Telepathic Sciences

Domination
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: varies
Range: 30 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: mindlink, contact
With domination, a psionicist can project signals from his own mind into the mind of one other person or creature. As a result, the subject is forced to do nearly anything the psionicist wishes. The dominated subject knows what is happening, but he cannot resist the psionicists will. Commands are given mentally and automatically. The victims abilities are neither diminished nor enhanced by this power. The subject can be forced to use any power or ability he normally can-assuming the psionicist knows about it. Domination does not reveal facts or secrets about a victim. As soon as domination is attempted, the victim makes a saving throw vs. spells. If this saving throw succeeds, the victim is not dominated. If it fails, the victim has fallen under the psionicists control. However, if the victim is later forced to do something completely abhorrent (against his alignment), he can make another saving throw to regain his free will. Domination can exact a high price in PSPs. The cost to establish and maintain this power equals twice the cost to contact the victim.
Power Score: The maintenance cost is halved.
20: The victim knows that someone attempted to dominate him.
Ejection
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: varies
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisite: none
Ejection is the final defense against unwanted contact. If one psionicist has forced contact with another's mind, or has been granted contact and is now doing things he should not be, he can be ejected. The cost of ejection is twice the opponent's contact power score (even if contact was established through combat). Ejection is risky for the user. If the power check result is 8 or less, consult the table below to see what "side effects" the psionicist suffers.
  1. Lose access to all sciences for 1d10 hours
  2. Lose access to one discipline, selected by the DM, for 1d10 hours
  3. Lose 1d10 +10 additional PSPs
  4. Lose 1d10 additional PSPs
  5. Lose 1 point of Constitution permanently
  6. Lose 1d10 hit points
  7. Sever only one portion of contact (one successful attack reestablishes it)
  8. Sever only two portions of contact (two successful attacks reestablish it)

Power Score: Roll 1d6 on the table above. The result applies to the ejected being.
20: Ejection fails, but the psionicist still makes a d6 roll on the table above.
Fate Link
Power Score: Con -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 5/turn
Range: 2 miles
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
This power enables the telepath to intertwine his own fate with that of another creature. If either being experiences pain, both feel it. When one loses hit points, both lose the same amount. If either dies, the other must immediately make a saving throw vs. death to avoid the same fate.
Power Score: Range is unlimited.
20: Social regression. The psionicist loses 1d6 points of Charisma for a day.
Mass Domination
Power Score: Wis -6
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: varies
Range: 40 yards
Preparation Time: 2
Area of Effect: up to 5 creatures
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact,domination
This power is identical to domination except the psionicist can control up to five creatures simultaneously. Each one must be contacted and dominated individually. The maintenance cost-twice the victim's level or hit dice-must be paid for each dominated figure.
Power Score: The range is extended to 100 yards.
20: The intended targets are aware of the psionicist's efforts.
Mindlink
Power Score: Wis -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 8/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: contact
Mindlink allows the user to communicate wordlessly with any intelligent creature he can contact (Intelligence 5 or greater on a human scale). This is two-way communication. It is not the same as mind-reading because the psionicist only receives thoughts which the other party wants to send. Language is not a barrier. Distance affects the telepath's ability to make contact, but it has no other effect (see "contact").
Power Score: The mindlink allows one probing question (see probe).
20: The psionicist must save vs. petrifica-tion or be stunned for 1d4 rounds.
Mindwipe
Power Score: Int -6
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 8/round
Range: touch
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Mindwiping is a crude form of psychic surgery which affects the subjects IQ. (It's like a temporary lobotomy.) The telepath systematically seals off portions of the subject's mind, making whatever knowledge was contained there inaccessible. When a mindwipe is attempted, the victim saves vs. spells. If he succeeds, the mindwipe is thwarted for one round, but next round the psionicist can try again. Each round of mindwiping has two important, immediate effects. First, it reduces the victim's Intelligence and Wisdom scores by I point. Second, it reduces his experience level or hit dice by I point. These reductions have considerable impact. All characters may lose languages or proficiencies and their magical defense adjustment. Experience level and hit dice losses affect everything except hit points. The victim keeps all of his hit points regardless of what is wiped from his mind. Intelligence and Wisdom losses affect wizards and clerics as if those losses were permanent. Clerics lose bonus spells, their chance of spell failure rises, and eventually they cannot cast spells. Wizards suffer reductions in their maximum spell level, their chance to learn spells, and their maximum spells per level. When the number of available spells at a spell-level drops, a character must make an ability check before casting a spell of that level. Wizards roll an Intelligence check. Clerics roll a Wisdom check. Both use current scores. If the check succeeds, the character can cast the spell. If it fails, he has forgotten the spell and can't cast any spell that round. Mindwipe only seals off information; it doesn't erase it. All of a characters lost Wisdom, Intelligence, and experience levels can be restored through psychic surgery (q.v.). This power has no effect against creatures with neither stats nor hit dice.
