Biokinesis
Using this skill allows a character to harness the power of the mind to enhance his or her performance. With just the broad skill, a character can attempt to use any of the related specialty skills except those that can’t be used untrained.
Bio-armor
This skill psionically reinforces a character’s skin, helping to protect from damage. This “body armor” provides (LI d6/HI d6/En d4) points of protection against damage, but does not protect against psionic attacks. (See Telepathy for ways to avoid psionic attacks.)
The result of the skill check determines the duration of the bio-armor:
- Ordinary: 10 minutes.
- Good: 1 hour.
- Amazing: 6 hours.
The skin hardening impairs the character’s movement in the same way as worn armor with AP 1, but a lighter version can be achieved by sacrificing 1 point of armor on each category, this eliminates the armor penalty.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 3 [Increased Effect] the protection afforded by bio-armor increases to (LI d8 / HI d6 / En d4+1).
▶ Rank 6 [Increased Effect] this value further increases to (LI d8 / HI d6+1 / En d6)b .
▶ Rank 9 [Increased Toughness] the armor is treated as being of Good toughness.
▶ Rank 12 [Increased Effect] the armor value increases again to (LI 2d4 / HI 2d4 / En d8).
Bioweapon
When employing this skill, a character generates a field of kinetic energy emanating from his or her hands. This energy manifests in one of two ways, to be chosen by the player at the time the character makes a successful skill check: a staff or a sword.
The player may alter the shape of the staff to a club, and the sword to a particular type of sword (katana, saber, broadsword, and so on). These changes neither affect the damage the bioweapon will do, nor do they grant any special properties to the weapon; they are cosmetic only.
The principal difference in the two forms is in the sort of damage they do. A character who wishes just to knock out an opponent would be best served creating a staff; those who mean to inflict more serious harm on an opponent will likely create the sword.
| Form | Base Damage | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Staff | d8s/d8+2s/d12+2s | LI/O |
| Sword | d6w/d6+2w/d6m | LI/O |
The character uses the [[melee combat—powered]] specialty skill to wield the bioweapon, regardless of its form.
The result of the bioweapon skill check may add a bonus to the attack check as follows:
- Ordinary: –1 step bonus
- Good: –2 step bonus
- Amazing: –3 step bonus
This bonus lasts until the character chooses not to maintain the bioweapon.
Rank Benefits:
▶ Rank 3 [Increased Damage] the damage of the bioweapon increases by +1.
▶ Rank 6 [Increased Damage] it increases again (to a total of +2).
▶ Rank 9 [Increased Damage] all attacks made with the bioweapon are considered to deliver Good damage.
▶ Rank 12 [Improved Damage] it increases by another +1 (to a total of +3).
Control Metabolism
Through the use of this skill, a character can regulate his or her metabolic processes. This allows longer survival without food and water, in extreme climates, and in other hostile conditions. The character can also slow bodily functions to the point of pretending to be dead, should he or she need to fool others in some situation.
A check is made when a character enters a hostile environment or otherwise wants to employ this skill.
Hostile Environments
In the case of a hostile environment, the result of a skill check determines the type of protection a character can simulate:
- Ordinary: vacuum suit
- Good: soft e-suit
- Amazing: hard e-suit
By spending an extra point of psionic energy, the character can treat the skill use as if he has one step better result. He can also spend an extra point of psionic energy to treat the extended duration as one step better.
Adrenal boost
The character can mentally boost adrenaline output, giving an action check bonus.
- Ordinary: +1 to action check score.
- Good: +2 to action check score.
- Amazing: +3 to action check score.
Endorphin release
The character can mentally stimulate the production of endorphins, increasing his or her resistance to pain and fatigue.
- Ordinary: -1 step bonus to Stamina checks.
- Good: -2 step bonus to Stamina checks.
- Amazing: -3 step bonus to Stamina checks.
Only one use of the skill is allowed at the same time (hostile environments, adrenal boost, or endorphin release)
Heal
By concentrating, a character using this skill can heal wounds or disease. The character can treat wounds or diseases, healing the subject a number of wound points based on the skill check result.
Wounds
- Ordinary: 1 wound point
- Good: 2 wound points
- Amazing: 3 wound points
Disease
For disease, the following results apply:
- Ordinary: reduce the degree of illness by one grade (from Good to Ordinary, for instance).
- Good: reduce by two grades.
- Amazing: reduce by three grades.
Diseases reduced below Marginal are considered cured.
