Mental Powers that require contact

[Desaro335]

I wanted to build a hero that used mental attacks but needed to make contact with his target for it to work. I am not sure if this is an advantage or limitation as I have not found a modifier that does this. Any help would be appreciated.

[Steve Long]

Since this is a "how to" rather than a rules question, I've moved it to the Discussion board where anyone can answer.

[Lucius]

 

Eye contact? Skin contact? I-know-their-email-and-phone-number contact?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Contacting a palindromedary

[L. Marcus]

I think we can assume skin contact.

 

Then you'd have No Range on the Power, and possibly a Requires Skin Contact Limitation (which I'd put at -1/2, but YMMV, as the kids say).

[Spence]

I'd just go with No Range.  I run a very cinematic game and No Range would serve the purpose.  But either way I'd only use one since Requires Skin Contact would effectively make it No Range anyway. 

[L. Marcus]

To me, Requires Skin Contact is an additional Limitation because you'd actually have to touch the target's skin to use it -- Iron Man in his suit could virtually never be affected, while Zatanna would present ... less of an obstacle. -1/2 seems like a good compromise.

[pinecone]

I would take no range, and seriously consider tossing in Requires a "Grab"...

[Hyper-Man]

Skin Contact Required is what you are looking for.

Example:

30 Telepathic Touch: Telepathy 12d6 (60 Active Points); Skin Contact Required (A Mental Power with this Limitation requires the character to establish skin-to-skin contact in order to make an ECV Attack Roll. Champions Complete p116; -1) - END=6

[Lucius]

I think we can assume skin contact.

I have gotten into a lot of trouble for assuming skin contact...

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary wants to know the Limitation for a Power you can only use on someone you've bought as a Contact

[bigbywolfe]

Skin Contact Required is what you are looking for.

 

Example:

 

30 Telepathic Touch: Telepathy 12d6 (60 Active Points); Skin Contact Required (A Mental Power with this Limitation requires the character to establish skin-to-skin contact in order to make an ECV Attack Roll. Champions Complete p116; -1) - END=6

Now the question is did the OP want to require skin contact in addition to an ECV check or instead of an ECV check, in which case just making it No Range would be enough.

[IndianaJoe3]

Now the question is did the OP want to require skin contact in addition to an ECV check or instead of an ECV check, in which case just making it No Range would be enough.

 

It would also require Alternate Combat Value, but it would probably be at +0.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Its no range unless it requires skin contact, in which case it would be a bit more of a limit, maybe -1/4 more.

[Desaro335]

Yeah i should have explained better, I was thinking of something like a psi blade, so i would need a good OCV and ECV to make it work I guess.

[Hyper-Man]

Its no range unless it requires skin contact, in which case it would be a bit more of a limit, maybe -1/4 more.

 

My example wasn't an estimation. It was a rulebook reference.

 

Skin Contact Required (-1)

A Mental Power with this Limitation requires the character to establish skin-to-skin contact in order to make an ECV Attack Roll.

Champions Complete p116

[Lucius]

My example wasn't an estimation. It was a rulebook reference.

 

Skin Contact Required (-1)

A Mental Power with this Limitation requires the character to establish skin-to-skin contact in order to make an ECV Attack Roll.

Champions Complete p116

Also, it supersedes No Range, and does NOT stack with it (according to the 6e rulebook I just consulted,) does not work even through the thinnest covering and must be skin to skin touch, and unless you're running around in a touchy-feely nudist colony, requires a to-hit roll with a location modifier - assuming there's any bare skin to target; not only is Iron Man immune, Spider Man is immune. In many cases, you have only a fraction of a face to touch, and that's -8 OCV.

 

So while -1 looks generous at first, considering how restrictive it is, I'm not sure it shouldn't be -1 and ALSO allow No Range. In any case, those who suggested No Range and then another -1/4 or -1/2 Limitation on top of that are very close to the official rule

 

Now as for what the original poster was looking for:

 

I've done a psychic blade by just taking Mental Blast with Focus and No Range; still using EGO CV but I have to stand by you and in appearance the phantom like blade passes through your body. Or you could use Alternate Combat Value and use OCV vs DCV instead of EGO CV values.

 

Or you could start with Hand to Hand Killing, and use Alternate Defense to make it go against Mental Def instead of PD or ED.

 

But it's up to you and depends on what exactly you imagine a "psi-blade" to be and do.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

There are a lot of ways to skin a palindromedary.

[pinecone]

Yeah, based on what you're looking for, I'd likely go with "No Range", and maybe "Physical manifestation" if it can be Blocked etc...if you get Disarmed, you just re-manifest it on your Phase...?