Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DarkTouch 03-06-07, 08:06 PM	I have to ask.. how exactly do psychometabolic powers work. I know with the special discipline lists for specialists the division of what goes where is something of a 'not care' point.. but I was looking at a few of the new powers in Secrets of Sarlona and my image of what makes a psychometabolic power just doesn't jive with what's in the book. The two that come to mind are the power that allows you to make someone's clothes constrict around them and the psychic whip.. which creates a whip that has mind effecting components. This isn't a "We're getting hosed cause we love psionics" post. I'm just curious what goes into the descission making to make something a psychometabolic these days cause it certainly isn't that self control of biological effects.
Tempest Stormwind 03-06-07, 08:20 PM	Psychometabolic effects are similar to transmutation. They don't all have to directly transform the body any more than certain metacreativity effects don't need to create physical beings (ectoplasmic repair, metaphysical weapon, and so on). Hell, look at Strength of My Enemy. That's a great psychometabolism power -- and it deals Strength damage. There's a similar power, Intellect Feast, in Untapped Potential -- and that has an effect that can't breach mind-immunity. You may as well ask why Affinity Field is psychometabolism, or why Fate Link is clairsentience. The answer is because the power fits the discipline, not because the discipline is limited to just a few simple concrete effects. I haven't seen the powers in question, though, so I can't comment directly. My order's been delayed again, so no SoS for me. Yet.
DarkTouch 03-06-07, 08:26 PM	I haven't seen the powers in question, though, so I can't comment directly. My order's been delayed again, so no SoS for me. Yet. I'll let you wait to read it then. Not that I necessarily think you're wrong... but at the same time the effects you describe are ones that I can at least justify with a little mental gymnastics. The constriction one I think is probably where it hurts my head. Its like the description was obviously a kinetic effect but it wasn't an evocation effect so it got shunted to psychometabolism.
The_One_Who_Walks 03-07-07, 02:25 PM	normally, psychkinetic powers have soemthing to do with manipulating energy. Now, I too lack SoS, so I've not read this power either, but pending reading what you wrote, I'd actually probably call it Metacreativity, if only because I thought Psychometabolic powers more or less only influences creatures, not so much objects. Though I admit, that is a pretty narrow, and thus not nessisarily correct, assesment of the discipline.
RadicalTaoist 03-07-07, 02:56 PM	Actually, I think it's entirely possible a string of mass typos occured mistaking Psychokinesis for Psychometabolism. Look at the spell-to-power conversion page at the end of the powers section and you'll see why.
Deekin 03-07-07, 03:11 PM	Rad Tao is full of Rightness. How the Hell is control weather a Psychometabolic power? or Animate Rope? Or Glibness? or Mage Hand? Or Make Whole? Or Shrink Item? Or Zone of Silence?
Vharuck 03-07-07, 03:13 PM	Actually, I think it's entirely possible a string of mass typos occured mistaking Psychokinesis for Psychometabolism. Look at the spell-to-power conversion page at the end of the powers section and you'll see why. I noticed this as well. Really, I'd say that go with your gut. Apparently, assigning disciplines is only hard for that one guy who probably did it quickly without much thought. I don't mean to sound rude, but some of those listed as psychometabolism make no sense. Sometimes it's, "Well, I can somewhat see it being an egoist's specialty, but it makes more sense here," and other times it's, "The mind that considered this to be psychometabolism needs a swift kick to the butt."