Those with the Psionic Mastery skill are able to choose a
number of the powers from the list given in the "Powers of
the Mind" section. The base difficulty for utilizing a power is based on
their Presence code, not their skill code; only the number of powers they receive is based
on their Skill Code.
The difficulty of a psionic action is equal to the Difficulty
as listed for the master's Presence code, plus the value of any attribute a target uses to
resist the attempt (generally Spirit).
A code of 'X' in Psionic Mastery shows that while the
character has had formal psionic training, it has been very little; such a character has
basic psionic defenses or improved access to their Wild Talent. Unlike the Wild
Talent, however, the player can play a card from their hand when attempting the action and
does not draw from the Fate deck.
Code |
(Skill)
Powers |
(Presence)
Difficulty |
| A |
4 |
Easy (4) |
| B |
3 |
Average (8) |
| C |
2 |
Challenging (12) |
| D |
1 |
Daunting (16) |
| X |
none |
Desperate (20) |
For each power the master has, they have a number of points
to split among the following four tables (Range, Temporal, Group and Effect). The
number of points available to a master is equal to their Reason plus three.
| Reason |
Points |
| 1 |
4 |
| 2 |
5 |
| 3 |
6 |
| 4 |
7 |
| 5 |
8 |
| 6 |
9 |
| 7 |
10 |
| 8 |
11 |
| 9 |
12 |
| 10 |
13 |
The point level taken in each category represents the upper
limit for that power for that master. That is, a master can only mentally achieve so
much without exhausting or tiring themself. Thus, while it is possible to invoke
effects beyond the level taken in one of the four categories, doing so always causes
fatigue and stress.
In addition, attempting effects beyond one's ability
automatically increases the difficulty of the attempt by four points per category gone
over in (regardless of the number of levels over in a category).
| Level |
Range |
Temporal |
Group |
Effect |
| 1 |
Touch |
Momentary |
Individual |
Trivial |
| 2 |
Visual |
Turn |
Group |
Minor |
| 3 |
Local |
Scene |
Crowd |
Significant |
| 4 |
Global |
Adventure |
City |
Major |
| 5 |
Planar |
Indefinite |
Region |
Legendary |
A master of the way, one with the Psionic Mastery skill, can
utilize their powers any number of times in a given day, unless or until they are overcome
by fatigue. Fatigue, mental tiredness and exhaustion, accrues whenver a master
attempts an effects beyond their limits. Until that time, they may continue to use
their powers.
A character's fatigue score increases by one point for every
level over the limit per category a master goes. Fatigue also accrues whenever the master
fails at an attempt to use one of their powers, in an amount equal to the difficulty.
In any case, once the master's fatigue is greater than their Will, they fall
unconcious.
| Presence |
Will |
| 1 |
2 |
| 2 |
4 |
| 3 |
6 |
| 4 |
8 |
| 5 |
10 |
| 6 |
12 |
| 7 |
14 |
| 8 |
16 |
| 9 |
18 |
| 10 |
20 |
Finally, the master can draw psychic strength from special
receptacles and focuses if he has one in his possession and is touching it, or is attuned
to such an object not in his possession (and successfully makes a Challenging Spirit
action in order to contact it). The energy drawn from a focus replaces that normally used
up by fatigue.
A mishap while invoking any psionic power causes the master
to suffer psychic backlash, in addition to any other effects that might occur. A
backlash causes the master to lose fatigue as normal, as well as reducing their hand as
though they have taken a physical wound (and requiring healing as such).
Fatigue is not recovered until the master sleeps or meditates
for a number of hours. Sleep will reduce current fatigue by half while a few hours
of meditation will remove all fatigue. If a master falls unconcious, they may
attempt an Endurance action (difficulty at Narrator's discretion) to awaken in a few
moments; if they fail this action, the difficulty increases by one rank and they will not
awaken for a few hours. If they fail this, they remain unconcious for a full day
before awakening.
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