Skills&PowersPsionicist ThisarticleoriginallyappearedaspartoftheSageAdvicecolumninDragonMagazine #231,bySkipWilliams. Here'sanunofficialmethodforbuildingpsionicistswithcharacterpoints,largely basedonsomeexcellentsuggestionsfromreaderEmeryWilson: Apsionicistreceives35characterpointstospendonclassabilities.Abilitiescost515 points.Anyunspentpointscanbesavedtobuyproficienciesorsavedforuseinthe game. AllpsionicistsusethesavingthrowandMTHAC0tablesonpage149oftheSkills& Powersbook. PsionicistsusetheTHAC0tableonpage149oftheSkills&Powersbookunlessthey purchasebettercombatabilitiesduringcharactercreation. Allpsionicistsusetheexperienceleveltableonpage154oftheSkills&Powersbook. PsionicistsusethePsionicProgressiontableonpage154Skills&Powersbookunless theypurchasebetterpsychicabilitiesduringcharactercreation.

Psionicistrollsixsideddicetodeterminehitpointsunlesstheypurchaselargerhit dice. Unlessstatedotherwise,acharactercantakeeachabilityonlyonceandonlywhen thecharacterisfirstcreated. ArmorUse(5/10):Thepsionicistcanemploysmallshieldsandpadded,leather, studdedleather,orhidearmor.Asa10pointabilitythepsionicistcanusesmallor mediumshields,anyofthearmortypeslistedabove,plusbrigandine,chainmail,ring mail,scalemail,ormetallamellararmor.Ifthepsionicistdoesnottakethisability,he canwearnoarmorandcannotemployshields. AttackModeofChoice(10):Thepsionicistdevelopsextraskillinusingone particularpsionicattackmodeandgainsa+1bonustomentalattackrollswhenusing thatattackmode.Thisabilityisuselesswithoutthecontactability. CombatBonus(10):ThepsionicistusesthepriestTHAC0chart. Contact(5/10):Thepsionicistreceivesthecontactproficiencyandgainsattackmodes asshownonthePsionicProgressiontableintheSkills&Powersbook.Asa10point ability,thepsionicistreceivesextraattackmodesasthoughheweretwolevelshigher thanhisactuallevel.Forexample,a1stlevelpsionicistwouldreceivestwoattack modes.Thecharactercanneverhavemorethanfiveattackmodes.Ifthepsionicistdoes nottakethispower,hecanpurchasethecontactproficiencyanytimehehasfive characterpointsavailable. Followers(5/10):Thepsionicistbecomeacontemplativemasterat9thlevel.A1st levelpsionicistarriveseachmonthtostudywiththemaster.Studentsservewithout

payiftheyreceiveatleast10hoursoftrainingeachweek(theyleavetoseeknew mastersiftheydonotreceivesufficienttraining).Themaximumnumberofstudentsthe masterattractsisequaltoonehalfthemastersCharismascore,roundeddown.Ifthe masterbuildsasanctuary,hecanattractanumberofstudentsequaltohisCharisma score.Asa10pointability,thepsionicistbecomesarenownedteacherandcanattract studentsatanylevel,subjecttothelimitsnotedabove.Ifthepsionicistdoesnotchoose thisability,heneverattractsfollowers,butcanhireservantsandhenchmenforpayjust asanyothercharactercan. GuardedMind(5/10):Thepsionicistcanblockorresistattemptstousurphiswill andgainsa+1bonustoallsavingthrowsagainstspellsfromtheenchantment/charm school.Asa10pointability,thepsionicistgainsa+2bonustoallsavingthrowsagainst spellsfromtheenchantment/charmschool. HitPointBonus(10):Psionicistswiththisabilityrolleightsideddiceforhitpoints ratherthansixsideddice.Thepsioniciststillgainsonlytwoextrahitpointsperlevelat 10thlevelandbeyond. MentalDefense(5/10):Thepsionicistcanclosehismindtopsychiccontactandgains defensemodesasshownonthePsionicprogressiontableintheSkills&Powersbook. Asa10pointability,thepsionicistreceivesextradefensemodesasthoughhewastwo levelshigherthanhisactuallevel.Forexample,a1stlevelpsionicistreceivestwo defensemodes.Thecharactercanneverhavemorethanfivedefensemodes.Ifthe psionicistdoesnottakethispower,hehasanopenmind,justasifhewereanon psioniccharacter.Ifthepsionicistdoesnotchoosethisabilityatthebeginningofplay, hecanpurchasethefivepointversionwheneverhehasfivecharacterpointstospend. The10pointversionisavailableonlyatthebeginningofplay.Thecharactergainsthe mentalarmorproficiencyforfreewiththepurchaseofthisability. PenetratingMind(10):Thepsionicistcanpenetratephysicalbarrierswithhismind morereadilythanotherpsionicistscan.Ittakestwoinchesofleadoriron,fourinchesof obsidian,ortwofeetofrocktoblockthepsionicistsclairsentientandtelepathicpowers. Notethatmostpsionicpowersrequirelineofsight;thisabilitydoesnotnegatea blockedlineofsight(seeSkills&Powers,page150).Thisabilityhasnoeffectonpsionic combatanddoesnotallowthepsionicisttoignoremagicalorpsychicbarriersthat blockpsionicpowers. PSPbonus(10):Thepsionicisthasapotentmindandrollseightsideddicefor psionicstrengthpointsinsteadofsixsideddice.Thepsioniciststillgainsonlythree extraPSPsplushisWisdombonusperlevelat10thlevelandbeyond. PsychicAdept(10):Thepsionicistreceivesextrapowersaccordingtothetablebelow insteadofthePsionicProgressiontableintheSkills&Powersbook.Thetwodisciplines thepsionicistchoosesatfirstlevelcountasprimarydisciplines(seeSkills&Powers,