Timing
Psionic healing imposes heavy strain on the body, so the skill can’t be attempted more than once per hour, any attempt of using the skill more than once per hour will result in a level of exhaustion that cannot be recovered from until 24 hours have passed since the last attempt.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Treating Poison], a character may counteract the effect of poisons or drugs in his or her system before the end of their onset time, reducing the impact they may have. The degree of success acts as a bonus to the Constitution feat check required: Ordinary: –2 step bonus, Good: –3 step bonus, Amazing: –4 step bonus.
▶ Rank 6 [Healing Mortal Damage], a character becomes able to heal mortal damage. Skill check results change to: Ordinary: 2 wounds, Good: 3 wounds or 1 mortal, Amazing: 4 wounds or 2 mortals.
▶ Rank 8 [Improved Effect], a character’s ability to heal improves further: Ordinary: 3 wounds or 1 mortal, Good: 4 wounds or 2 mortals, Amazing: 6 wounds or 3 mortals.
▶ Rank 8 [Laying On Hands], a character becomes able to heal damage in others. The subject to be healed must be in physical contact with the character using this ability.
▶ Rank 12 [Master Healer], a character reduces the strain of psionic healing, the skill can be attempted once every 10 minutes without causing exhaustion. Additionally, the character can double the number of mortals healed at the cost of 1 additional psionic energy per mortal healed and one point of exhaustion on both healer and subject.
Morph
By using this skill, a character can alter physical features to avoid recognition, impersonate, or achieve feats otherwise impossible (e.g., squeeze into a small hole, reach high places, or slip free of bonds).
Morphing requires an entire round (4 phases) to complete. The character can do nothing else while this process is taking place.
The initial skill check determines how long the morphed form lasts:
- Ordinary: 1 round
- Good: 2 rounds
- Amazing: 3 rounds
A morphed body part retains its original characteristics; no game statistics change except those directly related to the morphing. Morphing has no effect on a character’s clothing or possessions.
Rank Benefits
Disguise (ranks 5, 7, 9, 12)
▶ Rank 5 – Facial disguise: +2 step penalty to Awareness checks when trying to recognize the character.
▶ Rank 7 – Limb‑length adaptation: alter limb length to aid impersonation.
▶ Rank 9 – Body‑volume change: shrink or expand to fit unusually shaped spaces.
▶ Rank 12 – Improved disguise: +4 step penalty, can mimic a specific person.
Impersonation (ranks 5, 7, 9)
▶ Rank 5 – Voice mimicry: copy another’s speech patterns. -1 step bonus to Entertainment-Act checks.
▶ Rank 7 – Mannerism replication: an additional -1 step bonus to Entertainment-Act checks due to the ability of freely replicating the subject’s mannerisms.
▶ Rank 9 – Full persona adoption: combine voice, mannerisms, and appearance for a convincing impersonation. Due to the ability to completely separate his mental state from the visible persona, the character gains an additional -1 step bonus to Interaction and Entertainment-Act checks.
Mechanical Alteration (ranks 5, 7, 9, 12)
▶ Rank 5 – Increase flexibility: +0.5 m reach for a specific limb.
▶ Rank 7 – Reduce stun damage taken from blunt attacks and secondary damage by 1.
▶ Rank 9 – Soft landing: halve damage from falling.
▶ Rank 12 – Reduce stun damage taken from blunt attacks and secondary damage by 2.
Small‑Space Passage (Ranks 5, 7, 9)
▶ Rank 5 – Squeeze through cracks (up to 30 cm wide).
▶ Rank 7 – Pass through tight spaces as if you have no bones up to 25cm diameter.
▶ Rank 9 – Able to pass a arm through a 1 cm wide crack or space, allowing to pass the arm under a door and combine with elongate arms reach the lock from the inside.
Reach & Height (Ranks 5, 7, 9)
▶ Rank 5 – Elongate fingers: +0.5 m reach.
▶ Rank 7 – Elongate arms: +1 m reach.
▶ Rank 9 – Elongate legs: +1 m height.
Contortion and Compression (Ranks 5, 7, 9)
▶ Rank 5 – Fit into a container of similar “volume” as your body. The volume of an average human male can fit in a 50cm side cube with a limited degree of movement.
▶ Rank 7 – Fit into a container of 3/4 the volume of your body, movement is not hindered.
▶ Rank 9 – Fit into a container of 1/2 the volume of your body, movement is not hindered.
