Pack Mind Link

[Founder]

I'm interested in having a discussion about the concept of the "Pack Mind Link", the totemic benefit that comes with investing 4 Traits of the Background. I think a few games have gone really far in stretching the capabilities of something I considered rather simple. I haven't found any text that suggests this means of communication was like vampiric Telepathy, so I'm hesitant to allow it to transmit detailed images or detail-heavy memories.

Laws of the Wild seems to suggest that its the totem spirit itself that ferries messages back and forth between packmates, and I would think this would infringe upon instanteous and continuous conversation as well. Spirits are not mind-readers by default, and so I couldn't imagine them passing information that is any more complicated than a sentence or two (e.g. "Becky's at the caern heart and wants your help. She's not in immediate danger.").

I know polling players might be asking for a pitch for what is most generous to players (and I respect that you want to get bang for your buck out of 4 Background Traits being tied up), but I'd like to know what sort of rules text in the books you've come across that might help us hammer this out.

[Jewls]

Sorry, methinks this is partially me. >.> I always think of wolves speaking more in images and emotions than in words so I guess I kind of translated that to pack mind link.

[Founder]

I'm more of the mind that wolves speak in instincts and needs. They don't need to have things described, they just need to know if it's food or foe that they're facing. I guess I see PML as something to get somewhere between how human's talk about things, and how wolves convey quick instinctual messages to each other. I'm open to opinions on how to make it both balanced and interesting.

[Jewls]

I suppose, but the type of food/foe does make a difference-- horse hooves are far more more dangerous than sheep hooves, for instance. So whilst I'm with you, I suppose I would have thought: Image of sheep with the feeling up attacking or the feeling of sneeking, depending on the method being used atm. But, you're right, if PML is carried by the spirit, that doesn't make much sense to be conveyed. It wouldn't be image based.

[Amanda Miller]

I think that to avoid thread spam on the boards, there has to be some level complexity in what can be transmitted. I personally favor a telephone analogy. Unlimited voice, few if any images, and no sensing what the other person feels or experiences. Although there are cool segways that open up if we did.

[Lafayette]

Trait Cost Power
1 Totem can speak with all pack members.
1 Totem can find all pack members.
2 Totem is nearly always with a pack member.
4 Totem is with each pack member and enables them to communicate mentally.

Is the leadup in the book. I kinda see it as a leadup since the spirit can understand the Garou and is with each pack member. I don't think there's any ferrying there. There's multiple presences at that point, and the communication is mental. I don't think it should be like television or that it should allow Garou to use the senses of their packmates, but I don't think it's the mental can and string, either.

It really should be like Telepathy, but without sharing senses. While that might include an image or an emotion, which always lends really cool flavor to a communication, it shouldn't be an excuse for "I show you what I'm seeing.", you know?

And as for as power goes, it does seem to cost as much as buying Mindspeak out of BTA. TPO Amanda says it gooder than me, though.

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