Fun With Mind Reading

[Gatts]

So, I asked for help a little while ago with a 'Thought Projection' power, the ability for a character to send speak mentally to other characters at distance, and people were very helpful. Now though, I'm thinking of dropping the Mythic Speed Power the character has* and taking an actual Mind Reading power**, and fleshing out the character's Telepathy.

Some requirements for this. Firstly, I don't want any strange new mechanisms, I don't want to be rolling weird contested things or to have a hunger track. I mostly want something like a few stunts mashed together, with some supernatural trappings. Secondly, I'd rather it wasn't invasive; there are no laws in this setting, but invasive mind powers are still icky. The only idea I have so far, is to base it on something like 'Read The Surface (YS:152)', but possibly faster.

Thanks for any help, in advance.

The power I'm adding this to:

Thought Projection. [-2]
The bearer gains the ability to communicate mentally with anyone he has met.

*It's a 14 refresh game, based on another long running game we've converted over to the system.
**See above, laws don't exist in this setting.

[devonapple]

The main thing to consider is plot impact, especially regarding Conflicts.

Could you envision your character instigating or otherwise participating in any sort of Conflict (Social is the easiest to justify, but it is still a challenge) with someone over this telepathic link? If so, is there a voluntary component by which a receiver can shut off this transmission?

If no real Conflict can pass over this telepathic link, then I feel 2 Refresh is probably good enough for a power which:
1) won't have any combat value, but
2) *will* have the capacity to bypass what can often be a significant plot barrier (even just being able to speak)

Also to consider:
Can this link bypass the world's equivalent of Wards and/or Thresholds (if any)?
Can it reach into any alternate planes of existence? Would it be automatic, or some form of skill check?
How many minds can this character reach with a one-time burst of information? Something like "Now!" 

[Gatts]

The main thing to consider is plot impact, especially regarding Conflicts.

Could you envision your character instigating or otherwise participating in any sort of Conflict (Social is the easiest to justify, but it is still a challenge) with someone over this telepathic link? If so, is there a voluntary component by which a receiver can shut off this transmission?

If no real Conflict can pass over this telepathic link, then I feel 2 Refresh is probably good enough for a power which:
1) won't have any combat value, but
2) *will* have the capacity to bypass what can often be a significant plot barrier (even just being able to speak)

Also to consider:
Can this link bypass the world's equivalent of Wards and/or Thresholds (if any)?
Can it reach into any alternate planes of existence? Would it be automatic, or some form of skill check?
How many minds can this character reach with a one-time burst of information? Something like "Now!" 

The Thought Projection itself is, for all intents and purposes, a silent phone call. It can't pass wards, but it can pass thresholds and it only works with people the character has met. It only works on one plane of existence, and unlike the 'brood mind' the players have with each other, it only works on one target at a time.

Social Combat across the Thought Projection link is very probably lessened, at least, much like a phone call. I've talked with the GM about it, and I'll probably recieve a compel on the linked Telepath aspect for trying anything but the most simple deception. As for shutting off, it's probably possible as a Discipline Roll perhaps.

The Mind Reading power itself will not work over the Thought Projection link though, as I think that has the potential to be very, very powerful. Instead it will probably only have the range of about a zone, and might require that the character can only read the thoughts of someone he's talking to or at least focusing on.

[Bruce Coulson]

In our game, we treated psychic powers (in game mechanics) as similar to Channeling; each power (telepathy, telekinesis, etc.) was a separate Channeling power.  When directed against a target that could legitimately resist, it was a Conviction vs Discipline roll.  And it took one mental stress per use.  (When used against inanimate objects, the roll was against a set target number.)

That gave psychic powers enough flexibility to make them interesting without seeming to overbalance the powers or ruin sessions.

[devonapple]

Sounds good so far. Another thought occurs:

If your character had an enemy that he had met personally (and with whom this link could be initiated), would it be possible to use this power as a way to place a Social Maneuver on him to give the Aspect "[Gatts' character] Is In My Head and Won't Shut Up!"? (placing the Maneuver would be resisted, of course, by your suggestion of a Discipline roll).

[Gatts]

In our game, we treated psychic powers (in game mechanics) as similar to Channeling; each power (telepathy, telekinesis, etc.) was a separate Channeling power.  When directed against a target that could legitimately resist, it was a Conviction vs Discipline roll.  And it took one mental stress per use.  (When used against inanimate objects, the roll was against a set target number.)

That gave psychic powers enough flexibility to make them interesting without seeming to overbalance the powers or ruin sessions.

That sounds cool, but more broad and complex than I had in mind. I was mostly hoping to be able to get a bonus in social situations for being able to skim surface thoughts, and speed up Assessments.

