Mind Link initiated in reverse

[Pteryx]

How would you build a form of Mind Link that the character in question can't choose to initiate first, but anyone in the world can initiate with him at any time? It wouldn't actually hamper him even if it's annoying at times, so it's not really a Susceptibility, and Megascale's limitations prevent it from being useful for modeling a passive large-scale sense since you have to actually spend time concentrating on a Megascale power. -- Pteryx

[Christopher]

You need to clarify a bit:

What happens if a teammate wants to get the line but Old Lady Harrison won't hang up?

What if more then one person tries to contact him at once? Can people kick each other out of the line? Has one absoltue rights till he hangs up?

How aware are other people that they can contact him and that it is indeed a random access line?

From how far away can people initiate the connection?

How long can a enemy keep the line open? Till he has to go to sleep? What if he does not sleep?

 

I could picture moddeling it as a Limitation, Complication or both - for the character that has this ability:

Call me, maybe: Mind Link with Appropirate Adders, Requries a Roll (severity at palyers choosing)

The roll simulates that sometimes somebody is "already on the line" and won't hang up. Yes you want to use that line now, but someone just beat you too it.

 

Always that voice in the ear: Physical Complication, Frequency at player choice, Severity Barely too Greatly.

Having a voice in you head that just won#t shut up can be a problem. Rodney McKay from Stargate-verse could tell you a story. And then there is

. There is a random chance that someone is in the line and "Talking annoying stuff".

The severty defines how hard that hits.

Barely would be -3 to a bunch of rolls. The Masterlist of Limiations website has a few such Barely Limiting, but it is currently not avalible.

Greatly could cause trouble because the character is speaking with "the voices in his head" and people don't understand that/think he is insane.

Fully might be overdrawn, as he would be virtually useless while talking with someone

 

Note that this and the required roll might not be related. While somebody can keep open the line (power not availible), it doesn't means his talk is overly distracting. So the complication can only apply when the roll failed.

[Lucius]

.

You know how to reach me: (Total: 60 Active Cost, 15 Real Cost)

Mind Link , Any Willing Target, No LOS Needed, Unlimited range in this dimension (30 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Either Party Is Stunned (-1/2), Requires A Roll (13- roll; Jammed; -1/2), Nonpersistent (-1/4) (Real Cost: 6)

plus

Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, Discriminatory, Intuitional) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Only to Detect a Mental Power About to be Used via the Mind Link (-1 1/2), Perceivable (-1/2) 11-/17- (Real Cost: 7)

plus

Mind Link , Any Willing Target, Increase Number of Minds only, Number of Minds (x4) (10 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Limited Power Extra Minds do not join Mind Link, can only communicate the desire to connect and identity (if known to the character) (-1), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Either Party Is Stunned (-1/2), Nonpersistent (-1/4) (Real Cost: 2)

 

edit: First power is the open portal to the character's mind. No Conscious Control because it's a "you call me, I can't call you" situation. Requires a Roll because when a teammate or contact or someone the character WANTS to hear from is trying to tune in, someone might be "on the line' already thinking "I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 500! Guess that! Ha! Write it on a card and send it to me, I'm sure you can get the address from my mind. Oh, you psychics are all fakes. Sure I think I am hearing you but that's just power of suggestion and my own imagination."

 

Second power is Danger Sense, unless you WANT to risk someone not just chattering at you mentally but trying to invade your mind to take it over and learn secrets you'd rather keep. It's intuitional, meaning if someone has Invisible Mental Powers you still won't sense it coming. Perceivable because anyone in the link knows you are on your guard.

 

Third power is the Increased Number of Minds adder, to add a "hold" function. "Look, three other people are trying to get my attention and one of them is someone I know....actually, it's someone I owe money to, so never mind, keep thinking at me."

 

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says a psychic connection that was used to plunder someone's memories of useful information and leave a ruined mind behind, is a Strip Mined Link

[psyber624]

Mind Scan 1d6 +25 MCV w/Mind Scan (55 pts), Constant (+1/2), Persistent (+1/4), 0 End (+1/2), Always On (-1/2), No Conscious Control (-2), Limited Power "Only to scan for minds wishing to establish Mind Link" (-1), Only to Trigger Mind Link (-2) 124 AP 19 RC PLUS

Mind Link, Any one Mind, Planetary Range (15 pts), Trigger (Mind Scan Lock On Acquired: One condition, Takes No Time, Character Doesn't Control, Automatically Resets, +3/4), No Conscious Control (-2), AP 26 RC 9 PLUS

+40 MD, Absolute Effect Rule (immue to mental attacks through Link) (40 pts), Always On (-1/2), Limited Power: Only vs attacks made through the mind Link (-2) AP 40 RC 11

Total Cost: 39 Pts.

