Help Wanted with my Alternate Psionics system

Anaximander · 07-06-2013, 08:35 PM

Hey all,

I am starting up a campaign with a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic/action theme. I want to include psionics in it and have little experience with using supernatural powers in game. Looking at the Psionics and Magic chapters of the Basic Set, as well as GURPS Powers, Psionic Powers, Thaumatology and Magic, I decided that I preferred the Magic system to the Psionics system and wanted to use it's mechanics to power Psionics in my game.

What I've worked out so far is there is an advantage called Psychic which works very much like Magery and is required to learn Psionic Powers (Spells). Your level of the Psychic advantage also determines your Psychic attribute (PSY) from which all your power levels will be derived. The different schools (colleges) of powers correspond to the categories laid out in the Psionics Chapter (Antipsi, ESP, Psychic Healing, Psychokinesis, Telepathy, and Teleportation).

So far I've worked out just two powers, a shielding power and a clobbering power. They look like this:

Barrier Regular
Creates a force field around a subject that adds to its Damage Resistance.
Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: Equal to the half the Damage Resistance given to the subject, to a maximum DR of 10 (cost 5).
Prerequisites: Psychic 2.

Slam Missile
Lets the channeler send a ball of force careening from his hand. This has 1/2D 10, Max 20, Acc 1. When it strikes something, it makes an audible collision noise.
Cost: Any amount up to your Psychic level per second, for three seconds. The slam does 1d burning crushing damage per energy point.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Psychic 1.

I know I can't be the first guy to try to come up with something like this. If anyone has any experience with this kind of rules customization, can offer any feedback or share with me their own house-ruled psionics, biotics or what have you, please let me know. We'll have achieved success when my players are forced to run and hide from a flock of levitating, telepathic, psychokinetic adepts with power-enhancing crowns. Also guns. Thank you. I look forward to your replies.

dataweaver · 07-06-2013, 11:06 PM

Go get Pyramid #3/29: Psionics. David Pulver has an article in there called "Magic as Psi".

07-06-2013, 08:35 PM	#1
Anaximander Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Augusta, GA	Help Wanted with my Alternate Psionics system Hey all, I am starting up a campaign with a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic/action theme. I want to include psionics in it and have little experience with using supernatural powers in game. Looking at the Psionics and Magic chapters of the Basic Set, as well as GURPS Powers, Psionic Powers, Thaumatology and Magic, I decided that I preferred the Magic system to the Psionics system and wanted to use it's mechanics to power Psionics in my game. What I've worked out so far is there is an advantage called Psychic which works very much like Magery and is required to learn Psionic Powers (Spells). Your level of the Psychic advantage also determines your Psychic attribute (PSY) from which all your power levels will be derived. The different schools (colleges) of powers correspond to the categories laid out in the Psionics Chapter (Antipsi, ESP, Psychic Healing, Psychokinesis, Telepathy, and Teleportation). So far I've worked out just two powers, a shielding power and a clobbering power. They look like this: Barrier Regular Creates a force field around a subject that adds to its Damage Resistance. Duration: 10 seconds. Cost: Equal to the half the Damage Resistance given to the subject, to a maximum DR of 10 (cost 5). Prerequisites: Psychic 2. Slam Missile Lets the channeler send a ball of force careening from his hand. This has 1/2D 10, Max 20, Acc 1. When it strikes something, it makes an audible collision noise. Cost: Any amount up to your Psychic level per second, for three seconds. The slam does 1d burning crushing damage per energy point. Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds. Prerequisites: Psychic 1. I know I can't be the first guy to try to come up with something like this. If anyone has any experience with this kind of rules customization, can offer any feedback or share with me their own house-ruled psionics, biotics or what have you, please let me know. We'll have achieved success when my players are forced to run and hide from a flock of levitating, telepathic, psychokinetic adepts with power-enhancing crowns. Also guns. Thank you. I look forward to your replies.

07-06-2013, 11:06 PM	#2
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Help Wanted with my Alternate Psionics system Go get Pyramid #3/29: Psionics. David Pulver has an article in there called "Magic as Psi". __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]