Table Of Contents

• TEXT VERSION: Plain text version here @ http://www.geocities.com/pscion/netpsi2.txt
• Introduction: Just what is this net book for?
• Rules
  • Basics: Welcome to S&P Psionics 101!
  • Optionals: Fixes and expansions to the published rules.
  • Useful charts: Basic Mechanics, Armor, Proficiencies
• Character Classes
  • Psionicist: character class overview and breakdown
  • Psychic: a chaotic "version" of the psionicist
  • Psypher: a brand new, generic warrior character class
  • Monk: this monk is no priest; he's devoted to self-improvement
• New...
  • Disciplines: Monk Paths; Metapsionics reprint; Stealth Telepathy
  • Powers: Several useful powers which weren't included in the books.
  • Monsters: Every DM's plothook.
  • Items: Confuse and amuse your veteran PCs!
• Credits and Links: Roll 'em!
• Appendicies
  1. Varient System: A varient psionic system comprised of the new and the old.
  2. Converting Between Systems: Rule-of-thumb for converting power scores between CPH and S&P
  3. Mental Hit Points: The most common revision of psionic combat
  4. Astral Space: Explore the weird effects and interactions of psionics and the Astral Plane
• Feedback: Questions, Comments, and Suggestions are welcome!
• Go to Pscion's personal web page
• Download The Will & The Way (in RTF format)

I now have an online copy of The Will & The Way here at my site, in case TSR changes their site again. You can get the pictures and cover art from TSR at http://www.tsr.com/ADND/WillWay.html.

Psionics is one of those really cool concepts that suffer from poor implementation. Many people believed that the psionics presented in The Complete Psionics Handbook were too powerful. But since the new rules for psionics in Player's Option: Skills & Powers as well as the revised Dark Sun boxed set suffered from even more problems than the original, I've compiled this netbook in order to correct the problems.

If you believe psionics are too powerful, a score of optional rules allow the DM to adjust the power level. If you believe psionics is un-medieval, well, AD&D has always been a fantasy game, never a medieval one (and this goes double for Planescape players). And, if you still don't like the psionicist character class and/or wild talents, perhaps you can still use psionics in the form of another character class.

This net book was compiled by me, Pscion, the Scion of Psionics, and specific parts of it (very important parts, mind you) were developed by others, who I mention in the ever-growing credits section. If you've anything useful to contribute, email me.

- Pscion, June 1999

As your introduction to S&P psionics begins, we will start with the simple side of psionics, initiating a non-telepathic power. Those characters and creatures who possess the ability of using psionics - called a psionic in this netbook - have a score called MTHAC0, which is analogous to a character's THAC0. At first level, MTHAC0 is 20, and will decrease with experience. Exceptional intelligence can give a to-hit bonus, much like exceptional strength and dexterity modifies THAC0.

Now, every psionic power has at least two statistics: MAC and Cost. MAC is to MTHAC0 as AC is to THAC0, and also ranges from 10 (easy powers) to -10 (incredibly difficult powers). Cost is the amount of PSPs (psionic strength points) which is required to use a power. It is listed as two numbers; the first number is the PSPs expended if the power succeeds, the second number is the PSPs expended if the power fails. To determine if a power works, roll 1d20. You must roll equal to or higher than your MTHAC0 minus the power's MAC (its kinda like a mental attack roll).

Example: As a 6th level psionicist, Rys's MTHAC0 is 15. To initiate his Body Control power (MAC=5, Cost=6/2), he must have at least 6 PSPs, and roll (15 - 5) 10 or higher on 1d20. If he succeeds, he spends 6 PSPs. If the roll fails, he has expended 2 PSPs, and may try again next round, assuming he still has enough PSPs.

That's all there is to the simple powers (anything extra, such as variable MAC or Cost scores, are in the individual power descriptions). Now we move on to the harder part, telepathic powers. A few telepathic powers work the same exact way. They are recognized by not requiring 'contact'. The rest require 'contact'.

As far as a psionic is concerned, there are two states of mind, open and closed. Most telepathic powers require the recipient to have an open (also called 'contacted') mind. This is accomplished in one of two ways: either the subject is willing, or the psionic forces the mind to open. Once the mind is open (contacted), any telepathic power may be used upon it by initiating the power same as Rys did with Body Control above. But, its the forcing that gets complex. Forcing another's mind to open is called contacting, and is done by the five psionic attacks.

The five psionic attacks are listed in S&P as proficiencies, partially because they do not have a MAC like the normal powers. So how is an attack initiated? Creatures as well as psionic powers have a MAC. Its usually 10, unless high attributes improve it. To psychically attack another, pay the PSP cost, and roll the attacker's MTHAC0 against the victim's MAC.

Example: Rys wants to Ego Whip a fighter bearing down on him. The fighter's MAC is 9 (he has a high Wisdom). Rys has 4 PSPs, and needs to roll (15 - 9) 6 or higher to hit. If his attack roll fails, 2 PSPs are used up instead.

Damage done is recorded as a reduction in PSPs, and contact is granted when the current PSP score reaches 0. If the victim is a non-psionic, and therefore has no PSP score, rolls a saving throw vs. paralyzation to resist contact. Once contact is gained, how is it severed? For the non-psionic, a save vs paralyzation is granted every round. For the psionic with 0 PSPs, contact is broken when he a) regains PSPs, usually via a Receptable (see power), b) he uses the Ejection power (see power), or c) 1d4+1 rounds have passed, after which a Wisdom check with a -3 penalty is granted every round. When contact is severed, any telepathic powers in operation cease to function.

The fighter Rys just ego whipped makes his save. Next round, Rys tries again. This time, the fighter fails his save. The fighter has been contacted, and now Rys will use a telepathic power to immobilize his opponent.
Afterward, Rys is attacked by another psionic, who reduces Rys to 0 PSPs. Rys has been contacted, and cannot reclose his mind for at least 1d4+1 rounds. While the psionic tries to successfully initiate Dominate, Rys runs forward to stick a sword in him.

There are ways, however, of defending oneself against psychic attacks, and that is the five psionic defenses. Also proficiencies in the same sense as the attacks, they have only a PSP cost. By paying the cost, consult Table 76 in S&P for the to-hit modifier for the power. Notice that a psionic defense does not always help, as the Mind Thrust vs Mind Blank example shows.

This is the absolute basic amount of info for using S&P psionics. There are a few numeric modifiers due to circumstance, but those can be found by reading S&P.

Short Circuit! (Imprisoning a Psionicist)
It is highly problematic for DMs to keep a psionicist in jail, especially a psychoporter. The Short Circuit rule states that psionics cannot work when there is an enclosed loop of metal or obsidian around the head. This includes helmets, crowns, and circlets. This is actually putting the already-printed 'no helmets' rule to good use. The DM may limit the Armored Psionicist option for S&P character classes to maintain game consistency.

What are you? (Identifying a Psionicist)
A jailer's second problem is determining who is and isn't a psionicist. Firstly, any adventurer who doesn't have big weapons/armor, spellbook, holy symbol, lockpicks, musical instrument, or what-have-you is suspect. Secondly, many big cities have an enchanted/empowered gem which can detect psionics. Slavers are known to use blind helmets on everybody - metallic devices which not only are locked onto the person (a la Man In The Iron Mask) and can be daisy-chained to others like it, but also block sight so the slaves cannot see where they are being led. In some campaigns, the psionically-endowed are required to bear a mark - a tattoo - proclaiming their power and their alliegence. Such a mark may not only tell the teacher, guild, or institution to which the bearer belongs, but also perhaps his primary discipline of study. Such marks are also enchanted or specially treated to be visible, or visible with aid, even while the psionic uses a psychometabolic power to change form or cover it up.