 

Mind Scan constantly looks for anyone on the planet who wishes to establish a link. Its always searching (always On) and the character has no control over this (No Conscious Control) meaning he can't reduce the MCV bonus or choose to set his "status" to "Not taking calls". It only scans for minds looking to establish a Mind Link and it can only be used to trigger the Mind Link (so he doesn't get to know "General Location and Presence" like a normal Mind Scan would. Not sure that the Limited Power and the Only to Trigger limitations don't step on each others toes, but as this is not a combat relative power going to give this one (personally) in favor of the character. YMMV of course.)

 

If it finds someone Mind Link establishes the lock, Trigger ensures that this does not require an attack action on the character's part. No Conscious Control is there since the player gets no say in the matter, anyone who thinks about this will make a connection (and he can't "Disconnect" at will either). You can add minds who can "talk" at once if you wish.

 

Mind Scan and Mind Link both have Planetary Range so anyone on the same planet can activate it. The +25 OMCV negates the penalty for Unfamiliar mind and for Number of people. If someone wants to contact him the GM would make a normal OMCV roll to try and establish a Lock On. Since this is a voluntary link we assume the target chooses to reduce his EGO to 0 meaning 1d6 mind scan is enough to reach the "Greater than EGO" level necessary to establish the Mind Link. If the "Caller" doesn't do this the Mind Scan will probably not be able to establish a Lock On and the "call" will fail but that's the callers problem. If successful then another roll is required to establish the Mind Link (although both MCV rolls will likely always succeed since the target must voluntarily lower his DMCV to 0 to establish the Mind Link in the first place so the GM may choose to not roll at all. In fact you might add < 8 OMCV, Always On (-1/2), Only with Mind Scan/Mind Link (-2) AP 24 RC 7> to the construct since that is enough to ensure that the lock on will occur on all but an 18 roll regardless of what the player wants (he could normally voluntarily lower his normal OMCV to 0 to make connections less likely). You could also allow him to apply Always On to 8 points of regular OMCV if you wanted to (although not sure if that is enough of a limitation in this case to warrant a -1/2)).

 

You can handwave away the +40 MD if you want, it is only there to protect the character (who otherwise would be constantly at risk from any mentalist who knew about this power since he cant cut the link on his own and would be targetable through it)

 

The problem with both of the other builds is that Mind Link requires LOS to create a connection, or a prohibitive number of "defined other minds" if you use the "No LOS Needed" adder (you would need over 7 billion allowable minds for this power to work as described, which would be 165 point adder!). Mind Scan allows you to create a Mind Link once a Lock On has been established and therefore lets you get around that problem. It also has the ability to search for a particular type of mind, in our case anyone wanting to establish the Mind Link. As its currently built only one person at a time can establish a link, and any other "attempts" to link will fail. You can increase the Number Of Minds in the Mind Link power to allow more to communicate at once, and removing the "Only to Trigger Mind Link" limitation from Mind Scan will allow him to know that others are trying to call (He will get the "General Location and Presence" info from his Mind Scan power, but the Mind Link won't trigger since he is already connected). Removing No Conscious Control from Mind Link would allow him to "hang up" on anyone as a Zero Phase Action, allowing another connection to be established (as long as the other party is still "wanting to establish" after his phase comes around and he gets a chance to use Zero Phase Actions), otherwise anyone wanting to talk to him will be able to keep his line "busy".

 

You can also add a limited Telepathy "Only to communicate name" which would allow him to identify who the caller is. Removing the Character Doesn't Control and No Conscious Control aspects from the Mind Link as well as the Only to Trigger Mind Link aspect of Mind Scan with this Telepathy would make it act like a "Mental" cell phone with caller ID. He would know who was calling, and from where (the General Location part of Mind Scan) and can then choose to answer the call (Establish the Mind Link, which is still triggered so it doesn't require an attack action). This will of course raise the price of the power.

