OAGS Telepathy

Most Telepaths in the Hughniverse can be adequetely modelled in OAGS through taking the Mind Reading and Mind Control Supernatural Powers. However, some telepaths have more complex or advanced abilities, which are modelled with the Advantages below.

In order to take any Telepathic Power, the character must have Telepathic Communication or Mind Reading. Some have additional requirements.

Core Powers

Telepathic Communication - 2cp
The character may silently send messages or images into the minds of those around him. If they specifically think "at" him, he can also hear their replies. The maximum range of this power is 10 times the telepath's Willpower in metres.

Mind Reading - 5cp
The character can communicate as per Telepathic Communication. In addition, he can read the surface thoughts of the people around him. If the victim suspects his mind is being read, or passes a Perception check opposed by the telepath's Socialize to realise; he may attempt a Willpower check opposed by the mind reader's Socialize to block out his thoughts. The maximum range of this power is 10 times the telepath's Willpower in metres.

Mind Control 10cp
The character can control the minds of others. When he attempts to take control of someone he makes a Socialize check opposed by the victim's Willpower. If the controller wins the opposed check, he controls the victim's actions for an hour, at which point the victim may attempt another check. If orderered to do something against his nature, the target is allowed an immediate new check, to which he receives a +2 bonus. If orderered to do something suicidal, they are allowed a new check with a +4 bonus. Mind Control requires a clear line of sight and a minute of concentration.

Combat Powers

Telepathic combat powers have a maximum effective range of 50m.

Telepathic Assault (see table for cost): To attack someone telepathically, roll Telepathic Assault. If you roll equal or less than your opponent's Willpower, they resist your telepathic attack. Otherwise, for every point by which you exceed your target's Willpower, they suffer 5 points of Damage that ignores soak.

Rank Cost
2 1cp
3 2cp
4 4cp
5 6cp
6 9cp
7 12cp
8 16cp
9 20cp
10 25cp

Defensive Powers

Silence 2cp
The character is immune to telepathy-based powers and attacks, friend or foe. Though they can be seen and heard by the telepath using their eyes and ears, the character is effectively nonexistent as far as their powers are concerned. They do not register as a void, or an impenetrable wall.

Pia Meter Shield 2cp Requires Silence or Cerebral Trap
Instead of being completely invisible to all telepathy, the character can choose whether or not to allow any telepathic interference happen if they desire. They pass all tests to detect anyone using a psychic power of any kind that involves them.

Dream Twister 2cp
The character has the natural power (or perhaps small implanted psychoreactive device) that allows his strong mind to protect weaker ones in range from mental attacks. He can protect one ally for every point of Socialize he has. These allies may use the character's Willpower against any sort of psychic or magickal effect that affects the mind. The character may also try and protect them from fear and torture, but each person counts as two in this case. Any penalties to the check still apply. If an ally chooses to use the Dream Twister but fails anyway, the character takes -1 to all actions on his next round as he tries to recover the shock. These penalties stack for each failed roll. Dream Twister has a maximum range of 10 metres.

Cerebral Trap 5cp
The telepath is not only resistant to psychic interference with their brain, but has a nasty surprise lurking there as well. Anyone using a supernatural method that affects the character's mind in some way, (ie other telepathic powers, certain biopathy or phasmapathy powers etc) fails to use it and takes 10 damage, no soak. Any technological attempt to read the character's mind fails and breaks the machine. This ability works at full effect no matter how far away the contacter is.

Pure Telepathy

These abilities are the classic and purely telepathic abilities.

Sixth Sense: Psychics 2cp
The character can sense the presence of psychic beings with perfect accuracy and the general direction relative to himself. They are not aware of what sort of psychic they are or relative power, merely that they are around and that they are psychic. There is no overt indicator - they just know. The telepath can detect psychics up to a mile away. Note, this is a reprinted supernatural power and you will not need other telepathy powers to take it as a consequence.

Empathic Link 2cp
The telepath is able to read the emotions, both hidden and unhidden of whoever they look at. Those that realise they are having their emotions read (by passing a Perception check opposed by the telepath's Socialize) may try and hide then from the telepath by rolling Willpower against the telepath's Socialize. This may grant bonuses to normal Socialize checks. This power has a range of 10 times the telepath's Willpower in metres.

