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PSIONICS FOR SHADOWRUN

by JD Falk, Robert Hayden, Kyle Kohler, Eric Trager, Tim Skirvin

Credits:

Original Framework material:

• JD Falk (jdfalk@cybernothing.org)
• Robert Hayden(Hayden@krypton.com )
• Kyle Kohler (Unknown)
• Eric Trager (Unknown)
• Tim Skirvin (tskirvin@uiuc.edu)

New Material:

• Robert ‘Kyrin’ Pool (something@soon.com )

Special thanks

• Thomas ‘Tommyknox’ Lehr (for lending me his Psionic handbook)
• Gurth (the francis truetype font and a few powers I sto… ‘er borrowed from the Techspecs Plastic Warrior netbook sorta)

Introduction

A while back (two years ago as of june 1996 to be exact) someone by the name of Ken dye brought up the question of how would most people handle Psionics in shadowrun on the ShadowRN mailing list. The Result was a large number of people on the NERPS (Net-Enhancements for Role-Playing Shadowrun) and ShadowRN mailing lists to come up with the framework for the NERPS Project ‘Shadow of the mind: Psionics in shadowrun’.

However, two years later, it seems there isn’t much hope that NERPS will be finishing the Shadows of the mind (from now on referred to as SotM in this document) project any time soon- if ever. Rather then let the material available for it go to waste, I’ve decided to come up with my own Psionics system. For the most part, the system obviously echoes the magic rules for Shadowrun with a few new twists and also uses ideas from whats been presented so far for SotM. Also included are some of the fiction written for the project by Kyle Kohler and other bits and pieces from the SotM framework. In other words, all the good shit that was written in the framework will be found here. My main addition are the system, psi foci, 80% of the powers, a decent portion of the campaign notes, and the archetypes.

If you are on the NERPS mailing list, please don’t take this badly. I wanted a psionics system and don’t feel like waiting a year or so while the list gets the idea to finish SotM. If you feel like I do, subscribe to NERPS and let your opinion be known. Also JD Falk, Gurth, and whoever else is working to finish the project are free to take the material presented for finishing SotM. That’s pretty unlikely since this file is pretty ‘complete’ (not that it couldn’t use more additional stuff), but the offer stands.

Lastly, if you have any questions, comments, or have a psionic power or campaigin idea you would like to see included in further editions (which I may do if I suddenly found myself owning Grimoire II and got some feedback\suggestions\contributions), I would be more than happy to hear them. My current email adress is .

Some words of Caution…

I am an avid Otaku (the anime fan variety- not the matrix cult you chipheads) and many of the way the powers are presented- particularly for the telekinesis abilities- are going to reflect this. Hopefully this won’t turn this new character type into the tool of the munchkin or turn off people who despise the animation style.

Call it Japanimation and Die- We’ll tie your face to Zerokewl’s ass. Otaku of the world untie!
Agent Sonic (01:05:12\15-02-55)

Like the physical adepts, mages, shamans, or any other character type, Psionists with high amounts of karma and experience are going to be quite deadly.

Also this is not a completely complete work. I’ve struggled to put this Biatch together so far with the fact that I don’t own the Grimoire II. Thus if you don’t see any info on psionic initiates there is a good reason. If I ever manage to get the blasted book, I might make a second version of this sucker but don’t hold your breath.

Anyhow, I think you guys are probably getting fed up of all my blathering, so let’s get the show on the road.

Character Creation

This is the part in the doc where we tell you about how to make a psionist character in Shadowrun. This is important because it details how different making a psionist is from the various other character types in the Rulebook.

Priority tables

To allow Psionic characters into your campaigns, the below are a trio of new priority tables that character must use when making their Psionic characters. Although #1 is probably the best of the 3, the others definitely have their good points. It’s up to you to choose which one you want to use.

Version 1:

This is a chart that would allow old characters to be introduced to the system with no change, At all. ‘F’ rating is supposed from what was already there in the system.

Priority	Race	Magic	Psi	Attrib	Skills	Resources
A	M	Full	Ful	30	40	1M/50
B *	M	Adept	Adept	24	30	400K/35
C *	M	–	Wild	20	24	90K/25
D *	H	Spo.	–	17	20	5K/15
E	H	–	–	15	17	500/ 5
F	H	–	–	14	15	200/ 0

Version 2:

This chart adds a letter between the old D and E. It doesn’t work perfectly, but it does allow old characters to be added without trouble…their Psi priority was D.

Priority	Race	Magic	Psi	Attrib	Skills	Resources
A	M	Full	Full	30	40	1M/50
B *	M	Adept	Adept	24	30	400K/35
C *	M	–	Wild	20	24	90K/25
D *	H	Spo.	–	17	20	5K/15
E	H	–	–	16	18	2K/10
F	H	–	–	15	17	500/ 5

Version 3:

Tim Skirvin came up with this one, which is slightly more interesting for converted characters. They would all be Wild Psis, but they would have NO way of knowing this. At all. They could train a little bit, if they found a master (yeah, right), and get that one ability…but they wouldn’t know what to take, what the mechanics are, what the hell is going on at all. This is best used for GMs interested in a X-men or Cybergeneration-style game.

Priority	Race	Magic	Psi	Attrib	Skills	Resources
A	M	Full	Full	30	40	1M/50
B *	M	Adept	Adept	24	30	4M/35
C *	M	–	Wild	20	24	90K/25
D *	M	Spo.	–	18	22	20K/20
E	H	–	–	17	20	5K/15
F	H	–	–	15	17	500/ 5

Mixing up magic and psionics

One sure-fire question that might come-up is can a character be both a psionist and a magician. There are two answers to this:

Yes. You can be a Psionist and a magician. For instance, you could take A in magic and B in psionics or vice versa. Granted, you can never be both a full magician and Psionist, but this has some ups and downs. First you have both access to psionics AND magic. However, you have to pay karma for both of them which means you’ll have alot less karma to spend on skills and powers while the other characters are getting better than you at a faster rate. Starting character have to split their force points up between each power\spell. At least 1\3 of their force points must be speant on their lesser power (ie. a full magician\psionic adept with 15 force points has to spend at least 5 on psionic powers).

No. The answer I prefer. There are enough possibilities for munchkinism with the magicians and psionists alone and god forbid we decide to put the two together. The fact that mage-psionists will be extremely weaker than a character that was just a full\adept psionist or magician should be enough of a turn off.

Psionic Attribute

Just like Magicians have the magic attribute, Psionist’s have the psionic attribute. It works exactly like the magic attribute (psi’s cannot use more dice from their psionic pool in using a power then the character has in their psionic attribute. Try saying that 10 times fast :P). Having Cyberware installed will reduce the character’s Psi attribute just like it will for a magician but there are two major changes: 1) Bioware will also effect the psionic attribute 2) The more the bioware\cyberware effects the character’s (oh-so-important) nervous system, the larger the impact on the Psionic attribute. Here’s a chart by Tim Skirvin that was included in the original framework for Shadows of the mind, repeated here, for completeness’ sake. Includes all cyber\bioware comes from the Shadowrun rulebook and Shadowtech.

Cyberware

CyberWare	Essence	Psi
Headware
Chemical Analyzer	0.2	0.2
Chipjack	0.2	0.3
Cortex Bomb	–	0.5
Data Filter	0.3	0.5
DataJack (SR)	0.2	0.3
DataJack (Shadowtech)
Level 1	0.1	0.15
Level 2	0.15	0.2
Level 3	0.2	0.3
Level 4	0.25	0.4
Data Lock	0.2	0.4
DataSoft Link	0.1	0.15
Encephalon
Level 1	0.5	1.0
Level 2	0.75	1.5
Level 3	1.5	3.0
Level 4	1.75	3.5
Gas Spectrometer	0.2	0.2
Int.Voice Mask	0.1	0.0
Memory	MP/100	MP/75
Memory (FIFF)	MP/300	MP/225
Olfactory Booster	0.2	0.3
Orientation System	0.5	1.0
Sense Link	2.0	4.0
Internal Transmitter	0.6	1.0
SoftLink
Level 1	0.15	0.25
Level 2	0.2	0.3
Level 3	0.25	0.4
Level 4	0.3	0.5
SPU: Data Management
Level 1	0.1	0.2
Level 2	0.15	0.3
Level 3	0.2	0.4
Level 4	0.25	0.5
SPU: Input/Output
Level 1	0.1	0.2
Level 2	0.15	0.3
Level 3	0.2	0.4
Level 4	0.25	0.5
SPU: Math
Level 1	0.1	0.2
Level 2	0.15	0.3
Level 3	0.2	0.4
Level 4	0.25	0.5
Tactical Computer
Level 1	3.5	6
Level 2	4	7
*Level 3-4 *	??	??
Video Link	0.5	0.75
Internal Transmitter	0.4	0.6
Communications
CommLink II to X	0.3	0.6
Crypto Circuit HD	0.1	0.15
Radio	0.75	1.5
Radio Receiver	0.4	0.8
Scramble Breaker	0.2	0.4
Telephone	0.5	1.0
Ears
Cosmetic Mods–	–
Cyber Replace.	0.3	–
(Note: no free Psi additions)
Damper	0.1	0.1
Hearing Amp	0.2	0.3
High Frequency	0.2	0.3
Low Frequency	0.2	0.3
Modification	0.1	–
Recorder	0.3	0.5
Select Sound Filter	0.2	0.3
Eyes
Camera	0.4	0.8
Cosmetic Mods	–	–
Cyber Replace.	0.2	–
(Note: no free Psi additions)
Display Link	0.1	0.15
Spott SmartCam	2.0	2.5
Eyecraft. OptiCam	0.5	1.0
Flare Comp.	0.1	0.15
Low-Light	0.2	0.3
Rangefinder	0.1	0.15
Retinal Duplication	0.1	–
Thermographic	0.2	0.3
Vision Mag
Optical (1-3)	0.2	0.3
Electronic (1-3)	0.1	0.15
MatrixWare
MPCP	(Rating/10+1)	(Rating/5+.1)
Persona Module	0.3	0.6
Hardening	0.3	0.6
Memory/Storage	MP/300	MP/225
Transfer	0.1	0.2
Response	0.2	0.4
BodyWare
Bone Lacing
Plastic	0.5	0.4
Aluminum	1.15	0.92
Titanium	2.25	1.72
Fingertip Compart.	0.1	–
Hand Razors	0.1	–
Hydraulic Jack	0.25	0.2
Muscle Replace.	Rating	Rating*1.5
Retractable Razors	0.2	0.1
Retractable Spurs	0.3	0.1
SmartCam Link	0.5	0.75
SmartLink I	0.5	0.6
SmartLink II	0.5	0.75
Spur	0.2	–
Voice Modulator	0.2	0.3
Playback	0.2	0.3
Limbs
Built-In Device	–	–
Built-In SmartLink
Level 1	0.25	0.4
Level 2	0.25	0.5
CyberGuns	–	–
Cyber Limb	1.0	1.0
Increased Strength	–	–
Simple Replace.	1.0	–
SimRigs	2.0	3.0
SimLinks	??	?? (Hmm?)
Boosted Reflexes
Level 1	0.5	1.0
Level 2	1.25	2.5
Level 3	2.8	5.6
Dermal Plating
Level 1	0.5	0.25
Level 2	1.0	0.5
Level 3	1.5	0.75
Filtration Systems
Air	Rating/10	Rating/10
Blood	Rating/5	Rating/5
Ingst. Toxin	Rating/5	Rating/5
Skill Hardwires
Level 1-4	Levelx0.2	Levelx0.3
Level 5-8	Levelx0.25	Levelx0.4
Level 9-10	Levelx0.3	Levelx0.45
Skillwires
Rating 1-3	Ratingx0.1	Ratingx0.3
Rating 4-6	Ratingx0.2	Ratingx0.6
Rating 7-9	Ratingx0.3	Ratingx0.9
VCR
Level 1	2.0	4.0
Level 2	3.0	6.0
Level 3	5.0	disallowed
Wired Reflexes
Level 1	2.0	4.0
Level 2	3.0	6.0
Level 3	5.0	disallowed

