Psionic Potential
Psionic Potential is a new General Feat that any character can choose instead of the normal Feats available. This marks the awakening of the character's Psionic powers.
Psionic Potential gives the character access to one Psionic attack mode and one defense mode:
- PSIONIC BLAST: a raw shriek of mental force that is capable of affecting even non-Psionics, inflicting confusion (as the Magic-User spell) for 2d6 turns
- THOUGHT SHIELD: a basic mental defense that is effective against all the Psionic attack modes, offering the newly-awakened psionicist all-round protection
Monks and Fighters (optional)
Monks enjoy a starting ability at first level to meditate for an hour, ridding their body of poisons and healing 1d6 HP. Optionally, a Monk character may forego this ability and take Psionic Potential as a class ability instead. A Human Monk may then take another Psionic Feat (see below) at first level instead of a normal Feat.
Another option is for Fighters to choose a Psionic sub-class. Expanded Lore offers 8 sub-classes for Fighter PCs to choose at character creation. An extra sub-class could be a Psi-Blade who automatically has Psionic Potential at 1st level.
Monks enjoy a starting ability at first level to meditate for an hour, ridding their body of poisons and healing 1d6 HP. Optionally, a Monk character may forego this ability and take Psionic Potential as a class ability instead. A Human Monk may then take another Psionic Feat (see below) at first level instead of a normal Feat.
Another option is for Fighters to choose a Psionic sub-class. Expanded Lore offers 8 sub-classes for Fighter PCs to choose at character creation. An extra sub-class could be a Psi-Blade who automatically has Psionic Potential at 1st level.
Psionic Feats
Whenever a psionicist would be eligible for a new Feat, they may choose a Psionic Feat from this list.
The Stress Die
When you use a Psionic Talent, you gain a point of Psionic Stress and roll the Stress Die (usually a d6). If you roll equal to or higher than your current Psionic Stress, all is well. If you roll less than your current Psionic Stress, you have lost control of your Psionic powers and a consequence will follow, which might be:
- Discipline - Psychokinesis
- Discipline - Psychometabolism
- Discipline - Psychoportation
- Discipline - Telesentience
- Multi-task: You can concentrate on two powers at the same time and do not lose concentration during Psionic Combat
- Train the Mind - gain a Psionic Science based on a Talent you already have
- Untap the Mind - increase your Stress Die from 1d6 to 1d8; you may take this up to two more times to increase the die to 1d10 and 1d12
The Stress Die
When you use a Psionic Talent, you gain a point of Psionic Stress and roll the Stress Die (usually a d6). If you roll equal to or higher than your current Psionic Stress, all is well. If you roll less than your current Psionic Stress, you have lost control of your Psionic powers and a consequence will follow, which might be:
- Alarm: A Psionic Wandering Monster (or psionicist NPC in the dungeon) detects your presence and location and moves to encounter you
- Exhaustion: Your Psionic powers go dormant and you are no longer treated as a psionicist until you recover them
- Insanity: You suffer a Breakdown or Derangement
Removing Psionic Stress
Triggering a Stress Penalty removes some of your Psionic Stress as does losing in Psionic Combat, but those are bad things. A psionicist removes a point of Psionic Stress from a good night's sleep (uninterrupted, no watch duty) and a good day of ordinary (non-adventuring) activity. This means, at home, most characters will remove all their Psionic Stress in three days.
Talents & Sciences
When you acquire a new Psionic Discipline, you gain a new attack and defense mode, giving you more options in Psionic Combat. You also acquire a Talent which is a Psionic power that you can call upon at will, at the cost of taking a point of Psionic Stress and making a Stress Test.
According to Expanded Lore, when a character reaches an even-numbered level they may choose two attributes and increase them by +1 each. A psionicist may forego this and instead choose another Talent from a Psionic Discipline they already know.
A Science is a much more powerful Talent. A player who takes this Psionic Feat can suggest a Science to the Referee. It should be a more powerful version of a Talent they already possess. If the Referee approves it, the PC gains the Science. Using a Science always counts as failing a Stress Test, triggering alarm, exhaustion or insanity. The good news is that, after using a Science, the psionicist gets rid of all his Stress.
