Insta-kill by Teleprojection and making the target naked (aka Fun with Zhodani Psionics)

[Yenaldlooshi]

Ok so I am reading Zhodani Psionics from the latest 2e of Aliens Volume 1.

On page 277 is the entry on Teleprojection.
Nothing in this says the target needs to be willing.
All entries states "As ability" referring to the entries in CoreU22 Page234 about teleportation.

Since the "reach" is "Distant" so in theory you can pay twice the PSI cost and you get up to 500km in reach aka "Very Distant".
It does not state if reach of the starting place is any different than reach to the sending place so, also, in theory, you can pull someone from 500km distance and put them another 500km distant from yourself.

Thus using clairvoyance, or video or some other remote viewing tool, you can pull that pesky lieutenant who keeps failing to find the rebel base, straight off his ship 500km and deposit him NAKED into the vacuum of space. Or you can take him from the surface of a planet, put him 500km at a different elevation and latitude causing him to be 1250 times over the safe limit of 400m and he can burn or freeze, again NAKED and die.

Am I reading this right?
If I am, shouldn't there be some limits applied to this? Like, reach to the target should only be touch or the target must be willing. or any other ideas?

 

[MasterGwydion]

Ok so I am reading Zhodani Psionics from the latest 2e of Aliens Volume 1.

On page 277 is the entry on Teleprojection.
Nothing in this says the target needs to be willing.
All entries states "As ability" referring to the entries in CoreU22 Page234 about teleportation.

Since the "reach" is "Distant" so in theory you can pay twice the PSI cost and you get up to 500km in reach aka "Very Distant".
It does not state if reach of the starting place is any different than reach to the sending place so, also, in theory, you can pull someone from 500km distance and put them another 500km distant from yourself.

Thus using clairvoyance, or video or some other remote viewing tool, you can pull that pesky lieutenant who keeps failing to find the rebel base, straight off his ship 500km and deposit him NAKED into the vacuum of space. Or you can take him from the surface of a planet, put him 500km at a different elevation and latitude causing him to be 1250 times over the safe limit of 400m and he can burn or freeze, again NAKED and die.

Am I reading this right?
If I am, shouldn't there be some limits applied to this? Like, reach to the target should only be touch or the target must be willing. or any other ideas?

Isn't that pretty much a one shot though, PSI point expenditure-wise? So, yeah, you can do it, once per day or so?

 

[Yenaldlooshi]

Isn't that pretty much a one shot though, PSI point expenditure-wise? So, yeah, you can do it, once per day or so?

If you don't try to increase range, 2 points only. 4 if you do. Then there's psi drugs, high psi point rolls, adds from psionic careers etc

 

[G'Naakbusters]

Thus using clairvoyance, or video or some other remote viewing tool, you can pull that pesky lieutenant who keeps failing to find the rebel base, straight off his ship 500km and deposit him NAKED into the vacuum of space. Or you can take him from the surface of a planet, put him 500km at a different elevation and latitude causing him to be 1250 times over the safe limit of 400m and he can burn or freeze, again NAKED and die.

As your designated Tavrchedl' supervisor, I am sensing a degree of frustration and hostility with this underperforming subordinate. Would this be correct?

 

[Tom B]

I've a different question about teleportation.

There are effectively 3 different powers

1) Teleport naked - cost 2, target roll 8.
2) Teleport with clothes and small amount if equipment - cost 4, target roll 10.
3) Teleport with armour - cost 6, target roll 12.

Now if I wanted to teleport and had 8 psion-points and no skill in it, then there is no point trying to teleport with all your armour as it is 1 in 36 chance of succeeding - so I'd probably decide to teleport naked (say I've been naughty and I'm in prison and I know there are keys on the other side of the door). Get the keys, get the clothes, get the hell out of there. Now I roll a 12. Can I at this point decide, well I'd like to use the 6 point version or do I have to stick with my original, I'm going to teleport starkers.

Asking for a psionic friend.

