A Variant T20 Service Class: The Psionicist

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A Variant T20 Service Class: The Psionicist
by Jason "Flynn" Kemp

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QLI has released the Psionicist as a 20-level prestige class in the Traveller's Aide Supplement #5 adventure, Mind Over Matter. However, its implementation as a prestige class fails to address the concept of a Milieu 0 or TNE-Regency campaign, or one based in Zhodani space, or an Alternate Traveller Universe, any of which could allow Psionicists as an acceptable career path for qualified characters. With that in mind, I present the variant Psionicist class below, presented as a service class instead of QLI's official prestige class version.

PSIONICIST
Service Class

For most psionically gifted individuals, psionics is simply an additional ability developed as a side note to the pursuit of a career or lifestyle. For them, psionics is a part of their lives, but it is not the whole of their lives. However, some people, upon discovering that they possess psionic powers, dedicate themselves to the full realization of their psionic talents. These people make their living within society through various means, but their true devotion and dedication lies in seeking to understand the nature of their talents, and finding new resources to aid in their development.

Though the dedicated Psionicist may suffer socially in other areas, their devotion is rewarded in a number of ways: First, the psionic skills reflecting spheres of influence are developed as class skills rather than cross-class skills. Second, over time Psionicists can actually expand their talents into new areas and abilities. Third, Psionicists do not need to take new psionic talents as feats, but rather gain these talents freely once they achieve the requirements for the talent.

Characteristics: Some Psionicists approach their gifts academically, while others take a mystical viewpoint to their studies. Whatever their approach, these Psionicists are dedicated to the development of their gifts. Most are introverted individualists, though not all, by far. Many are marked by a strong desire to learn and develop their talents, and bear a lot of loyalty to those who have taught them and been kind, supportive or protective of them, depending on the role of psionics in society.

Background: Due to the unpredicable nature of psionics, anyone from any background could be a Psionicist.

Adventuring: In campaigns where psionics are persecuted, such characters are destined for conflict and adventure by the very nature of their life path. Whether psionics are accepted or not, the Psionicist's talents earn them a special place in any adventuring party. The skills that Psionicists develop in questing for further psionic instruction and information can prove useful in making contacts and gathering data on other topics as well, creating a useful niche with any party.

GAME RULE INFORMATION

Class Type: Service

Enlistment Requirements: In order to enter the Psionicist class, the character possess a positive psi strength score, and must have completed psionic training with either an institute or "psionic master". For character creation, this usually means that the character's first level feat has been taken as Psi Training.

Multiclass Restrictions: A character multiclassing into the Psionicist class must meet the enlistment requirements given above.

Abilities: Education, and although it's technically not an ability score according to the Traveller's Handbook, pg 188, Psi Strength.

Stamina: 1d6 + Con modifier per level.

Starting Funds: None.

TABLE: THE PSIONICIST

Lvl	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Starting Feats + Bonus Feat
2	+0	+0	+0	+3	Bonus Feat
3	+0	+1	+1	+3
4	+1	+1	+1	+4
5	+1	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat
6	+1	+2	+2	+5
7	+1	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat
8	+2	+2	+2	+6
9	+2	+3	+3	+6
10	+2	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat
11	+2	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat
12	+3	+4	+4	+8
13	+3	+4	+4	+8	Bonus Feat
14	+3	+4	+4	+9	Bonus Feat
15	+3	+5	+5	+9
16	+4	+5	+5	+10
17	+4	+5	+5	+10	Bonus Feat
18	+4	+6	+6	+11
19	+4	+6	+6	+11	Bonus Feat
20	+5	+6	+6	+12

CLASS SKILLS

Class Skill	Key Ability	Class Skill	Key Ability
Appraise	Int	Bluff	Cha
Craft (any)	Int	Driving	Dex
Gather Information	Cha	Knowledge (any)	Edu
Liaison	Cha	Navigation	Edu
Piloting	Dex	P/Administration	Wis
Psionic/Awareness	Psi	Psionic/Clairvoyance	Psi
Psionic/Telekinesis	Psi	Psionic/Telepathy	Psi
Psionic/Teleportation	Psi	Sense Motive	Wis
T/Communications	Edu	T/Computer	Edu
T/Electronics	Edu	T/Mechanical	Edu
T/Medical	Edu

Starting Skill Points: (4 + Int modifier) * 4. If you are taking Psionicist as a multiclass, you do not receive these starting skill points.

