Mentally Based Abilities
Mentally Based Abilities are the realm of the Mentalist. When using these abilities in combat, the temporary abilities require one die from the dice pool. The permenant abilities don't require any dice to use. A mentalist can only use their ability once per round.
Contents
Mental Control
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Read Emotion | 1 / 1 |
| Alter Emotion | 1 / 2 |
| Read Thought | 1 / 2 |
| Alter Thought | 2 / 3 |
| Read Memory | 3 / 5 |
| Alter Memory | 5 / 8 |
| Possess | 9 / 15 |
| Hitchhike | 8 / 13 |
Mental control abilities are used to assert your will over others. When using one of these abilities, there are two rolls involved, a will power roll and an awareness roll.
The will power roll is to determine the success of the attempt. The mentalist will roll two dice and add their will power. The target will do the same. If the mentalist beats the target (a tie does not count), then access is gained and the result of the ability is carried out. It is important to note how much the mentalist beat their target by, as this difference is used as a bonus in the awareness roll. Likewise, if the mentalist fails, the difference between rolls is used as a bonus in the target's awareness roll.
The awareness roll is used to see if the target realizes what is happening. Both the mentalist and the target roll their awareness, along with any bonuses from the will power roll. If the mentalist wins, then the target has no idea that his mind has been invaded. If the target wins, then he will distinctly feel the presence of the mentalist's mind, as well as know if the mentalist beat him in the will power roll.
Also, if the mentalist chooses, he may use any free points he has to give him a bonus on his will power roll. Each point used give a +1 bonus on the will power roll.
In the case of a non-player character mentalist using one of these abilities on a player, the referee should probably know ahead of time what the character's will power and awareness values are. This way the referee can roll for each side and only let the character know what happens if they succeed in their awareness roll.
Read Emotion
If the mentalist succeeds, he will be able to feel the same emotions as the target. If the mentalist beats the target by five, then he can determine if the emotion is directed at something specific, such as hatred of a certain person. The permanent version of this power allows the mentalist to gauge the general mood of a large populations.
Alter Emotion
The mentalist can invoke a certain emotion and force it on the target. If the mentalist beats the target by five, then they can direct the emotion on a certain item, such as a person, place, or even idea. If the mentalist beats the target by ten, then they can cause such emotional turmoil as to cause a stress point.
Read Thought
If the mentalist succeeds, he will be able to 'hear' or 'see' what the target is currently thinking. The effects last only for a few moments (ie: one combat round).
Alter Thought
This power is one of the most versitile. With it, the mentalist can make the target think whatever the mentalist wants (These are not the droids you're looking for). With each successful attack the mentalist can implant a simple thought or command. There is a fair bit of variability involved with the success of this power. A lot depends on the type of thought implanted. If the thought is extrememly against the targets normal state of mind, then it is much less likely that it will succeed despite the success of the will power roll. For example, a thought like "You want to take your NST 429 out, point it at your own head and pull the trigger" is much less likely to succeed than "You want to take your NST 429 out and throw it across the room". The rule of thumb is that the referee can optionally add a difficulty bonus to the target's will power roll, say +20 for the suicide example above. It is still possible, but extrememly difficult.
Read Memory
When using this ability the mentalist can immerse themselves in the target's memory. Once they are in their memory, they are able to almost rewind and fast forward through the targets memory like a playback machine. The quality of the images seen will depend on how sharp they are contained within the target, as well as the intelligence and species of the target. An Anurian is going to have crystal clear images, while a Vimren probably won't remember too much beyond it's last meal. Any memories the target can conjur up will be easy for the mentalist to see, while memories that are not easiliy accessible by the target will be more difficult to find. Each combat round, the mentalist must maintain his control by the same will power awareness rolls with a +5 bonus on the will power roll, but he doesn't have to expend any points to maintain control.
Alter Memory
With this power the mentalist can implant a memory into the target. Most often the implanted memory doesn't have to be that detailed, as the target's brain will fill in a lot of the gaps. But in the case of a mathematician, or an Anurian, the only way to fool them into believing the memory is genuine is to be a mathematician yourself and implant an extrememly detailed memory. Each successful use of this power can implant about a minute of memory. If later on, another mentalist reads the implanted memory, they will not be able to tell the difference between that and a genuine memory. It is possible to combine the read memory and alter memory powers, allowing you to read the memory from one person and transfer it over to the other.
Possess
A successful use of this power will allow you to implant your consciousness into another being. You have complete control over them and see, hear, feel, etc everything that they experience. While you are controlling the other person, your own body is in a coma-like state. How aware the target is of what is going on depends on how much the target was beaten by in the will power roll. If they were only beaten by one, then they are fully awake while you are using their body. Beating by ten or more allows you to suppress their mind so deeply that they will not remember anything once the mentalist lets them go. In between is a range from slightly groggy (beat by 2) to sensing bits and pieces of their surroundings like a deep dream (beat by 9).
Hitchhike
Similar to possess as you implant your consciousness into another being. However, you do not control them at all, you just experience everything they do without holding any influence over them. If they are beaten in the awareness roll, then they are oblivious that they have a second mind within them. Otherwise, they may sense the original intrusion, but can't sense the mentalist after that.
For both possess and hitchhike, a second mentalist using any of the 'read' abilities on the target will be able to detect the invading mind. Additionally, the 'alter' abilities can be used on either the target or the second mind within them.
