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Out of the Mind Melter Redux, we also came up with theses. These would be available to all psychics, and some creatively trapped magics.

Psionic Trappings
Telekinetic Trapings
Absorption: Beneficial powers have a telekinetic force field that absorbs sound. Stealth is increased by a die type, but the subject has to yell to be heard normally and speaking becomes a normal action instead of a free one.

Aura: Beneficial powers surround a subject with a field of sharp and slicing telekinetic force, and as a replacement for their normal benefit on a raise, the target gains the effect of the damage field power that causes 2d4 damage.

Armor Piercing: The invisible nature of telekinesis allows the precise targeting of the foe’s exposed areas, ignoring some armor (AP 2) at a cost of +1 I.S.P.

Slow: A raise with a detrimental power (like stun) results in the target’s movement counting as Difficult Ground while the power is active (or his next movement for Instant powers) due to the constant push of telekinetic force that works against them.

Telepathy Trappings
Fatigue: By flooding the target with images on an attack, you force the victim to make a Vigor roll or suffer Fatigue from the strain on their minds.

Psychosomatic: Wounds inflicted by a power with the Psychosomatic are converted into Fatigue levels that fade after one hour. Furthermore, the power cannot push someone past Incapacitated on the Fatigue chart.

Spasms: Rewiring how the mind processes signals cause temporary muscle contraction if cast with a raise; the target has to make a Spirit roll or be at –2 Parry until his next action.

Telepathic Insight: As you intuitively interpret the readings of a target’s psyche, you learn a great deal about influencing the target and those around him. This gives a +2 to Charisma while the power is in effect, and on a Raise, a +1 die-type to Persuasion.

Empathy Trappings
Empathic Healing: By taking their pain into yourself, your healing is more effective. When used on a healing power, you automatically get the raise effect. In return you suffer a level of Fatigue, which can only be recovered by eight hours of rest. If you get a raise normally, it heals one extra wound, but instead you take two levels of Fatigue, which can only be recovered by eight hours of rest.

Empathic Transmission - Despair: A feeling of dread and despair on a harmful power forces the the victim to make a Spirit roll or suffer Fatigue.

Empathic Transmission - Fear: All users of Arcane Background (Psionics) are considered to have a level of Arcane Resistance versus the power, and the all other living creatures must make Fear checks when hit with it.

Empathic Transmission - Hope: Helpful powers invigorate the target on a raise, providing an immediate free roll to recover from being Shaken.

Biomanipulation Trappings
Biomanipulation [Blind/Deafen]: Choose one of Deafen or Blind. This literally impedes the transfer of information from the ears or the optic nerve to brain. A raise with the power (or a Shaken or better from damage) results in a –2 penalty to hearing-based or vision based Notice rolls for the target until the power ends or they recover from being Shaken.

Bio-Manipulation - Paralysis: This trapping can literally paralyze its victim, leaving them aware but unable to do anything. This trapping replaces the raise effect of the Power. On a raise, the victim must also roll Vigor or be incapacitated by being paralyzed. Unlike a normal incapacitation, they are locked rigidly in place, cannot move, take any action, and are considered helpless. Each subsequent round, the victim may roll Vigor to revive to Shaken.

Bio-Manipulation - Altered Energy Flow: Energy flows within the body of a magic user or psychic. This is why cybernetics are so dangerous to magic users and psychics. By impeding that flow, the victim can be somewhat cut off from the source of their power. On a raise, whatever separates the target from this source lingers, and the target makes arcane trait rolls at -1 for the duration of the power, or until the end of the next turn for instant powers.

Adrenaline Surge [Trait]: Beneficial powers increase the target’s understanding by manipulating blood flow and neuron firing times. They cost +1 I.S.P. to cast, but on a success add +1 to trait rolls and on a raise increase that trait by one die type for the duration of the power. See the chart below. You may pick one of these options per trapping choice.

• Adrenaline Surge - Agility -- +1 to Agility rolls (such as to avoid damage or for using tricks), on a raise increase Agility by one die type for the duration of the power
  Adrenaline Surge - Smarts -- +1 to Smarts rolls (such as tricks), on a raise increase Smarts by one die type for the duration of the power
  Adrenaline Surge - Spirit -- +1 to Spirit rolls (such as Fear resistance rolls), on a raise increase Spirit by one die type for the duration of the power
  Adrenaline Surge - Strength -- +1 to Strength rolls (including unarmed damage, as well as rolls for dramatic tasks), on a raise increase Strength by one die type for the duration of the power
  Adrenaline Surge - Vigor -- +1 to Vigor rolls (including soaking), on a raise increase Vigor by one die type for the duration of the power

Poll up for these

I'm surprised there is no free action self only option trapping. A mind-body link trapping as it were.

