Some individuals in Core Earth, and even more in Tharkold and Pan-Pacifica, have learned to focus mental energy into tangible results. They are called many things—telepaths, telekinetics, psionicists, or simply “psis.“ Unlocking the vast powers of the mind is difficult, but a skilled psi can read and control minds, shape fire and ice, or even manipulate the emotions of entire crowds. Psionics are dependent on the Social Axiom of an area. Mental power is derived from the development of the human psyche and its awareness of both the self and others.
Psionic Skills
Each type of psionic power has its own unique skill.
- Kinesis is the manipulation of matter and energy.
- Precognition powers are those that allow the psi to sense future events or those outside his personal senses.
- Telepathy is the ability to read and control minds. It has no effect on creatures that are mindless, such as robots. It affects undead unless they are animated husks with no sentience, such as gospog or zombies.
Choosing Powers
A character can choose three powers when she takes the Psionic Perk. Once a power is learned, it can be activated at any time. Psis can choose any three powers allowed in their cosm from the Available Powers. The character must have the appropriate psionic skill at a high enough level to take a power.
New powers are learned by spending a Perk, and follow the same rules as her initial selection.
Activating Powers
Powers are activated with the kinesis, precognition, or telepathy skills. A psi may only activate a single power per turn. Unlike miracles and spells, the psi does not need to speak or use her hands—her power comes directly from the mind! Activating a power is a standard action against the listed DN unless its description says otherwise. If the total is successful, check the power’s Standard, Good, and Outstanding Success results. If the skill test fails, the psi suffers 2 Shock, and also becomes Very Stymied on a Mishap. Most psis exhibit slight bleeding from the nose, mouth, or ears when either occurs—a telltale sign of psionic usage for those who know what to look for. Note that the DN for many powers is the target’s willpower or Mind. If the target doesn’t possess willpower, use Mind. If the target has willpower it adds to his Mind, rather than his Spirit.
Concentration
A successful interaction or damaging attack can stop a psi from maintaining a power or activating one with a long preparation time. If a psionicist suffers a successful interaction or damaging attack while maintaining a power with a Duration of Concentration, or preparing a power that hasn’t been activated yet, she must pass a willpower or Spirit test. If failed, all powers being maintained by Concentration end, and any power being manifested must be restarted. Focusing psionic energy is mentally taxing. The psi suffers a -2 to all psionics and Concentration tests for each power he continues to maintain with Concentration. Miracles, spells, and similar abilities count for concentration and maintaining as well!
Stacking
If a character, object, or other target is affected by more than one instance of an ongoing power which changes a skill or attribute, the effects don’t stack. The target gets the best of the effects. Characters may benefit from different powers (or from the same one) affecting different abilities, however.
Available Powers
Below are the powers a character from each cosm may choose from when the Psionic Perk is taken. Core Earth psionicists are rare, and usually only manifest a single psionic skill. Additional materials may add entirely new powers and lists to select from.
- Core Earth—Anomaly: Alter memory, awareness, clairvoyance, clarity, cloud mind, confusion, copycat, energize, foreshadow, mind sense, psychic shield, psychometry, pyrokinesis, read mind, strangle, telekinesis, telekinetic barrier, telepathy.
- Pan-Pacifica—Psionic Mutation: Alter memory, awareness, clairvoyance, clarity, cloud mind, confusion, copycat, energize, foreshadow, mind sense, mend, psychic shield, psychometry, pyrokinesis, read mind, strangle, telekinesis, telekinetic barrier, telepathy.
- Tharkold—Awakened: Alter memory, awareness, clairvoyance, clarity, cloud mind, confusion, copycat, energize, foreshadow, mind sense, mend, mind blast, mind control, psychic shield, psychometry, pyrokinesis, read mind, strangle, telekinesis, telekinetic barrier, telepathy.
Psionic Statistics
Here’s what the psionic power entries mean.
- Axiom Level: The minimum Social Axiom necessary to invoke the power without risking a Contradiction.
- Skill: The total kinesis, precognition, or telepathy skill required to learn the power.
- Casting Time: How long it takes to activate the power. Those with a Casting Time of 1 Action are “combat powers.“ Those that take longer might be cast in combat over multiple rounds as long as the psi remains focused (see Concentration below).
- DN: The Difficulty Number needed to activate the power.
- Range: The maximum distance from the psi to the target of his power. Psionic powers require line of sight unless a specific power’s description states otherwise.
- Duration: How long the power lasts, starting with the round in which it was activated. In combat, a Duration of one minute (six rounds) means the power starts on the current Drama card and ends after five more have been completely resolved. Concentration means the power continues as long as the psi maintains concentration. See Concentration, below.