Power Score: No saving throw allowed.
20: The power affects the psionicist instead of his intended victim.
Probe
Power Score: Wis -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 9/round
Range: 2 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: ESP, contact
A probe is similar to ESP (a telepathic devotion), but a probe allows psionicists to dig much deeper into a subjects subconscious. If the subject fails a saving throw vs. spells, then all his memories and knowledge are accessible to the prober-from memories deep below the surface to those still fresh in the subject's mind. The information gained is not necessarily true, but it is true as far as the subject knows. The telepath can learn the answer to one question per round. DMs have some discretion in determining this rate. If the questions (or answers) become too complicated, each may take longer than one round to resolve. Telepaths can probe a subject who is conscious, as well as one who resists. A probe can even be carried out in the midst of melee, provided the telepath can get close enough. If a probed wizard or cleric tries casting a spell, the telepath knows both that a spell is being cast and what the general effects of that spell are.
Power Score: Two questions may be asked per round.
20: The subject knows about the probe attempt and is not pleased.
Psionic Blast
Power Score: Wis -5
Initial Cost: 10
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 20/40/60 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: none
Psionic blast is a wave of brain force which can jolt a subject's mind like shocking news. This is one of the five telepathic attacks used to establish contact with another psionicist. (An illithids mind blast is not the same.) If this power is used against a mind that has already been contacted, the subject must save vs. death. Failure means he loses 80% of his remaining hit points, but only in his mind. The hit points are still there; he only thinks they're gone. He will pass out when the remaining 20% of his hit points are gone butwon't die unless all of them are actually lost. In any case, this effect wears off after six turns. At that time, an unconscious character awakens. This power has three ranges: short, medium, and long. At medium range, the psioni-cist's power score is reduced by two. At long range, it is reduced by five.
Power Score: A victim who fails his save passes out for one turn.
20: No other effect.
Superior Invisibility
Power Score: Int -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 5/round/creature
Range: 100 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact invisibility
Superior invisibility is like invisibility, but it masks the character completely. The psionicist makes no sound and has no smell, though he can still be felt if touched. If he attacks someone physically, he automatically breaks contact with that character.
Power Score: Opponents affected by this power cannot detect the psionicist even if he touches or physically attacks them.
20: Everyone contacted becomes aware of the psionicist and his desire to be invisible.
Switch Personality
Power Score: Con -4
Initial Cost: contact +30
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: touch
Preparation Time: 3
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Some psionicists can literally put themselves in another man's (or woman's) shoes. This science allows the psionicist to switch his own mind with someone elses. In effect, they exchange bodies. The other person's mind inhabits the psionicist's body, while the psioni-cist's mind inhabits his subject's body. The switch is permanent, and lasts until the psionicist uses this power to reverse it. Each character gains the other's physical attributes. However, both minds retain all their own knowledge and knowledge-based abilities. For example, a telepath who switches minds with a 10th level fighter gains a body with that fighter's hit points and physical attributes (Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity). However, he retains his own THACO, proficiencies, and so forth. The switch takes a turn to complete, and the process is quite traumatic. At the end of the turn, both characters must make system shock saving throws using their new Constitution scores. A character who fails this roll lapses into a coma for 1-100 hours. Bodies that have undergone a personality switch tend to degenerate. Both characters must make a Constitution ability check every day. If a check fails, the character loses one point of Constitution. If his Constitution drops to zero, he dies. This Constitution loss is temporary, but it does not reverse itself until the personalities are restored to their proper bodies. At that point, both bodies recover one point of Constitution per day. The psionicist does not lose his psionic powers if his Constitution drops below II. However, if a power score is based on Constitution-like this power's score is-the score drops accordingly.
Power Score: System shock rolls automatically succeed, and the Constitution checks are made only once a week.
20: The psionicist lapses into a coma for 1d100 hours.
Tower of Iron Will
Power Score: Wis -2
Initial Cost: 6
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 1 yard
Prerequisites: none
Tower of iron will is one of the five telepath-ic defenses against unwanted contact. It relies only upon the superego to build an unassailable haven for the brain. Like intellect fortress (a telepathic devotion), tower of iron will has an area of effect beyond the psionicists mind. At 3 feet, its very limited. A psionicist can initiate one other psionic power during the round in which he uses the tower of iron will.
Power Score: The area of effect increases to 10 feet.
20: The psionicist is "lost inside himself" and cannot engage in psionic activity for 1d4 hours.

