Identifying a power being used. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Identifying a power being used. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kryptic
07-17-07, 11:11 AM How easy is it to recognize a power is being used? Let's say John the Psion manifests Psionic Charm and makes the concentration check to hide the display. Is there anyway to know that he just manifested a power? Psicraft allows for the identification, but what if no one else present has psicraft? Would anyone even know a power had been used?
vahju
07-17-07, 11:28 AM Unless you know the power is active you would have no reason to use a psi craft. Now if the character starts acting out of the norm then you may want to use a detect psionics or detect magic (if psi transparency used) then based on results use psi craft to try and identify power currently on the PC.
Kryptic
07-17-07, 11:36 AM What if the actual manifestation of the power happens in a crowded room? Is there anyway aside from psicraft to know that the Psion is manifesting a power if he makes the concentration check to hide the displays?

With spellcasting its easier, even though you don't have spellcraft you know when some guy starts waving his hands and speaking in tounges he is up to something. What about with psions?
vahju
07-17-07, 12:57 PM Unless there is some kind of visual or audio component and your close enough to see or hear what ever the manifestor is doing your unlikely to notice a power is being manifested.
Fleem
07-17-07, 01:10 PM You can hide the "display" on a spell, too. It just usually takes a couple levels of metamagic (silent and still) to do so. Then you're in the same boat as a psion who made concentration to avoid display: no sign of casting, no visible effect, so no chance of being detected (except by the target).

On a related note, do spell-like and psi-like abilities have somatic, verbal, and display associated with them? I'm assuming supernatural abilities don't.
Kryptic
07-17-07, 02:16 PM Spell-like abilities are only mental as well.

A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component, nor does it require a focus or have an XP cost. The user activates it mentally. Armor never affects a spell-like ability’s use, even if the ability resembles an arcane spell with a somatic component.
unusualsuspect
07-17-07, 02:57 PM And yet they still provoke AoOs as normal.

So if you want to know if a psion is manifesting, step within threatening range and see if he does the "Defensive Manifesting Dance".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kryptic 07-17-07, 11:11 AM	How easy is it to recognize a power is being used? Let's say John the Psion manifests Psionic Charm and makes the concentration check to hide the display. Is there anyway to know that he just manifested a power? Psicraft allows for the identification, but what if no one else present has psicraft? Would anyone even know a power had been used?
vahju 07-17-07, 11:28 AM	Unless you know the power is active you would have no reason to use a psi craft. Now if the character starts acting out of the norm then you may want to use a detect psionics or detect magic (if psi transparency used) then based on results use psi craft to try and identify power currently on the PC.
Kryptic 07-17-07, 11:36 AM	What if the actual manifestation of the power happens in a crowded room? Is there anyway aside from psicraft to know that the Psion is manifesting a power if he makes the concentration check to hide the displays? With spellcasting its easier, even though you don't have spellcraft you know when some guy starts waving his hands and speaking in tounges he is up to something. What about with psions?
vahju 07-17-07, 12:57 PM	Unless there is some kind of visual or audio component and your close enough to see or hear what ever the manifestor is doing your unlikely to notice a power is being manifested.
Fleem 07-17-07, 01:10 PM	You can hide the "display" on a spell, too. It just usually takes a couple levels of metamagic (silent and still) to do so. Then you're in the same boat as a psion who made concentration to avoid display: no sign of casting, no visible effect, so no chance of being detected (except by the target). On a related note, do spell-like and psi-like abilities have somatic, verbal, and display associated with them? I'm assuming supernatural abilities don't.
Kryptic 07-17-07, 02:16 PM	Spell-like abilities are only mental as well. A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component, nor does it require a focus or have an XP cost. The user activates it mentally. Armor never affects a spell-like ability’s use, even if the ability resembles an arcane spell with a somatic component.
unusualsuspect 07-17-07, 02:57 PM	And yet they still provoke AoOs as normal. So if you want to know if a psion is manifesting, step within threatening range and see if he does the "Defensive Manifesting Dance".