Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

[Kristopher]

Re: Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

 

To some degree, one's approach to this general topic will depend on how one views the nature of "the mind" and the workings of mental powers -- physical vs metaphysical.

 

If one views the mind as simply the brain at work, and mental powers as having a basis in the neurological workings of the brain, then a human using mental powers against another being whose brain is not made up of neurons and synaptic gaps and neurotransmitters doesn't make much sense.

 

If one views the mind as transcendent, then "simple" brain mechanics don't represent the same roadblock, and it is thought process, "spiritual" differences, etc, that can make a mind truly alien, and those will probably be seen as less common than the neurological differences. In other words, to those who view the mind as transcendant, it doesn't matter if two brains work alike, so long as the two minds think alike.

 

I hope that helps people think about their disagreements on this issue.

 

Personally, it's not game balance I'm most concerned with on this issue, but rather accurately reflecting whatever it is that I'm trying to put into the game world from my immagination and/or sources.

[zornwil]

Re: Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

 

To some degree, one's approach to this general topic will depend on how one views the nature of "the mind" and the workings of mental powers -- physical vs metaphysical.

 

If one views the mind as simply the brain at work, and mental powers as having a basis in the neurological workings of the brain, then a human using mental powers against another being whose brain is not made up of neurons and synaptic gaps and neurotransmitters doesn't make much sense.

 

If one views the mind as transcendent, then "simple" brain mechanics don't represent the same roadblock, and it is thought process, "spiritual" differences, etc, that can make a mind truly alien, and those will probably be seen as less common than the neurological differences. In other words, to those who view the mind as transcendant, it doesn't matter if two brains work alike, so long as the two minds think alike.

 

I hope that helps people think about their disagreements on this issue.

 

Personally, it's not game balance I'm most concerned with on this issue, but rather accurately reflecting whatever it is that I'm trying to put into the game world from my immagination and/or sources.

Excellent point/post!

 

I would add that personally I see it working either way, depending upon the mentalist and SFX.

[Onyxclaw]

Re: Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

 

I tend to think of it on both levels.

 

If the mind is not made up of the same tissue and/or through processes/cultureal implecatiosn/etc. Then acessing it becomes more difficult, if not impossible. I think that being able to access minds beyond those similar to your own is what makes the need to purchase extended classes. Hence my decision on labling the "human" class as the class that represents only the species of the user. The alien class in my games is also effected levels of mental defense to simulate how difficult it is for a species not like thiers to use mental powers on them, it is a step based system with degrees of difference and applies to all mental users unless there a substantial reason the player brings to my attention that they shouldn't.

 

I.e. these defenses are not purchased by characters perse, they are given to them for free everytime they apply, and only when they apply. Unless of course the player decides to munchkin it, but in a world as diverse as the one I have right now I'm not worried about no one being able to effect them. Besides, two substantially different mental users have the same defenses against one another, but not necisarily to another user elsewhere.

 

Or if by choice the player decides his species cannot be effected by non racial mental powers due to training/shielding. Then they must purchus the mental defense themselves.

 

It is also important to note here that the levels of mental defense provided for free are low. They rearely under any circumstances completely negate the effect of things like mindcontrol or telepathy. Especially not in such a high powered campaign (ie. PCs around 500 points)

 

The steps include divisions like:

Insectiod/Aquatic/Energy/etc.

 

as well as :

cultural and developmental differences

 

Each is worth a fraction of a point which are added together to determine the complete level of difference.

 

I suppose it sounds more complecated than it has to be, but it's actually pretty simple.

 

In this (meaning mine, not hero system) game being effected by all three classes of mental types (human/robotic/alien) is a large disadvantage because it gives users of any of these types to have the chance to affect them. Where normally they couldn't even try. And since mental powers are common, that's a problem. So I normally count it as 10 points. Unless the character also has absurdly high mental defense, then it's only 5.

 

Of course, in other game settings the power should be worth less, since the inconvinience or damage it will cause is greatly reduced. It's all a matter of how frequently the disadvantage will come up. If rarely then 5, if common then more.

[Kristopher]

Re: Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

 

It's worth noting that most comics can't seem to make their mind up about this, if they've even thought to consider it.

 

Sometimes, Marvel presents mental powers on a very sci-fi level, working on the mechanical level of the brain. Sometimes, they present mental powers as almost mystical, with telepaths duking it out on the Astral Plane...

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Quick, Easy Mental CoM Question

 

that sounds resonable for campaigns where such thngs aren't very likely to occur. In my campaign...I think I'd increse it to 10 points' date=' mainly because all of the classes of minds are common, and so are those that can control them.[/quote']

 

I'd base the disadvantage on how commonly the character will encounter opposition which can affect him because of this limitation - ie how often a character will be encountered who can affect the "non-human" class, and could not affect the human class of minds.

 

I suspect that's perceived as pretty infrequent in a typical game (such a character's mental powers being ineffective against the rest of the PC's), leading to the conclusion the disad value should be set quite low, at 5. If these characters are more common in your game, a higher frequency would seem warranted.