Mind Melter OCC

[Brionic]

Hey there everybody, I'm looking for some starting powers advice for my characters, it will be Rifts Ultimate edition only , so my choices are pretty limited.

Guess the concept that I'm going for, is not trying to be the best at combat, because quite honestly someone else on my group can take care of that, just want enough to survive and be able to be decent in most situations (out of combat, in combat etc...) .

Also as a sidenote, Mind Bolt seems to be a pretty terrible, Super Psionic power for the cost (mega damage I mean).

[Tor]

Mind Bolt makes up in range and invisibility what it doesn't provide in damage? What are you comparing it to, Pyrokinesis?

TK Force Field is good for you and allies' survival while the other guy in the group takes care of engaging the enemy.

[Mack]

You're right about Mind Bolt. It is very much a niche power that most players don't find useful.

As for suggestions, here's a few I recommend. However, please take my suggestions (and everyone else's) with a grain of salt. Everybody's playstyle is different.

Physical
Deaden Senses - good for sneaking around.
Mind Block - for obvious reasons.
Telekinesis - good for moving small objects. You can get pretty creative with this.

Sensitive
Astral Projection - outstanding ability for scouting around the local area.
Object Read - depending on the type of game you're in, this can be handy.
Remote Viewing - good for checking in on people/places.
See Aura - great power. Always useful to know more about who/what you're dealing with.
Sixth Sense - good power, depending on how your GM runs it. I've heard of a few variations, so I suggesting checking your GM's interpretation prior to picking it.
Telepathy - good for eavesdropping and communicating.

Super
Bio-Manipulation - outstanding power because you can paralyze someone at 160 feet. This becomes so useful that after a while you have to make a conscious decision NOT to use it all the time.
Empathetic Transmission - easiest way to win any argument / debate.
Psionic Invisibility - again, very good for sneaking around.
Psychic Body Field - starts off pretty weak (only 10 MDC per level), but at later levels becomes a decent "oh crap" power.
Telekinesis (Super) - No this isn't redundant with the physical version. This is much more powerful and can inflict MD. You'll find times when each is appropriate, and having both allows you to save some ISP.
Telekinetic Acceleration Attack - your best bang for the buck for an instant ranged MD attack power.
Telekinetic Force Field - can be used a few different ways in combat. Either protect someone, or put it around an opponent to take him out of the battle for the moment.
Telemechanics (all 4) - depends on your game, but can be very useful.

Yes, I skipped Healing. Other than the basics (Bio-regen, Healing Touch, Increased Healing) I don't find these as useful. Blame all the MD weapons in Rifts.

Yes, I left Psi-Sword off the list. I always found the 15 second "start up time" to cancel any benefit. Besides, Mind Melters are not melee fighters.

Your mileage may vary.

[boxee]

Great advice Mack!

[say652]

My most hated pc to GM...
Any whoooo.
Super.
Bio-Manipulation of course, Tk Forcefield to shield you or your buddy, Telemechanics use any machine,

minor.
Healing touch, Bio-Regeneration, Exorcism, see the invisible.
Clairvoyance, Sixth sense, Telepathy, Astral projection.
Tk punch.
Tk leap.
Mind block.
Teleport object.

[Brionic]

Hmmm a lot of great advice all around.

[Shark_Force]

group mind block by some interpretations allows you to prevent enemies from using any psionics at all. it's a pretty dubious interpretation, mind you (dubious in terms of intent, not in terms of rules... rules-wise it's perfectly clear).

to the above, i would add the super psionic post-hypnotic suggestion. can be really useful.

[Tor]

You're right about Mind Bolt. It is very much a niche power that most players don't find useful.

Only if 'most players' mean 'players in a high powered game' I guess, which is probably a trend for Rifts.

It is an incredibly useful power, getting upset that it doesn't let you vapourize a guy in MDC armor is like getting mad at Energy Bolt doing SDC instead of MD.

