BIOKINESIS
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Basic Technique
Self-Mastery: This most rudimentary of Biokinetic Techniques allows the Psion an intimate
awareness of his own body and its many states all the way down to the most subtle of
changes and processes. The Psion will also be able to control some of these processes
in a gross manner, causing his stomach to start or stop rumbling, his blood pressure to rise
or lower, his skin to flush or not, is immune system to heighten production or become
supressed, etc. These effects are highly useful in recovery from injury, slowing bleeding,
staving off infection, avoiding shock and so forth, perhaps helping to explain why some
Biokinetics often seem to recover from injuries a bit faster than expected.
System: For the self-diagnostic functions or the healing boost, roll Psi. Number of successes
Indicates what sort of information will become available in the former case. “I feel the poison
numbing my nerves and cells in my brain are dying off in alarming numbers, it must be a
neurotoxin!” In the latter case, each success allows the Biokinetic to heal one of his current
wound levels at the rate for the wound level one less on the chart on p 253. Thus, a Norça
who had suffered 4 Lethal Wounds in the last fight would normally take a month to heal
just so much (with bed rest but no access to 2120 medical aid) to reach Injured! But after
activating this power and getting two successes, her Wounded HT level will heal in only
a week and her Injured HT level in a mere 3 days! She could not re-utilize this ability to
affect the additional wounds, but she has still turned a 5 week and 4 day ordeal into a two
week siesta! (In the case of a single Lethal wound it will heal in 12 hours, and in the case of
a single Bashing wound, it will be gone by scenes end!) This effect is cumulative with that
of good hospital care, and even allows a Biokinetic who is unable to get the food and / or
bed rest required for the normal rate of healing on p 253 to use those charts anyway!
This effect has no bearing on the possible use of Vitakinetic healing Techniques as these
two Aptitudes do not work particularly well together. An Iatrotic will gain no benefit
from trying to heal a Biokinetic using this talent as the effects will have to be carefully
controlled on both sides to keep from undoing each other! (No game effect, this is not
a defense against Vitakinesis.)
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ADAPTATION
· Exclusion: With this rudimentary level of proficiency, the Biokinetic can physically modify
her form in such a way as to optimize it towards any one basic function that the human form is
not especially suited for (note that many tasks require a diverse assortment of different activities
and that this Technique is of limited use in such cases). Physical changes in structure may include
webbing between fingers and toes (for optimal swimming) at the cost of ability to move smoothly
on land or handle objects, greatly enhanced night vision at the cost of total inability to see in ‘normal’ illumination and heightened susceptibility to blinding/dazzling attacks, etc. Note that this technique
doesn’t merely allow the Psion to perform acts normally outside of human range, but also to adapt
to engage in typical human functions at better than normal performance, such as in the case of a
Psion adapting himself to be able to run more swiftly (at a cost in upper body strength and arm
function) or aim more efficiently (at a cost in endurance, flexibility and even close-range visual
acuity).
System: The Psion rolls Psi and spends a point, gaining +1 die / 2 success rolled to perform a specific narrowly defined task. However, the changes are gross and unsubtle, penalizing most other actions by
one die / 2 successes! The effect lasts only Psi turns at the lowest level. At Adaptation 3 the duration
is increased to Psi minutes and at Adaptation 5, the effects duration is measured in hours! Note that
this technique may require adjudication from time to time as some adaptations may confer benefits
or eliminate penalties not limited to simple dice rolls, such as running or swimming speed (in which
cases the addition might be to the initial Dexterity rating of the character to determine basic speed as
well as to the Dexterity + Athletics rolls required for pursuit).
·· Multiplicity of function: This technique clearly derives from Exclusivity, above, but allows the
Psion to only to adapt fully to a specific environment without sacrificing his current advantages, not
simply to enhance performance in a standard situation.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. The effect reduces one level of penalty or Difficulty at one
success, 2 at 3 success and any at 5 successes to any rolls involving the specific environment adapted
to. Thus, adapting to an aquatic environment might create changes to the eyes and other senses to
eliminate the Perception penalties that would be imposed upon an unmodified human, changes to the
fatty tissues to protect against the chilling depths and improve streamlining, which, with the addition
of webs on the hands and feet would eliminate penalties imposed from the chill and in moving through
the water itself. Less visible changes would protect the diver from the crushing pressure, nitrogen
narcosis and similar effects. The Psion would not gain the ability to breathe water from this technique,
but his body would otherwise be perfectly suited for an aquatic existence with a good roll. This effect
lasts 1 minute per permanent Psi at this level and increases to Psi hours at Adaptation 4.
··· True Adaptation: This potent technique allows the Psion to create certain changes within his body
that render him all but immune to one form of attack.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. For the next Psi turns (Psi minutes at Adaptation 5), the Psion
gains a +1 Soak / success rolled vs one specific form of attack. The attack form adapted to could be
hand to hand bashing attacks, laser weapons, sonics, tasers/electricity, bullets/flechettes, toxins or
even large slashing/impaling attacks. Each requires certain adjustments to the characters physique
and they are not particularly useful against other attack forms on the list.
····
····· Immutable Form: At this level of training, the Biokinetic is able to harden and innure her
body to all forces, if only for a few moments and at great cost.
System: Roll Psi and spend 3 Psi and 1 Willpower. The number of successes rolled is the
number of turns that the Psions body will become practically indestructible to conventional
harm. During those few turns, she can add her Psi rating to her Stamina for all Bashing
Soaks and Resistance rolls, as well gaining a Stamina Soak (NOT plus Psi!) vs Lethal forms
of attack! She can still be toppled by certain heavy firearms or vehicular weaponry certainly,
but during this time she may well shrug off most small calibre firearms.
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PSYCHOMORPHING
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TRANSMOGRIFY
· Bioshock: This power simply allows the Biokinetic to reconfigure his body to contain many of the
same tissues as that of an electic eel or skate. These cells do not suddenly appear charged, but his
expenditure of Psi creates electricity within them, charging them for a single massive jolt, or any
number of smaller ones.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. For every success the character can inflict up to 2 Bashing HT
levels of electrical damage over the next Psi turns, but never more than his permanent Psi rating in
one jolt. He can divide the damage otherwise as he chooses, but never less than one die per jolt,
and only in the case of Heightened Reflexes can he discharge electricity more than once in a turn.
Touch is required, this power does not arc to strike a distant target like lightning, although it can be
released underwater, in which case it will reduce by 1 die in effect / yard (like a grenade) and affect
all within its radius save the Psion. The effect will automatically lose one die in fresh water. If
metal is used to conduct it, the effect is the same, -1 die / yard of distance separating the Psion and
the target in the case of an ‘area effect,’ although the damage is only -1 die total if the Psion conducts
a bioelectric shock through a metal weapon or other item in such a way that it can only affect a single target. Throughout the duration the Psion remains immune to his own shocks (save on a Botch),
but gains no resistance to electrical shocks from any other source.
· Crystallization: A power only usable by the furtive Doyen, it allows the gaseous aliens to solidify
their outer layers into a hard crystal spheroid, occasionally coated with spikes or sharp crystal edges
for primitive combative techniques. This power is essentially Gross Manipulation for Doyen.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point, the power lasting for a number of turns equal to the Doyens Psi
score, plus an additional turn for each success scored. For every two successes scored the Doyen
can increase its crystalline sheath to confer a single level of Soak vs Bashing or Lethal. Furthermore,
so long as at least one level of Soak is taken, the Doyen can ‘ram’ someone with its large crystal
shell scoring Bashing damage as a human kick. A separate use of this power (ONLY after a shell
is formed) can cause the shell to sprout blades and spikes of laser sharpness that will inflict Lethal
damage on even a single success, and add +1 damage to that total for every two successes.
