Saga-ized Psionics for SWN Updated

Here's the newest look at my conversion of Star Wars Saga Edition style psionics for Stars Without Number. I've changed a lot of the contest rolls to Mental Effect saves, and added a lot of powers btoh from SWN and various Saga Edition Sourcebooks. Once again, these rules still aren't playtested, so the DC's may very well need to be updated.

Psionic Powers
Psionic powers are special abilities available only to those belonging to the Psion class. They allow characters to do astonishing things like play tricks with the minds of others, move heavy objects, see into the future and even blast foes with arcs of bio-electricity.

Learning Psionic Powers
A Psion automatically gains a number of psionic powers equal to 1 + either his Wisdom of Charisma modifier, whichever is higher. Characters can attempt to learn new psionic powers each odd-numbered level by making a Psicraft check against DC 7 + 1 for each power in the character’s suite exceeding the higher of either his or her Wisdom of Charisma bonus. A successful check allows the character to select an additional psionic power. Character can also gain a new psionic power by increasing either their Wisdom or Charisma modifier permanently (momentary increases do not allow a psion to select a new psionic power).
For example, a 3rd level psion makes a Psicraft check to see if he can learn a new power. He has a Wisdom modifier of +2 (no modifier to Charisma) and already has 3 powers. He must roll at least a 13 to be able to learn a new power. If the roll succeeds, he can choose a new psionic power to add to his pool. Then once he reaches level 5 he can attempt the roll again, but with a DC of 14 this time. However, if in the time leading up to level 5, his Wisdom or Charisma has increased to a point that his modifier is now +3, the DC stays at 12 to learn a new power at level 5, but will increase at level 7 if he successfully learns a new power. Failure on this check means the character must wait until he reaches the next odd-numbered level.


Using Psionic Powers
When your character uses a psionic power, make a Psicraft check. The check result determines the power’s effect.
Some powers have all-or-nothing effects. Other powers have multi-tiered effects, and your Psicraft check determines the maximum effect your can achieve, although you can always choose a lesser effect. If your Psicraft check is too low to activate the power’s baseline effect, nothing happens and the action is wasted. Additionally, some powers will add to the target’s or the psion’s own System Strain total.
Using a Psionic power removes it from your active “suite” of powers, regardless of whether the Psicraft check succeeds or fails.
You can select psionic powers multiple times to have more uses of it in your power suite.
Your Psionic Power Suite: Your character’s psionic powers effectively form a suite. When your character uses a power, it’s like playing a card and putting it into the discard pile. The power takes effect and it is no longer available to the character…at least for a while.
Regaining Psionic Powers: You have different ways to regain spent psionic powers so that you can use them again:
• When combat is over and you can rest for at least 1 minute, you regain use of all of your psionic powers.
• If you roll a natural 12 on a Psicraft check, you regain all spent psionic powers at the end of your turn.
• The psion may attempt to tap into is neural reserves to use psionic powers that have already be used, but doing so can lead to what psions call “burn out,” which can lead to insanity or even death.

Using Psionic powers that have a “Time” Full-round action, opens up the psion to attacks from adjacent foes that he can’t use his Dexterity to defend against.
Some powers allow a Psion to concentrate on them to keep them in effect for multiple rounds (otherwise most powers are only in effect for a single round). Doing so usually costs an action (typically a Standard action), and while concentrating on a power the Psion cannot activate any of the other powers in his suite.


Burn Out
Those desperate psions who run out of powers in their suite may draw directly on their neural reserves to fuel a psychic power. “Burning Out”, as this technique is called, causes inevitable and permanent damage to the psion, though it can fuel any already spent psionic power. Each round that a psion burns out, he must roll 1d10. On a result of 1-4, he permanently loses one point of Constitution. A result of 5-8 causes the permanent loss of a point of Wisdom, and a result of 9 or 10 means the energy discharge did no lasting harm to his neural tissues. If Constitution drops below 3, he dies, and if Wisdom drops below 3, he becomes incurably and dangerously insane. There is no known treatment for damage caused by torching. Insane characters become NPCs under the control of the GM.
Those psions who succumb to insanity may use their psionic powers freely with no further risk of degradation. The MES energies have already burnt a pathway through their mind, and no further damage is possible. These “ferals” can use any power in their suite as much as they’d like, can gain additional psychic powers with time, and can be extremely dangerous to anyone unlucky enough to encounter them. A very few can maintain a seemingly coherent facade, but beneath it all they invariably suffer from uncontrollably violent urges, hallucinations, and compulsions.


Psionic Power Descriptions
Some psionic powers are solely mind-affecting, so they come with the Mind-Affecting tag under the power’s title.
Mind-Affecting: A psionic power with the Mind-Affecting tag has no effect on creatures that are mindless (that is, creatures with no Intelligence) or immune to mind-affecting effects.

Psionic Power Descriptions
The following psionic powers are available to all psions. Each psionic power includes the following information:

Psionic Power Name
The name of the power is followed by a brief description of the power’s effect. Time: the type of action needed to activate this power. Target: the targets affected by this psionic power.
Make a Psicraft check: The results of the Psicraft check are detailed here.
Special: Some powers have special rules, which are covered here.

Alternate Outcomes
When the psychic fails an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check she can immediately trigger this power to gain a second attempt at the roll. Time: Reaction. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 7. If successful, the psion can reroll a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check (Psicraft checks to activate powers cannot be rerolled). The result of the reroll must be accepted even if it is worse. This last-minute aversion destabilizes future probabilities, however, and the psion must voluntarily reroll a successful attack roll, saving throw, or skill check before she can activate this power a second time. Rerolling a trivial success is not normally sufficient to rectify the probability debt.

Armor of Will
You build up your psychic defenses or the defenses in an ally against an attack. Time: Standard action. Target: Self or one ally within 60’ and line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 13. You gain a reroll on a saving throw against the next psionic power used against you. You can also grant a saving throw reroll to an ally. If the reroll is not used before the end of combat, it is lost at that time.

Augment Organism
The psion boosts the physical capabilities of a target within line of sight. Time: Standard action. Target: One living creature within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. For five minutes, the subject gains either +1 to their
Dexterity modifier or their Strength modifier. This power can be used up to twice on a single target, either adding +1 to both modifiers or +2 to one. Each activation of this power increases the target’s System Strain by 1 point.

Ballistakinesis
You can use the Force to spray an area with dangerous debris. Time: Standard action. Targets: All targets within a 10’x10’ area (the entire area must be within 60’ feet and in your line of sight).
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the Attack Bonus for the attack roll to follow.
• DC 7: No attack bonus.
• DC 10: +2 attack bonus
• DC 13: +4 attack bonus
Once the attack roll is determined, make and attack roll with the modifier found above and compare the result to the AC of each target in the affected area. If the attack hits, the target takes 3d8 points of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice) and takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls until the start of your next turn. This is an area attack.

Battle Strike
You use your psionic power to enhance your battle prowess. Time: Free Action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any:
• DC 7: Gain a +1 bonus to your next attack roll and deal an additional 1d6 points of damage if it hits.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except you deal an additional 2d6 damage.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except you deal an additional 3d6 damage.

Biostasis
The psion can maintain the vital life processes of a mortally wounded teammate with a touch. Time: Full-round action. Target: One dead or dying target you can touch.
Make a Psicraft check: The psion may restore to life a creature he is touching that has been dead for no more than six rounds. There is a 100% chance of success if this power is used within three rounds of death, with the chance decreasing by 25% for each round afterwards. The creature is set to zero hit points and remains unconscious until it receives medical attention. It will die if it does not receive such attention within 24 hours. This power does not function on creatures that have been torn apart or otherwise mangled beyond conventional surgical repair, nor those dead of poison, disease, or old age. This power adds 2 System Strain points to the target if successful.

Blind
You hurl dirt, dust, and debris at your foe, affecting its perception. Time: Free action. Target: One creature within 60’ of you and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the Attack Bonus for the attack roll to follow.
• DC 7: No attack bonus.
• DC 10: +2 attack bonus
• DC 13: +4 attack bonus
Once the attack roll is determined, make an attack roll with the modifier found above and compare the result to the AC of each target in the affected area. If the attack hits, the target loses its Dexterity bonus to AC, and all other creatures are considered to have concealment from your target until the start of your next turn. Creatures that do not rely on eyesight to perceive (such as Miraluka) are immune to this effect.

Bootstrap Flight
The psion uses telekinesis to lift himself and up to 880 pounds of gear or teammates for one round. Time: Standard action. Target: Self and anything else within 30’ of the psion that he wishes to have the power affect.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 13. The psion must maintain concentration while flying, but can move at the rate of 120’ per round.
Special: This power can be concentrated on to remain in effect round after round; doing so requires the use of a standard action.

Cloak
You can blend light around your body, rendering yourself invisible to anyone looking in your direction. Time: Standard Action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any.
• DC 7: You are considered to have total concealment against all targets until the beginning of your next turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, and you gain a +2 bonus to Stealth checks until the beginning of your next turn.
• DC 13: As DC 7, and you gain a +3 bonus to Stealth checks until the beginning of your next turn.
• DC 15: As DC 7, and you gain a +5 bonus to Stealth checks until the beginning of your next turn.
Special: You can maintain the cloak power from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the cloak power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining this power, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to maintain the power.