In this case, you have this invisible assault tool... it's just great.

You don't need a super-psionic power to do SDC damage from afar using psionics, this can be done using Ectoplasm or whipping objects using TK. But in either of those cases, there are visual indicators as to what's going on.

Mind Bolts are just (presumably, as I've seen no indicator of them being seen) invisible... for all you know the reason the guy's head is being knocked back (assuming it creates a kinetic impact at all, a bit unclear there) is that he's having a seizure.

HU2's choice of adjacent imagery suggests Mind Bolts might be visible (page 312) so I'm not totally sure though. I don't know how reliable this is though... the picture on 314 admist TK Force Field is clearly for that... the energy lines on 310 amidst Electrokinesis is clearly for that... same with the page 302 image for Flaot...

but guy holding the Dead Boy Armor on page 308 (strong HU specific image choice) I have no idea if that's supposed to be Telepathy... Sixth Sense... probably not Speed Reading / Total Recall

The image on page 303 is also odd. Shows guy falling off a tree branch as best I can make out... does that mean Telekinesis can push people off ledges?

[say652]

I found the best way to use psionics to me is use weapons for damage and psionics for as many useful things as possible.

one thing I have realy noticed is healing is pretty much psi property.

[VR Dragon]

There are a badic set of powers i always advise off the bat.

TK-force field, empathic transfer or bio-manipulation, and super-tk.

I also ask the GM if I can upgrade the standard mindblock power for the expense of a second minor power pick. They normally accept it, i'm not sure why they don't do that as part of their starting powers.

[kaid]

Psionics have always been a bit weird. Some are just super good and efficient its hard not to use them as your answer to nearly any combat need such as bio manipulation. Really no amount of damage done offsets totally taking somebody out of combat for a fairly long period of time at a decent range for a modest ISP cost. Once somebody is totally paralyzed if you do find the need to finish them off you can pretty much do so at your leisure.

Some like mind bolt are just really inefficient ISP cost wise for what they do. There are a few edge cases where it can be useful but its generally not worth the super psionic choice if you can pick anything else.

A lot of psionic powers are more useful in the non combat aspects of the game swaying people to your point of view, getting assistance from locals, lifting things at a distance unseen things of that nature.

I would always recommend bio manipulation for everybody who can select it. The versatility/power/efficiency is pretty much un matched, Then if you have other super choices super TK, TK body field, are great choices. Even at low levels the 10 MDC per level from the TK body field is still something that will take a hit to keep you from going splat and over the course of an adventure even blipping up your 10 MDC shield over time works like multiple sets of body armor you don't need to buy/replace.

[Incriptus]

I treat psionics in rifts like I would a martial artist in real life ... they have great power on the street, but when they go to war, they get a gun like everyone else

As others have said Bio-Manip is painfully good.
Telekensis has it's time and place
Telekmechanics can go from painfully good to mearly good depending on the GM
Again a GM interpertation but Mind bolt may be the best "Im in a city and murder someone" power
I have a soft spot for TK accelleration attack (my character had a means of doubling its damage)

Sixth Sense and Object Read can break a game
Never underestimate astral projection


I think the most important mindset to adopt is that psionics are not for open warfare, that technology's game.

[Tor]

Some like mind bolt are just really inefficient ISP cost wise for what they do.

Compared to what? Are we overlooking any other invisible ranged damage effects to compare them to?

The Noro Mystic Warrior can do better, but that's because it's their unique psionic OCC ability that they specifically train to accomplish. Mind Bolt seems fine for something that a first level mind melter or 4th level mystic could end up having.

I would always recommend bio manipulation for everybody who can select it. The versatility/power/efficiency is pretty much un matched.

Mind Bolt will have a better range by 2nd level, and most people won't know it's coming to be able to try to avoid it with a dodge until we explicitly know it's visible.

