Mind over Matter - Chapter 9

Copyright Phillip A. Ellis © 2013

Edited by Terence Wynne for The Guild Companion

"The Mindwarrior's core lists are all of the School of Control."

Chapter Nine: Psionic Professions

The range of professions open to psionicists is not large. In essence there are really only two, the Psionicist, a pure psionicist profession, and the semi-psionicist. In reality the semi-psionicists form different professions according to their core discipline, unlike the pure psionicist. What follows are the basic details about all of these professions.

9.1: The Psionicist

The psionicist is a pure psionicist profession. Unlike the semi-psionicist professions, the Psionicist chooses two from the following four schools to form their core psionic lists: Alteration, Control, Self Mastery, and Visions. The range of psionic powers makes the Psionicist difficult to define, given the range of powers and the fact that no two members of a profession are exactly alike.

Prime Stats: Self Discipline, Presence.

Profession Bonuses:
Awareness Skill Category +15
Self Control Skill Category +15
Power Awareness Skill Category +5
Power Point Development Skill Category +5
Powers Skill Category +5
Psionic Power Manipulation Skill Category +5

Everyman Skills: Hypnosis, Lie Perception, Meditation, Time Sense.
Occupational Skills: None.
Restricted Skills: None.

9.2: Semi-psionicist Professions

As noted above, there is, in essence, only one semi-psioncist profession while there are, in reality four, one per school. These four professions (and their associated schools) are: Telepath (Alteration), Mindwarrior (Control), Disciplinarian (Self Mastery), and Visionary (Visions).

Prime Stats: Self Discipline, Presence.

Profession Bonuses:
Self Control Skill Category +15
Awareness Skill Category +10
Power Awareness Skill Category +10
Power Point Development Skill Category +5
Powers Skill Category +5
Psionic Power Manipulation Skill Category +5

Everyman Skills: Hypnosis, Lie Perception, Meditation, Time Sense.
Occupational Skills: None.
Restricted Skills: None.

9.2.1: Telepath

The Telepath's core lists are all of the School of Alteration. While most would be expected to develop the discipline of Telepathy, this is not necessarily so. Many specialize in the manipulation of material items.

9.2.2: Mindwarrior

The Mindwarrior's core lists are all of the School of Control. Unlike most Psionic professions, they find combat-orientated skills slightly easier to master.

9.2.3: Disciplinarian

The Disciplinarian's core lists are all of the School of Self Mastery. As a result, they find that certain physical and mental skills are slightly easier to master and maintain than do other Psionic professions.

9.2.4: Visionary

The Visionary's core lists are all of the School of Vision. They are the closest to certain Mentalist classes in abilities and emphases on certain skills, though in other areas they can differ in ability.

9.3: Other Professions and Psionics

It is possible to be of a non-Psionic profession, and to develop skills in psionic lists. These retain the emphases and mindsets of the character's profession, and they do not develop their psionic abilities as easily as, or as readily as, the Psionicist and semi-psionicists.

9.4: Skill Costs

The following table assumes that semi-psionicists are largely alike in their ability to develop and master most skills. It also assumes that each has a range of skills in which this ability varies slightly, some skills being easier to develop, some harder. While it may have been possible to have a list of shared development point costs, with lists of variations, I have listed the basic costs for all professions.

Table 9.4.1: Master Skill Cost Table