 

[Galadrion]

Personally, I'd rule that you have to state what you're attempting before making the roll, and that's the best you can do regardless of how well you roll. You attempt to teleport naked, you will either teleport naked or you'll achieve nothing at all.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I've a different question about teleportation.

There are effectively 3 different powers

1) Teleport naked - cost 2, target roll 8.
2) Teleport with clothes and small amount if equipment - cost 4, target roll 10.
3) Teleport with armour - cost 6, target roll 12.

Now if I wanted to teleport and had 8 psion-points and no skill in it, then there is no point trying to teleport with all your armour as it is 1 in 36 chance of succeeding - so I'd probably decide to teleport naked (say I've been naughty and I'm in prison and I know there are keys on the other side of the door). Get the keys, get the clothes, get the hell out of there. Now I roll a 12. Can I at this point decide, well I'd like to use the 6 point version or do I have to stick with my original, I'm going to teleport starkers.

Asking for a psionic friend.

I would say, go for it. Psionics are already vastly underpowered compared to technology. If your player wants to spend the minimum and then roll, then spend more points if he succeeds at a higher difficulty, let them. It is not as if it will ruin the game. It is not RAW, but it is more fun.

 

[Terry Mixon]

I would say, go for it. Psionics are already vastly underpowered compared to technology. If your player wants to spend the minimum and then roll, then spend more points if he succeeds at a higher difficulty, let them. It is not as if it will ruin the game. It is not RAW, but it is more fun.

Personally, I think one should be able to spend extra points to get a bonus to the roll. Like taking extra time for skills.

 

[Tom B]

Personally, I think one should be able to spend extra points to get a bonus to the roll. Like taking extra time for skills.

You can take extra time to get a bonus with psionics.

 

[actionman]

This is another rule people should have thought through before implementing. Every psion with this capability would be able to kill at least 365 people a year with almost zero risk of repercussions. The bodies would never be found because he could teleport them 500km into the crust of a planet.

 

[Terry Mixon]

You can take extra time to get a bonus with psionics.

It says that? I'll have to track that down. Thanks.

 

[Condottiere]

Habeas corpus.

Failing that, circumstantial evidence.

 

[Condottiere]

Or, someone else actually does it.

 

[Yenaldlooshi]

I've a different question about teleportation.

There are effectively 3 different powers

1) Teleport naked - cost 2, target roll 8.
2) Teleport with clothes and small amount if equipment - cost 4, target roll 10.
3) Teleport with armour - cost 6, target roll 12.

Now if I wanted to teleport and had 8 psion-points and no skill in it, then there is no point trying to teleport with all your armour as it is 1 in 36 chance of succeeding - so I'd probably decide to teleport naked (say I've been naughty and I'm in prison and I know there are keys on the other side of the door). Get the keys, get the clothes, get the hell out of there. Now I roll a 12. Can I at this point decide, well I'd like to use the 6 point version or do I have to stick with my original, I'm going to teleport starkers.

Asking for a psionic friend.

You have to declare which difficulty before hand. If you fail, it only costs you 1 point though.

Btw, this is just like a skill check. So you could spend more time on the check and reduce it by a difficulty. but yes, the 3) option needs extra time, possibly a bonus from a successful Awareness(inspiration) roll and/or hopefully a high PSI to give a bonus characteristic DM. If you had all of these, you could get +2+2+1 to your roll! 7+ succeeds.

 

[Terry Mixon]

You have to declare which difficulty before hand. If you fail, it only costs you 1 point though.

Btw, this is just like a skill check. So you could spend more time on the check and reduce it by a difficulty. but yes, the 3) option needs extra time, possibly a bonus from a successful Awareness(inspiration) roll and/or hopefully a high PSI to give a bonus characteristic DM. If you had all of these, you could get +2+2+1 to your roll! 7+ succeeds.

I looked today and didn't find anything in the psionics section that said the psionic skills worked that way. I'd be willing to run them that way, but it would be better if it outright said they worked that way.

