Biokinesis
This broad skill allows a character to manipulate his or her own biology and physiology, or the biology and physiology of another living being.
Bio-armor
This skill psionically reinforces a character’s skin, helping to protect from damage. This “body armor” provides protection against physical and energy damage, but does not protect against psionic attacks. (See Telepathy for ways to avoid psionic attacks.)
The protection afforded by bio-armor is based on the user’s skill check:
| Result | LI | HI | En |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary | d4 | d4–1 | d4–1 |
| Good | d6 | d6–1 | d6–1 |
| Amazing | d6+1 | d6 | d6 |
Increased Effect:
- At rank 3, the protection afforded by bio-armor increases by 1 point (add 1 to whatever is rolled on the table above).
- At rank 6, this value further increases by 1 point (a total of +2).
- At rank 9, the armor is treated as being of Good toughness.
- At rank 12, the armor value increases again by 1 point (a total of +3).
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 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 one of two skills to wield the bioweapon: Melee Weapons—bludgeon for the staff or Melee Weapons—blade for the sword.
The result of the bioweapon skill check may add a bonus to the appropriate Melee Weapon skill 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.
Increased Damage:
- At rank 3, the damage of the bioweapon increases by +1.
- At rank 6, it increases again (to a total of +2).
- At rank 9, it increases by another +1 (to a total of +3).
- At rank 12, all attacks made with the bioweapon are considered to deliver Good damage.
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:
- At rank 4 [Increased Distance], the distance the user can travel while climbing or running across inverted surfaces is doubled.
- At rank 8, the distance is three times the base rate.
- At rank 12, the distance is four times the base rate.
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 mask
- Good: vacuum suit
- Amazing: soft e-suit
After the initial use of the skill, the level of protection can be maintained thereafter for a cost of 1 psionic energy point per hour.
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.
This bonus lasts for the duration of the round in which the power is activated and through all of the next round. A character may extend the duration 1 round for every psionic energy point spent to do so.
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.
The duration is one hour; the duration may be extended by one hour per extra psionic energy point spent to do so.
Heal
By concentrating, a character using this skill can heal wounds or disease. How much damage can be healed depends on the result of a skill check:
- Ordinary: 1 wound point
- Good: 2 points
- Amazing: 3 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 requires time. The results are immediate, but the body’s reaction to the use of the skill lasts one hour. For this reason, the heal skill can’t be attempted more than once per hour, even if the check result is a Failure.
Rank Benefits:
- At 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.
- At 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.
- At 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.
- At 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.
Intangibility
By mentally reordering the molecules of his or her body, the character can concentrate and become immaterial and thus pass through solid objects. This ability affects the character’s clothing (including light armor—any armor that does not require the Armor Operation skill) and up to one kilogram per skill rank of additional equipment carried in the hands.
Intangibility lasts for one phase, plus one additional phase per psionic energy point spent to maintain it.
An intangible character appears as a slightly less vivid, three-dimensional image of himself or herself, which others can see but not otherwise perceive.
The character can move about as normal, though passing through solid objects slows the character to the “easy swim” rate. The character cannot pass through living matter (although he may pass through organic matter—the wood of a door, for example).
While intangible, the character falls at a greatly reduced rate: roughly three meters per phase. A character could leap off a building and land as if he were a feather. Falling 20 meters while intangible requires eight psionic energy points: one to activate it, and one more per three meters of distance fallen.
Rank Benefits:
- At rank 4 [Movement Bonus], the character can move through solid objects at the walk rate.
- At rank 6 [Dodge], the character can “dodge attacks” by becoming intangible. This is accomplished in the same fashion as a reaction parry.
- At rank 8 [Movement Bonus], the character can move through solid objects at the run rate.
- At rank 12 [Selective Intangibility], the character can choose to render only part of his or her body intangible. Doing so adds a +2 step penalty to the skill check, and if the character attempts to touch or otherwise manipulate a solid object while only partially tangible, this modifier increases up to +4.
Morph
By using this skill, a character can alter his or her physical features so as to be disguised or to accomplish something otherwise impossible, such as squeeze into a small hole, reach higher than his or her height normally allows, or slip loose of bonds.
Morphing requires an entire round (4 phases) to complete, from the moment the skill is activated to the moment the alteration is finished. 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
Thereafter, a character can extend the duration by spending 1 psionic energy point per round (or other time unit as designated by the Gamemaster).