[Pteryx]

Neat build, Psyber. Given that Mind Scan is considered a Sense, would the Discriminatory adder be enough to make the user know who's "calling"? -- Pteryx

[Lucius]

The problem with both of the other builds is that Mind Link requires LOS to create a connection, or a prohibitive number of "defined other minds" if you use the "No LOS Needed" adder (you would need over 7 billion allowable minds for this power to work as described, which would be 165 point adder!).

 

This would be the case if, and only if, the Power could establish a Mind Link simultaneously with the entire global population.

 

To be able to establish a Link with anyone, but only one at a time, is 15 pts. No Line of Sight is another 10 pts. I don't consider that prohibitive. Mind Scan is not necessary.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Now the palindromedary wants a Mind Link to the entire global population. But what it's going to get is alphabet soup.

 

 

 

 

 

[psyber624]

The problem with both of the other builds is that Mind Link requires LOS to create a connection, or a prohibitive number of "defined other minds" if you use the "No LOS Needed" adder (you would need over 7 billion allowable minds for this power to work as described, which would be 165 point adder!).

 

This would be the case if, and only if, the Power could establish a Mind Link simultaneously with the entire global population.

 

To be able to establish a Link with anyone, but only one at a time, is 15 pts. No Line of Sight is another 10 pts. I don't consider that prohibitive. Mind Scan is not necessary.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Now the palindromedary wants a Mind Link to the entire global population. But what it's going to get is alphabet soup.

 

 

 

 

YMMV and I definitely don't have a problem if you want to handwave some of this stuff, but by RAW with the No LOS Needed Adder you have to designate the group of people that you can Mind Link with without having LOS. The 10 points buys you the right to do this with either the number of people you can Mind Link or INT/5 (whichever is less) You can increase this number with a separate adder (+5 points per x2 minds) which is where i got 165 points (you need enough doublings to put all 7+ billion people on earth in that list) but still can't link more than the number you buy the Mind Link for at once. Not to mention that RAW there is no way for Mind Link to inform you that someone wants to contact you via Mind Link. Mind Scan can cover that.

 

Spoiler cut and paste of the No LOS Needed Adder from 6e1 259

 

 

No LOS Needed: This +10 Character Point Adder

allows a character to establish a Mind Link with

certain other characters regardless of whether LOS

exists between them. The character can do this

with a maximum number of persons equal to the

number of people he’s bought his Mind Link to

work with or his INT/5, whichever is less. Furthermore,

he must define these persons in advance

(typically they’re his teammates, comrades,

siblings, or the like). (At the GM’s option, the

character may Link with x2 minds this way for

each +5 Character Points spent on this Adder, but

still cannot exceed the number of persons he’s paid

to establish his Mind Link with.) Changing one

of the “slots” to a different person usually requires

time, effort, and LOS (or even touch). The effective

“range” of this form of Mind Link is usually

limited to planetary distances, but may be greater

in some genres.

 

[psyber624]

Pteryx, that would be up to your GM. I wouldn't have a problem with doing that but since the identity of the person is not information normally provided by Mind Scan then by RAW Discriminatory likely wouldn't give it that (this is a very nit-picky ruling however). Mind Scan provides "Presense and Direction/Location" information and Discriminatory would increase the level of detail of those two things. Specifically speaking Mind Scan is not generally used to identify someone, it is used to locate them. Note that while Mind Scan is a Sensory Power it is NOT an Enhanced Sense, Rules found in the Enhanced Sense power description may or may not apply.

 

I would probably state that if you DO allow Mind Scan (or Mind Link) to give you the name of the caller that it is strictly voluntary info provided by the caller. I.E. the caller can "lie" or call in anonymously. Telepathy of course will prevent that, and if you use the triggered Telepathy I was suggesting since the caller has to voluntarily lower their MCV/EGO to 0 in order for the connection to be established only 1d6 of Telepathy is needed to reach the "Greater Than Ego" level needed to read surface thoughts (such as name). Limiting it to Only to Receive the Callers Name is easily a -2 limitation so you are talking about adding maybe 3 CP to the cost of this power That means that the Telepathy option will probably be cheaper than Discriminatory (depending on how you limit it, remember Sense Modifiers are NOT adders so most of the limitations on Mind Scan wouldn't apply to its cost (although some GM's may just treat it like an adder for ease of use). Your still talking a difference of 2 CP and it would allow the caller to conceal his identity (again unless the GM rules otherwise)).