Skills & Powers Wild Talents
Rather than rolling the percentage dice to determine if a character is a wild talent, pay character points for the ability:
Psionic Wild Talent (5/15): Characters who purchase this ability gain a psionic devotion for 5 points or science for 15. Prerequisite powers must be purchased first. DM has final approval on which powers may be bought, and may adjust their character point cost.
Psionic Defenses/Attacks (5/10): Characters who purchase this ability gain a psionic defense at experience levels 1, 4, and 8. As a 10 point ability, the character also gains a psionic attack at each of those levels.

Psionic Attacks
One of the biggest problems with the 5 telepathic attacks is that, on average, they do more PSP damage to the user than the victim. The fix is to raise the PSP damage.

Attack	Cost	Original Dmg	Fix	Effect vs. Contacted Victim
Mind Thrust	2/1	1d4	1d4	lose use of a randomly determined psionic power
Ego Whip	4/2	1d6	1d6+1	dazed: 1d4 rounds; -5 to rolls; spell level 3 max
Id Insinuation	6/3	1d8	1d8+2	cannot act for 1d4 rounds*
Psychic Crush	8/4	1d10	1d10+3	1d6 hit point loss
Psionic Blast	10/5	1d12	1d12+4	1d8 hit point loss

* The Will & the Way states that the victim still can defend himself with full AC.
* Optional Rule: Successful attacks enrage the id and may allow it to take over. When this happens, the character is considered in a Berserker Rage, granting +3 to hit and damage, is immune to enchantment/charm spells as well as telepathic powers, and enjoys the benefits of a haste spell.

Psionic Specialization and Mastery
There are three areas in which a psionicist can specialize: psionic attacks, psionic defenses, and psionic powers. Specialization is accomplished by spending an extra slot on the power/proficiency. Note that if one specializes in a psionic attack, for example, then it will not be possible to gain all 5 psionic attacks. Mastery is accomplished by spending a third slot on the power/proficiency. These are the effects of specialization and mastery.

Area	Specialization Effects	Mastery Effects
Psionic attack	+1 to-hit, +2 to-damage Extra attack every other round	Total of +3 to-hit, +3 to-damage PSP cost of attack halved
Psionic defense	+2 MAC bonus PSP cost reduced by 1	Total +3 MAC bonus Total PSP cost reduction of 2
Psionic power	+2 to-hit bonus Critical hit chance increases by one	Total +3 to-hit bonus PSP cost reduced by 5

Psionic Defenses
Normally, defenses were only helpful 40% - 60% of the time. This way of doing psychic defenses results in a flat bonus to MAC. The relative power has been kept, so Mind Blank is still a useless defense against Mind Thrust. Initialization of a defense does not require a roll and never fails, so there is only one listed PSP cost.

Defense	Cost	EW	II	MT	PB	PsC
Thought Shield	2	0	0	10	1	4
Mind Blank	3	5	10	0	3	3
Intellect Fortress	4	9	3	9	6	7
Mental Barrier	5	10	7	5	4	2
Tower of Iron Will	6	8	7	10	7	9

Non-psionicist Defense Techniques: By spending the round concentrating, a non-psi can improve his MAC score by 2 for that same round. But the best defense is to break the attacking telepath's line-of-sight. Unfortunately, this only works BEFORE he contacts you.
Optional Rule: Use psionic defenses actively, to parry the incoming attack(s) by rolling the defender's MTHAC0 against a MAC of 5, modified by table 76 in S&P.
Example: Rys is attacked by an Ego Whip. Using Mind Blank, Rys rolls his MTHAC0 of 14 against a MAC of 5, modified by the +3 from table 76. Rys needs to roll a (14 - 5 + 3) = 12 or better to parry.

Tangents Revised
Tangents were a cool idea in the old rules, but weren't implemented very well. 'Three strikes and you're out' didn't take into account differences in experience levels or psionic ability. So vary the number of tangents required. For characters of equal levels, three tangents are required. For every 3 levels of difference, the number of required tangents changes by one in favor of the higher level character. Contact always requires at least one tangent. Remember that tangents aren't needed for willing subjects.
Optional Rule: Add an extra required tangent when the victim is also a psionicist. Just remember that on average psionicists have a better MAC than the non-psionic, so each tangent is a bit more difficult to acquire.
Optional Rule: Require that all tangents need to be established in a row. As soon as one attack fails, the attacker must start over. This makes psychic combat difficult, indeed.
Optional Rule: A simple fix to the old system, which requires exactly 3 tangents for contact, would be to grant a saving throw vs. paralyzation against each tangent (but no save against contact itself). Combined with High Level Saving Throw Modifiers, this would be a fair system.

Better PSP Configuration
The old rules didn't vary PSPs like hit points. When that was changed in the new rules, it caused wild talents to receive more PSPs than psionicists do, especially after passing 9th level. The following chart suggests a fix. For those who favor a fixed rate, it is listed in brackets. Remember that PSP bonuses due to high Con, Int, and Wis all apply until Name level (9th level for most classes). Upon reaching Name level, only the Wisdom bonus applies.

Class	Level 1 (initial)	Levels 2 - Name	Name Level+
Psionicist	15 + 1d6 [20]	1d8 [5]	3
Monk	15 + 1d6 [20]	1d8 [5]	3
Psychic	15 + 1d6 [20]	1d8 [5]	3
Psypher	15 + 1d4 [17]	1d6 [3]	2
Wild talent	10 + 1d3 [12]	1d4 [2]	1

PSP recovery
The old rules allowed PSPs to recover gradually, based on one's physical activity for the hour.

Physical Activity	Old Rules	Alternate	Mental Activity
Hard Exertion	none	none	Concentrating, studying
Walking, Riding	1/2 turns	1/hour	Alert (reading, paying attention)
Sitting, Resting, Reading	1/turn	1/turn	Relaxing, sleeping, repetitive physical action
Rejuvenating, Sleeping	2/turn	10% of max	Meditating, Rejuvenating

Optional Rule: One can recover PSPs based upon one's mental activity rather than physical.
Optional Rule: If Mental Hit Points are used, they are recovered by spending 1 PSP per MHP to recover.
Optional Rule: If both Mental Hit Points and PSPs are used, one can recover based upon a one kind of activity and the other recovers based upon the other kind of activity.

3 - 2 - 1 - Contact
To clarify the books, I present to you a short synopsis of how contact works in S&P rules.

• The Contact proficiency is used when the psionicist tries to contact a willing subject. A proficiency check is rolled, but no PSPs are spent, either for success or failure. In calm circumstances, the DM will probably assume contact is automatic, since a failed roll loses only a round of time. But in a combat situation, the psionicist loses his action for the round if the contact attempt fails.
• Psionic attacks are used when the psionicist tries to contact an unwilling subject. Psionic attacks have two range restrictions: line of sight and so-many yards. Both of these requirements must be satisfied for the psionicist to mentally attack someone. This means that 1) victims may protect themselves by hiding; and 2) the psionicist cannot attack someone far away, even with clairvoyant abilities.
• Contact can be done quietly. This is called Stealth Contact, and it is more difficult to establish than normal, overt contact. If the attempt fails, the victim notices it. If the attempt succeeds, the victim must make a save vs paralyzation to notice. A bonus applies to this save equal to 1 per 10 PSPs the victim has currently.
  1. Stealth contact is not possible if a psionic defense is in place (i.e., PSPs are being expended for defense).
  2. There are range restrictions: line-of-sight and within 30 yards.
  3. A stealth attempt takes 1d10 rounds "testing the waters".
  4. The PSP cost is the victim's level or hit die multiplied by three.
  5. A -4 MTHAC0 penalty is incurred to the roll, to reflect the required precision.
  Optional Rule: Stealth contact is temporary; all stealth attempts are automatically detected after 2d4 rounds.
  
• Contacting creatures of different life orders incurs penalties, either to the Contact proficiency roll, or to any and all MTHAC0 rolls. To use the chart, find the psionicist's race along the top row, and the victim's race underneath.