Triggering a Stress Penalty removes some of your Psionic Stress as does losing in Psionic Combat, but those are bad things. A psionicist removes a point of Psionic Stress from a good night's sleep (uninterrupted, no watch duty) and a good day of ordinary (non-adventuring) activity. This means, at home, most characters will remove all their Psionic Stress in three days.
Talents & Sciences
When you acquire a new Psionic Discipline, you gain a new attack and defense mode, giving you more options in Psionic Combat. You also acquire a Talent which is a Psionic power that you can call upon at will, at the cost of taking a point of Psionic Stress and making a Stress Test.
According to Expanded Lore, when a character reaches an even-numbered level they may choose two attributes and increase them by +1 each. A psionicist may forego this and instead choose another Talent from a Psionic Discipline they already know.
A Science is a much more powerful Talent. A player who takes this Psionic Feat can suggest a Science to the Referee. It should be a more powerful version of a Talent they already possess. If the Referee approves it, the PC gains the Science. Using a Science always counts as failing a Stress Test, triggering alarm, exhaustion or insanity. The good news is that, after using a Science, the psionicist gets rid of all his Stress.
Some Rules for Psionic Talents/Sciences
- Simultaneous: Psionics occur at the speed of thought - literally! Treat them as simultaneous and there is no limit to how many Psionic Talents a psionicist can use in a round, subject only to restrictions on concentration and the need to make a Stress Test after each one.
- Concentration: You can only concentrate on one Psionic power at a time. In a peaceful and safe setting, a character could concentrate all day until they need to sleep. In a dangerous or insecure setting (e.g. any dungeon or adventure), concentration can be maintained for a turn plus one turn per bonus from Intelligence. In a confusing and distracting setting (e.g. any combat), concentration can be maintained for 1d6 rounds, plus your Wisdom bonus. Taking physical damage does not break concentration but engaging in Psionic Combat or being affected by mind-alteration (spell, Psionics or monster power) does.
- Perception & Familiarity: Most Psionic powers require you to perceive the target as a mind; that is, see them acting or hear them speaking. Psionic powers that detect minds directly count as 'perceiving' and, once that connection is made, other powers can be used. Some powers affect a person or place that is familiar. 'Familiarity' is quite demanding: you must be able to visualise a place in great detail or know personal details about another creature. A room you once searched or a monster you once fought do not count as 'familiar': this usually limits powers to friends and homes but it could include personal enemies and places you were imprisoned. Perceiving something through magic (e.g. the detect chaos spell) or becoming familiar through magic (e.g. clairvoyance) does not count as establishing a Psionic connection (see optional rule below).
- Saving Throws: Most Psionic effects do not allow saving throws. If the psionicist takes Psionic Stress and concentrates then the effect occurs. The limitations of Psionics are the stress and the concentration, not the unreliability of the outcome.
- Magic (optional): Psionics are not magical and do not interact with magic. Psionic effects only work on physical beings, not spirits or energy creatures or entities without discernible minds. Psionics are not blocked by magical barriers and magical powers are not blocked by Psionic protections. Magical scrying (e.g. a Crystal Ball) does not count as 'perception' for purposes of launching a Psionic attack and Psionic scrying (e.g. Telesentience) does not enable spells to be cast at the target.
Discipline - Psychokinesis
Psychokinesis involves moving things with your mind, but really this is the mental control of energy so it includes creating and suppressing fire, electricity and even sound or sight.
Attack Mode: Id Insinuation
Defense Mode: Mental Barrier
The Id Insinuation is a similar attack to Psychic Blast (though it only works on other psionicists) and mental dominates opponents but it is less effective on the insane. Mental Barriers are another all-purpose defense mode. Both modes involve Wisdom bonuses or penalties.
Psychokinetic Sciences might include breaking down walls or fortifications, throwing multiple objects (perhaps 1d6 + Wisdom Bonus in number), outright canceling magical fire or cold damage, creating firebvalls or ice storms that deal lots of damage (perhaps 1d6 plus an extra d6 per Wisdom Bonus).
Psychokinesis involves moving things with your mind, but really this is the mental control of energy so it includes creating and suppressing fire, electricity and even sound or sight.