[Hannibal]

I'm surprised no one has put up Hypnotic Suggestion. It's truly one of the most powerful psychic powers in the game and is fun to play with. Having trouble with that pesky mage that wants to carpet of adhesion you or toss you in web? "I'm not a threat, you don't want to cast any magic on me."

I agree with those who have listed astral projection and object read as very high utility. Mask ISP/Psionics is good to help you blend in. Telepathy is a solid choice.

I usually skip basic telekinesis and take Super Telekinesis. Having trouble with that pesky juicer that's trying to shoot you or dice you up? Pick him up and put him in timeout, facing away from you, til he learns to behave. Or you shoot him in the back of the head.

Bio-manipulate is fun and is a good "offensive" power (looking at you, paralysis).

I think the one downside with psychics is the relatively high power cost to the average ISP pools available. See if you can needle a few extra ISP out of your GM

[kaid]

Some like mind bolt are just really inefficient ISP cost wise for what they do.

Compared to what? Are we overlooking any other invisible ranged damage effects to compare them to?

The Noro Mystic Warrior can do better, but that's because it's their unique psionic OCC ability that they specifically train to accomplish. Mind Bolt seems fine for something that a first level mind melter or 4th level mystic could end up having.

I would always recommend bio manipulation for everybody who can select it. The versatility/power/efficiency is pretty much un matched.

Mind Bolt will have a better range by 2nd level, and most people won't know it's coming to be able to try to avoid it with a dodge until we explicitly know it's visible.

The biggest problem with mind bolt is not the damage or the range it is the 40ISP per usage. At low levels if your rolls are not great you can do it only a few times then you are totally spent. Given that level of cost the damage then becomes an issue because unless you are attacking somebody who is totally un armored it does not matter if they dodge it or not you are unlikely to kill anything even in plastic man armor with it before you run yourself out of ISP.

I would tend to use sub partial acceleration sure they will see it and hear it but it at least has the potential for hurting armored targets and taking one out without bleeding yourself dry ISP before they drop.

In general unless you are something like a burster or some specialty psi user pure damage dealing with psi powers is rarely a good idea. They tend to do much better incapacitating/disabling/controlling targets to remove them from the fight than they do pure toe to toe slug fest.

Well that is unless you are a TK freak then fine go toe to toe and rip mechs apart with your mind.

[say652]

Tk punch is relatively cheap.

[Mack]

Tk punch is relatively cheap.

Not if you're trying to inflict MD.

[Tor]

The biggest problem with mind bolt is not the damage or the range it is the 40ISP per usage. At low levels if your rolls are not great you can do it only a few times then you are totally spent. Given that level of cost the damage then becomes an issue because unless you are attacking somebody who is totally un armored it does not matter if they dodge it or not you are unlikely to kill anything even in plastic man armor with it before you run yourself out of ISP.

The power's clearly more oriented towards assassasination, taking out unarmored guys, yeah. It's more efficient to use a gun. However that will cost you money to recharge the clip. Wise use of Mind Bolt will save you money and probably be an untraceable assault.

Who says you need to kill a guy all in one go?

2 MD per day inflicted to a Plastic Man suit when the guy has no idea where the damage is coming from will add up.

In general unless you are something like a burster or some specialty psi user pure damage dealing with psi powers is rarely a good idea. They tend to do much better incapacitating/disabling/controlling targets to remove them from the fight than they do pure toe to toe slug fest.

A Burster (or even basic Pyrokinesis with RUE giving it MD capability) using a Fireball is certainly more efficient ISP:damage than a Mind Bolt.

Mind Bolt soon gets no-compete range and isn't conspicuously showing everyone who is attacking like fireballs from hands/head do.

Seems like a great covert ops thing. It can save a bit of ammo in stand-up fights but in those you don't have to worry so much about subterfuge so you may as well shoot a gun.

