Channeling

Channeling [10] B41 is a mental, supernatural advantage where you become a conduit for the spirit world, allowing spirits to speak through you.

range

"in the immediate vicinity" is the phrasing which is used. It is presumably some range greater than touch. B101 is a possible guideline when range is non-specific like this, though it may not be clear whether to use 100 yards line or 2 yards radius.

"if it has the Possession ability (p. 75), it is considered to be touching you" implies some kind of change involved where mind swap can happen regardless of being beyond usual ranges. It is normally touch unless Ranged +40% is taken.

Most spirits with possession have the "spiritual" limitation which involves a ride-along of their insubstantial bodies, so it's unclear what it would mean in that case, like if it would teleport the insubstantial body.

PP gives bonuses for using touch for abilities which can be used at range, so this could potentially apply here for those who have the Ranged enhancement on Possession already.

modifiers

• Enhancements - Aware (+50%)
• Limitations - Specialized (-50%)

Since it works on "spirits" the Spirit Templates on B263 are important.

technique

PP43 allows this as a psi-technique on Spirit Communication which is based on the Medium advantage.

This deviates from the usual policy of psi-techniques being bsased on "Temporary Enhancements" because in this case it's more like "Using Abilities at Default" which has different rules (for example 3 FP instead of 2 FP, and -2 per 25% CP instead of -1 per 10% CP)

PP already deviates from traditional TE rules though since it doesn't require a separate concentrate maneuver to turn on the enhancement for 1 minute. Instead it just applies the TE modifiers to the psi skill rolls as effectively a free action but which makes the base use of the ability more difficult so this kinda balances out.

This is not the only place this is done (adding advantages instead of enhancements) as that's also done for Astral Projection where an invisibility/insubstantiality metatrait has a technique that creates Jumper (Spirit/World)

Alternatives

Affliction also has a base cost of 10 points

• Possession reduced to -80% would cost 20 points (a +200% enhancement to Afflict it)

Emulating what ability this gives to spirits who lack possession could be done in a couple ways. Modifiers universal to both...

• Accessibility, One Person Only -80
• No Memory Access -10
• Spiritual -20 (unless: the body stays at distance?)
• Hard to Use 2 -20 (Subject willing: +10 from Ghostly Possession Modifiers means a net +4
• Granted by (Other) -40

The non-req of spirits to roll to do the possession is can be done two ways

• No Die Roll Required +100 with Easily Resisted 4 -20
• P76's Puppets only, also requiring afflicting "Puppet" as an advantage for +50%
  • this also requires Ally or Dependent, the latter is cheaper to afflict but would not be legal if the channeler has a higher point value than the spirit
    • the channeler would need to have either IQ 0, Duty or Reprogrammable to be a puppet. These could be done as Controllable Disadvantage for a perk, or be built into Affliction as an Aftermath or Backlash. It's unclear whether Temporary Disadvantage can be used since while the EFFECTS of affliction have a duration, it is not be default a switchable ability. This may only be possible if changing it to an Aura.

• Changing the Affliction's DX roll to hit to a Will roll is Malediction +100% (maledictions also inherently "Affect Insubstantial" so that enhancement isn't needed).
• No Die Roll Required (afflicting the advantage doesn't require additional rolls once in the trance) is +100%.
• Reliable 3 +15%: to prevent effective skill from being reduced below 3, which could happen if penalties take you to Will 0, the absolute minimum. Taking this on Afflictions is controversial though, usually players are expected to just buy up Will directly.

This is a total of +415% to offset.

First 100%

• Preparation Required (1 minute, -20%)
• Insubstantial Only -30%
• Melee Attack, Cannot Parry -35%
• Requires Concentrate -15%

next 50

• Fixed Duration +0% (lasts 3 minutes instead of margin minutes)
• 1/3 duration -10% (lasts 1 minute)
• 1/60 duration -35% (lasts 1 second)

"You are unaware of the world around you while you are in this state." Temporary disadvantages:

• Absent-Mindedness -15

Easily Resisted 4 -20% (using the suggested cap of 4 per PU8p13, a spirit who doesn't want to be given this advantage doesn't need to take it!)

References

• Basic Set 41
• GURPS Banestorm 183, on speaking with spirits
• GURPS Powers, p. 14, on suitable powers, and p. 186, on interaction with other supernatural advantages.

See Also

• Autotrance
• Communication Only
• Medium
• Possession