K Vaults and Psionic Strength

[PsiTraveller]

Book 4: Psion has the Psionic Ship component the K Vault. This is used to Supplement the Psion's own Psionic Strength. The Vaults can store variable amounts (price dependent). They can store up to 100 points.

They pay out points in 1,3 or 5 points at a time, and a Psion can never draw more than their maximum points at any one time.

Folding Space allows shifting a ship of tonnage equal to 100 tons per Psionic Strength Point.

So here is the question: Assume a Psion with 8 Psi Strength. Normally he could shift up to 800 tons of ship. Using the book example he spends 6 points and moves Jump 3 worth of folded space.

Could the stored KVault points available count as the points needed to move the ship?
The Transplant and Upgrades for a Psion Spacefarer have the highest rank moving 2000 ton ships. A Psion Spacefarer with 8 points could not move a ship that high, but a Kvault of 20 points stored would have the Psionic potential to shift it.

The interesting thing is that the act of folding space costs the same regardless of tonnage, 6 points moves 3 Hexes. The 20 points needed for a 2000 ton ship seems impossible to get to in a normal level game.

Any thoughts?

 

[mike wightman]

Sounds a bit like the psionic amplification pods from the Jullian May stories.

When I statted those for my Traveller game based on said books they boosted psionic strength - much as the various psi drugs do - and provide a constant source of psi points so the str is constantly replenished.

Ridiculously powerful, but look at what Marc Remillard was capable of doing in such a rig.

 

[SanDragon]

I remember what Jeff Raven was able to do without one!

 

[Spinward Scout]

I believe the K Vault only stores Psi Points - it doesn't increase the Psi Strength of the Psion. It's similar to the Personal Psi Battery (pg. 84 in Psion). Marc Remillard's CE Rig from the Galactic Milieu Trilogy would increase the Psionic Strength DM - it's an advanced Psi Enhancer (pg 84 in Psion). And I think that's what PsiTraveller needs in addition to the K Vault.

 

[PsiTraveller]

Oh well, that limits the size of ships that can be folded into other systems. I was thinking of 2000 tonne monitors being brought in with an invasion fleet. Bigger ships if the 100 point K Vault allowed such.

That would change warfare. All the space for Jumpdrives and fuel is now devoted to weapons.

 

[CosmicGamer]

Could the stored KVault points available count as the points needed to move the ship?

Not 100% sure what you are asking.

Can a psion use a ships K Vault psionic battery when they fold space? Yes, if done as per the rules. Psion needs the Ship Integration skill, hooked up through k interface, K Vault has limits, successful rolls, and so on.

The 20 points needed for a 2000 ton ship seems impossible to get to in a normal level game.

I'm not sure what you mean by "normal level game". Could you please expound?

There are several ways that a psions current strength can be modified so I'm not sure why this is a problem.

I'm not sure if the K Vault or K Web temporarily increase current Psi Strength or is just points available. This is probably up to personal interpretation.

Psi drugs and Tapping do boost strength. There are probably more ways but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

 

[PsiTraveller]

QuickGamer: What I meant by normal campaign is the points available to a Psion in a traditional game: base Psi with no bonuses, page 4 of the Psion book. So Max Psi Strength is 2D6, 12 max. Minus a point for terms served.

Assuming a Psionic character rolls in first term and then progresses through terms as a psionic the max is still 12, possibly 15 like any other stat. This is still too low to allow the 2000 ton ship in the Psion Spacefarer Intergral table on pg 49.

Folding Space Advanced Talent from pg 67 allows a Psion to move a ship of 100 tons per Psi Strength, even without a Jump Engine. (They Fold Space to make the ship travel a long distance.) Cost does not change per Hex moved, 2 points per Hex, so Jump 3 equivalent for a ship of any size is 6 Points spent.

So a 12 Strength Psion has the mental fortitude to shift a 1200 ton ship 3 points by spending 6 Psionic Points. This is great. A Psion Spacefarer Integral can be advanced and upgraded to Rank 6 (pg 48-49) to a ship of 2000 tons.

This means either a Psion can gain 8 bonus points somehow, or there is a way to qualify a Psion to move a ship that large (like having a 20 point K vault to qualify them), or if 20 points is not possible then they cannot move a ship that large.

I am trying to sort out how many points a Psion Spacefarer Integral can get so I can determine how many tons of ship they can Fold Space around.

Boosting Psi Strength with drugs is risky and expensive. To get 10 points a Psion has to spend 100,000 credits and pass an Endurance check or lose a Psi point permanently (pg 83).

 

[CosmicGamer]

Assuming a Psionic character rolls in first term and then progresses through terms as a psionic the max is still 12, possibly 15 like any other stat. This is still too low to allow the 2000 ton ship in the Psion Spacefarer Intergral table on pg 49.

First, note that it does say Maximun of 2000. So you could look at this as the extreme and not the norm.

I touched on a couple ways to increase psi strength in my last post and will do so again in a bit.

This means either a Psion can gain 8 bonus points somehow, or there is a way to qualify a Psion to move a ship that large (like having a 20 point K vault to qualify them)

The K vault at most provides 5 point at a time.

It

can be drawn upon by integrated psions to supplement their own Psionic Strength.

So can they increase their psi strength to a normal max +5?

they can never draw more than their maximum Psi points at any one time.

