Psionics
Psionics and You
Psionics are a recent development from Soteria research that has pushed the boundaries of what the human, alien, and abhuman mind is capable of. This expansion of the power is done through a process that grows a muscle-like brain in the head that contains the power and abilities a psion may use. However, this is not without its drawbacks. While the ability to manipulate objects, project your mind, or create kinetic objects may seem like a straight boon, the act of being a psion does strain the body. A psion's body takes more damage from all sources (about 15% more) and requires a very slight increase in food intake. Equally, some psionic powers may have draw backs, due to how the effect changes the flesh in a way that is direct and in some ways clumsy.
Yet, despite this, psionics are extremely powerful, more so depending on the physical or mental abilities of the psion. Some psionic abilities rely on the physical robustness or toughness of the user, while others go in line with innate skills such as biology or mechanical depending on the application of its effects. Psionic powers contain equal parts utility and offensive ability. For a detailed list, read further below. Becoming a psion requires visiting Soteria between shifts (or having a psion capable of it making you one) while removing your psionic abilities is but one surgical procedure away to remove the enhanced organ. Beware, your body remains weakened even if the organ is removed.
Psions must also always maintain Purity of Body, what is purity of body? It is keeping all mechanical implants, organs, organ modules, or synthetic limbs out off and outside the body. A psion's body cannot be connected to machines in such a way, causing any implants to painfully and viciously be rejected in such a way that it greatly damages the psion. For what reason psions must maintain purity of body is presently unknown, but trying to ascend with any augmentation, including cruciforms, will be hazardous to your health. Of course, this does not apply to bio-implants, which contain no machine parts, nor gene mods, genetic tampering, or biological meddling.
Finally, be aware what is expected of you in regards of the colonies Laws, as committing a crime with your psionic powers increases the fines and time served. Additionally, be wary of using powers like journey to nowhere, as teleporting an unwilling person is at minimum considered attempted murder.
How do my stats effect my psionic power?
In the case of specific powers, read below. For general stat effects, your psionics are used by a resource pool you can find in the status menu which shows your current and total psi essence pool.
Your total essence pool is calculated as thus: (Cognition / 10), Minimum 1, Maximum 30, rounded down. So, if you have Cognition 24, you have 2 essence points as 24/10 rounded down is 2. If you have cognition 310, you have essence points 30. If you have -15 cognition, you have essence 1.
Essence points are regained naturally every 5 minutes and are not presently effected by perks or stats. Your essence will always fill you its maximum capacity without you needing to worry about it. If you wish to increase your psi essence regeneration, use of objects such as psi inhalants or chemicals such as cerebrix will greatly help you, but come with various side effects.
Powers: Your guide to being a mind wizard
Psionic powers have a description you may view in game at any time under the psionic powers tab. The name of the power and its associated cost are in parenthesis next to it, by mousing over the power in the bottom left corner (below your typing window) you'll see a full explanation of what the power does. Powers are listed here as well, for quick and easy reference.
Lesser Powers
Lesser powers are usually a single point or free to use for a psion, they represent the general abilities any psion can use, though more cognitively impressive psions can use them far more often.