Bioware

BioWare	Body Idx	Psi
Adrenal Pump
Level 1	1.25	2.5
Level 2	2.5	5.0
Cerebral Booster
Level 1	0.4	0.8
Level 2	0.8	1.6
Damage Compensation	0.2/Level	0.5/Level
Enhanced Articulation	0.6	0.5
Extended Volume
Level 1	0.2	0.2
Level 2	0.3	0.3
Level 3	0.4	0.4
Mneumonic Enhancer	0.2/Level 1/Level
Muscle Augmentation	0.8/Level 1.2/Level
Nephritic Screen	0.4	–
Orthoskin	.5/Level	.25/Level
Pain Editor	0.6 1.5
Pathogenic Defense	0.2/Level	0.2/Level
Platelet Factory	0.4	0.3
Reflex Recorder
Concentration	0.1	0.5
General	0.25	1.25
SupraThyroid Gland	1.4	2.1
Symbiotes
Level 1	0.4	0.4
Level 2	0.7	0.7
Level 3	1.0	1.0
Synaptic Accelerator
Level 1	0.3	1.5
Level 2	1.6	8.0
Synthcardium
Level 1	0.2	0.2
Level 2	0.3	0.3
Tailored Phereomoes
Level 1	0.4	0.6
Level 2	0.6	0.9
Toxin Exhaler	0.6	1.0
Toxin Extractor	0.2/Level	0.3/Level
Tracheal Filter	0.2/Level	0.2/Level
Trauma Damper	0.4	2.0

Psionist level:

Like magicians, one can be either a full psionist, an adept, or (in the case of a psionist) a wild psi. Each one has its own perks and flaws depending on which is chosen at the time of the character’s creation.

Full Psi

karma can be spent on new abilities, upgrading abilities, learning new disciplines, etc. They also have full access to the astral plane in a similar fashion as full magicians.

Psionic adepts

limited to only one Discipline and like most adepts, they don’t have access to the Astral just as magic-active adepts.

Wild psionics

This psi level represent that the character either A) has a very limited and unique ‘gift’ and/or B) has never received any of the proper training. They essentially have only one ability and this ‘class’ of psi is included here to kinda represent the ‘civilian’ rogue psi. Karma can be spent to improve this one ability, of course. And there is no astral projection.

Psionic-related Skills

Just as there is are magic-related skills for magicians, there are psionic-related skills for Psionists. These two skills- Psionic Manipulation and Psionic Theory- are the backbone of Psionic use.

Psionic Manipulation:

Psionic manipulation allows a psionic-active person to turn his own mental energy into or manipulate physical matter or energy. In others words, it lets the psi do his psionics. This skill is split into various concentrations to handle each Discipline. There are currently 4 disciplines:

Clairsentient: This discipline allows a psionist to see, hear, and feel things that they couldn’t with their own 5 senses. Includes such powers as Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, and Danger Sense.

Telekinesis: This is the ability to shape, move, and manipulate physical objects by the power of thought. Includes such powers as True Telekinesis, Alter Gravity, and kinetic blast.

Psychometabolics: This is the ability to effect change in your own body. Note that the abilities to change other people’s bodies are usually telekinetic in nature. Includes such powers as Cleanse Bloodstream, Claw shape, and Cellular adjustment.

Psychoportive: This is an optional discipline that includes various forms of teleportation and travel through use of psionics. I have labeled it ‘optional’ since I think I read somewhere that its not supposed to be possible to do things like teleporting in the Sixth world (yet) but I wanted to include it anyway. Remember that psionics is not magic and not bogged down by the flow of mana.

Telepathy: This is the ability to read, effect, and manipulate the minds of other people. Includes such powers as ESP, Mindblast, and Empathy.

By taking a certain Discipline, you can buy powers that make up the discipline. For instance, if I take the telekinesis discipline I could buy the Kinetic Blast power with starting force points or karma. However If I wanted to use powers other than those in telekinesis, I’d have to spend extra Karma or Skill points to get that discipline. Note also that a character cannot have a power of higher force then the discipline’s rank.

Note that I left out Cyberpsionics from this document as I personally think the matrix is just fine with just the Deckers and otaku. The original bones of the SotM has most of the data on them. Also I decided to drop Clairvoyance and Divination for the Clairsentient discipline- I just couldn’t get enough powers by keeping the two seperate although they both, in a way, do the same thing. I also plan on adding a ‘6th’ discipline, metapsionics, if I ever get around to getting the Grimoire II.

Concentrations: Clairsentient, Psychometabolics, Psychoportive, Telepathy, Telekinesis,

Psionic Theory:

This skill gives the character a general understanding of the functions and functioning of Psionics. It is vital in the developement of new psionic powers (those devised during game play), and in “hacking” (using powers which the psi has not specifically learned, but are in a known discipline – see below.)

Concentrations: Power Design (Disclipline), History (Post-Awakening, Pre-Awakening, by Culture), Philosophies (Scientific, Spiritual.), Hacking

The advantages and disadvantages of playing a Psionist

Having gotten this far, I’m going to list the advantages and disadvantages of being a psionist instead of a magician mainly just because I feel like it.

Advantages

No library or medicine lodge required. This means that a psionist can increase his psionic manipulation skills with no boundary. This is one of the strongest advantages a psi has, since they can become stronger without wasting countless nuyen that could be spending on other stuff such as foci and gear.

Psionist have access to a wide number of powers through hacking them. Dispite being weaker than the other abilities a Psi may have, they come in handy when you need something quick.

Psionic foci are much more safer and effective than spell locks since they can’t be traced astrally. The only drawback for powerlocks is that they can’t be traded and require considerably more karma to activate.

Disadvantages

No ability to conjure spirits (without use of psychoportive powers) or Ritual magic. This means they can’t get aid in any form from spirits\elementals without use of a power and even then, there are no guarantees. Ritual magic is unique to magicians only.

Psi’s are forced to be more specialized then mages since they have to literally pay to get access to different powers whereas a magician has access to all of the various types of magic (save metamagic) when they are created.

System Structure and Optional stuff

This area of the file deals with how the hell is everything supposed to work. Also thrown around are some optional ideas for psionic foci and some other musings.

The power usage proccess

Most psionic powers are handled in the same fashion as spell casting is handled on p. 129 in the rulebook almost to the T. choose your target, apply situation modifiers, make initative, attacker rolls the Force rating for his chosen power (amplified by any psionic pool dice), then the defender makes a resistance test. See p. 129 through 133.

Psionic Pools

There are two varieties of Dice pools a Psionist can tap into. These both are presented below.

The General Psionic Pool

Psionic Pool = highest psionic manipulation rating + mastery level

This pool is similar to a magician’s magic pool. When a psionist needs an extra boost for his Abilities, he can pull dice from this pool. The pool almost perfectly echoes the magic pool as it can be used to add dice to spell success tests and Drain test from using powers. There is more info on the magic pool on p. 85 of the Rulebook.

The Hacking Pool

Psionic Hacking Pool = Psionic Theory (Hacking) Rating + Mastery Level

How to Hack:

Allocate dice from your Psionic Hacking Pool. Each dice allocated represents one for level of force. Maximum force of power to be hacked cannot exceed 1/2 the dicipline rating.

Any sustained hacked power gives a (force)+1 penalty to additional power uses (instead of the standard +2).

Drain resistance for hacked powers can only be augmented by dice in your Psionic hacking pool, not by dice in your standard Psionic Pool.

Example:

Trog the Troll is a Full Psionic with the following Psionic abilities.

Telekinesis: 7

True Telekinesis 4

Finite Manipulation 4

Telekinetic Punch 2

Levitation 3

Clairsentience: 4

Combat Sense 4

Precognition 2

Telepathy: 4

ESP 2

Detect Lie 2

Psionic Pool: 6

Psionic Hacking Pool: 5

Trog is in the middle of a fierce fire-fight, and he is currently is systaining a force 4 Combat Sense (which he knows). Trog has decided that his standard armour isn’t enough, and so he wants to erect a Bullet Barrier (telekinetic) to stop that hot lead with his name on it.

Because he doesn’t know Bullet Barrier, he must hack it. To do this, he can allocate up to a maximum of 3 dice from his Psionic Hacking Pool (1/2 of his telekinesis Dicipline rating, rounded down) to erect a Bullet Barrier.

The GM assigns a target number of 4 to the task. Trog rolls his three dice, getting a 2, 4 and 9; two successes. Trog easily resists the drain with the help of his last two Psionic Hacking Pool dice. The hacked Bullet Barrier winks into place just as a .44 slug comes into range.

On the next turn, Trog decides that he wants to sustain the hacked Bullet Barrier. This causes an addition +4 sustaining penalty (force + 1). So, to sustain both of the powers, he has a +6 penalty to deal with, which can make things rather miserable.

A Psionicist with the ‘Divided Attention’ metapsionic power could allocate pool dice to partially or totally negate the penalties that sustaining a psionic power produces.

Buying new Disciplines and powers

At some point in the game, characters may desire to buy new disciplines and powers using the Karma they’ve obtained. New disciplines are costly- 15 (perhaps even 20) karma for the discipline at rank

1. After that, the discipline can be advanced at the regular pace of rating x 2. Buying new powers require the same amount of karma that a magicians do for learning spells. (see p. 132 for more on learn spells)

Keep in mind also that learning new disciplines and powers takes time. A psionist in need of learning in a new discipline requires a teacher. The base time is (rank+1) months to learn the basics of the discipline. GMs should make a intelligence\ Teaching test with a TN of the rank of the base rank x 2 minus the pupil’s intelligence (mininum of 2). For each success earned, one month (or week if less than 1 month) is subtracted from the time needed to learn the discipline.

Learning new powers follows the same rules for learning spells. Note that Psi’s can learn new powers through trial and error. The base time is (force)weeks to master the ability to the force the character desires and the time can be cut down by making a psionic theory test with a TN of double the power’s force minus the character’s intelligence.

