Ciphers: Inspirations and their mechanics

[TRX850]

[...] then he steals information from their mind.

 

Like a summary of their current spell pool, or special abilities. That'd be worth knowing just prior to combat.

 

A "Data Thief".

Edited January 23, 2013 by TRX850

[NerdBoner]

I've always wanted to play psionics in an crpg and so far, what little I heard from the last update I like.

 

from what it sounds like the Cipher can get incredibly powerful the longer it stays focused in combat.

 

Since they are mental-power focused, concentration should probably be a significant factor for maintaining effects. The more effects they maintain, the less attention they can pay to their surroundings. That would provide a vulnerability that necessitates teaming up with others. Otherwise I could just picture them taking control of everything behind the scenes.

this sounds like the perfect "big bad" class to me.

Edited January 23, 2013 by NerdBoner

[TRX850]

Psychokinetic Abilities

 

Spontaneous Combustion

- Causes a single creature to erupt into gouts of flame.

 

Convert Element

- Turn an enemy's metal armour into leather.

- Neutralize poison.

 

Psychic Weapon

- As Mordenkainen's Sword. Attack enemies anywhere on the battlefield, from a "safe" distance.

 

 

Clairsentient Ability

 

Remote Viewing

- Divination similar to Wizard Eye.

[Hormalakh]

 

Psychic Weapon

- As Mordenkainen's Sword. Attack enemies anywhere on the battlefield, from a "safe" distance.

Ohhhh. this would be good. The sword never gets killed. You have to strike the cipher to make him break concentration so that the spell is broken. It would be a great way to have them in the background concentrating, while you've got him surrounded with your party members and not lettign anyone through. It's like football. You got your linemen and the cipher is the quarterback.

 

American football that is. Not futbol/football/soccer.

Edited January 23, 2013 by Hormalakh

[Lephys]

I'd love it if this was only possible between ciphers. Anything that encourages exotic party setups (like several ciphers) is good. O herro 6 cipher party with ultra-powerful willpower attacks who all fall unconscious together

 

"... And I'LL form... THE HEAD! *giant Cipherbot presses fist to palm, producing a huge Psionic sword.*"

 

Also, the "Keep your ally's soul from leaving this plane" ability would rock! You're fighting a necromancer, and your ally "dies," but you tether a safety line to his soul. The necromancer re-animates him and he fights you. Maybe you have to avoid damaging his body too badly while you kill the necromancer. He drops back to the ground. His soul goes back in him as he clings back to life, just enough for you to get him somewhere for some salves and some rest.

[NerdBoner]

Frankly, I'm more interested in the potential dialogue and plot impact having a psychic character around can affect...

 

If one of the Ciphers chosen abilities is telepathy then being lied to can become a detectable thing during dialogue. Prying secrets from sleeping npc's or prisoners also becomes possible and beneficial.

 

I'd imagine the more advanced cultures may even employ Ciphers as some form of criminal investigators etc.

[Lephys]

As awesome as the potential psychic abilities are, I'd like to know what non-psychic capabilities, if any, Ciphers will have. Since they can apparently directly manipulate/tamper-with souls, I would think that would include more than just the mind.

 

(EDIT):

 

Nevermind. I am a moron and failed to properly recall the official description, haha. It seems that, even if they affect more than just the mind, the mind is the conduit to the soul.

Edited January 24, 2013 by Lephys

[rjshae]

Relationships for ciphers are unusual; being able to get inside the head of your romantic beau isn't always a pretty thing. Instead, a disproportionate number of ciphers end up mating with a fellow cipher; the shared ability to shield their thoughts from each other adds a little mystery spice to the courting process, and the end result yields an integrated mind experience that is both the ultimate in intimacy and a sweet, mind-blowing reward. Of course, thereafter neither spouse is able to cheat on the other, which can either lead to a greater level of personal trust or deep, burning resentment.

