Psionic Powers operate the same way as spells listed above with the following exceptions:
Cannot be Empowered. Psionic powers cannot be Empowered, instead a caster may Channel the Thoughtweb, see below.
Power Components. Powers utilise Somatic and Material Component, alongside a new Thought Component (T).
For Somatic Components, unlike with normal spellcasting, where you draw arcane sigils or circles, a power only requires basic movements such as pointing at the target, or a loose hand or finger gesture to mirror what they are trying to do. As such, Somatic Components can be performed with a hand holding something if your Character is comfortable controlling a power with their fingers. These gestures do not even require a hand, it could be a movement of the head, tail, trunk, feet, fins, etc, so long as it is something you could control and focus the movement of to assist you in maintaining the power.
Material Components work exactly as they do with spells; however, the only Material Components found with powers have GP costs or are Consumed.
The Thought Component is always available so long as you are not under an effect that would prevent Concentration, such as the Mind Lock condition.
When converting a spell into a power due to a Feature, remove all Verbal Components and all Material Components without a GP cost or that are Consumed. It then gains the Thought Component.
Power Grade. A power’s Grade is equivalent to a spell’s Circle if a comparison is required.
The number of Psi Points required to manifest a power equals the power’s Grade.
Unaffected by Magic. Manifested powers may not be the Target of any spell that Targets another spell or piece of magic. A manifested power can only be affected by another psionic power. Powers cannot Counter spells nor be Countered by them.
Note, some spells are also found on Psionic Power Lists, when manifested as a power follow the power description version and they also follow the exemptions listed in this section.
If the caster’s Class uses psionic powers, their internal reservoir of energy that can be devoted to the psionic disciplines they know is represented by Psi Points rather than Spell Slots. Each psionic power describes affects you can create with it by spending a certain number of Psi Points. A psionic Talent, a psionic equivalent to Cantrips, requires no Psi Points.
The caster’s Class Table will show how many Psi Points they have at each Class Level and the Psi Limit which is the maximum number of Psi Points that can be spent on manifesting a single psionic power. The caster’s Psi Points total returns to its maximum when they finish a Long Rest. The number of Psi Points they have can’t go below 0 or over their maximum.
When manifesting powers at specific Grades you will have to spend the exact number of Psi Points equal to the Grade of power you are choosing to cast, noting you cannot spend over your Psi Limit for any one power.
If Spell Slots and Psi Points need to be compared, Power Grades are equivalent to the same Spell Circle.
Psionics can be hard to detect especially when the practitioner is in an environment where they can patiently ease their way through their target’s mental defences. If the Character has the Ritual Caster Class Tag and can manifest powers, when they are not in an Active Time Encounter, they may choose to manifest the power subtly. This cannot apply to powers Targeting multiple entities. To do so follow the below method, note the Character cannot Channel the Thoughtweb with a power they are Subtly Manifesting:
Phase 1. The initial Manifesting Time is increased to 1 Minute. At the point of manifestation, the Psi Points are spent, and the Power Attack Roll is made with Disadvantage while Trait Tests to resist it is made with Advantage.
If the power misses or the Target succeeds their Trait Test, they are unaware the power was manifested Targeting them.
However, if the power hits or the Target fails their Trait Test, the power’s effects do not yet occur, instead proceed to Phase 2.
If a Material Component would be Consumed it is at this point it occurs, otherwise each Manifesting Component must be provided for every Phase.
Phase 2. After another Minute has passed, repeat the Power Attack Roll or Trait Tests to resist it as normal.
If the power misses or the Target succeeds their Trait Test, they are unaware the power was manifested Targeting them.
However, if the power hits or the Target fails their Trait Test, the power’s effects do not yet occur instead proceed to Phase 3.
Phase 3. After another Minute has passed, repeat the Power Attack Roll is made with Advantage while Trait Tests to resist it is made with Disadvantage.
If the power misses or the Target succeeds their Trait Test, they are unaware the power was manifested Targeting them.
However, if the power hits or the Target fails their Trait Test, the power’s effects may occur as normal, or the caster may instead proceed to Phase 4.
Phase 4. After another Minute has passed, repeat the Power Attack Roll or Trait Tests as normal.
