ESP
This skill allows a character to experience the environment through an agency beyond the normal senses, using the power of the mind. 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.
Battle Mind
To use this skill, a psion focuses on the battle at hand and makes a skill check. The success achieved indicates the benefit while the current application of the skill remains active. A successful skill check gives the user a bonus to his or her action checks:
- Ordinary: -1 step bonus.
- Good: -2 step bonus.
- Amazing: -3 step bonus.
For purposes of using this skill, “battle” is defined as any situation in which the character has made an action check in the same round he or she uses the battle mind skill.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Increased Effect] whenever you are allowed an action check, you are also allowed to make a [[ESP-Battle Mind]] check to activate this power and gain its benefits to the first round. This check consumes one of your actions for the round, unless the result is amazing, then it doesn’t cost an action.
▶ Rank 8 [Move Like Water] the character employing this ability gains a temporary last resort point, which he or she must use before the ability’s duration ends or lose it. This point can only be used to offset damage.
▶ Rank 12 [Unerring Accuracy] the character gains a temporary last resort point, which must be used before the ability’s duration ends or it becomes lost. This point can only be used to increase the success of an attack made by the character using this ability.
Dream Hunt
Though originally developed for hunting animals, the technique works on any living being. The sesheyan (or sesheyan-trained) psion concentrates on the subject and mentally engages in a hunt. The better the subject’s habits are known, the easier the hunt. If the skill check is successful, the psion determines the place where the quarry will be at any single locale in the next 24 hours (though not when). The better the target’s habits are known, the easier the hunt:
- Familiar target / territory: -2 / -1 step bonus.
- Described / Unknown target: +1 / +2 step penalty. The degree of success determines how accurately the psion can pinpoint the location:
- Ordinary: within 1000 meters.
- Good: within 500 meters.
- Amazing: within 100 meters.
Characters who receive this information can make Awareness-perception checks or Investigate-search checks with a -1, -2, or -3 step bonus to locate or avoid being surprised by the quarry.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 3 [Improved Accuracy]: the psion is able to narrow down the time the prey will be at a given locale to within 3 hours.
▶ Rank 6 [Improved Accuracy]: pinpointing improved: Ordinary 500m; Good 100m; Amazing 50m.
▶ Rank 9 [Improved Timing]: the psion can determine when the prey will be at a particular location to within 30 minutes.
▶ Rank 12 [Improved Accuracy]: pinpointing improved: Ordinary 100m; Good 50m; Amazing 10m.
Empathy
This skill allows a psion to “read” the surface emotions of another character. This ability assists the user in encounter situations. The target must be within visual range. A successful use of empathy provides an understanding of the target’s emotional state (Combative, Hostile, Neutral, Friendly, Charmed, or Fanatic) and provides a bonus when using encounter skills upon that target character:
- Ordinary: -1 step bonus.
- Good: -2 step bonus.
- Amazing: -3 step bonus.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Relationship]: the empath can sense the surface emotions of two other characters toward each other.
▶ Rank 6 [Aura Reading]: evaluate health state (healthy, injured, sick, dying, insane, etc.). Grants a -1 to -3 step bonus to Medical Science, Knowledge-first aid, or [[Biokinesis-Heal]] or [[Biokinasis-Rejuvenate]] checks used to treat the target. Attempts on different species suffer a +1 step penalty.
▶ Rank 8 [Relationship]: the empath can apply this skill to three other characters.
▶ Rank 9 [Connection]: develop a connection with an individual to sense emotions even when not in visual range, up to 1 mile per rank away.
▶ Rank 12 [Relationship]: the empath can apply this skill to four other characters.
Mind Reading
This skill enables a psion to “read” the surface thoughts of another character. The target must be within 500 meters (100m/200m/500m) of the psionics-user. The mental contact remains in effect for a limited time and can’t be extended by the use of psionic energy points.
Check Results
- Ordinary: contact lasts for 1 phase after the skill check is made. Only random and disjointed thoughts are perceived.
- Good: contact lasts for 2 phases. In addition to random thoughts, more detail and coherence is received, such as why the target is thinking about someone or something.
- Amazing: contact lasts for 3 phases. Complete surface thoughts can be read, plus some key fact related to what the psionics-user hoped to discover.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 3 [Extra Time]: the character may add an additional phase to the duration: Ordinary, 2 phases; Good, 3 phases; Amazing, 4 phases.
▶ Rank 6 [Probe]: focused search through a target’s mind for a specific piece of information. (+2 step penalty for aliens). Will resistance applies.
▶ Rank 9 [Extra Time]: duration increases: Ordinary, 1 round; Good, 2 rounds; Amazing, 3 rounds.
▶ Rank 12 [Extra Time]: duration increases: Ordinary, 1 minute; Good, 2 minutes; Amazing, 3 minutes.
