Modify Memory, Psionic [Archive] - Wizards Community

Modify Memory, Psionic [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Stule
06-17-07, 11:00 AM My player brought up a really good point and I wanted to ask you guys about it. He has Modify Memory (Psionic). The power has a maximum effectiveness of 5 minutes. Now my player wants to modify memories farther back than that. He wants to be able to effect your memory for days, even years into the past. He is a Psion (Telepath) and he feels that a Telepath especially should be able to do this. I was thiniking of adding an Augment to the Modify Memory Power to allow someone to use it to create older memories. Is there a power I have overlooked that does this?

Do you think that this might be overpowering the power or the class?

I can honestly see where he is coming form and I try to work with my players to bring the right feel to the game.

:P

Stule
Fafnir
06-17-07, 11:26 AM As far as I understand the power the 5 minutes limit is the maximum length of affected memory, not how far back you can go. ;)
Stule
06-17-07, 11:36 AM Oh.....

Thanks.

I guess what he wants to do is create a new past for another character. Make the person think they had a totally different life or play with their memories to suit his whims.

Psychic Surgery I think did this in 1st edition but we can't seem to find any other powers that do.

I guess he could do 5 minute blocks :P

Thanks for the clarification!
ravidubey
06-17-07, 11:40 AM He could research an augmentation that affected longer blocks of memory. The rules don't cover changing powers you already know through research, but it seems possible. I would add an additional xp cost.
AntiDjinn
06-17-07, 11:55 AM The power lets you mess with up to 5 minutes of the subject's memory, not just the last 5 minutes experienced. It doesn't even say this has to be a contiguous block, so you could insert memory of 5 one minute encounters. If you think modifying larger blocks of memory is something all telepaths should be able to do, then add an augmentation. If this player wants his character to be the only one who is that good at modifying memory, then he should use the power research rules to make a new power.
Remember it also takes 5 minutes of visualization of the details you wish to insert/delete to affect 5 minutes of the subject's memory. If you want an augmentation for added time then you might want to make it alter the ratio of visualization time to modified memory time -- for +2 points each minute you spend modifies two minutes of memory, for +4 points it modifies 3, etc. So a telepath who spends 11 points and 5 minutes would modify 15 total minutes of the subject's memory.
lint trap
06-17-07, 01:51 PM I guess what he wants to do is create a new past for another character. Make the person think they had a totally different life or play with their memories to suit his whims.

There are two ways I've heard of for doing this. The first is Programmed Amnesia, a 9th level spell from the Spell Compendium that lets you "selectively destroy, alter, or implant memories in the subject creature as you see fit."

The second is from Dragon #304, and is a bit more drastic. There's a mercenary group called the Nameless Legion. All members
undergo the psionic conditioning that purges the applicant of much of his past memories. Recruits keep their knowledge of combat, magic, and other marketable skills, but the rest of their memories are forever erased. This alteration extends to a creature's alignment and personality, literally leaving the recruit a new person.

So not quite what you're looking for, but still a good hook for creating/revising a character's past.
Stule
06-17-07, 02:19 PM Schweeet!

Thanks for the feedback guys!
Lycanthromancer
06-17-07, 03:48 PM Wow. It's not often that I see DMs that go out of their way to give their players what they want; generally, the one's I've seen do the exact opposite.

Nice.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stule 06-17-07, 11:00 AM	My player brought up a really good point and I wanted to ask you guys about it. He has Modify Memory (Psionic). The power has a maximum effectiveness of 5 minutes. Now my player wants to modify memories farther back than that. He wants to be able to effect your memory for days, even years into the past. He is a Psion (Telepath) and he feels that a Telepath especially should be able to do this. I was thiniking of adding an Augment to the Modify Memory Power to allow someone to use it to create older memories. Is there a power I have overlooked that does this? Do you think that this might be overpowering the power or the class? I can honestly see where he is coming form and I try to work with my players to bring the right feel to the game. :P Stule
Fafnir 06-17-07, 11:26 AM	As far as I understand the power the 5 minutes limit is the maximum length of affected memory, not how far back you can go. ;)
Stule 06-17-07, 11:36 AM	Oh..... Thanks. I guess what he wants to do is create a new past for another character. Make the person think they had a totally different life or play with their memories to suit his whims. Psychic Surgery I think did this in 1st edition but we can't seem to find any other powers that do. I guess he could do 5 minute blocks :P Thanks for the clarification!
ravidubey 06-17-07, 11:40 AM	He could research an augmentation that affected longer blocks of memory. The rules don't cover changing powers you already know through research, but it seems possible. I would add an additional xp cost.
AntiDjinn 06-17-07, 11:55 AM	The power lets you mess with up to 5 minutes of the subject's memory, not just the last 5 minutes experienced. It doesn't even say this has to be a contiguous block, so you could insert memory of 5 one minute encounters. If you think modifying larger blocks of memory is something all telepaths should be able to do, then add an augmentation. If this player wants his character to be the only one who is that good at modifying memory, then he should use the power research rules to make a new power. Remember it also takes 5 minutes of visualization of the details you wish to insert/delete to affect 5 minutes of the subject's memory. If you want an augmentation for added time then you might want to make it alter the ratio of visualization time to modified memory time -- for +2 points each minute you spend modifies two minutes of memory, for +4 points it modifies 3, etc. So a telepath who spends 11 points and 5 minutes would modify 15 total minutes of the subject's memory.
lint trap 06-17-07, 01:51 PM	I guess what he wants to do is create a new past for another character. Make the person think they had a totally different life or play with their memories to suit his whims. There are two ways I've heard of for doing this. The first is Programmed Amnesia, a 9th level spell from the Spell Compendium that lets you "selectively destroy, alter, or implant memories in the subject creature as you see fit." The second is from Dragon #304, and is a bit more drastic. There's a mercenary group called the Nameless Legion. All members undergo the psionic conditioning that purges the applicant of much of his past memories. Recruits keep their knowledge of combat, magic, and other marketable skills, but the rest of their memories are forever erased. This alteration extends to a creature's alignment and personality, literally leaving the recruit a new person. So not quite what you're looking for, but still a good hook for creating/revising a character's past.
Stule 06-17-07, 02:19 PM	Schweeet! Thanks for the feedback guys!
Lycanthromancer 06-17-07, 03:48 PM	Wow. It's not often that I see DMs that go out of their way to give their players what they want; generally, the one's I've seen do the exact opposite. Nice.