Mental Powers Tactics/Tips

[noumena]

I think you have a good point, Kevin. Players will likely take steps to deal with a mentalist who is abusing his fellow PCs. The only trouble is, what if no one else on the team has mental awareness?

 

An even worse problem: Far too many PCs are going to be just fine and dandy with the team's mentalist abusing his powers as long as they aren't the ones being abused. "Gee Martin, we really need to know what the suspect's been up to, and normal police interrogation procedures take so long. Wouldn't it be nice if someone could do something?"

 

This is where I think the (in many ways quite reasonable and well-grounded) social stigma of being a mentalist becomes very important to PC mentalist regulation. If a mentalist isn't known as being such, it should be pretty important to him that no one finds out. On the other hand, if they are a known mentalist, they need to be conspicuously honest in their dealings with others to try and live down the mentalist stigma.

[Kevin]

I like telepaths (obviously). Over the years I've played a couple of telepaths, one super ethical and one morally ambiguous. The shady telepath messed with the other character's heads occassionally. Important note:

 

AS A PLAYER, I NEVER MESSED WITH OTHER PLAYERS.

 

Only in character. With the cooperation of the other players. Sometimes to bring comic releief to the game, sometimes to make an interesting story. Always in context.

 

If I had used my telepath character in a way that abused the game, the other players would have KILLED ME and the GM would have shut me down.

 

Tact and diplomacy are good PLAYER SKILLS to have if you run a mentalist!