[Shark_Force]

mind bolt does not win at range. super TK has just as much range, and with equivalent ISP provides something like triple damage but for one minute per level. alternately, with the right preparation, super TK deals one melee weapon's worth of damage per level with only 10 ISP for one minute per level.

the *only* thing it has is that it is hard to detect where the shot came from. it simply costs way too much for what it does.

[Tor]

Super TK requires you to either have heavy objects around to chuck or MD melee weapons around to chuck, they may not always be available. Admittedly when that's there, it is pretty good. For the cost of a 2D4 MD mind bolt you can throw 400lbs around which would produce 100dmg on average (2d4x10 is average 50). Of course that means just under half your attacks won't hurt enough to harm something MDC. It might be more fair to say 50 ISP as base of comparison, give Mind Bolt the Strike bonus.

Complications could arise regarding what it is you are using though. Is it your car? If so, the guy might just single-shot your SDC car to remove your weapon. If you throw a vibro knife, someone could probably parry it, whereas I don't think you could necessarily parry a mind bolt, only dodge it.

I'd also apply the penalty for dodging invisible things (prob -8) unless we're otherwise told Mind Bolts are visible. Would be a nice balancing factor compared to superTK.

*coming to appreciate how scary the Psionic Booster Implant (Psyscape 152) plus 'Master of Telekinesis' Eruptor Implant (Psyscape 153) combo is*

[Shark_Force]

super TK does 2d4x10 per 100 lbs of object, but it has another entry in the body of the text; 1d4 MD (i had recalled 1d6 which is why i thought triple; it's actually double) per 100 lbs of huge solid object (wood, stone, and metal are all mentioned as possibilities). presumably the first entry is for hitting people with relatively "soft" objects (like other people, which are explicitly mentioned as not being sufficient for dealing MD).

and yeah, you have to have such things around, but it isn't like wood, stone, and metal are uncommon things to have around. especially if you aren't an idiot and plan to have the perfect object around for it (that is, as a mind melter who relies on having large heavy solid objects around to fight with, you really should carry around a large heavy solid object with you so that you don't have to rely on less-than-ideal materials).

so no, half your attacks are not doing less than 1 MD. all of your attacks are doing double. or, if you have to settle for less suitable objects, you might only get between 2d4 and 3d4 damage, still all at equal range, and still lasting for 1 2 minutes per level instead of one single attack.

mind bolt is accurate, and subtle. that's all it has going for it. not nearly enough to justify the ISP cost. assuming 4 attacks per round, a mind melter can deal equal damage for 32 attacks per level at half the cost. or double the damage per attack for the same duration for equal cost.

that's just silly. now, if mind bolt had some sort of advantage like, say, targeting the mind rather than the body (and dealing damage straight to hit points like the mental blast spell does), yeah it'd be totally worth the cost. still probably a less efficient method of defeating enemies than bio-manipulation, but a much better way of killing them (bio-manipulation actually can kill people inside their armour without hurting their gear though... it just takes a *really* long time. note that the pain option deals 1 damage to hit points per minute of duration, so if you chuck 40 ISP into bio-manipulation you're inflicting 24d4 damage direct to hit points... eventually. if they fail their save, of course. this will in fact kill most people quite handily, unless they have some means of protection or rapid healing available).

[Killer Cyborg]

Hey there everybody, I'm looking for some starting powers advice for my characters, it will be Rifts Ultimate edition only , so my choices are pretty limited.

Guess the concept that I'm going for, is not trying to be the best at combat, because quite honestly someone else on my group can take care of that, just want enough to survive and be able to be decent in most situations (out of combat, in combat etc...) .

Also as a sidenote, Mind Bolt seems to be a pretty terrible, Super Psionic power for the cost (mega damage I mean).

Psychic powers aren't as good at dealing raw damage as magic spells or technology.
But they're also harder to take away.

[Killer Cyborg]

[quote="Tor"]Mind Bolts are just (presumably, as I've seen no indicator of them being seen) invisible... /quote]

No indication that they're invisible either.
There have been arguments about that one in the past.