 

A cipher who has lost his mate often becomes a tormented loner, being unable to withstand the mundaneness of the average soul. Such ciphers may prefer living in the wilds, with only the primitive rawness of wild creatures to disturb their thoughts. Others may become obsessed with dominating their surroundings, allowing only those they can control into their presence. The remainder often  turn to chemical addiction, using mushrooms and illicit drugs to kill their depression and desires.

[TRX850]

Are we talking about Ciphers or Roleplayers in general?

[TRX850]

Past Life

- Temporarily bestow an enemy with the AI/scripting behaviour of a different class.

- Wizards engage you in melee. Fighters stay back and "chant".

 

One might say the Cipher has accessed the enemy's soul.

Edited January 24, 2013 by TRX850

[NerdBoner]

Relationships for ciphers are unusual; being able to get inside the head of your romantic beau isn't always a pretty thing. Instead, a disproportionate number of ciphers end up mating with a fellow cipher; the shared ability to shield their thoughts from each other adds a little mystery spice to the courting process, and the end result yields an integrated mind experience that is both the ultimate in intimacy and a sweet, mind-blowing reward. Of course, thereafter neither spouse is able to cheat on the other, which can either lead to a greater level of personal trust or deep, burning resentment.

 

A cipher who has lost his mate often becomes a tormented loner, being unable to withstand the mundaneness of the average soul. Such ciphers may prefer living in the wilds, with only the primitive rawness of wild creatures to disturb their thoughts. Others may become obsessed with dominating their surroundings, allowing only those they can control into their presence. The remainder often  turn to chemical addiction, using mushrooms and illicit drugs to kill their depression and desires.

[Nonek]

To Dream the Impossible - The Cipher lets loose the bonds of the flesh, his soul flying free into the Ether. Here he has neither eyes to see or ears to hear, but somehow he does sense life and souls. Here he can speak with other Ciphers a thousand miles away, or bedevil an enemy with nightmares, even take control of an impressionable and weak willed dreamer. The vast variety of life roars all around him, but above there is silence, serenity and the hint of something more.

 

Throwing himself into the cosmos he hears far off the vast susurrous of beings that slumber beyond life and death, racing past suns and nebulae he ventures into the darkness between the stars. Here dwell eternal entities so utterly beyond him that he does not even register as existing to them, Gods, Demons, who can know. Parasitically he may feed off them, but their dark wisdom bears bitter gifts, and he may return changed from that dream quest.

[NerdBoner]

^ those sound like high level abilities that should be in sequels when the characters have matured into seasoned adventurers.

 

IIRC Obsidian is taking the BG1 approach in terms of leveling (make the adventure level appropriate, bring you up to low-mid level by the end and leave room for further character development in future installments of the franchise)...which i'm totally ok with even if they kill off the PC and you play as his/her reincarnation in the P:E2.

Edited January 24, 2013 by NerdBoner

[Nonek]

Be nice to see the dream/meditation chambers of an upper level antagonist Cipher however, somewhere secure and hidden where the players can rest, and be haunted by strange disturbing dreams.

[Somna]

With that "Cipher powers often gain intensity as they maintain focus" line, I'm seriously getting a poison theme out of it for offense now. Kind of like a mental Warlock. (The MMO kind, not the D&D one.) I don't know if I like that or not though...

[rjshae]

I could imagine that magic items of Ciphers involve some manner of runic symbolism, which triggers a unique mental state while concentrating upon their form. The triggered powers may then be tuned, focused, and amplified via a brainwave resonance effect using an assembly of one or more flawless power crystals. Thus you may have a disk or tablet engraved with the runic symbols of invocation, and a crystal at the center or top for transmitting the effect from the mind of the wielder to the target. Cipheric devices carry risks, however: failure to properly focus this device can result in a mental backlash, ranging from a stun effect to a temporary catatonic state.

