Constant mind-reading?

[Terraism]

For a number of reasons, I'm developing a race for my campaign world that I'd like to have low-level powers of mind reading - but I have no idea how to work it, mechanically. On top of that, I've been thinking about ramifications, but haven't came up with much other than "they're really hard to BS." Has anyone experimented with mind readers in a game? How'd it turn out? Any suggestions for running with it?

(I don't have MoF with me, but I seem to recall the greater doppleganger has some mind-reading powers. Experience with those things?)

 

[FireLance]

How about allowing them to use the Empathy power at will?

Empathy
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/wilder 1
Display: Mental
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 1
You detect the surface emotions of any creature you can see that is in the power’s area. You can sense basic needs, drives, and emotions. Thirst, hunger, fear, fatigue, pain, rage, hatred, uncertainty, curiosity, friendliness, and many other kinds of sensations and moods can all be perceived.
You gain a +2 insight bonus on any Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks that you make in the round when you cease concentrating on this power.
Augment: You can augment this power in one or both of the following ways.
1. For every additional power point you spend, this power’s range and the radius of its area increases by 5 feet.
2. If you spend 2 additional power points, this power’s maximum duration increases to 1 hour/level.

No idea how this would work out in practice, though.

 

[LostSoul]

You could give them a bonus Power Point and the Inquisitor feat at first level. You get a +10 to your Sense Motive when you expend your Psionic Focus.

 

[Terraism]

Hm - good ideas, both. I'll think about it.

Anyone have any ideas for the everyday consequences of such a race? They're roughly as common as, say, elves in your average D&D world - so what would it mean if all elves could read your basic, low-level thoughts, all the time?

 

[LostSoul]

Hmmm... good question. Could they read each other's thoughts as well? Probably. I guess they'd have small societies - like wolves or lions or something, where everyone falls into a rigid heirarchy and knows their place. Males wander around. Things would get too complex if too many of these guys hung out together, because then everyone would get jealous and/or threatened, and they'd fight over resources. Or maybe I'm a pessimist, and they'd all love each other. Nah...

If they did have societies, they'd have to be really rigid, full of rules to keep people in line and full of rituals for everything from resolving disputes to talking about the weather. They'd probably have a large "personal space" and completely cover themselves when in public (if you use the Sense Motive variant) or completely avoid looking at each other (if you use Detect Thoughts, or something like that).

This is just all wild speculation, but it sounds different from most fantasy races and interesting to play. I guess that all adds up to a Lawful race.

I don't think they would have a concept of deceit. Well, it would be a foreign, abstract concept. They might laugh and snicker at other races who try to conceal motives from them (and others).

They might sell their services as "negotiators" who help merchants bargain for prices, or to detect false testimony in court, or help kings with treaties - all that kind of stuff. They'd be great spies. Really good in the service industry because they know what the customer wants (sometimes better than the customer himself).

Probably untrusted by most other races. Tolerated because of their usefulness, but not well liked because they can steal secrets.

Just a few ideas. Hope you get some inspiration.

 

[ergeheilalt]

I would think these fellas would be almost universally reviled by humans depending on how they acted. They would have exceptionally good diplomats and would likely be very good merchants and traders. Now, it depends on the usual demenor of these empathic elves. I would seriously not be happy with someone who could read my thoughts and would then proceed to jibe me about it. However, if they were subtle - kept their empathic abilty secret - most people would regard them a mysterious or exceptionally preceptive.

Depending on the exclusive empathic elven society, language would be both a combination of thought and speech. This could also lead to some misunderstandings with foreigners and possible difficulty learning other languages, however, once mechanics are down - they would quickly pick up subtleties like sarcasm, innuendo, and partial truths. Society as a whole would be a very open thing, lying would be almost inexplicable and their expression of emotions would be sort of a out in the open experience.

Hmm, I'm drawing a blank on anything else right now. I'll add some more if I think of anything.

Erge

 

[Planesdragon]

Anyone have any ideas for the everyday consequences of such a race? They're roughly as common as, say, elves in your average D&D world - so what would it mean if all elves could read your basic, low-level thoughts, all the time?

I've actually got a 32-ish page Psionics book coming out from Alea Publishing soon, meant to be telepathy et al on a "use it almost at will" power scale. (It's a bit weaker than magic, stronger than skills, but tires you out.)

Rules aside, the consequences of easy telepathy are pretty much what you'd expect--fear and suspicion from outsiders (rightly so, in most cases) and a tendancy towards a lawful, ordered society among the race itself--or a chaotic one which treats "tribe" as "self".

You'll probably want to take a closer look at the Psicorp from Babylon 5, the whole elven paradim from Elfquest, and a little bit of network theory. (Quick rundown: Psicorp are militant psions who sequester each other and replace family with "the corp", and they disdain contact with outsiders. Very lawful, rather evil. The Elfquest elves are tribal wild elves with universal telepathy; they keep their true names seperate, so that they have a seperate self that isn't easily browsed through. Network theory--well, client/server and peer-to-peer are the basic social concepts that would show up in a telepathic society. Not to mention the possibility for "mind hackers" or massive psychosis...)

 

[Planesdragon]

Society as a whole would be a very open thing, lying would be almost inexplicable and their expression of emotions would be sort of a out in the open experience.

Don't think that open communication eliminates the possibility of lying. Humans lie to themselves all the time, despite each of us knowing our own thoughts. A telepathic society would be just as capable of lying--although it would be harder to do. (In game terms, there'd be a high bonus to Sense Motive for the ability--which would take care of both outsiders lying and the race lying.)