·· Chemosynthesis: With this technique a Norça learns to use her body as a walking pharmacological
laboratory, producing toxins, corrosives, scents, drugs or similar substances on command.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. Each success intensifies the compound that the Psion secretes
(from mouth, sweat glands, a cut, anywhere where fluid can be expelled from the body). The list of
potential substances that the Psion can extrude is practically endless and during the actual synthesis,
she is immune to that particular dose, even if she is spitting forth a potent paralytic neurotoxin that
works by skin contact. If, a turn later, her target happens to fall against her, she also could be affected
by her own venom, so this power is best used cautiously! Generally, the forms of poison or drug that
she can synthesize must be something that she has studied extensively and even tried on herself. She
is therefore unlike to be able to produce doses of Teratogone or Sarin, for example (although some of
the more experienced Norça are said to be all but immune to toxins and could ‘sample’ such delights).
For game purposes, for every success on the Psi roll, the Psion can emit any drug or poison capable
of conferring -1 die to a Attribute or Abilities or a + 1 Difficulty / 2 successes. Enhancing drugs
require 2 successes / +1 die conferred and toxins and corrosives inflict up to 1 Bashing HT level /
success or 1 Lethal HT level / 2 successes. Toxins that blind or paralyze their victims are generally
more immediately effective for the Psion (and she is far more likely to survive sampling them in
the first place!), than lethal hemotoxic, neurotoxic or necrotic ones. Most drugs and toxins have
pre-set durations, and this is not changed by their origination in this technique.
··· Flexion: With this Technique a Biokinetic can endure frightful amounts of harm with
little apparent effect. His skin and tissues and organs paradoxically soften and bend beneath
any strike, and yet do not break or rupture, retaining a superhuman cohesive strength in their
contortions. This power is believed to be related both to Molding and Gross Manipulation
as it causes similar and seemingly contradictory changes in the tissues of the Psion.
System: Roll Psi and spend 1 point. For minutes equal to the number of successes rolled, the
Psion treats Lethal injuries as Bashing, gaining a Stamina Soak. Lethal damage taken from bullets,
blades or similar deadly blows (NOT fire, laser or similar energies!) during the powers duration
only manifest as bruising, they do not become Lethal damage again at powers end, and so are
healed much faster than would otherwise be expected. For the purposes of Bashing damage, the
Psion halves (round down) any Bashing harm from blows (not electricity, heat or similar
forces) before even rolling Stamina to Soak. If the Psion takes enough seven Bashing HT levels,
whether from a source that is actual Bashing, or would normally be counted as Lethal harm, any
excess damage becomes Lethal, as normal.
··· Dispersion: This Technique is not available to humans, as it is designed to affect the gaseous /
energy states of the mysterious Doyen, spreading their alien forms thinly over an area to hide, lie in ambush, search an area all at once or to evade a potent source of physical danger by becoming
nearly fully intangible.
System: The Doyen spends a Psi and rolls. The amount of successes is the duration of the power
in hours and determines the amount of intangibility attained, each success conferring a [1] Soak
(removing not a damage die, but a damage *success*). The Doyens natural semi-intangible state
as a one meter ball of glowing gas is pulled apart to near invisibility, covering an area of Psi x 3
meters radius as a diffuse luminous mist that requires one more success on an Awareness roll
than the Doyen achieved to disperse in the first place to notice in the areas radius. The Doyen is
intimately aware of all that occurs within its dispersed innards, essentially doubling its Perception
dice regarding events within the area, but can no longer perceive events outside of its new radius
at all, due to the immense strain on the beings mind and body. The Doyen cannot be effectively
attacked by mere physical force in this state, even large explosions often failing to materially
affect the diffuse fog that the Doyen has become. The Doyen cannot move in this state however
and can only focus its effects within its current radius, being unaware of and unable to affect
anything outside of its current surface area.
···· Something from Nothing: This whimsically named Technique allows the Biokinetic to
summon extra mass from the very air. His own Psi reserves turn into reserves of tissue and
flesh, adding layers of redundancy to his body for a time.
System: Roll Psi and for each success you may choose to spend a single Psi point to create
1 HT level of extra tissue that will insinuate itself into your own for minutes equal to your
Mode rating. Any damage taken during this time will come off of the temporarily added
mass first, allowing a bulging Norça to seemingly ‘slough’ off wounds and stand revealed
as an undamaged, and much slenderer, man. For every 2 Psi points worth of mass created
(round down), the Biokinetic loses 1 Dot of Appearance temporarily as he becomes rather
bulky and misshappen, although the tissues generated neither detract from Dexterity, nor add
to Strength or Stamina. In a welcome twist, any extra HT levels not lost to misadventure
return to the Psions noetic potential as unspend Psi points at durations end, save a minimum
cost of one to exercise the power. Thus, if Benjamin scored three successes, he could choose
to spend 3 Psi to create 3 extra HT levels of tissue. In the course of the next 4 minutes he
is only struck once for 1 Lethal level of damage, which is subtracted from his three new HT
levels. At durations end, the extra mass dissolves into light and oily residue and since he
still had two extra HT levels of mass, he manages to reclaim 1 Psi point of the three he
expended to create the extra mass.
···· Immolation: This Technique is also only available to the alien Doyen, causing a radical
chemical change gaseous form of the Psion, causing it to flare dimly, being more dangerous
from the acidic vapors that now comprise its form, than by the flame it generates on contact with
air. Unlike the previous power, this power could be conceivably adapted to apply to human
tissues as well, making them corrosive, toxic and perhaps even flammable.
System: The Doyen spends 2 points and rolls Psi, the power only lasting 1 turn per success and
causing the intensity of the flame, acids and toxins that now swirl from/within its frame to increase.
For every success the Fire will inflict one level of damage effect (possibly protected against by
Flame Immunity or sealed armor, but little else) upon contact (and the Doyen will gain that level of
Flame Immunity for the duraction) and will equal the Toxin Rating of the gaseous poisons inside the creature, which will affect most forms of biological life at a simple touch (and the Doyen will also
gain that level of Metabolic Efficiency, likely in addition to any levels already possessed) and will also swirl past any form of armor protection that is not airtight. In this form the Doyen can often burn
through sealed bulkheads like a welder or could simply illuminate an area (Psi radius in meters will
be brightened enough to read by), destroy an air supply (between the toxic fumes and flames, the
Doyen burns up or taints air 25 times as fast as a single human!) or render itself all-but immune to
fire or poison for a time. On the downside this form is not meant for stealthy action and is highly
visible and readily tracked or recognized by the acrid, oily stinging odors that waft behind it.
····· Form of Mist: This Technique is a dire secret, known only to the Pai and one of his
closest advisors, for it allows the masterful Biokinetic to separate the very cells of his body
and become a thing of gas, eerily like the form of the alien Doyen!
System: Roll Psi and spend 2 Psi and 1 Willpower to transform into a gaseous sphere for as
many minutes as you scored successes (although it only costs 1 Psi to maintain the power for
an duration of sux minutes). In this form, the Psion has 360 degree awareness and cannot
be struck from the rear or flank, nor surprised by any person visible at any quarter. The Psion
can float at 7 meters per turn, no faster, this form is not built for speed. Lacking the focused
Telekinetic powers of a true Doyen, the Psion has no effective Strength score for the duration,
although his Dexterity and Stamina appear unaffected. All mundane physical attacks score
only half damage (round down) whether Bashing or Lethal. Finally, and most importantly,
the Psions body transforms into a noetically conducive medium, far more suited to the use of
Psionic abilities than his natural state. While not nearly so potent or intimate as a true Doyen,
the Biokinetic will still find that he has access to twice his normal Psi pool (taking any Psi
expended over his normal total as Lethal HT levels when he rematerializes!) and if he were
somehow to be able to maintain this effect for a half-hour, he would discover that he regained
expended Psi every half-hour instead of every hour! Sadly, powers of Transmogrification
are useless in this state, requiring the Psion to make use of his Adaptive or Psychomorphic
talents instead.