Sounds good so far. Another thought occurs:

If your character had an enemy that he had met personally (and with whom this link could be initiated), would it be possible to use this power as a way to place a Social Maneuver on him to give the Aspect "[Gatts' character] Is In My Head and Won't Shut Up!"? (placing the Maneuver would be resisted, of course, by your suggestion of a Discipline roll).

That actually seems like a really fun use of it actually, thanks. In the old system he once pretended to be someone else's thoughts, but we've agreed that's a little too powerful for the new system.

[devonapple]

That gave psychic powers enough flexibility to make them interesting without seeming to overbalance the powers or ruin sessions.

Which is a wonderful and brilliant option for representing the length and breadth of psychic conflict, but for situations like this when one wants an always-on, never-fails type of effect, the technique in DFRPG is to model that with a power and just call it a well-practiced spell (like giving powerful combat wizards Breath Weapon in addition to their normal Evocation power).  

And it seems that Gatts doesn't want to have to drop a Mental Stress to mentally check in with someone (which would, of course, be priced like a Thaumaturgic Contacts roll), or conversely, have to spend a Fate Point to activate an Aspect version of the power. Though both are legitimate alternatives to model this power.

[devonapple]

That actually seems like a really fun use of it actually, thanks. In the old system he once pretended to be someone else's thoughts, but we've agreed that's a little too powerful for the new system.

Thank you! Unfortunately, this puts it back into the realm of a combat-support ability. I'm not sure how much of a premium I'd charge, but letting it allow Maneuvers like this might make it more than just a fluff power.

[Gatts]

Thank you! Unfortunately, this puts it back into the realm of a combat-support ability. I'm not sure how much of a premium I'd charge, but letting it allow Maneuvers like this might make it more than just a fluff power.

Well, the character has Fists at Great, with the Armed Arts stunt (Bartitsu, actually. Or 'Neo-Bartitsu', from the newer Sherlock Holmes film), so this wouldn't be his only combat ability. I'll have to talk with my GM to see if she thinks that sort of thing is doable.

[devonapple]

Well, the character has Fists at Great, with the Armed Arts stunt (Bartitsu, actually. Or 'Neo-Bartitsu', from the newer Sherlock Holmes film), so this wouldn't be his only combat ability. I'll have to talk with my GM to see if she thinks that sort of thing is doable.

No problem. I'm just conflicted. If that sort of Maneuver is the worst thing you can do to an opponent with this power, 2 Refresh may still be alright.

But if this power allows Stress to be inflicted from a world away, or allows the user to stand a good chance to interrupt someone's Ritual (or whatever its equivalent would be) then it starts getting problematic.

[Gatts]

No problem. I'm just conflicted. If that sort of Maneuver is the worst thing you can do to an opponent with this power, 2 Refresh may still be alright.

But if this power allows Stress to be inflicted from a world away, or allows the user to stand a good chance to interrupt someone's Ritual (or whatever its equivalent would be) then it starts getting problematic.

Oh no, I'm fairly sure that the test to ignore the mental communication won't really be that difficult, and mental stress is out of the question. Social stress is unlikely too, I can make threats but that's really about it. The purpose of the power is communication.

[Edit] Not very clear there actually, the purpose of Thought Projection is purely communication, but I do want to make it a trapping of a broader mind reading power. The purpose of that is to read surface thoughts, and perform assessments, mostly.

[devonapple]

[Edit] Not very clear there actually, the purpose of Thought Projection is purely communication, but I do want to make it a trapping of a broader mind reading power. The purpose of that is to read surface thoughts, and perform assessments, mostly.

Ah, excellent - that makes sense!

[Gatts]

One mechanism I had in mind, is greatly reducing the amount of time it would take to perform an assessment, but I'm finding pricing it difficult, since there's no real way to do that besides the 'Read The Surface' stunt, and assessment actions don't seem to work in time increments.

Another problem I'm having is reconciling the text on creating your own powers at the start of the Supernatural Powers section of the book, and powers like Inhuman Strength and Speed. The idea that they're 'stunts and a bit' don't hold up there.

[devonapple]

Most stunts give you +1 to +2 to things, which translates to 2 shifts. Some of those shifts can reduce the time duration of a given skill check.

Powers seem to be more in the +3 to +4 range.

[Tedronai]

Most stunts give you +1 to +2 to things, which translates to 2 shifts. Some of those shifts can reduce the time duration of a given skill check.

Powers seem to be more in the +3 to +4 range.

Or a +1 or +2 bonus in direct combat applications, or to extremely broad applications