Telepathic Devotions

Attraction
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 8/round
Range: 200 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
The opposite of aversion (see below), this power creates an overwhelming attraction to a particular person or thing-be it an item, creature, action, or event. A victim of this power will do whatever seems reasonable to get close to the object of his attraction. The key word is "reasonable" The victim is completely fascinated, but he doesn't suffer from blind obsession. He won't leap into a fire or over a cliff, for example, or climb into the arms of a tarrasque (a bipedal killing machine). He can still recognize danger, but he will not flee unless the threat is strong and immediate. And if the danger is not apparent, (such as poison in a goblet of wine), the character could easily destroy himself in pursuit of the attraction.
Power Score: The effect borders on an obsession; the victim takes serious risks.
20: No additional effect.
Aversion
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 8/turn
Range: 200 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
The victim of this power gains an aversion to a particular person, place, action, or event. He will do everything he can to avoid the object of his aversion. He will not approach within 20 yards, and if he is already within 20 yards, he will back away at the first opportunity. The aversion is "planted" in the victim's brain for one turn. It cannot be maintained for another turn unless the psionicist maintains contact throughout that turn.
Power Score: The object of aversion affects the victim like a fear spell.
20: No additional effect.
Awe
Power Score: Cha -2
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 20 yards
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
A psionicist can use this power to make others hold him in awe. Each character contacted must make a saving throw vs. spells. Characters who fail are mentally cowed; they sense the telepath's "awesome might" They have no desire to serve or befriend him, but they won't attack him unless forced to do so. (For example, someone says, "You kill him or I'll kill you") They'll do whatever they can to avoid angering or upsetting the psionicist. If possible, they'll avoid him altogether, and take the first opportunity to escape him.
Power Score: The save automatically fails.
20: All contacted characters view the psionicist as pathetic and ridiculous.
Conceal Thoughts
Power Score: Wis
Initial Cost: 5
Maintenance Cost: 3/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 3 yards
Prerequisite: none
This defensive devotion protects the psionicist against psionic or magical ESP, probes, mindlink, life detection, and other powers or spells which read or detect thoughts. To overcome thought concealment, an attacker must wage and win a psychic contest.
Power Score: All related psychic contests will automatically be won by the defender.
20: No additional effect.
Contact
Power Score: Wis
Initial Cost: varies
Maintenance Cost: I/round
Range: special
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: none
Contact must be established before virtually any telepathic power can be used on another character or creature. It is just what its name implies-contact between the minds of the tel-epath and another character or creature. Contact does not allow communication by itself; it is merely the conduit for other telepathic exchanges. Many telepathic powers list "contact" as their initial cost. That means contact must be established in a previous round before those powers can be used. As long as contact is maintained, the psionicist can use other powers which require it, and can even switch (using attraction and then mindlink on the same subject after contact was established, for example). A psionicist can maintain contact with more than one subject at a time, but he must contact each one individually, and pay a maintenance cost for each use of the power. For example, if a psionicist wishes to inspire awe in two subjects, he must establish and maintain contact with each one separately. Once contact is established, it costs 1 PSP per round to maintain. The psionicist can perform any other action while maintaining contact. If he uses another telepathic power on the same subject while maintaining contact, the contact power is "free". (The cost of maintaining contact is covered by the other power's cost.)
Establishing Contact: The initial cost of contact is based on the target's level or hit dice, as shown below.
1-5 levels or hit dice 3PSPs
6-10 levels or hit dice 5PSPs
11-15 levels or hit dice 13 PSPs
16-20 levels or hit dice 18 PSPs
A psionicist cannot contact a subject that he knows nothing about. In other words, he can't use this power to scan around and "see what's out there." He must either have his subject in sight or know specifically who or what he is looking for. He cannot, for example, try to contact any random ore which may or may not be standing behind a closed door. However, he can try to contact a particular ore which he has seen before. If a psionicist fails to establish contact, he can try again the next round. Failure doesn't necessarily mean the targets mind cannot be contacted. Rather, it means the target has not been found yet. The psionicist can continue searching. Several factors can make telepathic contact difficult to establish: Each factor is described below.
Distance: The greater the distance between the two minds, the more difficult it usually becomes to make contact. If the psionicist can see the target-either with normal vision or by using psionic powers-distance is not a factor. If the psionicist cannot see his target, normal range modifiers apply. Simply knowing where to look does not constitute "seeing the target"
Separation Distance Power Score Modifier
Line-of-sight 0
1 mile -1
10 miles -3
100 miles -5
1,000 miles -7
10,000 miles -9
The maximum range for establishing contact is 10,000 miles when a psionicist cannot view his subject. Contact can be maintained across any distance, however; it is not broken if a contacted subject moves out of range. There is one exception: contact cannot be extended beyond a crystal sphere.
