334 Cepheus — Part 6: Psionics

Design Philosophy

Psionics in 334 Cepheus are not superpowers. They are a biological anomaly —stress fractures in the mind that let light through. Powers are subtle, exhausting, and illegal in most jurisdictions. A telepath cannot read minds like opening a book; they catch surface thoughts, emotions, and lies. A telekinetic cannot lift a starship, but they can jam a trigger or slow a bullet.

Psionics are rare, dangerous, and deeply personal. They are also mechanically simple: powers are skills, and using them costs Strain.

The Psi Characteristic

Psionic ability is measured by the Psi (PSI) characteristic, rated 0–15. Most people have PSI 0 and will never know otherwise.

Discovering Psi

During character creation, you may choose to undergo Psionic Testing. This costs Cr 10,000 and 4 weeks of intensive training at a licensed institute (or a black-market equivalent). Roll 2D6 for your PSI characteristic.

PSI 0: You have no psionic potential. The training was a waste of money and time. You may not test again.

PSI 1–5: Latent talent. You may learn powers, but all Strain costs are doubled.

PSI 6+: Active psionic. You learn and use powers normally.

PSI 12+: Strong psionic. You are a statistical anomaly. Governments and corporations will want to own you.

In-Play Discovery

If a character did not test during creation, they may discover psionics through trauma, exposure to alien artifacts, or experimental drugs. The Referee may call for a PSI 8+ roll in moments of extreme stress. On success, the character's PSI is revealed (roll 2D6). On failure, they remain PSI 0.

Psionic Powers

Powers are learned like skills, through training or trauma. Each power has a skill level (0–6) and a Strain cost.

Learning Powers: Each power requires 4 weeks of training with a mentor who knows the power at a higher level. Cost: Cr 5,000 per power. You may learn one power per term of psionic training.

Maximum Powers: A character may know a number of powers equal to PSI DM + 3 (minimum 1).

Using Powers

To activate a power:

• Declare the power and target.
• Roll 2D6 + PSI DM + Power Level + Situational DMs.
• Pay the Strain cost (applied to your Stamina).
• Resolve Effect.

If Stamina drops to 0 from Strain: You immediately fall unconscious. Any excess Strain becomes Lifeblood damage.

Pushing a Power: You may double the power's effect (range, duration, damage) by accepting the Strain as Lifeblood damage instead of Stamina. This is how psionics die—burning out their nerves to win one more fight.

The Powers

Telepathy

Skill: Telepathy Time: 1 action Range: Short (line of sight, or known target within 1 km) Strain: 2

Telepathy is surface reading and emotional broadcasting—not deep memory extraction.

Shielding: A psionic with Telepathy-1+ may maintain a mental shield as a free action. While shielded, they are immune to telepathic probing and impose Bane on telepathic attacks against them. Maintaining a shield costs 1 Strain per minute.

Send Thoughts: You may send a message to any target in range. Cost: 1 Strain. No roll required unless the target is shielded.

Clairvoyance

Skill: Clairvoyance Time: 1 minute (concentration) Range: Distant (anywhere you have been or can describe) Strain: 3

See through walls, across space, or into the recent past.

Remote Viewing: Viewing a location you have never been to requires an object from that place or a precise description. Without this, the roll suffers Bane.

Telekinesis

Skill: Telekinesis Time: 1 action Range: Medium Strain: 2 + mass modifier

Move objects with thought.

Telekinetic Shield: As a reaction, spend 3 Strain to deflect an incoming ranged attack. Roll Telekinesis 8+. Success: damage halved. Exceptional Success: damage negated.

Awareness

Skill: Awareness Time: Passive or 1 action Range: Self Strain: 1 (passive) / 3 (active scan)

Heightened perception of the immediate environment.

Passive Awareness (1 Strain/minute): You cannot be surprised. You detect hidden weapons, living beings, and psionic activity within Short range. You sense danger moments before it strikes (Referee may warn you of ambushes).

Active Scan (3 Strain): For 1D6 minutes, you gain:

• +2 DM to Recon and Sensors
• Detect invisible or cloaked targets within Medium range
• Sense the emotional state of all beings within Short range

Pyrokinesis

Skill: Pyrokinesis Time: 1 action Range: Close Strain: 4

Excite molecular motion.

Overheat Weapon: Instead of attacking a person, target a weapon or device. Roll Pyrokinesis 8+. The weapon jams or becomes too hot to hold for 1D6 rounds.

Healing Trance

Skill: Healing Trance Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch Strain: 3

Accelerate natural healing through psionic biofeedback.

Effect: Target recovers 1D6 Stamina + Power Level. If the target is Seriously Wounded or worse, they also recover 1 Lifeblood on Exceptional Success.

Limit: Once per target per day. Using this on yourself costs double Strain (6).

Teleportation

Skill: Teleportation Time: 1 action Range: Personal Strain: 5 + distance modifier

Instantaneous spatial translation.

Teleporting Others: You may teleport one willing target you are touching. Add their mass to the Strain cost (treat as Telekinesis mass categories).

Blind Jumps: Teleporting to a location you cannot see or have never been to requires Clairvoyance 8+ first, or you suffer Bane and double the arrival error.

Psionic Combat

When two psionics clash directly, use opposed PSI checks (2D6 + PSI DM + relevant Power Level).

Telepathic Assault: One psionic attempts to overwhelm another's shield. Roll opposed Telepathy. Winner may:

• Read one secret (loser's choice of which)
• Inflict Strain (loser takes 1D6 Strain, bypassing shield)
• Stun (loser loses next action)

Psychic Duel: Extended opposed task. First to accumulate 3 successes wins. Each round, both pay 1 Strain. The loser takes 2D6 Stamina damage and is mentally exhausted (−2 DM to all tasks for 1 hour).

The Risks of Psionics

Detection

Psionic activity can be detected by psionic detectors (TL 12+, Cr 50,000, range Medium) and by other psionics using Awareness. Using powers in a secure facility is like shouting in a library.

Social Stigma

In most interstellar societies, psionics are feared, regulated, or outlawed. A known psionic suffers:

• −2 DM to Broker, Admin, and legal Advocate checks
• Refused passage on some liners
• Automatic suspicion by law enforcement
• Bounty hunters and black labs seeking "volunteers"

The Burn

Repeated overuse of psionics causes neural degradation. Each time you push a power (take Lifeblood damage for Strain), roll END 8+. Failure: reduce PSI by 1 permanently. This is how powerful psionics become husks—still talented, but hollowed out.

Recovery: One month without using psionics restores 1 PSI (if lost to Burn). Anagathics and TL 15 neural therapy can restore lost PSI at Cr 100,000 per point.

Equipment for Psionics

Example Psionic: Kael Vance

PSI 10 (DM +1) Powers: Telepathy-2, Awareness-1, Telekinesis-1

In Play: Kael is negotiating with a smuggler. He activates Awareness (1 Strain/minute) to sense hostility. The smuggler is nervous but not violent—yet. Kael then uses Telepathy (2 Strain, roll 2D6+1+2 = 2D6+3 vs. smuggler's INT 8+). He rolls 9. Total 12. Effect +4. He reads that the smuggler is planning to double-cross them at the docking bay.

Later, in combat, Kael is pinned behind cover. A grenade lands nearby. He uses Telekinesis to shove it (3 Strain, roll 8+). He rolls 10. The grenade skitters into an open corridor. He is now at 4 Stamina spent—still functional, but he feels the headache building.

Quick Reference: Psionics