[Lucius]

psyber: I didn't read the Power description carefully enough. You're right, by the Rules strictly As Written, my build doesn't work.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says if you were to plant hidden explosives in golf courses you could have mined links

 

 

[Christopher]

Pteryx' date=' that would be up to your GM. I wouldn't have a problem with doing that but since the identity of the person is not information normally provided by Mind Scan then by RAW Discriminatory likely wouldn't give it that (this is a very nit-picky ruling however).[/quote']

Mind Scan is about finding a specific Mind in a bunch of Minds. So by definition it has to be able to discern persons - it would be useless without that information.

 

"Typically, a character using Mind Scan states that he is looking for a specific mind, even if he can’t describe the person by name: Mentalla; the President of the Galactic Senate;" - 6E1 262

[psyber624]

Pteryx' date=' that would be up to your GM. I wouldn't have a problem with doing that but since the identity of the person is not information normally provided by Mind Scan then by RAW Discriminatory likely wouldn't give it that (this is a very nit-picky ruling however).[/quote']

Mind Scan is about finding a specific Mind in a bunch of Minds. So by definition it has to be able to discern persons - it would be useless without that information.

 

"Typically, a character using Mind Scan states that he is looking for a specific mind, even if he can’t describe the person by name: Mentalla; the President of the Galactic Senate;" - 6E1 262

Agreed, although the Mind Scan I am using in my example is the optional "Type of Mind", in this case anyone thinking about contacting the character.

 

In normal usage Mind Scan doesn't provide info on Identity, you provide that info TO your Mind Scan. Again tho, this is pretty much a case of splitting hairs so YMMV.

[Lucius]

you have to actually spend time concentrating on a Megascale power. -- Pteryx

 

Possibly this is something else I've overlooked. Can you tell me where, precisely, to find this requirement to "actually spend time concentrating on a Megascale power" because I just read through the description of the Advantage and can't see a reason not to use

 

Open Minded: (Total: 45 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (45 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 10)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says one reason not to use it is that it has no defenses against some stranger mentally attacking you, but that can be remedied

 

[Pteryx]

you have to actually spend time concentrating on a Megascale power. -- Pteryx

 

Possibly this is something else I've overlooked. Can you tell me where, precisely, to find this requirement to "actually spend time concentrating on a Megascale power" because I just read through the description of the Advantage and can't see a reason not to use

 

Open Minded: (Total: 45 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (45 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 10)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says one reason not to use it is that it has no defenses against some stranger mentally attacking you, but that can be remedied

6E1 pages 340-341. Every form of Megascale is listed as requiring a Full Phase Action and 1/2 DCV to make use of at Megascale. As such, by RAW, Megascale senses can't be used passively, only for active sweeps.

[Lucius]

Found it. Once under MegaRange and again under MegaArea.

 

So, something like these is necessary:

 

Open Minded: (Total: 56 Active Cost, 13 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (56 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 13)

 

Open Minded: (Total: 52 Active Cost, 12 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (52 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 12)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says if you have a power that allows you to dig up bobcats out of the ground, you have the power to mine lynx.

[Pteryx]

Found it. Once under MegaRange and again under MegaArea.

 

So, something like these is necessary:

 

Open Minded: (Total: 56 Active Cost, 13 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (56 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 13)

 

Open Minded: (Total: 52 Active Cost, 12 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (52 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2), Stops Working If Mentalist Is Stunned (-1/2), Usable By Other (-1/4), Grantor can only grant the power to others (Real Cost: 12)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says if you have a power that allows you to dig up bobcats out of the ground, you have the power to mine lynx.

The first of those two looks pretty good as one part of the construct!

[Lucius]

WAIT A MINUTE!

 

If it's built "Usable by Other, Character can ONLY Grant Power to Others" isn't it up to the "others" i.e. the ones actually initiating the Mind Link, to take the Full Phase at Half DCV?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary takes a Half Phase at Full DCV

[Pteryx]

WAIT A MINUTE!

 

If it's built "Usable by Other, Character can ONLY Grant Power to Others" isn't it up to the "others" i.e. the ones actually initiating the Mind Link, to take the Full Phase at Half DCV?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary takes a Half Phase at Full DCV

That's a good question. It would be convenient -- and appropriate to the usage case I'm shooting for here -- if that were the case...