Combustion
You can use psionic power to agitate particles in the air to create a pyrokinetic spray of sparks. Time: Standard action. Targets: All targets in a 10’x10’ square area (the entire area must be within 60’ of you and within your line of sight)
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 7. Each target in the affected area must make a Physical Effect save. Those that fail the save take 4d6 points of fire damage and the also catch on fire. If the target passes the save, the target takes half damage and does not catch on fire. This is an area attack.

Convection
You alter your body chemistry, causing your body to burn with incredible heat. Time: Free action. Target: You. Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 7: Until the start of your next turn, all of your unarmed melee attacks deal +1d6 points of fire damage. Any target that takes fire damage also catches on fire.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except your melee attacks deal +2d6 points of fire damage.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except your melee attacks deal +3d6 points of fire damage.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except your melee attacks deal +4d6 points of fire damage.
Special: You any creature that strikes you with an unarmed attack or makes a grab or grapple attack against you takes the fire damage, for as long as the power is in effect.
You can maintain convection from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the convection power is a Free action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining convection, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Corruption
You use the psionics to send a bolt of purely vile and dangerous thoughts into an enemy. Time: Standard Action. Targets: One target within 60’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any. No matter the result of the check, the target is allowed a Physical Effect save to only take half damage from the attack. (The target adds a size modifier to its Fortitude Defense: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +1, Medium and smaller +0.)
• DC 7: The target takes 2d6 points of psionic damage, and half that amount again at the start of its turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the target takes 3d6 points of damage.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the target takes 4d6 points of damage.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the target takes 5d6 points of damage.

Crush
You can use your psionic power to crush or choke your enemy. Time: Standard action. Target: One target within 30 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any:
• DC 7: the target takes 1d6 points of damage. Target must make a Physical Effect Save. If the target fails the save, he can only take free actions or move 5 feet at most on his next turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the target takes 2d6 points of damage.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the target takes 3d6 points of damage.
Special: You can maintain your concentration on the targeted creature to continue damaging it from round to round. Maintaining Crush is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round.

Cryokinesis
You can psionically draw heat away from an object, causing its temperature to drop rapidly. Time: Standard action. Target: One unattended object within 60’ of you and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 10: The object becomes cold to the touch and more fragile. Reduce the object’s Armor by 1 until the end of your next turn.
• DC 11: As DC 10, except the Armor is reduced by 2.
• DC 12: As DC 10, except the Armor is reduced by 3.
• DC 13: As DC 10, except the Armor is reduced by 4.
Special: You can maintain cryokinesis from round to round, extending the normal duration of the Armor reduction. Maintaining the cryokinesis power is a Free action and you do not make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining cryokinesis, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Cursed Luck
The psion can knot a target’s future with a random spray of negative outcomes, trending their future towards injury and death. Time: Standard action. Target: One target within 60’ and line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. If this power is successfully triggered, the target rolls twice for any attack rolls or skill checks and takes the worst of the two rolls. Enemies who attack the target gain +2 to hit rolls. The target can subconsciously shake this effect for one round by making a successful Mental Effect save.
Special: This power can be concentrated on to keep in effect round after round. Doing so is required use of a Standard action, and the target will have to make a new Mental Effect save each round the power is in effect to avoid the effects of this power.

Destiny’s Shield
The psion senses incoming attacks and instinctively moves to avoid them. Time: Reaction. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. This power can be triggered after a successful enemy hit, and forces a reroll of the attack. Using this power clouds the psion’s responses with alternate possibilities; if the second roll is also a hit, the damage done is the maximum possible.

Detonate
You can perceive points of weakness in an object and telekinetically press those points, shattering the object. Time: Standard action. Target: One unattended object within 60’ of you and within your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the effect, if any.
• DC 10: The object takes 4d6 points of damage.
• DC 13: The object takes 6d6 points of damage.
• DC 15: The object takes 8d6 points of damage.
• DC 17: The object takes 10d6 points of damage.
Special: This power can be used to affect vehicles like tanks and APC’s that are normally unaffected by the attacks of ground troops without heave weapons.

Disarm
You disarm an opponent by using telekinesis to pull the weapon from his grasp. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature within 30 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: Use this check in place of your attack roll when attempting to disarm the target (see Disarming in the Combat chapter). If your disarm attack succeeds, you may choose to let the weapon fall to the ground in the target’s fighting space or have the item fly into your hand (in which case, you need to have a free hand to catch it).

Drain Energy
You can draw the energy out of a powered object, such as a blaster’s power pack or power generator. Time: Standard action. Target: One powered weapon or object within 30’ of you and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 10: You drain the energy from the energy cell or cells powering a Small or smaller weapon or object. You completely drain the object of its energy, and it cannot be used until its energy cells are replaced.
• DC 13: As DC 10, except you drain all the energy from a Medium sized or smaller weapon or object.
• DC 15: As DC 10, except you drain all the energy from a Large sized or smaller weapon or object.
• DC 17: As DC 10, except you drain all the energy from a Huge sized or smaller weapon or object. If the object is being powered by a generator, all the energy is drained from that instead.

Empathy
The user may determine the current emotions and any especially strong, emotionally-charged surface thoughts in the subject. Time: Standard action. Target: One living creature within 60’ and line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 7. This insight lasts only a few seconds. The target may make a 2d6 + Wisdom modifier roll; if that roll is higher than the psion’s Psicraft roll, the psion gains only an impression of their current emotions.

Entropic Resonance
A living organism suffers a sudden breakdown of cellular integrity. Time: Standard action. Target: One living creature the psion can touch.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 13. If successful, and a successful touch attack is made (attack roll made with armor ignored from the target’s AC), the target suffers 6d8 points of damage. The target is allowed a Mental Effect save with a -2 penalty to halve the damage. This power can only be used on a target once every 24 hours.

Eye of the Storm
Psychic powers ebb and flow at the psion’s whim. Time: Full-round action. Target: All living creatures within 40 meters.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 13. While this power is in effect, the psion becomes aware of the location and nature of any psionic power usage within forty meters. Psionic activations can be squelched at will unless the victim makes a successful Mental Effect saving throw. The powers of the psion and his allies can be activated with a +2 bonus to their Psicraft checks.
Special: You can maintain concentration to keep this power in effect for multiple rounds. Keeping concentration costs a Standard Action.

Farseeing
You gain a vague, momentary impression of event happening around a particular being in some distant place. Time: Full-round action. Target: One creature you know or have met before.
Make a Psicraft check: At the same time, the target 2d6 and add his Wisdom modifier to the roll. If your check result is less that your target’s roll, you gain no information (including if the target is alive or dead) and cannot use this power against the same target again for 24 hours. If your check result equals or exceeds your target’s roll, you can sense if the target is alive or dead and gain a vague sense of his immediate surroundings, what it’s currently doing, and any strong emotions it is presently feeling. Using this power on a dead target has a DC of 13 for the purposes of this power.

Fear
You send dark and terrifying thoughts into the mind of your enemy to instill debilitating fear. Time: Free action. Target: One creature within 60’ and within the line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the effect, if any. No matter the result, the target can avoid the effects of this power with a successful Mental Effect save.
• DC 7: The target can only take one standard action on its next turn.
• DC 10: The target can only take one move action on its next turn.
• DC 13: The target can only take free actions on its next turn.
• DC 15: The target can take no actions on its next turn.

Forced Outcome
The precognitive not only perceives the immediate future, she also becomes capable of manipulating it. Time: Standard action. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 10. The psion becomes capable of determining the outcome of any one simple random event in her presence. Dice will roll the total she decides, coins will flip as wished, and Russian roulette ceases to be surprising. The more external factors that influence the random event, the more difficult it is to influence; anything that isn’t the outcome of a single mechanical event is generally too complex to control. This power is one among a myriad of reasons why psions are not allowed in most casinos and gambling dens throughout the known galaxy.

Fortelling
The psion’s powers of detection begin to extend beyond the immediate future. Time: Full-round action. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 13. Within ten minutes of focused meditation, the psion can activate this power for an impression of the next important event that is likely to involve them personally within the next week. Brief images and visions of place are usually obtained, usually involving those people and locations most important to the event. If no important event is likely to happen within the next week, the power returns nothing. This ability can be used only once per week or until the foreseen event comes to pass, whichever comes first.

Inertia
You can use your psionic ability to shift your body’s inertia, allowing you to perform impossible stunts. Time: Move action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 7: You move up to half your speed along a wall as though it were the ground, ignoring the normal effects of gravity for the duration of this movement. If you are not on the ground when you end this movement, you fall to the ground.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except you can move at your normal speed along the wall.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except you can move at your speed +10’ along the wall.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except you can move at your speed +20’ along the wall.
Special: You can maintain Inertia from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the Inertia power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining a Inertia, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Invincible Stand
Activation of this power on a target allows the subject to continue acting even when their hit points have been lowered below zero. Time: Free action. Target: One target that is below 0 hit points and within 60’.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 10. The effect lasts only to the end of the psychic’s next turn, and the subject will die regardless if brought to -30 hit points. If the target is at negative hit points when the power ends they must make a Physical Effect saving throw or die on the spot. If successful, they live with 1 hit point. Each round of this effect adds 1 System Strain point to the target.