Psionist Foci

There are 3 types of Psionist-specific Foci: power foci, powerlock, and psi weapon foci. These are semi-optional as these are just some ideas of mine and allowing them in a campaign is up to the individual GM. Note that these foci follow the standard rules for foci bonding. Keep in mind that all psionic foci are NOT connected to the astral plane as the power for the foci comes from the energy instilled into the foci by its creator. As for creating your own, I don’t have the Grimoire so I can’t say. Most would follow the same rules for magic foci anyway.

Psionic Power foci

Similar to the magician’s foci of the same name, the psionic power foci allows the psionist to focus his\her power through the foci making it more powerful. This foci adds its rating to the owner’s psionic pool and possibly, at the GM’s discretion, 1\2 the focus’ power rating to the character’s psionist hacking pool.

Psionic weapon Foci

Generally the psi weapon foci is similar to that of the magician’s weapon foci but there a few of differences. First, a psionic weapon focus only work in the hands of a psionist (full,adept, or wild) and will not work for those not psionic-active (includes mages\adepts). The focus is similar in that it adds its rating to the character’s armed combat skill, it can damage enemies immune to normal weapons, can kill enemies capable of regeneration, ect. The Psionic weapon focus also is fairly deadly due to the fact that 99.9% of all psionic foci are formed via the telekinetic power Shape Object or Superior Shape Object and most psionist spend days focusing power to give the weapon’s edge sharp as possible (Makes Dikoting look like child’s play). Add half the weapon’s Rating (rounded down) to the damage code bonus.

example: Peter the psi has a rank 2 psi weapon focus- a sword that is just one long blade with some leather straps around the un-sharp end for a pommel. Since it’s a sword, it has a base damage of (str)M, but he used superior shape object and lucked out with 5 successes giving it a final base damage code of (Str+2)S. But cuz peter also spent several months and plenty of nuyen to create the foci, it does (str+3)S damage. Petie now has one helluva sword…

PowerLock

I would recommend you consider this optional as it has the possibility of making for unevening game balance. This, in a way, makes up for harsher essense rules for psionists and gives psi’s one edge over mages. Psi’s cannot have more locks at anytime bonded that their psionist attribute.

A power lock is in many way like and not like a magician’s spell-lock. Like a spell-lock, the powerlock can sustain a psionic power of the character’s choice to used when the character needs to. However, the powerlock is locked to the character’s body and is not locked to a material external possesion (as are spell-locks). The result is a psi with enough karma could lock his most useful psychometabolic or other powers to be used when he needs to without worry of drain (I take you see why I am being cautious with this).

Because of the possible uses of munchkin-ism note that all powerlocks have to been done by the psionist himself. You can’t sell and trade powerlocks as if they were spell-locks. Also powerlocks cost more karma than spelllocks to bond- 15 for Psychometabolic powers (possibly more if the GM likes) and 10 for the rest.

Magician Foci in the hands of psionist

This is a toughy. Generally I’d have to say this is up to the individual GM’s preferences and opinion of Psionics. Spell foci, spirit foci, and power foci are fairly worthless to a psi as they are related to spell casting (which is completely different from using a psionic power). Spell locks and weapon foci are up to the GM. Magicians, of course, cannot use any psionic foci.

Magic vs. Psionics

I know it’s gonna happen sooner or later- a mage is gonna butt heads with a psi in some form. For the most part, both cancel the other out (i.e. a mage can use magic pool dice to resist a psionic attack and vice versa) and various defense forms (Barriers) will work on the opposite power.

Auras and Astral warfare

Magicians and psionists have completely different auras- It’s as if one has a blue aura and the other a white one. In other words, a mage ascensing a psionic will be able to tell immediately that he’s not dealing with a magician but a psionist and vice versa. Still, the auras are not so different that the two can’t synchronize auras to attack the other through either spells or psionics.

In astral combat, the two can use their powers\spells to wreak havoc on the other without any problem. Treat it the same as if two mages were fighting.

The Psionic Powers

What I’m sure most people have been waiting to see- The powers of the psionist. This is the stuff that really matters in all reality but anyway let me continue. All psionic powers are split up between 5 Disciplines: Clairsentient, Psychometabolics, Psychoportation, Telekinesis, and Telepathy. These 5classifications for Psionic abilities were fully described under the Psionic manipulation skill so I take it there’s no need to repeat them here. There is also a ‘6th’ discipline, Metapsionics, but that will have to wait til’ I can get Grimoire II.

Psionic powers come from 2 sources: existing Magic spells and New powers unique to the Psionic. Keep in mind that power success test is the same as a spell success test and personal range means the power effects only the psionist. Also for you SR purists, some of the Target and drain codes are off since I came up with them by comparing them to the codes for magic spells.

Clairsentience

This ability allows a psionist to see, hear, and feel things that it couldn’t by use of the 5 natural human senses. Some of abilities include seeing through the eyes of another being (clairvoyance), to predict danger coming (danger sense), or seeing if a dragon is nearby (detect dragon- a version of detect (being)).

Powers from the Rulebook:

The following spells exist also as Clairsentience Psionic powers. Treat them the same as those presented in the Rulebook.

Detection:

All-around Vision

*Analyze Device

*Analyze Truth

*Clairvoyance

*Clairaudience

*combat sense

*Detect enemy

*Detect Individual

*Detect Life

*Detect (life form)

*Detect (Object)

Know direction

Know location

Object Reading

Sensitivity to psychic impressions

New Clairsentient powers:

All-around Vision

This handy power allows a psionist to see everything around him as if he had a set of eyes on the back of his head (he doesn’t literally grow an extra set of eyes but you get the picture). This makes it impossible to suprise a character by sneaking up on them from the behind.

• Type: Mana
• Range: limited
• Duration: sustained
• Casting: 10-essense
• Drain: [F\2)+1]M

Danger Sense

You too can have spidey sense. Using this ability, the psionist will feel a light tingling sensation at the back of his neck when something bad is about to happen to him. This makes it more or less an improved version of the Detect Enemy spell\power since it would also detect traps or terrorists shooting at random.

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Duration: sustained
• Casting: 4
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Know Direction

In a sense, the character becomes a walking compass. He’ll always know what direction he’s currently traveling in and can’t get lost unless his map or direction are off.

• Type: Mana
• Range: limited
• Duration: sustained
• Casting: 10-essence
• Drain: (F/2+1)L

Know Location

This power can be useful for those that like to get around by teleportation or are simply lost at the moment. It allows the psionist to know where he\she is at the moment including the name of the city\neighborhood\ect. The more successes achieved on the casting test, the more accurate the answer. For instance, a 1 might say you’re currently somewhere in seattle while 3 successes might say you’re currently in the seattle neighborhood known as the barrens, while 5 successes might say you’re in the seattle neighborhood known as the barrens on charles st. on the left side of the street near the local stuffer shack.

Type: Mana Duration: instant Casting: 10-essence

Range: limited Drain: (F/2+1) M

Object Reading

Object Reading is the ability to detect psychic impressions left on it by its previous owner, including his sex, age, race, and occupation. It can also reveal how the person gained or loss the item as well.

The amount of information gained depends on how many successes the caster can get when he\she uses the power. The casting difficulty is 4 but if it is a Focus, add its rating to the difficulty of the test.

successes Info gained

1 last owner’s age and name

2 last owner’s sex

3 last owner’s race

4 last owner’s occupation

5 how the last owner gained and lost the item

6+ The character gains the above info on all the object’s owners

Type: Mana Duration: Instant Casting: 4 (+ rating for Foci)

Range: limited Drain: (F+1)S

Sensitivity to psychic impressions

With this power, a psionist gains a sense of history. He perceives the residue of powerful emotions which were experienced in the area. These impressions off him a picture of the location’s past. Batttles and betrayals, marriages and murders, childbirth and great pain- only events which elicted strong emotional or psychic energy will leave thier impressions on an area. Everyday ocurrences will leave no residue for the psionist to detect.

To determine how many events the character can look back at, the caster must make a successful casting test. The difficulty is usually 4 although the GM is free to increase the difficulty as he pleases. For every success the character gets, he can view one event starting with the most recent and then going to the next most recent and so on. These events are always misty; as if watched in a dream. But in any case, the dominant emotion involved- hate, love, happiness, ect- is clearly felt.

• Type: Mana
• Range: limited
• Duration: instant
• Casting: 4
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]S

Psychometabolics

The ability to control one’s body functions is the gist of the Psychometabolics discipline. With this discipline, the psi can do a number of things most humanoids- even other magic-active beings- cannot accomplish. Some of these abilities include being able to run 3 times as fast as normal humans (speed), change one’s finger nails into formidle claws (claw shape), or strengthen one’s skin into armor (armor). This, possibly, may wind up the largest set of powers.

Existing spells as Psychometabolic powers:

The following spells exist also as Psychometabolic Psionic powers. Treat them the same as those presented in the Rulebook.

Health:

Increase Attribute

Increase Initative

Manipulation:

Armor

Hibernate

New Psychometabolic Powers

Body Control

This power allows a character a psionist to adapt his body to any hostile enviroment. The change must be keyed to a specific enviroment or surrounding: underwater, extreme heat, extreme cold, ect. If the power works, the character not only lives, but he fits in as a natural organism. He can breathe and move around without sufficating or taking damage simply from being in that element. Note that this ability only relates to the psionist (any gear he wears is still vulnerable to the element\surrounding) and has no effect on magic-based element attacks (i.e. Fireballs, ignite, and so on).

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Body Weaponry

Body weaponry allows a psionist to turn one of their arms into any non-electric melee weapon. The arm actually becomes wood or metal while the psionist sustains the power. The weapon behaves as the weapon in every aspect with the added bonus that it can’t be dropped or stolen.

• Type: Physcial
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]M

Bone Spurs

By increasing the rate of calcium created in the psionist’s body, he\she can cause his knuckles to change into 10” long sets of reinforced bone claws similar to retractable spurs. This is initially somewhat painful as the spurs must pierce throught the character’s skin (+1 on all TNs for the First round, after that the character’s sense of touch will be dampened around the knuckles) and will leave a Light wound when the power is dropped. Damage from the spurs Entry can be healed as usual and the claws themselves do (str+1)M Damage plus one for every 2 successes on the power success test.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F\2)M

Camouflage

Whereas most people need camouflage clothing in order to hide themselves, this powerallows the psionist to alter his skin color to any camouflage pattern he desires ,but not on his clothes. The pattern can be varied without having to re-use the power. See page 77 of Fields of Fire for the effects of camouflage.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]L

Cellular Adjustment

This power allows the psionist to repair physical damage done to his body. The power is otherwise treated as the spell treat. This power cannot be used to heal damage done to other people.

