[Psionics] Worldline Rules

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by ravenfish

I would be inclined to interpret "technology" liberally. On preindustrial worlds where psionics is common (and gets a -5% discount for technological countermeasures), there may be herbal preparations and so forth that interfere with it.

This won't apply to reign of steel, but to be honest, reign of steel is a world that really shouldn't have much in the way of defenses against psi. Other than not having great targets for it unless you have some very specific powers. TK isn't quite as useful when the average opponent is twice as strong.

[dcarson]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

If you bought 50 points worth of basic strength, but was told when jumping to a new world, "I'm sorry, but no one's stronger than a 9." wouldn't you feel cheated?
A limitation to an advantage's usefulness should come with a discount. How much of course would be setting dependent and on just how common PCs will encounter the downgrade.

If we are in a world hopping campaign where we spend a couple of sessions in a world and move on no. If this is a long term assignment and we'll spend almost all the campaign here yes. Same as if I built a ISWAT mage and we ended up in a no magic world. If the player spends lots of points that you know will be useless in the campaign and you don't warn them not to you are GMing poorly.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by ravenfish

I would be inclined to interpret "technology" liberally. On preindustrial worlds where psionics is common (and gets a -5% discount for technological countermeasures), there may be herbal preparations and so forth that interfere with it.

Since antipsi technology is '^', you could have it function at any TL. I mean, you could have specific types of crystals work to disable psionic abilities, so it would be TL0^.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by arcanus

Hi All,
I've searched for previous threads to avoid raising the living-thread.

I need some ideas on how Psionics would be affected by different Worldlines, now I like differing Mana for Magic but I don't want to take the Mana for Psionics route as I feel it diminishes Psionics.

However don't want the Iswat super telekinetic running around scott free when the mage's fireball will barely light a match.

So what other interesting ways are there to challenge or mix up psionics on different Worldlines, an example being the Telekinetic is currently on Reign of Steel.

I like the fact that he is an anomaly and if he uses his powers too often he becomes a subject for investigation and dissection for the Zoneminds however I want to throw him a few different curve balls.

Thoughts, ideas?

I recall there's a Creature of the Night that has a predator that specifically hunts psis.

A common animal, perhaps a rodent, that has psi static as a natural defense. (Which of course implies a predator that uses psi to seek prey)

A TL 4 world where psis are fairly common, but regarded as witches and they've developed a drug that incapacitates psis while only mildly affecting nonpsis, (Deryni, Katherine Kurtz)

A world infested by astral beings who constantly whisper to telepaths, distracting them and hampering their ability to make rolls.

[arcanus]

Originally Posted by dcarson

If we are in a world hopping campaign where we spend a couple of sessions in a world and move on no. If this is a long term assignment and we'll spend almost all the campaign here yes. Same as if I built a ISWAT mage and we ended up in a no magic world.

Agreed and the only reasons my group tend to stay on a Worldline is largely if they drag there heels in which case they're happy with the pros and cons. If its a story arc in being on a World for longer then I don't limit or give them a means to overcome the limitations - to be truthful they're pretty creative so tend to work on solutions as soon as they realise a difference which adds to the story. We use Power-Ups Impulse Buys (short and long term rewards) and they often use various impulse purchases for the above or dramatic effect.

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Since antipsi technology is '^', you could have it function at any TL. I mean, you could have specific types of crystals work to disable psionic abilities, so it would be TL0^.

Thats a good idea I like the crystals idea, also gives them the option of harvesting said crystals themselves.

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

I recall there's a Creature of the Night that has a predator that specifically hunts psis.

A common animal, perhaps a rodent, that has psi static as a natural defense. (Which of course implies a predator that uses psi to seek prey)

A TL 4 world where psis are fairly common, but regarded as witches and they've developed a drug that incapacitates psis while only mildly affecting nonpsis, (Deryni, Katherine Kurtz)

A world infested by astral beings who constantly whisper to telepaths, distracting them and hampering their ability to make rolls.

These are great ideas, particularly like the last two, I have a Dark World where the astral beings would fit in really well.

[Crystalline_Entity]

Psionic Campaigns comments on this, suggesting something like "psychobotanics" for worlds without psychotronic technology, to retain the -10% power modifier for psionics. I think if you're going to frequently add worlds which don't support psionics it'd be fair to include the extra -5% power modifier for "requires ambient energies".

I wouldn't worry too much if it's a single world out of many, but making anti-psi more common, messing with the recharge rate for FP spent on psionics or Energy Reserve (Psionic) feels fairer than a blanket "it doesn't work".

[arcanus]

Originally Posted by Crystalline_Entity

I wouldn't worry too much if it's a single world out of many, but making anti-psi more common, messing with the recharge rate for FP spent on psionics or Energy Reserve (Psionic) feels fairer than a blanket "it doesn't work".

I don’t think the anti psi or even variant psi would be every world just occasionally.

However the variable FP recharge is a good way to show subtle differences on an A-typical parallel with no psionics, just takes longer to recharge.

Thinking about people’s thoughts on an extra power modifier I might look to award that in the form of Short Impulse CP.

[arcanus]

Homeline Psi
This thread has inspired me to read through the IW main book, page 22 is interesting where Paralabs have imported Psionic Amplifiers to boost psi capabilities on Homeline (something UNiC seems very worried about).

This has made me think about Psychotronics and even Psi Generators, anti-psi tech seems an obvious one under security research (especially if Phoenix has been discovered in campaign it has and is ultra Z rated, although one of the characters originates from there).

The other application is psionic teleportation, I’m wondering if psychotropic teleportation and world jumping is something people might have included in their campaigns?

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by arcanus

The other application is psionic teleportation, I’m wondering if psychotropic teleportation and world jumping is something people might have included in their campaigns?

Psionic world jumping features prominently in a LOT of my builds for infinite worlds. Particularly a group of Maori with a semi-hereditary gene operating across a dozen or so alternate new zealands.

[arcanus]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Psionic world jumping features prominently in a LOT of my builds for infinite worlds. Particularly a group of Maori with a semi-hereditary gene operating across a dozen or so alternate new zealands.

That’s very cool, I love dynasties, bloodlines etc

I’m also thinking that psionic teleportation would fit with Paralabs research on conveyors their being a form of inter-dimensional teleportation and applications on Homeline itself.