GypsyComet
SOC-14 1K
Pardon the lengthy quoted conversation, but we were told to start another topic...
The first paragraph on page 7 certainly does suggest that some Zhodani lacked Potential. Their industrial revolution is predicated on keeping up with the psions.
The main CT rules are, with the exception of the propaganda statement at the beginning of the rule section (which is repeated in MT, TNE, and even T4), silent on the matter of universality. Nearly every other reference is neutral, meaning it can be applied to either case.
TNE does, however, state that universality is not the case on p246, and implies that the Talentless are not a minority.
Then we get T20, which says "nearly all", and T5, which says the same. These tell us where Marc stands far more clearly than all prior editions (save TNE) put together. It is ironic that the three editions that have clear statements are also among the least accepted by the fanbase at large, and thus the least likely to be referred to when questions like this come up.
So I sit corrected, but YES, things have changed, at least once and possibly several times, which makes it a point of divergence for MTU/YTU differences.
Originally Posted by GypsyComet
Correct.Psionic Potential is not inheritable, according to older material.
Actually, AM4 makes it quite clear that psionic potential is spread randomly among the Zhodani population as well.The factors that lead an individual to have Potential are not known to Imperials, at least, and there are no indications except for the stated Zhodani social numbers to infer that the Zhodani have figured it out.
There is no reason whatsoever to assume this. Quite the contrary, it rather appears that all humans have some psionic potential.The TU as a whole sees Psionic Potential in only a small percentage of the populace.
Only if you assume that many humans have no psionic potential whatsoever. There is not the slightest reason in CT canon to assume this is the case.The idea that all Noble children are psions is either an artifact of PC generation or an indicator that the Zhodani are indeed different from Imperials when it comes to Potential.
Neither is the case. You base your conclusions on your (unfounded) assumption that some or indeed most humans have no psionic potential. Since all of CT canon supports the opposite assumption, namely that all humans do have at least minimal psionic potential, there are no non-psionic Zhodani nobles or intendants.so either that changed when I wasn't looking or the Consulate has a considerable population of non-Psion Nobles and Intendants who retain their positions through inertia.
I don't know how post-MT editions handled this, because I never bothered to check their psionics rules. But in CT and MT, operating with the information we have, there is no reason to assume the existence of non-psionic nobles or intendants in Zhodani society. There are going to be weak-psionic nobles and intendants.
The first paragraph on page 7 certainly does suggest that some Zhodani lacked Potential. Their industrial revolution is predicated on keeping up with the psions.
The main CT rules are, with the exception of the propaganda statement at the beginning of the rule section (which is repeated in MT, TNE, and even T4), silent on the matter of universality. Nearly every other reference is neutral, meaning it can be applied to either case.
TNE does, however, state that universality is not the case on p246, and implies that the Talentless are not a minority.
Then we get T20, which says "nearly all", and T5, which says the same. These tell us where Marc stands far more clearly than all prior editions (save TNE) put together. It is ironic that the three editions that have clear statements are also among the least accepted by the fanbase at large, and thus the least likely to be referred to when questions like this come up.
So I sit corrected, but YES, things have changed, at least once and possibly several times, which makes it a point of divergence for MTU/YTU differences.