[kaid]

The biggest problem with mind bolt is not the damage or the range it is the 40ISP per usage. At low levels if your rolls are not great you can do it only a few times then you are totally spent. Given that level of cost the damage then becomes an issue because unless you are attacking somebody who is totally un armored it does not matter if they dodge it or not you are unlikely to kill anything even in plastic man armor with it before you run yourself out of ISP.

The power's clearly more oriented towards assassasination, taking out unarmored guys, yeah. It's more efficient to use a gun. However that will cost you money to recharge the clip. Wise use of Mind Bolt will save you money and probably be an untraceable assault.

Who says you need to kill a guy all in one go?

2 MD per day inflicted to a Plastic Man suit when the guy has no idea where the damage is coming from will add up.

In general unless you are something like a burster or some specialty psi user pure damage dealing with psi powers is rarely a good idea. They tend to do much better incapacitating/disabling/controlling targets to remove them from the fight than they do pure toe to toe slug fest.

A Burster (or even basic Pyrokinesis with RUE giving it MD capability) using a Fireball is certainly more efficient ISP:damage than a Mind Bolt.

Mind Bolt soon gets no-compete range and isn't conspicuously showing everyone who is attacking like fireballs from hands/head do.

Seems like a great covert ops thing. It can save a bit of ammo in stand-up fights but in those you don't have to worry so much about subterfuge so you may as well shoot a gun.

The problem with it as a covert item and that is indeed its best likely use is that somebody just exploding out of nowhere is going to instantly start people hunting for psychics or magic users and while its range is not bad you still have to be pretty darn close to use it. Honestly for assassination for a mind melter why not just hand somebody a concealable laser pistol that the target trusts and either do a mental suggestion of this guy murdered your dog/sister/cat whatever and let somebody else do your work for you. Or if you don't trust that will get the job done just mental possess other do the killing and then release control.

Given their mental control/suggestion options why get close enough to a target to use mind bolt when you have other even more stealthy options to avoid being close at all when the ball drops.

[kaid]

Mind Bolts are just (presumably, as I've seen no indicator of them being seen) invisible... /quote]

No indication that they're invisible either.
There have been arguments about that one in the past.

I always went with them being invisible because really for 40 ISP limited range and meager damage it simply has to have some reason to exist and the stealth kill shot on unprotected people is a viable niche that may be worth the cost. If it is visible then you may as well simply delete it from the game as it has no purpose.

[Tor]

super TK does 2d4x10 per 100 lbs of object
it has another entry in the body of the text; 1d4 MD
(i had recalled 1d6 which is why i thought triple; it's actually double)
per 100 lbs of huge solid object (wood, stone, and metal are all mentioned as possibilities).
presumably the first entry is for hitting people with relatively "soft" objects (like other people, which are explicitly mentioned as not being sufficient for dealing MD).

Did you mean to write 1d4x10 in the first part? Can't see 2d4x1 anywhere.

You're right about the 1d4 MD/100, listed at the start of 183 of RUE, didn't realize that super TK got a power-boost in RUE, had heard of Pyrokinesis getting one but not that.

All we know is wood/stone/metal and 'not people'. I would make an exception for people who are APS stone/metal/wood though. Also any MDC beings who look particularly hard, anything with exoskeleton like Xiticix for sure. It doesn't even say this has to be MDC metal/stone/wood so if even SDC hard stuff can do it, most MDC stuff could too, I figure.

So yeah, as of now, you can inflict MD for 10 ISP, that definitely boosts superTK up. Guess Mind Melters are now 10x more powerful.

I would think throwing something SDC with enough force to inflict MD would probably destroy the object though, so that's at least one possible balancing factor. Even MDC objects probably shouldn't be able to inflict MD without taking some themself. I realize PA/bots can do this via punching without taking damage, but where that's possible I think they are designed to take the stress whereas randomly thrown MDC stuff wouldn't be. Maybe something like "thrown heavy objects take 1/4 the damage they inflict" ?