Ask and you shall recieve:

Biomanipulation - Predictive Neuron Mapping: By pre-mapping a pathway for a specific power, you make it easier and faster to activate that power. You may activate the power as a free action. This comes with a few limitations.

• The power is self only. There are too many variables outside your own body to predict.
  It costs one extra I.S.P. to activate and maintain this power.

Replaces Blind

Awesome!

Can my evil Line Walker wizard use Agonize and combine it with the Biomanipulation trapping? If not, I also do not like the idea of Trapping's mechanical effects being limited to a single AB (unless it is specifically an Iconic Feature).


Also a little edgy about the idea of a Major revision for the Mind Melter at the same time as Special Trappings which could bring in synergies that are hard to predict. But that is life in game design.

With two exceptions (Empathic Healing and Biomanipulation - Predictive Neuron Mapping, all of these are canon or site approve trappings reskinned. You can do what you want - we create custom trappings all the time. I was just doing some psionic themed ones.

Also, All of these are the names of powers in Palladium Rifts - Psionics Exclusive in the case of Bio-Manipulation

Trapping Origins

Psionic Trappings
Telekinetic Trapings
Absorption: Originally a Sound trapping
Aura: Originally a Fire Trapping
Armor Piercing: originally an electrical trapping
Slow: originally an ice trapping

Telepathy Trappings
Fatigue: originally a heat/fire trapping
Psychosomatic: Site Trapping (illusion)
Spasms: Electricity Spasms
Telepathic Insight: Site trapping (Splendor)

Empathy Trappings
Empathic Healing: New
Empathic Transmission - Despair: Heat
Empathic Transmission - Fear: necromancy trapping
Empathic Transmission - Hope: Electricity Trapping

Biomanipulation Trappings
Biomanipulation [Blind/Deafen]: Sound trapping
Biomanipulation - Predictive Neuron Mapping: New
Bio-Manipulation - Altered Energy Flow: Site Trapping
Adrenaline Surge [Trait]: Modified Jazz

High Command wrote:Ask and you shall recieve:

Biomanipulation - Predictive Neuron Mapping: By pre-mapping a pathway for a specific power, you make it easier and faster to activate that power. You may activate the power as a free action. This comes with a few limitations.

• The power is self only. There are too many variables outside your own body to predict.
  It costs one extra I.S.P. to activate and maintain this power.

Replaces Blind

I think this one is probably a step too far. "Self-only as a free action" has been a frequent subject in House Rule Proposals, and to my knowledge we've always ended up as allowing it only as an Adept-like Edge, or as part of an IF (almost always modeled on the C-K). In all those cases, it's only available for a limited list of powers (individually tailored for the IF or intended Edge user, generally, and intentionally not including all options), almost exclusively composed of buff/protection powers.

With this, basically every power known to an AB: Psionics character could be free action, with the exception of most offensive spells (though things like damage field would still doable) and I supposed some battlefield control. But based on a quick scan, you'd be able to get all the good self-buffs including armor, boost trait, deflection, environmental protection, farsight, fly, smite, warrior's gift, plus a ton of utility powers: conceal arcana, damage field, disguise, healing, intangibility, invisibility, speak language, teleport.

Compare that to Adept (and various site-approved clones) which get you 1 free-action power per rank, drawn from a list of 5 options, or the C-K, which has 5 powers on its list cast-able as free actions (the House Ruled Psi-Slinger MARS package has access to 4 free-action powers, which I think costed as worth about an Edge, or at least half Edge).

Beyond giving expanded access to self-buffs, the free action utility spells are really where you're getting into uncharted territory. Are we down with free action intangibility, invisibility, or teleport? I'd hesitate to allow those on an Adept-like Edge. As a trapping open to everyone I think it's even more potentially unbalancing.

EDIT: Everything else I'm good with.

Tribe of One wrote:

High Command wrote:Ask and you shall recieve:

Biomanipulation - Predictive Neuron Mapping: By pre-mapping a pathway for a specific power, you make it easier and faster to activate that power. You may activate the power as a free action. This comes with a few limitations.

• The power is self only. There are too many variables outside your own body to predict.
  It costs one extra I.S.P. to activate and maintain this power.

Replaces Blind

I think this one is probably a step too far. "Self-only as a free action" has been a frequent subject in House Rule Proposals, and to my knowledge we've always ended up as allowing it only as an Adept-like Edge, or as part of an IF (almost always modeled on the C-K). In all those cases, it's only available for a limited list of powers (individually tailored for the IF or intended Edge user, generally, and intentionally not including all options), almost exclusively composed of buff/protection powers.

