Traveller Psionics
How it works in GURPS game mechanics:
GURPS divides psionic stats into two categories: power level, that determines damage, range, weight affected, etc; and skill level, which is your probability to succeed, just like with any other skill. In other words: power is your "raw" strength in a psionic category, while skills represent your training and ability to use this raw power. If it helps, you may think of psionic powers categories as "advantages." You buy different categories of psionics in levels (categories such as telepathy, telekinesis, etc). Skills in each category are bought just like normal GURPS skills. They are usually Mental/Hard or occasionally Mental/Very Hard. Pay attention to the distinction between skills and powers!
Psi skills fall into the following "categories": telepathy, psychokinesis, ESP, teleportation, healing, and anti-psi. You must buy power levels in each category separately. Costs are 5 points per level for telepathy, psychokinesis, and teleportation; and 3 points per level for healing, ESP, and antipsi. *You must start with a power level of 1 or above to ever be able to gain skills in a psi category.* This represents the genetic nature of psionic power. Bear this in mind when creating a character.
Special Traveller game Mechanics:
Certain Traveller characters may use psionics if they follow the following 4 rules:
1.) They start their career with at least a power level 1 (latent power level) in the proper psionic category (otherwise there is no raw psi talent to build on).
2.) Are members of an alien race that allows psionics. Hivers may never acquire psionics.
3.) Traveller psi skills are institutionalized. Certain races must receive training or never be allowed to use psi skills. (You may purchase any power level, just not the skills to use it).
4.) By purchasing the advantage Unusual background (partial psi training) [10 points], a character may buy psi skills. These skills all will act as if power level 1 and with the limitation "unreliable" (see the GURPS: Basic Set). For 15 points, a character may have complete psi training and purchase psi skills as per the basic GURPS rules. Certain Traveller alien races don't have to buy these advantages as they are raised in a society that fosters psionics. See below for details on which races automatically have access to psi skills.
Other limitations apply to psionics in Traveller:
healing can only be used on yourself, not others.
Certain skills from the GURPS: Basic Set are not available (ask the GM before buying a certain skill). On the other hand, certain races have access to previously unknown psi skills (Droyne in particular). Consult the GM for more info.
Teleportation is limited to 300 miles and objects retain their orientation and vectors.
Psionic Races:
Some Traveller alien races are more prone to psionics than others. Here's a rundown on which races may be psionic characters. Note that anyone (save Hivers) may start with psi Powers, they simply are restricted in whether they have the skills to harness them...
Hivers: are strongly averted to psionics. The concept is so foreign to them that they may never attain such powers. An interesting side effect is that psionics used against them are equally useless. Any psi power that affects only the brain of a Hiver (IE telepathy) has no effect. Powers such as telekinesis may still affect them, however, as one can always be tossed about the room, regardless of his brain structure....
Solomani, Vilani, Vargr: All of these races may have psi powers. To acquire psi skills, however, one must attend a Psionic training institute. This is not likely for any character in the Imperium (which shuns psionics) or the Vargr Extents (which lack the organization to teach such complicated things.) Therefore, any PC from this group must pay 15 points for the advantage "unusual background (psi training)." This grants the ability to purchase psi skills that are allowed in Traveller as normal GURPS rules allow. For 10 points, a character may be incompletely trained and thus have only an effective power of level 1 and unreliable skills as per the rules in the GURPS Basic Set (any power level may be purchased, it simply acts as level 1 for lack of training). Any one of these 3 groups may attend a psi institute if they find one during the course of the game (good luck...). The majority of these three groups with psi skills were trained by institutes in the Zhodan Consulate (or bordering it in the Vargr Extents), but some underground psi institutes are rumored to exist in the Imperium...
Droyne: Have psi powers and skills included in their racial template. They start with telepathy power 18 (!) with the limitation that the power is only usable with their racial psi skills (those included in their template). For an addition 27 points, Droyne may have other telepathy skills at power 18. Droyne may purchase other powers with no unusual background advantage, so long as they are available in Traveller. Many Droyne psi powers focus on a form of psi-induced "invisibility."