  Human/Demihuman	Thri-kreen	Pterran	Aarakocra	Penalty
  Mammal	Insect	Reptile	Bird	1
  Marsupial	Arthropods	Amphibian	Reptile, Amphibian	2
  Bird	Fish	Fish	Fish	3
  Reptile, Amphibian	Reptile, Amphibian	Arachnid, Insect	Mammal	4
  Fish	Bird	Bird	Insect	5
  Arachnid, Insect	Mammal	Mammal	Arachnid	6
  Monster	Monster	Monster	Monster	7
  Plant	Plant	Plant	Plant	8

  Optional Rule: If the DM does not want low-level psionicists contacting all manner of things, then it is perfectly possible to require that the psionicist's XP level be at least equal to the MTHAC0 penalty listed on the chart. For example, contacting a giant spider requires at least a level 6 psionicist and incurs a -6 penalty to MTHAC0.
  Optional Rule: Many MACs listed for monsters do not take into account the difference in life order of the participants. If a red dragon has a listed MAC of 7, that is for other red dragons. A human psionicist has an additional -7 penalty to his MTHAC0 since his target is a monster (moreso than a reptile). Combined with the above optional rule, a psionicist would have to be at least 7th level just to attempt contacting a red dragon, and even then the effective MAC is 0.
  
• Contact can be done over a long distance, but only if the subject is willing. This is because the psionic attacks have range restrictions, and contact can't be forced without the attacks. The subject will feel the contact attempt, and, on a successful Wisdom/Intuition check, realizes who contactor is. A psionicist using Psychic Impersonation can fool the subject into thinking he's someone else. The chart displays penalties to the Contact proficiency check.

  Distance	Penalty
  Line of Sight	0
  1 mile	1
  10 miles	3
  100 miles	5
  1,000 miles	7
  10,000 miles	9

  Optional Rule: If the DM does not want low-level psionicists contacting people hundreds or thousands of miles away, then it is perfectly possible to require that the psionicist's XP level be at least equal to the MTHAC0 penalty listed on the chart. For example, contacting someone 100 miles away requires at least a level 5 psionicist and incurs a -5 penalty to MTHAC0.
  
• Optional Rule: To vary the amount of telepathic power of individuals, the DM may have a Telepathic devotion Contact. The power version of Contact may give the Distance, Life Order, or Stealth capabilities, or any combination of the three. These abilities would not come with the proficiency. The DM may also withhold some combination of these capabilites from wild talents, as well.
  

Psionic Critical Hits
Normally, contact with a psionic mind is granted after that mind has been reduced to 0 PSPs. However, as an optional rule, contact may be granted early if the attacker scores a critical hit in psionic combat. It's suggested you use the same method of determining when a critical hit happens. Here, only the effects of a psionic critical hit are presented (with three different systems). There is no additional effect against non-psionic characters for a psionic critical hit.

Critical Hit Effect: Official: The victim gets a save vs. paralyzation to keep his mind closed UNLESS the attack caused at least 25% PSP damage (that's 25% of the victim's PSP maximum), in which case contact is automatic.

Critical Hit Effect: Home Brew: Figure PSP damage as normal, but immediately roll the attack again. If the second roll succeeds, contact is granted. (If the second roll is also a critical, apply the PSP damage again and yet roll again.) The additional roll(s) is not an actual attack, just a mechanic to determine severity.

Critical Hit Effect: Simple: PSP damage is doubled. Note that this tends to even the odds a little between psionicists of different levels. It is not recommended that contact is granted by this system, because it evens the odds between levels by a lot.

Critical Hit Effect: Tangents: A critical hit yields an extra tangent (or an extra chance at one).

Critical Hit Effect: Stealth: A critical hit scored on a Stealth Contact attempt causes the victim to automatically fail the saving throw.

Psionic Fumbles
Just as its possible to screw up in physical combat, it's perfectly possible to screw up in psionic combat as well. It's suggested you use the same fumble mechanic for psionic combat as physical. Here, only the effects of that fumble are presented; use one or more of them.

Fumble Effect: Brain Fart: The psionic attack (or power) cannot be used for 1d4 rounds.

Fumble Effect: Wide Open: The psionicist has a -2 to his MAC until his next attack.

Fumble Effect: Tangents: A pre-existing tangent is lost.

Fumble Effect: Stealth: If the psionicist fumbled a Stealth Contact attempt, then the victim received contact with the fumbler's mind rather than vice-versa. Optionally, if the victim is not a psionic, then the fumbler's identity and location become known to the victim.

High Level Saving Throw Modifiers
It has been suggested that a system be installed that makes it more difficult to resist higher-level psionicists, or for a higher-level character to resist a lower-level psionicist. This problem is present throughout the AD&D system, and has finally been touched upon by the presentation of Saving Throw Modifications by Level, a set of new rules presented within the DMs Option: High Level Campaigns sourcebook (table 36, p.143).

For example, let's consider a 7th level fighter attempting to close his mind from the intrusions of 12th level psionicist. When the fighter makes his saving throw vs paralyzation, his roll would normally need be 10 or better. Due to the higher level of his psionicist attacker, this saving throw is penalized, requiring a 14 or better. If the fighter were to have been of higher level than his attacker, the saving throw would have received a bonus.

In HLC, the psionicists do not have a chart. For them, use the same chart as the Rogue.

High Stats and Power Checks
In the old rules, a character with a high Constitution had a greater than normal chance of initiating many psychometabolic powers. In the new rules, a MTHAC0 bonus is granted from a high Intelligence, no matter the power or discipline. To bring back this inclination toward certain disciplines, the MTHAC0 bonus comes from Int, Wis, or Con, depending.

Discipline	Relevant Ability
Psychoportive, Psychokinetic	Intelligence
Clairsentient, Telepathic	Wisdom
Psychometabolic, Metapsionic	Constitution

Miscellaneous Restrictions
DMs wanting to curb their psionic PCs can also use these tried-and-true techniques:

• Distasteful power selection: Require teachers (until 7th level or so) (maybe just for sciences)
• Cowards: Characters normally gain experience points for being in danger; no danger, no XP
• Ethereal Snipers: you cannot attack something in another Plane/Dimension
• Brainwashing the King: psionic guards (Psyphers are ideal)
• Control PSPs: psionically dead areas; varient PSP recovery system
• Problems: Cerebral Parasites; the psychic wind; astral storms; migranes

The Final Rule
Many problems crop up with specific powers in specific situations. All too frequently this is blamed on the "deficiencies" of the psionics system, or the "overpowered" strength of the abilities. Whenever a player attempts something which the DM does not approve of, the DM should ask himself, "Could a wizard (or cleric) do this?" Frequently, the answer is yes. For example, substitute Wraithform for Ectoplasmic Body or Shadow Form, and a wizard could do the same trick. But by some unexplained phenomenon, only such devious tricks are tried by players with psionic characters. They rely on the DM's relative inexperience with the psionics system. If they try the trick with a wizard, the DM has much more confidence in what wizards can and can't do, and will more readily say, "No, that is not possible.". Remember this, DMs!

The psionicist uses the power of his mind and body to accomplish feats some would call 'magic'. However, psionics is not magic; magic is an external force, infusing the world and environment, while psionics is an internal force, infusing one's self. The psionicist uses this internal energy in a similar way that a mage uses his external force.
Alignment: A psionicist may not have a chaotic alignment, due to the discipline required. A wisdom check at half is called for each day a psionicist has a chaotic alignment. Failing this check results in a loss of a randomly determined discipline.
Weapons: Psionicists disdain mundane weapons, and as such are limited to small ones generally weighing six pounds or less: hand crossbow, dagger, dart, dirk, knife, sickle, and short sword. Multi-classed psionicists may also use weapons of their other class.
Armor: Armor interferes with a psionicist's concentration, so only padded, hide, leather, and studded leather are allowed. Multiclassed psionicists also have this penalty.
Optional Rule: Wearing other types of armor is possible, but it incurs an MTHAC0 penalty. See the appropriate table in the Charts section.
Proficiencies: In the chart below, both systems of proficiencies are listed. Psionicists get the Contact non-weapon proficiency free.

