More Mental Powers Questions

[bigdamnhero]

One last set of Mental Powers questions. (For now...)

 

A mentalist has hit a target with a Cumulative Mind Control that has a desired effect level of say EGO+20. After three successful attacks, the total cumulative effect is up to EGO+18; the target suffers no effects, other than they know they're being attacked.

• Q1: Does the target know what the specific command is? Or do they just know someone is trying to give them mental commands generally?

 

The 4th attack gets the total up to EGO+26. Target gets a Breakout Roll at -1; say they fail that first roll.

• Q2: Can the mentalist continue to make attacks to add to the effect level and make the target's subsequent Breakout Rolls harder?
• Q3: Assuming they can, does doing so also constitute "Paying END to Prevent Deterioration," or does the Mentalist have to pay END twice: once to increase the effect, and once to prevent deterioration?
• Q4: Cumulative or not, is it kosher for the mentalist to lower their own SPD to limit how often they have to pay END to prevent deterioration?

Thanks again!

[Steve Long]

For purposes of this discussion, a character who’s used a continuing-effect Mental Power is the “mentalist”; the character he’s used it on is the “target.” 

 

1. The target of a Cumulative Mental Power only knows that he’s being mentally attacked. He does not know what effect the mentalist is trying to achieve until the mentalist succeeds. The GM may, of course, rule otherwise based on how Mental Powers work in his campaign, Limitations on the Mental Power, and so forth.

 

2. A mentalist using a Cumulative Mental Power on a target can continue to make Mental Attack Rolls against the target until he reaches the maximum he can achieve on his Effect Rolls, even if he’s already succeeded at establishing his desired effect. This would allow him to, for example, “strengthen” his mental “hold” on the target by imposing Breakout Roll penalties.

 

3. Continuing to apply a Cumulative Mental Power after the mentalist has succeeded in achieving his desired effect does not constitute paying END to prevent deterioration. That’s a distinct thing the character must do separately, and pay a separate END cost for.

 

4. It is not against the rules for a mentalist to voluntarily reduce his SPD so that he has to pay END less frequently to prevent a continuing-effect Mental Power from deteriorating. Whether the GM will allow it — or let it pass without consequence — is another matter entirely.