Re: OOC IV Tolkeen
Hmmmm... Randomly finding this on the net since my books are back in the big city:
Psi-Nullification & Interference: As a living battery of negative psychic energy, the Psi-Nullifier has the ability to disrupt or interfere with magic and psionics that are directed against him or in close proximity. This is a natural defense mechanism developed by the mutant to protect against hostile psychic and magic attacks. It is an involuntary reaction that occurs automatically whenever psionic or magic forces are directed against him or within 10 feet (3 m) of him.
As soon as a psychic, magic practitioner or supernatural menace comes within range or focuses their mental will or magic for an attack against the Psi-Nullifier, he instinctively floods his attacker(s) with a wave of negative psychic energy. This negative energy destroys positive psionic and magic energies, cancelling them out completely or reducing their power. Every one point of I.S.P. expended by the Psi-Nullifier negates three positive I.S.P. points, or one positive P.P.E. point of magic power!
The Psi-Nullifier automatically releases enough negative psychic energy to cancel or diminish most psi-powers or magic spells used within his disruption range. As a disruption of magic, the Psi-Nullifier instinctively expends 1D6 I.S.P. which negates an equal amount of P.P.E., which, in most cases, will be enough to prevent the spell from being successfully cast due to insufficient P.P.E.! The spell caster's only defense, when he knows that he is confronted by a Psi-Nullifier, is to expend seven more P.P.E. than is normally necessary to cast the spell. This can turn into a mental chess game, because the Psi-Nullifier can anticipate the mage to compensate and willingly expend a specific amount of I.S.P. to disrupt the spell, provided it is greater than six (7, 10, 13, 18, 25, whatever). Under all circumstances, the P.P.E. expended by the spell caster, whether the spell is successfully cast or not, is lost in the attempt.
Against psionic powers, the Psi-Nullifier also instinctively expends 1D6 negative I.S.P. which negates 3x that amount in positive I.S.P. unleashed by his attacker (i.e. one negative I.S.P. negates three of his opponent's, two negates six, three negates nine, and so on). If the amount of negative I.S.P. dispels an amount equal to or greater than the I.S.P. needed to cast the psionic power, it is completely negated! The attacker spends the necessary I.S.P., but nothing happens.
If the negative I.S.P. destroys half the positive I.S.P., the psionic power works, but at half its strength: reduce range, duration, damage and penalties by half. If the negative I.S.P. destroys a third or less of the positive I.S.P. needed, then reduce the effectiveness and power level of that attack by 20%.
Additionally, each point of negative I.S.P. energy counts as a -5% penalty against the success ratio of psi-powers that require skill and interpretation (Object Read, Ectoplasmic Disguise, Telemechanics, etc.); at least while within the radius of the Psi-Nullifier's influence.
Like the spell caster above, an enemy psychic's only countermeasure is to expend more I.S.P. than is normally necessary to use the psionic power. Likewise, the Psi-Nullifier can willingly increase the amount of negative I.S.P. (as above) to further prevent attempts to circumvent his nullification power.
Note: The nullification power is a reflex action that responds to all (even multiple) psionic and magic attacks directed at him (including area affect spells) as well as any unleashed within 10 feet of him. It is an involuntary action, so the character cannot hold it back or decide when not to defend against psychic attack to conserve I.S.P. It is a natural and instinctive response to danger. It happens even when the Psi-Nullifier is rendered unconscious and while he is asleep.
This unique power cannot be used against enemies who are aiming their attacks against others, unless the Psi-Nullifier is aware of their intention and willingly uses his nullification power to protect an ally or an innocent. The nullification power must be released the moment the spell or psi-power is cast, but Psi-Nullifiers have an uncanny ability to do so (roll initiative, with the Psi-Nullifier having a +6 bonus to let loose his negative I.S.P. in time to negate or reduce it). Maximum range for such a preemptive strike is 100 feet (30.5 m) +10 feet (3 m) per level of experience.
This is of course deeply unhelpful. By the rules as written, magic items of any kind work just fine, but I would be inclined to argue that some should be disrupted in some fashion: TW weapons ought to fail on a per-trigger-pull basis, but in doing so would drain the appropriate amount of ISP from the nullifier, whilst permanent magic items should probably work just fine since they're not spending P.P.E. The difficulty is that the rules and the description don't gel - the rules say a user of magic, the description references magical energy, so I figure to basically split the difference.
