Wacky idea: logical psionic displays

[Destil]

OKay, call me crazy, but here's what I've been considering for psionic displays.

Until now I had a few systems for displays. One was racial displays where each generaly psionic race had a set of diplays for all their powers, which were swapped with the power's specified displays on a mostly 1-1 basis (and also the random limbo / githzeri system based on 2d20 rolls). There was also the cross refrence system, where every dicipline had a set display for each type (based on the excelent Caliban posted back when the PsiHB was just published, largly). And the insane attempt to give every power a unique set of displays that never got much farther than ablating...

So, the new idea: rather than the displays assocated with each power listed in the PsiHB, what if every dicipline had it's own display type. So every power would have a single display dependent only on its nature. Here's what I've come up with so far:
Displays
Psycometabolic [Str] – Thermal (Th)

• Everyone within 60’ feet of the manifester feels a chilling wave from their direction as power is manifested.
• Target(s) feels unnaturally warm for a moment, originating from the point of physical contact with touch powers.

Psycoportive [Dex] - Visual (Vi)

• Manifester appears ‘blurry’ or ‘fuzzy’ about the edges, color bleeding et cetera during manifestation.
• Portal style teleportation powers: Shimmering, watery portals stepped though or that wipe over the target.
• Movement powers leave a faint blurry trail of color behind the target for the first round, bright light sources have trails.
• Time powers: target ‘dissolves’ visually (and re-appears in a similar matter, perhaps right away).

Psychokinetic [Con] - Olfactory (Of)

• Scent of burning metal from mainfester’s direction, noticeable at a range of 30’, half upwind and double downwind.. double with scent.

Metacreative [Int] - Material (Me)

• Silvery points of light form around the manifester during manifestation which then fade.
• Flecks of ash on target which flake off after one round for powers with targets.
• Powers that create things leave a layer of frost on the surface they’re created on, or create a chill mist around the object, melts / dissipates after one round.

Clairsentient [Wis] - One Audio (Au)

• A faint low hum from the manifester.
• Targets hearing is sharpened for a moment (not for indirect powers, like remote view).
• Remote view sensor is detectable through sound, sounding like your whispering voice (no intelligible speech).

Telepathic [Cha] - Mental (Me)

• At manifestation all with 60’ feel a weak but sharp pain in their temple.
• For non-subtle powers / on a successful save vs. a subtle power the target feels a slight sense of vertigo.

Now, this leaves the question of how hide display should work. Until now I've allowed psions to simply take it to hide any display and let it stack with itself for more PP. With this system I could almost see the selecting one type as fair, or perhaps two, as the PsiHB feat works... any other ideas / opinions?

 

[gpetruc]

Very nice.

About the Hide Display I don't remember well what it did: if you have to choose one display type for the feat, then with these rules it becomes stronger, as you'll take it only for the spells you would use, and only if they have suble effects (Telepathy, mostly, I think).

If the original feat lets you hide any display (paying a PP cost for each display), then in this way it's power does not change.

 

[RangerWickett]

I never really used the whole display thing. However, I do have subtle manifestations that go with psionics. People might feel the air grow unusually cold and wet, or local sounds might seem more acute, or the target hears a light tingling of bells in his ears. But it's all subtle, and each character only has one or two of these things. I mean, how often do telepaths in fiction have glowing lights around them?