With this, basically every power known to an AB: Psionics character could be free action, with the exception of most offensive spells (though things like damage field would still doable) and I supposed some battlefield control. But based on a quick scan, you'd be able to get all the good self-buffs including armor, boost trait, deflection, environmental protection, farsight, fly, smite, warrior's gift, plus a ton of utility powers: conceal arcana, damage field, disguise, healing, intangibility, invisibility, speak language, teleport.

Compare that to Adept (and various site-approved clones) which get you 1 free-action power per rank, drawn from a list of 5 options, or the C-K, which has 5 powers on its list cast-able as free actions (the House Ruled Psi-Slinger MARS package has access to 4 free-action powers, which I think costed as worth about an Edge, or at least half Edge).

Beyond giving expanded access to self-buffs, the free action utility spells are really where you're getting into uncharted territory. Are we down with free action intangibility, invisibility, or teleport? I'd hesitate to allow those on an Adept-like Edge. As a trapping open to everyone I think it's even more potentially unbalancing.

EDIT: Everything else I'm good with.

Hey, if someone really wants to cast bolt on themselves as a free action why get in their way? Seriously the trapping does specify that the power can only be cast on oneself which means if they want to cast it on anyone else they need to buy a different version of that same power with a different trapping. Also note HC specifies an increase of 1 PP to casting cost AND duration (not sure if he actually meant to do that or not but there you are.) Teleport is already an expensive power to use and this trapping would disallow taking passengers. I suppose that you could trapped the standard teleport as self only and use a different trapping for the mega version. As to intangibility I believe we have Psi-ghosts cooking in gene vat #4 next door, right?

EDIT: You can still only use a power once per turn so it's not like anyone is going to be blinking around the map (they'd run out of ISP soon enough if they could) or blinking in and out of invisibility. I could see banning Quickness from getting this trapping. That would definitely be a bridge too far.

This is also reason for not cranking up the meditation rate TOO high...

You actually just highlighted another problem: All of the existing ways to get free action casting apply to all versions of the power (*with one exception being the C-K and greater healing). If I take Adept to get free action speed, both the base version and Mega version are self-only.

With this as just a trapping, you could do the base version as a free action, then use a different trapping for Mega so you can side-step the "self-only" limitation. That really frees you up with boost/lower trait, since you can do free action buffs on yourself but still use other trappings on lower trait for use against foes.

I'm just curious why you think it's no big deal to allow this willy-nilly, when existing options in every case limit free-action powers to a maximum of 5 powers per character, drawn from a very limited list of buff powers? In the examples we have, it appears to be a very conscious design choice. Radically opening it up to an almost unlimited list of powers with a much larger range of utility, while side-stepping a central limitation, ought to sound a few alarm bells.

Hate to break it to you, our entire team thought free action self only was already approved. I was surprised to find out VV and Pender were wrong.

For the record, I think you're overreacting Tribe; and regardless of whether you are, you are offering only complaint, not a solution. So please, help me out.

Tribe of One wrote:Are we down with free action intangibility, invisibility, or teleport? I'd hesitate to allow those on an Adept-like Edge. As a trapping open to everyone I think it's even more potentially unbalancing.
EDIT: Everything else I'm good with.

Good to know you're down with already canon and approved options. Unless you mean the only other new option. In which case I'm glad it's limiting enough. I know that may sound snarky, but it's not meant to be.

FYI Pender THIS is why I don't usually do new trappings - because people don't usually want to step out of the done and find a way to make it work.

For the record, precisely how is it going to change anything? There are races and monsters that can go invisible at will. Teleport takes your move for the turn, so in terms of MAP it's already free. intangible? That does not frighten me as a GM or as a player. My question then becomes why do they frighten you so much? It costs more to cast AND more to maintain.

If it concerns you THAT badly we can limit it to one (maybe two) per character. I mean your issue is how many it can apply to. So we solve that by putting a maximum on it. Choose one (maybe two) power carefully. You can activate it as a free action. If it is the whole power (something like Boost Trait), then so be it - you can boost anything on yourself as a free action. Bully for ya! Is it just Boost Psionics that is a free action? Awesome, you can boost your psionics on yourself as a free action. The rest have different trappings.

So would any of this help to alleviate your concerns? Do you have a better solution? Inquiring minds want to know.

Tribe of One wrote:You actually just highlighted another problem: All of the existing ways to get free action casting apply to all versions of the power (*with one exception being the C-K and greater healing). If I take Adept to get free action speed, both the base version and Mega version are self-only.