Ionize
You call upon your psionic power to overload electronic systems and robots, damaging or even destroying the unit. Time: Standard action. Target: One target within 30’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The results of the Psicraft check determine the result if any. No matter the Psicraft check result, the target is allows an Evasion saving throw to avoid the effects.
• DC 10: The target takes 4d6 points of ion damage.
• DC 13: The target takes 5d6 points of ion damage.
• DC 15: The target takes 6d6 points of ion damage.

Kinetic Shield
The psion can deflect physical projectiles and weapons that would otherwise strike him. Time: Reaction. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 10 and the result of the check determines the effect, if any.
• DC 10: If the check is successful, the attacker must reroll attack and damage rolls and take the lesser result of each. This only works against physical attacks, not against energy-based or psionic attacks. The shield only works against the one attack
• DC 13: The kinetic shield can absorb up 40 points of damage from physical impacts, lasers, plasma, or other thermal effects. This shield lasts five minutes per activation (or until the 40 point threshold has been reached), but the buffer itself does not regenerate until an hour has passed after its last use.

Lightning
You blast your enemy with deadly arcs of bio-electric energy. Time: Standard action. Target: One target within 30 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. The target is allowed an Evasion save for half damage. If the save fails, the target takes 3d6 points of electricity damage. If the target’s save is successful, the target only takes half damage from the attack.

Lightning Burst
You call upon your powers to cause lighting to arc out from your body, striking adjacent enemies. Time: Standard action. Targets: All enemies adjacent to you.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC of this power is 10. The target is allowed an Evasion saving throw. If the target’s save fails, the target takes 3d6 points of damage. If the target’s save is successful, the target takes half damage.
Special: You can maintain the lightning burst power as a standard action, provided you haven’t moved since activating the power. When you maintain the power, make a new Psicraft check and target in range is allowed an Evasion saving throw (as described above).

Maelstrom
You use your power to create a swirling whirlwind of psionic energy around yourself. Time: Standard Action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check. You create a vortex of debris and dark energy around yourself that deal 2d6 points of damage to all adjacent targets at the end of your turn. The result of the Psicraft check determines the duration of the effect, if any.
• DC 10: 2 rounds
• DC 12: 4 rounds
• DC 14: 6 rounds
• DC 16: 8 rounds

Malacia
You create dizziness and nausea by disrupting your enemy’s equilibrium. Time: Standard action. Target: One living creature within 30’ of you.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC of this power is 10. The target is allowed a Physical Effect save. If the target’s save fails, he suffers a -5 penalty to attack rolls, cannot use his Strength modifier for damage or attack rolls, loses his Dexterity bonus to AC and ranged attack rolls, can only move 10’ in a round, and suffers a -5 penalty to all balance/movement-based skill checks until the start or your turn in the next round.
Special: You can maintain the malacia power from round to round, extending the duration of the penalties being suffered. Maintaining the malacia power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining malacia, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue concentrating.

Memetic Probe
The psychic can dig relevant facts about one topic out of the target’s memories. Time: Full-round action. Target: One sentient creature in the psion’s line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the result, if any. The subject gets a Mental Effect saving throw to resist the power.
• DC 7: The psion gets any information on one topic that the target can remember. The psion only gets about 30 minutes worth of memories for every 5 minutes of probing.
• DC 13: The psion can access memories about a topic that the target may not even remember. The psion gets 1 hour’s worth of information on the topic for every 5 minutes of probing.
Special: This power can be maintained via concentration at a cost of another full-round action.

Memory Walk
You torment an enemy by making him relive his most horrible memories. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature within 30’ of you and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the effect, if any.
• DC 10: The target is allowed a Mental Effect save. If the saving throw fails, the target takes 2d6 points of damage and loses any Free actions on its next turn.
• DC 13: As DC 10, except the target loses its move action on its next turn.
• DC 15: As DC 10, except the target loses its standard action on its next turn.
• DC 17: As DC 10, except the target loses its standard and Free actions on its next turn.
Special: You can maintain Memory walk from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the Memory walk power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining a Memory walk, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Metalinguistics
The psychic can understand the meaning of a sentient subject’s language, regardless of whether or not she speaks the language or even has the correct physiognomy to comprehend it. Time: Standard action (see below). Target: Self and a sentient creature.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 7. If the check is successful, the psion and the target he/she is conversing with can understand each other. This only works for spoken language, so languages that involve pheromones or gestures are not translated. There is no saving throw against this power.
Special: if the psion has telepathy and metalinguistics, this power is automatically applied to the use of Telepathy.

Metamorph
The psion changes their physical appearance to that of any creature of the same species. Time: Standard action. Target: Self
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 10. A specific other creature can only be mimicked if it is within line of sight. Unlike most psionic powers, this functions even if the “original” is unwilling. This alteration does not change the psychic’s statistics, and lasts for up to one hour. Activating this power increases the psion’s System Strain by 1 point.

Mind Shard
You can focus your will to splinter the mind of an opponent, wracking it with pain. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature within 60’ of you and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the effect, if any. No matter the DC rolled, the target is allowed a Mental Effect save to avoid the effects.
• DC 7: If the target’s save fails, the target takes 2d8 points of damage and suffers a -2 penalty to attack and damage rolls until the start of the psion’s next turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 3d8.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 4d8.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 5d8.

Mind Trick
You use your psionic power to alter a target’s perceptions or plant a suggestion in its mind. Time: Standard action. Target: One sentient creature within 60’ and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft Check: Your target rolls 2d6 and add his Wisdom modifier to the roll. If you equal or exceed the target’s roll, you can choose one of the following effects:
• You create a fleeting illusion that distracts the target and allows you to use the Stealth skill even if the target is aware of you.
• You perform a feint so that the next attack you make against the target ignores its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
• You make an otherwise impalpable suggestion seem completely reasonable to the target. You must be able to communicate with the target, and the suggestion can’t obviously threaten the target’s life. The target won’t realize later that what he did is unacceptable.
• You fill the target with terror, causing it to flee from you at top speed for 1 minute. The affected creature stops fleeing if wounded. The effect is negated if the target’s level is equal to or higher than your character’s. This is a fear effect.

Move Object
You telekinetically move an object up to 30 feet in any direction using the powers of your mind. Time: Standard Action. Target: One character or object within 30 feet and in your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the maximum size of the object you can lift (if any). If the target is a creature that resists your attempt, your Psicraft check must also exceed the target’s 2d6 + Wisdom modifier roll. You can hurl the object at (or drop it on) another target in range by rolling a successful attack roll (Wisdom or Charisma modifier is used on the roll, whichever is higher) against the target. Both targets take damage based on your Psicraft check result:
• DC 7: Move object up to Medium size (deals 2d6 points of damage).
• DC 10: Move object up to Large size (deals 3d6 points of damage).
• DC 13: Move object up to Huge size (deals 5d6 points of damage).
• DC 15: Move object up to Gargantuan size (deals 7d6 points of damage).
• DC 17: Move object up to Colossal size (deals 9d6 points of damage).
Special: You may maintain concentration on the targeted object to continue to move it from round to round. Maintaining the move object power is a standard action.
If you use move object on a hovering or flying target (such as a speeder or starship), the target can opposed your Psicraft check with a 2d6 + Strength modifier roll as a reaction. If the target wins the opposed check, you cannot move the object.

Negate Energy
You spontaneously negate one attack that deals energy weapon damage, such as a blaster or a beam sword. Time: Reaction. Target: One attack against you that deal energy weapon damage.
Make a Psicraft check: If the result of your check equals or exceeds the damage dealt by the attack, the attack is negated and you take no damage. If your check is less than the damage dealt, you take damage as normal.
Special: You must be aware of the attack (and not surprised) to negate it.

Nine Lives
This power automatically triggers when the psion dies. The psion appears to be dead to all non-psychic investigations, and indeed may be torn to pieces, mostly incinerated, or otherwise mangled. Provided that the entire body is not burnt or dissolved, the psion will gradually regenerate from the largest remaining body fragment over the course of one hour, reviving with full hit points. The psion is aware of his surroundings while “dead”, and can forestall regeneration until attention has left his “corpse”. This power automatically maximizes the psychic’s System Strain and can be used only once per week. This power is triggered automatically with no need for a Psicraft check.

Note in My Time
The psion’s subconscious will to live stymies those futures in which they die. Time: Reaction. Target: Self
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 13. This power triggers automatically when the psychic is about to die, provided they able to activate it (not already unconscious, in stasis, or under the affects of the Sever power or otherwise has psionic power inhibited). On triggering, events conspire to leave the psion alive and relatively safe, no matter how improbable the outcome: the nuclear bomb fails to detonate, the bandits leave her for dead, the starship plunging into a black hole manages to launch a lifeboat in time, et cetera. While the psion will not face immediate death again after using this power, such safety might last no more than minutes. There is also no guarantee that this power will leave the psion healthy. This power can activate no more than once per week.

Omen
The psion may force a brief subconscious examination of future possibilities. Time: Standard action. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 7. The psion must have a relatively straightforward choice before her- perhaps to open a box, swallow a pill, or go into a spaceport bar. The psion will receive a distinct sense of whether following that course of action will result in physical injury or mental distress within the next ten minutes, according to the GM’s best judgment of likely outcomes. This power can be used only once per hour.

