Stay out of my mind!

Last week I posted the visitor custom class, and Omer noted on discord (link on the Autarch forums so jump in), that permanent ESP is very powerful though fitting to the conversion of the BCK monster. Regardless of how much it costs in the build, it is powerful (costing almost as much as a full rank of thief value), but it’s also a common power in my campaign so how do I deal with it?

Classes and saving throws

While I have built the visitor class more for NPC use, the key thing to recognise is that visitors are both common in my setting (as a monster) and well known. They are the villains of the setting both due to their actions and their powers to read minds. To the point that my players assume that visitors will read their mind. Also, they cannot mix in human civilisation without significant concealment or disguises.

As such, the saving throw in ESP goes from an "if suspicious" to "if you see them". Making the opportunity for a saveing throw automatic. Additionally, failing the save still does not remove the awareness of mind reading and distrust of mind readers.

In addition to this, two player classes common to my setting are related to visitors, the Nephil (from BCK) and Psion alien-human hybrids. While not able to access ESP permanently, they suffer from the same general distrust. That said a Nephil can use its innate ESP and Spells to reach an effectively permanent state of ESP by around fourth to eighth level 2 hour duration plus overlap). Again, if you see a Nephil the district alows for a save.

The mind shield

BCK comes with the mind shield item. A technological solution to the prevalence of ESP that is linked to having these creatures in the game. At its core this possesses the following two spells:

• Immune mind affecting (5): protection, mind affecting spell category 55, self x0.75, 3 turns x1.2, arcane/eldritch x1; total cost 49.5 
• Can’t cast spells (2): reverse protection. Anti-magic on target 25, only for mind affecting spells x0.5 (as category limit), range touch x1, 3 turns x1.2, no save x1; arcane/eldritchx1; total cost 15

This item should be broadly available as an item (I sprinkle a few here and there). I really like how this item has a flaw, in a way the idea of an item that has a bonus and a failing are more appealing to me than cursed items. I have used this often for powerful items in my games as it makes decisions around use more interesting.

In terms of item costs they are easy to calculate as a permanent level 5 effect reduced by a cursed permanent level 2. So I price them as 125,000 reduced by 50,000 for a cost of 75,000. Non-caster classes benefit strongly from these while casters and Nephil may choose to avoid them.

New items to stop mind reading

In D&D lore there is a ring of mind shielding. This can easily be added in concept to ACKs using the following spell build:

• Stop mind reading (3): protection, immune to mental detections (25) (as 1 type of effects), range touch (x1), 3 turns (x1.2), arcane/eldritch (x1); total cost 30.

Creating the following item:

Ring of mind shielding: The wearer of this ring is immune to magic allowing others to detect or read their thoughts. The reader can completely block telepathy if they do not want it. It also protects them from others reading their intentions such as through the perceive intentions ability. Value 75,000 (3rd order permanent effect).

This also allows for a new warding scroll which would allow non-casters to use the item (making it more available). This would use the following spell:

• Stop mind reading zone (6): protection, immune to mental detections (25) (as 1 type of effects), target 1 creature (x1), protection in 10’ radius around target (x1.75), range touch x1, 6 turns (x1.33), arcane/eldritch (x1); total cost 58.2.

Scroll of ward against mental detection: A barrier is created against all mental detection spells and spell-like effects. This barrier remains for 6 turns, during which time those inside the area are immune to detection, effects that reveal thoughts and powers that reveal intentions, though they may still detect others. Total cost 3,000 (6th order single charge effect).

Such items would be very useful when crossing through visitor held territory subject to my detection rules. I would rule that parties encountering non-visitor encounters would not trigger the increase in alert status if a battle occurs as all their minds are shielded from detection.