Character Generation

Random (Dice Roll) Method

Despite their general laundry list of super-powers, psis are merely normal humans 'where it counts'. When rolling up ability scores for a psi, use table A to generate his Strength and Endurance, then table B for his Fighting and Agility. Finally, use table D for Reason, Intuition and Psyche, as these are usually rather high in psi-active characters, above and beyond those scores seen in typical people (on average).

A psi may then roll on table A to determine their initial Resources rank. They also begin play with a Popularity score of zero (though this can be modified as usual, as detailed in the Core Rules section.) Add up your Health and Karma totals as normal, along with Negative and Mental Health scores. Psis do not have access to hyperexhaustive or hyperkinetic ability ranks.

Once your rolls are complete, you may gamble on any two ability scores of your choice, potentially shoring up whichever area(s) you feel needs more work. Keep in mind that once you are done, all of your ability scores save for Reason and Psyche must remain within normal human maximums; while you deal in inexplicable matters of the mind, your character is still human for the most part.

If your other ability score(s) exceed normal human levels, simply drop them back down that point when you're done.

Psionic Activation

Before any other steps may be taken, it must be decided what manner of psi-active character will be created - if this has not been determined already. Will you play a trained psi, of either the traditional, intermediate or casual bent, a natural psi, a natural psi with psionic schooling, or even a believer of some sort? Table 3 is provided for random determination, but this facet of a character is entirely up to the player behind each character.

Psionic Disciplines

Next, one must determine what discipline(s) their psionic powers will issue forth from. For the most part, this is also something the player may decide without rolling randomly, though tables are provided for such a purpose if necessary - most often for the Judge's use when building 'fast' random characters. This choice may be the sole discipline a character has access to, or the first of many.

Such is dependent on the nature of the character's psionic activation. A traditional psi, for instance, will only begin play with access to one discipline - they will not gain access to another until they master their first. Psis of intermediate training, on the other hand, can pick a new discipline every three powers, and a casually instructed psi may do so with every new ability.

Natural Psis, they may actually have purely random disciplines (and powers), depending on the player's vision for the character. They may choose or roll randomly as they see fit, either for all of their powers or for each one - or simply choose as is necessary. The same goes for natural psis or believers with training, though their trained discipline(s) will behave per whatever form of psionic schooling they have undertaken.

Finally, the believer should not roll for a discipline randomly. The nature of their powers dictates that they reflect whatever powerful belief structure about the multiverse they bear, and thus should be chosen in a manner to reflect this. Unless, of course, the player is going to start random and 'build' unique convictions around their die rolls, which might be very interesting (or confusing), indeed.

Two versions of the psionic disciplines table are provided, one which does not include the three 'optional' disciplines and one which does.

Initial Psi Powers

When determining a psi's starting powers, one begins by figuring out exactly how many he will have to begin with. This can primarily be done by rolling randomly on table 5a, which will give characters anywhere between two and seven starting powers. Alternately, a natural psi or believer with extra psionic schooling will instead roll on table 5b, which has results that incorporate both their inherent and trained psionic abilities.

Next, it's time to determine the individual psi powers a character wields. Tables 7 through 33 are provided for these, based on the discipline(s) determined earlier. Trained psis will always roll in an art / talent / skill sequence, and natural psis or believers with psionic schooling will do the same for the trained portions of their powers. For natural psis or believers rolling randomly, use table 6 for the psi power type first.

Typically, it is recommended that players be allowed to choose at least half of their abilities, in order to best steer them in a direction they would prefer, while giving them a few random powers that will help to avoid generating 'repeat' characters. This makes them partly what a character would like while keeping them refreshingly different each time (even if making multiple characters with the same discipline(s) of power).

Of course, random rolls are not always appropriate at all, depending on the character to be generated. A traditionally trained psi must take the 'root' power of a discipline (telekinesis for the psikinetic discipline, for instance) before all others, thus he will never roll for his first ability. Believers normally won't roll randomly for powers at all, while the natural abilities of natural psis may or may not be random.

Furthermore, there are two versions of each power selection table presented below, one for trained psis of the casual bent and another for all other psis. The 'main' tables are denoted as version A while the casual power tables are indicated as version B.

Empathic Powers

Metapsi Powers

Psikinetic Powers

Psimantic Powers

Psimotive Powers

Psipathic Powers

Superpsi Powers

Technopsi Powers

Theonic Powers

Determining Power Ranks

Finally, when each power is settled, one must determine how potent each will be. In order to do this, simply roll once on table D for each psi power the character possesses. Once you have done this, you may 'gamble' on one psionic rank of your choosing if your character has three or less psionic abilities, twice if he or she has from four to six psi powers, or thrice if the character has seven psychic abilities.