page154). PsychicAdeptPowerProgression
Exp. Tota l Total o Sci e n ce s T De votions Level Dis ciplines 12 24 22 36 33 8 43 31 54 31 64 41 75 41 85 41 96 41 16 51 0 17 51 1 17 51 2 18 51 3 18 52 4 19 52 5 19 52 6 11 52 7 0 11 52 8 0 11 52 9 1 21 52 0 1

RangeBoost(5/10):Therangesofallpowerswithinthepsionicistsprimary disciplineincreaseby25%.Ifthepsionicistisapsychicadept,hehastwoprimary disciplines.Atbasecost(5),therangesofonlyonedisciplinespowersincrease.Fora costof10characterpoints,therangesofpowersforbothdisciplinesincrease.All powerswithrangesof0,self,ortouchremainunaffectedbythisability. WarriorHitPointBonus(5):Thepsionicistgainsbonushitpointsfromahigh Constitutionscoreasifhewereawarrior. WeaponSpecialization(15):Thepsionicistcanspecializeintheuseofaparticular weapon.Thisabilityisuselessunlessthecharacteralsochoosestheweaponuseability (below),evenifthepsionicistspecializesinamartialartornonlethalcombat.The characterpointcostforgainingproficiencyandspecializationintheweaponmustbe metwhenthecharacterchoosesweaponproficiencies. WeaponUse(5/10):Thepsionicistcanemploythefollowingsmallweapons:hand

crossbow,dagger,dart,dirk,knife,scourge,sickle,andshortsword.Asa10point abilitythepsionicistcanuseanyoftheweaponsabove,plusthefollowingslightly largerweapons:shortbow,club,lightcrossbow,hand/throwingaxe,javelin, quarterstaff,sling,spear,andwarclub.Ifthepsionicistdoesnottakethisability,hecan employnoweaponsatall,relyinginsteadonhismentalpowersincombat. Psionicsandsubabilities:Iftherulesforsubabilitiesareinplay,then Constitution/Fitness,Intelligence/Reason,andWisdom/Intuitiondeterminea psionicistsPSPtotal.Wildtalentchecksusethesamesetofscores. Wisdom/WillpowerdeterminesacharactersbaseMAC,andIntelligence/Reason determinesacharactersMACmodifier. BuyingWildTalents:Acharactercanpurchaseawildtalentasatraitfor9character points.Thecharacterneednotmakeawildtalentcheck,butmustrollrandomlyto determinewhatthewildtalentis(seeSkills&Powers,page156).Notethatacharacter couldmakeanormalwildtalentcheckanduseacharacterpointtorerollifthecheck fails. WeaponProficiencies:Oncethepsionicisthaspurchasedclassabilitieshereceives6 characterpointsforweaponproficiencies.Thepsionicistcanspendthesepointsas designatedinTable1. Nonweaponproficiencies:Oncethepsionicisthaspurchasedclassabilitiesand weaponproficiencieshereceives6characterpointsfornonweaponproficiencies.The psionicistcanchooseproficienciesfromthegeneralandpsionicistgroups.Refertothe Skills&Powersbook,Chapter6,andtothetablebelow. Additionalpsionicistnonweaponproficiencies
Proficiency Contact** Mental Armor** Pi no s i Gem Cutting 3 6 7 8 7 8 6 Dexterity/Aim Wisdom/Willpower Wisdom/Intuition Charisma/Leadership Intelligence/Knowle d g e Wisdom/Willpower Cost* 5 3 Initial Rating N/A N/A Relevant Ability Wisdom/Intuition Wisdom/Willpower

Harness Subconscious** 6 Meditative Focus** Musical Instrument Reading/Writing Rejuvenation** 5 2 2 3

*Costincharacterpoints **ProficiencydescribedinChapter9oftheSkills&Powersbook.