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CLAIRSENTIENCE
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Basic Technique
Refinement: This basic technique functions much like The Sight, in that it is not so much a new Technique per se, but is, as its name implies, a refinement of the basic Attunement awareness possessed by all Psions. It serves to tighten the focus of perception, making the power far more useful, especially for the farsensing Clears and other powerful Psions.
System: Roll Psi in an active use of Attunement, this power does not effect the normal passive uses of that power. The Psion has refined their Attunement to the degree that they can choose to scan actively a smaller radius than their normal (often enormous and impractical) radius of effect. Each success determines detection of Taint and/or familiar noetic auras normally and also allows the Clear to subtract a point of Psi for the purposes of range. The range bonus imparted by The Sight may be cancelled out with an act of will by anyone skilled in Refinement and need not be bought off in this manner.
Example: Marak has a 6 Psi, which would normally impart a 15 kilometer radius of Attunement, and with hir rating of 3 in Telesthesia increasing Sight range to 50,000 kilometers! But being able to sense the presence of Aberrants in 50,000 kilometers isn't particularly going to help the Psion tell roughly where in the devastated lunar base the creature is hiding, so s/he uses Refinement to try and 'tighten' the search. Scoring 3 successes on the Psi roll, Marak can not only completely forego the extra range conferred by The Sight, but can also reduce hir effective Psi up to 3 levels, to a range of 20 meters if s/he so chooses. Marak only chooses to subtract 2 levels from hir Psi of 6, sweeping a range of only 75 meters, roughly limiting hir search to any Aberrants inside the base proper and not any present all the way out to Lagrange 5…
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PSYCHOMETRY
None yet, although a few that involve 'combat precognition' might fit
here, as I feel that this Mode would be the best in which to place
powers that see into the future as well as the past.
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PSYCHONAVIGATION
· The Center Holds: With this oddly named Technique, the Psion extends his awareness to include
all three dimensions. He still sees from his own vantage point, and this power cannot be used to
see behind walls or through darkness, but the perceptions are enveloped around the Psion and he
can see and hear events behind him as easily as if he were facing in that direction.
System: This Technique requires a Psi roll and the expenditure of a Psi point, lasting for Psi turns.
Each success on the activation roll confers a +1 to Awareness related rolls regarding the Psions
immediate area as a holographic representation of the events around him fills his mind. A single
success is enough to insure that anyone present gains one less bonus die for a flank or rear attack
and with two successes, his awareness is complete enough to cancel out both bonus dice for a rear
attack. With the Technique active, it is very difficult to surprise the Clear, but the power doesn’t
cut through obscuring gases or adverse lighting or physical obstructions, it only allows the Psions
natural senses a greater field of play.
·· Spatial Sense: This Technique is more than merely a refinement of Orientation, it allows the Psion
a spatial map in 3 dimensions of her exact positioning relative to all things within range. A Psion using
this technique is all but immune to surprise and is aware of events in a 360 degree sphere centered on
her own form. A Clear could use this technique in a darkened room to become aware of the positions
of items around her to cross it without penalty or in her biofighter could sense the movements of enemy
ships and debris around her in three dimensions.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point to activate the power for a number of turns equal to the Psions Psi
rating (at the end of which the Psion may choose to spend another Psi to continue the effect or let it lapse
and re-initiate it if she is hoping for a better roll). The Psion becomes aware of all items visible as if she could see in a 360 degree sphere to the limits of her normal sensory range (which may be pretty impressive if she is linked into a biofighter!). For every two successes (rounded down), she negates a single bonus die gained from flank and rear attacks by one and gains a bonus die of her own to any actions involving the three dimensional scene, including Piloting, Awareness, weapons fire and Dodge!
··· Sensory Lock: A Clear can use this variation on the Bloodhound technique to focus on one target for the moment, to the exclusion of all others. This increases accuracy and is useful in retaining view of a person who is trying to lose one in a crowd or a vehicle with stealth or sensor jamming capabilities.
System: The Clear must roll Psi and spend a point, each success confers upon the Psion a +1 Accuracy
against the person or object 'locked in' as the designated target, +1 die per success to any sort of Awareness rolls required to perceive and / or recognize that target AND a +1 to the Difficulty of all Social rolls and Accuracy against ALL other targets! The Psion will seem distracted and obsessive to other people as the power directs her every bit of mental and psychic focus towards the target. This technique only has a range equal to the Psions Psi score x100 in meters and has a duration in minutes equal to her Psychonavigation rating before requiring another Psi expenditure. Note that the obsession and intense focus of this power should be roleplayed and the character should be required to make a Willpower roll to seriously think about any other issue or individual. The compulsion is such that if the target has not been reached by the powers end, the Psion must roll Willpower to avoid instinctively maintaining it for another (Mode rating in minutes) activation time at a new cost in Psi! If the target leaves the range of the Sensory Lock, the Psion instantly loses the lock and will have to reestablish it when the target is again within range. Either sight or a psi-print are required to establish a lock in the first place.
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TELESTHESIA
· Extension of Awareness: This technique allows the Clairsentient to extend his or her awareness and sense of self into any formatted bioapp. To an extent all formatted bioapps become extensions of the Psion users, but this power intensifies that linkage, making the item truly seem a part of the Clear for the duration of the powers effect. The Clear will feel the items functions as surely and as precisely as he can feel his heart beat and his lungs fill with air. In the case of a bioweapon, he will be intimately aware of any potential problems, of overheating or material stress, even feeling a dearth of physical ammunition or battery life as a form of hunger. In the case of a biofighter, the effect will be far more profound as she sees
through the vehicles sensory modalities and can can control the variable geometry configuration of the wings as intimately and immediately as a child can feel the changes of air pressure and wind resistance and so alter his the angle of his hand dangling out the window of a moving automobile.
System: Spend a Psi point and roll Psi to 'link' oneself with any piece of Bioware touched, even if that item is already formatted to someone else. If used upon a formatted Bioapp, the effect is similar to as if it were Assimilated for that scene only, allowing the Clear to utilize Psi in the place of the relevant Attribute (usually Dexterity or Intelligence) in attempts to utilize, diagnose, repair, destroy or even locate the item! Unfortunately, during the scene, an attack upon the item that causes damage will pain and traumatize the Psion, imposing a +1 to the Difficulty of all actions while the item is so linked to the Psion (in other words, for the rest of the scene or until the item is somehow repaired) and the destruction of the item will actually cause an unsoakable lethal HT level of damage to the linked Psion for each level of Tolerance of the item. If this power is used upon an unformatted Bioapp, it simply allows the Clear to use it as if it were formatted for the duration, but causes no intimate connection or penalty. In either case, the power cannot be maintained if the item, for some reason, leaves the Attunement range of the Psion.
The abnormally intense linkage tends to create obsession with the item on the part of the Psion and she must roll Willpower to maintain enough presence of mind to actually loan it someone else or significantly risk or sacrifice the bioapp. This does not occur in the case of linking to an unformatted Bioapp, although temporary Tolerance Overload could well be worse…
·· Home Ground: This technique was designed by Hajj biofighter pilots as a variation on the powers of Remote Sensing and Sensory Projection usable in more immediate surroundings at tactical speeds.
