Psionics

Psionics is the ability to interact with the environment through the power of the mind, independent of physical or bodily activity. Most sci-fi settings have some form of woo-woo power, and I don't think this one would be complete without one, so without further ado, here are three ways to bring psionics to your table in Hyperlite.

Quick Powers

3D and Get On With It A fast, random-power gen method with 6 familiar powers.

Determine PSI by rolling 2D minus terms served (min PSI of 2, max 15). Roll 3D to determine which powers you have at what level, on the table below. E.g. if you roll 2, 3, 3 your character would have Clairvoyance +1 and Telekinesis +2. Once powers have been determined, they may be improved through training, but no new powers may be acquired -- if you had the talent you'd already have the power.

You have been offered the opportunity to join a psionic cult to be trained in the use of your latent psionic talents. Psionics and its practitioners are proscribed by Solar decree. If you are discovered to possess these powers, you will be shunned and hunted.

Telepathy -- read the emotions and thoughts of others.
Clairvoyance -- see far away and through barriers.
Telekinesis -- lift and manipulate objects without touching them.
Somakinesis -- enhance your physical abilities at will.
Teleportation -- move yourself from one place to another in line-of-sight
Photokinesis -- shape, manipulate, and create light.

Using Your New Powers

Roll PSI + Power Rank or less for Tests of Self. Roll high + PSI + Power Rank for Tests of Competition.

Power Activation Costs

1 END per Target x Size
1 END per Range value to the Target (see Range)
1 END for each D (die) of effect

For example, you intend to use telekinesis to pick up a large toolbox and hurl it at the young farmer attacking you for 2D of damage. 2 END for the size 2 toolbox, + 2 END for Far (Range 2), and + 2 END for damage. 6 END spent. Then roll opposed (PSI + Telekinesis vs no range attack). Go back to dusting crops, boy.

Improving Your Powers & Training PSI

Powers can be trained like other skills. You may choose any two to train at a time, realizing a +1 immediately, and having the opportunity to make that gain permanent by making a dedication roll at the end of a year by testing (2D) against character's PSI.

Training PSI requires singular focus. Like powers, when you choose to train PSI, you realize a temporary +1 gain immediately. Unlike training most other abilities, at the end of the year, you must roll 2D over your present PSI to make the gain permanent. If your PSI is 12+ you must make two rolls and get 12 on each to make your gain permanent. Advancing PSI permanently beyond 12 is meant to be very difficult. However, as with other training, you keep the temporary +1 for as long as you continue training PSI, so a psionic at PSI 12 who keeps training has an effective PSI of 13. Max PSI is 15, regardless.

Order of Guardians

Drop-In Psionic Character A familiar-themed power set for an order of galactic guardians dedicated to the pursuit of justice. Works well with a shadowy Overlords of the Galaxy opposing faction. There's more mechanical crunch here than Quick Powers. Powers are fueled by END expenditure. No PSI ability required.

You have been offered an opportunity to join the ancient Order of Galactic Guardians. A samurai-like organization dedicated to peace and justice in the Galaxy. The Emperor despises them, and has a standing 1 million SEC bounty on any live Guardian with no questions asked.

Guardian Code

Guardians agree to operate by a code of conduct (like Bushido) as follows:

Pursue Justice for the Oppressed
Show Compassion to the Weak
Exhibit Courtesy to the Lowly
Maintain Dignity for the Order
Remain Loyal to the Code

Guardian Weapon

Guardians are trained with a special weapon: The Guardian Laserblade. This grants them Fencing +1, and a new personal weapon.

Guardian Laserblade -- Ignores armor. 3D damage. Instant activation. Requires training. Non-fencers must take a -2 penalty and risk self-injury.

Guardian Powers

Guardian Prowess. Automatic / 1 END On your turn spend END and perform a feat of superhuman athleticism. Jump extra high. Run inhumanly fast. Execute an acrobatic feat. Your STR & AGI both boost to 15 for one round. It costs 1 END each time you activate it. Can be paired with a fighting or non-fighting move.
Guardian Defense. Opposed INT / 1 END per D You may choose to oppose an attack roll on yourself or another nearby by using your Laserblade and this power. Add your Fencing skill to the roll. On success, for each END spent, you or the beneficiary may roll 1D of defense and ignore that many points of damage from the attack. This does not prevent you or the person you defended from counter-attacking, and does not provoke an attack on you by the countered attacker.
Sense. Self INT / 1 END per Range value Reach out with your feelings. Ignores physical barriers to sense lifeforms. Spend END equal to range desired, or to refine the signal and get better detail and read their feelings, too. Emotional barriers can take time to get through. Other psionic-types especially stand out.
Cloud Minds. Opposed PRE / 1 END per target Confuse others into thinking that the character and their companions weren't who they were looking for. Doesn't work on electronic surveillance equipment. Roll for each target.
Telekinesis. Self PRE / 1 END Manipulate a nearby object, as though with your hand. Once control is established, an object may be manipulated (AGI) for effect or hurled (STR). Hurling costs additional END: for each END spent, you hurl for 1D-2 damage, e.g. spend 2 END to get 2D-4 damage. It is possible to do no damage. If attacking, the roll becomes opposed.

Guardian Training

Guardians train as other characters (see Training). Guardian powers are driven by character END, and mastery of the Laserblade: Fencing adds to Defense, and to Fighting rolls made with the Laserblade.

The Psionics Institute

A Lifepath Branch The Institute is a complete, playable "branch" lifepath.