Proficiencies	Initial	# levels	Char. Pts
Weapon (-4)	2	5	6
Non-Weapon	3	3	7

Miscellaneous: All psionicists have a +2 bonus vs Enchantment/Charm spells. A psionicist becomes a contemplative master at 9th level, and starts to attract beginning psionicists as students. Psionicists may dual-class under the normal rules. Dwarves, halflings, and half-humans may multiclass, though combinations are limited to non-magical classes: Fighter/Psionicist and Thief/Psionicist.

A psychic is a wild talent who decides to study and develop the innate power she possesses. This power, called 'the Gift', is often not wanted by those who have it. A person with such a power is prone to seeing and hearing things that can't or shouldn't be seen or heard. Lucky individuals learn a degree of control over the ability. The unlucky ones go insane, or are burned at the stake, or both.
Alignment: Psychics possess a non-lawful alignment. Lawful characters suppress too many of their inner desires and urges in deference to society. This also suppresses the mind's natural power. A wisdom check at half is called for each day a psychic acts in such a reserved way. Failing this check results in a loss of a randomly determined power.
Weapons: Psychics have no preference either way for weapons, and so may use any weapon they have the strength to wield. Multi-classed psychics must still abide by the weapon restrictions of their other class.
Armor: Psychics have the same armor restriction as a psionicist, so only padded, hide, leather, and studded leather are allowed. It is not recommended any heavier armor be allowed due to the unlimited weapon selection. Multiclassed psychics must also abide by this restriction.
Proficiencies: In the chart below, both systems of proficiencies are listed. Psychics cannot learn the Contact non-weapon proficiency, or the psionic attacks and defenses. The DM may allow the psychic to slot them as powers. Then again, he may not.

Proficiencies	Initial	# levels	Char. Pts
Weapon (-4)	2	5	6
Non-Weapon	3	3	7

Miscellaneous: Psychics may dual-class under the normal rules. Half-humans may multiclass, pairing Psychic with Fighter or Thief. The DM may also allow certain Clerical orders to multi-class with Psychic. Upon attaining 9th level, psychics may attract fledling psychics, or seek out similarly Gifted individuals. Unlike other character classes, this is not a student/teacher relationship as psychic abilities can't exactly be taught. Instead, the higher level psychic acts as a counselor, confidante, or role-model to the developing psychic.
Psychic Powers: While psionicists and psychics have the same PSP progression, psychic powers differ from psionic powers in several ways. First, power acquisition is not preset; two psychics of the same level may have a different number of powers. Secondly, power checks are more like the CPH rules since it involves rolling 1d20 equal to or less than the power's rank. Thirdly, telepathic powers have been weakened.

1. Acquisition: Psychics get Power Points to purchase powers (see chart below). Powers may be chosen with no regard for discipline or relative power. Pre-requisites do not have to be obeyed, with the exception of XP level requirements. Also, all psychics receive a clairsentient science free, which starts at rank 1. This unstable power can be used normally, but it sometimes initiates without the psychic wanting it to (i.e., DM's whim).
2. Power checks: To initiate a power, roll its rank or less on 1d20, and pay the PSP cost. When a power is first acquired, its rank equals the power's MAC. After a level up, all pre-existing powers (not newly acquired ones) have their rank increased by one. Hence, a power known since first level will have a higher chance of success than one gained at tenth level, even if the first power was more difficult to begin with.
3. Variable-MAC Powers: Some powers' MAC vary with the extent of effects, such as Teleportation. Acquire such a power by paying the (lowest) PSP Failure cost, but set the rank to the lowest MAC (or 1). Newly acquired, only the weakest effect can be used (like the shortest range on Teleportation). At each level up, the next weakest effect becomes available.
4. Telepathy: Telepathic powers requiring contact simply require a kind of connection. For psychics, sciences require stronger connections than devotions. Line of sight is a weak connection for devotions. Touch is a strong connection for devotions, and a weak one for sciences. Eye contact is always a strong connection. Once the connection is established, the power check can be rolled. A modifier applies to the power check based upon the levels of its participants. The modifier used for a strong connection is the difference between the levels or hit dice (meaning a bonus if the psychic's level is higher). Weak connections are similar except that the psychic uses half her level. A subject's MAC-improving items also apply to the roll.
5. Detecting Telepathy: The subject receives a saving throw vs. spells, modified by Wisdom, to detect the attempt. If both the power and the save succeed, then the knowledge does not come to the subject until the psychic ceases maintenance. If the subject has a psionic defense up, the attempt is automatically detected. If the psychic's attempt succeeds, she learns a psionic defense is active.
6. Maintaining Telepathy: Once the power check succeeds, the psychic may release the subject, even letting him out of sight. She may maintain the power as many times as her XP level until having to re-establish the connection. Exactly how long this is depends on the power's renewal period. Dominate is measured in rounds, while Fate Link is measured in days.

Summary of Power Points:
Received at first level = Half of Chs/Leadership, + 1d4
Received at level up = new XP level + 1d4
Received beyond level 9 = 2d4 per level up
Cost of acquiring a power = power's PSP Failure Cost
Cost of raising max PSP score = 1, (no more than 5 per level up)
Cost of one S&P character point = 1, (no more than 5 per level up)
Max # of points that can be saved til next level = half gained at current level

A psypher is a warrior who realizes that a sword arm cannot solve all problems. Through meditation and dedication, a psypher develops his mind, making it as sharp as his mundane weapons. Psyphers may use any weapon and any armor, though armor heavier than studded leather incurs MTHAC0 penalties (see Charts section). A psypher who spends a weapon proficiency slot on a type of armor has that penalty halved.

Psyphers have all the normal Warrior abilities, including THAC0, hit dice, Saving Throws, allowed types of magical items, and melee attacks per round. A psypher uses the same Experience Point and Level Progression table as Rangers and Paladins (i.e. 2,250 XP required for 2nd level; 4,500 XP for 3rd, etc.). A psypher's MAC is figured just like any warrior, and although psyphers are allowed the psionicist non-weapon proficiency group, the Mental Armor proficiency gives them only a +1 to MAC, just like any other warrior.

Since psyphers have psionic powers, they must keep a non-chaotic alignment at all times, or start to lose their psionic powers, just like a normal psionicist would. A psypher has access to one and only one discipline, chosen at character creation. It may not be changed afterward. Psionic defenses come naturally with level advancement, psionic attacks must be purchased with proficiency slots, and only four of each may be learned. A psypher's MTHAC0 is equivalent to a priest's THAC0. Unless the optional PSP acquisition rate rule from the Rules section is used, PSPs for a psypher are figured as follows:

At 1st level: Base Score = 15 + 1d4, modified by Wisdom, Constitution, and Intelligence
At a level up: Gain 1d4+1 additional PSPs, modified by Wisdom, Constitution, and Intelligence
Starting at 10th level: Gain 2 additional PSPs, modified by Wisdom only

Psyphers recover PSPs at the same rate as anyone else. Humans may dual-class as usual. Dwarves, halflings, and half-humans may multiclass as a Psypher/Thief.

This monk character class is not a priest, by any stretch of the imagination. This class belongs to the Psi group (as opposed to Priest or Rogue groups). The monk is an ascetic; a loner who by discipline, devotion, and determination seeks to improve himself in body, mind, and spirit. The XP progression chart used for monks is the same as a psionicist (i.e., 2,200 for level 2; 4,400 for level 3, etc).

Alignment: A monk must retain a lawful alignment because of the strict discipline his occupation requires. For every day the monk fails this restriction, he effectively loses an experience level.

