Psychic Halflings

[Shayloh]

By canon, ghostwise halflings get a neat supernatural ability called Speak Without Sound which allows them to communicate telepathically with each other and all other creatures. This ability is not currently present in FK, but perhaps it could be. What if ghostwise halflings could use the TELL command without using an Amulet of Communication? It would be a flavorful addition without any real increase in racial power.

Thoughts?

[Selveem]

I don't have one, so I assumed they already had the ability.

I agree they should be able to send tells without amulets.

[Raona]

I think this is a neat idea as well. However, canon limits the ability to a 20' range, and you should already be able to TELL (whisper) without an amulet in the same room. I think that gives an echo, though, it would make sense to remove it for Ghostwise halflings.

That said, I think canon also has Ghostwise halflings being less lucky than other hin - manifested as a +1 bonus to saving throws - if that's not already coded in, it should be if the race gets a tweak.

[Shayloh]

I think this is a neat idea as well. However, canon limits the ability to a 20' range, and you should already be able to TELL (whisper) without an amulet in the same room. I think that gives an echo, though, it would make sense to remove it for Ghostwise halflings.

Close! My books show the range to be a mere 10 feet. My thinking there was that, with every chartacter in FK already being telepathic, it might be nice to step up the range a bit.

I haven't played with using TELLs or seeing echoes in the same room yet, but I'll take your word for it. Simply removing the echo for them would be fitting, if a bit weak.

That said, I think canon also has Ghostwise halflings being less lucky than other hin - manifested as a +1 bonus to saving throws - if that's not already coded in, it should be if the race gets a tweak.

I went and played with making new halfling characters, and it looks like ghostwise halflings do not get the +1 save bonus that other halflings get. Like you said, that's in line with canon, but currently they don't get anything to make up for that lost bonus.

[Selveem]

Realistically, it's just a tell. People can do tells any distance with an amulet of communication. In D&D, most PCs never even encounter telepathic-anything that isn't a monster trying to kill them. Since telepathy is so common in FK, I really don't see the reason that we should stick exactly to the text in this particular case?

Did I shock anyone with this stance?

[Timaeus]

I think this is a neat idea as well. However, canon limits the ability to a 20' range, and you should already be able to TELL (whisper) without an amulet in the same room. I think that gives an echo, though, it would make sense to remove it for Ghostwise halflings.

I haven't played with using TELLs or seeing echoes in the same room yet, but I'll take your word for it. Simply removing the echo for them would be fitting, if a bit weak.

You can already send tells in the same room without using an amulet of communication at all and it does not give an echo. The echo is created from the wearing of the amulet of communication itself.

[Raona]

I think Ghostwise halflings should get some advantage to compensate for their reduced luck. A no-amulet, no-echo TELL might be a good option. At minimum it frees up one wear slot for them and aids them in what should be reclusive RP. Would it make sense for them to be able to TELL PCs they have not met (re: another current thread)?

[Selveem]

I think the same rules should apply, honestly. I don't see anything wrong with the proposal as you've stated it.

[Shayloh]

Would it make sense for them to be able to TELL PCs they have not met (re: another current thread)?

I think that, if they're in the same room, then they should be able to. You shouldn't need to know someone's name if they're standing just right over there; the line-of-sight connection should be enough.

As for calling up people you've never met, then the halflings should get the same rules that go with the amulets, whatever that may end up being.

[Bellayana]

I agree...a no amulet needed tell would be appropriate. Great suggestion to add to the RP of the Ghostwise Halflings.

[hasryn]

was this ever implemented?

[Nylo]

What is there to implement? It's just discussing how you can roleplay the psychic communication using the ingame tell system.

[hasryn]

If you read some.of the above post there was talk if making ghostlike not requires an amulet of communication to make up for the lack of another halfling stuff

[Nylo]

Tell does not require an amulet to function in the same room. If that is what you refer to, then yes, it's already in place.

[hasryn]

No. You're not getting what I'm putting down there Nylo. They where talking about in the later post that perhaps they'd make tells not require one at all for ghostwise even long distances to make up for a lack in another area. I was hoping Raona was around to clarify if anything was discussed further or it just went dead on here. Lol

[Alitar]

In canon they have a 10 ft. range for psychic communication with others that speak the same language. Giving it long range wouldn't really be canon, but it'd be something. If not, maybe giving them the same luck bonus as Lightfoot halflings? Otherwise they're just getting nothing...

[hasryn]

Exactly. That's what was being discussed that I was curious about. It appears nothing came of the discussion though.

[Gwain]

I'd make it cost a little bit more than it would when using an amulet. I see the amulet as a focus and a lack of such while alive should require additional effort.

[hasryn]

I agree wholeheartedly on that. It takes a good amount. Its like when you're focused so much on something you start sweating and run up your blood pressure and heart beat. Lol it's how I see it.

[Rhangalas]

Maybe just nix Speak without Sound altogether and give them something else as Raona suggested... not saying it wouldn't be cool, but it is kind of unreasonable to go from a 10ft. range to telepathy regardless of range. If the range could somehow be associated with the area so that the ghostwise can only use it to speak with other PCs in the same area, that might be more in line, not sure if that is even possible to code though.

I don't know what they currently get, but I'm seeing a lot of other possibilities in the SRD.

• +2 racial bonus to Climb, Jump, and Move Silently checks
  +2 morale bonus to saving throws versus fear
  +1 racial bonus with a thrown weapon
  +2 racial bonus to Listen checks

The +2 to Climb, Listen, Sneak, and Save vs. Fear looks to be the best to me, since they are supposed to be elusive.