Claw Shape

This power causes the psionist’s fingernails to temporarily grow into 6’ claws. These claws can do (Str+1)L damage while the power is sustained.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)L

Clense bloodstream

This power allows a psionist to clense his\her bloodstream of unwanted chemicals and virui. This makes the power effective to Drugs, toxins, poisons, alcohol, viruses (everything from the common cold to sexual transmitted diseases), and blood-effecting diseases. It has no effect on diseases that immediately effects the skin. For every 2 successes earned in the power success test, add that to the number of successes achieved from initial body test for resisting the drug, toxin, poison, virus, or disease.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: toxin strength
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Enhanced Senses

This power allows the psionist one enhanced sense, for instance Low-light Vision, Flare Compensation, Wide-band Hearing, and so on. Each sense enhancement is a seperate power. Note that most times when using this power, the body part that comprises the sense will be altered- often similar to an animal. For example, if I used Low-Light Vision, my eyes would turn to that of a cat.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Enhanced Sight

This power psionic to greaty improve his eye sight to the point where he can use Natural Low-light Vision, Natural Thermo-graphic Vision, Flare Compensation, and Optical Magnification 1 while the power is sustained. The only major backdraw is the power’s high drain. When used, the psi pupils are altered similar to that of a cat.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+4]S

Expansion

The psionist can expand his own body proportions in any dimension: height, weight, length, width, or thickness. He can increase any or all of these proportions by 50% each round up to a maxinum of 4 times the original size. The power has no effect on clothing or gear. It also won’t alter any attributes simply because the character is bigger although there are other bonuses.

• Type: physical
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)M

Low-Light Vision

This power, requiring a voluntary subject, gives the target the equivalent of Natural Low-Light Vision for the duration of the power.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Touch
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)L

Metamorphosis

This power allows a character change his physical form into almost any possible substance or shape.

With it, one could change into a wolf, a rock, or even change their sex. The power lasts until the psionist drops it. All clothing and equipment is also included with the transformation.

This power has alot of different applications such as Disguising yourself when performing a run. It’s also fun to use if your girlfriend is open-minded enough for other purposes. I never thought having sex as a girl be so satisfying :-)
Mr. who (02:11:55/12-02-55)

Sicko. That’s disgusting.
Dr. Smog (02:16:11/12-02-55)

Heh. That’s your descision
Mr. Who [who thinks he might become a Ms.] (02:22:42/12-02-55)

• Type: physical
• Range: limited
• Casting: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F)S

Mind over body

This power allows the psionist to suppress his body’s need for food, water, and sleep. In exchange for one hour of meditation a day, all of th epsionist’s physical needs are over come. He does not feel hunger, exaustion, or thirst while the power is maintained. Of course, there is only so long the power can be maintained which is Force days. If maintained longer than the limit, the character will fall unconcious from exaustion. He must then spend 2 days for every 1 day spent using the power getting back the food and sleep that was missed.

Handy for when in any third world prison…
Mr. Who (01:11:52/12-02-55)

• Type: physical
• Range: limited
• Target: 8-Body
• Duration: sustained
• Drain: (F)S

Reduction

This power is the exact opposite of the expanion power as it allows the character to reduce his character’s dimensions along any length: height, weight, length, or thickness. The character can shrink 50% each round up to 4 times their original size. Like expansion, it won’t effect clothing and gear nor

• Type: physical
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)M

Speed

Through this power, the psionic can increase his natural Running speed. For every success generated in the Power Success test, increase the multiple of the character’s running speed by one. For example: a human using this power generates 3 successes with the power. S\He would be able to run Quickness x 6 meters in one turn. GMs may or may not desire this to be accumalative with the Athletics skill concentration Running.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Personal
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)M

Thermographic Vision

This power alter’s the Psionist’s eye sight in such a way that he has Thermographic Vision for the duration of the power.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Touch
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)L

Voice Change

This Power allows the caster to distort his voice, and make it sound like someone else’s voice in order to fool an opponent or voice-print scanner into believing it is the person whose voice is being immitated. Of course, anyone looking at the caster will immediately notice the effect. If used to fool a person, the caster’s Target Number is equal to the target’s Intelligence, and each person who can hear the caster is allowed an Intelligence test, with a Target Number equal to the spell’s Force. One success on behalf of the character is sufficient to realize that it is the caster speaking with a distorted voice. To fool a voice-recognition system, the Target Number is 8 or higher (high-tech equipment), and the scanner is allowed a Resistance Test using its Rating for the number of dice to roll, and the spell’s Force as the Target Number. If it generates more successes than the caster, it is not fooled. See also page 87 of The Neo-Anarchists’ Guide to Real Life for information about voice-print scanners. The area of effect is special: this is not an area-effect power, but anyone who can hear the caster is affected. Note that only the voice of the caster is changed. He cannot make any sounds that he cannot normally make, or speak any language he cannot normally speak.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Self
• Target: see above
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Psychoportive

This discipline covers a number of powers that can be used in astral space, teleportation, and conjuring (or the closest a psionist will get to it).Since things like teleporting is not supposed to be possible within the current mana level, I’m leaving the discipline as ‘Optional’. However, psionics is not magic- it’s not effect by the flow of mana through the world. Keep that in mind as you read on. All the powers here are new or sorta stolen from the AD&D psionic handbook (T$R can kiss my @$$). This is also going to probably be the smallest of the 5 disciplines.

Astral Barrier

This is a special version of the mana barrier spell that allows create a barrier of energy in astral space. This barrier works similar to other barriers and will function against ALL forms of attack in the astral.

It also comes in handy with various spirit forms as they can’t go through without taking an opposed test (spirit uses it’s force rating, while the caster uses the force rating for the barrier).

• Type: Mana
• Range: limited
• Target: 6
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Astral Perception

This power is basically for psychoportive adepts as it allows a psionist to use various forms astral perception while the power is being sustained. Note that while using the power, the psionist is vulnverable to attacks from astral space.

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Target: 4
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)S

Banishment

When used properly, This power allows a psionist to imprison a being in astral space for as long as the character sustains the spell. While imprisoned, the target cannot move unless it can succeed in a opposing willpower test (the difficulty number being the other target’s willpower). If it fails, it stays put for another round. It can try again within a round but face a +2 modifier to the test. If it succeeds, it’s now free in astral space (woe to those without astral abilities since they’re now stuck in the astral and vulnerable to outside attack. Astral and dual-nature creatures can now get around once freed which includes getting back at the psionist that tried to imprison it.

This power makes the psionist extremely useful when hunting down dual-nature critters, since while they’re banished they can’t move in the real world as well. And then BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! All she wrote.
Tricky Dick (01:52:01/13-02-55)

Not to mention if you’re with a group of psionists and magicians who are hunting astral critters. One psi does banishment on the bastard while the rest start slinging spells and powers at the fragger. Quite a site to see.
Dr. Smog (02:35:49/13-02-55)

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Probability Travel

This power is an advanced version of a full magician\psionist’s ability to astrally project. It’s also possible I may take this power out to move it into the metapsionics discipline in later verisons of the rules. This power can only be used on the psionist himself.

At any rate, this power allows you take your body with you while astrally projecting. This has a couple advantages and disadvantages. No more essence loss- you can all but live in astral space as long as you sustain the power (strangely, you won’t feel exaustion or hunger while in the astral although it’s smart to bring some grub along with you). Also, you can elect to use either your physical abilities or your astral attributes if you desire to (say my strength is better than my charisma). Lucky for the user, if you are knocked out or forced to the drop the power you’ll be dumped back to where you started on your journey. GMs may allow users to tour the metaplanes also through this power but, once again for the millionth time, I don’t have the grimmy.

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+3]D

Summon Planar Creature

This is the closest a psionist will ever get to being able to conjure a spirit\elemental. It is allows a psionist to do one of to things: It can grab a spirit out of either astral space or a metaplane or it can grab a certain spirit out of a metaplane. Grabbing a spirit can be extremely dangerous since the creature most likely isn’t going to be too happy with be psionist (particularly if it’s an astral creature) and may go on a rampage trying to kill the psionist (which would send it back to its original plane of existence). Psionists stuck with hostile spirits in their households can try to reason with the spirit, kill it, banish it (as for normal conjuring), control it, or use another power on it. If the psionist is lucky he can find one that will at least reason with it.

Word to the wise- have a kinetic, spirit, or mind barrier up when you try grabbing spirits. It may just save your life.
Kyrin (5:12:17/12-02-55)

The other method is a little bit less dangerous, grabbing a particular spirit, if you’re on good terms with the spirit in question. Many psi’s use this version of the power to find passed on loved ones, tutors for learning new powers, or even play gypsie. If the spirit is at least neutral to the user, you can go through the normal rules for conjuring.

• Type: mana
• Range: special
• Target: Force (R)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+3]S

Teleport

Like in Fantasy RPGs of old, Teleport allows a psionist to move from location to another instantly. The power creates a rift in astral space that are interconnected and when something goes in one way, it comes out the other. Lucky for the user, only he can go through (no, you can’t hijack a teleportation). The power has several restrictions to it that any potential user should be aware of.

The power will only function if he’s familiar with it. This isn’t really a ‘restriction’ because if you can see the place you want to go (even through a picture or a video) you teleport to that location.

Teleport also can only be used to hop to another place on the physical world- you can’t teleport into astral space or a metaplane with it. Using teleport to hop to another location on the plane you’re currently on is just find- this includes astral space and the metaplanes. The power requires and will always takes you to an exact fixed point. Let’s say Peter our test Psi tries to teleport onto the back of a car that’s moving. He makes his power usage test and drain tests and lives through them only to find himself falling onto road where the car was 5 minutes ago. Furthermore, the location will be exact too.

Don’t try teleporting onto planes whatever you do :-)
Kyrin (01:53:12/12-02-55)

Speaking from personal experience, K? ;-)
Obi-wan (02:01:50/12-02-55)

Nope. just warning the kiddies who might try such a stupid stunt. Damn young’ins think they know everything….
Kyrin (02:26:39/12-02-55)

Target\Range:

The difficulty for using teleport depends on how far you plan on teleporting. The farther you want to go, the harder the difficulty to use the power is going to get. 1 success is all that is required to succeed.

Distance	Difficulty
-1 km	2
5 km	3
20 km	4
50 km	5
100 km	6
1000 km	7
10K km 8
20K km	9
50K km	10
+50K km	+1 difficulty

Failure

There are two possible results of failing a teleport usuage test. One is the power just doesn’t work. The second is a bit more interesting. The power works but the exact location of where you wanted to go is fudged. If your GM is nice he can just dump you somewhere else in the world which can be ammusing. If your GM is evil, he can do the *& method of failed teleportation rolls by making you surface 100 meters in the air (splat) or 100 meter below the ground, both being nasty ways to die.

• Type: physical
• Range: special
• Target: speacial
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Teleport Other

This power lets a psionic open up a rift through astral space that connects two locations to form under the targeted character. Using it offensively requires an opposing willpower test with the winner either escaping or the loser getting teleported. Note that it will effect only one person\being and other wise works like the original teleport power.

• Type: physical
• Range: special
• Target: special
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+3]S

Teleport Group

Used right, it can save a group of runners’ asses when the run goes sour or it can be used to get rid of those damn punks screwing with you (a very amusing effect). The power is functionally the same as the original teleport power and can affect a number of people equal to the force of the power x 2. On the downside, teleport group has a nasty Drain code.

