New Psionic Power (3.5)

[Cog]

This is for a Warforged Erudite character I've got rolling around in the back of my mind. I half-remembered the False Sensory Input power, and it seemed perfect for his needs; to create a fantasy he could escape in. Problem is, there was no way for him to get it at level 1. I decided to whip this up instead; he'd target himself, and actively fail his will saves.

Do you folks think it's balanced? Are there too many augments? If anything, it should be slightly under the power curve; it'd be nice to have it useful in later levels, but as an Erudite he'll have plenty of other powers to spend pp on anyway. Feel free to make any suggestions, but the core things it needs to keep are the 1 pp cost and the ability for a warforged to trick himself with it.

False Eideticism
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/Wilder 1
Display: Olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 round
Range: Touch
Target: one willing creature
Duration: Concentration (up to 5 rounds)
Saving Throw: Will partial (see text)
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Point Cost: 1

You have the ability to induce visual images in another's mind. The effect is similar to a silent image spell, except that the induced imagery completely replaces the target's own senses. No actual illusions are created, and the induced imagery is seen by no one other than the target. The target is aware that the visions are induced rather than real; however, if he fails his Will save, he is convinced that the manifester is relating an actual memory. The save recieves a +2 bonus if the conveyed memory is actually real. Success on a save breeds no particular distrust, and the manifester is free to convince the target of the image's truth by any other means.

Augment
For an additional 2 power points, the duration instead becomes Concentration (up to one minute per level).
For every additional 2 power points spent, the save DC increases by 1.
For an additional 2 power points, the power may target any touched willing creature who remains adjacent to the manifester. Each target recieves the same imagery.
For each additional 2 power points, the power may include an additional sense (sound, touch, etc.).

[erikun]

This power is oddly worded. I'm not quite sure what it does or how it relates to the subject's memory. As currently spelled out, though, it is far to powerful. It replaces ALL visual imagery with whatever the manifester creates, making it the equilivant of a temporary Blindness, at its simplest. It can even trick the target into believing they are not acutally "blind" by just recreating whatever they are staring at.

As mentioned, I'm not sure how the target's memories relate to the power, or why they would suddenly be convinced that the obviously false images are somehow a memory.

A much more reasonable power would be the equilivant of Silent Image, except that only the target sees the image (because they are the only one affected). 2 additional power points for additional senses, along with 2 additional power points for +1 DC, sound fair. I'm not to sure about combining the two, though.

Turning the power into an effective Persistent Image should be expensive, with another +8 PP to make it equal to the spell. I'm not sure why you have a restriction of 5 rounds in the power, or a modified 1 min/level as an augmentation; as a concentration power, it should be restricted just like every other power relying on concentration. The expense of 2 PP to affect "any touched willing adjacent creature" is rather confusing; why not just 2 PP for another affected target? (Again, the PP spend there does not increase the DC.)

Note that your Erudite would be limited to only 30 second jaunts at a time with this power at first level.

I seem to recall something similar to this in 3.0e psionics, if you wanted to check that source.

[Eurus]

This power is oddly worded. I'm not quite sure what it does or how it relates to the subject's memory. As currently spelled out, though, it is far to powerful. It replaces ALL visual imagery with whatever the manifester creates, making it the equilivant of a temporary Blindness, at its simplest. It can even trick the target into believing they are not acutally "blind" by just recreating whatever they are staring at.

As mentioned, I'm not sure how the target's memories relate to the power, or why they would suddenly be convinced that the obviously false images are somehow a memory.

A much more reasonable power would be the equilivant of Silent Image, except that only the target sees the image (because they are the only one affected). 2 additional power points for additional senses, along with 2 additional power points for +1 DC, sound fair. I'm not to sure about combining the two, though.

Turning the power into an effective Persistent Image should be expensive, with another +8 PP to make it equal to the spell. I'm not sure why you have a restriction of 5 rounds in the power, or a modified 1 min/level as an augmentation; as a concentration power, it should be restricted just like every other power relying on concentration. The expense of 2 PP to affect "any touched willing adjacent creature" is rather confusing; why not just 2 PP for another affected target? (Again, the PP spend there does not increase the DC.)