System: The Clear must roll Psi and spend a point, but becomes connected to his surroundings on a primal
level for the entire scene, gaining +1 die / success to add to any Awareness rolls as items native to the area are felt intuitively and items not present when the power was activated feel 'wrong' somehow. This power allows the Clear to ignore as many levels of Difficulty penalty from his surroundings as he scored
successes (acting somewhat like Sense Mastery in this respect), even from within a biofighter or other vehicle, as the Psions intuitive sense of the local space is more than adequate to make up for malfunctioning or compromised mechanical sensor systems. Unlike Sensory Projection, this awareness
extends a full 360 degrees and makes the character intimately at home in any surroundings and extends his awareness to all be at least peripherally aware of all items in his surroundings, although, unlike Omniscience, it does not reveal any insights regarding those items, only imparts a rough idea of their location. This awareness extends only to that physical scene and certain devastating changes to that area or changes in location (such as by Teleportation) can invalidate this power completely.
··· Infusion of Essence: This technique acts just as Extension of Awareness, but requires a much greater Psionic potential as it does not just knit together and strengthen the always present linkage between a Psion and his bioware, it actually creates such a linkage between the Clear and a piece of unliving 'soulless' hardtech!
System: Roll Psi and spend 2 points to establish the linkage with any touched bit of hardware up to the size of a spacecraft as above. It lasts for the scene and allows a pilot an intimate bond with his vehicle, a
markman with her weapon, a 'hacker' with his computer or a doctor with her intensive care tank, allowing the Psion to use Psi in place of the relevant Attribute (usually Dexterity or Intelligence) to utilize, understand, repair, destroy or even find the item in question. If the item is damaged during the scene, the linkage will cause pain to the Clear, imposing a +1 to all Difficulties until the power fades or the item is repaired (or leaves Attunement range, as this power lapses at that range). If the item in destroyed while the user is still linked to it, the Clear takes unsoakable Bashing damage equal to the items cost in Dots. (The damage is not lethal as with Extension of Awareness as the item linked to is unalive and the linkage is entirely created and sustained by the Psion.)
The unusually level of interconnection between man and machine tends to manifest as obsession with the item on the part of the Psion and he must roll Willpower to be able to actually loan the item to someone else or threaten or damage the device. Unlike an intense emotional and *reciprocal* bonding with a piece
of bioware, bonding empathically with a piece of emotionally 'dead' hardtech makes the user distant from his own feelings for the duration, add a +1 to the difficulty of all Social rolls both for and against the user, as his emotional distance makes it difficult to read or influence the emotional states of others, or to be read or influenced in turn.
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ELECTROKINESIS
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ELECTROMANIPULATION
· Nervefire: This rudimentary talent is simply a variation on Stun, causing the subjects nerves
to fire indiscriminately for the duration, causing painful and uncontrollable seizures.
System: Spend one Psi and roll. For each success the character penalizes the difficulty of all die
rolls by one. The effect wears off by one success per turn, but, unlike Stun, cannot be handily
resisted, partially or in full. Thus, Maria gets 3 successes, her target, Miguel has a +3 Difficulty
to all actions as his mind and body dance the jig for his next action, whether it is in the current
turn or the next. In subsequent turns the effect diminishes to +2 Difficulties and then +1
Difficulties before subsiding at the end of the third turn of effect. Were Maria to blast him again
during this time, he would suffer cumulatively! The range is 5 times the characters Mode rating
in meters, and increases at Electromanipulation 3 to affect Psi targets equally and again at Electromanipulation 5 to a range of Mode rating x 10 meters.
·· Electrical Discharge: Despite occasional gutter humor about this effects nomenclature, it
remains a popular effect, marked by its unique repetitive effects. The Psion charges his body
with a strong electrical field, not unlike that of an electric eel or ray. At any point during the
duration of the effect, he may discharge a jolt of powerful current into any person or item that
he is in direct contact with, whether from him touching them, or from them contacting him. He
can choose to release this jolt from any part without affecting anything else in contact with his
body, so fine is his control of this procedure.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. At any time in the next (Mode rating) minutes, the Psion
may release a jolt of strong current to anyone in contact with him, inflicting Psi Bashing damage.
Throughout the duration of the effect, the Psion may release shocks as many times as he scored
successes, allowing the Psion to ‘charge up’ before a possible confrontation and be able to
generate multiple electrical attacks during the effects duration. The full effect is available
even if the party contacted wears most forms of armor (which do not protect against electrical
assault unless sealed) or the Psions hand is engloved, even in a normally conducive material, or
all parties are in water, as the energies weave through the noetic fields of the touching parties
as much as the physical surroundings and cannot be pulled astray by material concerns. If the
Psion deliberately discharges an effect into a conducive material, such as a puddle or a metal
floorplate, the effect loses one die of intensity for each meter of material it must flow through,
and does NOT arc for any specific target, shocking all in contact with the conductive surface
equally, save the generating Psion. This effect is not as specifically disorienting as Disruption
and does not create any sort of additional Difficulty penalty if it fails to harm its target.
Note that the Multiple Attack rules do not apply in the case of this effect. It requires only an
act of will to cause the power to discharge on a strike or not, and does not affect the accuracy
of the strike itself. Only one discharge can be generated per turn in any situation, even if the
Psion struck multiple targets and was struck in return by a third in a single turn, she could
only shock one of them.
··· Twitch: With this Technique, an Electromanipulative can flood her entire body with a
strong field of electricity, not to shock another, but to hyper-accelerate herself. The micro-
control that this field confers to her body totally saturates the nervous system and allows
her to control her own body, much like Control, but in this case, much faster.
System: Spend a Psi and roll permanent Psi. For every success the effect lasts one turn,
although the Psion can purchase an additional turn at durations end for one Psi if she chooses,
and can continue this until out of Psi. For the duration, she adds her Psi to her Dex + Wits for
Initiative. At Electromanipulation 4 she can extend this effect to another person, and, upon
reaching 5 Dots in the Mode, she can finely control the electro-neural net (on herself only) so
as to gain the ability to use Psi extra dice to any Dex-related effect while she maintains the
effect, each extra die being usable only #once#.
Thus, Batya, with her Psi score of 6 would have a +6 to her Initiative alone at Electro-
manipulation 3, could confer this effect to another at 4 Dots in the Mode and would gain 6
extra one-use bonus dice to use at any time while the power was in effect at Mode rating 5,
giving her 6 extra dice to put into unnaturally swift Athletic dodges, blinding Firearms use
or ‘lightning’ Martial Arts maneuvers. The ST should make sure that these bonus dice
are used appropriately, on actions requiring super-fast or inhumanly precise movements.
···· Salamander: This effect is widely regarded as a bad idea by Vitakinetics as it forcefully
accelerates a body’s electrical potential, causing rapid, and sometimes risky, cell growth and
repair. Just as the lowly salamander can increase electrical fields within its tail and cause
what some call ‘regeneration,’ so can the powerfully Electromanipulative warp cell and tissue
growth with far stronger electrical fields, at some risk.
System: Roll Psi and spend 1 Willpower and 1 Psi initially. For each success the Psion may
Spend another Psi point to either completely heal one Bashing HT level or to turn one Lethal
HT level into Bashing. Lethal damage so changed cannot be affected again by this power,
By the same Psion or any other, and these new ‘Bashing’ HT levels must be allowed to heal
Naturally. Even a Vitakinetic will find that these formerly Lethal HT levels of Bashing
damage resist Mending and must be allowed to heal on their own. The range for this effect
is touch, and if used to force such ‘healing’ effects on others they may roll Resistance to
oppose this Techniques effects if they wish.