Resistance: An untrained character-i.e., a nonpsionicist-can actively resist intrusion, resulting in a-2 modifier to the psionicist's power score. To resist, the character fills his mind with a barrage of thoughts and emotions-much as a child avoids a lecture by plugging his ears and yelling. For example, a character might repeat a poem ad nauseam, or scream battle cries. However, even these efforts won't work unless 1) the character is specifically resisting psychic intrusion, and 2) resisting intrusion is his sole activity. If the character tries to fight or cast a spell, for example, his psychic defense has too many "holes" to be useful. Unless a wild talent knows a telepathic defense mode, he is as vulnerable to contact as any nonpsionicist. Psionicists (and psionic creatures) are much better at resisting contact. In fact, this power won't work against them unless they intentionally drop their natural defenses. They must allow another psionicist to use contact on them, and can exclude some contacts while remaining open to others. If a psionicist resists, contact can only be established through mental attacks: psychic crush, ego whip, id insinuation, mind thrust, or psionic blast. See Chapter 2, "Psionic Combat," for more information.
Unusual Subjects: Contact can also be established with nonhuman minds, even plants. The further the subject is removed from mammals, the more difficult it becomes to establish contact. Modifiers that affect power scores are listed on the following page.
Life Order Contact Score Modifier
Mammal (except marsupial) -1
Marsupial -2
Bird -3
Reptile, amphibian -4
Fish -5
Arachnid, insect -6
Monster -7
Plant -8
These modifiers are in addition to any distance modifiers that may apply. That means contacting a distant plant or monster is an uncertain proposition at best.
Breaking Contact: Contact is not severed until the psionicist breaks it off (fails to maintain it). If the person contacted is a psionicist, he may also do something to sever it. A psionicist often can eject an unwanted intruder (see "ejection").
Optional Rule: The minds of very intelligent beings are more difficult to latch onto. Increase the cost of contact by adding the creature's "# of Languages," minus two, as shown on Table 4 in Chapter I of the Player's Handbook. For example, a creature with Intelligence 17 knows six languages. The cost of contacting this creatures mind is increased by four.
Power Score: The contact is maintained for four rounds for free.
20: Further contact with this mind is impossible at this experience level. Daydream Power Score: Wis Initial Cost: contact Maintenance Cost: 3/round Range: unlimited Preparation Time: 0 Area of Effect: individual Prerequisite: mindlink, contact By using this power, the telepath causes someone's mind to wander. This is only effective against characters with Intelligence 14 or less who are not concentrating hard on the task before them, but are just going about their business in a casual, relaxed manner. Once affected, the daydreamer pays little attention to his surroundings, making it much easier for someone to pick his pocket, slip past him unobserved, or otherwise escape his notice. Thieves gain a 20% bonus on their pick pockets, move silently, and hide in shadows scores. Other characters can perform these tasks as an average 4th level thief (pick pockets, 45%; move silently, 33%; hide in shadows, 25%). The DM can assign chances for success to other types of skulking and skullduggery.
Power Score: Increase the bonuses to 30% for thieves and 5th level for others.
20: The victim realizes someone is toying with his mind.
Ego Whip
Power Score: Wis -3
Initial Cost: 4
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 40/80/120 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: mindlink, contact
Ego whip is one of the five telepathic attacks used to establish contact with another psioni-cist's mind. (See Chapter 2.) The power assaults the victim's ego, leaving him with feelings of inferiority and worthlessness. If used against a contacted mind, the target is dazed for 1-4 rounds, during which all of his die rolls (psionic attacks, melee attacks, saving throws, etc.) are penalized five points (or 25%) and he cannot cast any spells above third level. This power has three ranges: short, medium, and long. At medium range, the psioni-cists power score is reduced by two. At long range, it is reduced by five.
Power Score: No additional effect.
20: No additional effect.
Empathy
Power Score: Wis
Initial Cost: contact (or 1*)
Maintenance Cost: 1/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 20 ft. x 20 ft.
Prerequisites: contact
By using empathy, a psionicist can sense the basic needs, drives, and/or emotions generated by any mind. Thirst, hunger, fear, fatigue, pain, rage, hatred, uncertainty, curiosity, hostility, friendliness, love-all these and more can be sensed.
*When used against nonpsionic targets, contact is not required.
Power Score: The subject of the emotion is revealed.
20: The target senses the attempt.
ESP
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 6/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: contact
Extrasensory perception, or ESP, allows a psionicist to read someone else's mind (as the power is treated here). The telepath can only perceive surface or active thoughts. He cannot use ESP to explore someone's memories or delve into their subconscious. Most intelligent creatures tend to think in words, so language is a barrier to understanding. Unintelligent creatures think in pictures. Magical thought, such as a wizard uses in casting spells, is also unintelligible. However, a telepath can easily recognize such thoughts as part of the spell-casting process.