Considering that Pyrokinesis (poor Hydro, maybe make that and the original SDC versions of electro/pyro mere 'physical' psi like they are in Nightbane?) got a blatent power-boost, as a house-rule I'd give one to Mind Bolt as well. A direct SDC>MD conversion happened for the fire ball/pillar/wall so you could just convert the SDC that Mind Bolt does to MD and ignore the 40 ISP version. That would make it more efficient than SuperTK on a single attack but SuperTK would still be more efficient in the long run since you can keep whipping stuff around for a duration.

The only problem with this is: you would then have to increase the Mind Blast power of the Noro Mystic Warrior (phase world 64) to be higher damage, since it is supposed to be more powerful. Or alternatively, increase the ISP costs of Mind Bolt.

Maybe instead of a direct SDC>MD (x100) a x10 would be a little more balanced. This would allow you to do MD by spending 12 ISP but even the 20 ISP version couldn't touch the Mind Blast of the NMW. I'd ignore the 40 ISP version in this case too. Damage doubling on a nexus would also give the 8 ISP version a chance to do MD on a good roll.

The problem with it as a covert item and that is indeed its best likely use is that somebody just exploding out of nowhere is going to instantly start people hunting for psychics or magic users

and if there are multiple psychics, how will they determine who is guilty?

while its range is not bad you still have to be pretty darn close to use it.

not a problem if they don't know you're the one doing it

Honestly for assassination for a mind melter why not just hand somebody a concealable laser pistol that the target trusts and either do a mental suggestion of this guy murdered your dog/sister/cat whatever and let somebody else do your work for you.

Laser pistols are expensive. Concealed laser pistols are even more expensive. It may be possible to read the mind of or interrogate the person who received a suggestion or trust/intimidation and find out who put them up to it. You could get around this if you manage to mind-wipe them in time or if they are killed in response to the assassination. Melters can't get Wipe 'til 3rd though, so it's an advanced tactic.

Or if you don't trust that will get the job done just mental possess other do the killing and then release control.

That's certainly safer since it would be harder to find out who possessed someone than it is to figure out who gave a suggestion/trust. MPO has a range of touch though (makes me wonder how the Psi-Slayer in Psyscape pulled it off...) and also can't be selected by Melters until 3rd though.

[say652]

Do G.I. Joe rules apply to TK Forcefield? ?

[Killer Cyborg]

I always went with them being invisible because really for 40 ISP limited range and meager damage it simply has to have some reason to exist and the stealth kill shot on unprotected people is a viable niche that may be worth the cost. If it is visible then you may as well simply delete it from the game as it has no purpose.

I get what you're saying, but I think that the ability to be bound hand and foot, naked in a prison cell, and still be able to kill a person or a brick wall with your mind isn't pointless.

Besides, if nothing else, it's decent against vampires.

[Morik]

Electrokinesis is underrated. Being able to locate hidden listening devices/cameras, vibro-blades, pocket derringers, bionic/cybernetics, is handy for the paranoid/cautious player.

This is also great for finding caches of equipment buried. Computers behind a hidden door. Just follow the tingles.

Then either turning on the safeties to such weapons, turning the setting to less than lethal (SDC) or auto ejecting the clips will give you an edge.

Sight is not a requirement for manipulation.

Overall adds great versatility to your Melter.

[Tor]

Do we know which weapons have features like a digital auto-eject as opposed to a manual human-powered eject?

Does make sense about switching fire modes where possible.

Guessing you could turn off something like laser targetting although a lot of rifles (even pistols) would have a range that could put them outside the power pretty easily.

Do you think you could just turn off a vibro blade or neural mace so it doesn't work?

It mentions you can turn off light switches. I assume this doesn't mean that you physically flip the switch (like TK) just that you alter watever the switch controls. In that case it would seem like it should work for vibro-blades as well.

Could they turn off a pacemaker or a bionic heart?