Weapons: The monk seeks to improve himself in martial combat, and frequently by the most 'pure' form possible. Hence, monks specialize in unarmed combat. Monk characters get an additional initial weapon proficiency slot, as well as an additional slot at every fourth level, which must be spent on an unarmed combat form: punching, wrestling, and/or any of the martial arts detailed in Combat & Tactics. With this 'extra' art, a monk has a warrior THAC0. Monks do not suffer penalties from attacking an armed opponent, as their training specifically includes techniques to be used against armed opponents. The monk may also learn bludgeoning (type B) weapons. Monks try to become self-reliant, and so do not train in the use of edged weapons. It becomes much too easy to become reliant on the cutting power of iron and steel.

Monks have an additional ability to strike unarmed as if they were wielding a magical weapon, allowing them to damage certain creatures. The monk must invest 20 ch'i per plus in his limbs. This ch'i isn't spent, but it does have to be there. The plus does not apply to the attack roll, but it can apply to the damage roll if the monk spends as many points as the plus. It takes one round to "power up", after which it can be maintained with very little concentration.

Example: Rashaar has 62 ch'i of his maximum 80. By investing 60 ch'i into his limbs, he may strike as a +3 weapon. If he were at full strength, he could strike as a +4. While no attack bonuses are granted, he can get that +3 to damage by spending 3 ch'i upon attacking. Afterward, no matter if he hits or misses, he has only 59 ch'i, and now can only strike as a +2.

Armor: Monks do not wear armor for the same reason as they do not wield sharp weapons. To compensate, they train in evasive techniques. Upon attaining a level up, a monk may choose to lower his AC by 1, or his MAC by 1, with a score of 0 as the best he may get in both abilities. So if a monk lowers his AC at every level up, he'll have an AC of 0 upon attaining tenth level, and may not lower it any further. This doesn't take into account the AC bonus granted by dexterity. He may lower one or the other by 1 during character creation (i.e., upon attaining first level, lower AC or MAC by 1). They are allowed the use of magical rings, bracers, sashes and such which improve AC and/or MAC while not hindering the monk.

Proficiencies: Monks, as a psi class, have basically the same weapon and non-weapon proficiency slots as the psionicist, to be spent however s/he feels. However, monks receive an additional initial weapon proficiency slot for an unarmed combat form, and at every fourth level, they get an additional slot which also must be spent on an unarmed combat form (see the Weapon section, above). Monks have access to the general and psionicist non-weapon proficiency groups, as well as access to any physical proficiency in any other group at no extra cost (i.e., tumbling, jumping, endurance, etc., but not disguise, gaming, etc.).

Scouting Abilities: Monks receive three special physical abilities. Move Silently has a base chance of 10%. Hide in Shadows has a base chance of 5%. Climb Walls has a base chance of 20%. The monk receives 9 points at each level up to distribute among those abilities; twice that at first level.

All three work exactly like the thieving abilities, except for an expansion of Climb Walls. If the monk falls while within 5 feet of a wall/cliff/whatever, he may fall as many feet as his Climb Walls percentage without injury. He accomplishes this by touching the wall and uses the friction to slow his descent. Of course, the ability won't work if he's unconscious, unable to move, etc.

Material Restriction: As an ascetic, a monk tries to rid himself of dependance upon material possessions. He donates excess money and equipment to the needy. He does not keep more than he can carry, unless he establishes a monastary. In that case, he keeps only enough money and supplies to keep the place in working order.

Psionics: Monks have a vastly different approach to psionics. They do not recognize the 'established' psionic disciplines, nor the distinctions of 'science' and 'devotion'. The disciplines, or 'paths', a monk has access to are Body, Movement, Sensory, and Enlightened. Relative power of the various abilities are called 'steps', of which there are 4 to each path. Prerequisites for powers also differ from the psionicist. Weaker powers such as Blink are required before gaining access to stronger powers such as Teleport (you must learn to walk before you run).

Most monk powers operate on 'self' only; rarely does a monk get access to a power which involves anything but himself. Those that do, such as Empathy, are usually restricted in some way. Monks may not learn psionic attacks, so cannot force entry. They do receive certain ways of psionically defending themself (see the Armor section, above), though it is not what a psionicist would call a true defense.

Finally, monks are devoted to treating the body, mind, and soul as one. Throughout their physical training, for example, they learn how to throw a kick, as well as how to leap great distances. Eventually, they learn to do both in tandem, creating a leaping kick. Their mental training is similar. For all monks, using a psionic power is not exclusive. This means monks can use a psionic power and physically attack in the same round. A monk can, at any time throughout combat, for example, spend 10 ch'i and double his number of attacks (assuming he makes Accelerate's power check, of course). This ability is primarily for use with powers of the Movement path.

Using Psionics: Monks do have maximum and current PSP scores, though they call this inner power by a more ancient name, ch'i. Monks learn to channel their ch'i to achieve their more spectacular effects. Through meditation, they seek to enlighten themselves, thereby increasing their ch'i. They receive the same amount of ch'i (PSP) points as a psionicist of equal level (see Better PSP Configuration above).

Gaining access to paths and powers is fairly simple. There are 4 paths (Body, Movement, Sensory, Enlightened), and 4 steps to each of those paths. On the character sheet, record what step each path is at (they start at 0). When choosing powers, you may only choose powers which have a step equal to or less than your current step in the path the power is in. At first level, a monk character has only one step and one power (see chart below). He may put that step toward any one of the three paths. (On the character sheet, put a 1 beside the chosen path. The other three paths have a score of 0.) Now, choose a step one power from the path in which you have the score in. Upon reaching level 2, another power is granted, but not another step. Hence, pick another step one power in that path. Upon reaching level 3, another step is granted. It may be put to any of the paths (so your path scores will now either be 2,0,0,0 or 1,1,0,0). Now remember that, when choosing a power whose step is 2 or higher, it may have a prerequisite.

Example: Rashaar is a brand new 1st level monk. He decides to take the first step on the Movement path, so his scores are Movement:1; Body:0; Sensory:0; Enlightened:0. He now needs to decide which power he wants. It needs to be a Movement power with a step of 1. He chooses Catfall.
Upon reaching second level, Rashaar has to choose another step 1 Movement power. He chooses Spider Touch.
Rashaar has now finally achieved 3rd level. He gains another step and another power. He considers putting a step towards Sensory so he can get the Danger Sense power, but instead decides to specialize in the Movement path. His path scores are now at Movement:2; Body:0; Sensory:0; Enlightened:0. For his new power, he wants TK flight, but cannot take it because he doesn't already posses Levitate. He settles for Accelerate. He'll probably learn Levitate at 4th level, since he'll have to wait until 5th level for Danger Sense, when he gains another step.

Save Bonus: Monks, due to their knowledge, control, and general fitness of their bodies and minds, receive a bonus of +2 to all saving throws versus poison, paralyzation, and death magic.

Followers: At 9th level, the master monk may establish his own monastary and attract grasshoppers - er, beginning monks. His ascetic restriction is somewhat lifted, as he may keep enough money and supplies to run the monastary, though not at a profit. A possible exception would be the monastary's library, a vast storehouse of ancient knowledge and wisdom.

Creating Techniques and Paths: Upon attaining 9th level, a master monk may create a new technique. Once the player and DM have settled upon the new power's path, step, prerequisites, and normal power statistics and effects, and the monk meets those requirements, the monk may begin to create it. It takes as many months as the power's step of study and experimentation, after which a Technique Check is rolled. A Technique check is an MTHAC0 roll against the power's MAC with a to-hit penalty equal to the power's step. Failure indicates another week of study and experimentation.

Upon attaining 17th level, one is now a grandmaster monk, and may create a new path. It takes six months of uninterrupted study, after which a successful MTHAC0 attack roll against MAC 0 indicates he is finished. Failure indicates another month of study and experimentation. The path may contain old powers in a different order, new powers, and variations of old powers. The grandmaster monk may not have all the powers in his new path - especially if he has not created them yet - but old powers, including variations, that he has from other paths he does possess.