If the power misses or the Target succeeds their Trait Test, they are aware the power was manifested Targeting them.
However, if the power hits or the Target fails their Trait Test, the power’s effects occur as normal, but the caster also gains additional number of Psi Points equal to their SB to modify the power (the total Psi Points of the power still cannot exceed the caster's Psi Limit), or they may instead proceed to Phase 5.
Phase 5. After another Minute has passed, repeat the Power Attack Roll is made with Disadvantage while Trait Tests to resist it is made with Advantage.
If the power misses or the Target succeeds their Trait Test, they are aware the power was manifested Targeting them.
However, if the power hits or the Target fails their Trait Test, the power’s effects occur as normal, but the caster also gains additional number of Psi Points equal to their SB to modify the power (the total Psi Points of the power can exceed the caster's Psi Limit).
When manifesting a psionic power, a Character can choose to try and Channel the Thoughtweb, adding the power of the collective unconsciousness into their psionic power via their own mind. This does bear risks however as any weakness in focus will lead to internal damage, known as a Psychic Bleed, or worse a Mindbreach where a tear opens utilising your as a portal to the Thoughtweb or other places.
To do so, the Character states they are Channelling the Thoughtweb as part of starting the Manifest action, the following aspects occur:
The caster immediately gains Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition, equal to the Bleed Value of the Power.
If they manifested the power at a higher Grade, multiply the Bleed Value by the number of Grades they increased the power by to determine the number of Degrees generated.
Their Psi Limit for this power’s manifestation increases by their SB.
They gain a number of Psi Points equal to their Manifestation Trait, which they can spend on Power Modifications.
They can spend these additional Psi Points to push the power past their modified Psi Limit, if they do so, they immediately roll on the Psionic Mishap Table.
Whilst you have Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition the following occurs:
Bleed Bonus. You can utilise the Bleed effect of psionic powers.
Gain Degrees of the Condition. When you gain Degrees of this condition, you immediately take Psychic Bleed damage that ignores BP and cannot be reduced or ignored in any way.
End of Turn. At the end of the afflicted entity’s Turn they must make a Focus Skill Roll using their Manifestation Trait. They have Bleed Penalty on the Test if the Degrees of this condition are greater than their Psi Limit, equal to the difference.
On a Failed Test: The entity takes Psychic Bleed damage that ignores BP and cannot be reduced or ignored in any way equal to their current Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition.
If Failed by 5+: The entity takes Psychic Bleed as above but also roll on the Psionic Mishap Table.
On a Critical Failure: As above but as well as the rolled result the Mindbreach result occurs.
On a Successful Test: All Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition are removed.
| Psionic Mishap | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mindbreach. The Major Brain Blast result occurs and then refer to the Mindbreach Section. |
| 2 |
Major Brain Blast. The caster explodes in a 6m (Near) Radius Sphere, Centered on them. The caster is reduced to 0HP and gain 3 Degrees of the Wounded condition. Every other entity within the Sphere must make an Agility Test against the caster's Power TG. Failed Test: they take Entropic damage equal to double the number of Hit Points the caster lost plus the caster's Character Level. Failed by 5+: they take twice as much damage. Successful Test: they take half as much damage. |
| 3 | Mental Purge. The caster takes damage as if they had failed a Psychic Bleed Focus Skill Roll, and 1d4 powers they Prepared since their last Long Rest are forgotten until they next complete a Long Rest and cannot be replaced. They then roll on the Cosmic Chaos Table (see Soulshaped Playbook Appendix B). |
| 4 |
Minor Brain Blast. The caster explodes in a 3m (Near) Radius Sphere, Centered on them. The caster is reduced to 0HP and gain a Degree of the Wounded condition. Every other entity within the Sphere must make an Agility Test against the caster's Power TG. Failed Test: they take Entropic damage equal to the number of Hit Points the caster lost. Failed by 5+: they take twice as much damage. Successful Test: they take half as much damage. |
