Psion

[fiat_knox]

The book, not necessarily the forumite.

So, the preview of Book 4 is now available, as I'm sure you're probably aware - and if not, here's the PDF preview.

So, then, who's looking forward to this book? And who isn't?

And to both camps, and to the indifferent, I also ask why?

 

[MongooseMatt]

The book, not necessarily the forumite.

You presume we have done a book about Psion careers, and not the forumite. . .

 

[Psion]

Yes?

The book, not necessarily the forumite.

Aw.

So, then, who's looking forward to this book? And who isn't?

And to both camps, and to the indifferent, I also ask why?

Well, there is one plot element in Gateway (where I am running my game) that could use some more psionics material, but otherwise, I'm not in a hurry. There's not too much I want to do with Traveller as a setting that I couldn't do with the rules in the main book, but the Psion book might have some ideas I could use. Or, it might not...

 

[Kilgs]

I’m pretty ambivalent to the Psion book for a number of reasons.

1. I like psionics but not in Traveller (3rd Imp). I take a more behind-the-scenes approach to psionics and don’t like PC’s with the powers. Psionics always seem to be a game-breaker when used by players who don’t understand the background of them.

2. Since Mongoose is putting these books out as generics, we’re going to run into the D20 problem eventually. Where material from a sourcebook is considered to be automatically available despite it being proclaimed to be an option. I hate those problems. I have a feeling that the Psion book is going to run the gamut from B5 to Traveller to all-powerful Psion classes that have no place in the 3rd Imperium (IMTU). So I don’t think it’s going to do much more than cause issues.

3. I am looking for some information on the Psionic Suppressions. Not sure if that’s going to be included and, again, the trend towards generics makes it unlikely. Since the “feel” and “treatment/suppression” of psionics in the Imperium is my interest, I doubt a book titled Psion is going to talk about what a bad idea it is to have them.

4. Information on Psionic Institutes would be good. I’d like some thought put into these and more information available. The Psionic Institute from the Traveller Adventure is pretty plain and easy to find. I’d like to see some with more creativity.

5. Psionic rebels/terrorists etc. I am definitely interested in this. With all the negative publicity against psionics, there is bound to be a group that has become aggressive and violent. Secret cells of terrorist-psionics… I’d like to see that.

All in all, I think I’ll wait to see some reviews before getting Psion. But that’s mainly because I dislike an emphasis on Psionics in MTU.

Every psionic game book out there is full of ultra-powerful dudes and groups, mind-blowing powers, and makes it clear that psionics is everywhere. Even if the original game said nothing of the sort. Just once, I’d like to see a Psionic book that dealt with the social, personality issues that a budding psionic would experience as an adolescent. I’d imagine most psionics are locked up, tested, driven mad, have serious anxiety and anti-social disorders along with a very-justified paranoia complex. Instead, I keep seeing books about how they can do anything and secretly run the universe.

Just once, I’d like to see them treated as a real-life phenomenon and not as the sci-fi version of shooting lightning bolts.

 

[Kilgs]

I just looked over the preview and found two things of interest.

PSIONIC TRAUMA
There appear to be some rules for mental instability etc. The preview doesn’t include how one gets these and I’m curious to see the whole rules. Looks like there are six levels, so this may satisfy some of my complaints. If, like most other games, these trauma levels can be removed by spending a quiet weekend reading a book in Starbucks… I will be disappointed.

MENTAL POWERS
Here comes the uber-powers :-(

-The text indicates that it would take 15 PSI points to completely paralyze an individual.

The Mind Blast power does 3d6+Effect per 2 points of PSI to an individual.
The Mind Blast Area-Effect Power does 2d6+Effect per 1 point of PSI.

WTF? So it would take me 15 points to immobilize and silence a security guard alive but I can create mini-nukes out of mid-air for about 6 points?

Let’s say 8 points… 12d6+4(Effect)= Damage to an individual. Or I can do 16d6+8(Effect) to every living thing in a radius of 8 meters.

 

[mbrinkhues]

After a look at page 90 I can say that I am NOT interested.