Power Score: The first round of maintenance is free.
20: The psionicist develops a splitting headache and suffers a -1 penalty on all tele-pathic power scores for one hour.
False Sensory Input
Power Score: Int -3
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
This devotion allows the psionicist to falsify someone's sensory input-making the victim think that he sees, hears, smells, tastes, or feels something other than he really does. The falsehoods are somewhat limited. Nothing can be completely hidden or made to disappear, and everything must retain its general size and intensity. For example, a human could be made to look like a dwarf, but not like a parrot. A slamming door could be made to sound like a thunderclap or a cough, but not like rustling paper. Oil could be made to taste like garlic, but not like water.
Power Score: Almost any false perception can be achieved.
20: The psionicist cannot see, hear, or otherwise sense the intended victim for 1d4 rounds, except psionically.
Id Insinuation
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: 5
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 60/120/180 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: mindlink, contact
Id insinuation is one of the five telepathic attack modes. 'It seeks to unleash the uncontrolled subconscious of the defender, pitting it against his superego. The attack leaves the victim in a state of moral uproar.Technically speaking, this power drives him nuts, at least temporarily. His id-the seat of primitive needs, animal drives, cruelty, and ferocity-seeks to launch him into a rage of violence and desire. His superego-the seat of moral conscience and the "civilized" part of his brain-struggles to maintain the upper hand. If this power is used against a contacted mind, the target can do nothing for ld4 rounds. Id insinuation has three ranges: short, medium, and long. At medium range, the tele-path's power score is reduced by two. At long range, it is reduced by five.
Power Score: The victims id overpowers his superego and he turns against his allies for 1d4 rounds.
20: The psionicists id is unleashed; the resulting rage imposes a -I penalty on all his attack rolls and power checks for one turn.
Identity Penetration
Power Score: Wis -3
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 6/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: contact
Identity penetration allows the user to determine the target's true identity in spite of polymorphs, illusions, disguises, etc.
Power Score: No additional effect.
20: Until he gains another level, the telepath cannot penetrate the identity of the current target.
Incarnation Awareness
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 13/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: contact
By applying this power to another character, the psionicist can gain knowledge about past lives. One past life can be explored per round, starting with the most powerful personalities (usually these are also the most famous, but not always). The psionicist also knows immediately how many times this particular personality has been killed and raised from the dead. It is up to the players to put this information to use.
Power Score: All past life information is gained in one quick mental blast.
20: Overwhelmed, the psionicist lapses into a trance until jolted or slapped-or for 1d4 hours, whichever comes first.
Inflict Pain
Power Score: Con -4
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 2/round
Range: touch
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
This is a particularly nasty form of torture. It causes no actual harm to the subject and leaves no marks or scars, but causes excruciating pain of any sort the telepath desires. Only evil characters can learn this power freely; others find their alignments twisting toward evil if they wish to inflict pain. If the victim is an NPC who is being questioned, he must make a saving throw vs. para-lyzation to withstand this agony. If the psionicist finds a way to use this power in combat, the victim must also make a saving throw vs. paralyzation. Success means he grits his teeth and keeps on fighting. Failure means the pain imposes a four-point penalty on the character's attack rolls that round, or disrupts and ruins a spell.
Power Score: The pain is so excruciating that the victim passes out for 1d10 rounds.
20: This particular contact is broken.
Intellect Fortress
Power Score: Wis -3
Initial Cost: 4
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 3-yd. radius
Prerequisites: none
Intellect fortress is one of five telepathic defenses against unwanted contact. It calls forth the powers of the ego and superego to stop attacks. Unlike most other defenses, intellect fortress has an area of effect beyond the psioni-cists mind, offering protection to other minds within that radius. Every mind within that area defends against telepathic attack with the psionicist's intellect fortress power score. A psionicist can initiate one other psionic power in the same round that he uses intellect fortress.
Power Score: No additional effect.
20: This defense falters and is not usable again for 1d4 rounds.
Invincible Foes
Power Score: Wis -3
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 5/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
The victim of this devotion believes that any blow struck against him will cripple or kill him. Even if the blow actually causes just one point of damage, the victim thinks he's dying, and that he can no longer fight. He falls to the ground in horrible pain. A character who is struck while under the effect of this power won't recover until a turn later, even if the psionicist stops concentrating on him and turns his attention elsewhere. As long as the character was under this effect when the blow was struck, he's out for 10 rounds. Even if the victim of this power is never actually struck, his behavior is likely to change. Fully expecting the next blow to kill him, he may stop attacking and simply parry, or try to flee, or even surrender and beg for quarter. If the character has not been struck, however, the psionicist must keep renewing the power every round; otherwise future blows will affect him normally. "Invincible foes" can also work in reverse. In other words, an attacker can be made to believe that every blow he strikes is fatal. The belief is strong enough to create an illusion: even if the attacker barely scratches his foe, he sees the "victim" lying down, mortally wounded. He will continue to imagine that opponent lying on the ground until the opponent attacks again (it doesn't matter whom he attacks; any attack breaks the illusion). . This reversal has several consequences. Characters who have been "killed"-i.e., struck-can simply walk away from the fight, leaving their "corpses" behind. Or they can move into position and attack again, gaining a +2 bonus to hit. After this happens three times, the affected character must make a saving throw vs. spells. If it fails, he becomes convinced that his foes are unkillable and reacts accordingly. (PCs, of course, are free to react as they see fit.)