This branch gives the character a new ability (PSI) and uses END as the resource to burn like the Quick-Powers option. You can run it as-is, or use it as a template/example to follow for your own take.

You have been offered an opportunity to study at one of the secretive and rare institutions that teach and nurture psionic abilities in others. If you survive the training, you emerge with psionic powers. Psionic powers and their practice are proscribed within the bounds of the Solar Imperium.

The character spends two years at the Institute and may complete up to three stages of training. Completing each stage adds more — and more powerful — psionic powers, and grants access to training at the next stage. These powers are quite powerful and so each stage requires a Survival roll. Upon successful survival of a stage, the character may choose powers from those available at that stage, usually a choice of two out of three.

Characters are under no obligation to attempt any stage at all, and may leave at any time — even before starting. However, once training at the Institute has begun (usually this means surviving the first stage), the character is aged two years regardless of how many stages they complete.

Stage One — The Awakening

Roll for Survival, 6. +1 DM if END 9+, +1 DM if PRE 9+.

Determine your PSI score: take the average of your INT and PRE, rounded down, and add 1D.

Choose 2 Stage One abilities: Sense, ESP, or Telekinesis.

Stage Two — The Trial

Roll for Survival, 7. +1 DM if END 9+, +1 DM if PRE 9+.

Choose 2 Stage Two abilities: Astral Projection, Heal, or Attack.

Stage Three — The Epiphany

Roll for Survival, 8. +1 DM if END 9+, +1 DM if PRE 9+.

Choose 1 Stage Three ability: Hyper-Cognizance or Teleportation.

Using Institute Abilities

Psionic abilities use tests of self to determine success. For these powers the number of dice to roll (D) scales with the difficulty of the task. Where a power says D by Range, roll 2D at Near, 3D at Far, and 4D at Too Far (see Range). The more targets, the greater the effect, the farther the range, the more dice you must roll and get under your PSI to succeed.

Each use of an ability, regardless of success, costs END points. When a character runs out of END they are exhausted (equivalent to wounded, with its -2 to abilities and one move per round; see Life & Death) and must recover or risk injury.

Stage 1 Psionics — 1 END activation

Sense. D by Range ≤ PSI. Detect the presence and state of mind of others by reading their surface thoughts and emotions. Especially useful for the professional gambler or frontier trader. Other psionics stand out when sensed, but require an opposed check to detect state of mind.
ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception). D by Range ≤ PSI − Number of Senses. Use your senses (see, hear, smell, touch, taste) remotely, ignoring any barrier to physical perception — darkness, bulkheads, electromagnetic fields, or gentlemen who refuse to remove their hat in the theatre.
Telekinesis. D by Range ≤ PSI − (Size of Objects × Number of Objects). Manipulate objects at a distance, as though by a remote force.
- Distance: you must be able to see an object to control it, at any Range.
- Mass: the bigger the object, and the more objects you try to control, the bigger the penalty to your PSI before the roll: subtract Size × Number of Objects. E.g. lifting two size 2 objects at Far range is a -4 to PSI and a 3D roll (D by Range).
- Hurling: once control is established, you may hurl what you hold. Each die of damage costs Size × Number of Objects END, on top of the activation cost. E.g. hurling those two size 2 objects for 2D of damage costs 8 END.
- Attacks: if the throw is an attack on a person or creature, make an opposed roll against your target, unless they have no attack that can reach you. Hurling at an object (smashing a window, say) needs no opposed roll.

Stage 2 Psionics — 2 END activation

Astral Projection. 2D ≤ PSI + Special Engage in non-corporeal travel for a limited time while your physical body remains behind. Move at your normal rate in any direction and ignore any barrier to your passage while in this state. Command all senses except touch. Unlike other powers, if you fail your activation roll you still achieve astral state, but you immediately suffer 1D END drain (in addition to the 2 point activation cost). To maintain astral state, you must make a PSI test every 15 minutes; failing drains 1D END. When END reaches 0 you return to your body and must recover.
Heal. (Near) 2D ≤ PSI − Points Transferred. Transfer, one for one, points of your STR, AGI and/or END to the same ability of a target you are touching (so they must be at Near range), temporarily boosting theirs for the duration of the scene. Use it to revive a target or save them from death: damage reduces the victim's STR, AGI and END, and an ability at 0 leaves them wounded, unconscious or dying. Recovery for the psionic is normal. A failed transfer still drains the points from the psionic, but the target gains nothing, and again recovery is normal. The boost from Heal fades, so the receiving character should make preparations for when the time expires!
Attack. D by Range ≤ PSI. Deliver an electro-kinetic jolt to a target. Causes 1D damage + 1D for each point of additional END spent. There is no cap on additional END, but your END pool and exhaustion are the limit. Make an opposed roll against your target, unless they have no attack that can reach you.

Stage 3 Psionics — 5 END activation

Hyper-Cognizance. Time Window Factor x D ≤ PSI. Manifest Insight (to see and understand what's beyond your current understanding) or Luck (to avoid or mitigate an unwanted occurrence). The Time Window Factor controls the number of dice to roll. Factor 1 is the near future (1 week), Factor 2 is the immediate future (1 day), and Factor 3 is the imminent moment (1 hour). This is a very powerful ability.
Teleportation. D by Range ≤ PSI − 2 x Passengers. Instantaneously transfer yourself and anyone touching you from one location to another, without passing through the space between. Range is the distance to your destination, which need not be in sight, but you must have visited it at least once. Too Far is the limit.