Overpowering Will
The psion can redouble his efforts to affect the minds of others. Time: Reaction. Target: One target that made a successful Mental Effect save against one of the psion’s powers.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 13. If the check is successful, the target that just made a Mental Effect save to avoid one of your mind-affecting powers (such as Telepathy, Mind Trick, Memetic Probe, etc.) must reroll the saving throw again with a -2 penalty and take the worse result.

Phase
You can pass through solid objects, such as walls and doors. Time: Move action. Target: You
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 13: You gain a phasing speed of 10 feet; your phasing speed can never exceed your own base speed. When moving using your phasing speed, you can move through the space of your enemies, as well as through walls, vehicles, large objects and other obstructions but end your movement in a legal, unoccupied space. You retain this phasing speed until the beginning of your next turn. You may move up to your phasing speed as part of the activation of this power.
• DC 15: As DC 13, except your phasing speed is 20 feet.
• DC 17: As DC 13, except your phasing speed is 30 feet.
• DC 19: As DC 13, except your phasing speed is 40 feet.
Special: You can maintain the phase power from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the phase power is a Move action, and whenever you maintain this power you can move up to your phasing speed. If you take damage while maintaining this power, you must make a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to maintain the power.

Psychic Assault
The telepath launches a violent mental assault on a sentient life form, causing great pain and agony. Time: Standard action. Target: One sentient creature within 60’ and line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: the result of the check determines the effect, if any. No matter the check result, the target is allowed a Mental Effect save to avoid the effects. Plus, this assault can be used on a given target only once per twenty-four hours.
• DC 10: Target cannot act for 1d4 rounds and suffers 5d4 points of damage.
• DC 13: As DC 10, but the target suffers 6d4 points of damage.
• DC 15: As DC 10, but the target suffers 7d4 points of damage.

Psychic Avalanche
The psychic’s powers surge with sudden force. Time: Reaction. Target: One living creature affected that has just passed a saving throw against the psion’s power.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 13. If the Psicraft check is successful, the psion forces the target to reroll his saving throw against the psion’s power. The result of the reroll must be accepted even if it is better. The neural strain inflicts 2d6 damage on the psion each time a reroll is forced.

Psychic Backlash
You use your power to cause another psion to suffer a painful backlash of psionic energy when they use their powers. Time: Standard action. Target: One psion within unaided line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The targeted psion also makes a Psicraft check. If you win the contest, the next time the psion attempts to use a psionic power, he takes 1d6 points of damage as psionic energy blasts back at him. This effect lasts until the psion makes a Mental effect save, which is made whenever he uses a psionic power.

Psychic Harmonization
On triggering this ability, the psychic becomes resistant to hostile psionic forces. Time: Standard action. Target: Self
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 7. The psion gains a +2 bonus to all saving throws versus psionic effects (this bonus applies to psionic contest rolls as well) for the duration of this power. While this ability is active, the psion can also determine whether or not a person he/she touches has any psionic abilities, though not specific powers.

Psychic Succor
The psionic banishes stress, fatigue, and wounds with a touch. Time: Standard action. Target: One target the psion can touch.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 7. A successful use of this power heals 1d8 hit points in the target, plus the target’s Constitution modifier. A minimum of 1 hit point is always healed, and the psion cannot give a subject more hit points than their normal maximum. Use of this power adds 1 System Strain point to the target.

Psychic Vitality
The psion emits a wave of psionic energy that invigorates and heals nearby allies. Time: Standard action. Target: All allies within 60’.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 13. If the usage check is successful, all allies within 60’ are healed for 2d8 + twice their Constitution modifier, up to their maximum hit point value. Use of this power adds 2 System Strain points to every subject affected.

Purge Toxin
The psychic can force the elimination of a disease or poison from a target. Time: Full-round action. Target: One afflicted target the psion can touch.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC for this power is 7. If successfully used, this power allows the target to make an additional Physical Effect saving throw against the illness or poison at a +2 bonus, plus the target’s Constitution modifier. If the target died due to a poison or disease within the last three rounds, a successful save restores them to life at 1 hit point. This power does not function against genetic illnesses or conditions present from birth. Use of this power adds 1 System Strain point to the target.

Radiate Malice
You channel your malice, rage, and dark thoughts, letting your hate radiate out from your body in palpable waves. Time: Standard action. Targets: See text.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 7: Until the end of your next turn, any creature that starts its turn within 30’ of you takes 1d6 points of psionic damage and takes a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 2d6.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 3d6.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the damage increases to 4d6.
Special: You can maintain Radiate Malice from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the Radiate Malice power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining this power, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Rage
You harness your rage to fuel your prowess in battle. Time: Free Action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check: the result of the check determines the effect, if any:
• DC 7: You gain a +2 rage bonus on melee attack rolls and melee attack damage until the end of your turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the rage bonuses increase to +4.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the rage bonuses increase to +6.
Special: While you are consumed with rage, you cannot use skills or perform tasks that require concentration.

Rebuke
You harmlessly absorb or deflect one psionic power used against you, perhaps even turning it against its creator. Time: Reaction. Target: One psionic power directed at you.
Make a Psicraft check: If you check result equals or exceeds the Psicraft check result of the power directed at you, you harmlessly redirect it away from you and suffer no ill effects. If your Psicraft check exceeds the opposing check by 3 or more, you may choose to turn the psionic power against its creator, who suffers the effect.
Special: If you turn a psionic power back onto its creator, he may be able to rebuke it as well. If he reflects if back again, both you and the creator suffer the effects of the power.

Remote Manipulation
The psion can use telekinetic force to wield weapons remotely as if he were physically using them. Time: Standard action. Target: One object that either is a weapon (melee or ranged) or can used as such (chair, rock, fire poker, etc.).
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any:
• DC 7: The force applied is only Strength 10, and can only be applied to one-handed melee weapons or objects that can be used as a one-handed melee weapon. Any attack made with the object has a -2 penalty applied to the roll (use the Psion’s attack bonus).
• DC 10: As DC 7, but two-handed weapons can be used. Any attack made with the object does not have an attack penalty.
• DC 13: As DC 7, but the psion has enough control to use ranged weapons as long as the weapon is loaded and simple to use (no more advanced than pulling a trigger), primitive ranged weapons like bow and crossbows require too much fine manipulation to use with this power.
Special: A psion using this power to wield a firearm or blaster can concentrate on the power to continue to make attacks with the weapon. This requires the use of a Standard Action.

Rend
You can move a single target, whether it is a creature or an object, in two different directions simultaneously. Time: Standard action. Target: One target in your line of sight within 30’ of you.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC of this power is 13. The target is allowed an Evasion save to avoid damage. If the target’s saving throw fails, the target takes 3d6 damage. If your Psicraft check is a natural 12, you score the equivalent of a critical hit, and the target takes double damage. If you deal enough damage to reduce the target to 0 hit points, you rip the target into two separate parts (living targets are instantly killed).

Repulse
You use create a burst of telekinetic energy to clear an area around yourself. Time: Standard Action. Targets: All adjacent targets.
Make a Psicraft check. The targets roll 2d6 and add in their Strength modifiers and their base attack bonuses. If you beat a target’s Strength check, you push it back 1 square plus 1 additional square for every 2 points by which you exceeded the target’s check result. If you push the target into a larger object, the target takes 1d6 points of damage.
The target adds a size modifier to its Strength check: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +1, Medium +0, Small -1, Tiny -2, Diminutive -4, Fine -8. In addition, it gets a +2 stability bonus if it has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable.

Scream
You create an intense sonic scream, amplified by psionic power. Time: Standard Action. Target: All creatures that are within 60’ and can hear you.
Make a Psicraft check. The target sustains damage as determined by the results of your Psicraft check. The target gets a Physical Effect save to avoid the effects of the scream attack
• DC 7: The target takes 1d6 points of damage.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the target takes 2d6 points of damage.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the target takes 3d6 points of damage.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the target takes 4d6 points of damage.
The target adds a size modifier to its Physical Effect save: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4 Huge, +2, Large +1, Medium or smaller +0.

Sever
You can block another psion’s access to his psionic power, making it difficult for him to use any psionic powers in his suite. Time: Standard action. Target: One psion within 60 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: Your target also makes a Psicraft check. If your Psicraft check equals or exceeds the target’s Psicraft check, the effect (if any) is determined by your check result:
• DC 13: The target suffers a -3 penalty to its Psicraft checks for 1d6 hours.
• DC 15: As DC 13, and the target immediately become stunned (see the Combat chapter) after using a psionic power.
• DC 17: As DC 13, and the target must roll for Burn Out after using a psionic power, even if the power used had not already been spent from the psion’s suite.

Shatterpoint
You can see the critical point in a vehicle or starship, whether it is a person or an object, which would shatter if struck at the right time. Time: Swift action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 13: If you next attack made before the end of the encounter hits, treat the vehicle’s Armor against the attack as though it is 2 points lower than normal.
• DC 15: As DC 13, except treat the vehicle’s Armor as though it is 4 points lower than normal.
• DC 17: As DC 13, except treat the vehicle’s Armor as though it is 6 points lower than normal.
• DC 19: As DC 13, except treat the vehicle’s Armor as though it is 8 points lower than normal.