• Type: physical
• Range: special
• Target: special
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]D

Teleport Trigger

This is an alternate version of the original Teleport power that allows the psionist to activate the teleport power when a certain event the psionist has decided happens. Some possible triggers could be if the character takes a D-class wound, if the character falls unconcious, or if the character runs into a certain type of creature. For every success made in the power usage test, he can add one additional trigger. Note that you have to make the power usage test before you do anything.

• Type: Physcial
• Range: special
• Target: special
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Time\Space Anchor

This handy power is useful against other forms of psychoportive powers and certain spells since it creates an ‘anchor’ that prevents the other powers to work. The power still requires a successful casting and has no function on psychoportive powers used by the psionist on theirself.

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Target: 4
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: (F/2)M

Telekinesis

The Telekinesis discipline deals mostly with the use of psionic energy to effect physical things. This can range from grabbing a beer from the frig using regular telekinesis, to levitating rocks and rotating them around your head for show, to obliterating a small building with Kinetic Crush. Telekinesis will most likely be seen as the tool of the more combat orientated Psionic as many of the powers

are just that- for combat.

Existing Telekinetic powers:

The following spells exist also as Telekinetic powers. Treat them the same as those presented in the Rulebook with the same name.

Manipulation:

Barrier (see Kinetic Barrier below)

Ignite (molecular agitation)

Flamethrower

Levitate object

Levitate person

Light

True Telekinesis (aka ‘Magic Fingers’)

Poltergeist

Spark

Spell conversion notes:

While most spells will convert easily to powers, a few of the kinetic based ones needed a little explanation as to how they work.

Light

This power essentially is the same as the spell save the light is generated by polarizing air molecules which generates the light.

Molecular agitation (aka Ignite)

Same as the spell Ignite- just change the name to Molecular agitation. Makes it sound like a psionic power rather a magician’s spell. :P

Flamethrower

Flamethrower is the result of heating up the kinetic molecules into a stream of fire. Otherwise, same as the spell.

Spark

Spark, the psionic power, is caused by electrifying the kinetic energy around the psi’s hand into a spark of energy. It’s otherwise handled the same as the spell listed on page 159 of the rulebook.

True Telekinesis (aka Magic Fingers)

True telekinesis is just the magic fingers spell (p.157) with it’s actual name. It does the same thing as the spell.

All New Telekinesis Powers:

Alter Gravity

This power allows a psionist to alter how gravity is effecting himself or an intended target. There are plenty of various possible uses for this power such as leaping huge distances (# of successes equal 3 meter vertical, 4 meters horizontal), gliding safely down off an 80’ tower (# of successes equals 3 meters that the target can glide safely without taking damage. If more than the safety distance, add the number of successes to the character’s body roll for resisting damage), levitating in a fixed point, or making it impossible for someone to move (requires an opposing test. Target makes a strength test with a difficulty equal to the result of the caster’s casting test). When used on themselves, the usage difficulty is equal to their 10 minus their essence. On another person, the Usage difficulty becomes equal to the target’s Willpower. Alter Gravity does NOT give the character the ability to fly- which is listed later under this discipline.

• Type: physical
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence (personal) / Willpower (Limited)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Flight

This is the real thing. With this power, you can show of all those tight-ass mages who’s the man. This power allows a character to fly in any direction possible and even perform interesting stunts at a rate of 10 KPH x the force of the power. There is no set duration for how long the power lasts (it ends when the psionist ends it) so there’s no worry about it conking out when you least expect it (as in many fantasy RPGs such as *&).

• Type: mana
• Range: limited
• Target: 10-essence
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Kinetic Barrier

Works just like the manipulation spell Barrier does (see p. 158) but the barrier is formed from kinetic energy around the Character. The K-Barrier also gives the user protection against physical attack spells (power ball ect.) and all Telekinetic psionic powers.

Kinetic Blast

A hallmark of psionics in anime movies, the Kinetic Blast (or K-blast alternatively), is one of the more ‘Offensive’ psionic powers known. It allows the psionist to concentrate an amount of kinetic energy around him into one lethal blast of force. This blast can have almost any shape or form depending on the will of the psionist. The two most common forms are the ‘invisible blast’ where the damage caused by the blast looks like a trail of invisible energy and the ‘Energy blast’ which looks like a laser blast shoots out of the character’s hands similar to the anime ‘Ki-blasts’. With the more powerful versions of the power, the blast gets larger and larger. A Light K-blast will look like a small dart of energy while a Deady K-blast will look like it could disinegrate large buildings. All damage by Kinetic Blasts is Physical Damage.

Kinetic Blast, Light

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body (R)
• Damage Level: L
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]L

Kinetic blast, Moderate

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body (R)
• Damage Level: M
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]M

Kinetic Blast, Strong

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body (R)
• Damage Level: S
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]S

Kinetic Blast, Deadly

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body (R)
• Damage level: D
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2) +1]D

Kinetic Crush

This is a nasty power that causes damage directly to inanimate objects, buildings, walls, and ceilings. At first the power’s effect will start out as a quantity of cracks in the targeted area and gets bigger and bigger until either the object crumbles or the area is destroyed. To determine Damage use the table below to choose the structure’s Body rating to roll for resisting damage. From there, Damage is handled normallly. Note that power effects one meter of area per their force rating in the power. The more the extra successes, the larger the area that is destroyed. Magic foci have a body rating of their rating x 3 against the Kinetic crush. It is possible to destroy buildings with higher force versions of the power.

Category	Body
Manufactured low-tech products (brick, leather, simple plastics)	3
Advanced Manufactured products (advanced plastics, alloys, electronic equipment)	5
Highly proccessed materials (Computers, complex toxic waste)	8

• Type: Physical
• Range: 1 meter\force rating
• Target: speacial (R)
• Damage level: S
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]S

Kinetic Punch

This power focuses kinetic energy around the character’s fist or foot (or whatever body part is to be used in the attack) to increase the amount of force used in an attack. In laymen’s terms- it makes your unarmed combat attacks more strong. Note the power’s duration is sustained however character may take other actions- particuarly unarmed attacks- while the power is on. Impact armor is effective against K-punches (a reminder to GMs).

K-Punch, Light

• Type: Physical
• Range: limited
• Target: NA
• Damage level: L
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [F/2]L

K-punch, Moderate

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: NA
• Damage level: M
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [F/2]M

K-Punch, Strong

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: NA
• Damage Level: S
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [F/2]S

K-punch, Deadly

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: NA
• Damage Level: D
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [F/2]D

Kinetic Rocket

An interesting technique that allows rudimentary flight. The character concentrates the majority of the Kinetic energy around him into a barrier of sorts and uses the force to move his body in a certain direction at higher-than-normal-velocities. Movement is equal to Force x 20 Kph. This power can also be offensively to ram into an opponent. The Character should make a standard Unarmed combat test but damage is (force + 1\2 str)S stun.

• Type: Physical
• Range: Limited
• Target: Willpower
• effect: force x 20 Kph
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]S

Lightning

Similar to spark, Lightning charges the kinetic energy around the character’s hand into shere electricity. Lightning however, is a stronger version of Spark which appears like a blast of lightning flies from the character’s hand when used.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body
• Damage: S
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]S

Sounds like someone’s been watching too much late 20th century sci-fi movies. ‘Join the Dark side, Luke… error 123: connection reset by peer
Mr.??? (12:31:11/12-02-55)

No corny impersinations allowed. :P
Kyrin (12:32:55/12-02-55)

Shape Object

The power, in essence, allows the psionist to alter the shape of an inanimate object. For instance, one could change a gun into an metal cube or a bracelet. However, the power cannot alter the object mass, substance, or create complex machines (for instance, one couldn’t make a rock turn into a pocket secretary or turn plastic earing in to gold). For the target number, see p. 130 (RB) for the table on inanimate object resistance. note for each point of force, the character can effect 2kg of mass.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: see above
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]M

Superior Shape object

This power is often used only by experienced psionists but many younger types often waste their time trying to master it. Superior shape object allows a psionist to not only alter the shape of an object but also the object’s substance. The only things the power cannot do is alter the object’s mass into something more than twice its original mass. Other than that, there are many uses for this power including strengthening an object’s substance or changing an object into a stronger\more valuable material (like turning plastic to gold). It’s possible that I may move this power to the Metapsionics discipline since it’s more for experience psionists.

Note on strengthening weapons:

A character can use superior Shape object to strengthen and improve the damage potential of any weapon. For this, the character makes a power success test vs. a TN equal to that listed on p. 130 of the rulebook (most would be a 5 for advanced materials). For every 2 successes the character adds 1 point to it’s damage code (a (str)M sword becomes (str+1)M for example) and the damage code goes up by level If the character can score 5 successes (M becomes S, S becomes D, ect.). Keep in mind that the damage code CANNOT be improved more than one level and using the power multiple times will cause the TN for using the power to Double. This is done so to keep munchkins from over using the power.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: See p. 130
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]D

Telepathy

The most well known of the five psionist disciplines, Telepathy deals with powers and effects that deal with the psionist’s mind or those around him\her. Some of the powers range from reading minds, to sensing someone’s emotions, to attacking a person’s mind.

Note on Telepathy, Psionist, and mind-related spells:

In the course of their life, most psionists learn early on how to strengthen their mind. This is a given to all psionics (full, adept, and wild) and the result is all mind related spells\powers used on a psionist are made at +2 difficulty. This includes all telepathic powers, mana combat and manipulation spells.

Existing spells as Telepathic powers:

The following spells exist also as Telepathic Psionic powers. Treat them the same as those presented in the Rulebook with the same name.

Combat:

Sleep

Detection:

Mindprobe

Illusion:

Chaos

Chaotic World

Confusion

Entertainment

Mask

Stink

Manipulation:

Control Action

Control Being

Control Thoughts

New Powers:

Blindness

This spell causes the target’s sense of sight to shut down temporarily for the duration of the power. This power also affect cybernetic vision devices, since these are considered natural because of the Essence paid. The target suffers a +8 modifier to all Target Numbers, as if he were operating in complete darkness. Visibility modifiers have no effects.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: 6 (R)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Blunder

When a psionist uses this power, the target will loose all sense of balance and fall on a particular part of their bodies, like slipping over a banana skin. The target makes a Quickness test (with a Target Number equal to the Force of the power). Substract the target’s successes from the psi’s; if the psionist has any successes left, the target falls: find the psionist’s net successes on the table to find the effect on the target.

BLUNDER EFFECTS

Successes Effect on target

1 falls but lands on hands; take no damage

2 falls on side; take (Force)L Stun damage

3-4 falls on back; take (Force)M Stun damage

5+ falls on face; take (Force)M Physical damage

If the target falls, he is automatically prone. During the fall, the target will, of course, try to stay in balance, using his arms and hands. If the target is holding something in his hands, he has to make a Quickness test, Target Number equal to 4 + the caster’s successes. If this test fails the target loses grip on the object he is holding, and it will fly 1D6 meters away.

