Telepathy... some questions.

[War Golem]

When a creature has Telepathy as an innate ability (such as a devil), how exactly does it work? If it says the creature can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet, how literal is this? For instance, does the telepathic creature have to see the subject? What if the subject is invisible and in the same room with the telepathic creature, and the telepathic creature knows the subject is there (esp. if they are allies working together)?

If the answer to the second part is 'Yes', then that implies no line of sight is needed. Could a telepathic creature then use telepathy as a Detection mechanism - simply scan the area around itself in a 100 foot radius for other intelligent life? If the telepathic creature is in a dungeon, and another creature secretly enters the dungeon, can the telepathic creature use its telepathy to sense the intruder, even if there were up to (nearly) 100 feet of earth or stone still separating the two?

Finally, can a telepathic creature communicate telepathically with more than one creature at a time? If the telepathic creature's allies are all mixed in with a bunch of enemies during a combat, how specific can the telepathic creature be with its mental communication? Can it communicate with its allies, and exclude its enemies? If so, is there a mechanism by which one of the enemies could 'eavesdrop' on the communication?

I had figured that it would work like the spell, but when this situation came up in our game the other night, I discovered there is no Telepathy spell in the PHB. If this is all answered somewhere in the books and I missed it, please give me a page number and I'll go look it up myself.

Thanks!

-War Golem

 

[Mordekai]

Regarding Telepathy

I'll take a stab at it.

I don't think the telepath has to see the individual, just know that there is someone there. This in no way implies that telepathy can be used as a detection mechanism, as the ability states that communication is possible. It makes no mention of that ability, and I can see no reason to add it to the description. I believe that it was intended solely for communication (as the write-up implies). I have no problem with telepathy acting as secret communication among a group of devils interspersed among a group of adventurers. As to a method for eavesdropping, try "detect thoughts." Any message that the telepath is projecting is likely a "surface thought," as per the third round benefits of that spell. In fact, the message is also likely to be on the surface of the receiving character's mind.

 

[War Golem]

Re: Regarding Telepathy

I'll take a stab at it.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Mordekai.

Anyone else? Haven't these issues come up in anyone else's game yet?

-War Golem

 

[Zhure]

I think Mordekai hit it right on the money.

Greg

 

[Mistwell]

I have some questions about Telepathy as well, and figured it's better to revive an old thread with some previous discussion than start a whole new one.

First, the note from the Monster Manual on Telepathy states (pg. 316):

A creature with this ability can communicate telepahically with any other creature within a certain range (specified in the creature's entry, usually 100 feet) that has a language. It is possible to address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as simultaneously speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time. Some creatyres (such as the pseudodragon) have a limited form of telepathy, while others (such as the formian queen) have a more powerful form of the ability.

I think that should help with one of the questions posed earlier in this thread.

Next, I started by asking CustServ at WOTC some questions. Here's the Q&A:

Question for the Sage and/or CustServ regarding Mindbender prestige class from Complete Arcane.

First level Telepathy ability states:

"Telepathy (Su): A mindbender unlocks one of the most basic elements of his mental craft at 1st level, gaining the ability to communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language."

Question 1: Does it take a standard action to use this ability, or a free action, or something else?

Answer 1: Actually yes, since this is a supernatural ability, and it doesn't indicate in the description anywhere else that it takes less time, it does indeed take a standard action to communicate.

Question 2: Is the telepathy two-way or one-way? In other words, can I tell you something telepathically and receive a response back telepathically using this ability?

Answer 2: You can receive a response back from the individual that you're communicating with, telepathically.

Question 3a: Assuming it is two-way communication for all the sub-parts of this question, and that the mindbender character knows where the non-mindbender is, how does this two-way communication work? If a non-mindbender thinks something in the "direction" of the mindbender, does the mindbender automatically hear it, or does the mindbender have to be mentally "listening" to that specific non-mindbender character to hear the communication?

Answer 3a: The mindbender is assumed to be "listening" for possible communication. This doesn't take any action on the mindbender's part (apart from initiating the telepathic communication).

Question 3b: Is it some sort of skill check to see if the mindbender knows to "listen" with their ability to a particular individual?

Anwser 3b: No skill check is necessary.

Question 3c: How would a creature who does NOT wish to communicate with the mindbender prevent the mindbender from hearing it's thoughts if the mindbender establishes "communication" and "stays on the line" waiting for a response, as there is no save listed for that ability (though there is for the more powerful mind read ability)?

Answer 3c: The mindbender cannot hear the creature's thoughts in this manner, unless the creature consciously directs them toward the mindbender. This isn't a more advanced form of detect thoughts.

Question 3d: Can a mindbender establish communication without sending any message at all, and just wait for a "response" which would just be the form of thoughts?

Answer 3d: There is no precedence for this in the rules, so it would be up to your DM to adjudicate if this is possible or not. You would, at the very least, have to take a standard action simply to turn the ability on.

Question 4: Does this form of telepathy qualify the mindbender for the feat Mindsight (Lords of Madness page 126), which requires "Telepathy special quality"?

Answer 4: Yes it does.

(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).

Now, my next question which was not posed to CustServ. Can telepathy pierce barriers? This is similar to the question the initial poster in this thread asked (a long time ago).

There is no indication of the typical "1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it" caveat that you find in other abilities and spells. In addition, the Formorian Queen mentioned in the Monster Manual Telepathy quote can definitely penetrate barriers with her telepathy ability (given it has a range of many miles, and the ability would be pretty useless for her if it couldn't travel through barriers). From the looks of the ability, telepathy CAN penetrate barriers to communicate with creatures, if you know the creature is there. So, does anyone believe it cannot penetrate barriers?

 

[Cheiromancer]

Check out Meenlocks (MMII) for a reason why limits to telepathy would be appropriate.

IDHMBIFOM, but IIRC they can do ranged wisdom damage. If they can do this without line of sight and with meters of stone between them and their targets... well, it would be bad.

 

[Mistwell]

Check out Meenlocks (MMII) for a reason why limits to telepathy would be appropriate.

IDHMBIFOM, but IIRC they can do ranged wisdom damage. If they can do this without line of sight and with meters of stone between them and their targets... well, it would be bad.

It has a self-limitation built in, and already answered by CustServ, with an advanced feat even to add the ability if you want it in your game. Telepathy itself does not grant you the ability to know where creatures are. And the Meenlock would have to know you are there to use the ability against you.

Now, if the Meenlock also had the Mindsight feat also, it could use this ability. Which seems reasonable.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Here's how I think it goes:

1. Talking to someone using your telepathy power is just like talking to someone normally EXCEPT:
- they can hear you as long as they are within range of your telepathy, regardless of barriers
- only the person to whom you are talking to can hear you

You have no idea whether the person got your message. You have no idea who is available to talk to. You cannot broadcast thoughts.

2. Listening to someone with telepathy is the same, but in reverse.
- you hear them as long as they are within range
- you only hear them if they are talking to you specifically

 

[Saeviomagy]

It has a self-limitation built in, and already answered by CustServ, with an advanced feat even to add the ability if you want it in your game. Telepathy itself does not grant you the ability to know where creatures are. And the Meenlock would have to know you are there to use the ability against you.

Now, if the Meenlock also had the Mindsight feat also, it could use this ability. Which seems reasonable.

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.

 

[Cheiromancer]

It has a self-limitation built in, and already answered by CustServ, with an advanced feat even to add the ability if you want it in your game. Telepathy itself does not grant you the ability to know where creatures are. And the Meenlock would have to know you are there to use the ability against you.

Now, if the Meenlock also had the Mindsight feat also, it could use this ability. Which seems reasonable.

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.