscious Mind Reading, Conscious Mind Reading, Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Advanced, and Sensory Impressions - Receiving. Subconscious Mind Reading You may read further into one's mind than the immediate consciousness. To do so, however, requires them to either be unconscious, broken (see: Mental combat), or a willing participant. You may not alter any memories or information you read. This ability requires Mental Communication - Transmitting, Mental Communication - Receiving, Mental Communication - Advanced, Conscious Mind Reading, and Sensory Impressions - Receiving.