Psionic Rules Clarifications and Suggestions (Core22)

J. L. Brown said:
I'm not sure that there are any specific 'race only' Psi-powers; just powers which are commonly taught (or not) among certain groups. One great example is the 'Zhodani racial' psi-powers, which are not really race-specific at all. In the 'Adverb of the Ancients' series, a wide variety of races have access to 'Ancients specific' powers and so on. It is probably a table-call one way or the other, but I do not think the rules as written are explicit about certain talents or powers being hard-locked to or from particular groups.
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The Dryone seem to have some race specific ones.
 
ISTR that the droyne, in Aliens of Charted Space vol 2 (pp 165-167), have a number of specific powers. Including invisibility, homink and link that all droyne can use regardless of training.
 
Gavain said:
ISTR that the droyne, in Aliens of Charted Space vol 2 (pp 165-167), have a number of specific powers. Including invisibility, homink and link that all droyne can use regardless of training.
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All Droyne have it. Only Droyne trained in it can control it. It becomes an involuntary reaction without training.

Speaking on do only this race or that race have such and such a power:

True, you can offer the traditional powers that are specific to one race to characters outside of that race if you like, but then you dilute the coolness and uniqueness of that race.

Personally, if I had a player who really really wanted say "Zhodani" as a psionic skill choice, but their character was a 3I Vilani-Solomani mix, I would not let them do so on a whim. They would have to create a very interesting character narrative as to why this was the case that fit their character's event history timeline as rolled. Then *maybe* I would let them be that rare aberration of a non-Zhodani trained in Zhodani psionics. Same with Droyne powers as well.
 
Yenaldlooshi said:
All Droyne have it. Only Droyne trained in it can control it. It becomes an involuntary reaction without training.

Speaking on do only this race or that race have such and such a power:

True, you can offer the traditional powers that are specific to one race to characters outside of that race if you like, but then you dilute the coolness and uniqueness of that race.

Personally, if I had a player who really really wanted say "Zhodani" as a psionic skill choice, but their character was a 3I Vilani-Solomani mix, I would not let them do so on a whim. They would have to create a very interesting character narrative as to why this was the case that fit their character's event history timeline as rolled. Then *maybe* I would let them be that rare aberration of a non-Zhodani trained in Zhodani psionics. Same with Droyne powers as well.
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Plus the fact that the chances of getting it by rolling is modified by -4, so if you've already rolled of the others, you have to get 8 on a roll of 2D6 with a modifier of -9.

Even if you go for it first, then you've still got the -4, so you're unlikely to get it unless you roll really high so most likely you waste of one your rolls.
 
Tom B said:
Plus the fact that the chances of getting it by rolling is modified by -4, so if you've already rolled of the others, you have to get 8 on a roll of 2D6 with a modifier of -9.
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where does the DM-4 come from? I don't recall seeing such a modifier to learning a new talent. Though the core rules only deal with the standard talents.
 
Tom B said:
Plus the fact that the chances of getting it by rolling is modified by -4, so if you've already rolled of the others, you have to get 8 on a roll of 2D6 with a modifier of -9.

Even if you go for it first, then you've still got the -4, so you're unlikely to get it unless you roll really high so most likely you waste of one your rolls.
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On some of the careers for psions, you can roll "Psionic Skill" off the skill table or receive it as an event. So in theory, you could just say "I want Zhodani-1" as my psionic skill for those cases.

So you are not always faced with the Talent DM required upon first generation of psionics.
 
Gavain said:
where does the DM-4 come from? I don't recall seeing such a modifier to learning a new talent. Though the core rules only deal with the standard talents.
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It's the standard modifier for learning the Zhodani talent. Just like Telepathy is +4 and Teleportation is zero.
 
Yenaldlooshi said:
On some of the careers for psions, you can roll "Psionic Skill" off the skill table or receive it as an event. So in theory, you could just say "I want Zhodani-1" as my psionic skill for those cases.

So you are not always faced with the Talent DM required upon first generation of psionics.
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Hmmm. So on the normal career if you rolled 6 on Service skills, are you saying you take a talent you don't already have without having to roll? I had always assumed this was for an existing one or you could roll for a new one, but with an increased modifier of at least -5 because you had already rolled at least 5 times.