Aslan: May be psionic. However, any character with more than 30 points in power will have to purchase an "unusual background" advantage (the point cost would vary based on career and power bought, but never go above 15). In addition, any Aslan buying powers receives a 30% discount due to their limitation: Aslan must meditate for 10 minutes to activate their power. It should be noted that the use of telepathy is considered dishonorable among Aslan (it betrays a lack of trust) and might earn you a social disadvantage (secret or reputation to name a few). Aslan favor ESP and healing powers.
Zhodani: may purchase psi skills if they have a status level 2+ (intendant class or higher). This does not require an unusual background advantage unless the character is status 1 or lower (low class Zhodani are seldom given such training). Any power is allowed, though telepathy is the most common.
Traveller Psionics Campaign background:
Psionicists in the Traveller universe are not "a dime a dozen". Characters with psi powers and skills will be likely to be weaker in other respects. This emphasizes the social restriction on psionics in the Traveller universe. This is not to say that everyone is against psionics in Traveller. Some races embrace them. Here is a quick rundown on how each Traveller race views psionics:
Zhodani embrace psionics. The possession of psi power determines social caste in the Zhodan Consulate. Nobles and Intendants (the near-nobility) almost always have some degree of psionic talent and training. The Zhodani use psionics not just to fight crime, but to also PREVENT it! A would be criminal is easily routed out by the Tavrshedl' (Thought Police) and "re-educated". Psi powers are also used to fight wars, disease, etc. It is interesting to note that criminals are viewed as "insane" by the Zhodani.
Hivers do not understand psionics. Other races living in the Federation are not permitted to have psionics as a result (it would threaten the Hiver's ability to manipulate their non-Hiver citizens). Hivers are neither able to use nor be affected by psi powers (other than being the victim of a non-mental psi attack, such as telekinesis).
Solomani and Vilani in the Imperium oppose and oppress psionics. Psionic users are viewed with open mistrust (often thought to be Zhodani spies or the like). The Imperium has a zero tolerance policy. The use of psionics in the Imperium for any purpose is a serious crime. The Solomani are less opposed to their use but still do not advocate them.
Droyne are born with psionics. Most have at least a moderate degree of telepathy used for communication and war (in the case of the warrior class). They are feared warriors because of their ability to seemingly become "invisible" to their attackers (though only in the attackers' minds). The appearance of psionic powers other than telepathy are more common in Droyne. It is not viewed as an important shaping tool of their society as psionics are with the Zhodani (at least not to the viewpoint of outsiders).
Aslan are as likely to be psionics as humans. They view telepathy with stern distrust, however, as the invasion of one's mind is dishonorable (it is tantamount to accusing someone of lying). It is a minor part of their warfare and even less important to their society, due to it's rare appearance.
Vargr have no unified opinion (as they have no unified government bodies). Their opinion is shaped by the nearest power: Vargr near the Imperial border are likely to distrust Psionicists and Vargr near the Zhodan Consulate are likely to embrace their use. Vargr have no organized psionic institutes so most Vargr are unlikely to have been trained unless it was in a foreign land.
It is an interesting part of Traveller history that the Imperium were not always against psionics. During the Long Night and it's accompanying lack of interstellar communication, many institutes dedicated to training psionic users were established in the Imperium. This all came to a close between 772 and 798, when a series of scandals in the Psi Institutes were revealed. It also became evident that the Zhodani were controling quite a few of the Institutes. Thus from the years 800 to 826 the Imperium embarked on a period of Psi Suppressions, during which the charters of the institutes were revoked and the Imperium engaged in moral, political, and financial war against the Institutes. Most of the Institutes have been long eliminated by these suppressions, but it is rumored that some remain in the Spinward Marches border regions...
6/18/2000