Darker Than Black as Psionics? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Darker Than Black as Psionics? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
StruckingFuggle
09-05-07, 01:34 AM Yeah. I've seen Psionics model Witch Hunter Robin and Naruto, and apparently people are trying to do Avatar.

Now I'm wondering about Darker than Black. If anyone knows about it - it's fairly new, not finished yet, and I'm not sure if it's even licensed for distribution in the US yet.

Still, someone knowledgeable about Psionics (I'm not, I'm just getting into it) might have seen it, and I'm wondering if any of those people have ideas on if DtB can be modeled with the XPH, and how?
InkBlot
09-05-07, 12:11 PM After giving it a cursory glance, it seems like you could pull of one or two of the characters successfully. The "dolls" in particular seem easy enough - changeling seers under the influence of powerful mind control (dominate, eiditic lock, et cetera).

However, there are many aspects of the character's special abilities which can not be duplicated without writing new powers, or heavily rewriting old powers. For example, no psionic power requires you to arrange small stones in a grid as a cost for using it. There's also no psionic power which allows you to teleport via stone, or see and hear events miles away through water. Those effects are more esoteric and descrete than powers tend to be, and are more similar to arcane/divine spells (particularly stone tell and transport via plants).

These "renumerations" are akin to the special requirements, signs, and influences of vestiges (from Tome Of Magic). Obviously all these characters aren't binders. For one thing they're restricted to a small set of highly related powers, while a binder can bind new vestiges every day (or more often with feats and items). But vestiges could serve as an example of how you would write up Darker Than Black abilities in a D&D context.
RadicalTaoist
09-05-07, 01:29 PM Yeah, the drawbacks to the contract sound a lot like binding. Not that killing someone with a touch (Dissipating Touch) or the like can't be done with powers.

I've only seen the first episode though.
StruckingFuggle
09-05-07, 06:15 PM Yeah, the drawbacks to the contract sound a lot like binding. Not that killing someone with a touch (Dissipating Touch) or the like can't be done with powers.

Hm. I'm not familiar with ToM except in vague, inferrential ways.

So I guess I'll have to look it up.

I've only seen the first episode though.

Didn't care for it, or it's all you've managed so far?

I admit the recovery system would be a pain to model in DnD. Maybe if you took that part out, and went for just the things they do. Throwing lightning bolts / electrifying objects should be fairly easy, but controlling gravity to lift things, or swapping matter nearby for matter inside a person (to lift three examples from the first episode) ... ? Beyond my scope.

...hrm. It makes me conceptualize something like a Psychic Warrior who only knows one or two or three linked powers, with even fewer power points, who can get them back for performing certain tasks. Which could potentially totally break the DnD system of balance... >.>
RadicalTaoist
09-05-07, 11:04 PM Didn't care for it, or it's all you've managed so far?

Seemed interesting, but there are so many other series I'm downing atm that there just wasn't time in my anime addic-I mean viewing schedule. (Sorry if you're a fan, but it's competing with the likes Le Chevalier D'Eon and Hayate no Gotoku.)
StruckingFuggle
09-06-07, 12:11 AM Sorry? Bah! Nothing to be sorry for. Was just curious.

Hrm. *scurries off to check out the two other shows mentioned*
Omen_of_Peace
09-06-07, 04:49 AM D*mn you ! Now I've started watching it - I have to admit it's pretty good. :)

The Master of the Unseen Hand can project people upward, IIRC.
InkBlot
09-06-07, 08:31 AM Master Of The Unseen Hand is wrong. Anybody who knows telekinesis or telekinetic thrust can toss people upward, with the PrC. Theres no limit to the directions you can throw people.

And no, it's not broken. You can throw people 10 feet per level. Fall deals 1d6 damage per 10 feet. Throwing people into the air only deals 1d6/level damage, just like every other spell or power. Even if there's a ceiling at exactly 200 feet up, so your victim smacks into it, that's only an extra 1d6 damage. Really not all that hot, especialy considering that cielings that high are rare (admitantly not a problem if all your encounters occur outdoors).