Character / Power Limitations

Often, a player may not be happy with the ranks he's rolled up for his new psi. Even after he adjusts his powers with gambling attempts, he's just not satisfied with what he's come up with. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as sometimes one has a specific vision in mind for their character; this is where limitations come in. A player may subject his psi to additional limitations in order to make him more powerful.

Limitations come in two distinct flavors: power limitations and character limitations. A power limitation is just that, an altering of how said psi power works to the detriment of the player (as compared to others who can use this ability). A power so limited may not affect certain objects or beings, can only be used during certain specific time periods, or may otherwise function in a manner others may find unusual or restrictive.

Character limitations, however, change the nature of every power a psi uses, not just one. A character limitation may simply be a power limitation that 'works' on every single power, or may instead be some other alteration to the basic working of psionics in general that hampers the character, such as an innate inability to master a discipline (which would be particularly constricting on a traditional psi).

At any rate, the severity of the limitation determines just how much of a power boost the character may receive. Limitations come in four flavors: weak, strong, very strong, and extreme. A weak limitation is just that, a minor crimp in an ability's effectiveness, and only offers a +1 CS. Each succeeding limitation offers another +1 CS to the power rank, but as their names imply, they become increasingly, well, limiting.

Alternately, a psi can take a limitation on a power to replace one that is already built in to it; some powers, like those involving time, have several such constraints already worked into them. With the permission of one's game Judge, they can swap out one limitation for another, as long as the new limitation would be equally as inconvenient (this allows a player to better craft the character they imagine in their heads).

Character / Power Enhancements

Similarly, a player might have more than enough power (or he might think such, at any rate), or simply wants more 'bang for his buck' out of his existing power roster. If this is the case, he may decide to empower his psionics with special enhancements. Like limitations, enhancements have four levels of power, including weak, strong, very strong, and extreme, each of which adds a subsequent -1 CS modifier to one's power ranks.

In exchange for suffering from the effects of this modifier, the character's ability will benefit from an improvement of some sort. Moving a power up one speed or range category is considered a strong enhancement, while two is an extreme enhancement. Other enhancements can come in the form of built-in limitations being stripped out of a power (time control and precognition have several, for instance).

Like limitations, enhancements are difficult to apply across an entire character, though this isn't impossible. While speeds and ranges vary from power to power, things like power maintenance caps apply to the whole character. Adding one maintainable power for one's Reason (mem) is a strong enhancement, while adding two is considered extreme in nature - but this sort of enhancement is definitely worth the costs.

These and the other qualities of powers can readily be given enhancements, and usually the reduction in rank is enough to make up the difference. This can make purchasing new powers more difficult down the line though, particularly if a character enhancement is in effect; a new power to be affected by an enhancement must at least be bought at a rank high enough that, upon applying the negative CS, it will work at the normal starting value.

Quirks

Slightly more palatable than limitations, quirks are relatively minor changes to a character that can either saddle him with some disadvantage or other, or possibly even enhance some trait of his. They can also be used to ultimately raise the rank one or more of a character's powers work at if so desired, within the confines of that system. The quirks rules have more on this, but the quirk tables are presented here, for convenience.

Normally, quirks are a voluntary affair - players may use quirks or not as they see fit. They are presented below in the format of random rolling tables for two reasons however. The first is for the game Judge's use, to quickly generate random characters when time is of the essence. Alternately, a player may roll randomly if he wants or needs a quirk and doesn't know what to pick. Not that he's bound by such a roll, of course.

Quirks are divided up into the beneficial and deleterious quirks of a physical, mental and role play nature. Those quirks which cost (or grant) two quirk points are noted with a two in parenthesis (2), while those that can be taken at multiple levels are noted with an asterisk in parenthesis (*).

Talents

The talents your sparkling new psi will start out with can be determined as per any other character type, beginning by rolling up his number of initial talents on table 41. Then, roll for the category each talent will belong to on table 42. To finish up, roll for individual talents using tables 43 through 50, one table for each applicable category of talents.

However, the actual talents a character has really should be determined by his origin. Keeping this in mind, the Judge may very well opt to let a player choose some (or all of) the talents his psi will have, allowing him a lot more creative control over his character. Another thing to consider is that a talent can function at a higher 'level' than normal.

There are three 'tiers' of talents, each providing an increasing bonus to the applicable FEATs involved with said talent. When generating these heightened skills however, keep in mind that they cost more; a level 2 talent counts as two talents, while a level 3 talent counts as four. This can get expensive fast, but is a great way to showcase what your character is really good at.

Also, some talents cost more than others (before levels of such are considered). A talent that has a number in parenthesis counts as that many talents during character generation; these are mostly background talents but some others cost more. Similarly, the Student talent costs all of one's initial talent slots, for it by definition implies that a body does not have any other talents.

Contacts

Also presented for your convenience is the table used to detail the initial number of contacts a new character will have; it is available as table 51 in the Manual. Table 52, then, lists the types of contacts a psi may have upon the start his career, if the player needs any ideas; one does not need to roll up contact types randomly if he doesn't want to.