And on the Ranks and Bonuses, I had assumed that was for talents you already had but it doesn't specify that!
 
Tom B said:
Hmmm. So on the normal career if you rolled 6 on Service skills, are you saying you take a talent you don't already have without having to roll? I had always assumed this was for an existing one or you could roll for a new one, but with an increased modifier of at least -5 because you had already rolled at least 5 times.

And on the Ranks and Bonuses, I had assumed that was for talents you already had but it doesn't specify that!
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Psion is not the only way to get a Psion (you could be Droyne, Zhodani etc), but yes. "Any Talent" to me means *ANY* Talent, else it should be +1 "*Existing* Talent", n'est-pas?

"Doesn't specify that" is the key phrase in much of this stuff that is not specified. I don't see myself telling a players rolling up in my game; "Sorry, I know it says nothing of the kind, but here is what the rule is really saying...". I mean I would if I made a house rule but I would make that known up front and only if I felt I really needed to depart from the rules as written.

Psionics is actually not that easy to get. In most cases, I don't try to create more barriers to them than what I know is written. :)
 
Yenaldlooshi said:
On some of the careers for psions, you can roll "Psionic Skill" off the skill table or receive it as an event. So in theory, you could just say "I want Zhodani-1" as my psionic skill for those cases.

So you are not always faced with the Talent DM required upon first generation of psionics.
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Page 229 CRB specifies that rolling a talent the psion does not already have does not automatically grant that talent -- it is a chance to roll to get that talent.

Tom B said:
It's the standard modifier for learning the Zhodani talent. Just like Telepathy is +4 and Teleportation is zero.
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Aliens of Charted Space 1, p 253 lists the 'Zhodani Talent' as a -3; has this been changed?
 
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J. L. Brown said:
Page 229 CRB specifies that rolling a talent the psion does not already have does not automatically grant that talent -i it is a chance to roll to get that talent.


Aliens of Charted Space 1, p 253 lists the 'Zhodani Talent' as a -3; has this been changed?
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My mistake it is -3
 
Further looking at the 'How to use the Psion career' box; basic training is done from the specialist (not service skills) list. I guess that makes sense, because otherwise every Psion would get all basic talents plus another (presumably advanced or unique) talent at 0 as a result of basic training. BUT I noticed (something I consider to be) a funny quirk:
When rolling on the Service Skills table, if the Psion gains the skill for a talent they do not yet possess, they may attempt another roll to learn that talent.
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This seems to indicate that Talents from the Specialist skill tables ARE gained automatically, without the need to roll. So basic training for 'Wild Talent' does automatically grant Telepathy/0 and Telekinesis/0; and Psions who change careers to other specialties could get a talent from the new specialty (without rolling) as their basic training for the new specialty.

And it also implies the 'Any Talent skill 1' for advancing rank in the Psion career is also done without rolling, since it is not from the 'Service Skills' table.
 
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I'm looking to include 'Special' back on the list of Talents.

I'd say that the PSI attribute DM would be how many times you can roll for a Special Talent.
 
I will point out that there are three new Psionic Talents included in
Core Adventure 03: Errant Lightning.
Botanical Symbiosis; Changeling; and CounterPsionics.
 
Here is my list of all the rules for Psionics. There is a really nice TAS book by Hermit King Studios, Free Fall and Other Delights, that has some really good powers. It also has diseases and equipment which I didn't include on this list.
 

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mavikfelna said:
Here is my list of all the rules for Psionics. There is a really nice TAS book by Hermit King Studios, Free Fall and Other Delights, that has some really good powers. It also has diseases and equipment which I didn't include on this list.
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Under 'Telepathy' you list Mind Wipe as from '(SA1 p49)'. What does SA stand for? I would like to locate / read up on this power.