If anything, I usually houserule that TK thrust throws people 10 feet per power point, with a freely scaling weight limit.
Enchanter_Tom
09-06-07, 12:25 PM A good aspect of the series is that they modeled actual electrocution, not that "ooh, energy blast" crap.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
StruckingFuggle 09-05-07, 01:34 AM	Yeah. I've seen Psionics model Witch Hunter Robin and Naruto, and apparently people are trying to do Avatar. Now I'm wondering about Darker than Black. If anyone knows about it - it's fairly new, not finished yet, and I'm not sure if it's even licensed for distribution in the US yet. Still, someone knowledgeable about Psionics (I'm not, I'm just getting into it) might have seen it, and I'm wondering if any of those people have ideas on if DtB can be modeled with the XPH, and how?
InkBlot 09-05-07, 12:11 PM	After giving it a cursory glance, it seems like you could pull of one or two of the characters successfully. The "dolls" in particular seem easy enough - changeling seers under the influence of powerful mind control (dominate, eiditic lock, et cetera). However, there are many aspects of the character's special abilities which can not be duplicated without writing new powers, or heavily rewriting old powers. For example, no psionic power requires you to arrange small stones in a grid as a cost for using it. There's also no psionic power which allows you to teleport via stone, or see and hear events miles away through water. Those effects are more esoteric and descrete than powers tend to be, and are more similar to arcane/divine spells (particularly stone tell and transport via plants). These "renumerations" are akin to the special requirements, signs, and influences of vestiges (from Tome Of Magic). Obviously all these characters aren't binders. For one thing they're restricted to a small set of highly related powers, while a binder can bind new vestiges every day (or more often with feats and items). But vestiges could serve as an example of how you would write up Darker Than Black abilities in a D&D context.
RadicalTaoist 09-05-07, 01:29 PM	Yeah, the drawbacks to the contract sound a lot like binding. Not that killing someone with a touch (Dissipating Touch) or the like can't be done with powers. I've only seen the first episode though.
StruckingFuggle 09-05-07, 06:15 PM	Yeah, the drawbacks to the contract sound a lot like binding. Not that killing someone with a touch (Dissipating Touch) or the like can't be done with powers. Hm. I'm not familiar with ToM except in vague, inferrential ways. So I guess I'll have to look it up. I've only seen the first episode though. Didn't care for it, or it's all you've managed so far? I admit the recovery system would be a pain to model in DnD. Maybe if you took that part out, and went for just the things they do. Throwing lightning bolts / electrifying objects should be fairly easy, but controlling gravity to lift things, or swapping matter nearby for matter inside a person (to lift three examples from the first episode) ... ? Beyond my scope. ...hrm. It makes me conceptualize something like a Psychic Warrior who only knows one or two or three linked powers, with even fewer power points, who can get them back for performing certain tasks. Which could potentially totally break the DnD system of balance... >.>
RadicalTaoist 09-05-07, 11:04 PM	Didn't care for it, or it's all you've managed so far? Seemed interesting, but there are so many other series I'm downing atm that there just wasn't time in my anime addic-I mean viewing schedule. (Sorry if you're a fan, but it's competing with the likes Le Chevalier D'Eon and Hayate no Gotoku.)
StruckingFuggle 09-06-07, 12:11 AM	Sorry? Bah! Nothing to be sorry for. Was just curious. Hrm. scurries off to check out the two other shows mentioned
Omen_of_Peace 09-06-07, 04:49 AM	D*mn you ! Now I've started watching it - I have to admit it's pretty good. :) The Master of the Unseen Hand can project people upward, IIRC.
InkBlot 09-06-07, 08:31 AM	Master Of The Unseen Hand is wrong. Anybody who knows telekinesis or telekinetic thrust can toss people upward, with the PrC. Theres no limit to the directions you can throw people. And no, it's not broken. You can throw people 10 feet per level. Fall deals 1d6 damage per 10 feet. Throwing people into the air only deals 1d6/level damage, just like every other spell or power. Even if there's a ceiling at exactly 200 feet up, so your victim smacks into it, that's only an extra 1d6 damage. Really not all that hot, especialy considering that cielings that high are rare (admitantly not a problem if all your encounters occur outdoors). If anything, I usually houserule that TK thrust throws people 10 feet per power point, with a freely scaling weight limit.
Enchanter_Tom 09-06-07, 12:25 PM	A good aspect of the series is that they modeled actual electrocution, not that "ooh, energy blast" crap.