 

[Yenaldlooshi]

which part? I can probably cite you chapter and verse for everything I said.

If it was the last thing I said, then it's Core Update 2022 page 229:
"USING PSIONIC POWERS
To activate a power, the Traveller must make a skill
check using the appropriate skill (Telepathy, Telekinesis
and so on), adding their PSI DM, along with any other
appropriate DMs. They must also spend the listed
number of PSI points if they succeed or one point if
they fail."

This establishes that the psionic abilities are SKILLS, thus all the skill usage rules applies such as taking more time to get a bonus. (see GOING FASTER OR SLOWER, core22 p63)

The paragraph above also mentions the 1 point cost for failure.

As for trying to redeclare what it is you are rolling for after you have already rolled it, c'mon! Nobody needs to an "outright" rule that know that is not kosher. It's a bit like saying "Hey I know I was rolling for a knife attack but can I instead use that roll for my gun attack now that I can see what the result was? They're both attacks!"

Your GM mileage may vary, but I don't know a GM on the planet that lets players change what they are rolling for based on the information of the roll itself that has just been cast. Unless you are that GM, lol.

 

[Tom B]

You have to declare which difficulty before hand. If you fail, it only costs you 1 point though.

Btw, this is just like a skill check. So you could spend more time on the check and reduce it by a difficulty. but yes, the 3) option needs extra time, possibly a bonus from a successful Awareness(inspiration) roll and/or hopefully a high PSI to give a bonus characteristic DM. If you had all of these, you could get +2+2+1 to your roll! 7+ succeeds.

Ohhh - I'd never thought about inspiration

 

[Grognardia]

I get that this might be a clever rules interpretation, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Traveller psionics were never meant to be instant-win buttons. Zhodani are unsettling because of what they represent - control, manipulation, cultural fear of mind invasion - not because they can bypass every threat with one power.

Just because something works by the rules doesn’t mean it fits the tone of the setting.

(As always, 'Your Traveller May Vary")

 

[MasterGwydion]

I get that this might be a clever rules interpretation, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Traveller psionics were never meant to be instant-win buttons. Zhodani are unsettling because of what they represent - control, manipulation, cultural fear of mind invasion - not because they can bypass every threat with one power.

Just because something works by the rules doesn’t mean it fits the tone of the setting.

(As always, 'Your Traveller May Vary")

They can't. Give them 3 opponents and that Zhodani is still dead. It is more effective to just kill people with a long-range rifle.

Heavy Laser Rifle 6D at 1,200 meters Gun Combat/2 + Dex/2 = 4 + 2D6. At Diff 8+ you need a 4 or better. Effect 2 on average. 6D6+12. Dead. Way easier and simpler than Psionics and way more powerful and it can be done by any decent sniper. One shot, one kill.

 

[Terry Mixon]

which part? I can probably cite you chapter and verse for everything I said.

If it was the last thing I said, then it Core Update 2022 page 229:
"USING PSIONIC POWERS
To activate a power, the Traveller must make a skill
check using the appropriate skill (Telepathy, Telekinesis
and so on), adding their PSI DM, along with any other
appropriate DMs. They must also spend the listed
number of PSI points if they succeed or one point if
they fail."

This establishes that the psionic abilities are SKILLS, thus all the skill usage rules apply such as taking more time to get a bonus. (see GOING FASTER OR SLOWER, core22 p63)

The paragraph above also mentions the 1 point cost for failure.

As for trying to redeclare what it is you are rolling for after you have already rolled it, c'mon! Nobody needs to an "outright" rule that know that is not kosher. It's a bit like saying "Hey I know I was rolling for a knife attack but can I instead use that roll for my gun attack now that I can see what the result was? There both attacks!"

Your GM mileage may vary, but I don't know a GM on the planet that lets players change what they are rolling for based on the information of the roll itself that has just been cast. Unless you are that GM, lol.

It was the extra time. Thanks.