Modifying Assumptions of Psionics

[hari]

Psionic Powers is great. I'm loving it. But I have to admit that I would have appreciated a section in it about running psionic campaigns, building psionic game worlds and modifying the crunchy goodness of the assumptions inherent in Psionic Powers.

Of course, the difficult part of it is that it's not easy to recreate powers similar to the ones in the book. I'm looking forward to the next Pyramid, as I hear that the designer's notes will be included. At this point I'm not thinking about creating powers so much as I'm thinking about using what already exists to fit my own ideas about psionics better.

I really like the skeptic perk. I thought to create a couple other perks that work together with skeptic to create something of a background for psionics to be used in. I thought to add another perk that, like skeptic, gives a penalty to psionics, but only to psionics that are manifested visibly would normally be impossible. To balance it against the fact that it impedes less psionic powers, I would make it more effective with less skeptics, or to somehow increase chances of a critical failure. Now, by making these two perks widespread, we will have a world in which psionics are most effective when hidden. It will create an effect similar to paradox in Mage (I don't know how that works in the new WoD, I'm thinking old WoD). I also really like the idea of being able to differentiate between cultures that have more of an inclination towards standard vanilla skepticism and this Mage-like skepticism towards "vulgar" psionics use. I like the ability to differentiate in that way so much that I'm tempted to try to think up another similar perk or two.

I'm also thinking about the role of characters who are not psis in helping psionic powers, not just impeding them. The perk Weak Latency works towards this, it lets nonpsis contribute their FP to psionics. In Psionic Powers Weak Latency suggested as possibly being standard for everyone in the gameworld (and in so gives a glimpse of the assumptions of psionics being modified).

My initial idea for giving non-psis a way to contribute towards psionics was actually to use psionic powers as the basis for building ritual magic. The less flashy nature of psionic powers fits with my idea of magic better than magic does. There also seems to be no discrepancy between what psionics is generally considered to represent on the one hand, and the possibility a large number of non-psis may be able to contribute towards psionics. I thought to include a new advantage. It's not a psionic power so much as a new way to access psionic powers. It would simply be Modular Abilities, Cosmic Power with psionics only, -20%; preperation required, -50%; and perhaps something else to get it down to a total of -80%. That last thing might be that it leaves a stronger signature and gives bonuses for anyone trying using psisenses of any kind to detect it. This advantage could be used by nonpsis in that nonpsis might have it at such low levels that they cannot use it on their own, but can only contribute to another's use of modular abilities. In game terms, we can raise that signature a little and add a modifier for being able to use one's own modular abilities to supplement the points available to another person's use of modular abilities. Would +10% be reasonable?

I'm also considering what to do with Astral Projection, Dream Control, and the Inner and Outer Astral Planes. These areas seem particularly ripe for customization. Almost as if they require it. But I haven't gotten far with those yet.

What do you think? Have you played around with or considered playing around with the assumptions implicit in psionics? Thanks for reading the post, I know it was a long one. I'm looking forward to comments.