Meaning they can never draw past their max psi strength? It seams odd you'd need this statement otherwise as the K Vault only

discharges psionic energy in ‘blocks’ of 1, 3 or 5 Psi

so even a psi of strength 5 could use the max of 5. Doubt such a low strength psi would be given this position on a ship.

It is open to personal interpretation.

Boosting Psi Strength with drugs is risky and expensive. To get 10 points a Psion has to spend 100,000 credits and pass an Endurance check or lose a Psi point permanently (pg 83).

Folding space saves how much time and money? Not sure if the money for Psi Drugs is of much concern. The risk can be mitigated by selecting crew with high End and even boosting their endurance with permanent (augmentations and so on) and/or temporary (drugs, psionically enhanced endurance, tapping and so on) means.

Lets look at the Psi Drug "Double". It provides a boost of 4 points and only costs 4,000Cr and requires no End check. Fairly cheap and safe.

That gives a psi with a strength of 11 a boost to 15. If you rule that the K Vault does give a boost to psi strength, it can provide 5 more for your 20.

I'm not going to go over all the Tapping rules, you have the book. I'll just say that even an average strength psi who is exceptional because they have the ship psi skills and Tapping can easily and safely boost themselves to 20 strength. On some psi ships it could be common to have crew aboard with exceptional characteristics who's main purpose is to be available for the psi to tap.

 

[PsiTraveller]

Well the more I look at the K Vault description the more questions I have.

A Psion can never draw more than their maximum Psi Points at any one time. The K vault releases points 1,3 or 5 at a time.

So assume the Psion has 12 Psi Strength maximum. They are at 10 points currently.

Could they draw two more points, (either 1 point at a time for two actions or 3 points and wasting one, taking them to their 12 point maximum).

OR can they pull out 12 points maximum and giving them 22 points of Psi Strength? I admit I have read and re-read the description to the point where it is all blurring together a bit.

And while it is common to use your own reserves before using the vault it is not a requisite for use. If there was a power that needed more points than 5, could you draw the points out over time or would you have to pay out of your own reserves to pay the full price immediately?

Tapping would work to provide enough power for a Psion to move a heavy ship. If a Psion Tapped himself and did not spend any points they could store up a lot of points to enable them to move large ships. 1d6 + End bonus healing a day could provide a slow steady buildup of power.

A grimmer version is to use psioners on a ship ir base to provide more power faster. Or crew could 'volunteer' points (or be paid for them, a vampiric way to earn extra cash).

I was just looking to use the K Vault as the built in capacity for moving a ship. IMTU I may allow it. It explains WHY a ship needs a 10 million dollar K Vault. How many points is a Psion on a ship going to spend? I mean seriously, why would you want 100 points on tap, 5 at a time? Any ideas?

 

[CosmicGamer]

So assume the Psion has 12 Psi Strength maximum. They are at 10 points currently.

Could they draw two more points, (either 1 point at a time for two actions or 3 points and wasting one, taking them to their 12 point maximum).

OR can they pull out 12 points maximum and giving them 22 points of Psi Strength?

However, as you know

The K vault releases points 1,3 or 5 at a time.

and

If there was a power that needed more points than 5, could you draw the points out over time or would you have to pay out of your own reserves to pay the full price immediately?

My understanding, which may not be right or may be just one of multiple possible interpretations, is that there is a reason to say you can only draw so much at a time from a battery or K Vault. The reason is to give a limit to how much is available to use, otherwise, one could just keep repeatedly drawing even 1 pt at a time until they get to the strength they need.

If a psi could do this, there would be no need for a battery, they themselves would act as one.

The fact that there is no time specified that one needs to wait between drawing on a batteries power also supports my personal view that the power drawn from a battery is a use it now or lose it situation and the psi themselves does not store the power until some time in the future when they want to use it.

A grimmer version is to use psioners on a ship ir base to provide more power faster. Or crew could 'volunteer' points (or be paid for them, a vampiric way to earn extra cash).

Or as I mentioned, on a psi ship it could be a crew position and this is your job.

Perhaps like a high ranking crew member, like the captain, having a personal steward, the psi who runs the ship has a personal aid that assists them. Maybe even a junior psi who is an apprentice training to one day perform these functions.

Lots of possibilities.

I mean seriously, why would you want 100 points on tap, 5 at a time? Any ideas?

I'll have to go into this later as my wife just got home and we are going somewhere.

 

[PsiTraveller]

100 point batteries. They pay for the Ship Enhancement skills. total brain fade that I forgot that.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I just skimmed it, but I think you might need the Advanced K Interface (bottom of pg. 90).

 

[CosmicGamer]

why would you want 100 points on tap, 5 at a time? Any ideas?

I'll have to go into this later as my wife just got home and we are going somewhere.

I'm back. I see you found one good reason.

100 point batteries. They pay for the Ship Enhancement skills. total brain fade that I forgot that.

The K Vault could be used for Drive Augmentation and Far Seeing too.

I just skimmed it, but I think you might need the Advanced K Interface (bottom of pg. 90).

Yup. I believe multiple Psi's could be interfaced into the ship and each be tapping into the K Vault. Some might not even be using the ship specific Psi skills. Sensor crewman may augment equipment with their skill in Life Sense. Someone may be using their Tactical Awareness more times in a day than their normal point level would allow. The Comms officer could tap into the K Vault to Send and Read Thoughts. Someone injured, might need some extra points for Regeneration. Lots of possible uses.