How large is the binary mindscape? My impression is that it mirrors the world around you so it is as large as the area you are in?
psychic masks... these are automatic? Like- Mesmero pulls the Phoenix into a psychic duel but appears as Charles Xavier to confuse/persuade her and offer himself additional protection should she find out. And everyone has psychic masks- there isn't anything extra required to create that?
For beings with @ will abilities they exchange for MP- the book doesn't actually say how much MP is created with that... Is it 1? It says "insignificant" which is not exactly what I would call 1 since that is a 1st lvl spell or ki point or whatever. But the rules DO say it can be spent... so... not sure how to take that.
For Grit/Panache are those still recharged the same way during a psychic duel? That would imply that they could be infinitely used- which is unlikely but possible- and be more valuable than Arcane Pool or Rage etc.
When it comes to damage in a psychic duel this translates to REAL damage in the real world to the real bodies right? If the duel ends when someone reaches 0HP does this mean they are @ risk of dying in reality? (Thinking it through I would say yes, but I didn't read that so I am wanting to clarify)
Does movement take place in a psychic duel? Most of the manifestations are full round actions so my assumption is that this is more turn based RPG style fighting- I blast you with butterfly mind lazers! You shield with shadow tendrils! I summon Dark Magician in defense mode! etc... Right?
Mindscapes in general confuse the [expletive] out of me. Again with the questions about size and the nature of this world. What exactly would be a beneficial mindscape usage? Like- outside of trapping someone else's mind there is a method superior to the Maze spell, what would you use the mindscape for?
When generating MP to create manifestations during a Psychic Duel is MP there for the round? or for the duel? or for the manifestation?
Elaboration- Emma Frost has pulled Psylocke into a psychic duel (honestly, these rules just make me think of the X-Men) she uses a level 4 spell to generate MP and creates a white snake mind creature to bite the ninja girl and protect herself costing 2 MP (1 makes the thing, one makes the thing protect- right?) Then Psylocke uses Ki points and ability scores to create a butterfly blast that does damage to Emma. Does Emma still have 2 MP to use for defensive manifestations? Were those 2 mp lost when she didn't use them for her snake creature? Is she able to generate more MP for a defensive manifestation?
Does anyone know of any examples of Psychic Duel scripts that they can link or post so I can read through them? I think there are a LOT of cool applications that can be done with Psychic Dueling and I LOVE the flavor (even outside of psychic campaigns) but I am not very clear on the rules and how it would play out in game.
Does anyone else have questions about this system? Or ideas for how to utilize it?
I am working on a Mesmerist character that is loosely based on Emma Frost and primarily pulling people into psychic duels in order to wear down their resources and exploit the fact that some classes and most monsters have limited access to MP outside of ability scores even just keeping them captive until they would be fatigued and debilitated when the duel is over.
I think those are the big ones for now.
How large is the binary mindscape? My impression is that it mirrors the world around you so it is as large as the area you are in?
It simply says "A finite mindscape has clearly discernible boundaries and limits to its space. Either there is no way to move beyond those boundaries, or there is simply nothingness beyond them. A finite mindscape might be a cavity within an endless expanse of stone, or it could be the interior of a cottage with nothing beyond the doors and windows but blackness and oblivion. Binary mindscapes are always finite."
Also, there is no reason for a mindscape to mirror the world.psychic masks... these are automatic? Like- Mesmero pulls the Phoenix into a psychic duel but appears as Charles Xavier to confuse/persuade her and offer himself additional protection should she find out. And everyone has psychic masks- there isn't anything extra required to create that?
Not everyone has a psychic mask. Only psychic creatures that either know they are in a mindscape or think they are in a dream have the option of projecting a psychic mask.
For beings with @ will abilities they exchange for MP- the book doesn't actually say how much MP is created with that... Is it 1? It says "insignificant" which is not exactly what I would call 1 since that is a 1st lvl spell or ki point or whatever. But the rules DO say it can be spent... so... not sure how to take that.
I don't see where it calls at-will abilities insignificant. But you can expend an at-will SLA once, gaining it's normal amount of MP for it's level, during a psychic duel per at-will SLA.
For Grit/Panache are those still recharged the same way during a psychic duel? That would imply that they could be infinitely used- which is unlikely but possible- and be more valuable than Arcane Pool or Rage etc.
It'd be difficult to regain grit or panache during a psychic duel considering you cannot attack with weapons, any weapons you attack with would actually be an offensive manifestation.
When it comes to damage in a psychic duel this translates to REAL damage in the real world to the real bodies right? If the duel ends when someone reaches 0HP does this mean they are @ risk of dying in reality? (Thinking it through I would say yes, but I didn't read that so I am wanting to clarify)
It says that it does in the mindscape section of the book in chapter six. Though a psychic duel ends if anyone reaches 0 or below in hp.
Does movement take place in a psychic duel? Most of the manifestations are full round actions so my assumption is that this is more turn based RPG style fighting- I blast you with butterfly mind lazers! You shield with shadow tendrils! I summon Dark Magician in defense mode! etc... Right?
The psychic duel section says: "While the illusion of physical movement exists in the mindscape’s reality, such things as speed and position have little bearing on a psychic duel."
Mindscapes in general confuse the [expletive] out of me. Again with the questions about size and the nature of this world. What exactly would be a beneficial mindscape usage? Like- outside of trapping someone else's mind there is a method superior to the Maze spell, what would you use the mindscape for?
Well, you can take someone out of the fight, all the while your allies then just Coup De Grace them, or simply deal damage to them, making it easier for both combats.
When generating MP to create manifestations during a Psychic Duel is MP there for the round? or for the duel? or for the manifestation?
If a combatant doesn’t use all of the manifestation points it generates immediately, the extra points are lost.
You can't coup de grace someone in a mindscape, they aren't helpless. See page 235 of OA.
You can't coup de grace someone in a mindscape, they aren't helpless. See page 235 of OA.
Huh, not considered helpless. Still, taken out of the fight and unable to move.
Yeah, a lot people assume a lot of disabling conditions, like cower, also make you helpless. They almost never do, you usually still have some sort of flinch instinct that prevents a coup de grace.
I think psychic duels are a weak or at least inefficient option for actually killing someone one on one, but if you outnumber a single foe I guess it's a cheap way to lock you and the target down, just try not to use useful resources in the duel while your party beats down the target.
Yeah, a lot people assume a lot of disabling conditions, like cower, also make you helpless. They almost never do, you usually still have some sort of flinch instinct that prevents a coup de grace.
I think psychic duels are a weak or at least inefficient option for actually killing someone one on one, but if you outnumber a single foe I guess it's a cheap way to lock you and the target down, just try not to use useful resources in the duel while your party beats down the target.
The character I'm using for psychic duels right now in a gestalt game will be expending spells from his sorcerer levels so he should be able to generate MP without wasting power from his main classes' spells.
I still think you'd just be better off casting save or sucks or damage directly, rather than converting in a psychic duel after expending a spell/action at DC 12 just to get things started. Hold Person is a generally superior substitute at the same level for a psychic.
I still think you'd just be better off casting save or sucks or damage directly, rather than converting in a psychic duel after expending a spell/action at DC 12 just to get things started. Hold Person is a generally superior substitute at the same level for a psychic.
Not DC 12, since the archetype I'm using increases the DC + non-full action heighten metamagic for it.
Note: I'm not saying it's powerful (or even average), since psychic duels expend so many resources, just clarifying.