[RCFG] Psionics

Raven Crowking · Feb 3, 2010

I am working on the RCFG psionics appendix, and would like some input (if anyone has any to give).

I am imagining that there are a few broad categories that all psionic abilities will fall into:

Astral Projection - What it says

Aura Reading - Perceiving and manipulating the auras of others

Body Control - Biofeedback control of your body

Egognossis - "Knowledge of Self", powers that come from examination of your own mind (esp. defensive mental powers)

Extrasensory Perception - What it says

Manifestation - Abilities that rely on causing ectoplasm to manifest in the material world

Precognition - What it says

Psychokinesis - What it says

Psychotransference - Transfering mental traits between yourself and another, or yourself and an object (such as a psicrystal)

Teleportation - What it says

Transvection - Levitation and flying

Each branch of psionic ability has a number of disciplines, each of which can have up to 5 ranks representing degree of mastery. Higher ranks open additional power uses, but the higher-ranked powers cost more to use.

Thoughts?

RC

Aus_Snow · Feb 6, 2010

Always with the questions. . . <-- me, I mean

Is this (or will this be) primarily based on any existing psionics ruleset? A combination of more than one? Or if not, any other specific source material -- stories, movies, or the like?

Have you decided, or would you like to decide, where the boundaries are (i.e., what psionics can't do?)

On that note, how different will it be, or do you want it to be, from 'magic' (in particular, Sorcerer's spellcasting when using the Psionic 'source' [? -- was that the term?]) ?

As it is, it looks pretty bare, so I'm not sure what else to add/suggest. And you seem to be on a pretty firm path with the game anyway, so I often feel hesitant commenting at all. At least until it's finished, and then it would be more a 'review' than um, whatever it might've been now. :hmm:

Er, hope that makes more sense than it reads to me right now. Well, it's a response -- perhaps this will provoke other sleepers! *prod prod*

Raven Crowking · Feb 6, 2010

It is a complete rebuilding of the system, although it will borrow from the SRD. Basically, when I was looking through the SRD system, I realized it was very much what I didn't want.

RC

The_Cloaked · Feb 7, 2010

Perhaps if you told us what you didn't like about the SRD rules it would provide us with a better jump off point.

Garthanos · Feb 7, 2010

How about some flavor fiddliness ;-) I find the word psionics doesn't jive with my or many fantasy milleaux. For me psuedo science in fantasy needs to be reflavored.

My favorite alternative? Mysticism... . Once its mysticism instead of psionics... and not so psiontific sounding you could even see how it mingles with ( or even under-pines if you liked ) other magics. Mysticism invokes controlling underlying mysteries betwixt mind body and soul.

Teleportation is "transcendance of distance/space" and so on.
Astral projection? is not just a feature of the mind it is discorporation of the soul and so on.

// I always loved psionics in spite of how the flavor failed to mix and it was the only book from the 3e era I bought aside from Wheel of Time d20.

I still have my eye on RCFG

Khairn · Feb 8, 2010

Garthanos said:
How about some flavor fiddliness ;-) I find the word psionics doesn't jive with my or many fantasy milleaux. For me psuedo science in fantasy needs to be reflavored.

Name recognition is a tough thing to deliberately drop, but in this case I agree. Even though its actual definition is closer to "the pursuit of communion with, identity with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, instinct or insight", I like mysticism. Its certainly better (IMO) than "psionics" for a fantasy setting.

Personally I've used "Mentalism" in a number of games, which probably shows my Rolemaster roots. Over the years I've had players and GM's who called psionics "Aurian" (mental manipulation of a targets aura), "Will Working" and "Mind Magic".

Garthanos · Feb 8, 2010

Khairn said:
Its certainly better (IMO) than "psionics" for a fantasy setting.

I think marvel comics, may be where I absorbed the idea from. (they identified a trinity of sources for their magical heros, personal, environal and transdimensional... and sometimes identified them as mystical, magical and sorcerous.) The first of the three indeed in there defintiion governs most all the effects identified as psionic.

Within even mental environment there is id ego and superego. (body, mind and soul). I seem to be pushing Mysticism as holistic psionics ;-)

With regards to the religious tones of mysticism (from real world definitions) Well historically all magic was all miracles... the divide into divine and not divine was more enemy versus ally... one mans witch was another's holy miracle worker.

Raven Crowking · Feb 8, 2010

There is a reason that I set up the Appendixes as I did, so that the Psionics option follows the Planetary Romance option, follows the Modern option (and is followed by the Varient Classes option). Psionics might not fit into every campaign milieu, but it is part and parcel of the source literature.

I did a bunch of work on psionics over the weekend, that I hope to have typed up and whipped into shape soon.

RC

Raven Crowking · Feb 8, 2010

Intro

Appendix VI: Option: Psionics

Psionics are psychic abilities, which may exist in a campaign milieu as wild talents, psionic class abilities, or both.

Psionics are broken down into twelve “Sciences” (or pseudosciences), each of which includes a number of disciplines under its umbrella. Each discipline in turn has five ranks, each of which grants access to a new use for the discipline.

Because of their pseudoscientific nomenclature and feel, psionic powers are not appropriate for every milieu. They are generally appropriate for milieus which mix science fiction and fantasy elements, such as those with a planetary romance setting (see sidebar).

Psionic Classes and Wild Talents

A milieu may include either psionic classes, or wild talents, or it may include both.

A psionic class is a class that gains psionic abilities. In each such class, characters gain access to sciences, and are only able to purchase ranks in disciplines which fall under those sciences known. The character gains a psionic buffer equal to his psionic class level (the total levels in all psionic classes) with which to use disciplines. Gaining access to a science grants a benefit usable by the character without additional cost to ability scores or psionic buffer.

A character can take levels in more than one psionic class. In this case, sciences accessed and devotion ranks gained stack.

Wild talents occur randomly. A character cannot choose to be a wild talent, although a player normally may choose not to roll to determine if a character is one. A wild talent typically gains 1 rank in one or more disciplines. If the same discipline is rolled more than once (see page xxx), the character gains additional ranks in that discipline, to a maximum of 5 ranks. Wild talents do not access sciences, and do not gain benefits from doing so.

It is possible for wild talents to increase their ranks in their discipline(s) by spending XP, but the costs are steep.

If a campaign milieu contains both psionic classes and wild talents, it is possible for a wild talent to take levels in one or more psionic classes. Wild talent ranks stack with class ranks, but a wild talent does not give access to the science it belongs to.

Raven Crowking · Feb 8, 2010

sidebar

Should You Use This Option?

Not everyone enjoys mixing psionic abilities into their fantasy milieu. In fact, psionics might be reserved within a given campaign for planetary romance or modern settings.

The Game Master is justified in limiting the types of characters who can have psionic abilities, apart from the limitations suggested herein. It is entirely appropriate for the GM to limit psionics to weird alien monstrosities from beyond the stars.

The default limitation, if this option is used, is that humans, half-elves, half-orcs, and halflings can have psionic abilities and take levels in psionic classes. Creatures more clearly tied to earth and stone, or to the fey realms, do not gain this option. However, as with all limitations, the GM can choose to ignore this one if she likes, making psionic abilities available to all characters.

Some creatures in the Big Book of Monsters make use of material found in this appendix. As with characters, it is up to the GM whether or not this material gets used. In most cases, monsters with psionic abilities are also listed without them, to make things easier for GMs not using these rules.