Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 11:42:49 -0500 (CDT) From: RAYMOND A SMITH Subject: Re: Optional Psionics Rules House Rules Psionics: Additional rules for the development of psionic abilities are included here. These abilities were designed to increase the number of psionic abilities available to the players, as well as, enumerating the power levels needed to achieve certain campaign-specific psionic effects. With the exception of the telepathic talent shield, the existing psionic powers from the Traveller: TNE core rules are unaltered. The changes made to the way the shield skill operates reflect it's purpose in defending against psionic attacks, which appear quite frequently in my game. Shield (Telepathy Cascade): By means of this talent, the character effectively lowers the successes of non-physical psionic tasks directed against him or her. Each level of success rolled on the shield task reduces the number of successes of non-physical psionic tasks directed against him by that number: Thus a non-physical psionic task directed against a character, who achieved a stage 4 success on his shield talent,would lose 4 stages before computing the final effect. This makes Shield a much more effective skill in defending against non-physical psionic tasks. However the same limitations apply with this new version of the talent. The character can not use any other psionic talents and any other skill rolls attempted are done so at one level of difficulty higher. Psi-Sense (Telepathy Cascade): This application allows the psionic character to detect the presence of other psionic characters in the area. The number of success indicates the size of the area that can be searched. Basic Success will allow an area of 50m2 around the character to be searched. Each additional success will increase that area by 50m2. No other iformation can be revealed by the scan, except the target's general location and distance. The use of this skill can not be detected by other psionics. Electrokinesis (Telephysics Cascade): If the character wishes he may take this instead of the Cryo/Pyrokinesis cascade skills under telephysics. By means of this talent, the character is able to control the flow of electrical energy in and around him/her. Basic Success: allows the character to sense the flow of electrical energy about him/her. Additional successes allow for the actual manipulation of electrical power: Stage 2: up to a max 100 volts. Stage 3: up to a max 500 volts. Stage 4: up to a max 1,000 volts. Stage 5: up to a max 10,000 volts. Stage 6: up to a max 100,000 volts. Stage 7: up to a max 1,000,000 volts. Note: The character does not generate the power himself, rather he/she merely alters the flow of already existing energy. Psionic Disruption (Arcana Sub-Cluster): This is not technically a psionic talent, but rather is the antithesis of them. If the character chooses to, at the beginning of character creation he can choose this talent. The charcater then makes a one time only psionic task roll to determine the permanent level at which the power operates. The talent effectively creates a Psionic dampening field surrounding the character. The field is at full strength in a 1 meter diameter about the person and drops one stage of success for each additional meter in diameter until the level is zero: Thus a character with a Stage 4 Psionic Disruption Field projects a field of anti-psionic energy 4 meters in diameter. Psionic talents used within the field suffer a penalty equal the power level of that area of the field. Postcognition (Arcana Subcluster): This talent is a companion of Foreboding, although it allows the character to see intot he past. It is handled in exactly the same way as Foreboding (consult Traver:TNE Core Rules.) Mind Transfer (Telepathy Cascade): This application of the Project Thought ability of the Telepathy Cascade is not initially available to the PC's, ie-players do not automatically possess this talent when they roll for the telepathic abilities. To gain this knowledge, the player must "learn it" during game time by seeking out a knowledgeable psionic. The ability allows the character to switch his mind with that of another person, allowing full possession of that person's body by his mind and vice versa. To accomplish this, a psionic needs to achieve a stage 7 success on his Project Thought Skill. To all outward appearances there will be no change in the person. However, a telepathic scan will reveal that a transfer has taken place. Telepathic Invisibility (Telepathy Cascade): This talent allows a character to effectively screen his presence from the view of others by subtly altering their vision centers. For each stage of success achieved on the character's psionic task roll, the character can screen himself from one person. Thus no more than seven people may be eluded in this manner. The invisibility is not proof against electronic means of detection in which the operator is out of the line of site of the invisible character: A character achieves a stage 6 success on his psionic invisibility task. He can thus elude 6 other characters, even if one of them is using IR goggles or some other means of scanner. However, if the area is being observed by hidden cameras, the operator in the next room is unaffected by the psionic power and sees the character normally. This power will also not affect anyone who has any form of psionic defense. (Including a Willpower Asset of better than 10). Like Mind Transfer, this ability must be learned and is not immediately gained with the Telepathy Cascade. Telekinetic Manipulation of Sound (Telephysics Cascade): This application of Telekinesis allows the character to manipulate sound waves. Basic Success allows the character to control up to 60dB of sound. Each additional stage of success increases that amount by 10dB. Note: the maximum tolerance for the human auditory system is 120dB ( a stage 7 effect!) Telekinetic Shield (Telephysics Cascade): This application of the Telekinesis talent allows the character to generate a protective telekinetic shield about themselves. This capability is not gained upon attaining the Telephysics cascade, rather, the player must "learn it" during game time by seeking out a knowledgeable psionic. For every 2 stages of success generated by a Psionic Task roll the character is considered to have an additional AV value of protection against physical attacks. However, because of the deliberate focusing on macro objects required to attain this discipline, the character loses the ability to use any other telephysics cascade skills such as Pyrokinesis/Cryokinesis or Electrokinesis. Psionic Vampirism (Arcana Subcluster): This ability allows the character to draw upon the mental energies of others to empower his own life energies. Essentially the character can drain the opponents Psi Stat (usually about a 3 in normal humans), and then add those points to any of his characteristics (including Psi). The maximum number of points that can be drained from an opponent is equal to the stage of success achieved on the psionic task skill. The side effect of this power is that the power is extremely addictive. Tony