Telepathy... some questions.

[Mistwell]

Do they just target a square, or do they have to target a creature? As I understand it, mindsight isn't enough to target effects through.

You have to know the target is there I assume, as that is sufficient to establish communication. The question of actually targeting effects other than telepathy didn't come up. Just the subject of targeting the Telepathy ability itself.

 

[Mistwell]

I didn't know that CustServ had answered it. Is there a repository of CustServ answers? What is the self-limitation? I take it that it does not follow the rules for "communication" that is set out upthread.

Sorry I misspoke. CustServe didn't answer regarding that particular creature's ability. They just said that telepathy alone does not allow you to know if a creature is there or not, and that you cannot use telepathy with a creature that you do not know is there. Hence, an attack based on your telepathy ability wouldn't work through a barrier simply because you wouldn't know the target is there to be able to attack with that ability.

If the creature were also scrying you, and also happened to be within range for their telepathy-based attack ability, I suppose it would still work. But in 99% of the situations, they couldn't attack simply because they wouldn't know you were there to be able to attack you.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Well, I don't want to hijack the thread, but if the OP's question has been answered satisfactorily, maybe there is no harm in pursuing this tangent. Which has to do with the limits of telepathy, so it is not too far off topic. Anyway.

Rend Mind (Su): A meenlock can project thoughts and suggestions into the mind of a single creature within 300 feet. These thoughts are usually geared to cause paranoia - images of stalking monsters or peering eyes, and the sensation of being followed, watched, or sized up. The target of this mind-affecting phantasm must make a successful Will save (DC 14) or take 1d4 points of Wisdom damage. Once a meenlock uses this ability, it must wait 1d4 rounds before doing so again.

Telepathy (Ex): A meenlock can communicate through telepathy with any other creature that has a language. This communication has a range of 300 feet.

My presumption was that the telepathy ability would require LOS (line of sight) to initiate, but not to maintain. Meenlocks live in tunnels and so forth, and wouldn't have LOS. But you can see the problem if Rend Mind doesn't require LOS to maintain. A meenlock just has to pop out a few hundred feet away from their target, get a lock, and then drop back into hiding. Then their victim basically is out of options, unless they can physically move away fast enough or get a protection from evil up. Meenlocks can dimension door 60 feet every other realm, which can give them a mobility adventure in a tunnel or cavern complex.

Even if the victim fails their save only on a 1, they take an average of 1 point of wisdom damage every 2 minutes.

I posted a thread about this some time ago, but I couldn't find it when I searched. I think the search database is still a bit wonky.

 

[Mistwell]

Well, the two abilities are different. They are not even the same type of ability (Telepathy is extraordinary, while Rend Mind is Supernatural). So I am not sure that answering "can Telepathy go through barriers" would even help in answering "can Rend Mind go through barriers".

I'd say it's a fair question for CustServ.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I'm one of those people who don't trust CustServ to do anything other than point out the relevant rules passages (like supernatural abilities being a standard action unless specified otherwise). And I find posting a question to these forums to be a better way of finding the relevant rules passages. So I don't write to CustServ. YMMV.

 

[glass]

I'm one of those people who don't trust CustServ to do anything other than point out the relevant rules passages (like supernatural abilities being a standard action unless specified otherwise). And I find posting a question to these forums to be a better way of finding the relevant rules passages. So I don't write to CustServ. YMMV.

I'm not normally a big fan of CustServ, but their answers to the Mistwell upthread seemed reasonable. Maybe they just had a seminar on Telepathy or something!


glass.

 

[Cheiromancer]

They are indeed good answers.

 

[RigaMortus2]

(Note - For those curious, the Mindsight feat allows you to sense the 5-foot square creatures are in, their intelligence, and their type. It does not let you pinpoint their location however).

Isn't that the same thing? Pinpointing is the same as knowing what 5' square someone is in.

 

[Mistwell]

Isn't that the same thing? Pinpointing is the same as knowing what 5' square someone is in.

They still have full concealment with regard to you, if you cannot see them.