Like quirks or talents, contacts can be taken at one of three levels of importance; for example, a police contact might be a beat cop (level 1), an FBI operative (level 2), or even an Interpol agent (level 3). Similarly, contacts have an increase of cost in 'contact slots' depending on their level - a level 2 contact counts as two contacts, while a level 3 contact costs four contact 'slots'.

Systematic (Point Based) Method

Players begin with fifty (50) points with which to build their psi-active character. They may spend these points as they wish, only limited by a) the caps for most normal human ability scores, and b) the campaign's power level ceiling. For example, an earth-bound campaign may limit characters to Monstrous (75) or less on most ranks. Ask your Judge about his or her campaign limits!

To begin with, determine how far above (or below) the norm the character will be in each ability score; for our purposes, the 'norm' will be Typical (6) rank. For every +1 CS a player applies to each spend one point, and for each -1 CS applied to these values, add one point. All but Reason and Psyche must remain within human maximums (maximums for the other ability scores are detailed in the Core Rules).

A starting character is assumed to have Typical (6) Resources and a Popularity score of zero (0). One may alter Resources as he can any other ability score, though at double the cost for each CS (Remarkable (30) ranked Resources would cost six points, for example). If one intends to purchase the Heir to Fortune background talent, they shouldn't alter this 'base' Resources score any. Health and Karma are determined normally.

An opposed Popularity score (negative for heroes, positive for villains) is worth two points, no matter how great it is.

Before purchasing his or her psi powers, one should determine the nature of their character's psionic activation, for this may limit one's power selection, either slightly or dramatically. When buying psi powers, each rank in each power costs one point, starting at Feeble (2) rank. The upper rank of each psionic ability is only limited by the campaign's power level ceiling (again, ask the game's Judge about this).

Costs can be controlled by adding limitations, which can apply to either one power or all a character's powers. Whether applied to one psi power or globally to the character as a whole, weak limitations reduce the cost of an ability by one point, strong limitations by two points, very strong limitations by three points, and extreme limitations by four points. Consider the effect of such limitations before counting your point savings!

Remember that all psi powers have a minimum cost of one (1) point, no matter how limited they may be.

Moving the other direction, a player may apply enhancements to one or more powers. A weak enhancement increases the cost by one point, strong enhancements add two points, very strong enhancements raise the cost by three points, and extreme enhancements add four points to a power's final cost. Such enhancements include improving the range or speed categories of a psi power, as well as other augmentations to its functionality.

Keep in mind that many powers cost more than the base value; precognition, for example, costs three points per rank. Psi powers with a heightened cost are so noted in the character generation tables listed above (those with numbers in parenthesis after the name). Limitations and enhancements are multiplied in value by this cost; for instance, a very strong limitation on precognition would reap a nine point discount.

If your Judge allows their use in his campaign, one thing to consider is the use of Hyperkinetic and Hyperexhaustive rank qualifiers. These can each be purchased in the point system if allowed, being treated as either an extreme enhancement (in the form of a Hyperkinetic psionic) or an extreme limitation (in the form of a Hyperexhaustive power). Both can be unbalancing in their own way however, so check to make sure their use is okay.

Once a character's powers are determined, he may purchase talents and contacts as he sees fit, each costing one point. If one would like heightened talents or contacts (both come in three tiers), he must pay two points for a level two talent or contact, or four points for a level three talent or contact. The Student background talent costs five points (and fits a new psi well), but cannot be purchased with any other talent (save for heir to fortune).

Finally, a player may use leftover points to purchase beneficial quirks - or add a few points to pad weak areas with deleterious quirks. Most quirks give (or take) one point, but if purchased at a higher level, they function in much the same way as talents or contacts in this regard (two points for a level two quirk, four points for a level three quirk). Also, quirks without level but that count double cost (or give) two points.

Once the player is out of points, it's up to the game Judge to look over what the player has wrought. Does the character's math add up? Does he fall within predetermined campaign limitations for power level? If nothing appears to be wrong, and the Judge likes what he sees, he or she should approve what a player has created, and then allow him to complete the last portion of his character's creation (assuming he didn't actually start with such).

Filling in the blanks

Once all the basic details concerning your psi have been ascertained, it is time to 'fill in the blanks', or to detail all of his personal and background information, the stuff you can't quantify with dice rolls or points. Who is he? What does he look like? Where is he from? What is he like? Why has he spent the time to learn the mental arts? Who trained him how to access his inner abilities? Why?

With the sole exception of your psionic mentor (who the Judge must generate, save for perhaps his, her or its name), all other character information must be determined by the player in order to make it truly his character, and to really 'flesh him out'. This is often the most difficult part of the character generation process, the part where many tend to fail.

However, with a little effort and some serious consideration, the answers to these questions can make that simple little piece of paper with all the funny words on it really come alive!!!!!

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