This has me thinking about turning off vehicles or bots but that could be stretching things considering Psyscape introducing Telemechanic Paralysis.

For those liking the Electrokinesis, a reminder of the Zapper in Psyscape and the Kinetic in NightbaneWB1: Between the Shadows. 1 in 4 Psi-X aliens are also guaranteed to have the power.

[kaid]

I always went with them being invisible because really for 40 ISP limited range and meager damage it simply has to have some reason to exist and the stealth kill shot on unprotected people is a viable niche that may be worth the cost. If it is visible then you may as well simply delete it from the game as it has no purpose.

I get what you're saying, but I think that the ability to be bound hand and foot, naked in a prison cell, and still be able to kill a person or a brick wall with your mind isn't pointless.

Besides, if nothing else, it's decent against vampires.

It is sort of pointless when there are about 2 or 3 other super psi powers that would all do the same thing but with more damage and more efficiently and two of those have multiple other effects that can also be used in addition to the pure damage aspect.

Given the limited nature of a low level mind melters super psi picks mind bolt even if invisible is a pretty questionable pick and if its not invisible then its not viable at all to pick. If you just got it for free above and beyond any of your other selections than sure maybe you can find the one situation in your characters life where it is better than other options but its not worth giving up a precious super psi slot for it.

As for hurting vampires given a vampires bio regen rate and the fact that a PSI attack cannot actually kill one all it would do in that case is annoy them for a minute or less and then run you out of ISP so you can no longer use more potentially life saving powers to defend yourself from the now mildly annoyed vampire.

[Tor]

Maybe instead of boosting the damage, Mind Bolt could be house-ruled a range increase (say 200/level) so it has a distinct advantage over TK for long-range damage-peppering. Maybe also an option like the Kittani sniper-Lance where you can opt to half the range and double the damage.

Since the Mind Blast of the Noro-Mystic Warrior never got any range assigned to it, would give it the same or better.

[say652]

I keep it as is but, allow characters using astral projection to use this ability.

[Tor]

I guess astral guys can't use TK then? I recall some kind of 'sensitive only' bit with them somewhere though I never understood it. Exceptions existed with Astral Avengers though I think.

[Shark_Force]

there is no "sensitive powers only" clause. there is a statement that astral beings use sensitive powers to communicate with the regular world, but the actual rule on what powers you can use while astrally projecting is anything with a range greater than touch. you could certainly make the argument that you can only use sensitive powers (it is at least somewhat implied), but there is no explicit rule.

[kaid]

Maybe instead of boosting the damage, Mind Bolt could be house-ruled a range increase (say 200/level) so it has a distinct advantage over TK for long-range damage-peppering. Maybe also an option like the Kittani sniper-Lance where you can opt to half the range and double the damage.

Since the Mind Blast of the Noro-Mystic Warrior never got any range assigned to it, would give it the same or better.

That or just halve the ISP cost. Super TK to do more damage is around 20 ISP as is sub particle acceleration, and I believe electro/pyro kinesis.

Its range is already pretty decent one of the longer ranged psi powers as is it is just hideously inefficient for the damage it does. Putting it to 20 ISP would mean its still a pretty weak attack but one you could at least use a reasonable amount of times before going out of ISP.

Still even with that not really sure I would pick it over electro/pyro kinesis or super TK or sub particle acceleration. Frankly if I want to take a pure combat PSI power with no other frills sub particle acclereation seems pardon the pun a no brainer compared to mind blast. Electro/pyro kinesis have a lot of other abilities in addition to their damage dealing and super TK is also highly versatile and capable of doing reasonable damage as well.

[Shark_Force]

been thinking about this, and i'm gonna throw an idea out there:

what if you could make a called shot for free with it? combined with reduced cost (preferably drastically reduced imo), and possibly an increase in damage, it could see some value for taking out weapons and such; any SDC object will be easily destroyed by 2d4 MD, so you could easily use it on regular firearms, and you could also rule that it has a chance to just knock any object out of your hands if you don't have a certain amount of supernatural PS.

it would still be a very niche power, but at least it would have a slightly larger niche.

