Disable=Helpless? (Psionics question)


Rules Questions


Hey there folks (this could go rules/advice so it's a bit of both?)

I tried searching for an answer however searching for "disable" obviously brings up a ton of unrelated material. Let me preface this by saying I have a huge bias against anything that I'd classify as "save or die" as I don't think it makes for a fun encounter at all.

I'm looking at the first level psion power Disable and how it seems a smidge powerful. I assume I'm overlooking something and hopefully someone can help.

This seems like a amped up sleep spell, with a very high hd cap (lvl+3 if you go all out in most cases) Disables the target for 1min a level.

So I'm pretty much looking at this as a save or die vs things of up to 3 hd above your class level.

2 Main things I want to double check:

First, it mentions if you take a standard action to do something then you break free, but the point of the spell is to make them think they are disabled and can't do anything. It does feel very odd from a GM perspective that the spell lasts for 1 min a level, unless they attempt to do anything in that time.

Second, Disabled, sounds like it would count as helpless, but again given the above, it seems that it doesn't actually stop them from doing anything, since soon as they do something they stop being helpless, so would this qualify for a teammate delivering a coup de grace?

If this was just a 1 round stun I wouldn't think of it as that big of a deal, but a spell that saves or dies a target of higher cr seems a bit cheap to me.

*** Skip to hear to get right to the question***

Does Disable allow for a Coup De Grace?

Has anyone else found this spell problematic?

Thanks!


Psions are a third-party product and I'm having trouble finding the Disable power on d20pfsrd. Could you provide a link or else quote the relevant text of the power?

From what you've said above I'd say it does not count as helpless (and therefore does not allow for CDG).


http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/d/disable/

Looks like you're right, I thought it was core when I saw it on the srd.

Thanks!


disable wrote:
Creatures affected by this power believe that they have somehow been brought to the brink of unconsciousness and must act accordingly. While it’s possible for an important nonplayer character to attempt some sort of “heroic” action, common NPCs and creatures under the effect of this power typically cower or retreat.

Definitely not helpless. If you try to CDG them they'll flinch out of the way.

Also I think you've been overestimating the effects of the spell; I wouldn't call it even save-or-suck against a BBEG since "an important NPC" can take "heroic" action. "With my last breath I fireball the room!" seems a perfectly reasonable heroic action, for instance.

It's still a great 1st-level spell discipline to have, since you can get out of many random encounters. That wolf pack that was going to tear you to pieces just cowers or runs away. (Note: do not make an unaltered wolf pack the BBEG if a PC has this discipline.)


Quote:
A disabled character may take a single move action or standard action each round (but not both, nor can he take full-round actions, but he can still take swift, immediate, and free actions). He moves at half speed.

Nothing about being helpless.

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