Feat idea: Placebo Power [Archive] - Wizards Community

Feat idea: Placebo Power [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JulesCARV
02-19-08, 02:34 AM Placebo Power [GENERAL]
You chant, wave your arms ostentatiously, and create flashy displays when you manifest mind-affecting powers, weakening your target's resistance through psychological manipulation.

Benefit: If you choose to use this feat as you manifest a mind-affecting power, make a bluff check against the sense motive check of the power's target as part of the power's manifestation. If you beat the target's sense motive check, add +1 to the save DC of the power. The bluff check is part of the same action as manifesting the power, and adds nothing to the manifesting time. The power point cost is also unchanged.

If you use this feat while manifesting a power, the power always has auditory, material, mental, olfactory and visual displays: displays are intentionally exaggerated. You cannot suppress these displays while gaining the benefit of the increased save DC. In addition, you must chant and gesture, much like a spellcaster, and thus cannot be bound, gagged, or otherwise prevented from moving or speaking. Since you do not actually use precise somatic components, however, armor does not prevent use of this power.
forsaken1111
02-19-08, 06:23 AM Its an amusing idea... what is the purpose?
CrimsonDeath
02-19-08, 07:36 AM +1 save DC on a [mind-affecting] power. More useful on Mind Thrust or Psychic Crush than on Charm or Suggestion.
JulesCARV
02-19-08, 01:58 PM Hm... it occurs to me that the feat is somewhat poorly written, because powers can have multiple targets and you generally want to avoid things like "okay, the troglodyte on the left and the one in the middle have a save DC of 17, while the troglodyte on the right made his sense motive check and has a save DC of 16."

So, maybe instead, I should specify that you make a single bluff check against all targets of the power, and all who fail their sense motive check against that bluff check suffer a -1 to their saves against that power.

UPDATE: It occurs to me that this feat looks a bit weak compared to a hypothetical "power focus (telepathy)" feat (equivalent to spell focus). Since, as far as I know, all mind-affecting powers except recall agony and recall death are telepathy, it's equivalernt to a spell focus feat, but with extra requirements for bluff checks, gestures and chanting, exaggerated displays, etc. So I'm thinking that maybe a -2 to saves would be better.
MnemonicSV
02-20-08, 03:14 AM Perhaps intimidate would be more accurate than bluff? At least, based on the premise of the feat.

Haha.... I just had this image of a telepath using the "amazing bending pencil" trick in conjunction with this feat. I take it back... intimidate doesn't fit. :D
forsaken1111
02-20-08, 04:25 AM Perhaps one for each? One lulls them into a false sense of security or distracts them. The other makes them believe you're far more powerful than you are.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JulesCARV 02-19-08, 02:34 AM	Placebo Power [GENERAL] You chant, wave your arms ostentatiously, and create flashy displays when you manifest mind-affecting powers, weakening your target's resistance through psychological manipulation. Benefit: If you choose to use this feat as you manifest a mind-affecting power, make a bluff check against the sense motive check of the power's target as part of the power's manifestation. If you beat the target's sense motive check, add +1 to the save DC of the power. The bluff check is part of the same action as manifesting the power, and adds nothing to the manifesting time. The power point cost is also unchanged. If you use this feat while manifesting a power, the power always has auditory, material, mental, olfactory and visual displays: displays are intentionally exaggerated. You cannot suppress these displays while gaining the benefit of the increased save DC. In addition, you must chant and gesture, much like a spellcaster, and thus cannot be bound, gagged, or otherwise prevented from moving or speaking. Since you do not actually use precise somatic components, however, armor does not prevent use of this power.
forsaken1111 02-19-08, 06:23 AM	Its an amusing idea... what is the purpose?
CrimsonDeath 02-19-08, 07:36 AM	+1 save DC on a [mind-affecting] power. More useful on Mind Thrust or Psychic Crush than on Charm or Suggestion.
JulesCARV 02-19-08, 01:58 PM	Hm... it occurs to me that the feat is somewhat poorly written, because powers can have multiple targets and you generally want to avoid things like "okay, the troglodyte on the left and the one in the middle have a save DC of 17, while the troglodyte on the right made his sense motive check and has a save DC of 16." So, maybe instead, I should specify that you make a single bluff check against all targets of the power, and all who fail their sense motive check against that bluff check suffer a -1 to their saves against that power. UPDATE: It occurs to me that this feat looks a bit weak compared to a hypothetical "power focus (telepathy)" feat (equivalent to spell focus). Since, as far as I know, all mind-affecting powers except recall agony and recall death are telepathy, it's equivalernt to a spell focus feat, but with extra requirements for bluff checks, gestures and chanting, exaggerated displays, etc. So I'm thinking that maybe a -2 to saves would be better.
MnemonicSV 02-20-08, 03:14 AM	Perhaps intimidate would be more accurate than bluff? At least, based on the premise of the feat. Haha.... I just had this image of a telepath using the "amazing bending pencil" trick in conjunction with this feat. I take it back... intimidate doesn't fit. :D
forsaken1111 02-20-08, 04:25 AM	Perhaps one for each? One lulls them into a false sense of security or distracts them. The other makes them believe you're far more powerful than you are.