Power Score: No other effect.
20: No other effect.
Invisibility
Power Score: Int -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 2 / round / creature
Range: 100 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Psionic invisibility differs significantly from magical invisibility. To make himself invisible, the psionicist must individually contact each mind that he wants deceive. Once they are all contacted, he makes himself invisible to them only. He can still see himself, as can anyone who was not contacted. Only characters within 100 yards of the psionicist can be affected by this power. Invisibility is a delusion affecting one or more select characters, not an illusion affecting everyone. The only real change occurs in the mind of the psionicist's targets. For this reason, the psionicist can make anyone invisible-not just himself. The "invisible" being must be approximately man-sized (or smaller), however. The psionicist must make a separate power check for each delusion, and pay a separate maintenance cost for each. In this case, a delusion is one "invisible" creature or character, as perceived by one other character. For example, if the psionicist wants to make two things invisible to two people, he must make four separate power checks. This power affects vision only. Observers may still be able to hear or smell "invisible" creatures.
Power Score: The power works like superior invisibility (a telepathic science).
20: All contacts are broken.
Life Detection
Power Score: Int -2
Initial Cost: 3
Maintenance Cost: 3/round
Range: 100 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: varies
Prerequisite: none
A telepath can detect the presence of living, thinking creatures within a limited area. He must scan like radar. If he is scanning at short range, he can cover a large angle. At long range, the angle is significantly reduced. He can scan through 180 degrees to a range of 40 yards, 90 degrees to a range of 60 yards, or 30 degrees to a range of 100 yards. One round of scanning will detect humans, dernihumans, humanoids, mammals, and monsters with eight or more hit dice. A second round of scanning will detect birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and monsters with less than eight hit dice. In either case the character gets an accurate count of the creatures. The DM should make this power check and keep the result secret from the player. If the psionicist doesn't detect anything, the player won't know whether that means there's nothing there, or the power didn't work. If the roll is I, the psionicist gets faulty information. He detects what is there, but gets the numbers wrong by +/-50 %.
Power Score: The psionicist can instantly detect everything within 100 yards, in every direction.
20: The telepath detects 1d6 creatures which aren't there.
Mental Barrier
Power Score: Wis -2
Initial Cost: 3
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: none
Mental barrier is one of five telepathic defenses against unwanted contact. It is a carefully built wall of thought repetition which exposes only one small area of the mind at a time. A psionicist can initiate one other psionic power in the same round that he uses mental barrier.
Power Score: Contact during this round and the next is impossible.
20: The barrier fails, and the mental attempt disrupts any currently active powers.
Mind Bar
Power Score: Int -2
Initial Cost: 6
Maintenance Cost: 4/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisite: none
Mind bar is a magician's bane and the telepath's boon. It gives the psionicist 75% magic resistance against charm, confusion, ESP, fear, feeblemind, magic jar, sleep, and suggestion spells. It also offers complete protection against possession of any sort. In addition, mind bar protects a psionicist against all telepathic powers, except the five contact-establishing attacks. No telepathic power can affect a barred mind unless the telepathic attack prevails in a psychic contest. (The defender uses mind bar.)
Power Score: The telepath gains a +5 bonus to his power score when defending in a psychic contest.
20: The telepath's saving throws vs. the spells listed above have a - 4 penalty for one hour.
Mind Blank
Power Score: Wis -7
Initial Cost: 0
Maintenance Cost: 0
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: none
Mind blank is one of five telepathic defenses against unwanted contact. It attempts to hide the mind from attack, making its parts unidentifiable. This defense is particularly effective against a psionic blast and id insinuation. (See Chapter 2, "Psionic Combat," for details.) Mind blank is unique. Unlike the other four defense modes, it costs nothing to maintain. In fact, a character can still recover PSPs while using this power. That's because mind blank is almost instinctual; if a character knows it, it's nearly always active, even when he's sleeping or meditating. The power is inactive only if 1) the player announces it, or 2) the character uses another defense mode. Even though mind blank has no PSP cost, it still constitutes psionic activity. If the power is active, a character is vulnerable to detection. He still may attract psionic feeders, or suffer some other unpleasant effect. A psionicist can use one other psionic power (but not another defense mode) in the same round that he uses mind blank.