Attack Mode: Id Insinuation
Defense Mode: Mental Barrier
The Id Insinuation is a similar attack to Psychic Blast (though it only works on other psionicists) and mental dominates opponents but it is less effective on the insane. Mental Barriers are another all-purpose defense mode. Both modes involve Wisdom bonuses or penalties.
- Cause a weapon to fight as if you were wielding it for as long as you concentrate (use your Wisdom bonus for To Hit and damage)
- Break open a non-magical dungeon door or lift a portcullis
- Levitate (slowly) an object that weighs less than you do for as long as you concentrate
- Throw objects you could pick up with one hand for as long as you concentrate, possibly as missile weapons (use your Wisdom Bonus for To Hit and damage)
- Freeze water or snuff out a non-magical fire, dealing 1d6-1 damage to an affected creature and granting +4 to saving throws against magical fire attacks
- Cause 1d6+1 internal damage to a physical creature (no roll To Hit or saving throw)
- Freeze a physical creature up to twice your size for as long as you concentrate
- Block an incoming physical attack after To Hit has been rolled but before damage - or cause such an opponent to attack themselves or someone else in range before they roll To Hit
- Become invisible for as long as you comcentrate (but only to physical creatures that rely on sight)
- Boil water or heat metal or cause fabrics and wood to burning point, dealing 1d6-1 damage to an affected creature or offering +4 to saving throws against magical cold attacks
Psychokinetic Sciences might include breaking down walls or fortifications, throwing multiple objects (perhaps 1d6 + Wisdom Bonus in number), outright canceling magical fire or cold damage, creating firebvalls or ice storms that deal lots of damage (perhaps 1d6 plus an extra d6 per Wisdom Bonus).
Discipline - Psychometabolism
This is the power of mind over body - initially your own body but Sciences might let you alter other people's bodies too.
Attack Mode: Psychic Crush
Defense Mode: Mind Blank
The Psychic Crush is much feared because it can kill an opponent outright. The Mind Blank is an effective defense mode against all attacks. Neither mode receives Attribute bonuses or penalties.
Psychometabolic Sciences might include healing others, rendering yourself immune to petrification etc., granting someone else enhanced Attributes, going into suspended animation for years, purging yourself of magical bodily effects.
This is the power of mind over body - initially your own body but Sciences might let you alter other people's bodies too.
Attack Mode: Psychic Crush
Defense Mode: Mind Blank
The Psychic Crush is much feared because it can kill an opponent outright. The Mind Blank is an effective defense mode against all attacks. Neither mode receives Attribute bonuses or penalties.
- Heal 1 HP per round in yourself for as long as you concentrate
- Heal an Injury in yourself (the mildest one you currently have)
- Purge your body of poison or drugs
- Shut down brain and body, becoming a corpse for until a trigger event of your choosing wakes you (no more than 24 hours); check for Stress when you awaken
- Derive a day’s worth of food and water from breathing for one turn
- +4 to saving throws vs Petrification, Paralysation or Polymorph for as long as you concentrate
- +4 to AC for as long as you concentrate
- Increase Strength by +1d6 for as long as you concentrate
- Increase Dexterity by +1d6 for as long as you concentrate
- Gain a new sense (infravision, echo-location, etc) for as long as you concentrate
Psychometabolic Sciences might include healing others, rendering yourself immune to petrification etc., granting someone else enhanced Attributes, going into suspended animation for years, purging yourself of magical bodily effects.
Discipline - Psychoportation
Psychoportation is the manipulation of space (and perhaps, as a Science, time as well). It commonly involves teleporting but also includes speeding up or slowing down movement as well as astral travel.
Attack Mode: Ego Whip
Defense Mode: Intellect Fortress (10’r)
The Ego Whip is a dangerous attack, putting opponents into comas, but it is easily countered. The Intellect Fortress is the most potent defense and extends its benefits to all allies within 10'. Both modes receive Charisma bonuses or penalties.
Psychoportation Sciences might include moving at triple speed, teleporting to areas only seen on a map, transporting other people, moving groups of people out of harm's way.
