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Greetings!

I have played a few Mind Melters/Mages to date, and find the TK 'to hit' bonus (which is FIXED at + 3 regardless of Level/Experience with it) to be both frustrating and an unessesary limitation on Psychics.
It is my belief that all the Psionics that grant attacks with a 'to hit' roll should have an associated WP for it. This way, when a Burster chucks her Plasma Bolt, the fact that that Burster has put forth the effort to be accurate should be rewarded witha 'to hit' bonus according to Level.

If my Mind Melter is using Super TK, which is "mentally controlled by the psychic" and that psychic is 6th Level, shouldn't he have a better chance to hit than a 1st Level character? Especially if the PC is willing to spend a Skill Slot on it? What do you, my fellow Megaversal Gamers, think?

I propose the following WP: Psychokinetic Power
Prerequisite: Psionic Power that uses a 'to hit' roll (TK, Electrokinesis,Pyrokinesis,TK Acceleration Attack, ECT)
Grants a + 1 to hit at Levels 2,4,7,10 and 13th. Maybe a different WP for each Power?
Simple. Useful. NOT overpowering.

The Psionic Character Classes use their Points at least as fast as Mages, but, regain those points much, much more slowly. Therfore it makes sense to try to have every 'shot' count. If I was reasonably sure that my odds of hitting with a particular power was better than the base default, I would use it more than my usual Weapon (NG-11S Shotgun, or NG-45LP Particle Beam Pistol), just as the Class fluff describes. As things stand, with ISP's so hard to recover, my first use of Psionics is more of a last ditch save my behind thing-instead of the 'first thing a psychic reaches for'.

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

Seems like a balanced WP, but I don't find it to be necessary.

I COMPLETELY see it being needed and useful.
I think that yes, each type of power should have it's own skill (while it can be one skill, when it's taken it's taken for a particular type of power). Let TK and Super TK use the same skill. Psionic Bolts (mind bolt, or anything similar, even the burster shots) being another one.

I would say, however, that by using this, you remove any bonuses from the ability itself. If the ability has an extremely high bonus, then simply reduce it a lot.

I also see this for spellcasters. They need it just as much, if not more, than anyone else.

Have a different WP for each one, and it seems cool by me.

In the past I've suggested a HTH: Telekinesis/ectoplasm skill, and other HTH skills for other powers, but I don't know that I thought of WPs for the different powers.

Good thinking!

GaredBattlespike wrote:Greetings!

I have played a few Mind Melters/Mages to date, and find the TK 'to hit' bonus (which is FIXED at + 3 regardless of Level/Experience with it) to be both frustrating and an unessesary limitation on Psychics.
It is my belief that all the Psionics that grant attacks with a 'to hit' roll should have an associated WP for it. This way, when a Burster chucks her Plasma Bolt, the fact that that Burster has put forth the effort to be accurate should be rewarded witha 'to hit' bonus according to Level.

If my Mind Melter is using Super TK, which is "mentally controlled by the psychic" and that psychic is 6th Level, shouldn't he have a better chance to hit than a 1st Level character? Especially if the PC is willing to spend a Skill Slot on it? What do you, my fellow Megaversal Gamers, think?

I propose the following WP: Psychokinetic Power
Prerequisite: Psionic Power that uses a 'to hit' roll (TK, Electrokinesis,Pyrokinesis,TK Acceleration Attack, ECT)
Grants a + 1 to hit at Levels 2,4,7,10 and 13th. Maybe a different WP for each Power?
Simple. Useful. NOT overpowering.

The Psionic Character Classes use their Points at least as fast as Mages, but, regain those points much, much more slowly. Therfore it makes sense to try to have every 'shot' count. If I was reasonably sure that my odds of hitting with a particular power was better than the base default, I would use it more than my usual Weapon (NG-11S Shotgun, or NG-45LP Particle Beam Pistol), just as the Class fluff describes. As things stand, with ISP's so hard to recover, my first use of Psionics is more of a last ditch save my behind thing-instead of the 'first thing a psychic reaches for'.

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

and what about those spells that have a static bonus to strike?
why should psionics be the only one that gets this benifit?

While I agree it would be a good idea, without also balancing it around spells which have innate bonuses to strike, spells become entirely too accurate. A stipulation on the WP saying you get either the spells bonus to Strike or the WP might be enough for a quick fix.

Damian Magecraft wrote:

GaredBattlespike wrote:Greetings!