Power Score: No other effect.
20: The character cannot use mind blank for 1d4 hours.
Mind Thrust
Power Score: Wis -2
Initial Cost: 2
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 30/60/90 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: mindlink, contact
Mind thrust is one of the five telepathic attacks used to establish contact with another psionicist's mind. It is a stabbing attack which seeks to "short" the synapses of the defender. If the subject's mind has already been contacted, and he has psionic powers, then this power can do some damage. The subject loses the use of one power, chosen randomly, for 2d6 days. Beyond establishing contact, mind thrust has no effect on creatures or characters without psionic powers. This power has three ranges: short, medium, and long. At medium range, the psionicist's power score is reduced by two. At long range, it's reduced by five.
Power Score: No other effect.
20: The telepath loses all tangents, but not contacts.
Phobia Amplification
Power Score: Wis -2
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
This power allows the psionicist to reach into someone's mind and discover his greatest fear, then amplify it to the point of irrationality. A victim who fails a saving throw vs. spells believes he is imminently threatened by the object of this fear, even if it is completely absurd. A character with a fear of falling, for example, is convinced he could pitch over a cliff at any moment-even while on an endless prairie- unless he stands absolutely still. The reaction of the frightened character depends on the fear. He will defend himself if attacked (unless defending himself is somehow tied in to his phobia). A wizard may teleport away or use other spells to guarantee his safety. Other characters might freeze in place or flee for their lives. But all of their actions will be geared toward protecting against the fearsome object or situation. This fear lasts as long as the psionicist maintains the effect. Once he stops, the fear fades back to its normal proportions, probably leaving the character slightly shaken and more than slightly chagrined.
Power Score: The target's save vs. spells automatically fails.
20: The subject has no detectable phobias.
Post-Hypnotic Suggestion
Power Score: Int -3
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: I/level or hit die
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Prerequisites: mindlink, contact
Any creature with an Intelligence between 7 and 17 can receive a post-hypnotic suggestion. (Very dim or very brilliant creatures are not susceptible.) The psionicist plants a suggestion of some reasonable course of action in the creature's subconscious, along with the situation that will trigger this action. When that situation arises, the DM makes a power check against the psionicists post-hypnotic suggestion score, with a -1 penalty for each day that has passed since the suggestion was planted. A "reasonable course of action" is one that does not violate the creatures alignment or class restrictions. It can be something that he would not normally do, but if it is too strange, he just won't do it. The maintenance cost for this power is a one-time-only payment, made when the suggestion is implanted.
Power Score: The psionicists power score is not reduced for the passage of time.
20: The intended victim is aware of the attempt.
Psychic Crush
Power Score: Wis -4
Initial Cost: 7
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 50 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisites: mindlink
Psychic crush is one of the five telepathic attacks used to establish contact with another psionicist's mind. It is a massive assault upon all neurons in the brain, attempting to destroy all by a massive overload of signals. If this attack is used against any mind that the psionicist has contacted, the victim must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation. Failure costs the target ld8 hit points.
Power Score: The save automatically fails.
20: The victim is immune to further crushes by this psionicist for 24 hours.
Psychic Impersonation
Power Score: Wis
Initial Cost: 10
Maintenance Cost: 3/hour
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisite: probe
This power enables a psionicist to mask his own aura and thought patterns, and make them match someone else's perfectly. To accomplish this, the psionicist must first probe the subject he wishes to impersonate. Psychic impersonation does not alter any of the psionicist's other features. It only changes his identity to other creatures with psionic powers. Even then, a psychic contest with identity penetration or probe can penetrate the disguise. While psychic impersonation is in effect, all of the user's psionic power scores are reduced by one.
Power Score: The disguise cannot be detected psionically and power scores are not decreased.
20: Until the psionicist reaches a new experience level, he cannot impersonate that subject.
Psychic Messenger
Power Score: Con -4
Initial Cost: 4
Maintenance Cost: 3/round
Range: 200 miles
Preparation Time: 2
Area of Effect: 1 sq. yd.
Prerequisite: none
This power allows a character to create an insubstantial, 3-D image of himself, which can appear anywhere within 200 miles and deliver a message. Everyone present can see and hear the messenger. Communication is oneway. The telepath has no idea what is happening around his messenger unless he's using some other power.
Power Score: The psionicist can make the messenger's appearance differ from his own.
20: No effect.
