From: engf002@csc.canterbury.ac.nz
Subject: Re: how to imprison a psionicist ?
Organization: University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 02:08:17 GMT

Jorge A. Diaz suggests locking a helmet on to stop psis escaping 
(since on page 16 of the Psi handbook it states no psi powers with 
helmets).

And Seawasp replies:
>	Maybe because most people looked at the rule that says "helms
>shut off psis" and realized how ridiculous that rule is, and jettisoned
>the rule. 

>	When I encounter a rule that's obviously there for no reason other
>than to promote that semi-mythical beast Game Balance, I throw it out
>right away. If I'm going to imprison a psionicist, it will be using a
>logical method that works according to the operating physics and paraphysics
>of psi, tech, and magic. That helmet rule can't be justified well at all;
>and any justifications for it have logical ramifications which are 
>never considered. For example, if ANY helm can do this, then surrounding
>the psi with the same material as any helm should shut off his powers;
>put him in a leather tent and he's powerless. "No", you say, "it only
>works because it's on his head." Oh? So, if the helm is magically 
>levitated off his head by a thousandth of a micron, he can use his powers?
>Cool, I'll have my psi train with his TK until he can keep the helm
>JUST off his head...  Oh, that's too close? How far away does it have to
>be? How MUCH of the head has to be covered? Can I wear a helm made of
>bands of leather and steel that are like crosshatching, with open
>spaces?

You can apply this kind of black/white reasoning to almost any
facet of the game. 

The DM must make arbitrary black/white rulings all the time, and
the case as to what constitutes whether a helmet is "on" or not
(or even what indeed is a "helmet") is no different. (Say when
its inner surface is less than 2cm close to any part of the brain
or whatever. The helmet must cover say 75% of the head. Must be
made of iron or leather. I don't know. Whatever. Yes, your fancy
psi can TK it in this case.) 
The point is so long as the DM is consistent, then it doesn't 
matter. But it is still all black/white and arbitrary.

But then so is everything in ADND (or any RPG):

Magic missiles travel 120 yards or whatever. If you are a 
thousandth of a micron further than 120 yards, you are totally 
unaffected. Is that logical?? Does that comply to your wonderful
"operating physics and paraphysics of psi, tech, and magic."
Balck/white arbitrary cutoff.

Or take Tensor's floating disk. It can carry 6000gp or whatever. If a 
thousandth of a microgram of extra weight is placed on the 
surface, the spell won't work. Black/white cutoff again.

Or the old "Charm Person or Mammal" spell. Define mammal. Will
the spell work on monotremes or monotreme-based intelligent life?
Some people say monotremes are mammals, others would disagree. 

I normally have 50hp. I am currently on 1 hp and still alive and 
still PERFECTLY able to perform. I lose that hp and suddenly I 
am dead (or unconscious or whatever). 
You can't get much more black/white than that.

A man drinks some death poison. Sometimes it will kill him, other
times he will be completely unaffected - black/white cutoff for
poison saving throw. 

As to your "semi-mythical beast Game Balance", yes it is 
important. Why not let fighters have a D100 for hit points? Why 
not make Fireball a level one spell? Let's say that all paladins 
get D6 wishes each day.

Everything in the DND world has black/white (and arbitrary but 
consistent) cutoffs. 

Andrew Earl
-- In the country of the deaf, the one-eyed man gets the glasses. --