Psychoportation is the manipulation of space (and perhaps, as a Science, time as well). It commonly involves teleporting but also includes speeding up or slowing down movement as well as astral travel.
Attack Mode: Ego Whip
Defense Mode: Intellect Fortress (10’r)
The Ego Whip is a dangerous attack, putting opponents into comas, but it is easily countered. The Intellect Fortress is the most potent defense and extends its benefits to all allies within 10'. Both modes receive Charisma bonuses or penalties.
- Move at twice your normal speed or double your attacks for as long as you concentrate
- Teleport an object you are familiar with into your hand from anywhere
- Teleport an object you can perceive into your hand
- Teleport a weapon into an enemy you perceive (roll To Hit using your Charisma Bonus and ignoring armour and range, deal normal damage with Charisma Bonus)
- Teleport yourself to a place you can perceive
- Teleport yourself to a place that is familiar
- Walk on water or other fluids or fragile surfaces, without leaving prints or breaking the surface
- Pass through a solid object up to 10’ thick
- Astrally project for as long as you concentrate
- Move yourself out of the way of an incoming attack, after To Hit has been rolled but before damage has been determined - or gain +4 on a saving throw vs an area affect attack
Psychoportation Sciences might include moving at triple speed, teleporting to areas only seen on a map, transporting other people, moving groups of people out of harm's way.
Discipline - Telesentience
Telesentience is the 'expanded awareness' that lets the psionicist perceive things without the use of the five senses.By establishing a perceptual link to a person or object, it can be a great enabler of other Disciplines. It includes projecting thoughts or feelings onto others.
Attack Mode: Mind Thrust
Defense Mode: Tower of Iron Will (3’r)
The Mind Thrust is a more subtle attack than Psychic Blast and stuns opponents, rendering them helpless. The Tower of Iron Will is a powerful defensive mode and extends its benefits to all allies within 3'. Both modes involve Intelligence bonuses or penalties.
Telesentience Sciences might include telepathy with anyone you know by sight, inspecting areas seen on a map or from a distance, dominating other minds, healing derangements, total immunity to mind-control or conferring these benefits to others.
Telesentience is the 'expanded awareness' that lets the psionicist perceive things without the use of the five senses.By establishing a perceptual link to a person or object, it can be a great enabler of other Disciplines. It includes projecting thoughts or feelings onto others.
Attack Mode: Mind Thrust
Defense Mode: Tower of Iron Will (3’r)
The Mind Thrust is a more subtle attack than Psychic Blast and stuns opponents, rendering them helpless. The Tower of Iron Will is a powerful defensive mode and extends its benefits to all allies within 3'. Both modes involve Intelligence bonuses or penalties.
- Hold a telepathic conversation for as long as you concentrate with someone you perceive
- Hold a telepathic conversation for as long as you concentrate with someone you are familiar with, wherever they are
- Gain +4 to saving throws vs mind-control, madness or possession for as long as you concentrate
- Sense danger approaching (none, mild, strong, catastrophe) and a sense of its direction for as long as you concentrate
- Charm person on someone you can speak to uninterrupted for a full minute, lasting as long as you concentrate
- Charm an animal you can touch and interact with playfully for a minute, for as long as you concentrate
- Instil a strong emotion (fear, desire, hatred) in a person or animal that you perceive for as long as you concentrate
- Heal mental trauma in others (reduce Trauma by 1d6)
- Inspect what is on the other side of a door or wall that you perceive
- Inspect what is happening to someone you know well or in a place that is familiar to you
Telesentience Sciences might include telepathy with anyone you know by sight, inspecting areas seen on a map or from a distance, dominating other minds, healing derangements, total immunity to mind-control or conferring these benefits to others.
Psionic Combat
Psionicists automatically become aware if another character or monster that they perceive uses Psionic powers. Many monsters automatically identify psionicists as such when they perceive them, whether they are using their powers or not. Any psionicist can engage in Psionic Combat with another psionicist they can perceive. Range is unimportant. If a psionicist is attacked, they automatically perceive their attacker and can retaliate.
Player characters can launch 'speculative' Psionic attacks on NPCs who might be Psionic but haven't revealed it yet. If the NPC or monster is not Psionic then this accomplishes nothing (unless the Psionic Blast attack mode was used) and the PC gains a point of Psionic Stress for the wasted effort.