Navcognition
A character who uses this skill can instinctively determine his or her present location and mentally plot a course. This can be accomplished on a planetary surface, in normal space, and even through drivespace. This mental ability replaces the use of the Navigation skill. On it’s basic form it can only be as a substitute for the [[navigation-surface]] skill. But by spending 1 psionic it can work at system scale, and by spending 2 it can plot courses through drivespace.
| Situation/Condition | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Combat / Hostile conditions | +4 / +2 |
| Unexplored / Partially explored territory | +4 / +2 |
| Less than 5 minutes plotting | +1 per min. |
| More than 5 minutes plotting | -1 per min. |
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Travel Time]: becomes able to determine the clearest way to the destination . Cuts travel time (surface/system): Ordinary 10%; Good 25%; Amazing 50% of normal. A critical failure results in 50% longer travel time.
▶ Rank 4 [Drivespace Distance]: when used for drivespace the skill allows for plotting courses using the otherwise unpreditable drivespace faults. The travel distance is increased by: Ordinary +5ly; Good +10ly; Amazing +20ly. A critical failure results in -10ly shorter travel distance.
▶ Rank 5 [Improved Navigation]: reduce the cost of using the skill at system scale and to drivespace by 1. The character can also gain a -1 step bonus when using the skill by spending 1 additional psionic energy point.
▶ Rank 6 [Clarity of Mind]: During combat is the psion is the pilot, copilot or navigator, he can use this power to reduce the penalties for situational conditions up to 4 step. For example navigating through an asteroid field, combat while avoiding debris, ships, or other hazards.
▶ Rank 9 [Advanced Navigation]: allows the character to use the skill at drivespace without additional cost. The character can ear a -2 step bonus when using the skill by spending 1 additional psionic energy point.
▶ Rank 12 [Tracking]: may use navcognition to attempt to track the most likely destination of a target subject. This ability may even be attempted through drivespace. Using this ability requires that the character begin at a location where the target was last seen. Either by the character, or by a witness. The character must attempt a navcognition skill check, with a +2 step penalty if he or she witnessed the subject, or a +4 step penalty if the subject was witnessed by someone else, or merely recorded. These penalties are cumulative with other navcognition situational modifiers.
Postcognition
With this skill, a character can sense the mood of an area and even “see” events that happened there in the recent past. What a character senses depends on the result of a skill check:
Check Results
- Ordinary: The character senses general emotions that have been left in an area.
- Good: The psion also receives brief flashes of events that may or may not make sense.
- Amazing: The character actually experiences a brief encounter as though at the scene when the events occurred.
One successful skill check can be made in an area, and the character must be in the actual area to sense psychic resonance. In general, a character can see a number of days into the past equal to his or her skill rank. (With just the broad skill, less than one time unit is available to the character.)
Players can use this skill to gain clues for their characters, or the Gamemaster can use it to direct story elements in a certain direction. The Gamemaster can automatically activate this skill (no psionic energy point cost) to provide clues.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 3 [Extended Reach] At rank 3, the character can see a number of weeks into the past equal to his skill rank.
▶ Rank 6 [Extended Reach] At rank 6, this increases to months.
▶ Rank 9 [Extended Reach] At rank 9, this increases to years.
▶ Rank 12 [Extended Reach] At rank 12, this increases to decades.
Precognition
[!NOTE] Requires Perk: Precog.
The Session Flash
At the start of each session, the Gamemaster makes three secret rolls to determine the nature of the “Fixed Point” that the psion will sense during the session. Normally, the psion needs to be in a calm state of mind to receive a vision, while some can only receive them in dreams. For that reason, it is possible that in some sessions the psion does not receive a vision. The psion’s visions are usually unclear and might make no sense when they occur; instead, they experience a persistent sense of déjà vu or intuitive dread as events unfold toward the Point.
1. Scope (The Breadth of the Ripple)
| Result | Scope | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Systemic | Affecting an entire station, city, or population. |
| 15–19 | Social | Involving a group of acquaintances or public figures. |
| 10–14 | Localized | Affecting someone close to the psion or a specific small group. |
| 1–9 | Isolated | A single point of interaction. |
2. Weight (The Entropy of the Event)
| Result | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 18–20 | Catastrophic | A high-entropy event forcing a massive shift in reality. |
| 10–17 | Significant | A major hazard, turning point, or dangerous obstacle. |
| 2–9 | Moderate | A standard complication or minor opportunity. |
| 1 | Beneficial | A rare “constructive” fixed point; a moment of great advantage. |
3. Closeness (The Temporal Anchor)
| Result | Closeness | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 17–20 | Personal | The event involves the psion directly. |
| 11–16 | Intimate | Involves a crewmate or loved one. |
| 6–10 | Connected | Involves a known acquaintance, rival, or ally. |
| 1–5 | Disconnected | Unrelated to the psion (a background world hook). |
Causal Navigation
The player may make an ESP-precognition skill check to sensitize themselves to the reverse flow of causality. A success grants one Last Resort Point (LRP). This LRP represents a déjà vu that allows the psion to adjust actions to navigate the immediate causal path.
Check Results
- Ordinary: The LRP can only be used defensively, worsening an enemy attack against the psion or improving an active defense like a dodge or hit-the-deck check.