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier

CLASS FEATURES

All of the following are class features of the Psionicist:

Starting Feats: The Psionicist begins play with the following feats:

Armor Proficiency (Light)

Bonus Feats: At 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 19th level the Psionicist gains a bonus feat. These feats may be chosen from the list below. If the character already has all of the listed feats, they may select any other feat from the Feats chapter that they are qualified for.

Connections (Psionic)	Dodge	Gearhead	Hacker
Legal Eagle	Negotiator*	Opening The Mind*	Rapid Recovery*
Steward*	Trustworthy	Vehicle	Weapon/Marksman
Weapon/Swordsman

* A specialized class feat detailed below.

Negotiator: The Psionicist is a born negotiator. Add +2 to all Liaison and P/Administration checks.

Rapid Recovery: A Psionicist must be at least fifth level to take this class feat. The Psionicist recovers Psionic strength twice as quickly as normal, but only when meditating and making a Constitution check of DC 10 to resist distractions. (This DC may be modified by the Referee, based on the circumstances under which the character is attempting to engage in meditation.)

Opening The Mind: A Psionicist must be at least seventh level to take this class feat. The Psionicist has developed enough insight to potentially awake a new psionic sphere affinity within himself. Thus, the Psionicist receives rank 0 in a psionic sphere skill they did not currently possess.

Steward: Adds 1d3 Middle and 1d6 Low passengers requesting travel aboard ship.

NOTE: Psionic Talents are found in The Traveller's Handbook, and work exactly as described there. However, rather than having to take each talent as a separate feat, members of the Psionicist class automatically gain access to the talents within their spheres as their skill rank in that sphere reaches the threshold required to use that talent.

Ex-Members: The only way for someone to become an ex-Psionicist is to lose all of their psionic talents and abilities. However, it should be noted that psionic skill ranks are generally only considered class skills for Psionicist class levels (and perhaps certain prestige classes, as defined by the Referee for his milieu), which makes the skills expensive for non-Psionicist class levels.

PRIOR HISTORY

Continued Employment: DC 2

RANKS
There are no ranks in the Psionic service.

EARNED BENEFITS

	Cash Benefits
1	5000
2	10000
3	10000
4	20000
5	50000
6	50000
7	75000

	Material Benefits
1	Low Passage
2	+1 Intelligence
3	+1 Education
4	Middle Passage
5	High Passage
6	TAS Membership
7	-

DUTY ASSIGNMENT

1d20	Assignment (Psionics Accepted/Illicit)	Survival DC	XP Bonus DC
1-4	Personal Training/Personal Training	10	Auto
5-10	Private Service/Displaced	14	10
11-14	Corporate Service/In Hiding	16	6
15-17	Government Service/On The Run	18	8
18-19	Public Service/Recruitment	10	12
20	Teaching/Teaching	12	16
Ability Modifier		Wis	None

SURVIVAL MISHAPS

1d6	Mishap
1	No further action.
2	Deported and banned from world.
3	Tarred and Feathered. �1 to Charisma. Deported and banned from world.
4	Imprisoned for 4 years. Deported and banned from world upon completion of sentence.
5	Lynched, beaten, and left for dead. Lose 1d6-3 points from Cha and Con. Deported and banned from world.
6	Lobotomized. Lose all Psi abilities and rating, and 1d6-3 points from Int. Deported and banned from world.

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D20 System Rules and Content Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Johnathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Traveller 20 Traveller's Handbook Copyright 2002, QuikLink Interactive, Inc.
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