Topic: Touching people for psions

[JimiSue]

Just wondering if anyone has any opinions about this? Psions allow a decent modifier if the teep can touch the recipient, and some actually require it (e.g. Touch of Unconsciousness). How would this be resolved? I had this come up recently and as a spur of the moment rule to keep the game flowing I essentially copied the D20 method and had the teep roll an attack against AT 1 - and although on that occasion the player rolled well enough to get into the damaging range, I probably would have let her off if she had come close (since a touch doesn't need to land well enough to cause damage - just a brush of the fingertip is enough)

Is there a rule for touching people that don't want to be touched that I've missed, or does anyone have a good house rule I could apply?

[Kristen Mork]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no official rule.  We all just wing it.

[markc]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no official rule.  We all just wing it.

+1

[ReaperWolf]

Movement Maneuver?

>>ReaperWolf

[yammahoper]

Normally, I resolve touching a foe in combat by adding his DB and OB used against the PC trying to touch him plus/minus appropriate mods, roll d100 + appropriate mods (Agx3) and if the mnv roll is higher, touch succeeds.  If roll is failed, PC attempting the touch is subject to an attack equal to diference between target number and amount rolled for mnv.

So if foe has a 45 DB, the sorceror will need to roll a 46+ to land his touch of disruption.  If foe is attacking sorceror with a +70 OB, then Sorceror needs to roll a 115 to succeed.

Normally I define touch as laying on a finger, a slap, or use of a wand, staff, rod, etc.  Wants are +10 to roll, rods are +20 and staves are +30.  Rarely have I allowed use of melee weapon (and thus the OB for the weapon) to be used.  I have allowed brawling and martial arts ob's to be used, but at a -20 to BAR and MA OB, as if using TWC.  The mnv roll or the BAR will suffer an additional -20 for off hand, depending on which hand is declared for what (assuming SCSM is successful, of course, even if spell could normally be auto cast, though auto cast is aqllowed if an OB is not used to mod the mnv roll).

Sounds complicated, but its not.

[intothatdarkness]

Movement Maneuver?

>>ReaperWolf

+1

Something based on Qu or (more likely) Ag if it's a non-combat situation. If it's combat related (or the target is somehow alerted to what's going on) I'd go with yammahoper's idea.

[Marc R]

There's a rule on touch attacks in RMC Creatures and Treasures. I suspect it's shown up in a few other instances also, but I'm not certain.

[arakish]

Since about 1983, I have always used

To the best of my knowledge, there is no official rule.  We all just wing it.

or if a die roll is required

Movement Maneuver

with

appropriate mods, roll d100

Then I use the appropriate difficulty level (Medium, Hard, Very Hard, etc.) dependent upon the situation.  If result is a 100 or better on the appropriate column, touch succeeds.  Otherwise, it fails.

Makes sense?

rmfr

[yammahoper]

Nice thing about the using the MM Table.  Say the touch attack will deliver a level 8 spell.  Mnv result is a 60%.  The attack could be resolved as a 5th level attack, or 4th if the GM prefers to round down.

[arakish]

Nice thing about the using the MM Table.  Say the touch attack will deliver a level 8 spell.  Mnv result is a 60%.  The attack could be resolved as a 5th level attack, or 4th if the GM prefers to round down.

Thanks.  I've done this also.  Like minds...

rmfr

[Cory Magel]

As an option to the MM route: Make an unarmed attack against the target and so long as you have a result with 1 point of damage you have successfully touched them.

The other question is do you have to touch skin?  If you do, what about a target in full plate?  Really easy to cause 1 point of damage... but did you actually touch the target?

[JimiSue]

I personally allow them to get a little lower than 1 p[oint of damage - after all, they are not trying to cause some damage, just touch them. I see the touch as a way that the teep doesn't have to 'broadcast' the psion over empty air - he can just squirt the energy directly into the target (nice image, anyone? ). As such, unless the armour is specifically designed to foil psion use, just touching the mook's outer apparel would be sufficient.