Scribe Scrolls: Upon attaining 12th level, a master monk may scribe technique scrolls. A technique scroll contains all the knowledge of a single power. Another monk can study one of these scrolls to learn that technique, assuming he has all the necessary requirements (path, step, power prerequisites). Scribing a technique requires a week of uninterrupted study followed by a Technique Check (see above). Failure indicates one must start over.

Learning a technique from a scroll is similar. Assuming he meets the requirements of the technique, the monk may begin. It takes a month of uninterrupted study and practice, followed by a Technique check (see above). If the check fails, another one may be attempted after another week of study.

Upon attaining 17th level, one is now a grandmaster monk, and may scribe a path scroll. It contains the basic tenets, beliefs, and ideology so the reader of the scroll may gain access to the new path. It is assumed that the writer also writes technique scrolls for the new path. Learning a new path from a scroll takes three months of uninterrupted study followed by an MTHAC0 roll against MAC 0. Failure requires another month of study after which the check may be rerolled. The DM may adjust the MAC score based upon the difficulty of the path. Know that once success is attained, it only makes it possible to learn powers within that path; learning the path itself does not confer any powers.

The metapsionics discipline is reprinted for those of us who want to keep it. A subdiscipline entitled Stealth has been put together from the Telepathy discipline for a good reference for which powers do not catch a victim's attention. How the listing is used is up to the DM. Finally, the 4 main paths for the monk are also listed, with power prerequisites in parentheses.

Movement Path

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4
Catfall	Accelerate	Probability Travel (Astral Projection)	Dimension Walk (Shadow Walk)
Immovability	Blink	Shadow Walk	Plane Shift (Probability Travel)
Levitate	Time Dilation (T/S Anchor)	Teleport (Blink)	Time Travel (Time Shift)
Spider Touch	TK Flight (Levitate)	Time Shift (Time Dilation)
Time/Space Anchor	Astral Projection	Phase

Body Path

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4
Adrenaline Control	Body Equilibrium	Chameleon Power (Alter Features)	Body Control
Alter Features	Expansion	Regenerate	Metamorphosis
Biofeedback	Flesh Armor	Ectoplasmic Form (Body Equilibrium)	Shadow-form (Ectoplasmic Form)
Enhanced Strength	Cell Adjustment	Suspend Animation (Mind Over Body)	Complete Healing
Mind Over Body	Reduction
Photosynthesis

Sensory Path

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4
All-round Vision	Empathy	Safe Path (Danger Sense)	Clairaudience (Truthear)
Conceal Thoughts	Cognitive Trance	See Ethereal	Clairvoyance (All-round Vision)
Danger Sense	Life Detection	Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions	Precognition (Cognitive Trance)
Heighten Senses	Mind Bar (Conceal Thoughts)	Spirit Sense (Life Detection)
Fighting Trance	Poison Sense (Danger Sense)	Aura Sight (Empathy)
Truthear	See Magic

Enlightened Path

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4
Enhancement	Cannabalize	Convergence	Appraise (Retrospection)
Intensify	Gird (Prolong)	Kikkoken (Psychic Blade)	Subjective Reality
Magnify	Psychic Blade (Intensify)	Retrospection
Prolong	Splice
Iron Will

Metapsionics Discipline

Sciences	Devotions
Appraise	Cannabalize	Martial Trance	Retrospection
Aura Alteration	Cognitive Trance	Probability Manip.	Splice
Empower	Convergence	Prolong	Stasis Field
Psychic Clone	Enhancement	Psionic Inflation	Wrench
Psychic Surgery	Fighting Trance	Psionic Sense
Split Personality	Gird	Psionic Vampirism
Subjective Reality	Intensify	Psychic Blade
Supress Magic	Iron Will	Psychic Drain
Ultrablast	Magnify	Receptable

Stealth Subdiscipline (Telepathy)

Sciences	Devotions
Fate Link*	Amnesia*	Awe	Contact*
Hallucination	Daydream	ESP*	False Sensory Input*
Superior Invisibility	Invisibility	Post-Hypnotic Suggestion	Send Thoughts*
	Sensory Suppression*	Telemphatic Projection*

* Power check penalty for stealth use

Some of these powers have been converted from the original Psionics Net Book, so may look kinda familiar. PSP Costs are for normal usage. If initialization of a power fails, the cost is half the listed PSP Cost, round down.

Animate Tattoo
Disciplines: Psychometabolism [d]
MAC: 10
PSP Cost: 1/round
Range: touch
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: none

This cosmetic power allows a psionicist to create and animate skin designs on himself or others.

Animate Water
Disciplines: Telekinesis [d]
MAC: 7
PSP Cost: 3/round
Range: 50 yards
Area of Effect: 200 lbs.
Prerequisites: Telekinesis

This power brings liquids "to life". Besides making useful shapes, such as a chair or boat, attacks can be made, as a creature with a MV of 12 and a THAC0 equal to the psionicist's MTHAC0. The creature has an effective strength equal to the psionicist's Intelligence, and does a base of 1d6 points of damage.

Contact
Disciplines: Telepathy [d]
MAC: equal to target's MAC
PSP: variable / half
Range: variable
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: none

If the DM wishes, he may reserve Contact's special abilities - Stealth, Life Order, Distance - for a power version. If so, then the contact proficiency is a special case of the contact power.

The PSP cost is equal to the MTHAC0 penalties from the chart(s), except in the case of Stealth, which has its own costs and such. If one tried to contact a particular aarockra who's 10 miles away, the total MTHAC0 penalty (and PSP cost) would be 3 (bird) + 3 (10 miles) = 6. Contacting this aarockra involves rolling your MTHAC0 (with a -6 penalty) against this aarockra's MAC, and costs 6 PSPs per round to maintain.

Crystal Mind
Disciplines: Telepathy [d]
MAC: 4
PSP Cost: 6 per round
Range: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: 10th level

While Crystal Mind is maintained, a psionic can initiate two powers per round instead of one. Psionic attacks and defenses do not count as a power for this purpose. Crystal Mind covers itself, so it can be initiated and maintained simultaneously with another power.

Defile Deflection
Disciplines: Metapsionics [s], Psychokinetic [s]
MAC: 5
PSP Cost: 5 per round
Range: 60 yards
Area of Effect: one creature/item
Prerequisites: none

This power creates a sort of bubble around the affected creature which blocks the life-drain from defiling magic. While the power is maintained, a being on one side of the bubble attempting to use defiling magic can only draw upon what on that side of the bubble with him, including himself. In that case, the defiler loses twice as many hit points as the level of the spell cast.

Ejection
Disciplines: Telepathic [s]
MAC: 8
PSP: 1 / 0
Range: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: none

Ejection is the final defense against unwanted contact. Once a psionic has contact with another psionic's mind, the contactee can, assuming he still has PSPs, eject the other. There are four instances in which a psionic may be contacted but still have PSPs. One, the opponent scored a critical hit, gaining early contact. Two, the opponent contacted stealthily, but has since been found out. Three, the contactee has since gained PSPs, such as through the use of a receptable. Finally, the contactee may have dropped his defenses, allowing the opponent to contact him, for the specific purpose of ejecting him again. This gutsy maneuver is usually only used against a less-skilled adversary.

Ejection is risky for both participants. If the power succeeds, then both the user and the opponent must save vs. paralyzation or suffer side effects. If a save fails, use the number on the saving throw die to find the effect. Notice that, the higher-level a character is, the lower the save must be, and so the lesser the effect of ejection. This is one instance where the Optional Rule: High Level Saving Throw Modifiers can come into play.