Shift
The psion can fold space to instantly transport between locations. Time: Full-round action. Target: Self and see below.
Make a Psicraft check: the result of the check determines the effect, if any.
• DC 7: The Psion can teleport up to 10 meters and carry up to 5 kilos of clothing, equipment, or other living organisms with them.
• DC 8: As DC 7, but range increases to 40 meters and his maximum additional mass limit rises to 20 kilos.
• DC 9: As DC 7, but range is now 80 meters, with up to 40 additional kilos of gear or living compatriots.
• DC 10: As DC 7, but range is now 1 kilometer, and maximum cargo mass increases sharply to 200 kilograms.
• DC 11: As DC 7, but range is now 10 kilometers and their maximum cargo mass is 400 kilos of gear.
• DC 12: As DC 7, but range increases to 100 kilometers, and the maximum cargo mass increases to 800 kilos.
• DC 13: As DC 7, but range increases to 1,000 kilometers and the maximum cargo mass is now 2,000 kilos.
• DC 15: The psion now instinctively interfaces with the metagravitic field of planetary bodies, and can teleport to any valid location on a given world regardless of range. The psion can also jump from high orbit to the planet’s surface and vice-versa. The maximum mass a psion at this DC can shift is 4,000 kilos.
Teleporting an unwilling sentient is difficult, as the psychic must sync with their mental signature at precisely the right moment for the teleport. For unwilling subjects, a successful Unarmed attack roll is necessary to touch the target and the Shift power must be expended and the Psicraft check made—and the character must teleport—whether or not the attack is successful. Sentient targets must also fail a Mental Effect saving throw to be teleported against their will.
The psychic must have personally visited the target location at least once before jumping to it, or else be able to see it with unaided vision. The psychic cannot teleport to arbitrary locations. For example, he could not teleport to “The cargo bed of my grav sled.” without knowing where the grav sled was parked and having visited that location before. Teleporting equalizes velocity with the target surroundings; a free falling teleporter can jump harmlessly to the ground if it’s within range and the psychic has enough time to activate the power.
Only advanced shield technologies can prevent a teleporter from arriving at a location. The teleporter will instinctively abort jumps that would leave him embedded in solid objects or lethal surroundings, should the terrain at a target point have changed so since his last visit. The power is expended normally even for failed jumps. A character who teleports can perform only free actions for the rest of the round.

Slam
You pound one or more creatures with concussive force. Time: Standard action. Target: All targets within a 30 foot cone and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: Make one roll and compare the result to each target’s roll of 2d6 + Constitution modifier. If the result equals or exceeds a target’s roll, it takes 2d6 points of Concussive damage and is knocked prone. If the result does not equal or exceed the target’s roll, it takes half damage and is not knocked prone.

Slow
You can use your psionic ability to slow your targets as if they are encumbered by a heavy load, making it difficult for them to move. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature or robot within 60’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. Targets are allowed a Physical Effect save to avoid the effect. Otherwise, the result of your Psicraft check determines the effect.
• DC 7: Target’s speed is reduced by 5’ until the beginning of your next turn. The target also receives a -2 penalty to any Athletics and Stealth checks attempted while slowed.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except speed is reduced by 10’.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except speed is reduced by 15’.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except speed is reduced by 20’.
The target adds a size modifier to its Physical Effect saving throw: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +1, Medium or smaller +0.

Stagger
You telekinetically lash out at a nearby enemy, causing it to stumble. Time: Swift action. Target: One enemy adjacent to you.
Make a Psicraft check. The Dc for this power is 7. The target is allowed a Physical Effect save to avoid the effect. If the target fails his saving throw, the target takes 2d6 points of damage and is pushed 5’ away from you. If this pushes the target into another object, the target takes an additional 1d6 points of damage (as does any creature or robot he is flung into).

Storm
You focus anger, hatred, and maliciousness to physically materialize into a storm of wind and acid rain. Time: Standard Action. Target: One designated area within 60’ of you and within your line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the Psicraft check determines the result, if any.
• DC 10: You create a Force storm that covers a 15’ by 15’ area. At least 5’ within that area must be within the given range of this power. The area within the storm are filled with driving acid rain that provides concealment and deals 2d6 points of acid damage to any creature that enters the storm or begins its turn within the area. The storm also imposes a -2 penalty on Perception checks to listen, as the storm howls loudly. The storm lasts until the end of you next turn. This is an area effect.
• DC 13: As DC 10, except the Force storm covers a 20’ by 20’ square area.
• DC 15: As DC 10, except the Force storm covers a 25’ by 25’ square area.
• DC 17: As DC 10, except the Force storm covers a 30’ by 30’ square area.
Special: You can maintain the storm from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the storm power is a standard action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining a Storm, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power.

Strange Attractors
The psion shifts to physically inhabit multiple lines of possibility. Time: Full-round action. Target: Self.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power ia 13. On triggering this power, the precog effectively splits into two people, both of whom can then perform a full round of actions, albeit neither can activate other psychic powers. The two possibilities can move and act separately, and both have identical sets of equipment. The aspects take damage separately, but share the same suite of psionic powers for any relevant purposes. At the end of the round, the psychic chooses one of the two possibilities; the other vanishes along with their equipment, though the consequences of their actions remain.

Stun
You can use your psionic power to overload an enemy’s senses, potentially stunning it. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature within 30 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: compare the result to your target’s 2d6 + Wisdom modifier roll. If the check equals or exceeds the target’s roll, he is stunned for one round (see the Combat chapter for information about the Stun effect). A failed check results in no effect. For every 3 points that a Psicraft check exceeds the target’s roll, the target is stunned for another round.

Surface Telepathy
The psychic gains a steady perception of the surface thoughts of one target. Time: Standard action. Target: One sentient creature within the psion’s line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. The subject is allowed a Mental Effect save. If that save fails, the psion is privy to whatever is on the subject’s mind for the next 10 minutes.
Special: This power can be maintained for further rounds via concentration. Concentrating on this power requires a Standard action.

Surge
The psion channels his power into his own body, allowing him to jump great heights and distances as well as move quickly. Time: Free Action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the effect, if any:
• DC 7: You gain a +5 Psionic bonus on any Athletic checks made to Jump and your speed increases by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. The Psionic bonus to the Athletic (jump) check includes the adjustment for increased speed.
• DC 10: As DC 7 except the Psionic bonus increases to +7 and speed increases by 20 feet.
• DC 13: As DC 7 except the Psionic bonus increases to +10 and speed by 30 feet.

Technometry
You can tap into and read technological devices and, in some cases, control them. Time: Standard action. Target: One robot or electronic device touched.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC for this power is 10, and the target is allowed a saving throw to avoid the effect. If the target fails the saving throw, you discover one piece of information contained in the target’s memory. For every 2 points that you exceed the power’s DC, you learn one additional piece of information.
Alternatively, if you target a robot and succeed at a Psicraft check, you may choose one of the following effects and apply it to the targeted robot.
• The robot’s senses are jammed, allowing you to make Stealth checks against the robot until the end of your next turn, even if it is aware of you.
• The robot is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against your next attack made before the end of your next turn.
• One its next two turns, the robot does nothing but flee from you at top speed.

Telekinetic Counterstrike
The psychic begins to turn enemy weapons against their wielders. Time: Reaction. Target: Self
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 10. This power can be used up to once per round after being attacked by a physical weapon, such as a bullet, blade, or fist. The target must make a Mental Effect saving throw; if successful, the attack is resolved as normal, but damage is rolled twice, and the lesser amount is taken by the psion. If the target fails their Mental Effect saving throw, the attack rebounds to hit them automatically for normal damage.

Telepathy
The psion is able to carry on a conversation with another sentient being via telepathic communication. Time: Standard action. Target: One of more beings within line of sight.
Unlike many powers, the psion doesn’t have to make a Psicraft check to use this ability unless one or more of the targets wishes to resist the communication. In those cases, the psion makes a Psicraft check and the targets rolls either a Psicraft check (if psions or capable of telepathy naturally) or a 2d6 + Wisdom modifier roll. If the target’s roll is higher, he has successfully blocked the communication.
Communication is typically in a language that both the psion and the target(s) understand. In the case that there isn’t a common language, the communication is in the form of images. It’s not as reliable, but the message is typically gotten across. A psion with the Metalinguistics power automatically has that power apply to his telepathic messages.
Special: This power is not one that is removed from the psion’s suite of powers upon use.

Terminal Reflection
This power gives the psion a single image of the probable damage. Time: Free action. Target: Self
Make a Psicraft check: The DC of this power is 7. If the check is successful, the next time within the next 10 rounds that they psion is subjected to damage that he wouldn’t otherwise have known he would be subjected to (surprise attack, springing a trap, etc.), he gets a precognitive flash of the damage and can halt the action that will cause the damage or step out of the way of the attack, negating the damage. If this power is not triggered after 10 rounds, it cannot be used again for 24 hours.

Thought Bomb
You use your psionic power to radiate harmful waves of telepathy, damaging the minds of nearby foes. Time: Standard action. Target: All living enemies within 10’ of you.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC of this power is 10, and targets are allowed a Mental Defense check against to avoid the effect. For each target that fails its saving throw, the target takes 2d6 points of damage and loses all free actions on their next turn. This is an area effect.