The risk in this effect is that it cannot be safely used again until all formerly Lethal harm is
healed (which may only take a day, but still could be cause for concern if the Electrokinetic
is harmed again), as any attempt to use this effect again will fail automatically and reverse
the original effect! Further, any Lethal application of electricity during this time will force
a Resistance roll to prevent these wounds from ‘inflaming,’ for each success on this Resistance
roll, one of the HT levels can be prevented from re-erupting into a Lethal wound. A Botch
in the use of this effect can lead to tumors or untreatable ‘aggravated’ wounds that even
Metamitosis cannot effect, as the violated tissues refuse to respond to any form of healing
less than actual Vitakinetic Regeneration!
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PHOTOKINESIS
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TECHNOKINESIS
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PSYCHOKINESIS
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Basic Technique
Psychosensation: With this most rudimentary of Telekinetic manifestations, the Psion is
capable of emitting enough force to tremble small items and raise shivers. The basic
purpose of the radiation is not to startle the superstitious, it is a momentary scan, using
Telekinetic forces as a form of radar sense, conferring a ‘snapshot’ of the surroundings.
System: Simply roll Psi and in that turn only a single wave of telekinetic force will pulse
forth from the Psion, impacting and reflecting back information like sonar on all items in
the surrounding Psi + successes meters radius. One success will be enough to ‘feel’ all
solid items within the area within a rough proximity, two will provide an accurate mapping
of solids and differentiate between living and inanimate things and sense the presence of
extremes of heat or cold (freezers or open flame) and three or more successes will allow
one to feel textures and begin to recognize the difference between items of stone or metal
or wood (although the differences between concrete, granite and ceramic will remain
inseparable) and to tell the approximate speed and direction of any moving items as well
as rough estimations of temperature in the area. This pulse only lasts for an instant and
in the 15 seconds between uses, things can change significantly as items move, fires
start or people die, rendering this power no substitute for sight.
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CRYOKINESIS
· Cold Snap: With this power the Psion can focus a chill on any one target within range,
whisking away any heat generated by that target for the duration of the power and possibly
even rendering it unconscious through sustained use.
System: The Psion must roll Psi and spend a point. The effect remains so long as the subject
is still concentrated upon (which confers a +1 to all other Difficulties) for up to Mode rating
minutes. Each turn that the power is maintained the subject has to roll Resistance vs the
initial Psi roll and any successes remaining over the initial successes by the Psion count as
Bashing HT levels applied directly to the target. No Soak is allowed unless Thermal Screen
is used, although an adequate life-support system will provide a +1 Difficulty to the initial
Psi roll to use this power. (And a cold-blooded creature gets only 1 die to resist the effect,
no matter its Resistance score!) On a Botch of the Resistance roll the subject loses a die from
all future Resistance rolls and has a +1 Difficulty to all actions from numbness and shivering.
The range is Psi x 10 meters and the subject must be within that range the entire time or the
effect fades. At Cryokinesis 3, the effect can be imposed upon Psi in creatures OR the
effect can be maintained on a single creature with no concentration (or Difficulty penalty).
At Cryokinesis 5, both advantages are gained.
·· Iceing: The Psion has combined his talents at Telekinesis, however rudimentary, to
his Cryokinetic Gift, allowing him to pull water vapor out of the surrounding air and drape
it in a specific icy patina over any surface chosen, even a person. He can use this to hinder
foes, create slicks to trip people up, coat objects that he wants to render momentarily unsafe
or unusable or even to simply write a message in ice across a wall. However used, this
power does not allow him to more specifically control the shape, only to cause it to adhere
as he wills, thus a Psion could create an outline of a dagger on a wall, but not actually just
create a dagger of ice to use in a fight.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point, each success on the die roll allowing another Mode
rating in 1 meter squares to be affected or another centimeter of thickness to be added to
the ice in a certain square meter. Thus a Legionnaire with Cryokinesis 3 and scoring 4
successes on her Psi roll could create up to a dozen one meter patches of ice (contiguous
only), allowing her to scrawl her insignia on the wall in ice as a warning to foes or coat
an adversary or surround a firearm with a massive chunk of ice or simply ice up a
staircase or seal a door shut as a surprise for pursing opponents. Her ice-slick could
be a 1 cm thick sheet of ice covering a 2 meter wide hallway over 6 meters in breadth
for example, or she could layer the ice thicker over a 2 meter by 1 meter doorway (though
she’d better extend the ice sheet a half-meter to each side, above and below to freeze
the door shut), allowing her to double the thickness to 2 cm. Each cm of thickness
takes a single HT level of damage or Strength success to bash through, and the thickness can
reach an unmanageable thickness quite quickly on a small item, such as a Firearm. If used
on a person, suffocation might well result as the persons rolls to smash through the ice
are at +1 Difficulty on straight Strength rolls to break free (although some sort of weapon in
hand might simplify the process as that weapon can be fired to shatter ice off of the firing
hand at least). Otherwise, our sample Legionnaires ice-slick coated over a person would
cover the average person, with 2 meters square of surface area, about 4 cm thick, requiring
4 HT levels or Strength success to break free. Any extra damage applied by friends to break
one free is of course as damaging to the former prisoner… Stepping on an ice slick
requires an Athletics roll to maintain ones footing, jogging on one or encountering one
on a slope or staircase requires a +1 Difficulty (cumulative) and running on one adds
another +1 Difficulty. Walking carefully at half walking speed negates the need for any
sort of check, but slowing you down may have been her thought all along. This power
has a range of only Psi meters at Cryokinesis 2, but increases to Psi x5 meters at level
4 in the Mode. Attempts at artistry with this power require an appropriate Arts roll,
and attempts to directly coat a moving target (such as a person) are at a +1 Difficulty.
··· Frostbite: At this level of Cryokinesis the Psion may momentarily interrupt the flow of heat
within a living creature, creating a shock to all systems and often unconsciousness or even death.
System: The Psychokinetic must roll Psi and spend a point to engage this power. For each
success, the Psion can inflict either one level of Lethal damage or 2 levels of Bashing, as the
Psion is capable of maintaining the power for only a heartbeat or for up to the entire turn.
In the case of Bashing harm, the damage isn’t substantial, as the water in the cells does not
have time to freeze and the subject is ‘merely’ chilled to the bone in an instant, even being
allowed to Soak with Stamina normally (although both versions of the power completely
ignore any sort of armor). In the case of the more permanent Lethal harm, the Psion maintains
the crushing cold for the entire turn, causing cells to rupture all throughout the targets body
and causing vast and far-reaching harm to tissues and systems all over the victim. Note that
this power has a +1 Difficulty to affect any being in a self-regulating life support system,
such as a BioVARG and has +3 dice to affect cold-blooded creatures as their bodies cannot
as quickly recoup the effects of the initial exposure. The range of this power is 5 yards per
point of permanent Psi and at Cryokinesis 5 it can affect up to Psi targets simultaneously.
···· Embrittle: This technique allows the Psion to select an item and purge it of almost all heat,
inflicting Bashing damage from the subzero temperatures to anyone contacting it, and causing
structural damage to the item itself from the sudden drop in temperature. As if this were not
enough, such an item will be more susceptible to impact and temperature related trauma for
the duration! This power is simply the power of Flash Freeze applied to solid structures and
not merely to liquids.
System: Spend 1 Psi and roll. Each success counts as a level of ‘freezing’ structural damage
inflicted upon an item (which can be any unliving item equal or less in weight to the amount the Cryokinetic could lift if his Psi replaced his Might on the appropriate chart; homeothermic beings
resist this power automatically, and even cold-blooded creatures get to roll Resistance in a
Resisted Roll vs the Psion, Bioapps using a number generated by the ST, based on Tolerance
and size (more of either is better)). Each success translates into 1 level of ‘Lethal’ damage to
the item (ST’s discretion how much it will take to destroy an item or render it non-functional,
but generally the bigger the item, the more damage it can take, I recommend using the weight /
Might chart and requiring at least two successes to disable per Might required to heft such an
item and 4 / Might required to destroy an object outright). This also inflicts that many Bashing
HT levels (soakable with Stamina normally) upon any subject in close proximity to this item and
reduces the items Soak pool (if any) by 1 per success. If the item has no Soak pool, it will take +1
die of damage per success from any sharp impact or sudden heating attack. The extra effects
beyond straight structural harm (Bashing to users, reduced Soak, increased vulnerability) do
not fade all at once, but reduce by 1 die / turn after the first. Items capable of self-regulating
their temperatures (devices with life-support for example) are targeted at +1 Difficulty. The
range for this power is Psi x 5 meters and at Cryokinesis 5; the Psion becomes capable of
affecting multiple items up to his Psi rating.
