Forums of the Megaverse®

mimic skills (PU1) lets you mimic another's skill for a time. Can you mimic a spell (let's say you ARE a spellcaster) and cast it? Also, can you mimic another's hand-to-hand skill (at their level)?

Also, isn't there a spell that allows you to mimic or steal another's knowledge?

Also, range is touch or line of vision: could you copy the skills of someone you are remote viewing? watching on tv? watching a video tape or youtube video of? (Like Taskmaster from Marvel)

barna10 wrote:mimic skills (PU1) lets you mimic another's skill for a time. Can you mimic a spell (let's say you ARE a spellcaster) and cast it? Also, can you mimic another's hand-to-hand skill (at their level)?

No a spell is not a skill.
mimic another persons HTH? at their level? Depends on how the power reads... but I dont see an issue with it.

barna10 wrote:Also, isn't there a spell that allows you to mimic or steal another's knowledge?

I cant recall a spell that does that right at the moment... but there is a psionic power that does (Brain Bleeder power to be specific).

barna10 wrote:Also, range is touch or line of vision: could you copy the skills of someone you are remote viewing? watching on tv? watching a video tape or youtube video of? (Like Taskmaster from Marvel)

That would be a GM call.

Damian Magecraft wrote:

barna10 wrote:mimic skills (PU1) lets you mimic another's skill for a time. Can you mimic a spell (let's say you ARE a spellcaster) and cast it? Also, can you mimic another's hand-to-hand skill (at their level)?

No a spell is not a skill.
mimic another persons HTH? at their level? Depends on how the power reads... but I dont see an issue with it.

barna10 wrote:Also, isn't there a spell that allows you to mimic or steal another's knowledge?

I cant recall a spell that does that right at the moment... but there is a psionic power that does (Brain Bleeder power to be specific).

barna10 wrote:Also, range is touch or line of vision: could you copy the skills of someone you are remote viewing? watching on tv? watching a video tape or youtube video of? (Like Taskmaster from Marvel)

That would be a GM call.

Thanks for the input!

No, spells are not skills.
IMO No, fighting skills are at least 50% muscle memory.

There is a spell that lets a mage Give a skill/knowledge for a time.

For other avenues for taking skills I would look at the Mind Bleeder powers.

drewkitty ~..~ wrote:No, fighting skills are at least 50% muscle memory.

Mimic Skills isn't limited to just mental skills, so why would this matter? Not being argumentative, just curious.

The Necro spell Consume Power & Knowledge gives you all the skills of a person (at 60% proficiency)... But you have to eat their brain.

barna10 wrote:Also, can you mimic another's hand-to-hand skill (at their level)?

The book says...

Limitations: Non-combat skills only.

... So that would be a no.

Tinker Dragoon wrote:

barna10 wrote:Also, can you mimic another's hand-to-hand skill (at their level)?

The book says...

Limitations: Non-combat skills only.

... So that would be a no.

Doh! Thanks!

On the "Non-Combat Skills Only" limitation, does this make sense to you (the reader)? Why not "no physical skills"? Why single out combat skills? Learning Ballet, Gymnastics, or Acrobatics takes just as long or longer than learning most hand to hand skills and they are just as intricate if not more so.

barna10 wrote:On the "Non-Combat Skills Only" limitation, does this make sense to you (the reader)? Why not "no physical skills"? Why single out combat skills? Learning Ballet, Gymnastics, or Acrobatics takes just as long or longer than learning most hand to hand skills and they are just as intricate if not more so.

Typically restrictions such as this are for some perceived balance issue or another.

Oddly, I cannot locate this power in my copy of Powers Unlimited 1 (first printing), so I can't speak with much authority on it.
If the the character is also a suitable magic user, I would allow spell mimicry, as they are learned and taught, and are not a physical skill. Tough I would likely have it limited to the range that the character can also sense the magics involved.

As noted, combat skills and physical skills are out. It seems this power focuses on mental skills. Also, there is a whole other power for mimicry of combat skills.

Since I don't have the skill in front of me, I cannot say for certain, but if it does simply say 'line of vision' without any range indications, then I would say that it could very well be possible to mimic from remote viewing, or even recordings.

Seriously, why isn't this in my copy of the book?

It should be in the psionics section at the back, specifically page 91.

I can understand the play balance argument, but it is it really a valid argument? Would copying another's combat skills really be over-powering? If you were to allow mimicking combat skills, wouldn't it just a limited version of the Natural Combat Ability Super Power?

Logically, combat skills are no more intensive than other physical skills (Acrobatics, Gymnastics, etc.). Also, many non-physical skills would also incorporate large amounts of muscle memory (surgery, playing a musical instrument, pottery, etc.). I don't see a logical argument against mimicking combat skills.

Spells have been ruled to NOT be skills and therefore cannot be mimicked.