 

[Jame]

My thing about it is that they used the Drifter table for the Psionic Drifter career. I don't mind a Psi. Drift. being a wanderer, but I do not like one being a barbarian or a scavenger. If they would be outcasts, then what barbarian tribe or scavenger group would take them (NONE.)? And besides, it shows a certain lack of creativity...

 

[Kilgs]

This concerned me for another reason. I didn't mention it because I'd prefer to look at the other available careers. But if they're allowing people to use normal career tables with boosted skill/psi-power tables then they remove any balance. The point of the Psion career is that the individual is there to learn psi-powers and therefore is getting less of the standard education/skill basis.

This may not be the truth since we only have the one career page. But it's a little disconcerting... people who focus on psi-powers should do that to the exclusion of other skills.

 

[ThunderChilde]

Meh, did anyone else take a gander at the survival and advancement table? the Rule of Combined Totals yields an 18 average for a Wanderer. Yeh Olde Gods, you aren't really meant to be able to do this are you? It safer being a Marine, on Orbital Assault drops no less. If the wanders average is that high, just imagine how freaking unlikely it is to make more than one term in a more advanced class. It's the same RCT bloat of averages I saw in Scout. I cannot express clearly enough my disgust with the Scouts chargen section. I ranted about it in another thread, 'nuff said.

I'll buy it anyway, just to get my meat hooks on it to housrule things in to my ongoing campaign.

Mongoose Matt, snatch up LOZ and ask him why the heck did we get the Dark Acedemy of Betrayal, Corruption and Conspiracy version of the IISS? More of a breeding ground for revolutionaries, and terrorists than the heroic explorers of Charted Space and beyond. Even the example character is done all wrong fer pete's sake.

 

[Spinward Scout]

The book, not necessarily the forumite.

So, the preview of Book 4 is now available, as I'm sure you're probably aware - and if not, here's the PDF preview.

So, then, who's looking forward to this book? And who isn't?

And to both camps, and to the indifferent, I also ask why?

Just read the pdf - looks cool!

This looks like you could have psionic arena games, psychic battles on the street, and... and... Even an underground Psionic Friends Network. Should be more than just Zhodani and a few Imperial Psionic Institutes. Mind Blast? And 15 Psi points to... I'll bet they changed the Psionic Strength scale around.

My FLGS said there's not a release date set yet, but the Mongoose page says April.

Definitely looking forward to it.

 

[Original_Carl]

No psionics for me. Not yet anyway.

If half of what I'm reading in this thread is true about the Psion book, I may just stay with psionics as it reads in the Pocket Rules. I don't need any game-breakers like 16d6 + Effect area of effect powers. That's a little over the top don't you think?

I've introduced a psionic item into my game via an Alien Artifact possessed by one of the characters. It allows limited mind reading ability at the cost of Endurance points. Another of the characters has a contact who happens to be psionic (and a cop) on a world where psionics are illegal. So far I prefer psionics to be kept at a comfortable distance. I don't see that changing any time soon.

When do we get Merchant Prince?

 

[ThunderChilde]

A little birdy told me they are mining the old Paranoia Press materials for some of the new books. That tidbit explains the Dark Imperium take on the IISS (Scout), and will prolly color Psion too.:nonono: No telling it's effect on Agents and the Rogues books.

There is nothing really with Paranoia Press, except it played up a conspiratorial and underhanded version of the Imperium. Otherwise, lotta cool Ideas. Sheds a little light on things though.

 

[Spinward Scout]

There is nothing really with Paranoia Press, except it played up a conspiratorial and underhanded version of the Imperium. Otherwise, lotta cool Ideas. Sheds a little light on things though.

I would think 'conspiratorial and underhanded' would be understandable with an interstellar economy (which is what the Imperium is supposed to be based around). Ever hear of the phrase: 'how much for just the planet?"

 

[mbrinkhues]

I would think 'conspiratorial and underhanded' would be understandable with an interstellar economy (which is what the Imperium is supposed to be based around). Ever hear of the phrase: 'how much for just the planet?"