Example: A Cryokinetic uses Embrittle on your Armor Vest and scores 3 successes. 2 is all
that is required to ‘disable’ the device, but the ST rules that since it has no moving parts, it
cannot be disabled. However, you take 3 Bashing immediately, 2 the next turn and 1 the third
from such close contact with the frozen vest and it has -3 to its Soak ratings for the first turn,
-2 for the second turn and -1 for the third turn, at which point the effect ceases and the item
(assuming that it has survived the interim) is merely very cold and stiff.
····· Ice Storm: Truly impressive in appearance and even surpringly effective in a firefight,
this Technique allows the Psion to summon a veritable blizzard of snow and ice in a radius
around him, blinding and chilling all within. Only he is unaffected by this storm, having a
tiny eye of calm directly around himself where allies might huddle to be spared the fury of
his elemental display.
System: Spend 3 Psi and roll. The storm of ice and cold whips out of nowhere (although
its effects are decidedly unimpressive in a dry environment, apply a +1 to +3 Difficulty in
a hot desert or bone-dry space station) rendering all within its swirling whiteness completely
blind to anything more than a meter from where they are standing, disorienting them totally
(Awareness rolls are required each turn to remain travelling in a direction) and possibly even
incapacitating unprotected foes (for every success on the initial roll every subject within the
effect takes a single Bashing HT level from the cold and icy spray, Stamina Soaks as per
normal, but any Armor that isn’t sealed and containing its own life support is useless). The
storm deposits freezing rain and sleet and ice on everything and the winds are merciless,
insuring that even against a target within sight range (1 meter), a +1 Difficulty is applied
to all actions. The storm is mercifully small and brief compared to its harsh nature, extending
only Psi Rating x3 meters around the Psion (with a bare meter of clearance on all side of him
for allies!) and lasting so long as he maintains total concentration and expends an additional
Psi point per 5 turns to maintain the storm. While concentrating he can take no action other
than walking at half normal speed, any attack requires a Resistance roll for the Psion to retain
concentration (+1 Difficulty per wound after the first for Lethal damage), with any failures
subtracting successes from the initial Psi roll to generate the storm until all are cancelled and
it fades, whipping out of existence in a single turn, leaving behind only ice-coated surfaces
and a chill breeze to mark its passing.
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PYROKINESIS
··· Plasm: This rare Technique was created by a Pyrokinetic surgeon and has rather
frightening potential. It allows the Psion to combine the powers of Liquefy and Plasma
Control on a specific item, molecularly superheating it to a fluid state and then moving
it around. Unlike Liquefy, the heat produced by this liquefication remains trapped
within the item liquefied, allowing the Psion to ‘melt’ armor off a man while leaving
him unburnt! The Technique was designed so that its surgeon wielder could locate an
embedded flechette, bullet or bit of shrapnel and cause it to flow out of the wound with
no aggravation of injury to surrounding tissue.
System: Spend 1 Psi and roll permanent Psi. The Psion can cause any one material item
weighing up to Psi kg within Psi meters to enter this ‘safe’ plasmic state and flow as directed
at the same speeds determined by Tow (usually 7 meters / turn). The Psion has two options
once the molten substance is ‘released,’ it can either be refrozen into a newly solid (random)
shape instantly and harmlessly or it can be left superheated and allowed to cool naturally over
the course of the next 1 to 5 minutes (depending on the number of successes required to melt
the material in the first place), possibly to harm any present, as per a normal use of Liquefy.
To determine if the item to be molten is affected check the result of the Psi roll against
The following chart (copied from Liquefy)
One Success Plastic
Two Successes Copper
Three Successes Orbital Steel
Four Successes Granite
Five Successes Olaminium
Contact with molten materials will inflict 1 die of Lethal damage / success needed to
melt that substance, although the damage will fade by 1 die per turn as the substance
cools. The material rendered fluidic can be steered onto another person with a simple
Psi roll (keep track of successes as extra ones will add to the burning matters damage
roll and the subject may well choose to dodge this gout of molten stone or metal!). At
Pyrokinesis 5, this effect can be used on up to Psi items simultaneously, although
they can only be used to ‘attack’ individually or all at one target (at –1 die for every
blob of molten material directed at a foe beyond the first), and the release of control
required to cause the item to begin to burn will require the Psion to release control of
all of the affected items. Alternately, the items can be molded onto another person,
as above, but then caused to revert to a solid state at room temperature, this effect,
if it strikes, causes an effect almost identical to that of a webgun of 1 Strength for each
success required to melt the substance in question as fluidic steel hardens over ones
clothing, partially restraining him (as it cannot be aimed precisely enough to imitate
handcuffs).
····· Tunneling: This Technique is not currently known by any living Psion. It is a
vastly enhanced version of the Plasm power, or a variation on Liquefy, depending on
how you look at it. It can be used precisely as Liquefy, but so long as the Psion holds
his concentration, the molten materials will not burn anything and they will move as
he wills at the speed of Tow, allowing him to melt a tunnel through a half-dozen
meters of rock, and then use the molten material behind him to seal off the tunnel
or even push it far ahead of him and release its heat to melt yet more tunnel! So
long as the Psion is able to maintain concentration, he will be able to continue use
of this effect for some time, affecting only the one substance he has originally
rolled to control.
System: Spend 2 Psi and roll permanent Psi. This power lasts as long as the Psion
can maintain his concentration (but no longer than the length of a scene or about
an hour in any case), allowing the Psion to bore through metal or rock at 7meters
per turn (even if he cannot normally move this fast, the fluidic surface acts to move
the user along with it!). Successes are used on the chart above (also used in the
power Liquefy) to determine materials affected and any damage scored if these
materials are released onto another person. As with Plasm, above, the material
rendered fluidic can be steered onto another person with a simple Psi roll (keep
track of successes as extra ones will add to the burning matters damage roll and
the subject may well choose to dodge this wave of molten stone or metal!). Note
that a large enough chunk of material could well be dumped on multiple persons
simultaneously, but subtract one die from this wave attack per target after the
first, to reflect the increased difficulty to ‘get them all.’ Nonetheless the wave
is harmless unless released. At this time the Psions’ control of the matter ends
and the heat that had been heretofore stored harmlessly within the fluidic matter
is released to great effect (also listed above, 1 die per success required to melt
the substance initially, -1 die / turn as it cools, +1 die / extra success on the
*initial attack only,* reflecting a well-aimed splash getting into a foes eyes, etc.
Alternately, the wave can be molded to engulf one or more persons, as above, but
then caused to revert to a solid state at room temperature, this effect, if it strikes,
causes an effect almost identical to that of a webgun of 2 Strength for each success
required to melt the substance in question as copious quantities of fluidic stone or
metal or plastic harden over ones clothing, partially restraining him (as it cannot be
aimed precisely enough to imitate specific restraints).
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TELEKINESIS
· Fixation: This Technique seizes onto the air in the Psions immediate area and restricts their
movements, allowing them only to 'sit there and vibrate,' conducting sound and heat normally,
but not travelling more than a couple of micrometers individually for the duration, creating an
area of unearthly calm, even in the middle of a raging storm.