A morphed body part retains its original characteristics; no game statistics change, except for those directly related to the morphing. Morphing has no effect on a character’s clothing or possessions.
Rank Benefits:
- At rank 1 and 3, select one of these forms:
- Elongate fingers: add +0.5 meters to reach (for example, to get -1 step bonus to Manipulation-pickpocket skill checks).
- Elongate arms: add +1 meter to reach.
- Elongate legs: add +1 meter to height.
- At skill ranks 5 and 7, choose one of these forms:
- Disguise: alter facial features to hide identity (+2 step penalty to Awareness checks involving an attempt to recognize the character).
- Elongate arms and legs simultaneously.
- Skeleton alterations: alter entire body and bone construction to allow passage through small openings (as small as one-half meter wide).
- At skill ranks 10 and 12, choose one of these forms:
- Improved disguise: alter facial and body features to resemble a specific person (+2 step penalty to Awareness checks) or to completely hide identity (+4 step penalty).
- Lessen damage: become so flexible and malleable as to reduce the effects of low-impact damage. A skill check determines how much damage is reduced (at no extra PP cost): Ordinary: d4, Good: d4+2, Amazing: d6+2.
- At rank 12, the character can select one of these benefits:
- Morph control: activate any two forms simultaneously.
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:
- At rank 4 [Improved Effect], the effect of a successful skill roll improves as follows: Ordinary: 4 points, Good: 6 points, Amazing: 8 points.
- At rank 8 [Laying On Hands], a character becomes able to heal fatigue or stun damage in others. The subject to be healed must be in physical contact with the character using this ability.
- At 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.
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 dueled 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 at solid surfaces—usually armor—in such a way that the surface breaks. To use this ability, the weren psion must first attempt a Biokinesis—shatter skill check. If the check is successful, the next bare-fisted blow the weren lands inflicts damage to the opponent’s armor, if any, rather than than to the opponent. If the weren fails to strike armor before the end of the next round, the effect dissipates, though the character can try again.
If the shatter skill check yielded an Ordinary result, the armor he strikes absorbs 1 fewer point of damage. On a Good result, the armor absorbs 2 fewer points of damage. And on an Amazing result, the armor absorbs 3 fewer points of damage. See Table G13: Object Armor in the Gamemaster Guide for information on how well non-armor objects absorb damage.
Rank Benefits:
- At rank 4 [Increased Effect], this skill can only affect armor or objects of Ordinary toughness. At rank 4, the psion can affect armor or objects of Good toughness. At rank 8, the armor absorbs 2 fewer points of damage on an Ordinary success, 3 fewer on a Good result, and 4 fewer on an Amazing result.
- At rank 8, the armor absorbs 3 fewer points of damage on an Ordinary success, 4 fewer on a Good result, and 5 fewer on an Amazing result.
- At rank 12, the psion can affect objects of Amazing toughness.
Transfer Damage
By laying hands upon another character and making a successful skill check, the psion alleviates that character’s damage or disease by absorbing it.
The damage that can be absorbed is tied to the result of a skill check:
| Result | Damage Absorbed | Illness Reduced |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Failure | Psion suffers 1 wound. | No effect. |
| Ordinary | Character absorbs 1 wound. | Reduce illness by one grade (e.g., Amazing to Good), simultaneously infecting the psion with that grade. |
| Good | Character absorbs 2 wounds or 1 mortal. | Reduce illness by two grades, transferring the ailment into the psion. |
| Amazing | Character absorbs 3 wounds or 1 mortal. | Transfers any illness from the patient into the psion. |
Once the character absorbs the damage or disease, he or she must either use the Biokinesis—heal specialty skill, heal naturally, or receive medical or psionic attention to alleviate the damage or cure the disease.
Rank Benefits:
- At rank 6 [Displace Damage], the psionic character can transfer the damage to a different character, who must also be in physical contact with the psion, and who must be willing to take the damage. Any attempt to transfer the damage to a creature that does not consciously desire to accept the damage (such as a hostile character, or an unconscious one) results in the psion receiving the damage, as normal.
- At rank 12 [Unwilling Transfer], the character can transfer the damage to an unwilling character. The psion must be touching both characters. Both characters must be alive when the skill is activated. The “donor” character will be healed of a number of damage points determined by the Biokinesis—transfer damage skill check. The damage points are then applied to the unwilling recipient. Note that this benefit isn’t received if the psion is wearing armor.