But if you ask that question the locals will likely switch to Plan C, the Captain will end up in a compromising situation with the aggressiv Aliens love affair and the Chief Engineers golf course will include stuff like "Hole 8: Sandbunker left, 200 and Minefield, right 300"

 

[Stainless]

From the reviews of the PDF preview so far, it looks like a generally ill-thought out supplement. Such a pity that Mongoose spits out mediocrity so often.

 

[fiat_knox]

I'm waiting for the book before making any comments on it, one way or t'other. I have anticipation, yes: but I'd rather anticipation over cynicism any day.

Besides, I think I know where Loz is coming from with this book, and I'm as curious as anyone to see what he's done with Psion ... and what use it can be for non-OTU Traveller game settings such as Babylon 5 and Judge Dredd, among others.

I'd say something at this point about "Even if I find something bad ..." but, truth to tell, the little glimpse I've been given in the PDF has piqued my interest enormously.

I want to know what Psionic Defence powers look like, and how one generates the stats for Psionic Attack and Psionic Defence; further, I want to see what other advanced powers Loz has listed in the book (did somebody mention Astral Projection?); in particular, I want to see if there is anything like a Psionic Healing ability allowing Psions to cure others of their ailments and injuries, rather than just themselves.

Like I said, this is something I am looking forward to, because I can pretty much guarantee there'll be something in this book that I can use in some manner in a game.

 

[saundby]

B5 Psionics

The B5 book contains the B5 extensions of the core book's psionics. I'm not sure how much Psion will add to that for the B5 setting. I already think there are some mismatches between B5's psionics and the ones in the B5 Traveller book, particularly with respect to the availability of TK. The game rule realizations of some of the telepathic abilities shown in the show are awkward, too. There's also a major element in the show rearding psions working together that I didn't see in the rulebook.

But hey, there's a long winded, repetitive, detailed history of PsiCorps that goes back further and in more detail than I could ever see needing in-game. And if I did I could get it more succinctly from The Lurker's Guide.

Most intriguing power? Sphincter control. Not described as what immediately comes to mind, but the implications are obvious. Perhaps the reason some of those actors pulled faces on the show when in conflict with Bester was that he'd "helped them relax" at an awkward time?

At any rate, I'll not be rushing out for Psion. I'm still trying to work my way through the B5 book's crappy low contrast pages and chill out over the errata, again. Two words Mongoose needs to learn: Press Check. Paper doesn't look like a monitor display.

 

[Murdoc]

What I'd like to see is individual reaction tables for NPCs encountering a psion, modified by the world's overall attitude factor for psionics, which itself was something done in one of the Traveller versions (I only know from H&E). And how that number is generated could be modified by an intersteller government/society modifier, which would be different for say the Zhodani, Imperium, Earth Alliance, etc. With H&E I generated too many worlds with "Extreme psionophilia", even when close to the Core.

Otherwise, I am looking forward to seeing what they do with it. I am sure that it will contain many things that will not be appropriate for the classic Traveller "flavor", but I imagine they want this to be available for other universes as well, so there they are as optional rules. Maybe someone wants a more psi-heavy TU. Perhaps a game taking place before the Psionics Supressions. And I always thought that the Zhos should have the whole system down better than current Imps can even think of. I mean, the Droyne do after all. Or like people discussing in the other thread about whether or not to even use the 3I; if you're making up your own TU from scratch, then why not be able to scale your psionics as high or low as you please?

I also have this perverse curiosity to see if one would be able to run White Wolf's Trinity universe with these rules or not...

 

[Wraithcat]

After a look at page 90 I can say that I am NOT interested.

And the problem is?

 

[spinwardpirate]

From the reviews of the PDF preview so far, it looks like a generally ill-thought out supplement. Such a pity that Mongoose spits out mediocrity so often.

Another step in the wrong direction for MGT?

The other day I was in a game store, saw the new Fighting Ships book, and I passed on it because of the mediocrity of Scouts. I picked up GURPS High Tech instead. I knew with the GURPS book I'd get some bang for my buck.