Rejuvenate
When using this skill, a character can offset fatigue or stun damage, or some of each, that he or she has suffered. The skill does nothing to alleviate psionic energy loss.
A successful skill check provides the character with a certain number of “rejuvenation points.” It costs 2 of these points to restore 1 point of fatigue damage, and 1 of these points to restore 1 point of stun damage. On an Ordinary success, the character receives 2 “rejuvenation points”; on a Good success, 4 points; and on an Amazing success, 6 points. The character can use these points in any combination to restore stun points, fatigue points, or some of each. “Rejuvenation points” that can’t be used immediately are lost.
Psionic rejuvenation requires time. The results are immediate, but the body’s reaction to the use of the skill lasts one hour. For this reason, the rejuvenate skill can’t be attempted more than once per hour.
Rank Benefits:
▶ Rank 3 [Improved Effect] the effect of a successful skill roll improves as follows:
- Ordinary: 4 points
- Good: 6 points
- Amazing: 8 points
▶ Rank 3 [Treating Disease] a character may counteract the effect of disease in his or her system. The result of the skill check determines how much the disease is reduced. The disease is reduced by one grade on Good success, and 2 grades on an Amazing success. An Ordinary success is not enough to help recover from the disease, but it eliminates all penalties the disease may be causing for a day. Only one successful check per day may be made to treat a disease.
▶ Rank 6 [Laying On Hands] a character becomes able to heal fatigue or stun damage, as well as disease, in others. The subject to be healed must be in physical contact with the character using this ability.
▶ Rank 12 [Two Recipients] a character using rejuvenate may affect two individuals with a single use of the skill. This can be on two other people or on the character and one other person. Each gains whatever benefit is determined by the Biokinesis-rejuvenate skill check.
Clamber
In the distant past, certain t’sa psions developed the clamber skill—usually those who dwelled in the mountainous regions of the t’sa homeworld. With it, the psionic t’sa (or a psion trained by t’sa) generates thousands of tiny suckers on the palms of his hands and the soles of his or her feet. The character can then move up and down nearly vertical surfaces with ease, and can even move across inverted surfaces for short distances. In the steep mountains of the t’sa homeworld, this often meant survival.
The degree of success with this skill determines the modifier to a psion’s [[athletics—climb]] attempt. The psion gains a –1, –2, or –3 step bonus, depending on the degree of success (Ordinary, Good, or Amazing). Further, if the distance is within the user’s walk rate, the character can dash across inverted surfaces, effectively running across the ceiling. The character cannot stop or change direction before traveling the full distance without falling. The same will happen if the character has nothing to hold onto on reaching his or her destination.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Increased Distance] the distance the user can travel while climbing or running across inverted surfaces is doubled.
▶ Rank 8 [Increased Distance] the distance is three times the base rate.
▶ Rank 12 [Increased Distance] the distance is four times the base rate.
Shatter
Weren history tells of a clan that used armor to conquer the other clans. Having fashioned plates of crude armor from boiled marrizhe hide, this clan was despised by the other clans—but they were also unstoppable. Then came a great character—posthumously claimed by every other clan—who duelled the warlord of the armored clan for all his land, herds, and wives. In the midst of the duel, the mystery weren suddenly brought both fists down on his opponent’s armored chest, and the leather plates shattered. At best an average fighter without his armor, the warlord quickly succumbed, and the weren warrior mysteriously vanished—though not, of course, without claiming his prizes.
Weren warriors have long attempted to emulate that legendary fighter, though the only successes have been by psionics‑users gifted with Biokinesis. They are able to direct bio‑energy in a way that strenthens there claws, while deteriorate the surfaces they hit, in such a way that the surface softens, deforms, or breaks.
To use this ability, the user must have some sort of cutting natural armor (e.g. claws, spurs, horns). If the check is successful, the character natural weapons get strengthened, and charged with bioenergy. This energy increases the damage dealt and on an attack result of amazing the armor of the target gets infected by bioenergy, temporarily compromising its integrity. Until the start of the next round the armor rolls include a reroll, taking the worst result. Only armors of ordinary toughness are affected by this power.
Claw/Spur/Horn attacks are made while this power is active, inflict additional damage based on the check result:
- Ordinary: +1 damage
- Good: +2 damage
- Amazing: +3 damage
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 6 [Increased Quality] claws/spurs/horns attacks are now considered good quality.
▶ Rank 8 [Improved Destabilization] From this onwards the good success on attacks are enough to destabilize an armor. This effect now works on good quality armors as well.
