CyberPunk Roles: Mindstar

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MINDSTAR

Note: the following role description is loosely based on Peter F. Hamilton's cyberpunk trilogy, Mindstar Battalion. The Mindstar is a very powerful role and will be reserved for NPCs only.

In the EuroTurk War, an incredible secret weapon was revealed by the British government, the Mindstar Battalion. These amazing soldiers were able to single-handedly wipe out the Turk/Chinese cybersoldier battalions that had marched over Italy and France with little resistance. Although the British Army denied it, rumor held that the Mindstars were psychically enhanced by use of the outlawed Espergland, an artificial gland that amplified the usually very nominal psychic powers of some people so that they could perform amazing feats. When the People's Socialist Party took over England after the war, one of the first decrees was that all the Mindstars should be eliminated as a threat to public safety, and with the use of their incredible propaganda machine, the populace came to fear and hate the very soldiers who had saved them from defeat by the Turks. Although the PSP claims to have eliminated all of the Mindstars, reports continue to surface of encounters with underground soldiers who can fry a netrunner's head just by looking at him funny or hurl telephone poles through the air without even touching them. Such tales are immediately discredited by the PSP. After all, who could believe such wild stories?

Special Ability: Espersense

Espersense is the ability of the Mindstar to use his Espergland to increase his psychic abilities.

Career Skills: Awareness/Notice, Handgun, Rifle, Education (Military), Brawling or Martial Art, Stealth, Empathy,Telepathy,Telekinesis

Empathy is the ability to pick up and understand the emotions and thought patterns of others (at level 4: +8 to Human Perception, +6 to interrogate, +2 to Dodge/Escape, +2 to Stealth). Successful Empathic reading requires that the char roll a higher Espersense + Empathy - (10 - subject's INT) on 1d10.

Telepathy is the ability to plant emotions or suggestions in others (at level 4: +6 to Intimidate, +6 to Seduction, +6 to Persuasion). Successful Telepathic relay requires that the char roll a higher Espersense + Telepathy - (10 - subject's INT) on 1d10.

Empathy/Telepathy on animals: requires Zoology skill of 6 or greater.

Telekinesis is the ability to manipulate objects in the physical world. The greater the mindstar's Telekinesis, the larger/heavier object he will be able to manipulate.

Cybernetic Telekinesis: requires Cybertech skill of 4 and Anatomy skill of 6. The cybernetic telekon is specially trained to manipulate and disable neural links in the subject. If successful, the subject will lose control/use of any cyberware connected to that link. The mindstar must first detect or learn the exact location/nature of such links. Roll a higher Espersense + Telekinesis - (10 - subject's EMP) on 1d10.

Example: Merlin tries to disable Delorean's neural link to his artificial heart and lungs. Merlin has Espersense 7 and Telekinesis 3 with the qualifying Cybertech and Anatomy skills. Delorean has an EMP of 8. Merlin must roll a 8 [7+3-(10-8)] or better to succeed on the attack. Merlin gets lucky and rolls a 9 and Delorean suddenly finds himself unable to breathe and with a heart attack.

For other skill descriptions please see Skills.

As you can see, a mindstar can eventually become so powerful nothing will be able to stop him. It is therefore recommended that Referrees adopting the Mindstar role use it only for NPCs or progress PCs very slowly.

Playing the Mindstar in FFRP:

Mindstars are generally paranoid and isolated, never able to reveal themselves to those around them. In a normal combat situation they will use their soldier's training, only bringing out their telekinetic abilities as a last resort. They much prefer to rely on empathic and telepathic manipulation which can get them what they want without revealing to the subject that they have just had a brush with one of the legendary Mindstars. Overuse of the Espergland results in a buildup of toxins in the body, draining the mindstar and usually causing temporary neurological side effects such as weakness, loss of coordination, and severe headache.

Earnings: Mindstars live not by any salary but by their wits, often aquiring goods by simply creating the impression in the mind of the seller that they've already paid, which of course is discovered later to be untrue, but since the mindstars often manipulate the memories of their victims, it's often hard for the victim to remember just who it was that swindled them, or how.

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