Deep Scan 2cp Requires Mind Reading
A deep scan involves the telepath forcibly invading the deeper levels of the subject's consciousness in order to rifle through their memories. The subject is aware of what is being done and may attempt a Willpower check to resist, opposed by the telepath's Socialize. If they fail, they are incapable of acting while the telepath searches their mind. The telepath may find out anything the target knows. A Deep Scan takes one minute to initiate and a number of minutes equal to the victim's Willpower to procure the needed informationt. Deep scan has an effective range of 20 metres and you must be able to see the victim.

Mind Trick 2cp Requires Telepathic Communication
The Telepath is able to make subtle suggestions that an unsuspecting guard or official will take on as fact. They will make a verbal or written statement, and use their telepathy to make them believe it. This is essentially a socialise check to deceive, but gives you the choice of rolling against willpower instead. You can use this ability once per scene, but can use it additional times if you spend a benny.

Personality Alteration 2cp Requires Mind Control
The forcible alteration of the target's memories, personality, beliefs or capabilities. The subject is aware of what is being done and may make a Willpower check to resist, opposed by the telepath's Socialize. If they fail, they are subject to having their mind altered. It takes one minute to establish this connection and a number of minutes equal to the victim's Willpower to make each alteration.

The telepath may use this power to destroy or create memories, may alter the target's personality and beliefs, can add or remove phobias and information, and may lower the target's Dodge, Block, Marksmanship, Melee, Intelligence, Perception, Stealth, Socialize or Willpower. They may also raise these stats, but no higher than their own and the character must have spare character points which can be achieved by reducing other stats or inflicting Mental Disadvantages. The targets mind may also be rewritten to be an exact copy of a mind the telepath has deep scanned, if she has Deep Scan. Personality alteration has an effective range of 20m and you must be able to see the victim.

Woe and Doubt 3cp
The telepath can make a psychic link to a victim determine their fears and woes and dredge them to the surface. If the victim has a listed phobia, they automatically run away screaming and fearing for their very lives for a number of rounds equal to the telepath's Willpower. Otherwise, the character makes a Socialize check against the victim's Willpower. If he succeeds, the victim suffers -2 to Block, Dodge, Marksmanship and Melee for a number of rounds equal to the telepath's Willpower. Critical success on this check causes the victim to run away in fear as though they had a phobia. Critical failure when using this power results in the telepath running in fear as above for three rounds.

Psychic Animal Control 5cp
The character may control an animal of a specific type (insects, canines, felines, birds, fish, rodents, reptiles for instance) within 30 metres and in sight. The animals do exactly as he desires while within his range of effect, but if sent out of it can only operate at the level of their intellect (so a wolf could track prey, but a goldfish could not obey any order for longer than 3 seconds). Two characters with Animal Control attempting to control the same animal make opposed Socialize checks each round to determine whose orders the animal obeys.

Advanced Telepathy

Long-Range Telepathy 2cp
All the telepath's telepathic powers are usable at ranges of up to 2000 km. He still must be able to see the target (ie. by video link or scrying) if the power demands it.

Infinite-Range Telepathy 5cp
The telepath's powers have seemingly unlimited range. It is not truly unlimited, but does appear to still work strongly on the moon. He still must be able to see the target (ie. by video link or scrying) if the power demands it. They may also use the powers at their usual range even if they cannot see the target.

Fast Telepathy 5cp
This power reduces the amount of time needed to use the Mind Control, Deep Scan and Personality Alteration power by a factor of 20 (effectively turning minutes into rounds).

When using Mind Control in combat, the victim is allowed a check to regain control of themselves every round instead of every hour. This only applies when Mind Control is begun in combat, not if an already Mind Controlled character gets into combat.

Telepathic Disadvantages

Whispered -2 or -4 cp
The telepath's abilities link her to some sort of unknown telepathic creature who will often scold her, threaten her, or feed her false information. Is this a demon? An alien? Another person? Is this simply her own schizophrenia? Only the GM knows. For -2cp the whisperer has the same socialise score than she does, for -4 it is 1 higher.

Touch Telepathy -variable cp
The telepath can only use his powers when making physical contact with the subject. This requires a Melee roll opposed by the subject's Block if the subject in unwilling. Taking this Disadvantage refunds half the cost, rounded down, of any Telepathic Advantages the character has. Telepathic Shock, Crush and Shred use this Melee roll rather than hitting automatically.