▶ Rank 12 [Armor Degradation] On an amazing success the armor integrity is now so compromised that its toughness is also reduced, from Amazing to Good, from Good to Ordinary, Ordinary armor stop protecting until the effect ends.
Visual Enhancement
By psionically reshaping your visual organs and rewriting the neural pathways of the visual cortex, the character can shift their vision across different bands of the electromagnetic spectrum and map structural environments through biological signatures.
To activate this power, the character makes a skill check. For the duration of the power, the character gains low-light vision (equivalent to a feline’s tapetum lucidum), allowing them to see in near-total darkness as if it were twilight. Additionally, the character receives a step bonus to all Awareness-perception checks involving sight (normal or augmented) based on the level of success:
- Ordinary Success: Grants a -1 step bonus.
- Good Success: Grants a -2 step bonus.
- Amazing Success: Grants a -3 step bonus.
Physiological Side Effects: The activation of this power causes visible, often disturbing biological shifts. At a minimum, the character’s pupils dilate fully and a reflective membrane covers the iris, making the eyes glow in ambient light. Specific modes (see below) may cause the eyes to become faceted, multi-lensed, or cause sensory pits to open on the face, which can impair social interactions at the Gamemaster’s discretion.
Operational Limitation: Only one additional sight mode can be active at any given time. Shifting ocular biology is mutually exclusive; if the eyes are currently modified for infrared pit detection, they cannot simultaneously utilize the compound structure like those of mantis shrimp. Switching between active modes requires a new activation of the power.
Navigating while actively scanning through solid barriers slows the character to the “easy swim” rate.
Rank Benefits:
▶ Rank 3 [Infrared Pit Detection], modeled after the loreal pits of vipers, the character integrates thermal imaging into their visual field. Specialized heat-sensing pits may visibly open near the tear ducts or temples. The character can trace heat signatures, detect thermal footprints, and see living targets through low-density barriers (such as thin walls or foliage).
▶ Rank 6 [Foveal Resolution], utilizing the dual-fovea structure and deep-pit anatomy found in raptors like eagles, the character’s eyes function as an integrated telescopic scope. The character ignores the first +1 step penalty for range (Medium or Long). This benefit does not stack with scopes or binoculars. Additionally, the high-resolution clarity allows the character to detect involuntary microexpressions, granting a -1 step bonus to [[awareness—perception]] or [[interaction—empathy]] checks made to discern lies or emotional states. And [[investigation—search]] checks.
▶ Rank 8 [Wide-Spectrum Sensorium], replicating the advanced eyes of the mantis shrimp, the character’s eyes become visibly faceted and compound. They can simultaneously perceive polarized light, ultraviolet radiation, and active electromagnetic emissions (radio waves and sensor frequencies). This allows them to “see” active transmittors, like radio equipment, active sensors.
▶ Rank 12 [Cortical Integration], the character’s is able to seamlessly morph this visual organs making impossible to notice them at plain sight, eliminating any social penalty. Additionally, the character can switch between modes as an action.
Transfer Vitality
By establishing physical contact, the psion forces a parasitic bio-electric link that violently siphons biological energy from the target. The target suffers immediate metabolic collapse while the psion experiences a temporary surge in biological efficiency.
The Drain: To activate this power, the character must be adjacent to an organic target around the same size or bigger than themself. A successful skill check imposes a step penalty on the target’s [[stamina—endurance]] and [[stamina—resist pain]] specialty checks, while the psion receives a corresponding step bonus to the same specialty skills.
| Result | Target Penalty | Psion Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Crit. Failure | No effect. | Psion suffers a +1 step penalty to CON checks |
| Ordinary | +1 step penalty. | -1 step bonus. |
| Good | +2 step penalty. | -2 step bonus. |
| Amazing | +3 step penalty. | -3 step bonus. |
The effect lasts until the end of the next round.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 6 [Symbiotic Absorption], the psion can choose to convert the siphoned energy into raw regenerative material. Instead of taking the step bonus for themselves, the psion can heal:
- Good: 2 wounds
- Amazing: 3 wounds
▶ Rank 9 [Channel Vitality], the psion can use this power to restore vitality to an ally instead of the psion. Both the recipient and the donor must be adjacent to the psion when the power is activated.
▶ Rank 12 [Systemic Overdrive], the siphoning becomes so efficient that the psion can even use the energy to heal mortal damage:
- Ordinary: 1 wound
- Good: 2 wounds or 1 mortal
- Amazing: 4 wounds or 2 mortals