 

Each such magical implement requires a careful balance between the runes and the crystals. Since no two crystals are exactly alike, cipheric implements may vary significantly in power and capability. It requires both master craftsmanship and a deep knowledge of cipher magic to successfully assemble such a device.

Edited January 24, 2013 by rjshae

[Lephys]

If their mechanic (or one of the main aspects of it) is the scaling of focus/intensity over time (while "channeling"), I'd like to see them get abilities that can be "powered up," for lack of a better term, for various amounts of time. During the power-up/cast-time, the Cipher would be defenseless, and any attack (maybe with exceptions?) would break the "spell" all together.

 

EXAMPLE TIME! *Example Time theme song plays*:

 

You select your Cipher, and wish to use Flood of Will, which will allow the Cipher to command 1 enemy for 10 seconds (All numbers subject to balancing, I just have to pick SOMEthing for the example.) The minimum "cast" time is 3 seconds. So, you have to stand there glowing and focusing for 3 seconds, without getting hit (again, you maybe get concentration bonuses or something as you progress, so that it takes three attacks instead of one to interrupt or something, or a certain amount of damage, etc.) to successfully prepare the ability. Once prepared, it's instant-use (like a loaded crossbow). However, you CAN prepare the ability for up to 10 seconds. Maybe if you charge it for 5 or 6 seconds, it gains an additional target (duration might have to drop some with additional targets, but might still drop less if you charge it beyond the point of gaining an additional target, *shrug*). So now you can command 2 targets IF you charged it for 6 seconds without interruption. At 9 seconds, it can affect 3 people (again, probably for less than 10 seconds.)

 

You couldn't begin preparing these until combat begins, so you can't just always have one maximally prepared. Other abilities could increase a radius, and/or damage and effectiveness in different ways. Maybe some could even be charged during combat and unaffected by incoming damage (but using any other ability would cancel the preparation of the initial ability.)

[rjshae]

Gradually powering up abilities => shades of Goku in Dragon Ball Z...

 

[Nonek]

My brother (filthy degenerate that he is) caught a touch of the Dragonball after a trip to Thailand, apparently an over the counter antibacterial cream will get rid of it in a few days.

[Lephys]

Haha. Well, I think you can have chargeable abilities without becoming Dragonball.

 

Besides, it fits with the "gradually increase in power/effectiveness the longer its sustained" notion.

[TRX850]

Psychometabolic Powers
 

Absorb Arrows

- Per Encounter

- The Cipher ignores all base damage from a number of "missiles" equal to his/her character level. Bonus damage and elemental damage is still applied.

 

[NerdBoner]

Tactile Telekinesis: The Cipher's melee damage increases exponentially with each level he gains while this ability is active. All other Cipher powers are inaccessible during this time however.

[Acre]

Okay, i haven't thought this quite through but what if their mind-control ability was literally a case of them moving their entire consciousness to another character. Of course this presents the obvious disadvantage of your body being completely exposed but it might be a neat way to dodge the mind spells of enemies and keep casting your own from another mind. So if two ciphers are fighting in opposing parties,they'd always be scanning to battlefield trying to locate, pin down or expel the other.

[Osvir]

Quick-fire thoughts pew pew (that thread xD)

- Mind Magic
- Soul Manipulation (Bending)
- Telepathy
- Telekinesis
- Pyrokinesis
- Chakra Molding
- Shadow Souls
- Dual-Wield
- One-Handed
- Crystal stuff~
- Enchanting
- Crystal Magic (Pew pew pew)
- Imma firin' my lazor!

And I guess I'll stop about there cus I'm starting to de-rail xD

EDIT: Mind Bullets! How will Guns & Cipher work?

I'd like to say that Corvo is a Cipher.

Here's a song to go with the Mind Bullets thoughts (it's actually the other way around, Mind Bullets inspired by this song).

Edited January 25, 2013 by Osvir

[rjshae]

Telepathy/ESP would probably require a significant expansion of the conversation tree, so I'm not sure that would be expedient to implement.