Psionic Combat is simultaneous and lightning fast. A Psionic Combat exchange takes place at the start of a melee round, before initiative is rolled. The psionicists may take normal melee actions after their Psionic Combat exchange is resolved. Psionic Combat automatically breaks concentration, ending other effects the psionicist may be maintaining.
Each combatant chooses one of the attack modes available to them. Monsters choose the first attack mode listed for them and move onto the next on the list if last round's attack didn't work.
Psionic Combat is simultaneous and lightning fast. A Psionic Combat exchange takes place at the start of a melee round, before initiative is rolled. The psionicists may take normal melee actions after their Psionic Combat exchange is resolved. Psionic Combat automatically breaks concentration, ending other effects the psionicist may be maintaining.
Each combatant chooses one of the attack modes available to them. Monsters choose the first attack mode listed for them and move onto the next on the list if last round's attack didn't work.
The combatant then chooses the best defense they have against the attack aimed at them. If there are several attacks, the defender must choose one defense and apply it to all of them. A surprised combatant must choose the worst defense mode available, if possible.
The chart shows the DAC [AAC] created by each defense to each attack. X indicates that this attack can NEVER penetrate this defense. Insane characters gain -4 [+4] to AC versus Id Insinuation and Demons are always treated as if they were insane for this purpose.
Characters add their normal To Hit Bonus and may add a bonus or penalty based on an Attribute. Psychic Blast uses Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as its Attribute Bonus - whatever the player chose when they first acquired Psionic Potential - and Psychic Crush never uses any Attribute Bonus. Monsters use their Hit Dice as a bonus To Hit. When a target is 'hit' in Psionic Combat, they acquire a point of Psionic Stress and after that the Referee has two options.
Option 1: Psionic Sudden Death
After gaining a point of Psionic Stress, the character or monster must make a Stress Test (usually on a d6 although powerful monsters roll 1d8 or 1d10) and if they fail this they suffer the effect of the attack instead of the usual penalty.
Option 2: Psionic Duel
After gaining a point of Psionic Stress, the character or monster checks to see if they have reached the maximum stress points, based on their Stress Die (usually 6, but 8 or 10 for powerful psionicists). If so, they suffer the effect of the attack mode. If not, the duel continues.
After gaining a point of Psionic Stress, the character or monster must make a Stress Test (usually on a d6 although powerful monsters roll 1d8 or 1d10) and if they fail this they suffer the effect of the attack instead of the usual penalty.
Option 2: Psionic Duel
After gaining a point of Psionic Stress, the character or monster checks to see if they have reached the maximum stress points, based on their Stress Die (usually 6, but 8 or 10 for powerful psionicists). If so, they suffer the effect of the attack mode. If not, the duel continues.
Defeat in Psionic Combat
The loser remove Stress equal to the result of their Stress Die. In addition, the attack mode used by the winner takes effect:
The loser remove Stress equal to the result of their Stress Die. In addition, the attack mode used by the winner takes effect:
- Coma (Ego Whip): the victim falls into a vegetative state for 1d6 days; on a roll indicating 1 day, roll again and the coma lasts 1d6 weeks
- Confusion (Psychic Blast): the victim is confused (as the Magic-User spell) for 2d6 turns
- Death (Psychic Crush): the victim dies instantly
- Dominate (Id Insinuation): the victim becomes the mental slave of the victor (treat as charm monster with no concentration needed); if the victor is not able to exert control (because the victor is incapacitated or killed) then the victim goes insane. Monster 'slaves' go insane if they are forced to leave the dungeon.
- Stun (Mind Thrust): the victim collapses unconscious for 1d6 turns and when they awake their Psionic powers are exhausted (see below).
Psionic Blast vs non-Psionicists
Psionic Blast is the only Psionic attack that affects non-psionicists. It automatically cause confusion in monsters that are less intelligent than the psionicist and stuns more intelligent creatures for 1d6 rounds (normal restrictions: creatures must have living minds). However, it is stressful to use this way: the attacker gains two Psionic Stress Points and makes a Stress Test.