| 5 | Altered Equilibrium. The caster lose all their BP, and until they use an action (2AP) to focus their powers, they double the damage recieved from all sources before other modifications are applied. |
| 6 | Power Drain. The caster takes Entropic damage equal to their Manifestation Trait, gains a Degree of the Exhaustion condition, and lose a number of Psi Points equal to a roll of their largest unexpended Hit Die; it is expended as part of this effect. If they have no remaining unexpended Hit Die they lose Psi Points equal to double the maximum result of their largest Hit Die. |
| 7 | Echoed Mirror. The last power the caster manifested that generated Degrees of Psychic Bleed is immediately manifested Targeting them, at the same Grade and with the same Modifications they manifested it with. It uses the caster's Power Attack Modifier and Power TG, though it does not expend any of their Psi Points. |
| 8 | Delayed Harm. The caster doubles their Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition, and they disappear, reappearing in their previously occupied space, or the nearest unoccupied space if it is occupied, after 1d4 Turns. |
| 9 | Mind Drain. The caster lose Psi Points equal to their current Degrees of the Psychic Bleed condition. |
| 10 | Mind Lock. The caster gains the Mind Lock condition until the end of their next Turn. |
| 11 | Tiring Exertion. The caster gains a Degree of Exhaustion, and is teleport to an unoccupied space 6m (Near) away, in a random direction (use 1d8 to determine a cardinal direction). |
| 12 |
Psionic Surge. The caster makes a Determination Test against their Power TG. Failed Test: They take 1d8 Entropic damage and gain a Degree of Exhaustion. Successful Test: They gain a Mark of Fate, recover HP equal to half their Hit Point Maximum, recover expended Psi Points equal to their Character Level, and until the end of their next Turn, they have Advantage on all Trait Tests and their Inspired Event Scope increases by 3. |
A Mindbreach is where the Character's body and mind become living portals for something to come through, most often from the Thoughtweb, but on rare occasions it can come from elsewhere.
When a Chatacter rolls the Mindbreach result of the Psionic Mishap Table or from a poor Psychic Bleed Test, firstly they must roll on the below Table to determine the Breach Scale. This determines the scale of the rift that opens within 6m (Near) of you.
| Breach Scale | Breach Modifier | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Null | +0 |
| 2 | Minor | +1 |
| 3 | Average | +2 |
| 4 | Major | +3 |
| 5 | Catastrophic | +5 |
| 6 | Apocalyptic | +10 |
Once they have Determined the Breach Scale, they need to Determine where the Breach opened to, adding the Breach Modifier to the Table’s roll.
| Destination | |
|---|---|
| 1-17 | Thoughtweb |
| 18-25 | Outside |
| 29 | The Cosmic Realm |
| 30+ | GG’s Choice of Realm |
For entities from the Thoughtweb or the Outside look at the Outsider Chapter of the Bestiary, entities from the Thoughtweb tend to have Manifested or Thought in their name. For entities from the Cosmic Realm look to the Primordial Chapter.
To determine an approximate CR and number of entities that come through, consult the Table below and again apply the Breach Modifier to the result. GG has final determination for what comes through, how many, and their disposition to participating in the Encounter/Scene. If it references a Character Level use the Level of the Mindbreaching Character.
| What Comes Through | |
|---|---|
| 1-5 |
Inconvenient Group. CR: 1/4 or Lower. Number: 1 + Breach Scale Modifier. |
| 6-8 |
Inconvenient Horde. CR: 1/2 or Lower. Number: 5 times Breach Scale (minimum of 5). |
| 9-10 |
Minor Incursion. CR: 1/2 Character Level or Lower. Number: 1. |
| 11-12 |
Minor Group. CR: 1/2 Character Level or Lower. Number: 1 + Breach Scale Modifier. |
| 13-14 |
Minor Horde. CR: 1/2 Character Level or Lower. Number: 5 times Breach Scale (minimum of 5). |
| 15-16 |
Major Incursion. CR: Character Level or Lower. Number: 1. |
| 17-18 |
Major Group. CR: Character Level or Lower. Number: 1 + Breach Scale Modifier. |
| 19-20 |
Major Horde. CR: Character Level or Lower. Number: 5 times Breach Scale (minimum of 5). |
| 21-25 |
Catastrophic Group. CR: Double Character Level or Lower. Number: 1 + Breach Scale Modifier. |
| 26-29 |
Apocalyptic Horde. CR: Double Character Level or Lower. Number: 5 times Breach Scale. |
| 30 |
Herald of Destruction. CR: Any. Number: 1. |