[psyber624]

WAIT A MINUTE!

 

If it's built "Usable by Other, Character can ONLY Grant Power to Others" isn't it up to the "others" i.e. the ones actually initiating the Mind Link, to take the Full Phase at Half DCV?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary takes a Half Phase at Full DCV

How do you get around the LOS requirement for UOO? And you would also need UOO to have the Range modifier to grant that power to others "around the world". Not quite sure whether Megarange will apply to the UOO part of the power either.

[Lucius]

Crossposted from the "Stat up Gods" thread in the Fantasy Hero forum:

 

 

Here's another example of a Divine Attribute

 

Hears Prayers: (Total: 86 Active Cost, 27 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed (15 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Requires A Roll (PS roll, -1 per 5 Active Points modifier; Can choose which of two rolls to make from use to use; -1/2), Stops Working If Knocked Out (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Usable Simultaneously (all targets standing within 10 meters of Grantor; +1), Grantor can only grant the power to others for up to 15 Active Points of Mind Link, Own Mind, Persistent (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (71 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2) (Real Cost: 20)

 

Originally I was writing this up with the Megascale etc. directly on the Mind Link, but then I realized that the Megascale was modifying the Usable by Others, and that meant I had to do the Usable by Others as a Naked Advantage.

 

Because this grants the Mind Link to every qualified person in the area, it's as if each of them has their OWN Mind Link - so yes, this Deity can hear all prayers at once. How to simulate a mind capable of processing that kind of input, I don't know.

 

The praying individual pays the END cost and makes the Skill roll. The Skill is partly so that only those who have some kind of genuine connection to the Deity can validly pray to Them. It can be Contact: Deity, PS: Priest, KS: Religion. If you want anybody to be able to have a chance, assume a Familiarity with Prayer as an Everyone Skill, and with the penalty, that's a roll of 5 or less. Even if you make the roll, a response is not guaranteed. Taking extra time would be worth a bonus, and so would any number of other modifiers - being in a temple, having a holy symbol, etc. Few modifiers should be penalties: if you've offended a Deity, that doesn't mean They become LESS aware of you. Having a Divinity's attention is not the same as having their favor...

 

Actually, I should probably make that Transdimensional....

 

Hears Prayers: (Total: 97 Active Cost, 30 Real Cost) Mind Link , One Specific Mind: Own, No LOS Needed (15 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2), Requires A Roll (PS roll, -1 per 5 Active Points modifier; Can choose which of two rolls to make from use to use; -1/2), Stops Working If Knocked Out (-1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Usable Simultaneously (all targets standing within 10 meters of Grantor; +1), Grantor can only grant the power to others for up to 15 Active Points of Mind Link, Own Mind, Persistent (+1/4), Inherent (+1/4), Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates, Character does not control activation of personal Trigger; +3/4), Transdimensional (Related Group of Dimensions; +3/4), MegaScale (1m = 10,000 km; +2), Cannot alter scale (-1/4) (82 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2), Always On (-1/2) (Real Cost: 23)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary prays to Janus, a God who will never turn His back on you!

[Pteryx]

Because this grants the Mind Link to every qualified person in the area' date=' it's as if each of them has their OWN Mind Link - so yes, this Deity can hear all prayers at once. How to simulate a mind capable of processing that kind of input, I don't know.[/quote']

 

I'd think buying enough levels of Rapid on the Mental Sense Group would do it. For typical planetary scale, that'd be 50 points. -- Pteryx

 

[Lucius]

I normally buy Gods as AI. As I recall, every 5 pts of INT is one separate task an AI can be dealing with. But yes, Rapid on the Mental Sense Group would probably help keep a thousand separate Mind Link conversations straight.

 

Funny, I'm' reminded of a man who said his departure from a certain organized religion was due to "the feeling of talking into a telephone with no one on the other end of the line." At least what we're building here allows a two way communion.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Two way palindromedary

[Pteryx]

OK, this is the take on things I've put together based on that nice last build of Lucius's:

 

Hear Prayer: Mind Link (to grantor's mind), no LOS needed, any distance, any dimension (25 base points); Invisible Power Effects (inobvious power fully invisible, +1/2), Usable By Nearby (any number of recipients within "10m" (1,000,000 km), recipient fully controls power, grantor can only grant power to others; +1 1/4) (69 Active/real Points).