Also, from 1e there are a few:
'Healer'; Learning DM -1; Compendium 1, p 117;
  • Triage
  • Physical Healing
  • Mental Healing
  • Characterisitic Boost
  • Rejuvenation
'Aura Perception'; Learning DM +1; Book 04: Psion, p 60;
  • Read Aura
  • Mask Aura
  • Manipulate Aura
  • Project Aura
'Dimensional Manipulation'; Learning DM -3; Book 04: Psion, p 60;
  • Locate Portal
  • Dimensional Commumication
  • Create Portal
'Energy Kinesis'; Learning DM +1; Book 04: Psion, p 61;
  • Electrokinesis
  • Luminokinesis
  • Thermokinesis
'Machine Symbiosis'; Learning DM -1; Book 04: Psion, p 63;
  • Interrogate
  • Control
'Personal Enhancement'; Learning DM +0; Book 04: Psion, p 64;
  • Enhanced Acrobatics
  • Enhanced Art
  • Enhanced Charisma
'Projection'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 64;
  • Out Of Body Experience
  • Project Personality
  • Project Emotion
  • Glamour
'Psionic Attack'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 65;
  • Pain
  • Paralysis
  • Mind Blast
  • Mind Shock
  • Unlock
'Psionic Defence'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 66;
  • Mind Blank
  • Mind Mirror
  • Psychic Armor
  • Psychic Absorption
'Ship Integration'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 67;
  • Fold Space
  • Drive Augmentation
  • Far Seeing
  • Ship Operation Enhancement
'Tapping'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 68;
  • Tap Self
  • Tap Other
  • Tap Emotion
  • Mind Switch
'Temporal Manipulation'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 69;
  • Time Shift
  • Time Freeze
  • Paradox Adjustment
Dimensional Manipulation, Temporal Manipulation, and Ship Integration are all 'think carefully before you allow this in your game' talents. Some powers (like 'Rejuvenation') share names with different powers which are described elsewhere, but are distinctly different. The 'Machine Symbiosis' powers seem to be duplicated in the 'Zhodani Talent'. There is some other weirdness, too.
 
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J. L. Brown said:
Under 'Telepathy' you list Mind Wipe as from '(SA1 p49)'. What does SA stand for? I would like to locate / read up on this power.

Also, from 1e there are a few:
'Healer'; Learning DM -1; Compendium 1, p 117;
  • Triage
  • Physical Healing
  • Mental Healing
  • Characterisitic Boost
  • Rejuvenation
'Aura Perception'; Learning DM +1; Book 04: Psion, p 60;
  • Read Aura
  • Mask Aura
  • Manipulate Aura
  • Project Aura
'Dimensional Manipulation'; Learning DM -3; Book 04: Psion, p 60;
  • Locate Portal
  • Dimensional Commumication
  • Create Portal
'Energy Kinesis'; Learning DM +1; Book 04: Psion, p 61;
  • Electrokinesis
  • Luminokinesis
  • Thermokinesis
'Machine Symbiosis'; Learning DM -1; Book 04: Psion, p 63;
  • Interrogate
  • Control
'Personal Enhancement'; Learning DM +0; Book 04: Psion, p 64;
  • Enhanced Acrobatics
  • Enhanced Art
  • Enhanced Charisma
'Projection'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 64;
  • Out Of Body Experience
  • Project Personality
  • Project Emotion
  • Glamour
'Psionic Attack'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 65;
  • Pain
  • Paralysis
  • Mind Blast
  • Mind Shock
  • Unlock
'Psionic Defence'; Learning DM -2; Book 04: Psion, p 66;
  • Mind Blank
  • Mind Mirror
  • Psychic Armor
  • Psychic Absorption
'Ship Integration'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 67;
  • Fold Space
  • Drive Augmentation
  • Far Seeing
  • Ship Operation Enhancement
'Tapping'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 68;
  • Tap Self
  • Tap Other
  • Tap Emotion
  • Mind Switch
'Temporal Manipulation'; Learning DM -4; Book 04: Psion, p 69;
  • Time Shift
  • Time Freeze
  • Paradox Adjustment
Dimensional Manipulation, Temporal Manipulation, and Ship Integration are all 'think carefully before you allow this in your game' talents. Some powers (like 'Rejuvenation') share names with different powers which are described elsewhere, but are distinctly different. The 'Machine Symbiosis' powers seem to be duplicated in the 'Zhodani Talent'. There is some other weirdness, too.
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SA1 is Solomani Adventure 1: Mysteries on Arcturus Station
It's just a sidebar on page 49.

Thank you for the in 1e info. I'll try and find those books.
 
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