Question about Character Creation in Traveller Psion

[azsedcf]

This is in regards to Book 4sion - MGP 3814 - Published 2009

Before getting to the careers in the book during character creation the player has the chance to get training through various means, either through a Psionics Institute, University, Mystical Order, Mentor, or other methods.

On page 9, at the bottom, there is a table for the costs and learning DM's for the different qualities of Universities and Psionics Institutes.

It's gone around the table a few times, but what are the Talents Available columns used for? And how are they used. Either we're missing the bit in the text that explains the usage of this column, or it's just not there.

Another issue, lets say that you get the training in Telepathy in the first semester of training at Uni or an Institute. That means you get (Telepathy 1). Now can you re-select Telepathy to get it to (Telepathy 2), or do you have to try to learn a new Talent? If you can increase the talent, do you have to re-roll for learning it? (The GM doesn't think so, but I figure I might as well ask)

 

[alex_greene]

The Talents Available table basically lets the referee determine what range of Talents the Institute can teach; for instance, a mediocre Institute with a learning DM of +0 has 1d3 Basic Talents available. The referee rolls 2; that means it can only teach 2 Talents. These are chosen by the referee; if the referee determines that the Institute can only teach Telepathy and Clairvoyance, that is all it can teach.

For the other question, if you reroll Telepathy in the careers table, assuming you already rolled it during training, you just increase your Telepathy skill level by 1, for instance. If it says "Any Talent" you can either add 1 to Telepathy skill or add a new Talent at level 1.

 

[azsedcf]

Ok. Thanks on the first part.

It seems I did not explain the second part well enough.

The whole of this was in relation to the university/institute part before getting to the careers. Since you can go through the university/institute a total of 9 times (3 semesters over 3 years). Can you choose the same ability multiple times?

For example, lets say that I got that mediocre Institute. First semester I learn Telepathy. Second semester I learn Clairvoyance. Now that I'm out of new basic talents (and assuming the gm disallows the Advanced talents for story reasons), can I spend the rest of the semesters gaining levels in Telepathy and Clairvoyance over and over, or am I forced out because they have nothing new to teach?

 

[alex_greene]

Ok. Thanks on the first part.

It seems I did not explain the second part well enough.

The whole of this was in relation to the university/institute part before getting to the careers. Since you can go through the university/institute a total of 9 times (3 semesters over 3 years). Can you choose the same ability multiple times?

For example, lets say that I got that mediocre Institute. First semester I learn Telepathy. Second semester I learn Clairvoyance. Now that I'm out of new basic talents (and assuming the gm disallows the Advanced talents for story reasons), can I spend the rest of the semesters gaining levels in Telepathy and Clairvoyance over and over, or am I forced out because they have nothing new to teach?

You can gain further levels in those Talents you already know.

During those three years, he can pick up Telepathy and Clairvoyance at up to Telepathy-5 and Clairvoyance-4 (or maybe the other way around if you like). It'd cost Cr720,000, but he'd emerge from the Institute a very powerful psion.

 

[azsedcf]

Thanks!