A question about Mindsight

In the book Lords of Madness there is a feat called Mindsight which basically allows you to pinpoint the location of (like blindsense), and the Int and type of, any intelligent creature within the extent of your telepathy.

So if something has Telepathy 100ft., it can sense the Int, Type, and location of any creature within it.

My question for you knowledgeable persons is: does the identification point out particular individuals, like Scent does? In which case, could a person remember the mental signature of someone and be able to identify them later should they appear?

Or does it show up like a blip on a radar with no ID'ing signature? Meaning that they could not tell two Int 12 Humanoids apart, even if they know one is a friend named Bobby?

I don't have the book on-hand, so I can't give you a definitive answer on the wording, but as you have respresented it, it appears that you receive only a location, their Intelligence score, and type. Nothing more. If it allowed you to see any more than that (such as their "mental signature", as you call it, the feat would probably mention that.

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Originally Posted by Vaynor

I don't have the book on-hand, so I can't give you a definitive answer on the wording, but as you have respresented it, it appears that you receive only a location, their Intelligence score, and type. Nothing more. If it allowed you to see any more than that (such as their "mental signature", as you call it, the feat would probably mention that.

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http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-...s.pl?Mindsight,

Vaynor is correct, by my reading.

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Originally Posted by Mindsight

The creature also perceives several observable characteristics about each being detected with mindsight, including the being's type and Intelligence score. The creature need not take any additional or special actions to gain this information; it is as obvious to mindsight as the being's race and clothing would be to eyesight.

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Originally Posted by Scent

Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.

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They both have language about things being 'as obvious as sight'. In my opinion, that implies it's as detailed and distinct as sight, but Scent calls it out specifically and Mindsight doesn't. I'd give it to Mindsight, but it could go either way.

Vaynor is correct. Feats do what they say they do, not what they imply that they do, unless your DM rules otherwise. Of course if they have an Int score, you could usually use your telepathy to identify them by mentally talking to them. Again, it depends on your DM (and maybe the wording of your telepathy ability).

It's actually quite a useful feat for certain builds. Telepathy is actually quite easy to get via Mindbender, Ghostwise Halfling, Hellbred, Demonbinder, soulmelds, etc. It's one of the few things that works against Darkstalker. And once you've pinpointed an enemy's location and type, it's pretty easy to blow them up or lock them down via area of effect abilities.

Alright, thank you. I am the DM.

We're playing in a modern setting using D&D rules, and one of the characters has gained Telepathy 100ft., and subsequently taken the feat. It's very powerful: it basically makes sneaking up on them impossible.

I saw it as truly going either way so that's why I came here.

It seems we have two for "no" and one for "maybe" :p

Anyone else want to weigh their opinion?

Its strong, but not infailable. I don't know much about d20 modern, but anything that is inherantly mindless is not subject to being detected with Mindsight. This includes Vermin, Plants, mindless Undead, Constructs, animated objects, and anyone under the influence of a mind blank or similar ability protecting them from [Mind Affecting].

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Prerequisite: Telepathy special quality.
Benefit: A creature that has this feat can detect and pinpoint beings that are not mindless (anything with an Intelligence score of 1 or higher) within range of its telepathy. This works much like blindsense - the creature knows what square each thinking being is in, but it does not see the being, and the being still has total concealment unless the creature can see it by some other means.
The creature also perceives several observable characteristics about each being detected with mindsight, including the being's type and Intelligence score. The creature need not take any additional or special actions to gain this information; it is as obvious to mindsight as the being's race and clothing would be to eyesight.

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Emphasis mine. Creature type are int score are two of the "several observable characteristics", but apparently not all. I would say it's definately meant to give you enough information to tell one creature apart from another.

I for one as a DM don't allow my players to take this feat. It is not included in the feat chapter of the book, but described as a feat a certain type of monster sometimes takes (in their respective chapter).

That being said I would rule that you could use it to distinguish various intelligences. Maybe not as good as sight but something like this. Meaning you could tell people apart.

I think that from the text quoted in the thread mindsight is not mind-affecting and is not a divination ans so it would seem that the only defense would be to stay outside the range of the telepathy or to be mindless.