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Quickness (R)
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F/2)M

(being) Communication

This power allows a psionist to communicate with a certain type of being that normally he couldn’t. The most common versions of the power are animal communication (includes awakened animals), insect communication, spririt communication, and elemental communication. Each variation is counted as a seperate power and includes the ability to both understand the being’s language and speak it while the power is being sustained.

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: willpower
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]M

Deafness

This power causes the target’s sense of hearing to conk out for as long as the spell is sustained. It also affects cybernetic hearing devices.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: 6 (R)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

ESP

The classic psionic power of reading another person or being’s thoughts. To work, the psionist must roll his force rating against the target’s willpower rating. If successful, the power works, giving the psionist an idea of what is going on the person’s mind. Keep in mind that the effect is one-way and the psionist cannot communicate with the person through ESP.

• type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: willpower (R)
• Duration: instant
• Drain: [(F/2)]S

Emotion Control

With this power, the psionist can control their emotions and can alter them for a period of time. For instance, a character facing a critter with the fear ability adds any successes gained to resisting the monster’s power. Also, the character can unleash all form of self-control to go into a rage. While in rage, the character’s initative become +1d6 (accumitalive with other methods of initative boosting up to the +3d6 limit), all physcial attributes are increased by 1, and all telekinesis powers are at +2 force. It’s not understood quite why the telekinesis powers get the force bonus but most believe that psionists are at their peak power when angry.

I advice people who see this power as something really wiz to watch out. This power is, at best, to be used only as a last ditch weapon. If you’re powerful enough of a psi, it can turn you into a crazy killing machine. I seen a friend of mine using it and it’s quite a sight seeing the amount of damage he caused. And a word to the wise, stay the hell away from the psi until he calms down unless you want to be the next target.
Dr. Smog (02:15:00/12-02-55)

Empathy

Empathy gives a psionist access to the most primal form of communication of all: emotions. If used successfully, a Psionist can sense what emotion the target is feeling. This power can be used on any living being from a dog to a dragon although it is fairly useless against an insect.

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: willpower (R)
• Duration: instant
• Drain: (F/2)M

Message

This is, in a way, the opposite of ESP. Through this power, a Psionist can send a person a message that only s\he can hear. This message can be about almost anything but usually its something useful or beneficial. As with ESP, this power is one-way only (the character can’t hear what is going on in the target’s head).

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F\2)M

Mind Barrier

Mind Barrier creates a barrier that protects a psionist and all around him from telepathic attacks such as mind blast. The power works like any other barrier and functions as one equal to the force of the power. Since it’s made specifically for deflect telepathic powers, It won’t effect much else other than mana-based spells (it won’t do shit with .

While active, a Mind Barrier increase all TNs for telepathic powers used against the psionist by the Barrier’s Rating. This will not function against any physical spells nor will it function as a barrier in astral space like mana barrier does (see astral barrier under psychoportive powers).

Mindblast

The telepath’s most well known ‘weapon’, Mindblast attacks the brain directly by flooding it with useless information and over-stimulating certain senses (particularly the sense of touch). The offensive psi rolls his force (TN base of 4 +situation modifiers ect) while the defender makes a willpower test (the TN is power’s force + or minus any situation modifiers) for resistance. Well you know the way it goes- if the attacker gets 2 more than the defender, the Damage code is notched up one. If the Defender gets 2 more successes than the attacker, the damage code goes down a level. mana and mind barrier are effective against Mindblast. At the GM’s descision, mindblast can also be effective against spirits.

Mindblast, Weak

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Damage Code: L
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F/2)L

Mindblast, Moderate

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Damage Code: M
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F/2)M

Mindblast, Strong

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Damage Code: S
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F/2)S

Mindblast, deadly

• Type: Mana
• Range: LOS
• Target: Willpower (R)
• Damage Code: D
• Duration: Instant
• Drain: (F/2)D

Mindlink

Where as ESP and Message fail as giving a character the ability to create a 2-way communications forum, Mindlink succeeds. Mindlink, in essence, allows the psionist to create a bridge of sorts between his own mind and that of his\her target. Once established, the two can ‘talk’ with their thoughts without announcing their intentions to the rest of the world. This makes it handy in deals as well covert operations where silence is absolutely neccessary.

• Type: Mana
• Range: speacial
• Target: Willpower
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F\2)+1]S

Misinformation

This power allows the psionist to hide his thoughts from certain other telepathic and Clairvoyance powers as well as Detection spells. If the target of a Telepathic\Clairvoyance power or Detection spell is in the area of effect of the Misinformation power, substract the number of successes rolled on the Power Success Test for the Misinformation power from the successes of the power or spell. This will give the caster of the Telepathic or Clairvoyance power or Detection spell less information.

• Type: Mana
• Range: Limited
• Target: 6
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+1]S

Suffer

When this power is used, the psionic cuts off control of the target’s lungs from his\her brain. This causes the target’s lungs to refuse to function, and the target will eventually suffocate. Treat this as if the the target is holding his breath (see page 76, Fields of Fire); after this time the target will lose conciousness, and eventually die if the power is sustained for a long enough period of time (GM’s decision). Note that the only way to prevent the target from suffocating is to remove the effects of the power.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: Body (R)
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2+2]D

Undetectable Lie

This subject of this power can tell lies while being “scanned” by Analyze Truth and similar spells or powers. The power works by fooling the Analyze Truth power into believing the subject is telling the truth. Every two successes rolled for the Undetectable Lie remove one success of the Analyze Truth spell. If the Analyze Truth spell has at least a single success in its favor, it works normally. The Undetectable Lie power only works when the subject is speaking; if he writes a lie, a spell that can detect lies in writings can discover it normally. The Undetectable Lie power does work against such manufactured devices as lie detectors, but only if they are used to verify the subject of the power directly. The power gives no “protection” if a recording of the subject is pulled through a lie detector.

• Type: Physical
• Range: LOS
• Target: 9 - Willpower
• Duration: Sustained
• Drain: [(F/2)+2]M

Other spell to power conversions…

For those spells not listed in the rulebook, here are some Ideas on considering how these other spells can be converted into new psionic powers. This is handy for handling the millions of spells on the net (try looking through various NAGEE and Plastic Warrior Netbooks for loads of new spells)

Combat spells

Most physical Combat spells would go under Telekinesis while the mana ones go under Telepathy.

Detection spells

All Detection spells become Clairsentient powers- particularly the ones that include detect (fill in the blank).

Health spells

Most health spells cannot exist as psi powers. Some, however, can be used or twisted as psychometabolic powers.

Illusion spells

Many of these fit in as Telepathy powers as they directly effect the target’s mind.

Manipulation spells

Control manipulations fit in as telepathy. Telekinesis manipulations fit in as Telekinetic powers (duh). Physical Transformation spells fit in as telekinesis powers while most mental effecting powers fit in as telepathy powers.

All powers that deal with astral space travel and spirits become psychoportive powers

The Complete Psionic powers list

The following list is all the powers listed in SRPSI.rtf for easy refrence. Note that all spells from the Rulebook are marked with an asterix. Also the number in parenthesis are the number of powers in total developed so far for the discipline. This number does not include multiple versions of a spell (like control being has concentrations such as control animal, control man, ect)

• Clairsentience (16)
• All-around vision
• *Analyze Device
• *Analyze Truth
• *Clairvoyance
• *Clairaudience
• *Combat Sense
• Danger Sence
• *Detect enemy
• *Detect Individual
• *Detect Life
• *Detect (life form)
• *Detect (Object)
• Know Direction
• Know Location
• Object Reading
• Sensitivity to Psionic impressions
• Psychometabolics (25)
• *Armor
• Body Control
• Body weaponry
• Bone Spurs
• Camoflouge
• Cellular Adjustment
• Claw Shape
• Enhanced Senses
• Enhanced Sight
• Expansion
• *Hibernate
• *Increase attribute +1
• *Increase attribute +2
• *Increase attribute +3
• *Increase attribute +4
• *Increase Reflexes +d6
• *Increase Reflexes +2d6
• *Increase Reflexes +3d6
• Low light Vision
• Metamorphosis
• Mind over body
• Reduction
• Speed
• Thermographic Vision
• Voice Change
• Psychoportive (9)
• Astral Barrier
• Astral perception
• Banishment
• Probability Travel
• Summon spirit
• Teleport
• Teleport other
• Teleport group
• Teleport trigger
• Time\Space Anchor
• Telekinesis (16)
• Alter Gravity
• *Ignite
• *Flamethrower
• Kinetic Barrier
• Kinetic Blast
• Kinetic Crush
• Kinetic Punch
• Kinetic Rocket
• *Levitate object
• *Levitate person
• Lightning
• Shape object
• Superior Shape Object
• *Telekinesis (magic Fingers)
• *Poltergeist
• *Spark
• Telepathy (26)
• (being) Communication
• Blindness
• Blunder
• *Chaos
• *Chaotic World
• *Confusion
• *Control Action
• *Control Being
• *Control Thoughts
• Deafness
• Empathy
• *Entertainment
• ESP
• *Improved Invisibility
• *Invisibility
• Mask
• Message
• Mindbarrier
• Mindblast
• Mindlink
• *Mindprobe
• Misinformation
• *Sleep
• *Stink
• Suffer
• Undetectable Lie

Campaign Notes

Here’s the part in the show where we increase the amount of differences between the Psionists and the magicians. This section will include bits of history on psi’s, what the goverments and megacorps don’t want you to know, and whatever else I remember to add in. It’s gonna be pretty skimpy and vague, so don’t bitch at me about it :-)

History of Psionics in Shadowrun

By 2050, thermaturgical scientists had finally finished proving that magic exists according to laws which conventional scientists did not totally understand. Though this was considered a major breakthrough and received a lot of media coverage, it still did not answer the underlying question of how magic acutally works to the satisfaction of the largely mundane (non-magical) general scientific community. Starting several decades ago (some as early as 2015), a small series of papers was released which showed something even more confusing. While testing large numbers of people who had proven themselves to be magically active, researchers at MIT&T and other universities had discovered that not all “mages” used the same–or even similar–methods to acheive similar effects.

Much of this could be explained by the differences between hermetic and shamanic practices, so they removed all shamanic mages from the test group and tried again. And again. And again.

After some time, it was found that the majority of the so-called hermetic mages worked according to well-known and mostly understood formulae, gathering their energy from the Astral plane. But some neither followed these formulae or used Astral energy. As if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, it was found that the more powerful of this type could access and travel through Astral space just like any other mage!

Through continued research, a new magic-like discipline was discovered, which is called Psionics becuase the energy seems to come mainly from the persons’ own mind. There are very few people, human or metahuman, with Psionic abilities– though some of the figures may be attributed to general ignorance of the differences between Hermetic magic and Psionic abilities, it is generally thought that the development of Psionics is unrelated to The Awakening. Many thaumargist believe that the growing power of psionics has actually been an ongoing process throughout the evolution of mankind. To this point, there are a number of scientists who have begun referring to psionic-active people as ‘homo sapien superior’.