Note that your Erudite would be limited to only 30 second jaunts at a time with this power at first level.

I seem to recall something similar to this in 3.0e psionics, if you wanted to check that source.

Note that it works on one willing creature. It's pretty much solely a fantasy-generator, as far as I can see, which is fine if that's all it's supposed to be.

EDIT: Wait, no, not quite. Unconscious = willing. So it can also function as a way to implant false memories in an unconscious creature. Neat.

[Milskidasith]

Spells that target willing creatures only generally don't have saves, as a matter of course, which probably caused the confusion. It doesn't help that the way it is worded in the flavor text implies the target isn't willing (them passing the save breeds no distrust, you can still convince them it's real... if they are willing, they know you're casting on them and are accepting it, so why would distrust be a factor at all? Why would they resist it?)

[zenanarchist]

Spells that target willing creatures only generally don't have saves, as a matter of course, which probably caused the confusion. It doesn't help that the way it is worded in the flavor text implies the target isn't willing (them passing the save breeds no distrust, you can still convince them it's real... if they are willing, they know you're casting on them and are accepting it, so why would distrust be a factor at all? Why would they resist it?)

Gameplay useage....?

Just curious! :-)

[Cog]

Note that it works on one willing creature. It's pretty much solely a fantasy-generator, as far as I can see, which is fine if that's all it's supposed to be.

EDIT: Wait, no, not quite. Unconscious = willing. So it can also function as a way to implant false memories in an unconscious creature. Neat.

Yeah, this. What I kept in mind was having it accomplish something similar to a bluff check. When you bluff, you say the words either way (analogous to them always seeing the image); the will save is just a measure of how convincing it is.


As mentioned, I'm not sure how the target's memories relate to the power, or why they would suddenly be convinced that the obviously false images are somehow a memory.

The will-save bit is a little weird if the target identifies the power being cast on him, sure. Presumably, the manifester would normally just say 'Here, I've got a memory I'd like to share with you' if he's trying to trick somebody. The other idea for it is to basically use it as a blackboard for group planning sessions; that's the reason for the odd initial duration. Round/level didn't seem like it'd be enough for that, but anything longer seemed like it'd be too easily abused for malicious purposes; that's why I considered the 5-round fixed duration.


... If they are willing, they know you're casting on them and are accepting it, so why would distrust be a factor at all? Why would they resist it?)

Yeah, I am uncertain about this. Saves are a bit less passive than sense motive skill checks. Should I turn the Will save into some sort of Bluff DC based on manifester level&stat instead?

[Milskidasith]

I'm not sure if I'm being clear here... "willing only" implies it is a spell that you know is good for you, and you accept, and such spells never have a will save; if you don't want to receive it, it just doesn't work. Combining "willing only" with a will save makes everything very confusing because the two imply very different things; a will save implies that you have to succeed at resisting, while "willing only" means that if you don't want to be affected, you aren't.

[Cog]

...A will save implies that you have to succeed at resisting, while "willing only" means that if you don't want to be affected, you aren't.

It's a two-stage effect. One is simply getting the sensory input (this is the part that gets willing/unwilling); there is then a rider effect that measures how convincing the input is. I figured the sense-override would be too strong for a first level power if used in combat, which is why I made it willing-only.

Hm. Come to think of it, those rider-effect Save lines are usually more like 'None and Will partial' instead. That might be the confusion.

[Milskidasith]

It's a two-stage effect. One is simply getting the sensory input (this is the part that gets willing/unwilling); there is then a rider effect that measures how convincing the input is. I figured the sense-override would be too strong for a first level power if used in combat, which is why I made it willing-only.

That still makes no sense... if they aren't willing, then the sensory input wouldn't matter, and if they are willing, then you wouldn't need a save for how convincing it is, since you are basically choosing not to make a save.


Hm. Come to think of it, those rider-effect Save lines are usually more like 'None and Will partial' instead. That might be the confusion.

If it was no save, it would be a no save super blindness as a first level power. That's not a good thing either.