Psionics

Psionics

Sometimes, fighters are just not enough. Your mages might be underpowered because you are too far from a ley line, or maybe there's a Nega-Psychic around. This is where the Psychic has his chance to really make an impact. Psychics are mages, but, instead of drawing most of their power from ley lines, they draw their power from their Inner Strength. Psychics are often a key component in a party, having special abilities that vary from psychic to psychic, depending on class and abilities. Psychics are an R.C.C, which means that they get different bonuses than regular O.C.C.s. For example, a Zapper has the intrinsic abilities Telekinesis and Electrokenesis. However, because of his class, his innate abilities are much more powerful than if, say, a Mind Melter or a Burster had the same abilities, even if they were higher level than him. ISP is consumed with each ability used, unless stated otherwise. The downside of ISP is that, if you go into the negatives, you're dead. Now, some GMs may allow your sacrifice to make a super-ability that wreaks havoc on the enemy, but this is entirely up to them, and is NOT a rule of the game.

   Psychics are Racial Character Classes that have the ability to "take their Magic with them," so to speak. Their ISP is unaffected by proximity to a ley line, and while some of their stats go up if they are within one mile of a ley line or nexus, they are generally just as well-off as when they are not near one. Generally, the Psychic can hold his own in combat. Sort of a mix between a fighter and a mage, but not as median as the rogue, the Psychic has various special abilities that he can use in combat, as well as experience in multiple weapon types. While going solo with ANY mage (or any other character) is not recommended, at least the Psychic can defend him/herself moderately well. And if the fight's not in his favor, well, then he can usually run, using his abilities to slow the enemy behind him. A psychic's strong suit is when dealing with a single, powerful enemy, or a few powerful enemies. With Mega-Damage attacks, he can vaporize armor pretty quickly, then start vaporizing hit points. The psychic's worst enemy is probably the "storm of mooks." And even then, certain psychics can still inflict a lot of damage before succumbing to the "death of a thousand cuts." More specific Psychic strengths/weaknesses is based on class. There is a brief overview below:

• The Burster is great when facing multiple enemies or a single one. His worst nightmare is fire-resistant creatures or anything that can prevent him from using his powers (such as the Psi-Nullifier).
• The Psi-Warrior is similar to a warrior-monk, and is very strong at higher level against pretty much anything. Their greatest weakness is that they gain their powers over time (via levelling), and not straight-up.
• The Zapper is excellent when facing armored enemies, 'borgs, or vehicles, particularly if they have large areas of delicate circuitry. His worst nightmares are Psi-Nullifiers, Psi-Stalkers, and, again, a storm of weak enemies (although a storm of metal-armored weak enemies will suffer for daring to wear conductive armor).
• The Mind Melter is one of the best when it comes to destroying things. Even a storm of mooks would have to be a massive one to take him down. His worst enemies are the Psi-Nullifier and the Psi-Stalker.
• The Psi-Stalker is a good anti-psychic. He can track them down, find them, and he feeds off of psionic energy, which can weaken the psychic he targets. The Psi-Nullifier and the Nega-Psychic are two rare variants of the Psi-Stalker. His worst enemy is a non-Psychic (particularly fighters) or a mage.
• The Psi-Slayer's abilities are skewed towards utterly destroying a small group of powerful targets (maybe two or three), but he is still a deadly threat to a large group of weak targets. His abilities tend to support him in a fight, or cause confusion amongst the enemy. His worst enemies are storms of moderately powerful enemies or a large group of powerful enemies, or enemies resistant to psionics.
• The Psi-Nullifier is a very specific anti-Psychic. He can take pretty much any psychic, but his worst enemies would be mages, Mystics, and fighters.
• The Nega-Psychic is an excellent anti-Mage. He can cause them to burn more PPE with little cost to himself. However, he is weak to Psychics, Mystics, and fighters.
• Other Psychics have their own roles, but tend to be supporting players who would not survive long on their own (such as healers.)

ISP

ISP, or Inner Strength Points (aka: Inner Strength), is the source of power from which Psychics draw their power. It is unique in the fact that using a lot of it will actually weaken the Psychic considerably, while Chi or PPE does not tend to weaken their users as much. This is simply because ISP is directly derived from Mental Endurance, so the more one uses it without recharge, the more fatigued one will be. However, it is extremely versatile, easier to understand (and probably more numerous*) than Chi, and more consistent than PPE. Unfortunately, when it is used up, the Psychic typically dies or becomes comatose, either collapsing and experiencing organ failure or literally burning up, depending on the amount of deficit. Some GMs may allow players to sacrifice their Psychics to create super-abilities (like sacrificing a Burster to summon a massive Mega-Damage firestorm), but this is entirely up to the GM and NOT a rule of the game.