System: Spend a point and roll Psi. For each success the air in a Psi meter radius area anywhere
within Psi x3 yards (and in view) is 'held in place' with an effective Strength of 1, which would
resist attempts to create breezes or otherwise project gases into the area much like a highly specific
form of Soak. This can be dangerous for anyone incapable of movement as it prevents the usual replenishment of fresh air around a breathing creature, causing a bubble of expelled CO2
to build up around a stationary target. Assume that anyone who does not (or cannot) move around
begins to suffocate after Stamina turns. This Technique would *not* be an option for 'plugging
a breach' in a contained atmosphere (such as underwater or in space) as the affected air would
resist moving on its own, but could still be pushed aside by moving bodies or similar pressures,
snapping back once they have passed (thus walking people wouldn't leave trails of vacuum
behind them, the displaced air would 'snap back' normally!). It would at most slow the effects
of a hull breech in vacuum by a single turn. The effect lasts for Psi turns at the basic level, for
Psi minutes at Mode rating 3 and for up to Psi hours at Telekinesis 5.
· Telekinetic Probe: This useful talent allows the Psychokinetic to feel things with her Telekinetic
manifestations, to probe into solid matter and throughout open space like a form of sonar. Her
ability reaches out and gently pushes/pulls at everything in her radius, gauging weight and solidity
and allowing her to ‘see’ everything around her as a tactile ‘contour map’ in 360 degrees, much
like the Basic Technique of Psychosensation.
System: The Psion must spend a point and roll Psi to initiate the pulse, but it lasts Psi minutes,
her Telekinetic forces pulsing forth invisibly from her temples and / or hands to impinge upon
all solid items in her area. The area of effect is Psi + successes meters in radius, but she
becomes intimately aware of all items in that zone and can feel them as clearly as if they were
at her fingertips. The pulse is continous, not moment by moment like the sonar of a dolphin, so
any change or movement is immediately obvious and, with an Awareness roll she could even
feel the speed, weight or hardness of any item within that range. A +1 Difficulty (or more at ST
option) will allow her Telekinetic awareness to extend even within solid matter much like the
intensive scanning of sonar into soft tissues. All within the area are allowed an Awareness
roll in turn to sense the gentle tickling pressure of this powers effects, which could well be
rationalized away as a breeze rippling clothing and raising gooseflesh. A direct personal scan
(such as would require a Difficulty modifier and be far more effective than a patdown at finding
weapons, even implanted ones!) is automatically noticeable and no roll is needed as it feels more
like water crawling all over ones body than a gentle tickle. At Telekinesis 3 the radius can be
extended to Psi x 5 meters + 5 extra meters per success OR the duration can be increased to
Psi x 10 minutes + 10 minutes / success. At Telekinesis 5, the Psion can do both.
·· Enhance Motility: A Technique that appears very primal and direct for all its abstruse
nomenclature, this effect generates wind. The Psion envisions seizing the very air in a particular
area and moving it in a path at his will, creating a focussed gust of wind that can blow a grown
man off of his feet.
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. The basic 'Strength' of the wind is equal to half of the
Psion Psi rating (round up) and extra successes can be spent either to increase the Strength
rating or to add a turn beyond the first to the effects duration. Thus a Psion could choose
to make his winds even more intense or to hold them against a target for a longer time to hinder
his actions (or slow her fall or whatever). The Strength rating of the wind is used in a Resisted
roll against the victims Might. For each success by either party the person travels 1 meter in the appropriate direction (depending on who won the contest), and on a win by the wind, the subject
must roll Athletics at +1 to the Difficulty per meter hurled past the first or be knocked from his
feet, soaking a Bashing HT level / meter thrown. An unresisting target can use the wind to
increase speed, although the Athletics roll is still required to retain balance, this effect generally
not being worth the effort. The wind, if properly timed, can be used to cushion a fall by 1 Soak
die / Strength effect of the wind, allowing a falling Legionnaire with an amazing sense of timing
and nerves of steel to actually waft to ground safely from a normally fatal plunge. The range
for the wind (which need not be pointed away from the Psion and can not be felt by those
between himself and the target) is Psi x10 meters and at Telekinesis 4 the Psion can affect up to
Psi targets simultaneously (although all must be in the same basic area and all wind generated
must be flowing in the same direction!) OR can create a sustained gust of wind (for sailing, or
falling, for instance) that will last up to 1 hour per success. Some Psions attempt to target their
gusts more precisely to Disarm a person, use the procedure on p 244, including a +1 Difficulty
to the initial Psi roll. Note: this effect generates only a rush of air at the targeted site/individual,
it does not create a 'beam' of wind from Psion to target. Creating an updraft or downdraft is
entirely possible (obviously an updraft is preferred for stopping a fall!), but so long as anything
is handy to grab onto a target can use Might to resist an updraft as easily as a wind pushing her
down or backwards or even *towards* the Legionnaire. A wind pushing the subject up rarely
has enough force to carry them far and tends to cushion the fall, so the damage remains
Bashing and doesn't normally convert to falling damage (unless the subject is blown off a
bridge, ladder or cliff!). For simplicity assume that an attempt to pin someone with a downdraft
has no penalties or advantages.
·· Silence: This unoriginally named power seizes upon the air molecules in the area and restricts
their mobility, similarly to Cryokinesis, but instead of preventing them from vibrating to produce
heat, the Psion alters their vibrational rate to make them incapable of conducting the vibrations
of sound. Unlike Cryokinesis, this effect in fact imperceptibly warms the area as any ambient
sound becomes trapped and is turned into (miniscule amounts of) heat energy.
System: Spend a point and roll Psi. The effect lasts Psi turns + 1 extra turn / success, affecting
a stationary area of Psi meters radius. Within this area no sound produced can be heard, nor can
sounds produced externally be heard within or vice versa. Attempts at speech appear only as a
dim vibrational echo conducting along the cheekbone to the ear of the speaker! Even most forms
of implant communicator require some sound transference, if not from the subvocalizing user,
then certainly from the listener (if within the area, a listener outside the area would not be
affected, or, to be precise, the air around his headset would conduct sound to his ear just fine).
Anyone within this area gains a +1 Soak vs Sonic weapons (or +1 Resistance die vs sonically-
induced attempts at disorientation, nausea or unconsciousness). This effect has no effect on
any sort of electronic transmission, even one including sound, even if the sound cannot be
heard on a holovid playing in the area or a live transmission from the area will be eerily silent.
This effect does not prevent molecules from moving in any other way, conducting heat or
obeying the laws of Brownian motion, etc. It only affects the conduction of vibratory sound.
·· Attract / Repel: With this Technique, a Psion can enhance her strength greatly for a
momentary burst of power. Due to the inherent resistance of a living mind that so hinders
telekinetic manipulations of this sort, this effect is far more potent if used on oneself.
System: Spend 1 Psi and roll. Each success is either added to ones damage pool for a strike
against another person as powerful repulsive forces accompany her blow, or the Psion can
add Psi + successes rolled to the dice pool for any Strength related roll that does not involve
striking another living person (or his worn or carried equipment). Multiple Actions are
dealt with normally in this case, the Psi roll (-2 dice) being rolled before the Athletics,
Brawl, Martial Arts, Melee or Might roll (at –3 dice) likely to follow.
Example; Carrie rolls 2 successes, she could either strike an adversary in front of her with
Her fist, with 2 extra dice for the damage effect, or she can add her Psi of 6, plus those three
success (for a total of EIGHT extra dice!) to her dice pool to leap to safety or tear a door open
so that her comrades can get to safety. The burst of strength in any case is only momentary
and will affect only one action within the current or next turn.