I have played a few Mind Melters/Mages to date, and find the TK 'to hit' bonus (which is FIXED at + 3 regardless of Level/Experience with it) to be both frustrating and an unessesary limitation on Psychics.
It is my belief that all the Psionics that grant attacks with a 'to hit' roll should have an associated WP for it. This way, when a Burster chucks her Plasma Bolt, the fact that that Burster has put forth the effort to be accurate should be rewarded witha 'to hit' bonus according to Level.

If my Mind Melter is using Super TK, which is "mentally controlled by the psychic" and that psychic is 6th Level, shouldn't he have a better chance to hit than a 1st Level character? Especially if the PC is willing to spend a Skill Slot on it? What do you, my fellow Megaversal Gamers, think?

I propose the following WP: Psychokinetic Power
Prerequisite: Psionic Power that uses a 'to hit' roll (TK, Electrokinesis,Pyrokinesis,TK Acceleration Attack, ECT)
Grants a + 1 to hit at Levels 2,4,7,10 and 13th. Maybe a different WP for each Power?
Simple. Useful. NOT overpowering.

The Psionic Character Classes use their Points at least as fast as Mages, but, regain those points much, much more slowly. Therfore it makes sense to try to have every 'shot' count. If I was reasonably sure that my odds of hitting with a particular power was better than the base default, I would use it more than my usual Weapon (NG-11S Shotgun, or NG-45LP Particle Beam Pistol), just as the Class fluff describes. As things stand, with ISP's so hard to recover, my first use of Psionics is more of a last ditch save my behind thing-instead of the 'first thing a psychic reaches for'.

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

and what about those spells that have a static bonus to strike?
why should psionics be the only one that gets this benifit?

Greetings!

Damien Magecraft, my good sir, I ask you simply these questions:
1) How common are Ley Lines on Rifts?

2) How many PPE points can a Mage recover in 1 Hour at a Ley Line?

3) If you look at the math, you will see that I am not opposing a WP:Spell, but rather noting that it takes a Psionic over 8 Hours to recover 100 ISP. By my calculations, a Mage will recover about 40 PPE/ Minute (Or 2400 PPE/ Hour) which is NOT counting the likely PPE batteries/talismins that every smart Mage shoud get as soon as possible. Having 4 Talismans as PPE Battieries means that the Mage has an additional 120-200 PPE. NO batteries for Psychics + HUGE recovery times = No Love For Psychics. Mages get it all. Damage. Defenses. Mobility. Healing/Repair. Information Gathering. General Problem Solving. Illusions. Magical Minions/Sidekicks (Familiars/Golems/Summoned X/Shifted Monsters) AND they get to recover their points 200 times faster than a Psychic, AND get Point Storage Devices! Ummmm...If I Mages had the same linited recovery of points as Psychics, I'd say "Right on! WP: Spell!!!" But if the Mage misses 1/2 the time, so what? The Mage will recover the lost PPE in Melee Rounds to perhaps a few Minutes. A Mind Melter expends 90 ISP for a Fight (A Defensive Power;30 ISP, a few General Powers; 12 ISP, a few Info-gathering Powers; 8 ISP, and a few Offensive Power uses;TK-Super; 20 ISP and a few Bio-manipulation attempts; 30 ISP). The Mind Melter will need 7.5 HOURS to recover it all. So the Mage CAN get a WP: Spell, but I'm advocating for the poor Psychic whose Powers cost more than Spells of equivalent effect, and will need Hours to recover what a Mage recovers in Minutes!

I am indending simply this: Psychics desperately NEED to make Every Shot Count, because missed attacks typically mean the Psychic will have to re-activate the Power, costing MORE ISP (TK Acceleration Attack, Electro/Pyrokinesis Attacks) Mages may like the WP idea, and I WELCOME you to adopt it, but my reason for this post was to help the Psychics make better use of their EXTREMELY LIMITED points.

I think that a WP: Spell/Bolt and a WP: Spell/Blast, and a WP: Spell/TK ECT is a fine idea!!!

Good Gaming, GaredBattlespike

how about sharpshooting wp: super tk. that would rock. since mindmelters start with so few skill slots putting most of them into mastering one of the first powers they learn would be pretty cool.

You might want to template it based upon the WP for super powers that was presented for Shock in one of the swimsuit Rifter issues. It was consistent with normal energy weapon WPs and had to be selected for a specific power.

Transferring it to psionics would be no problem, basing the WP selection.