Psionic Blast is the only Psionic attack that affects non-psionicists. It automatically cause confusion in monsters that are less intelligent than the psionicist and stuns more intelligent creatures for 1d6 rounds (normal restrictions: creatures must have living minds). However, it is stressful to use this way: the attacker gains two Psionic Stress Points and makes a Stress Test.
Stress Penalties for Psionicists
Referees need to decide on the Stress Penalties for over-using Psionic powers. This could be based on the campaign setting. For example, in your campaign perhaps all Psionic powers are the result of having tainted demon blood and the Stress Penalty is insanity. Alternatively, the player can choose the stress penalty based on their character's background and the rationale for why they possess Psionics.
Option 1: Alarm
Psionic Stress sends out a psychic shriek detected by psionic predators attuned to such things. The Referee may choose a Psionic Monster in the dungeon to alert or roll on the Psionic Wandering Monster table. The monsters will arrive in 1d6 rounds.
Psionic Stress sends out a psychic shriek detected by psionic predators attuned to such things. The Referee may choose a Psionic Monster in the dungeon to alert or roll on the Psionic Wandering Monster table. The monsters will arrive in 1d6 rounds.
You can scale the table by rolling 1d10 for early dungeon levels (1-3), 1d10+5 for mid dungeon levels (4-6) and 1d10+10 for the furthest dungeon levels (7+). A d12 Su-Monsters is quite deadly enough for low-level characters!
If the Referee places Psionic Monsters on an ordinary Wandering Monsters Table, then it will be these monsters who seek out the psionicist. If some of these monsters turn up as ordinary Wandering Monsters, why not allow the PC psionicist to detect their use of Psionic powers and know their direction and distance (but not exactly what they are).
Option 2: Exhaustion
Psionic Stress flips a circuit-breaker in the brain and the psionicist loses all their powers, effectively becoming a normal, non-psionic character. Psionic powers come back once a character is on full Hit Points and no Trauma and rests for an additional week.
Psionic Stress flips a circuit-breaker in the brain and the psionicist loses all their powers, effectively becoming a normal, non-psionic character. Psionic powers come back once a character is on full Hit Points and no Trauma and rests for an additional week.
Option 3: Insanity
Psionic Stress drives you crazy. Perhaps psionicism is insanity. Either way, the psionicist suffers a breakdown. You could roll on a Random Insanity Table (D&D has tons of those) or use my house rules for Trauma & Derangement.
Trauma: Every time a psionicist gains Psionic Stress they instead gain a point of Trauma. Test for Breakdown/Derangements as normal rather than making Psionic Stress Tests. Psionicists who are hit in Psionic Combat gain Trauma and lose the combat if they suffer a Breakdown/Derangement (use normal Stress Dice for monsters).
Derangements: Deranged characters get +1 to their AC vs Id Insinuation for each level of Derangement they have. Derangements of level 3+ usually prevent a good night's sleep and level 5+ interfere with a day of restful activity too. Psionicists add their level of Derangement to any Psionic To Hit roll (making them very dangerous) and also deduct this from their AC (making them very vulnerable too). Characters with any level of Derangement alert other psionicists who perceive them to their psionic nature.
Psionic Stress drives you crazy. Perhaps psionicism is insanity. Either way, the psionicist suffers a breakdown. You could roll on a Random Insanity Table (D&D has tons of those) or use my house rules for Trauma & Derangement.
Trauma: Every time a psionicist gains Psionic Stress they instead gain a point of Trauma. Test for Breakdown/Derangements as normal rather than making Psionic Stress Tests. Psionicists who are hit in Psionic Combat gain Trauma and lose the combat if they suffer a Breakdown/Derangement (use normal Stress Dice for monsters).
Derangements: Deranged characters get +1 to their AC vs Id Insinuation for each level of Derangement they have. Derangements of level 3+ usually prevent a good night's sleep and level 5+ interfere with a day of restful activity too. Psionicists add their level of Derangement to any Psionic To Hit roll (making them very dangerous) and also deduct this from their AC (making them very vulnerable too). Characters with any level of Derangement alert other psionicists who perceive them to their psionic nature.