1. Lose 1d4 additional PSPs
2. Lose access to a randomly determined devotion for 1d10 hours
3. Lose 1d6 additional PSPs
4. Lose 1d4 hit points
5. Lose access to a randomly determined science for 1d10 hours
6. Lose 1d8 additional PSPs
7. Lose 1d6 hit points
8. Lose access to all sciences for 1d10 hours
9. Lose 1d10 additional PSPs
10. Lose 1d8 hit points
11. Lose access to a randomly determined discipline for 1d10 hours
12. Lose 1d10+10 additional PSPs
13. Lose 1d10 hit points
14. Lose 1 point of Constitution for one week
15. Lose access to all psionic powers for 1d10 hours
16. Lose 1 point of Intelligence for one week
17. Lose 1d10+10 hit points
18. Lose 1 point of Wisdom for one week
19. Lose consciousness for 1d10 days

This power enables a psionicist to safely convert energy absorbed from the prerequisite powers into hit points by sending the energy through his natural healing mechanisms. For every 3 PSPs spent, 5 of those stored damage points can be converted into 1 hit point.

Exude Magic
Disciplines: Metapsionic [d], Psychokinetic [d]
MAC: 10
PSP: 1+ / 1+ per turn
Range/Area Of Effect: Self
Prerequisites: none

Allows a psi to power a spelljamming helm. PSP cost is 1/turn for a minor helm or 2/turn for a major helm. One PSP per turn *can* be spent while on a major helm, in which case it acts as if it were a minor helm. Power will work even within a Dispel Magic area, thought the PSP cost is doubled.

This power has a few side effects. The psi will glow if Detect Magic is cast on him or he is within the area of effect. It will disrupt magical experiments and spells which call for magical 'purity' in the area, such as the Identify spell or the process of creating a magical item. In wild magic zones, it can cause mild wild surges. As far as the everyday mage is concerned, this power is similar to Nystul's Magical Aura.

Kikkoken
Disciplines: Enlightened [3]
MAC: 4
PSP Cost: 4+/2+
Range: (Intelligence) yards
Area Of Effect: one creature or item
Prerequisites: Psychic Blade

Kikkoken is an ancient word meaning "energy from the palm". Using this power, a monk may channel his ch'i externally into a fiery projectile, capable of igniting combustible materials. A THAC0 roll against the opponent's physical AC is needed for the attack to connect. To-hit bonuses come from dexterity's missile attack adjustment. Base damage equals 1d4 plus the magical attack adjustment (from the wisdom chart). For every 2 additional ch'i points spent, the die size increases by 1, up to a maximum of 1d12 for spending a total of 12 ch'i. As an example, if a monk spends 8 ch'i on one use of kikkoken, the damage is 1d8, plus any damage bonuses granted by wisdom. Note that psionicists may not learn this power.

Kinetic Wave
Disciplines: Psychokinetic [s]
MAC: 4
PSP Cost: 15
Range: 30 yds
Area of Effect: Cone, 30 yards long, 5 yard width
Prerequisites: Project Force, Telekinesis

The power of Kinetic Wave allows a psionicist to assault his foes with a telekinetic blast. All beings in this area are subject to 1d10 points of damage and must save vs death or be knocked prone.

Levitate Other
Disciplines: Telekinesis [d]
MAC: 5
PSP Cost: 1/10 lbs.
Range: 30 yards
Area of Effect: one item/creature
Prerequisites: Levitate

This power allows the levitation of other people and objects. It is more cost-efficient than TK, though horizontal movement is not possible. It resembles Levitate in all other ways.

Mass Driver
Disciplines: Psychokinetic [d]
MAC: 7
PSP Cost: 3/1 per missile
Range: touch
Area of Effect: 1+ missiles
Prerequisites: Telekinesis

Knowledge of the Mass Driver skill allows the psionicist to temporarily add velocity to missile type weapons. These weapons should normally be fired immediately after preparation, but they can be held in an excited state for 1 psp per held missile. A Mass Driven missile inflicts double dice of its usual damage.

Paralyze
Disciplines: Telepathy [d]
MAC: 5
PSP cost: 2/1 per round per person
Range: 40 yards
Area of Effect: one victim
Prerequisites: Mindlink

This telepathic ability allows a psi to reach into an opponents mind and numb certain voluntary muscle groups. Any limb of choice can be chosen when the power works, and a new limb can be affected each round the power is maintained. The DM can use pre-existing rules for numbed limbs from the Complete Fighter's Handbook:

• 1 arm- drops shield, cannot attack with that arm
• 2 arms- spellcasting and weapon attacks impossible
• 1 leg- half speed, Dexterity penalized
• 2 legs- falls prone, cannot stand
• head/neck- cannot see or talk effectively

This power allows the psionicist to travel to different planes of existance. Traveling between the Prime Material plane and either the Astral Plane or the Ethereal plane costs 20 PSPs per person. Traveling between the Outer Planes and the Astral costs 30 PSPs, as does traveling between the Inner Planes and the Ethereal. To travel from an Inner Plane to an Outer (or vice-versa) costs a total of 100 PSPs. The DM may disallow this power as it is for use with the PLANESCAPE campaign setting.

Portrait Reading
Disciplines: Clairsentient [s]
MAC: 7
PSP Cost: 12
Range: 1 yard
Area of Effect: one person
Prerequisites: none

This power allows the psionicist to learn more about a person by studying a portrait or picture of the person. Actually looking at the person gives a +1 MTHAC0 bonus. The information gained is listed on the chart. A result on the table is cumulative with the results for lesser Power Checks.

This power allows the psionicist to stop the aging process in himself or others he maintains physical contact with. Suspend Aging is particularly useful for long-time inhabitants of the Astral Plane who need to visit another plane.

Time Shift Other
Disciplines: Psychoportation [d]
MAC: 5
PSP Cost: 10,20,30
Range: 30 yds
Area of Effect: One creature
Prerequisite: Time Shift

This is the use of the power Time Shift, but upon another. The user can blink a foe (or any other being) forward into time by one to three rounds, depending upon the PSP cost. If used successfully, the being affected loses those rounds of action, as it vanishes from the timestream. This loss of action is disorienting, as the being sees nothing that transpires while it is away.

TK Summon
Disciplines: Telekinesis [d]
MAC: 9
PSP Cost: 3+
Range: 30 yards
Area of Effect: one item
Prerequisites: Telekinesis

This power telekinetically snatches an item and brings it to the psionicist's hand within the round it was summoned. It has the same variable PSP cost as TK, but this power is not maintainable.

Wooden
Disciplines: Psychometabolism [d]
MAC: 8
PSP Cost: 3 per round
Range: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: none

A psi using the devotion of Wooden has learned to lace his epidermis with cellulose, effectively lowering his AC by 3 points, This armor also reduces damage taken by one point per hit taken to a minimum of 1 point. This plant based armor interacts with defiling magic in a strange way. Because it is fueled by an animal source it supplies much more energy than normal (each spell level only drains one hit point). If the spell is fed in this manner it does not harm the land. The armor continually regenerates its effectiveness (not hp) as long as it is maintained.

Herein are presented new psionic creatures and plants. For creatures who need a MAC but do not have one listed, then assume a MAC of 9 for Average intelligence, minus one for every catagory displaced from Average. If the creature is psionic, then lower the MAC further by 1d4-1 points. Finally, roll 1d3 for a varience of +1, +0, or -1.

Animated Cloak: This fine cloak has a varient TK science Animate Self within it. It is empathic, sensing its wearer's needs. Its sole ability is moving itself as if it were alive (well, it is). But this innocuous power manifests itself in useful ways. It can fan out and act as a parachute of sorts if its wearer falls. It can bother opponents in melee, either by blocking vision or wrapping its hem around an ankle and yanking. Most importantly, it can give quite a dramatic performance, fanning out in front of someone its wearer wishes to intimidate, or rippling in the wind, when there is no wind.

Psijamming Helm: psijammer helm creation, for Spelljammer campaign, or simply for the technologically-minded. Requires at least 3 psionicists, one a Psychokineticist, another a Telepath, the last a Metapsionicist. All must have the power Convergence, and all must be at least 10th level. Details later.

Rings of Protection: The bonus to AC and saving throws granted by a ring of protection also applies to the wearer's MAC.