PLUS

Naked Advantages and Disadvantages on UBN Advantage of Hear Prayer: Affects Desolidified (+1/2), Inherent (+1/4), Megascale (1m = 100,000 km, +2 1/4), Transdimensional (reaches into related group of dimensions, +3/4), Invisible Power Effects (everything about grant of power is fully invisible to both target and other characters, +1 1/2) (194 Active Points); Always On (-1/2) (129 real points).

 

Most of the Advantages and Disadvantages are on the UBN itself because they affect the granting of the ability to pray, not said ability itself.

 

The Invisible Power Effects bit is an attempt to make it so that while anyone can pray to the god, no one automatically knows this -- nor do they know that it's working unless the god chooses to respond directly. Whether they know it or not, though, he hears. Even trying to pray, and accepting that it worked, can often be a leap of faith.

 

The Affects Desolidified and costing of IPE on the Naked Advantage is because while Mental Powers themselves don't need those things, I'm not counting on the same holding true for the granting of Mental Powers. (If it does, though, that'd save +1 in Advantage cost!) The Megascale is that big because I'm building this god to operate at lunar orbital distances, simply as a matter of taste.

 

No Conscious Control is left out because the power is too predictable for that to apply in any way.

 

It's Inherent because no, you can't just Dispel/Suppress/Drain the fact that people can pray to a god. I would put that part on the main power and not the power grant, except that it's the power grant that's Always On, not the Mind Link itself, and something has to be Always On before it can be Inherent.

 

And here's a secondary power:

 

With Prayers Come Knowledge Of Their Sources: Telepathy 9d6+21 (80 base points); Armor Piercing (+1/4), Autofire (5 facts, +1 1/2); Invisible Power Effects (everything about power is fully invisible to both target and other characters, +1 1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END, +1/2), Trigger (when a Hear Prayer Mind Link is established; one defined condition, activating the Trigger takes no time, character does not control activation of personal Trigger, trigger resets automatically immediately after it activates; +3/4) (440 Active Points); Receive Only (-1/2), Surface Thoughts Only (-1/4), First Five Questions Are Predetermined (name, occupation, emotional state, race/species, age; -1/4), Time Limit (Extra Phase, -3) (88 real points)

 

This makes it so that the god instantly knows basic information about those who pray to him (barring things like amnesia or a Mental Shape Shift getting in the way, though a more powerful god might not have the Surface Thoughts Only limitation), then can learn five more basic things of his choice in the next Phase. I tried to make it high enough to guarantee that most normal people would succumb while also giving a decent chance of the same happening to more powerful beings. (Alas, just because someone's praying to you doesn't necessarily mean they don't expect it to be anonymous, so the "1d6 is enough due to lowered defenses" rationale doesn't necessarily apply.) I could have tried to turn this into a Side Effect on Hear Prayer instead, which would be more reliable still, but it seems cheesy for something beneficial to the god to result in a discount on Hear Prayer! -- Pteryx

[Lucius]

If you're going to use a big Telepathy, maybe you don't need the Mind Link at all.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary points out that using Telepathy rather than Mind Link has several benefits, such as eliminating the possibility of being attacked via the link

[Pteryx]

If you're going to use a big Telepathy, maybe you don't need the Mind Link at all.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary points out that using Telepathy rather than Mind Link has several benefits, such as eliminating the possibility of being attacked via the link

How would the Telepathy be targeted in that case, though? The Mind Link is what's establishing LOS with that optional extra piece. (And really, if I had another way to have the god get the "Caller ID" info without resorting to Side Effect cheese, I'd do it. Maybe treating the Side Effect as an Advantage?)

[Lucius]

One option is to use the big Telepathy and Megascale it then Limit it to only minds actively trying to pray to the Deity in question.

 

 

I was looking over the description of Mind Link. Mind Link is compared to "normal conversation" in terms of information available; and if you're in normal conversation with someone you know, you know who it is, and if you have repeated conversations with a stranger, you'll recognize that person by face or voice even if you haven't learned a name. I'd say Discriminatory plus Analyze on Mental Sense Group will get you a lot of that kind of information.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Analyze Palindromedary