[flatline]

Sub particle acceleration is a spell. Are you thinking of TK acceleration attack?

[Tor]

Halving ISP cost sounds good since it's all multiples of 2, I'd also like to see range-doubling and damage-doubling (perhaps quadrupling) as well. Just so long as the max MD is less than that of the Noro Mystic Warrior's Mind Blast it'd be in perspective.

[Kagashi]

I find Mind Bolt underutilized in Rifts. Even if you are going max damage (which admittedly is costly in terms of ISP), having a totally invisible, instant bolt of mega damage force with no detectable point of origin can be extremely useful when assassinating an unarmored target in a crowded room.

Most people look at Mind Bolt for its cost per MD point ratio and think it immediately sucks because they would just use some sort of tech pistol for greater damage and range with a basic WP Pistol for better bonuses in toe to toe combat...but a Mind Melter isnt a front line troop. Use him for what he is: An assassin, a dominator, a manipulator. And if that character were to find himself in toe to toe combat, use that WP Pistol just like a typical grunt would!

[say652]

Astral projection.
An invisible ghostlike character passes through walls and flies mach one.
And if you allow them to use mindbolt....one of the most efficient assassins ever. Lol

[Shark_Force]

even if the mindbolt is invisible, the effects aren't. there isn't really a huge difference between a mindbolt with an indeterminate source and an object (or objects) being wielded with super TK that also has an indeterminate source.

either way, there is no physical evidence to connect the source of the attack to the attack. it doesn't matter whether the attack is a couple of floating vibro-blades or an invisible bolt of force. especially if you're using it to hit someone unarmored, there won't be time to track the source (and with super telekinesis, you can get 5 chances to make sure you don't miss).

heck, even the telekinetic acceleration attack doesn't say you are the origin point. you need to see the target, but nothing says the coins/whatever can't come out of someone else's pocket (though i'd rule you'd need to have absolute certain knowledge of their location somehow - the invisible ectoplasm option feeling around in someone's pockets would probably be sufficient imo. alternately, you could just use rocks that are on the ground, pieces of a chandelier, or other small hard objects). and the TK acceleration attack is certainly more generically useful (if you carry a few wooden bullets with you or are near an area with lots of twigs or pencils or something, you can pretty much one-shot a vampire for example using the SDC version).

[Tor]

Interesting note regarding invisible Mind Bolts on Nightbane World Book 4: Shadows of Light, page 81, the level 4 ability gained by the Psi-Shadow PCC.

In this case it is explicitly invisible nad has a penalty to dodge or parry it as a result.

This is definitely a different variation than the standard psionic power. Mind Bolt is not among the super-psi introduced in Between the Shadows but the SDC version of the super psi is present in HU2p312 and PF2p177. The Psi-Shadow pays a fixed cost with damage that goes up per level (thus having a cap) while the HU2/PF2 have no damage cap but must pay large amounts of ISP to inflict that damage.

The Psi-Shadow's version has a lower strike bonus and there is no option for getting a better strike bonus by spending extra ISP. We are also told that the power doesn't work on the astral plane since it's concussive, whereas I am not sure that is the policy for HU/PF/Rifts version of the ability.

By the time the Psi-Shadow gets the ability, it does as much damage for 15 that would cost you 24 to inflict in HU/PF, and this efficiency only improves with time. It's probably a good rival for the Psi-Blast power of the Noro Mystic Warrior.

Shadows of Light says that GMs could allow the power for other psychics at double ISP cost and half the range. Assuming you just convert this to MD in Rifts (not canon but seems how a lot of stuff goes) 30 ISP to inflict 1D6 MD at 50ft seems decent compared to 40 ISP to inflict 2d4 MD at 100ft.