Psychic Omni-Sight

[darthauthor]

Can this power be used in doors or underground?

For example, if used in a hotel or building could the psychic rise up through multiple floors. Then they raise or lower themselves to "see" on each floor.

[ShadowLogan]

Nothing prevents it from being used indoors or outdoors, however the text does state "this psionic vision is stopped/contained by walls and other obstacles."-RUE pg181. Other indications also exist that it can be used indoors.

Given the quoted text I would have to say they can't control it to raise/lower through floors/ceilings like you are thinking. They could still end up a floor or two up, but would have their "vision" obscured by the floor and other walls.

[darthauthor]

I want to referee how the power is used correctly without cheating the players.

So the way you are describing how it works, the psychic has to move to each floor to use the power for that floor of the building or underground tunnel/mine shaft.

AND NOT a free for all where the player can sort of astrally levitate themselves up and down between floors to scan two more more floors one at a time.

[ShadowLogan]

Pretty much. If someone is looking for a "scouting" psi-power, Astral Projection (Material Plane) is likely the way to go more than Omni-sight IMHO. First, AP:MP, is slightly cheaper (ISP) for the same duration, though it is slightly longer in terms of prep mediation (4d4 minutes vs 1min). Second it doesn't come with the "sensory distortion" the Omni-Sight power does (you are viewing things in 360deg) and how to manage it. Third in terms of distance covered AP:MP can move at Mach 1 which amounts to 1,126ft/second easily giving the psychic more area they can explore for with the same ISP (Omni-Sight is limited to 500ft radius). Fourth they can pass through walls (so can omni-sight, but since you can move in 3-axis obstacles can be countered if you spend the time). Fifth, Omni-Sight is a Super-Psionic Power which limits which psychics can select the power (more applicable to psychics in general than a specific class).

That isn't to say there aren't drawbacks to AP that don't seem to be an issue for Omni-Sight. So, depending on how much the GM exploits those drawbacks Omni-Sight might be a more preferable selection.

[darthauthor]

Shadow Logon,

You make A LOT of points.

I don't know things unless I compare them.

You make a good argument for Astral Projection

The discussion of it compared to Omni-Sight remind me of the spells Impervious to Fire vs Resist Fire.

Regardless, Psychic Omni-Sight is a canon psychic power.
Those players who have it and use it I must allow them to and GM it as best and fair as I can.

I feel like I would allow players to levate their psychic self up and down to see more than one floor.
I would allow the player to use the infra/thermo vision aspect to see the heat signatures of bodies through walls while not seeing through walls with normal vision.

I feel like Omni sight was intended to be really good for:

1. A guard duty position to spot any one or thing sneaking up on a camp.
Then the psychic alerts the rest of the adventure party via telepathy and directs them with details:

A. Number of baddies
B. Where abouts relative to the parties position.
C. Use See Aura to telepathically tell the party if the bad guy is human, psychic, supernatural, is a spell caster.

This power greatest advantages (some might thing exclusive ) are when the party is surrounded in darkness, FOG or some sort of cloud obscuring the too many of one adventure parties vision. All while sort of playing hide and go seek with enemies looking to get you or get away from you.

D. IF one were a scout or even a military commander the position of being up above the field of battle while commuicating to your officers and senior NCO's ought to be an excellent vantage point from which to direct one's army.

F. Also, they can use telekinesis to trip them up or something; smack them in the face to distract them. Nudge the enemies rifle to make them miss their sniper shot.
The use of "Empathic Transmission" could confuse and scare off soldiers on the field of battle. Use it on one's allies to calm them down or get them angry before a fight

In my mind, theory, they can spot the hidden sniper 500 feet away or less because they see 360 degrees everywhere.

2. A quicker way to search for people, animals, and things.
So after the fight, they can Omni-sight the battle field for loot, people playing dead, hiding, etc.
When you loose you car keys or handgun somewhere in a field at night.
Helpful if you are a police detective or CSI guy looking for clue and want to get it done in minutes instead of days.

3. A quick way to find secret compartments and electronic listening devices. So the psychic would be hired to "sweap" a room or something for "bugs" or you are searching a theif's house for their hiding spots are for the things they have stolen.

To me, Omni-sight is about being able to SEE where every "thing" and one is around you (hidden, hiding, invisible, lost, etc). With a label like OMNI it sounds obvious but you can't see through walls so it is, to me, misleading. Like the spell, Create Steel, it doesn't actual create steel it recycle metal in an environmentally safe and quick way.

