Telepathic Construct Input

[Farkling]

I have a puzzling question. One of my fellow gamers said his last GM informed him this power could not be built for a 75 AP limit. I am unsure why? I am thinking that the prior GM did not want to deal with it...it seems pretty straightforward.

The character (Bob?) is a Telepath who is trying to teach himself to use his powers. He suffers from the XMen "Jean Grey" effect of being unable to easily tune-out the surrounding mental noise. He's has yet to learn to block out surface thoughts. IE: His Telepathy is always running at a low level picking up surface thoughts from everyone around him.

Bob has been built with 360 Mental Sensing, and the Telepathy in his EC is designed along these lines::
(Telepathy, 6d6, 0 END, Persistant, AE - Radius)
(Recieve Only, Always On, Only for surface thoughts, Standard Effect)
Standard Effect by my hous rules should make that 21 EGO

Does this do what has been described? Or should I have used a different power? I realize that I could possibly construct this completely as a mental sense, but how would you read the thoughts? Analyze and Discrim wouldn't QUITE stretch that far would they?

Additionally, do y'all agree that it be reasonable to require an EGO Roll for him to SORT through this information and make it usable? I'm thinking of suggesting Rapid on his Mental Senses to simulate the ability.
We have also bought him a small Physical Limitation entitled "Psychic Background Noise" that will penalize his perception and skill rolls.

I like the concept, it is a nice take on the early Professor X character. It also opens the door to eventually making him very good at any combat, interroagation, interaction with small groups of Human Minds...effectively the door is open for ALL sorts of effects since people really "telegraph" to him. Much room for character growth.

Any input would be welcome.

[Lupus]

Some variant of 'no conscious control' could work, too. Or 'side effects'.

If you're modelling Jean Grey, she could mostly keep control of herself and avoid reading people's minds, unless she got distracted, or there were very strong thoughts.

Another option could be an always on area of effect telepathy, with an ego roll and side effects. Side effects being stun damage (telepathic backlash/pain/confusion from all the voices).

But that doesn't quite work... if the ego roll fails, that normally means that the power doesn't work. In this case, it's the power working only as expected unless the ego roll fails.

Hmm.

Returning to effect: this could be best modelled by a susceptibility (when surrounded by people and distracted/stressed/etc). However, sometimes Jean picks up thoughts that are actually useful to her by mistake. This could be simulated by telepathy, no conscious control.

That work well enough?

[Farkling]

Hmmm. From his character description, I kind of like the "Susceptible to Crowds" option...I'll present that to him...that'll give me a better handle on his description, I'm sure.

I'm not a GM who likes "No Conscious Control"
In my experience, players who bought the power and paid the points dislike the usage being under the GM's whim...and it is more of an Always On than No Conscious....since he won't ever really have it shut off.

Good ideas nonetheless. And the Jean Grey comparison was mine. Her and the old Rachel Summers Phoenix were the only "sensory" telepathic constructs I could think of.

[Chris Goodwin]

Originally posted by Farkling
I have a puzzling question. One of my fellow gamers said his last GM informed him this power could not be built for a 75 AP limit.

[...]

(Telepathy, 6d6, 0 END, Persistant, AE - Radius)
(Recieve Only, Always On, Only for surface thoughts, Standard Effect)
Standard Effect by my hous rules should make that 21 EGO


You've just described a 90 Active Point Power. So yeah, it can't be built on a 75 Active Point limit.

[Farkling]

That's because I can't read my own notes archer...

It's 5d6 here. Still enough read mere mortal minds, even at Standard Effect.

My error on the translation. It was late. :)

[Chris Goodwin]

Ok. Then that makes it a 75 Active Point Power. Methinks the other GM just didn't want to deal with it.

[SleepyDrug]

You could build that as a power. But the effect your looking for is a Disadvantage in the case of Jean Grey.

When she is stressed she cannot block out thoughts and hears everyone all at once. Jean does not hear any thoughts coherently because there are too many.

I'd build this as a physical limit. Infrequent, Fully. -3 penalty to all rolls when stressed.

[Farkling]

Hmmm.

Fellow posters, I have pondered your input.

I think I am going to go with a Side Effect variant. I skimmed FREd and see that Side Effects can be designed as occuring every time a power is used, so here's my take on the construct/package following the great input from you folks::

1) If he wishes to be able to use direct mind reading, he purchases a usable Telepathy power for direct mind reading. Side Effects applied to each usage to simulate the "dropping the barrier". Tallk about a noisy mental power...even the norms will hear it.

2) He can have Lupus' PL: {Psychihc background noise) Crowds/Stress, -3 CHAR rolls. He can purchase a Susceptibility to large groups of people. Since he has two CRUDE Telekinetic powers, he could concievably take BODY once unsconsious...or he can take it as a STUN Drain effect...

3) Since one of the primary effects he is looking for is the detection of sentient minds around him, we will construct a "Detect Sentient Minds" Sense which is appropriate, and link an identical or lesser "always" Side Effect to it. By his own admission he doesn't need to lift his "Mental Barrier" as far, to simply perceive minds. What would Discrim/Analyze Effects be on such a mental sense in your opinions?

I think this may give maximum return for his concept and points, since he really percieves it as more of a handicap than a power. This compromise gives him a reduction in points, a few more options, amd a little more control and playability. It also gives him some point breaks on what I perceive as powers....any other input?

I just hate saying NO to players with neat ideas. I'd rather work with them... :)