Physical Psionics

As the name suggests, psionic skills in the Physical category either do physical damage or physically buff yourself and/or your party members. These skills tend to either be purely offensive or purely defensive, and not have much purpose outside of battle/dangerous situations. One exception to this trend is Telekinesis. This power can be very useful almost everywhere, from picking someone's pocket to cleaning a room to giving an unexpected push that sends a target NPC or player character tumbling to a rocky death. Physical psionics include the following (according to Worldbook^® 12: Psyscape^® and Rifts^®: Ultimate Edition):

• Alter Aura
• Deaden Senses
• Death Trance
• Ectoplasmic Disguise
• Ectoplasm
• Impervious to Fire
• Impervious to Cold
• Impervious to Poison/Toxin
• Levitation
• Meditation (also is a Healing and Sensitive psionic)
• Mind Block
• Nightvision
• Summon Inner Strength
• Resist Hunger
• Resist Thirst
• Resist Fatigue
• Telekinesis
• Telekinetic Leap
• Telekinetic Lift
• Telekinetic Punch
• Telekinetic Push
• Telekinetic Acceleration Attack (counts as a super-psionic)
• Others may be added as they are found

Sensory Psionics

The Sensory (or Sensitive) Psionic powers are very useful for scouting, seeing what cannot usually be seen, and general non-combat game interactions. You can protect yourself from invisible people/creatures with the ability "See the Invisible", notice the use of magic with "Sense Magic", and even tell what species someone is with the ability "Sense Aura". Many of these skills also can combine with other skills to make them more powerful and effective. They can also be used in combat, but generally are used by someone in a supporting role, as they do not have any direct offensive capabilities. A list of sensory psionic powers is included below:

• Astral Projection
• Clairvoyance
• Commune with Spirits
• Empathy
• Intuitive Combat
• Machine Ghost
• Mask ISP and Psionics
• Mask PPE
• Meditation (also is a Healing and Physical psionic)
• Mind Block
• Object Read
• Presence Sense
• Read Dimensional Portal
• Remote Viewing
• See Aura
• See the Invisible
• Sense Dimensional Anomaly
• Sense Evil
• Sense Magic
• Sense Time
• Sixth Sense
• Speed Reading
• Telepathy
• Total Recall

Super Psionics

Again, the name tells all. The abilities in the Super category are unavailable to all but the most gifted Psychics, generally Master Psychics, and they usually cost two or more selections. These abilities are extremely powerful and can turn the tide of combat in an instant. One can create a Giant, surround oneself in a Psychic Body Field, or even Radiate a Horror Factor, as well as much more. These abilities, like those in the Physical category, tend to be more combat-oriented or healing-oriented.

• Bio-Manipulation
• Bio-Regeneration (super)
• Electrokinesis
• Empathic Transmission
• Group Mind Block
• Hydrokinesis
• Hypnotic Suggestion
• Mentally Possess Others
• Mind Block Auto Defense
• Mind Bolt
• Mind Bond
• Mind Wipe
• PPE Shield
• Psi-Shield (different from PPE Shield)
• Psi-Sword
• Psionic Invisibility
• Psychic Body Field
• Psychic Omni-Sight
• Psychosomatic Disease
• Pyrokinesis
• Radiate Horror Factor
• Telekinesis (Super)
• Telekinetic Acceleration Attack
• Telekinetic Force Field
• Telemechanics
• Telemechanic Mental Operation
• Telemechanic Paralysis
• Telemechanic Possession

Mind Bleeder Powers

Mind Bleeder Psionics are abilities specific to Mind Bleeders, although some are shared by the Zapper. These powers are more spy- or assassin-oriented, and generally require touch or the element of surprise. Neural Touch allows a psychic to disorient, paralyse, trip, blind, or deafen someone with a touch; with Neural Strike, one can completely paralyse a person, or deal Mega-Damage to them. Mind Bleeders can also drain ISP from nearby psychics, and can sense thoughts. A complete list of Mind Bleeder Powers will be added later.

Healing Psionics

Healing Psionic powers are powers that can buff, protect, or heal you and your party members. Suppress Fear makes one and whoever one is touching immune to Horror Factors, Bio-Regeneration can heal physical damage, and Death-Trance can save one's life by putting you in a stasis, that is, lowering your metabolism, halting the effects of poisons, and making you look, in all appearances, dead, so that only a trained onlooker could tell that you were alive. A list will be added later.

Sources

Rifts: Ultimate Edition

Rifts: Psyscape