Thrust
You use your willpower to push a target away from you. Time: Standard action. Target: One object or character within 60 feet and in line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check: The target rolls 2d6 + Strength modifier. If you beat the target’s roll, you push it back 5 feet plus an additional 5 feet for every 3 points that you Psicraft check beats the target’s roll. If you push the target into a larger object, the target takes 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 5 feet that it would have been pushed beyond the object. If pushed into another creature, both the target and the creature it hits take 1d6 points of damage and both are pushed the rest of the distance with a reduction of -5 feet from the original distance.
The target adds the following size modifiers to their rolls: Colossal: +10, Gargantuan: +7, Huge: +3, Large: +1, Medium: +0, Small: -3, Tiny: -6, Diminutive: -10, Fine: -13. In addition, the target gains an additional +5 bonus to its roll if it has 4 legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable.

Track
You peer into the past for guidance, picking up the trail of your quarry. Time: Swift action. Target: You.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the result, if any.
• DC 7: You determine the path taken by a specific creature you designate, provided you are within line of sight of the creature’s trail. You can track the creature (with the Survival skill) without needing to make survival checks for up to 1 hour, provided that the creature you are tracking passed through the area in the last minute.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the creature you are tracking need only to have passed through in the last 10 minutes.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the creature you are tracking need only to have passed through in the last hour.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the creature you are tracking need only to have passed through in the last day.

Valor
You call upon your mental fortitude, reaching out to your ally and sharing your strength with him. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature or robot within 60’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The effect of this power is determined by your check result:
• DC 7: the target gains a +1 bonus to all Mental Effect saves until the beginning of your next turn.
• DC 10: As DC 7, except the bonus increases to +2.
• DC 13: As DC 7, except the bonus increases to +4.
• DC 15: As DC 7, except the bonus increases to +8.
Special: You can maintain valor from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the valor power is a free action. If you sustain damage while maintaining valor, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 +1 for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power. You may have multiple instances of valor active at once, but maintaining more than 1 instance requires a standard action each round and each one must be activated by a separate use of valor.

Vital Transfer
You use your own life force to heal another living creature, using your psionic power as a conduit. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature touched.
Make a Psicraft check: The result of the check determines the result, if any:
• DC 7: The target is healed of hit points equal to 2 x character level.
• DC 10: The target is healed of hit points equal to 3 x character level.
• DC 13: The target is healed of hit points equal to 4 x character level.
Each Time you use Vital Transfer, you suffer half as many hit points as you heal (round down). Using this power also adds 1 System Strain to both the psion and the target per use.

Whirlwind
You can focus your power to surround an enemy in a swirling vortex of psionic energy. The whirlwind lifts them about half a meter off the ground, spinning them in the air and buffeting them with psychic energy. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature or robot within 60’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The result of the check determines the effect, if any. No matter the Psicraft check result, the target is allowed a Physical Effect save to avoid the effects. If the save fails, the target is captured within the whirlwind and immobilized until the beginning of your next turn. Any attack rolls or skill checks the target attempts while within the whirlwind are at a -5 penalty. The target falls prone when the effect ends. The target also sustains damage at the end of your turn as determined by the results of your Psicraft check.
• DC 7: The target takes 1d6 points of damage.
• DC 10: The target takes 2d6 points of damage.
• DC 13: The target takes 3d6 points of damage.
• DC 15: The target takes 4d6 points of damage.
The target adds a size modifier to its Physical Effect saving throw: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +1, Medium or smaller +0.
Special: You can maintain the whirlwind from round to round, extending the normal duration. Maintaining the whirlwind is a move action, and you must make a new Psicraft check each round. If you take damage while maintaining a whirlwind, you must succeed on a Psicraft check (DC = 7 + 1 point for every 3 points of damage taken) to continue maintaining the power. If a target within a whirlwind is attacked or otherwise damaged by you or one of your allies, the effects of the whirlwind end immediately.

Wound
You cause spasms in the lungs of your target, painfully injuring them. Time: Standard action. Target: One creature within 30’ and within line of sight.
Make a Psicraft check. The DC for this power is 10 and the target is allowed a Physical Effect save to avoid the effect. If target’s saving throw fails, it takes 4d6 points of Force damage. The target adds a size modifier to its saving throw: Colossal +8, Gargantuan +4, Huge +2, Large +1, Medium or smaller +0.

Background Information on Robots in my Campaign

I'm fighting a sinus infection, so forgive me is some of this is more scattered than usual. I'll likely revist this subject for further fleshing out in the future.

Robots have been in use by humans and other species for quite some time now. They are used in a wide array of areas from manual labor to making drillspace calculations. While some may appear to be sentient, like protocol robots, very few have ever been determined to have attained true sentience.

Robots are considered property in the Concord, except in the most extreme of circumstances. They have no rights of property, no right to vote, and can be seized by the state as evidence in criminal proceedings. Their memory cores can be removed and accessed to derive information in criminal cases, without the consent of the robot, though many criminal owners of robots have programmed self-destruct sequences and/or memory dumps should authorities attempt to access memory cores without their approval.

In several societies, robots are not trusted at all, and are not openly allowed. The Quarians, who lost their homeworld to their creations, the Geth, do not make use of anything other than the most basic of robots in their work. Plus, the second any robot displays any aberrations in their programming, their memory cores are wiped. Many societies in the Concord require that robots have their memory cores wiped occasionally to guard against any possibility for a robot to develop any higher thought processes that could lead them to question orders. Typically, this isn’t an issue with many simpler robots with very narrowly defined functions, but in the case of protocol robots, security ‘bots, and other robots with much higher cognitive functions, memory wipes are seen as a necessary measure to protect the owners again rebellion.

All robots have a measure of Artificial Intelligence, but most are not true AI’s. Instances like the Geth, and the Android Uprising on Exemplar Risus, which lead to the Concord wiping out the city, Sempura, with an orbital barrage, have colored the perceptions of many in the galaxy against AI’s. While research into Artificial Intelligence isn’t prohibited, it is heavily restricted and kept under close supervision. A scientist or group found to be developing an AI in secret in Concord space faces heavy jail time and the threat of becoming blacklisted from all Concord research projects. These actions are typically taken by the local government, because if they don’t deal harshly with the scientists, the Concord will levy heavy economic and military sanctions on the offending government.

What happens when a program or robot does develop true sentience? It’s only happened a few times, but the Concord has developed laws to cover such instances. First, the computer system or robot must undergo a rigorous testing process to determine if the construct is truly self-aware. If the subject is determined to be self-aware, they are given the rights and protection that other sentient members of the Concord are allowed, which is still hotly contested from time to time in the Senate. Even though these AI’s are given full rights under Concord law, they are still governed by special laws restricting their “reproduction” to keep their numbers low. An AI must put in a request when it desires to create another like itself. A computer-based AI, must have its programming loaded into a single unconnected system or loaded into a robotic hull and then wiped from the original computer system. This is designed to keep computer-based AI’s from using the Grid to essentially take over any system it sees fit.

Androids, a term first coined to designate humanoid robots, now is the common name for robots that are developed to look like another species that are also self-aware. There are essentially two distinct varieties: biodroids and bioreplicas. Biodroids have a similar form and can perform many of the functions that their living counterparts can perform, but they are obviously robotic in nature. Protocol robots fall into this category. They walk and talk like humanoids, but one look is all that is needed to determine that the robot is a robot. Bioreplicas, or “synthetics,” are designed to be nearly indistinguishable from the species they are designed to look like. There are differences, but one needs to watch the bioreplica carefully to see them, or witness the synthetic perform actions that are beyond the scope of any natural being. Sythetics are often used in espionage and the…adult entertainment industry.

Excellent! (Update on the GW fiasco)

MCA Hogarth's book "Spot the Space Marine" is back up on Amazon. I have no idea how good or bad of a book this is based on the reviews, which deal more with the backlash of the book being taken down than the book itself, but I'm tempted to buy a copy to to show my support to the author. I also have no idea if Games Workshop backed off or if Amazon decided GW's claims of copyright were crap. I hope it was GW after they saw all of the bad press they were getting from across the gaming spectrum and beyond.

Games Workshop: PR Fiasco

Games Workshop has claimed ownership of the title of "Space Marine" and is going after anyone that uses the term. (Link) That goes for (so far) games and now books. I wonder if they will go after the Heinlein estate or the estate of EE Smith (both of whom used the term in books over 60 years ago)? How about James Cameron since he wrote the screenplay for Aliens? I get that the hulking, power-armored warriors of Warhammer 40K are their bread and butter, but this flies in the face of common sense and artistic decency. They are going after small time authors to build a caseload of precedent for when they go after someone big (the author in the article, MCA Hogarth, donates proceeds from her book to The Wounded Warrior Project for crying out loud). Here's hoping that some lawyer will hear about this and stand up for the little guys and get this shameless copyright bullying tossed out.

I've enjoyed quite a few Games Workshop games in the past. Warhammer Quest is one of my all-time favorite games. Now that they have shown to be totally classless, I won't be supporting them with my dollar. No more novels, no more rpgs, and ceratinly nno more of their minis games. The worst part about this is that it will hurt Fantasy Flight Games more than Games Workshop, who handles a lot of the GW product that I pick up anymore. I guess I'll have to look into supporting FFG in other ways instead.