With this as just a trapping, you could do the base version as a free action, then use a different trapping for Mega so you can side-step the "self-only" limitation. That really frees you up with boost/lower trait, since you can do free action buffs on yourself but still use other trappings on lower trait for use against foes.

I'm just curious why you think it's no big deal to allow this willy-nilly, when existing options in every case limit free-action powers to a maximum of 5 powers per character, drawn from a very limited list of buff powers? In the examples we have, it appears to be a very conscious design choice. Radically opening it up to an almost unlimited list of powers with a much larger range of utility, while side-stepping a central limitation, ought to sound a few alarm bells.

You are right. I don't see a huge problem mostly because until a character has built up a pretty huge power reserve it would be difficult to really abuse this ability significantly. Also, in my experience with the Cyber Knight activating a bunch of powers in the same round is hella dangerous. Less so for Mind Melters depending on how the whole Brain Burn situation turns out but still a ripe opportunity to spend all your bennies in one go trying to avoid frying your own brain.

It's not just Mind Melters though - ANY psychic can choose these, including Mystics. I'm okay with a limit on them. Just want a decent limit that isn't so restrictive as to ask what's the point.

High Command wrote:It's not just Mind Melters though - ANY psychic can choose these, including Mystics. I'm okay with a limit on them. Just want a decent limit that isn't so restrictive as to ask what's the point.

Fair enough. Still not wild about a limitation though it's not a deal breaker. If a limit is absolutely necessary I can live with that.

I think most games could survive up to three free action power trappings without losing their minds.

High Command wrote:I think most games could survive up to three free action power trappings without losing their minds.

Forget the games, I may suffer a breakdown just trying to pick which three powers can be a free action. I can feel the cold sweats starting already!

The solution is simple: Don't allow it as a trapping. Done, balanced with existing options.

If free action casting is integral to a concept, design an Adept-like Edge with a specific, themed, limited list of powers that can be chosen one per rank. Powers on the list should be balanced against existing options, and (as is made obvious by prior design choices) should not include every desirable option.

Generally, I think the list of available free action powerful should be limited to defensive and buff type powers. Existing design shows pretty clearly that the idea is to let a character cast a preparatory/defensive power while also taking an action that contributes to the combat in some way, without a MAP. Expanding the list to include utility powers potentially allows the character to take multiple actions to affect the combat each round, throwing off the action economy and allowing the psionic casters to dominate the combat (There are already options to take multiple combat-effecting actions, but most involve a MAP or other counterbalance). Given the generally short duration of most SW combats, a basic level of ISP is enough for a few rounds. And with the addition of Meditation to boost recharge, MMs can pretty easily manage to go nova in each combat and be topped off again before the next encounter.

I'm inclined to agree with Tribe on this one. The mere fact that in canon, this is regarded as an Edge-worthy advantage (the CK ability is clearly based on that notion--it's just a built-in ability for the IF, with the further limit that you can't NOT take the self-only version of those Powers) suggests it's NOT meant for just anyone to slap on a Power. So, Bio-Manipulator Edge, based on the Adept Edge:

Bio-Manipulation Adept (Professional)
Requirements: Novice, AB: Psionics, Major Psionic, Psionics d8
Your character has become attuned to his inner might, able to use it to enhance his physiology at the speed of thought. Except as noted, this works like the Adept Edge. The following Powers may be selected: armor*, boost Trait, darksight, deflection, environmental protection, farsight, healing or warrior's gift. *If the armor Power is selected, it does not stack with worn Body Armor, but would stack with the sorts of armor Powers that do stack with Body Armor.
This Edge affects both the regular and the Mega-Version of the selected Power, if the character has access to the Mega-Version.

It's got more affected Powers than the Adept Edge, but they all fit the theme, I think, of being ultimately attuned to one's own body. The idea with armor is that it's a physical hardening of the skin.

Hey folks,

So if I am playing a psychic and the gm asks me to describe my bolt power when I cast my 3d6 bolt and I say well this is what it is like. I call upon my deepest reserves to instantly boil the blood of my enemy I target.

What do you say?

Well that actually accomplishes one of my personal goals - a version of adept for psionics I'll toss it in a new post. Alright boyos, give me something GOOD to replace this with. Ideally something new, not reskinned.

Pender Lumkiss wrote:Hey folks,

So if I am playing a psychic and the gm asks me to describe my bolt power when I cast my 3d6 bolt and I say well this is what it is like. I call upon my deepest reserves to instantly boil the blood of my enemy I target.

What do you say?