Writing of quick, It takes a minute to do it (compared to Astral projection ave. 10 minutes) but you get to stay in it for 5 minutes per level.
So ONE of its advantages is how long you get to use it.

The BEST place to use it is where you can get the energy and boosts from a ley line or a nexus; increasing its range and duration. With the ley line providing the psychic with an unlimited amount of ISP with which to use telepathy and telekinesis.

IF a Major Psychic had to fight ALONE, in theory a Psychic could wear a Northern Gun stealth suit to conceal their body heat and such. Camouflage up. Do their best to disguise themselves as a bush or log or something. All the while they continuously keep themselves in Psychic OMNI sight. Then use SUPER telekinesis to attack. ALL while in the area of effect of a ley line other wise they would be out of energy in 1 round.

In theory, a Dog Boy or Psi-Stalker could find the psychic but IF they are in the area of influence of a ley line they ability to detect and locate the psychic would be severly impeded. Even then, they would have to see through the camouflage with Detect Concealment or something.

Of course, these R.C.C.s would have Sixth Sense and would not be surprised.
Also, all the had to do was leave the area.
But, hey, don't mess with master psychics near a ley line nexus when you are not one yourself (or a spell caster).

[Stone Gargoyle]

Why ask your question if you are just going to ignore the rules as written? Because that is what you are doing by posting how you would make your house rules. The abilities as written are meant to limit how they are used.

[Soldier of Od]

You can only rise 10-20 feet above your body, so you certainly can't go up (or down) all the floors of a building or mine. I would personally allow someone to travel through a ceiling to see the floor directly above if that did not contravene the 10-20 feet movement limit.
You could also use the power in that way if, for instance, you were locked in a box or a truck and wanted to see where you were/what was outside.

[darthauthor]

Soldier of Od,

That's a good idea.

[darthauthor]

If some one tries to possess the psyhic while they are using the "Psychic Omni-Sight" Power do they get a save?

[Stone Gargoyle]

Given that saving throws do not require an action and are not considered a psychic ability, I would say of course the psychic using Omni-Sight would be able to save vs. possession. Why wouldn't they? If the saving throw failed, the Omni-Sight would not be able to be used by the possessing individual, as possession does not give someone the use of the possessed person's psionic abilities.

[ShadowLogan]

If some one tries to possess the psyhic while they are using the "Psychic Omni-Sight" Power do they get a save?

Astral Projection has the drawback that it leaves the body vulnerable to possession as a potential consequence and implies the body doesn't get a saving throw while the "spirit form" is out galivanting. What is not stated is if Omni-Sight leaves the host body this vulnerable or not.

I am inclined to say the host body under Omni-Sight is not as vulnerable as the Astral Projection power for a few reasons that would allow it to make a Save where you don't with AP:
1. No text mentions this potential danger when using this power
2. The power has a higher ISP cost than AP, but is far more restrictive in what can be done so I'm inclined to think an unstated feature is the body is not as vulnerable to possession as AP.
3. Given the short range of Omni-Sight, it's possible you will see any approaching entity and can return to the body faster than it will take to cover the distance.

[darthauthor]

Thanks ShadowLogan

Thanks Stone Gargoyle,

Question:
You write, "possession does not give someone the use of the possessed person's psionic abilities."

In the use of the power, "Mentally Possess Others," when a psychic uses this power, do they get to use the rest of their powers?
Or are they are they "just" able to use the physical abilities of the body they are possessing?
Example:
A Mind Melter possesses a guard to rescue his adventure party from a town sheriff's jail cell.
So he's walking around in the body of the deputy body.
Another deputy tries to stop him.
Does he loses his psychic power of "Sixth Sense" which would tell him he's about to be in danger?
Also, while in the body of the deputy, his power of "Psychic Body Field" and "Psi-Sword?"

[Stone Gargoyle]

According to my source, HU2, Mentally Possess Others (page 312) does not grant the possessing individual and of the possessed person's knowledge, which I assume also means psionic abilities. Only the physical body is controlled, like a robot, and the controlling psychic uses their own mind and psychic abilities, not the controlled person's. Therefore, if you are controlling a person who has Omni-Sight but you yourself do not have it, you cannot use it. This differs from the Transferral/Possession superability in which the possessing being loses their abilities and can only use those of the possessed person (HU2 page 295). I am not sure why they differ, but as a psychic you don't get granted the controlled mind's abilities.