I'm all for companies protecting their copyright, but in this case there's no danger of infringement. I hope gamers the world over will voice their disgust at Games Workshop and hit them where it hurts: right in their wallets.

Sorry to go off on a rant, but this just really hacked me off.

Background Information on Psionics

Throughout human history there have been people that have claimed to be able to see the future, read minds, and generally apply their minds to tasks beyond the ability of others. Most have been proven to be charlatans and frauds, but there is always that small percentage that no evidence of debunking can be found. These seemingly true seers, mentalists, and psychics were the early building blocks of psionic potential in human beings.

In the mid to late 20th century a mentalist called “The Amazing Kreskin” came into popularity on the entertainment channels of that time period. He wowed crowds with feats of mentalism ranging from predicting the outcomes of sporting events, to bending spoons with his mind. There had been many similar “stage acts” like The Amazing Kreskin before, but no one had performed the wide array of mental feats that Kreskin had. Kreskin was the first human to exhibit the broad scope of psionic potential we see today. Other mentalists were simple mutants with one or maybe two weak mental mutations, but Kreskin was something different altogether. However, after his death in the early 21st century, there was no one else that exhibited the same abilities again until later that century.

When the Fraal made their existence known to the whole of human civilization, they also brought their knowledge in psionics with them. The Fraal had long ago noticed the potential in humans for psionic ability, and knew that the power lied unlocked in many individuals. Once the treaty between the two species was signed, one of the first things they offered their new allies was training in psionics.

As scientists now know, psionic potential is possible in most humans, however only about 10% of the population possesses the right combination of mental fortitude, brain chemistry, and level of concentration to unlock their innate psionic abilities. Even then, only a few are able to achieve mastery over more than two or three distinct powers. Still, once a suitable candidate is discovered, Fraal techniques of mental conditioning have proven to be effective in unlocking and harnessing this ability with 98% effectiveness.

Those with the ability often do not know they have such talents until they reach puberty. Most of the time, the onset of psionic potential is harmless, though sometimes frightening to both the child and those around them. This can manifest in the projection of thoughts, inanimate objects seemingly throwing themselves across a room, and so forth. The Sol Alliance, and many other governments across the known galaxy, has infants tested for the possibility of psionic potential at birth. That way, the child is on record and officials from the Psi Corps can check in on the child’s progress occasionally. These tests accurately predict psionic potential with 90% accuracy. However, not all infants get tested. Some colonies and many ships do not have the ability to run the genetic scans, so there are a lot of infants, especially those born on frontier colonies and in unregistered colonies, and those born during space transit that never get tested. Plus, these tests only show the potential for psionic ability. There are many ways for that potential to stay locked as the child is exposed to different chemicals (via medical treatments, exposure to alien environments, etc.) that can dramatically affect the child’s ability to becoming a psion.

When humans first starting developing and being trained to use their psionic ability, it created another wave of anti-Fraal hysteria among certain subsets of human society. Some religious groups believed that psionic powers were manifestations of evil and that the Fraal were the harbingers of the downfall of man. Some scientists worried about the effects of psionic powers being used too heavily, a danger that was proven to be worthy of worry in psions “burning out” their minds by attempting to push their psychic boundaries too far. “Pro-human” groups, typically anti-Fraal, that eventually became anti-alien, terrorists, saw it as a proof that the Fraal had been experimenting on humans all along. There were acts of violence against Fraal living on Earth and among the colonies on Mars and Europa also. The ramming of the worldship, For’losikia, which killed over 300 fraal nearly ended the alliance between the two species before it was even a decade old. Swift and decisive action by the Terran Council (the ruling body of the various human colonies and Earth at the time) was the only thing that kept the alliance from unraveling.

Psions were also subject to abuse and violence as well. The Martian colony of Armstrong was gripped with fear when a young psion’s powers manifested violently, tearing a hole in the outer shell of a habitat, killing all 78 people inside, including the psion. This led to the director of the colony to have the residents undergo genetic scans for psionic potential. Anyone who registered as psionic was forcefully placed in cryogenic sleep to keep their powers from “going off” and causing the deaths of more citizens. The problem here was threefold. First, genetic scans for psionic ability at the time were crude at best, with only a 55% accuracy rate. Second, the cryogenic equipment at the Armstrong colony has unknowingly been damaged in transit. Several of the suspected psions placed in the pods never reached true cryogenic sleep and therefore simply froze to death. Third was the reaction from those that tested positive and those that supported the suspected psions. Several violent clashes between psions and their friends and family and the local authorities led to 32 additional deaths. It wasn’t until the Terran Council sent an envoy of human and fraal scientists and security forces to both quell the violence and to peacefully re-locate any actual psions, did the violence subside. To this day, the citizens of Armstrong are known for being very discriminatory to psionic individuals.

The riots at Armstrong did set into motion the foundation of the Kreskin Academy and the testing procedures mentioned earlier. It was determined by a joint Human and Fraal committee that human psions must be trained in the proper use of their abilities. Fraal children receive this training from a very young age, but their talents are innate among the whole of the species and manifest very early in life. The foundation of the Kreskin Academy was ratified by the Terran Council based on the recommendation from the joint committee. A space station was built for the sole purpose of training young psions after pushback from many colonies that didn’t want to house the school. The station was put into orbit around the Jovian moon, Ganymede.

Initially, children that exhibited psionic talent were required by law to attend the Academy. As the general attitude towards psions has improved over the years, other satellite schools have been put in place throughout the Sol Alliance and its colonies, and throughout many Concord member planets as well. The Academy is run by a director, always a psion, and has an education board as well generally made up of parents and a liaison from the Psi Corps. Visitation rights by parents are always granted and great care is taken to ensure the safety and well-being of the student body. The station also houses a company of Sol Alliance soldiers for security, both to protect the station and to deal with any rogue psions in the student body or staff. A Sol Alliance capital ship with a full fighter squadron patrols the area as well.

Throughout the history of the Academy, it has been the target of anti-psion and anti-alien terrorist groups. An attack in 2287 killed 18 students and staff. Plus, the dangers of exceptionally powerful or burned out students has led to casualties as well. Plus, the Academy is seen as a high value military target since the onset of the Psi Corps and the militarization of psions into both the Sol Alliance Navy and the Concord Navy (not to mention the militaries of many other stellar nations as well). Still, the Kreskin Academy is seen as a sterling example of inter-species cooperation and is continually rated as one of the best schools in the Concord.

Over the years, the Kreskin Academy has morphed into a school for the gifted, not just the psionically gifted. Early on, it was discovered that even though a child may show signs of psionic talent, not all end up developing the ability to manifest powers, but these children tend to be gifted in other areas like technology, sciences, and so forth. The Academy now trains these savants as well as those with psionic talent. These young people are seen as the best and brightest the Sol Alliance (and even the Concord in general, as many species send their young to be educated at the Kreskin Academy as well) has to offer.

Even though the general attitude in human space towards psions has improved over the years, psions are still often times mistrusted and even hated in some areas. It’s not just humans that harbor such bigotry, there are many other species that fear and hate psions for various reasons. Psions traveling the galaxy must constantly be aware of the laws of different stellar nations, colonies, and space stations regarding the use or even the existence of psionic abilities. There are ways to mask or hide psionic talent, even from genetic scans, but such equipment is usually very expensive and almost always illegal. This fear only gets compounded each time there is a report of a psion causing destruction somewhere in the galaxy.

Shortly before the first class was set to graduate from the Kreskin Academy, the Sol Alliance Navy founded the Psi Corps. The Psi Corps is a special military unit that is comprised of psionic individuals. The duties of the Psi Corps is not only to bolster the wartime assets of the Sol Alliance, but also to police rogue psions, and to ensure that children manifesting their abilities are given the proper education in their use. The Psi Corps has a shadowy reputation, however, and many free psions and even large parts of the public don’t trust them. There have been agents that have gone rogue, and have caused a lot of property damage, death, and chaos, but such instances are rare, and the Psi Corps is ruthless when dealing with one of their own gone rogue. Still, the urban legends surrounding the machinations of the Psi Corps are wide and varied, and believed by many people.

Inspirational List of Resources

In case you haven’t noticed, I like to use existing RPG resources in my games. I’ve been doing this almost as long as I’ve been gaming. I added Star Wars races and creatures to AD&D 2E, used minis from other games in Hero Quest, and this only increased with the onset of D&D 3E and the OGL that brought a host of different settings from sci-fi to fantasy to pulp all under and generally unified system. When I switched a lot of my gaming to Savage Worlds, that ability of being able to draw on various settings easily didn’t change much thanks to the awesome community of gamers converting lots of properties for use with that system as well. Now that I’m playing Stars Without Number, I can easily use just about any D&D and OSR source to enhance my campaign. Plus, I can still use a lot of material from other systems as well. Below is a listing of some of my favorite sources of inspiration, both new and old.

D&D: There is no game with a longer history and larger catalog of resources. Most of what I use so far for SWN are the various creature books from the Creature Catalog, to the original Fiend Folio, to the 2nd Edition Monster Compendiums, all the way to the huge amount of 3rd edition and OGL sources I’ve picked up over the years. (I’m a bit of a monster book junkie.) I’ve devoted several posts on how I’m adapting D&D sources to SWN, so I won’t go into them again.

