PSIONIC POWERS
OVERVIEW
Psi powers are acquired through Mirai City’s Power Development Curriculum.Psi powers are an expression of the user’s perception of reality. These tend to be traditional psychic abilities (precognition, telekinesis), elemental manipulation (ice, lightning), or focus on a scientific understanding of the world (density manipulation, atomic fusion, changing velocity). These are defined with a Descriptor and an Aspect in the game.
Base powers can be customized, and since everyone’s power is unique like a fingerprint, players should ideally assign at least one unique Feature or Quirk to their power at character creation.
Psi users are not aware of mana as a concept, and do not need to spend it to use their abilities. Instead, they can test their powers at higher difficulty on the fly to create Power Stunts. Power Stunts are built with the same point system as base ability creation.
Powers with the same Descriptor and Aspect have some resonance between them, and these individuals can detect each others’ presence at short range. They can also combine their powers to greater effect.
In contrast to magic, Psi powers do not have backlash. However, inexperienced users can experience undesirable side-effects, sometimes chosen as a Quirk.
BASE POWER CREATION
After deciding what you want your character’s power to be, select an appropriate Descriptor, Aspect, and primary Psionic skill. Some more powerful or generalized Descriptors and Aspects have a greater cost attached to them.From here, use any additional points from the Power Table to add Modifiers tocreate the base level of your power’s capabilities. It is possible to have an ability and 0 points in the ability beyond base aspect and descriptor– at 0 points, there is only a small manifestation of minimal impact, but you are still able to perform Power Stunts.
DESCRIPTORS
Descriptor is the most important part of power creation. A list of examples is provided on the reference sheet, but it is not comprehensive. Any discrete thing, energy, or concept is a possibility, though thematically the GM may veto some cases that veer too closely to or overlap with magic. Broader descriptors cost more than narrow ones, and these can be narrowed even further with Quirks later in power creation.ASPECTS
Aspects give some shape to exactly what the person can do with their descriptor. One aspect is all that’s necessary for many basic abilities, but more powerful psi power users may have multiple aspects. Aspect limitations cannot be overcome with power stunts, but can be bought out when characters gain power table points.Communication: Most relevant to plant, animal, or mental powers.
Creation: Generating it from ‘essentially’ nothing, although a rationale should exist; fire can be created by igniting oxygen, ice from condensing and cooling water vapor, light from moving photons, etc.
Environmental: Affecting the area around the Psi user. Generally used with an AoE.
Nullification: Completely removing the Descriptor, as opposed to deflection or countering via Manipulation.
Sense: Detection and understanding of the Descriptor.
Manipulation: Changing what already exists, in direction, shape, etc. The most general-purpose Aspect.
MODIFIERS
Modifiers are used in two ways: once, initially at power creation to customize the ‘base’ form of the ability. The same modifiers are used to calculate the adjustment to the skill when you roll to perform a power stunt.Damage/Heal Die: Base die used for healing or damage, whichever is relevant to the ability as described. Dice can be taken multiple times, for instance, to get 3d4 (6 pts) or 2d8 (14 points).
Damage/Heal bonus: Flat value used for healing or damage, whichever is relevant to the ability as described. Can be in addition to die value
Range: Range of the power's immediate effect.
Area of Effect: By default, this area is centered on the psi user, but this can be modified by Feature (2 pts) to allow it to be anywhere within range.
Targets: As alternate to an area effect, this selects a set number of targets within range.
Mass: Weight affected by physical effects.
Damage Resistance: Damage resistance value.
Speed: Decreases number of rounds to go from Close to Far.
Skill buff: Increase any relevant non-Psi/Magic skill.
Feature/Quirk: Used for any other element of an ability not already described, including limitations on a Descriptor or Aspect. Examples:
- Power is always limited to affecting oneself only
- Power is always active
- Power unstable and needs to be rolled every time
- Emotional Descriptor is limited to fear effects only
- Communication Aspect is limited to one-way comprehension
- Etc...
PSIONICS SKILLS
The ability will use one of the following (or more than one!) Psionics skills:Clairvoyance: Covers powers such as ESP and remote viewing
Psychometry: Relates to impressions from objects and all types of divination
Telepathy: Handles mind or emotion reading and mind control
Psychokinesis: Displays of telekinesis and physical or elemental powers
Dimensional Projection: For use of astral projection or teleportation
Somatipsyche: Covers psychic healing and altering of bodily functions or form
Any skills taken should be entered in the purple Special skill section of the character sheet.
USING PSI POWERS
Trivial power usage (below the base strength as defined at character creation) does not require a Psi skill roll. Power usage always includes affecting oneself at 0 cost.Psi skills and skills represent the pure power and intensity of the psi ability. Secondary skills represent fine application of the power. For example, blasting a computer with a lightning bolt would use Psychokinesis – using an electrical power to hack a camera would use both Psychokinesis and Computer Hacking. When a secondary skill is required, whichever of the two skills is lower is the one to roll against.
By default, powers become no longer active when a character is knocked out or asleep. This can be changed with a Feature if desired.
POWER STUNTS
By exerting additional effort, characters with Psi abilities can go beyond their base limits. Power Stunts are built with the same modifiers as basic ability creation, and increase the difficulty of the roll by that percentage. Characters become Fatigued on first and second use of a Stunt and then Exhausted on the third use.
EXAMPLE: For instance, Tomoko’s ability to produce a ball of flame only does 1d4 damage by default. But in a moment of need to melt down a steel door, she focuses her ability with the intent of producing a superhot fireball of 2d12. Her psychokinesis skill is only 70% though, and checking the modifier chart, each d12 subtracts 11% -- so she needs to roll a 48 or lower to succeed!
Psi characters can also drain their Mana reserve to 0 to reroll power usage. This causes them to become Exhausted.
COUNTERING WITH PSI POWERS
Psi vs Psi/Tech: Provided that descriptors and aspects make the counter reasonable, and the effect to counter is obvious in nature, or able to sense due to some spell or psi effect/nature. It is a normal opposed roll and can take the place of defensive moves such as Dodge or Parry if appropriate.Psi vs Magic: Same restrictions as Psi vs Psi, however, the interaction also generates unexpected effects even on a successful counter. GM rolls on Magic-Psi Interaction Table.
PSI NULLIFIERS
No technology completely nullifies the use of psi powers. However, there are ways to make it unpleasant/undesirable to use powers. The tech comes in two known types that either:
- Increase the difficulty of the roll to an unreasonable level (distraction)
- Create additional undesirable effects (interference)
However, outside of the Reformatories (student jail), this tech is rare, since Mirai City generally encourages ability use by students. Outside of Mirai City, this technology does not exist.