| Power Name (Cost) | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Psychosomatic healing (1) | Heal yourself for up to 40 brute AND burn, but you take heavy amounts of agony from the effect and may be stunned. | Toughness may mitigate the effect and allow you to resist both the stun and pain damage, painkillers and racial resistance may help. |
| Telepathic projection (1) | Project your mind into the thoughts of others, allowing you to send telepathic messages over any distance. | This does not work on lesser life forms, people with mind shielding such as cruciforms, or synthetic minds. |
| Telekinetic Omnitool (1) | Create an omnitool which has tool quality 25 in all categories, allowing it to function as a mechanical or surgical tool. It works at 80% speed and cannot be upgraded. | This object is temporary, when it leaves your hand for any reason it disappears. It does not require power and cannot wear down or break. |
| Psychic Blade (1) | Create a psionic blade in your hand that functions as a knife, the power of which scales with your robustness per attack. Does not function as a viable tool. | This object is temporary, when it leaves your hand for any reason it disappears. It does not require power and cannot wear down or break. The power of the knife is deceptive, with every attack the damage is actively calculated off your robustness (debuffs mid fight such as flashbangs or defiler venom weaken the weapon). At nine or less, you do the same as a knife. At ten to nineteen you deal the same as a butcher knife. At twenty to twenty nine, you deal the same as a machete. At thirty or higher, you deal the same as a longsword. |
| Psychic Shield (1) | Create a psionic shield that can block melee attacks, bullets, or energy beams. | Functions exactly like a standard shield. |
| Psychosomatic Transference (1) | Instantly refill your nutrition to full at the expense of some of your blood and taking some toxins. | You gain 100% nutrition but lose 20 units of blood (5%) and take 15 toxins. Easy to recover from with the right reagents. |
| Telekinetic Prowess (1) | You gain telekinesis, allowing you to pick up objects and move them around, as well as interact with some objects at range. Careful, as you can hurt yourself and others using this (unless that's what you want). | Can be used to do a variety of things and can only be removed by willingly ending it or through scientific methods. Using this power, once activated, does not cost any psi points. |
| End Telekinesis (0) | End your telekinesis. You may reactivate telekinesis by spending another psi point. | Useful for if you get tired of picking up random objects or pushing walls when randomly clicking your screen to face various directions. |
| Telekinetic Fist (1) | Create a one hit use psi fist in your hand which deals damage and knock back based on your current robustness when used. | This is a temporary item that will vanish if it leaves your hand. This power vanishes after one attack, but deals damage that scales the same as the psychic blade while dealing 2/4/6 tile knock-back depending on your robustness. |
Greater Powers
Greater powers are psionic abilities that cost more essence and may not be usable if you lack the cognition to have enough of a essence pool. These powers are much more useful as a result and range from 2-5 in point cost. Greater powers may come with restrictions or other unusual effects.
| Power Name (Cost) | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Psionic Weapon Construction (2) | Using an oddity, you create a permanent weapon out of it, sacrificing the oddity to have it randomly become a gun or melee weapon. The oddities stats affect what is most likely to be created, but the choice is still random. Psionic guns do not come loaded. | Creates one random STS-30, cassad, lightfall, sledgehammer, chainsaw, or sword. All guns are 10% weaker than than their official versions and the melee weapons have highly unusual properties. All weapons come with a specific style, name, and description that makes them more interesting and reveal their nature. These can be modified and upgrade. |
| Psionic Tool Construction (2) | Using an oddity, you create a permanent tool out of it, sacrificing the oddity to have it randomly become a tool. The oddities stats affect what is most likely to be created, but the choice is still random. | Creates one random sledgehammer, chainsaw, multitool, shovel, screwdriver, or welding tool. The tools are lesser than their high tier counterparts, but have odd qualities and come with themes. Some may be used as weapons, such as the chainsaw or sledge, in addition to tool. These can be modified and upgrade. |
| Psychic Call (2) | You call burrowing creatures from all nearby burrows and cracks. What appears is random. None of the things called are inherently friendly to you, meaning you may call things that are hostile and attack you and your allies. | Useful if you need a distraction, cannon fodder, you're a cht'mant looking to (hopefully) call roaches or spiders to your location. Use at your own risk. |
| Psychic Banish (3) | You force all burrowing creatures to flee from you, forcing them to go inside their burrows and leave for parts unknown. | Some creatures may actively try to resist the affect. Only works on creatures capable of burrowing and only if a burrow they can reach is nearby. Resisting creatures will still attack if you get close and may give up if they cannot reach the burrow. |
| Journey to Nowhere (3) | You teleport yourself, whatever you are holding or wearing, and any person you are grabbing to the nightmare realm known as deep maintenance. You are not guaranteed safety and the effect weakens you on arrival. While you will always land in an empty spot, you may be surrounded by traps or possibly hostile life forms that will rip you limb from limb immediately. | Do not use this unless you are heavily armored, carrying lots of supplies, and prepared. Taking yourself and an unwilling subject is considered attempted murder. Keep in mind, as a psion, if you die in deep maintenance it is unlikely you will be found and rescued. |