··· Constriction: This power acts like Fixation above, but actually makes the air actively fight
change! With this power the Psion can make the very air in an area become an oppressive
cloying constrictive weapon, smothering the life from those within and holding them fast!
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. The effect generates one Strength worth of resistance,
which is used to restrict the movement of all things within the area (as a grappled or hold),
causes suffocation damage to all within (as the air resists even travelling down ones windpipe!)
and even forcefully bar new items/substances from entering its area (slowing them by 1 die /
meter travelled), allowing *this* level to be used as an attack, to plug a leak, etc (although it
won't generate enough force to stop a leak in vacuum, it could buy an extra turn, which may be
useful). The range is Psi x 5 meters and the area affected is man-sized at this basic level. At
Telekinesis 5 the Psion becomes able to affect a Psi meter radius of free gas or up to his
permanent Psi rating in individuals. The duration of the effect is Psi turns, although the
expenditure of another Psi point at the end of the effects duration allows it to be extended for
another Psi turns without another roll being necessary, allowing only a determined Psych to
actually suffocate a person to death with this power!
··· Telekinetic Strike: Easily the most common Alternate Telekinetic Technique taught by
the Legions, this power simply seizes a mass of air (or the local medium) and accelerates it
into the subject with some speed. This mass can be shaped with some difficulty to create a
‘sharper’ edge and thus a Lethal instead of Bashing effect. [Alternately some Psions use a
variation of this Technique to simply seize onto the target and wrench, pull, crush or twist at
them like a rag doll, inflicting Bashing harm in that manner, and similarly, with an increased
Difficulty they can even target the victims insides, causing Lethal harm!]
System: This technique is simplicity itself, costing 1 Psi and requiring a Psi roll. The Bashing
damage is equal to the Psions Mode rating in Telekinesis + 1 per success on the initial Psi roll.
An attempt to inflict Lethal damage is significantly harder and the damage inflicted is only equal
to the amount of successes scored. The range is Psi x10 meters and at Telekinesis 5 the effect
can be used on targets up to the Psychs Psi rating simultaneously.
···· Gravitics: This Technique may or may not affect actual gravity, as per the ST’s own
thoughts on whether Telekinetic effects have any basis in gravitic manipulation. In either
event, it increases or decreases the effective weight of a person or thing, pulling down
(or up) on all of the molecules of its structure evenly. A complete target must be selected,
a Psion cannot choose to make ones head alone increase vastly in weight or a moving
vehicle shear itself in half by selectively altering weights throughout the structure.
System: First, consult the Mass chart on p 234 and use the characters Psi rating to determine
‘Might.’ If the item or person to be affected is within these limits, it may be affected by
this Technique. As always, roll permanent Psi and spend a point. Against an inanimate
item, the Psion may adjust the items Mass by up to his Mode rating (1 to 5 levels on the
aforementioned chart) plus as many successes he rolled on the initial Psi roll for as long as
he wishes to maintain concentration on the effect. A person is able to resist, however feebly,
and can roll their own Psi to cancel out the Psions successes, and successes DO matter for
living targets as the Mass of a living being can only be increased or decreased by as many
levels as the Psion scored successes, the Mode rating is NOT added to this effect. Range
is Psi x10 meters, and if the item or person moves (or ‘falls’) beyond this range, the effect
ends instantly (and the person could fall back to earth if made to ‘fall’ up and away!).
If the Mass rating of oneself, or ones gear, increases beyond twice ones Encumbrance level,
one is dragged to the ground and begins to be crushed at 1 damage die per extra ‘level’ of
Mass over your Encumbrance. A quick review of the Encumbrance rules on p 233 is also
a must for use of this effect.
If the Mass rating drops below the 1 Might range, an item drops to a ‘zero level’ and is
effectively weightless (thought not MASS-less, the difference is important, as anyone who
works in zero-G can attest!). Each additional level of effect beyond this zero level takes
the effect back one step on the chart, but in NEGATIVE effective Mass. Even one success
at this point will cause an unsecured item or person to simply ‘fall’ up into the sky!
This is a highly complex and powerful Technique, not to be lightly introduced.
···· Clamor: This power derives from the previous one and instead augments and intensifies
the agitation of molecules in the area (making this power all but useless in vacuum), but not
into the production / conveyance of heat energy as with Pyrokinesis, but instead into the faultless
and indefatigueable reproduction of sounds. Generally this ability is only used to intensify a single
loud effect to disorient or even harm others, but rumors exist that more surgical variations on this
power exist that allow a user with some skill to surgically to warp the speech or sounds produced
by another source for tactical reasons of deception. This power does not create sound, it only
causes the molecules in the area, which would normally carry the vibrational from one to the
other and thus transfer the sound through the air to retain the vibration, allowing each sound
vibrating molecule in the area to retain its vibration even after repeated contacts, allowing a
sound to be amplified dozens of times in a mere instant!
System: Roll Psi and spend a point. So long as a suitable racket is available (such as a Sonic
weapon, explosion or several people screaming) the Psion can intensify the noise into a
deafening inescapable clamor, causing all within the area of a Psi meter radius area (which can
be created anywhere within view and a Psi x10 meter range) to suffer 1 Bashing HT level
of damage per success on the initial Psi roll. The damage can be Soaked normally with Stamina,
although any non-sealed armor is no use. Even if the subject takes no damage he or she must
make a cross-checked roll between his Resistance and the users initial Psi roll or be at +1 to
all Difficulties due to disorientation for the duration. The duration of this intensification is
generally a single turn, but so long as the base sound remains to be augmented, the Psion may
spend another Psi point to maintain the effect, foregoing any need for a new Psi roll. While
the effect is obviously loud and noticeable, the intensified sounds do not transmit beyond
the area of effect as the sound itself is careening around the affected area and relatively little
of it is making it beyond the spherical area of effect. At Telekinesis 5, the Psion becomes
capable of intensifying even normal sounds to this level, foregoing the need for a source of
high-intensity sound.
····· Protective Aura: This power is frighteningly potent in its use, even if it has no combat
utility (against terrestrial life anyway, an anaerobe would find it horrifying). The Psion
becomes simply capable of seizing the air around himself and holding it in place around
himself, despite enormous sea pressure, the hungry void of vacuum and / or extremes of
temperature. It is an obvious enhancement of the powers of Fixation and Constriction to
secure the atmosphere around the moving Psion as a defense against environmental extremes.
System: The Psion must roll Psi and spend 2 Psi to establish the stable zone. The area is Psi
meters in radius (although it can be made smaller if this is decided upon rolling to establish
the field) and lasts for a number of hours equal to the successes rolled (and can be extended
again for only 1 Psi, but a new roll must be made). The spherical bubble of atmosphere is not
self-replenishing, but assume that the air in the bubble is enough to support one person for one
hour / Psi rating. This portable ecosphere will travel with the user, displacing all other gases
or liquids and surviving even in vacuum. It retains its ambient temperature and confers the
benefits of Flame Immunity and Thermal Screen to all within as it regulates to prevent extremes
of heat or cold from affecting the atmosphere (or people) within its confines. The regulatory
effects are not a perfect defense against sudden and unexpected changes, such as those from an
attack, even if the field can protect against the more intense heat or cold of interplanetary space
more effectively. The field will slowly purge carbon dioxide from its outer surface (but not
admit surrounding gases in any event) and thus will shrink as the breathable atmosphere within
it is exhausted. This power does not generate fresh or breathable air and any toxins or fluids
generated within the area are not purged or affected in anyway. Thus a Psion could come into
an underground facility through a river entrance and enter completely dry through use of this
effect, pushing water away from him as he moves, but once inside the facility and an opponent
happens to move within his radius, that foes drug-spritzing L-K Sprayer will work just fine
against the Psion.
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