Subject: Re: re. PSIONICS and Area-Effect
From: "David L. Pulver" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 20:19:06 -0500 (EST)

On Sat, 15 Nov 1997 [email-masked] wrote:
> I think the problem is that psionic invisibility is a staple in the genre.
> Anyone with any suggestions on how much to charge for it? I have supers
> around here somewhere, but I don't think standard invisibility would capture
> the flavor of Psi-invisibility... hmmmm.....

I don't think this is Illusion with a tacked on laundry list of
enhancements and limits. It is a new skill...

Telepathic Invisibility (new skill)
Prerequsite: Aspect.
You cloud people's minds so they overlook you within the normal
radius for an Area Effect use of telepathy. 

If you make your skill roll, no one will notice you or anything
that you are carrying. Keep track of the amount you made your roll by. 
If anyone has a Mind Shield and/or Psionic Resistance with a power 
greater than that amount, they will be able to notice you.

You must roll again whenever you perform any action other than
Step and Concentrate. People attack or defend against you as if you were
invisible, however your invisibility decieves all senses. It has no
effect on robots or computers, however.	

From: "Dr Kromm" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 11:54:38 -0500
Subject: Re: re. PSIONICS and Area-Effect

Regarding telepathic invisibility . . .

Why make "Invisibility" a psi skill at all? It seems to me that this is
adding yet more ways to do something to the existing list, thus making
GURPS even less generic. I see two systems that work just fine within 
GURPS:

[1] Simply change the prerequisites of Invisibility Art (p. CI141)
    from "Trained by a Master, both Hypnotism and Stealth at 16+" to
    "Telepathy Power 8+, both Illusion and Suggest at 16+" for psis.

[2] Use the Invisibility advantage [40 points] with the Resisted by
    Will [-20%] and Requires a (Telereceive / Illusion / Suggestion)
    roll [-10%] limitations. Net cost 28 points.

Option [1] lets telepaths use Shadow-style invisibility, with psi as
opposed to chi as the "logic" behind it. This has the advantage of
having well-defined rules for how the ability works in crowds, combat
and so on without getting into messy issues such as area of effect or
whether Telereceive rolls are required. 

Option [2] means that the moment anyone gazes upon you, you have to
overcome their Will with a psi skill, so it retains that nice, psionic
feel, but it works like standard GURPS invisibility with no special
rules after that, again avoiding messy issues such as area of effect.