I trimmed this snippet down to the essential idea, both to emphasize the point, and so one could do psionic combat as they please. I intend to use this system for the Psychic character class, as it fits quite nicely.

• Power Checks: Using the same mechanic as S&P's proficiencies, psionic powers have a initial score which is the number to roll equal to or below on a 1d20. Use the listed MAC as the power's initial score. PSP costs are as in S&P. The Relevant Attribute for each power is the attribute listed in the CPH's Power Score heading (example: Catfall's relevant attribute is Dexterity) or use the High Stats & Power Checks rule from above. The table shows the modifiers.

  Attribute score	3	4	5	6	7	8-13	14	15	16	17	18	19-20	21-22	23-24	25
  Modifier	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8	+9

  Additionally, for powers with many ranges (like teleportation) when the power is acquired you only get to use it at the first range. For every point spent in it you both increase the power's base value and get access to the next power range.
• Wild talents: Use Skills & Powers Wild Talents for character point costs to allow a character such powers. They may also spend their regular character points to increase their power scores, similar to the psionicist (which follows).
• Psionicists: use the progression table in the CPH. At each XP level, a psionicist receives points equal to half his new level (round up). He can increase the base value of any one of his powers on a point-for-point basis (maximum 2 points per level). He can increase the base value of a power by five if he relearns a power. The maximum base value of all powers is 16.
  

EXAMPLE: Marastad of Nibenay is a psychoportator. He's got Con 16, Int 17 and Wis 17. He acquired teleportation at first level, and initially his score was 9 (base value) +4 (Intelligence modifier)=13. He could only teleport up to 10 yards. Many levels later, he went to live to Tyr and trained his power so he could teleport back and forth to Nibenay. By then he had spent 5 points, so he had a score of 14 (base value +4) +4 (Intelligence modifier)=18. To teleport to Nibenay he will have to roll under 14 (18-4, the up to 1000 miles modifier for teleport) and spend 50 PSPs.

Marastad also gets flesh armor later in his career, for enhanced defense against physical attacks. As he's not willing to spend many points in the power, he just spends two additional ones. He then has a power score of 6+2 (base score + 2 points) +3 (constitution modifier)=11. Additionally, the maximum result he can get is AC 7 (only spent two points) unless he gets a power score, which would get him AC 6.

Marastad also got invincible foes, and hasn't spend any points on it. He can use the full power (no ranges), but also has a power score of 8+4=12, which doesn't make for a very reliable power.

To convert power scores from the old to the new system, find the Power Check modifier in the old power description (It's the number added to the attribute to find the power score.). Find the MAC from the chart. Now, look at the Characteristics list. For every criteria the power meets under Difficult Powers, lower the MAC by 1. For every criteria the power meets under Easier Powers, raise the MAC by 1. No power may have a MAC higher than 10. If the Metapsionic discipline isn't used, Metapsionic powers should be placed into a preexisting discipline via DM discretion.

To convert power scores from the new to the old system, apply modifiers from the Characteristics list to the modifier. Then find the result on chart for the MAC. If there are two, use the higher number (ie, -2 for MAC 6). Now, the relevant ability comes from the discipline in which the power is in. If the power affects any characteristics of other powers (range, duration, power check, etc.) or the PSP max score, then place it into the Metapsionics discipline.

MAC	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3
Modifier	+2	+1	0	-1	-2, -3	-4, -5	-6, -7	-8

Characteristics of Difficult Powers: Belongs to Psychoportive or Metapsionic disciplines; Relevant attribute is Str, Dex, or Chs
Characteristics of Easier Powers: Belongs to Clairsentient discipline, Relevant attribute is Wis

Calculating a character class's MHD type: Start with a base of 1d4. If Intelligence is an Ability Requirement for the class, increase the MHD size by one (i.e., 1d4 becomes 1d6). If Intelligence is also a Prime Requisite for the class, increase the MHD type again. Repeat the procedure for Wisdom. The result is the Mental Hit Die type for the class.

Example: The psionicist class has Intelligence as an Ability Requirement, so the MHD becomes 1d6. Wisdom is an Ability Requirement, so MHD is 1d8. Wisdom is also a Prime Requisite, so the final MHD type is 1d10.

Example: The fighter class does not have Int. or Wis. as a requirement. Its MHD type is 1d4.

Calculating a character's MHP max: Normal hit points are figured by rolling the Hit Die followed by adding a Constitution bonus (or penalty). Roll the Mental Hit Die and add any Wisdom bonus or penalty from the "Mag. Att. Adj." column.

Calculating a monster's MHD type: Divide the creature's Intelligence by 4, round down. That is the number of times to increase the die size from 1d4.

Calculating a monster's MHP max: Roll the MHD once per HD and add the rolls (i.e., roll (HD)d(MHD).

Using MHPs: Damage from the 5 psionic attacks is recorded against the MHP score, not the PSP score. Contact is gained when the victim's MHPs are 0. MHPs recover naturally at a rate of 1/turn.
Optional rule: MHP recovery: Instead of a flat rate of recovery, MHPs recover at a speed determined by mental activity. See PSP recovery in the optional rules section.

The astral plane is discussed in other such tomes like The Guide to the Astral Plane, but even it did not touch upon the intimate nature of psionics and that plane. These little pointers should bring a berk out of the dark. Mind that these rules are still just taking shape.

• First, all general rules regarding magic still apply. This includes extradimensional spaces, access to the Ethereal and Inner planes, completely physical effects, time effects, effects required a solid ground or other frame of reference, and finally, gravity and other such laws-of-physics effects.
• Having said that, required times to use a psionic power do not change. These factors are completely internal to the psionic. The astral does not speed up your thought processes. Nor is the MAC of any power affected.
• The good news is, with the laws of physics out of the way, PSP costs are *greatly* reduced. As a matter of fact, all powers have a base cost of 1 PSP. PSP penalties due to time and distance do not apply, though MAC penalties do. The exceptions only include powers used upon unwilling subjects, where there is a PSP penalty based upon the ability of that victim to resist, such as many Telepathic powers.
• The bad news is, without time, and without your physical body as a battery, PSPs barely recover at all. Psionics recover 1 PSP per hour of sleep while on the Astral.
• Since there is no real distance to the Astral, many powers have a range set at 200 feet, which is also line-of-sight. This is most useful to know for psionic attacks. Local conditions may change this. Some powers, such as clairvoyance and teleport, are obvious exceptions.
• But the most notable difference that a psionic needs to know about the astral is this: the astral is where mental battles take place. Wherever two psionics mentally battle with each other, you can view and even join the battle by traveling to it in the astral as normal.
• Having said that, all psionic powers are not only visible, but obvious in the same way as a wizard's magic. Non-psionic characters can see the harbingers and constructs, even participate with them. Psionic people have a limited ability to create temporary objects out of the void by expending PSPs.
• Psionic attacks and such frequently take the form of projectiles which home in on their target. The interesting thing is, non-psionics can actively dodge these projectiles. Magical items can even parry psionic powers.
• The only exception to the above rule is, of course, if the combatants are on the Ethereal or Inner planes. In that case, psionic combat is performed silently, just like it looks on the Prime. It is said that the battles take place in the temporary astral space within the combatants.
• By spending extra PSPs, a psionic can change the form of his surroundings, the 200 foot radius spherical area about him, which can readily confuse the non-psionic. Successful telepathic powers easily affect what the affected victim sees - for example, an Awed or Dominated victim may see the psionic as being very large. So large, in fact, that the victim fits in the palm of the psionic's hand.
• Psionicists always use their MTHAC0 and MAC scores for combat.

Well, that's the Skills-and-Powers Psionics Netbook. Hopefully, you'll find it useful in some respect. I don't work on it as often as I used to; I may touch it up every year or so with any ideas that trickle in from readers like you. So I guess how often it's updated depends upon how often you people email me. :-) I'm still tinkering with the rules for psionics in the astral plane. Until then, enjoy!