Works for me, though it really is just the standard bolt power, not a free action (even with the 'instantly' back door); the act of calling upon your 'deepest reserves' is where you spend your action.

It's either no AP or +2 AP/+1 ISP (since the pure psychic energy might be a bit more able to pierce the armor--OTOH, there's a reason tinfoil hats are popular with people who believe in orbital mind-control lasers...).

With no AP, I might even let the invocation require a straight Notice roll by observers to spot who was responsible, if there's no DogBoys, etc, around.

Pender Lumkiss wrote:Hey folks,

So if I am playing a psychic and the gm asks me to describe my bolt power when I cast my 3d6 bolt and I say well this is what it is like. I call upon my deepest reserves to instantly boil the blood of my enemy I target.

What do you say?

I'd say this is a good candidate for a Soul Blast-like trapping that ignores Armor but adds Spirit (or even double Vigor?) to Toughness.

Thanks to VV, Steven, Soren, and Jon for this one

Bio-Manipulation - Paralysis: This trapping can literally paralyze its victim, leaving them aware but unable to do anything. This trapping replaces the raise effect of the Power. On a raise, the victim must also roll Vigor or be incapacitated by being paralyzed. Unlike a normal incapacitation, they are locked rigidly in place, cannot move, take any action, and are considered helpless. Each subsequent round, the victim may roll Vigor to revive to Shaken.

This is based off some creative retrapping of the Neuromace Incapacitation

Initial Post updated

While it would require changing some of my characters I would be in favor of removing the Free Action Trappings in exchange for Edges like Adept for other AB's.

Call it Battle Mage, Psychic Warrior, or whatever. But I can see tribes point as valid. Luckily both the GM's of characters I have with the free action trappings are reasonable.

RFT wrote:While it would require changing some of my characters I would be in favor of removing the Free Action Trappings in exchange for Edges like Adept for other AB's.

Call it Battle Mage, Psychic Warrior, or whatever. But I can see tribes point as valid. Luckily both the GM's of characters I have with the free action trappings are reasonable.

We've done exactly that in a couple of cases already. Psi-Warrior Adept, for example.

Tribe of One wrote:

RFT wrote:While it would require changing some of my characters I would be in favor of removing the Free Action Trappings in exchange for Edges like Adept for other AB's.

Call it Battle Mage, Psychic Warrior, or whatever. But I can see tribes point as valid. Luckily both the GM's of characters I have with the free action trappings are reasonable.

We've done exactly that in a couple of cases already. Psi-Warrior Adept, for example.

The Psi-Warrior works, but they limited it to a single IF.

I would suggest version for each AB.

We did Psi-Warrior as an Edge tree, with a MARS package, although you could build one with a Mind Melter or PCO, as well. I think it's better to build an Adept-like Edge for a specific concept, even if it's not limited to a single IF. So, a "Battle Magus" would be themed toward the FoM OCC, perhaps allowing you to boost the AP of melee weapons instead of unarmed, and with an appropriate list of 5 powers. You might have a separate Adept-like Edge for some other tradition of warlike AB:Magic users.

I also think having a tight theme (and significant prerequisites) gives a little more leeway as far as the powers on the list. The Psi-Warrior Adept, for example, includes telekinesis, which breaks from the mold of mostly buff spells, but it's very appropriate to the Psi-Warrior and plays into the rest of the Edge tree.

The Psi-Warrior is just waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long a chain. There are no optional parts and no branching. Has anyone even built a Psi-Warrior to use in a game?

I've got one built, just need to transfer it over to Supporting Characters. Worked out great, on-par with a Cyber-Knight, with a bit of a different flavor/breadth of skill since she's MARS and starts Seasoned. Once you get the first handful of Edges, nothing's really mandatory and you can go a few different directions. I'll get her posted soon if there's interest.

Tribe of One wrote:I've got one built, just need to transfer it over to Supporting Characters. Worked out great, on-par with a Cyber-Knight, with a bit of a different flavor/breadth of skill since she's MARS and starts Seasoned. Once you get the first handful of Edges, nothing's really mandatory and you can go a few different directions. I'll get her posted soon if there's interest.

I'm interested. The Psi-Warriors always fascinated me in original recipe.

Here's my Psi-Warrior, who still needs background but is otherwise done.

EDIT: I forgot I had a couple of custom trappings for her telekinesis power, which might be of interest:
Telekinetic Shroud: +1 Parry (Just shroud modified to be a -1 to hit in melee = +1 Parry)
Crushing Force: +2 Damage to TK attacks, -2 to rolls for any non-damaging TK actions. (Sacrificing finesse for raw power when tossing/smacking opponents)