What the corps and goverments aren’t saying…

The public know very little about psionists since most are ignorant or scared of the supernatural powers (magicians, shamans, dragons, ect.). To them, Psi’s are just magicians with a different name.

However, the megacorps and goverments are fairly interested in psionists for the obvious reasons. Wage mages are good at what they do, but when corps want a something with more punch, they go for psionists. There is also the potential that psionists can grow stronger faster than traditional magicians since they don’t require the high nuyen costs for libraries or medicine lodges. With enough training, a psionist with the right psychometabolic and telekinesis powers can rip a magician to shreds (sometimes literally).

The main players on this front are the UCAS, JIS (who have been tinkering with human genetics for years), Ares macrotech, Aztechnology, and several other smaller corps and goverments. As far as which of these are at the top, most would probably guess the JIS (that’s Japanese Imperial States) but no one nobody really knows. Most of these psionist projects vary a great deal from honing those that have the ‘gift’ or making their psionists through DNA tampering (think of the Akira project from the anime movie of the same name). Whatever they are doing, they are keeping their mouths shut and keeping things top-top secret. (GM note: I’m leaving this purposely empty for the obvious reasons).

Life as a psionist

So, you’re this guy who can lift things with your mind and and read people’s minds as if it was a second nature. For the most part, things are the same as for magicians or at least mages. You are required by law to register as a psionic-active with the local goverment. Most goverments still consider psionists the same as magicians but some (such as the UCAS, CFS, JIS, ect) are begining to list the psionists seperately. One new ploy used by some of the goverments include a ‘watch’ program for the psionist in the case that the person exihibits strong telekinetic and psychometabolic powers. Although they may say this is done for the ‘public’s safety’, most of these upstarts wind up in megacorp and goverment guinea pigs. Of course, this doesn’t means anything to someone who has already ditched their SIN.

Ideas for an alternate campaign world

Here are some ideas for an alternate campaign for mostly-psionic characters. The GM may be kind enough to allow character to use the version 3 priority table which means all the characters start off as wild psi’s. This could be dropped nearly anytime in the SR timeline although 2056 (since the elections are over) is probably one of the better choices.

And then it all went to hell…

The UCAS up until 2055 has been rather lax with its treatment of psionic-active citizen. Then it finally happened- a psionic, mad as a malkavian dressed in pink bell-bottoms and a matching velcro jacket, decided to take out a large portion of the indianapolis branch of Ares macrotech. The psionist, known as Christopher Coltraine, was a 4th rank psionist initiate and within 5 minutes caused more than 600 deaths to ares workers, police officers who arrived on the scene, and various civilians. The massacre has left much of downtown indianapolis in ruins with the damage in the 100’s of millions of dollars. In the end, it was a group of magic-active police officers that brought Coltraine down by literally pummeling him with mana blasts.

In the aftermath of the Coltraine incident, the UCAS immediately created the Beaurea of Psionic-Active Registration (the BPAR) for the sole purpose of finding psionists. On the streets, known psionists were attacked and mauled, resulting in plenty of additional deaths, a number of them from psionists forced to retaliated. A number of magicians were also caught up in the riots, since the public is ignorant of the differences between the two.

The aftermath of the coltraine incident was not a pretty sight. Psionists and magicians were beaten, mauled, or shot all over the UCAS. It was like the night of rage all over again…
Dr. Smog (06:01:21/13-02-55)

Most of the riots ended when the goverment announced the creation of the BPAR and president adams* pleaded the riots stop. Following the UCAS’ actions, most of the major countries of the world their own version of the BPAR and tightened laws against magicians.

*Alan Adams is the UCAS president from 2048-2056. No clue on who’s gonna win the ‘56 election, but my money’s on the big D.

Being a psionic-active Teen in the 50’s

For unknown reasons, All psionists ‘express’ their ability while in their adolesence. At this point, the teenager’s aura changes to that of a psionist which any full psionist or mage can see while ascencing astrally. Now that the teen first become psionic-active, he/she is by law order to register with the Beaurau of Psionic Active Registation (BPAR). Depending on their ability, they are either let live a normal life (try to at least), go on the watcher program (there are people that look out for you and report on you if you try anything funny), or, at worst, get shipped to one of the re-education schools. The more offensively dangerous power you have (like Kinetic blast, ect.), the more likely you’ll get shipped off to the re-education camps. Being dumped in one of the camps is something every last psionic-teen fears. Although they may say the camps are pretty and clean on those trid-ads, but those are just something to keep the civil rights groups off their backs. In truth, the camps are nothing but a haven for violence and filth, unexceptable for human inhabitation. The teens are then fed propaganda until their ears bleed and trying to argue against it will only get you beaten and sometimes even raped (this goes for the boys too). It’s no wonder that the majority of the kids that are lucky enough to break out turn to gangs and shadowrunning. One thing is for sure: if the tight-asses in goverment though the 50’s were full of runners, then the 60’s is going to be full of ‘em if something doesn’t happen.

Other possibilities

One includes coming up with rules for mutant characters (I’m thinking of coming up with a merit\flaw system for SR some that might be one of the first ones I divise). That would be okay if you wanted to try a X-men type game. Cybergeneration is another possibility, since it’s another Cyberpunkish RPG dealing with mutant kids more or less. See the Other resources near the end of the file for more details.

Fiction

Below are two pieces of short fiction by Kyle Kohler. Both give examples of Psionist characters and the use of their powers. Both are incomplete and fairly likely never to be finished anyway (since Kyle Kohler is nowhere to be found on the net). Still, I doubt Kyle would have anything against their inclusion here.

Geoffrey Dawson

An unfinished work by Kyle Kohler

“What object am I holding in my hand now?”

Geoffrey Dawson looked over the metal barrier and met the technician’s eyes.

“Mr. Dawson?” the technician said in a tone indicating that he expected an answer immediately.

“Look, I’ve been in this damn training program for a month now and all you’ve done is this one test! Haven’t I proved that I can tell what’s in your hand yet?”

“We need to establish if you do in fact have any special abilties, Mr. Dawson.”

“Fine. You are holding a clipboard. On it are the words, ‘Red, Dog, and Corporation.’ The words are in red ink. Attached to the clipboard is a pen containing blue ink.”

Noticing the technician’s eyes widen in surprise at all the information being revealed, Geoffrey decided to have a little fun. “Mr. Dawson, why haven’t you told me you could tell all of this. This means…”

“Your full name is Frederick Rasputin Sanders. You were born in 2021. Your parents died when you were 18. You joined the Aztechnology six months later. And, you can frag your findings!”

The door to the testing room opened and two burly guards walked in. “I think it is time for you to go eat lunch now, Mr. Dawson. You musn’t lose any energy.”

Geoffrey nodded his head. “Yeah, lunch time.”

“It’s not because I just scared the hell out of you with the revelation of my powers,” he thought to himself. He quietly stood up and was accompanied by the two guards to the cafeteria, where he stood in line with the other “potential subjects.” Closing his eyes, Geoffrey concentrated on envisioning the testing room he was just in. It slowly appeared in his mind. He saw the doctor still seated. He looked rather pale. Concentrating more, he saw s

[NOTE: this part was cut off. Any idea what Kyle had in mind?]

were the” the doctor sputtered out. “Test subject number 456-09D just exhibited major psionic abilities. Judging from just this brief witness of his power, I would have to say that he is at least a rank 3 Psi. We had our magical staff assense him, to make sure he wasn’t a mage trying to fool us. No magical aura whatsoever. He is definitely a Psi.”

The exec’s brow creased, “Hmmmmm. That would make the eighth one we’ve discovered this month. And a rank 3 you say? Most of the ones we found could barely lift a pencil or pick up on strong emotions. What powers has he exhibited?”

Shaking with excitement, the doctor forced himself to calm down and said, “Well, up until now, he has exhibited a low level mind probe ability. He could tell what a person’s favorite color was or on a rare day, what their name was. But today, he displayed a highly focused mind probe along with possible clairvoyant abilities. Alternately, the clairvoyant ability could have been a mind link. I felt no probe in my mind, but that does not neccessarily mean anything. I will need to run more tests, of course.” The doctor leaned back in his chair, practically beaming.

“I’m afraid not, Dr. Sanders. We will be moving all of the subjects that have displayed reasonable powers to a different testing facility. You’ve done a good job, but the matter is now out of your hands.”

“But…but you can’t do this! This is my job! My life! How do you think you can just up and move all the subjects out of here? They must stay and be tested! By me and the rest of the staff!” The doctor flew up from his seat and stood in front of the executive.

“We have decided that due to recent developements by other corporations in the study of Psionics, it would be best to make this project a secret. All of our top researchers have already ‘vanished’ along with the prime subjects. Now, if you will excuse me, I have arrangements to make.” The executive stood up and walked towards the door.

“But what about me? I’ve devoted my entire life to the study of Psionics. What am I supposed to do?”

The executive stopped with his hand on the door knob and turned. “Oh, don’t worry Dr. Sanders. You will be vanishing too.” He smiled slightly as he left the room.

Dr. Sanders sighed in relief at hearing the news, thinking of how glad he’d be to move out of his crummy apartment downtown. “Why are you two still here?” he asked the bodyguards. Their only reply was to pull out their pistols and shoot the doctor in chest.

Geoffrey’s attention was snapped back to his body as he felt a nudge on his shoulder. “Are you okay, Geoff?”

Geoffrey opened his eyes and waited for them to focus on his surroundings. He saw Janet standing next to him, a concerned look on her face. She was dressed in the same thing that all the subjects wore, grey pants and a grey shirt. “Oh, I’m fine, Janet. Let’s go sit down.” As he walked with Janet to an empty table, he thought to himself, “What the hell have I gotten myself into?”

Bane

an unfinished work by Kyle Kohler

Bane leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “200,000 nuyen. 50 of it right now, the rest when I give you confirmation of the kill.”

He patiently waited for Mr. Johnson’s repsonse. Sure 200,000 was a lot for the assassination of a researcher, but he could get away with asking it. As far as he knew, he was the only Psionic Assassin around. Because of his uniqueness, he could ask for prices like this and not be laughed at. Besides, after the brief scan he had done of Mr. Johnson’s mind, he knew the man was willing to pay up to 250,000. He was just giving the corper a break.

Mr Johnson thought for a second and then said, “Fine. Everything is in this briefcase. I expect this job to be done in less than . . . “

“Three days. Yes, I know.”

Somewhat startled at having his thoughts read, Mr. Johnson stood up and left the table, vanishing as he was engulfed by the crowd of dancers. Bane grabbed the briefcase and left the club through the back exit. He walked a few blocks to where his Rapier was parked. He stuck the briefcase in the small luggage compartment, hopped on, and keyed the engine.

He rode to his apartment and went inside. He sat down on the small sofa and put the briefcase on the coffee table. He popped it open and looked inside. A credstick and a small chip were all that it contained. He took the chip and slipped it into his telcom. Typing a few commands, the data on the chip was accessed and displayed on the telecom monitor.