Repugnance
Power Score: Wis -5
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 8/round
Range: 200 yards
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect- individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
With this power, a psionicist makes something-a particular person, place, or object-completely repugnant to another character. That character is overwhelmed with loathing for the "thing," and he will seek to destroy it as completely and quickly as possible. If this destruction is strongly against the character's alignment (such as making a temple repugnant to its cleric), the character gets to make a saving throw vs. spells to shake off the effect.
Power Score: No save is allowed.
20: The victim is aware of the attempt.
Send Thoughts
Power Score: Int -1
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 2/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: contact
This is one-way communication, allowing the telepath to send his own thoughts to someone elses mind. The telepath can send information or simply distract the target. If the target is a wizard casting a spell, he must make a saving throw vs. spells. The wizard applies a modifier to the save: the difference between his Intelligence and the telepaths power score. (If the wizards Intelligence is higher, its a bonus; if it's lower, it's a penalty. ) If this save fails, the wizard's concentration is broken and the spell is spoiled. If the target being distracted is someone involved in melee, he has a two-point penalty on all attack rolls (but not damage rolls).
Power Score: Wizards cannot make the saving throw.
20: If the receiver is a friend, he is distracted.
Sight Link
Power Score: Con -3
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 5/turn
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Sight link allows the telepath to tap into another character's optical system. The telepath sees whatever his link sees. (His own vision is unaffected.) If the linked creature is subjected to a gaze attack, the telepath must make the appropriate saving throw or also be affected by the gaze.
Power Score: Sound link is also gained.
20: The psionicist is blinded for 1d4 hours.
Sound Link
Power Score: Con -2
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/turn
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
By means of a sound link, the telepath taps into the auditory system of another person or creature. He hears whatever his link hears. If the linked creature is subjected to an auditory attack (by sirens, shriekers, etc.), the telepath must make the appropriate saving throw or also be affected.
Power Score: Sight link is also gained.
20: The psionicist is deaf for ld4 hours.
Synaptic Static
Power Score: Int -4
Initial Cost: 15
Maintenance Cost: IO/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: 20/50/90 yds
Prerequisite: mindlink
Synaptic static interferes with all psionic activity within a given area. Even the psionicist is affected; when he creates static, he cannot use any other power simultaneously. However, he may also prevent others from using their powers. Anyone who tries to use a psionic power within the area of effect must fight the static's creator in a psychic contest. If an opponent succeeds, his power functions normally. If not, his power fails. Exposure to synaptic static for more than five rounds will give anyone a splitting headache. This has no game effect, but it will make NPCs and animals irritable. This power has three ranges: short, medium, and long. At medium range, the character's power score is reduced by two. At long range, it is reduced by five.
Power Score: The psionicist receives a +1 bonus in all psychic contests prompted by the current use of static.
20: The character has injured himself trying to create static. He immediately loses 1d20 PSPs and 1d6 hps.
Taste Link
Power Score: Con -2
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/turn
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: individual
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Could this be a dieter's dream? Taste link allows the telepath to tap into the flavor senses of another person or creature. The psionicist tastes whatever his link tastes. If the linked creature takes poison orally, the telepath must make a saving throw vs. poison to avoid passing out and severing the link. The psionicist can't actually be poisoned this way, however.
Power Score: Scent link is also gained (not a defined power).
20: The psionicist has a bitter taste in his mouth, but no other effect occurs.
Telempathic Projection
Power Score: Wis -2
Initial Cost: contact
Maintenance Cost: 4/round
Range: unlimited
Preparation Time: 1
Area of Effect: 10 yard diam
Prerequisite: mindlink, contact
Telempathic projection allows the user to send emotions to everyone who has been contacted within a common 10-yard diameter. This power cannot radically change a character's emotional state, however. A character who is very angry could be made only slightly angry, for example, but not happy. Empathic changes are a matter of degrees, no more.
Power Score: Emotions can be drastically altered (love to hatred, etc.) while this power is maintained.
20: All affected characters experience strong negative emotions toward the psionicist for ld6 rounds.
Thought Shield
Power Score: Wis -3
Initial Cost: 1
Maintenance Cost: na
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: personal
Prerequisites: none
Thought shield is one of five telepathic defenses against unwanted contact. It clouds the mind so as to hide first one part, then another. A psionicist can initiate one other psionic power during the same round in which he uses thought shield.
Power Score: No other effect.
20: No other effect.
Truthear
Power Score: Wis
Initial Cost: 4
Maintenance Cost: 2/round
Range: 0
Preparation Time: 0
Area of Effect: hearing
Prerequisite: mindlink
When a psionicist uses truthear, he can tell whether other people intentionally lie. He does not hear their words translated into truth; he merely knows whether or not speakers believe they are lying.
Power Score: The psionicist recognizes a falsehood even when the speaker does not.
20: The psionicist can't use this power effectively against this subject for ld6 days.
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