- Good: The LRP can also be used to improve any action made by the psion.
- Amazing: The LRP also applies to any check in the scene as long as the psion can intervene.
Overuse
Once the LRP is used, the character can exert to reactivate the power, but doing so carries its own risks. Forcing another activation in the same session requires a [[resolve—mental resolve]] check with a +3 step penalty. Failure results in the loss of all remaining psionic energy, while a critical failure renders the psion unconscious for as many hours as their Will score.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 3 [Tactical Horizon]: The Overuse penalty is reduced to +2 steps.
▶ Rank 6 [Operational Horizon]: The Overuse penalty is reduced to +1 step. Precognition skill checks receive a -1 step bonus.
▶ Rank 9 [Strategic Horizon]: There is no penalty for Overuse.
▶ Rank 12 [Causal Horizon]: The GM provides precise timing for the event described in the session flash (ranging from minutes for imminent events to a specific day for events months away).
Psychometry
This skill gives its user the ability to read psychic impressions from inanimate objects. The character must touch the object to gain insight into who has used it and in what context. What a character senses depends on the result of a skill check:
Check Results
- Ordinary: The character receives simple emotions associated with the object.
- Good: He or she receives simple images associated with the object.
- Amazing: The character experiences a brief encounter as though he or she is the person using the object or its owner.
To be affected by this skill, an object must be an item that the character can hold and manipulate to pick up psionic impressions. Tools, weapons, clothing, jewelry, books, other personal items, and even dead bodies can be studied using psychometry. Living people and creatures can’t be studied with this skill.
Dirt, the ground, dust, or other casually encountered objects aren’t affected because people don’t make the sorts of connections with these objects that result in psionic residue being left behind (though postcognition picks up impressions left in an area).
The Gamemaster can automatically activate this skill (no psionic energy point cost) to provide a clue or otherwise direct a story.
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 1 [Treasured] At rank 1 in this skill, the item in question must be something special to the owner (an item he or she treasured, such as a wedding ring).
▶ Rank 4 [Regular Use] At rank 4, the item can be merely something the owner used regularly (such as a watch, or spectacles).
▶ Rank 8 [Frequent Use] At rank 8, the item can be something the owner merely used frequently (such as a pen, or keys).
▶ Rank 12 [Minimal Use] At rank 12, the item can be nearly anything belonging to the owner, as long as he or she used it for at least an hour in total (such as a weapon, or a book).
Clairsentience
To employ this skill, a character selects a location and projects his or her mind to that spot, seeing or hearing everything going on around that spot as though physically there. The spot can be a absolute coordinate, but is more commonly used to relative one, inside a house, a meter over a vehicle, or even a person. This last case would need an additional -1 penalty to the skill check, and is resisted by the target’s [[Will defense modifier]].
Clairsentience doesn’t block normal vision or hearing, so the user sees double images unless his or her eyes are closed and hears overlapping ambient sounds. It also provides no help in seeing through obscuring elements (such as walls, closed doors, or darkness) or interpreting unfamiliar languages, and the mental sensor can’t move from the selected spot. The location itself can be moving (a vehicle, for example), but such a target requires additional skill checks if the range to the target increases.
The user remains conscious within his or her body and is aware of what’s happening around it.
Check results
- Ordinary: the sensor field of view is fixed, while the user can hear all around he can only see in a direction. He can easily pick de direction if the target is in a predictable position(let say inside a room in a nearby building). but doing so in a ship in space would be a lot harder as he could easily end up looking at the ceiling.
- Good: While the sensor cannot move, the user can change the direction it is pointing at. As the sensor is a single point in space judging size and distances can be deceiving.
- Amazing: In addition to the good effect, the user have good stereo-scopic vision allowing him to easily judge distances and sizes.
Situation modifiers for the familiarity of the location and the distance at which clairsentience is being used are as follows:
| Situation/distance | Modifier | |
|---|---|---|
| Familiar location | –1 | |
| Unfamiliar location | none | |
| 1–10 meters | –1 | |
| 11–100 meters | none | |
| 101 m–1 km | +1 | |
| 2–10 km | +2 | |
| 11–100 km | +3 | |
| 101–1,000 km (low orbit) | +4 | |
| 1,001–10,000 km (high orbit) | +5 |
Rank Benefits
▶ Rank 4 [Combined Senses] The psionic sensor can see and hear at the same time.
▶ Rank 6 [Change of Perspective] The character can attempt another ESP-clairsentience skill check to shift the location to which the mental projection has been projected. The new check is modified by the distance from the current location that the psion is viewing and listening to, rather than the physical distance the psion is from the target area.
▶ Rank 8 [Sensitivity] The sensor can now also perceive psionic impressions.
▶ Rank 12 [Power Projection] The psion can perform [[ESP-postcognition]], [[ESP-empathy]] or [[ESP-psychometry]] at the location of the sensor. But doing so incurs an additional -2 penalty on the skill check.