“Hmmm…so my target is an Ares boy. Let’s see, head researcher in the experimental division of the Magical Branch in the Bellevue district. Says here, he’s a mundane. Pure drek. You don’t get to be the head researcher of any magical branch unless you’ve got hands on experience. You’d think if these fraggers want me to kill him, they’d at least give me good info.”

Bane spent the next few hours going over every last bit of data on his target. He then called up his decker buddy.

“Hey Wraith. How’s biz? Same here. Look, I need you to get me any info that you can on Doctor James Rutherford Daniels. And I need it yesterday. One more thing, keep this quiet. He’s with Ares. Yeah, yeah, I know you’re called Wraith for a reason. Just reminding you okay? Alright, contact me when you’ve got something. Thanks chummer”

Bane put down the phone and went to sleep. He slept peacfully until he was interrupted by his door being smashed in. He got to his feet, still groggy from sleep. Two men forced their way in and pointed large pistols at him. Before he could react, they shot him in the head.

Bane sat upright in bed. Sweat covered his body, and his head still hurt from where the men in his dream had shot him. “Jesus! That was so real.” He glanced at the clock and saw that it was ten in the evening. He climbed out of bed and got dressed. “Time to go make myself seen in the shadows,” he thought to himself. He walked into the living room and started making some soycaf. The sound of a car door caught his attention. He walked over to the window and peeked out. He saw two large men get out of a Eurocar WestWind and approach his apartment building.

Two men that looked strikingly familiar.

“Drek!” Bane ran over to the telcom and left a message for Wraith to contact him at Dante’s Inferno. He then grabbed the briefcase still lying on the coffee table and ran into his bedroom. He popped open the briefcase and shoved a change of clothes, all his data chips, and his Colt Manhunter inside. Closing the briefcase, he reached into the closet and grabbed his katana. As he slid it onto his back, he reached into a shoebox and smiled as his fingers clasped around his Ingram Smartgun. He grabbed the two clips that were also inside.

Sliding on his jacket and slipping the two clips in his pockets, Bane closed his eyes and concentrated.

Allowing his awareness to extend, he reached out with his power and envisioned the front of his apartment building. “Damn” he thought to himself as he saw the two men were already outside of his door and had their pistols drawn. He snapped his attention back to his body as he heard the first smash against his door. He heard the thin wood begin to give. Concentrating again, Bane envisioned a large bar going across the door. He grabbed the briefcase and made his away to the window and opened it. The strain increased on his mind as the two men outside smashed again on the door, this time braced with Bane’s telekinetic powers. As he slid half of his body out the window, a bullet whizzed by his head. “There’s three of them?” Bane expanded his senses to the alley outside and saw a third man positioned at the alley entrance. His head began to pound with the pressure of keeping the door shut and expanding his senses. Bane scurried back inside. Slipping just his Ingram outside, he carefully aimed, guided by his expanded senses and fired a few bursts. None hit.

Unable to concentrate enough to hit his target, Bane came to a decision. He stopped bracing the door, burned the clip into the man in the alley, and leaped out the window. He now concentrated all of his energy into slowing his fall from the three story building. He slowly descended and hit the ground running. Bullets gouged the asphalt near his feet as he reloaded his sub-machine gun. He sprinted past the crumpled body of the man in the alleyway, sparing only a quick glance. He ran across the street to where his bike was and hopped on. Revving the engine, he opened the throttle and took off.

Archetypes

These are a few oddball Archetypes I came up with. As most people know, most archtype suck. Heck, some of the archtypes in the rulebook aren’t even usable. Although they may suck for PC use, they make for nice NPC stats when you don’t feel like whipping up something from scratch. These are all humans but if you want to make them metas, just add in the attribute modifiers. Sure, that’s not how it goes in the books but it works sorta. All of the following characters were created using the A

priority system (Seen under the Character creation section of this document).

Psionic Kid (Full)

Commentary:

In the case that you try play an X-men\mutant type game where psionists are persicuted unjustly, this might be a useful archetype. Attitudes and preferences vary from kid to kid but usually they are pissed off, tired of being chased after by the BPAR (Beaurau of Psionic-Active Regulation), and scared of people finding out their secret. Often they are usually the quiet gang members that sometimes try to fit in by masking their abilities as magic (there are quite a few posers in the Wiz-gangs). Of course, there are exeptions to the rule.

Priorities

A Psionics

B Attributes

C Skills

D Recourses

E Race

F Magic

Attributes:

Strength 5

Quickness 4

Body 4

Intelligence 3

Willpower 6

Charisma 3

Reaction 4

Initative 4+d6

Essence 6

Dice Pools:

Combat: 6

Psionic: 5

Skills:

Bike 4

Bike B\R 2

Firearms 3

Psionic Manipulation

Psychometabolics 4

Telekinesis 5

Psionic Theory 3

Unarmed combat 2 (Conc: Streetfighting 4)

Cyberware:

none, although some psi-kids take up small amounts of chrome. They never go under 5 points of essence lost though.

Powers:

Psychometabolics

Increased reflexes (+1d6) 3

Claw Shape 4

Telekinesis

Kinetic blast 5

Kinetic punch 3

Contacts:

Gang

2 of character’s choice

Gear:

Squatter lifestyle

Yamaha Rapier (unmodified)

Ruger Warhawk (2 clips of ammo)

Ares reinforced combat glove (+2 str for punch-attacks)

Synth-leather (0\1)

Simsense player with half a dozen chips

Psychic Detective

Commentary:

A psychic detective is usually (but not always) a freelance detective that just happens to be psionic-active who specializes in Clairsentient and Telepathic powers. Their powers help out particularly when trying to find things either lost or hidden which makes them desirable for missing person cases and solving cases where normal detective work won’t go any further. Like the Detective archetype in the rulebook, psi-detectives look down on using cyberware to improve their combat ability. X-file fanatics should get a kick out of it.

Priorities:

A psionic

B skills

C attributes

D resources

E magic

F human

Attributes

Strength: 2

Quickness: 2

Body: 4

Intelligence: 4

Willpower: 6

Charisma: 3

Reaction: 3

Essence: 6

Initative: 3+d6

Dice Pools

Combat: 6

Psionic: 5

Psi hacking: 4

Skills

Biotech 3

Car 3

Ettiquette (police) 4

Ettiquette (corp) 3

Firearms 4

Psionic Manipulation

Clairsentient 5

Telepathy 4

Psionic Theory 4

Powers:

Clairsentient

Danger Sense 3

Detect Spirit 4

Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions 5

Telepathy

ESP 3

Cyberware:

none

Contacts:

Police chief, plus 2 more of character’s choice

Gear:

Low Life-style

Colt Manhunter (2 clips of ammo\jacket holster)

Ford Americar

Line Coat (4/2)

micro-recorder

Pocket secretary

Additional note:

The above archetype is for a rookie. For veteran psi-detectives, add 2 to all of the character’s skills and powers. Should also have more powers as time goes by including possibly the telekinesis or psychometabolic disciplines if he\she wants to live very long.

Super martial artist (Saiyajin)

Commentary:

This archetype is actually meant as a sorta joke but I could see possibilties for its use. It’s more or less based off a popular anime series (ie Japanese cartoon) called Dragon Ball where the hero of the TV series was an alien being known as a ‘Saiyajin’ (pronounced Sie-yah-jinn). All Saiyajin are incredibly powerful warriors of causing mass destruction to everything in their path. This is probably best for characters who want a big dumb fighter :-). Extra Karma should be used to increase powers (namely for fighting purposes) and combat skills.

Priorities

A Psionics

B Attribute

C Recourses

D Skills

E Magic

F Human

Attributes:

Strength: 5

Quickness: 4

Body: 5

Intelligence: 3

Willpower: 5

Charisma: 3

Reaction: 3

Initative: 3+d6

Essence: 6

Dice Pools:

Combat: 6

Psionic: 6

Skills:

Armed Combat 4

Psionic Manipulation

Psychometabolics 5

Telekinesis 6

Stealth 2

Unarmed Combat 4 (concentration: Karate 6)

Vehicle (Character’s pick) 4

Powers

Telekinesis

Alter Gravity 4

Kinetic Blast 6 (KAME-A-ME-HA!!!!!)

Kinetic Punch 4

Psychometabolics

*Increased Reflexes (+2d6) 5

Increased Strength (+2) 3

Increased Body (+2) 3

*considered power-locked. Yes I know I said starting characters can’t have power locks, but this is an exeption since It wouldn’t have been right to start a saiyajin off as a weakling. Consider the amount of Nuyen I cut out from the archetype’s gear a counter-measure :-).

Cyberware:

none

Contacts:

2 of PC’s choice

Gear:

Low lifestyle (2 months pre-paid)

Decent vehicle (up to ¥ 25,000 worth- no modifications)

1 melee weapon (character’s choice. Considered a Rank 2 weapon focus)

Nuyen:

¥ 22,924

Other Resources

This is a list of movies, animes, RPGs, ect. that somehow include psionists or something close. It’s not exactly complete, so recommendation are welcome.

Akira (anime\Manga)

Plenty of little ideas presented in this anime\manga epic. I highly recommend the manga series since it goes beyond the fight with tetsuo at the end of the movie. Some plot ideas include a secret japanese military plot to make the ultimate soldier and possibilities on how to handle goverment guinea pigs. (note: sorry- I already did the SR conversions for Kaneda’s bike. See the Yamaha Sabre on my SR page)

Cybergeneration, 2nd. Edition (RPG)

If you want to do an alternate SR game where the kids are up against the world, then this is a must. The kids of the 2020s have evolved into something beyond human. Bonuses include expansions on how psionists live in the 50’s, how to treat teenagers in shadowrun (there’s an idea if I ever heard one…), a bunch of gangs for use in SR, and various other additions. (note: if you ever want to do some conversions for Cyberpunk\Cybergeneration to SR, try looking through the plastic warriors netbook for the Chromebook Conversions- there are some notes on how to do it inside. As for translating the nanotech abilities, do what you think fits).

AD&D complete psionicist handbook (RPG)

No, this is not a gag, but it is probably the sole decent complete player’s handbook worth even looking at (although the fighter one is good if you still like *&. I still say they’re the M$ of RPGs).

Actually it was very…helpful with the clairsentient and psychoportive disciplines and there are a few other powers from the book that show up in all those powers.

X-men (comic)

This should get me killed. :-) Of course, unless you’ve been hiding in a rock for 20 years, you know what the X-men, the most popular comic book of the 80s and 90s, are. Some possibilities for psionist persicusion and possible new powers are the main points of the comic book series being even mentioned here.

Future versions

Welps- that’s it. As for doing future versions of these psionic rules- I MIGHT do one or two. However, it’s not going to be just me doing all this- I’d need help and ideas not to mention the Grimoire II. Whatever suggestions you might have, don’t hold ‘em back- they might lead to bigger and better versions of this bastich. I particularly could use more campaign ideas and things to add in that pitiful Other Recourses section. See ya l8r.

-Kyrin

Homepage: Http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/4133/index.html

Email: Something@soon.com

‘Sure, It never hurts to help!’ -Eek the cat