Rifts (includes Heroes Unlimited, TMNT, Fantasy, etc.): I’ve had a long time love/hate relationship with the Palladium games, especially Rifts. There are a lot of great ideas jammed into otherwise very bland books and all tied to a system in dire need of a major overhaul. I’ve long since given up on houseruling Rifts and lieu of porting the bits I like into systems I like. Rifts is an excellent resource for new creatures, psionic powers, equipment, vehicles, and cybernetics (to name a few). Plus, since I like my games more towards the fantastical end of the spectrum, many parts of Rifts are a great fit. Porting over material from the Megaverse isn’t something I do on a stat-by-stat basis since so much of it is way over the top in power level, so porting the bits over with the feel intact is what I try to do. Some of my favorite books in the series are: The Three Galaxies, Anvil Galaxy, Africa, Atlantis, Splynn Dimensional Market, Aliens Unlimited, D-Bees of North America, Japan, Mindwerks, Phase World, South America, South America 2, and Naruni Wave. There’s a lot to rob from these books (and many of the other books in the Palladium catalog) and I’ll be adding quite a few pieces to the campaign. Sadly, I’m not likely to post much more than background ideas due to Palladium’s draconian fansite policies. (Those may have eased in recent years, but I’d have to check to make sure.)

D20: The D20 SRD and the Open Gaming License saw the birth of a lot of games tied to various properties from Star Wars to Farscape to Starship Troopers. Some of these have been mentioned in previous posts about the setting. The Minbari from Babylon 5 play a large role in the founding of the Galactic Concord. I’ve determined how several species from Star Wars and Farscape also fit into the setting. I’m playing around with the idea of adding the Bugs from Starship Troopers as an alien menace from deep in the vast uncharted regions of space. Plus, there are a lot of great resources from companies that came on in the great D20 Explosion that are also great for mining ideas from. RPGObjects in particular has a wide array of D20 Modern/Future products. The Stellar Bestiary for the D20 version of Fading Suns is an excellent resource for alien creatures. (Fading Suns itself is a great setting with a wealth of swipe-worthy bits!) Plus, since the D20 system was spawned from older D&D, conversion is typically a breeze.

Star Trek: Last Unicorn Games’ Star Trek line is one of my favorite stop for ideas. Sure, there’s Spaceships and Spacemen, and Prime Directive (which also has D20 versions of several of the books in their catalog), but LUG’s series is the official line. Sure, it really doesn’t make that much of a difference, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the LUG books. The system is similar to D20, so conversion isn’t a big deal at all, and they are beautiful books that invoke the feel of The Next Generation and later series. Star Trek Aliens, Star Trek Creatures, and the various setting sourcebooks are great if you want to inject a little or a lot of Star Trek into your games.

Dr. Who Aliens and Creatures: I love Dr. Who. It’s weird and wacky, generally light-hearted fun. While there are quite a few creatures in this book that I probably wouldn’t use because they are just too odd even for me, there are still others that I would…and will. Daleks, Cybermen, Forest of Cheem, Hath, Judoon, and others are all ripe for conversion/adaptation. Plus, it’s just simple a great book for Dr. Who fans in general since it’s loaded with background information and details that may not be readily evident from the episodes.

Cthulhu Tech: I’m not the greatest fan of the system (just too complicated for my tastes these days), but the books are gorgeous and have great ideas for applying the Mythos to science fiction. Horrors lurking in the dark, unexplored corners of the universe and beyond are already a part of the setting, so adapting parts of Cthulhu Tech is really a no brainer.

Alpha Omega: This is another beautiful game. It’s another that I’m not in love with the system, but I love the background. The Encountered Volume 1 is full of creatures that can be converted to SWN and would fit pretty well also. I believe Vol 2 is out, but I haven’t gotten around to picking it up yet.

Traveller: I have a confession to make, even though I’ve played in a lot of sci-fi games over the years, I’ve barely touched Traveller. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t ever interested me. However, there is a TON of books from the various editions that are chock full of material that can swiped for just about any sci-fi campaign.

GURPS: Gamers of all stripes have long since figured out that even if you don’t play GURPS, the sourcebooks are a good buy for just about anyone since they cover a wide array of topics, are well researched, and have lots of material worthy of conversion. Aliens, Lensmen, Robots, and the Space Bestiary all immediately spring to mind when I think of books I continually reach for when I’m in need of some inspiration.

Alternity: Any list of this type would be woefully incomplete without mentioning Alternity. In the late 90’s Alternity dominated my roleplaying time. In fact, I has started writing up my campaign for Alternity before switching to SWN. While I love the system, it is more laborious to create material for due to the unique die mechanics. There are lots of parts of the Star Drive setting for Alternity that I’m porting into my campaign. The Fraal and Humans live in a co-mingled society for instance. Players can play as or possibly encounter Aleerins, Sesheyans, T’sa, or Werens. I’ve converted aliens from both of the Alien Compendiums, and use some of the worlds from those books and others in the Star Drive series.

There are a lot of other resources that are ripe with ideas, and I’m sure that I’m forgetting a host of obvious sources. That’s one of the things that I like about sci-fi, especially the Space Opera sub-genre, just about anything can have a place in the galaxy, or even the universe. Few things are too weird to be used, at least for me, and the possibilities are virtually limitless.

Happy gaming!

Mutations Background for my SWN Campaign

In my SWN game, I use the mutation rules from Sine Nomine’s Other Dust setting/sourcebook. Mutations have been a part of my sci-fi games since the days when Alternity first came out. Even though the idea of radiation, nanites, alien microbes, dramatically altering a person’s DNA to create special powers or turn people into horrific monstrosities isn’t really all that believable, I’ve fallen in love with the concept and it fits into a universe that has psions firing lightning bolts and throwing foes around with telekinesis. Still, the old idea of radiation spawning mutation is a bit limiting, so here’s my background information on how mutants fit into the setting.

In the late 21st century, advances in medical science lead to the creation of gene therapies that cured all forms of cancer in humans. The discovery of these treatments, which virtually re-wrote parts of the human genetic code were discovered to come with a price. Exposure to intense radiation, prolonged exposure to chemical pollution, and even being exposed to certain alien particles, cause the human genetic structure (and the genetic structure of any species that has had similar treatments) to develop dramatic mutations.

While mutation has always been a part of life, these mutations were much more overt and shocking than anything ever detailed in the past. People would develop additional body parts, different skin colors, environmental adaptations like gills and thick fur, and so forth. Plus, rather than making slow, gradual changes over many generations, the mutations were developing within a single generation, and even sometimes immediately upon exposure to certain stimuli.

Like many maladies, the poor and downtrodden are the most affected by wild genetic mutation. Mutation is most prevalent in the most polluted or irradiated areas. Places like the “low” areas of the towering super-cities, where the waste and refuse of the higher tiers collects in the dark, lower recesses of the ground and sub-levels, also the immense “hives” of industrialized worlds see a high rate of mutation. These beings are typically the disenfranchised of society; the laborers, the unemployed, the abandoned that are forced into the dirtier areas. Their plight is usually out of the sight of the local governments (typically on purpose), so little aid or relief is given.

This lack of caring on the part of many local governments led to the Mutant Uprising of 2246, in which the mutants of several colonies throughout the Sol Alliance rose up to initially demand better working conditions and health care, but the demonstrations quickly turned to violence. The uprising was quickly quelled, and even though many programs were put in place to try and help the situation of mutants, many local governments continued to abuse mutant populations. Even today, while mutants have the same rights as other citizens of the Sol Alliance, some systems “discourage” mutants from entering the system or keep them under intense scrutiny. There are a few systems that are rumored to kill any mutant discovered in the system.

Among alien species, many look upon mutation in similar ways. They see mutation as dangerous or at least unsightly. Some see it as an affront to their god(s), and try to violently purge any “genetically unstable” members of their species. Alien views towards mutants of other species usually ranges from indifference to mistrust, depending on the species.

Mutations are nearly impossible to correct, another unforeseen side-effect of the gene therapies that helped humanity conquer many diseases. Gene therapies that, in theory, should correct or at least alleviate the mutation have, so far, had no effect. This has lead to rampant suicides, reports of back alley amputations, and other extreme measures being taken to try and correct or cure the mutation.

Even in the 25th century, appearance plays a large role in how someone is accepted by their peers. Mutations come with what is commonly referred to as “stigmata,” and they range from minor variations in skin color to hideous physical deformities and monstrous reconfigurations of flesh. For heritable mutations, the stigmata tend to repeat from generation to generation.

The discrimination that many mutants are faced with has led to the creation of mutant colonies. There are places where mutants can go and live their lives without undue government scrutiny or fear of disappearing in the night. However, these places are rarely utopias. Most colonies receive little financial or resource support, and they are typically found on worlds that the sector governments find undesirable, making the property cheaper to build a colony. Plus, there is still discrimination among mutants. Those with easy to conceal stigmata are hated by those that cannot hide their deformities. Those with more useful mutations are better received that those not blessed with a truly useful mutation. Human mutants may hate a mutant outcast from an alien species, and vice versa. Add all that in with the poverty and poor conditions in many mutant colonies and you have violence and graft rampant in many of them.