PDA

View Full Version : "I'm gonna suck your brain!" Psionic duel of Wills [Special Attack]



imp_fireball
2010-03-19, 11:48 PM
Should their be a mechanic similar to counterspell that covers psionics?

Things would vary slightly, of course. Their might be no psicraft check to determine the power, and knowing the power the other intends to use might not matter.

Instead, it could work like a duel of wills. One character must have at least one telepathy power or psi-like ability to be able to use this.

Essentially, he can ready an action to oppose another character manifesting a power. Once he does so, both characters make opposed concentration checks. Depending on the initial power points spent to manifest the power, the manifester gets a bonus over the interrupter (so ie. if the interrupter chooses to spend no power points and the manifester spends 9, initially required to manifest their power - the manifester receives a +9 to concentration checks oppose the interrupter's concentration check).

If the manifester fails their concentration check, they lose their power points and cannot manifest that power. If they succeed, the power manifests normally, and the interrupter is dazed for one round. Either character can opt to spend as many power points as they desire to gain a bonus to their concentration check to oppose the other. All spent power points are not automatically restored and must be regained by other means, such as normal power point recovery, items, etc.

If no power points are spent at all (say the manifester bluffed the interrupter), then the action is wasted - but if the manifester has a telepathy or otherwise mind-affecting, then they may manifest it upon the interrupter as a free action immediately after the interrupter attempts an interrupt.

Range

There is no actual range for a psychic interrupt, except line of sight or the ability to sense the manifester's mind (read their thoughts), or through scrying/clairvoyance/etc.

Feats

Improved Psychic Interrupt
Prerequisite: Must be capable of performing psychic interruptions.

Whenever you ready an action to interrupt a manifester, you gain a +4 bonus to your concentration check to prevent her from manifesting.

Additionally, since you have 'locked your mind' with the manifester, you may make another concentration check to interrupt any other power the manifester tries to manifest as a free action that ignores turn order (as speech) for a number of rounds equal to how much higher your manifester level is than theirs +1. If your manifester level is equal or less than theirs, this affect applies for one round.

Normal (without this feat): Psychic Interrupt works as the text above this feat details.

Psychic Succor
Prerequisite: Improved Psychic Interrupt

If your manifester level is at least three levels higher then the manifester you are attempting to interrupt, then upon a successful interruption, any power points that they spent to succeed on their save are added to your power point reserve. Any power points that surpass your maximum power point pool are considered 'temporary power points'. If temporary power point reserve becomes greater then your standard power points reserve, you must make a fortitude save equal to DC 1 + number of points over the mark + 1/round.

Failing this fortitude save causes 'power overload' resulting in 1d6 fire/force damage per every 3 points you fail the save by, which also deals 1d6 fire damage/every 3 points you fail the save by in a 20ft. burst radius centered on you (reflex save half). Power Overload ends when you are no longer over the mark for the number of power points your mind/body can sustain.

Psychic Provocation
Prerequisite: Improved Psychic Interrupt, Psychic Succor, Psicraft (12 ranks), Use Psionic Device (12 ranks)

You can perform a psychic interrupt on someone as a standard, or readied action without requiring them to manifest a power in the same round. You must have prior knowledge of their powers to select a power of which to interrupt. This does not waste an action for the opponent, as the psionic energy appears to burst forth from them spontaneously without any concentration required on their part.

On a successful interrupt, opponent must make a DC 15 will save + 5 for every 10 power points over 10 that they lose, or be dazed. Alternatively, the interrupter can wish to stun them - stun is DC 5 will save + 5 for every 10 power points over 10 that the opponent loses.

Mass Psychic Interrupt
Prerequisite: Improved Psychic Interrupt, Psychic Succor, Psychic Provocation, Psicraft (15 ranks), Use Psionic Device (15 ranks)

You can perform an interruption on multiple foes within your line of sight, as part of one readied action. The interruption is one concentration check, opposed by whomsoever has the highest modifier (presumably, the psychic influence of the manifester saves the others). A failed check means the action is wasted and the interrupter is dazed as usual.

Even if an opponent has no power point reservation, they may still be dazed (DC 15 will to resist), however the interrupter cannot select to stun them as well.

Powers

De-naturalize Psionics
Telepathy
Level: Telepath 4
Display: None
Manifesting Time: Standard
Range: N/A
Area: Personal
Duration: 10 min/level
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 4

This power appears to do nothing, being an utter mystery, even to those manifesters whom learn it. In layman's terms, it harnesses the incomprehensible emptiness of the void.

After the initial power point cost, you may select an additional number of power points in your power point reserve to become void points. Void points are similar to power points in that they can also be used to manifest, however any power manifested with them used in place of power points causes the power to not take affect at all and instead summon 1d2 shadows and 1d2 phase spiders per 3 void points spent.

Any creature attempting a psicraft check to identify the power will take wisdom damage equal to 1/2 your manifester level on a successful check and 1/4 your manifester level wisdom damage on a failed check.

You may also choose to make a power using void points have no affect at all, but still display sensory components so that other creatures are aware of you using the power thus creating a bait and switch. A GM might rule that this requires a bluff check in conjunction however.

Finally, if another character attempts to psychic interrupt a power you manifest with void points and you fail your concentration check, then any void points you spent are converted into wisdom damage that the other character suffers - but only if they made use of the psychic succor feat to steal power points from you.

A creature who's wisdom is reduced to 0 in this way is immediately killed - appearing to evaporate into odorless gas, which darkens and quickly fades into nothingness.
------

Open Gaming License (http://www.d20srd.org/ogl.htm)

imp_fireball
2010-03-20, 02:28 AM
Any good for PEACHing?