Physical Control
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Spasm | 1 / 2 |
| Limb | 3 / 5 |
| Body | 6 / 10 |
Physical control powers allow the mentalist to control the target's body without influencing the mind at all. Each successful attempt allows the mentalist to exert the control for one combat round.
These powers use the same will power and awareness rolls as the mental control powers. The only exception is that if the attempt succeeds, no awareness roll is needed as the result will be quite apparent to the target.
Spasm
This is simply picking a group of muscles on the target and make them contract multiple times as violently as possible. This power can have many uses. Focusing on a target's leg would force an agility roll. On an arm would mess up a shart shooter's aim. On the head would make it quite difficult for the target to speak (as well as look quite odd).
Limb
This allows a mentalist to completely control one section of the target's body, be it an arm, a leg, neck, etc. To the mentalist, it is as if the limb belongs to them and they can do whatever they want with it. Any combat bonuses the mentalist has will be effective with what the controlled limb does. For example, say a mentalist has a stage of weapon specialist, with plus two to hit, and he mentally controls someone's arm. If he uses that arm to pull out a pistol and shoot at someone else, he will still get the plus two to hit for the attack. Hand to hand attacks can be quite devestating, especially if the mentalist uses the limb to attack the target's own body. A target will not be able to use duck for the attack and will have to parry it.
Body
The ultimate in physical control. The mentalist will completely take control of the target's body for one round. During that round, they can do anything with the body, including attacking someone, standing prone so that others can attack them, or jumping off a cliff (if one is handy). As with the limb version of physical control, the mentalist has the same hand to hand and bonuses when using a controlled body.
Biological
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Bonus to Movement +1 meter | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Physical Attribute +1 (Total < 7) | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Physical Attribute +1 (Total >= 7) | 2 / 3 |
| Negative to Physical Attribute -1 | 1 / 2 |
| Healing / Harming 1 stam (instantaneous) | 1 / 4 |
Biological powers can be used by the mentalist on themselves or on another person (no robots, obviously).
Bonus to Movement
When used, the mentalist or target gets a bonus of +1 on all movement rolls. The effects are cumulative, so if the mentalist expends twice the points, they get +2, three times the points, +3, etc. The permanent version of this ability will be in effect continueously without any conscious effort from the mentalist, unless it is targetted at someone else, in which case the mentalist must devote one die per turn to keep it active.
Bonus to Physical Attribute
Each use of this power increases one physical statistic (strength, speed, or agility) by one. With the no limits varient, the mentalist can increase the statistic beyond the normal limits of the race. As with the movement bonus, the effects are cumulative, and the permanent power requires no effort by the mentalist unless the target of the power is someone else.
Negative to Physical Attribute
Obviously meant to be used on someone else. Physical contact must be made.
Healing / Harming
The mentalist can instantaneously cause or repair damage. Physical contact must be made to use this power on another person. Multiples of the points used can increase the damage or healing. If points are devoted to a permanent power, the power must be either healing or harming, not both. The permanent ability can be used only once per round. If a mentalist has points to permanent healing, it requires no effort and even heals if they are unconscious. Any healing will stop a mortal wound.
Manifestations
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Telekinesis 100 N | 1 / 2 |
| Blunt Telekinesis ~4000 N - 1D Damage | 1 / 2 |
| Energy Manipulation - Attack | See Below |
| Energy Manipulation - Absorb (4 pts) | 3 / 6 |
| Energy Manipulation - Generate (for party tricks) | 1 / 2 |
| Produce Noise - Non-specific clicks and wispers | 1 / 2 |
| Produce Noise - Mimic Voice +1 to Persuade | 2 / 3 |
| Produce Noise - Startling Roar / Scream | 2 / 3 |
| Produce Noise - Ear-Piercing Rukus | 3 / 4 |
| Fold Space 1m² | 35 / 60 |
Manifestation powers involve direct manipulation of the environment around the mentalist.
Telekinesis
Allows the mentalist to exert a force with their mind. Telekinesis can replace a tool kit or med kit, giving the user +1D to tamper.
Blunt Telekinesis
Not anywhere near the control of regular telekinesis, but much more powerful. It doesn't allow for holding or manipulating objects, but rather is a burst of telekinetic energy that can cause 1D of damage to a target. The damage is either added to a regular hand to hand attack's damage, or is the damage for a ranged hand to hand attack. The maximum range is typically 30 meters.
Energy Manipulation - Attack
Allows the mentalist to emit an energy blast at a target. The strength of the blast depends on the amount of points devoted to it. Accurate range is 25 meters multiplied by the mentalist's awareness and the effective range is double the accurate range.
| Damage | One Time / Permanent |
| 1D | 1 / 2 |
| 2D | 2 / 3 |
| 4D | 3 / 5 |
| 7D | 4 / 6 |
| 1D* | 5 / 8 |
| 2D* | 6 / 9 |
| 4D* | 7 / 11 |
| 7D* | 8 / 12 |
| 1D** | 9 / 14 |
* Intermediate Scale
** Ship Scale
Prescience
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Cryptic Hint | 3 / 6 |
| Good Hint | 4 / 8 |
| Juicy Morsel | 5 / 10 |
| Real Nugget | 9 / 18 |
| Totally Unfair Knowledge | 15 / 30 |
| Bonus to Hit +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Duck +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Parry +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Ranged Parry | 2 / 5 |
| Bonus to Sneak +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Hide +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Locate +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Bonus to Pilfer +1 | 1 / 2 |
| Mark | 0+ / 1+ |
Mark
The purpose of a mental mark is simply to let a mentalist psychically "find" someone or something, since most other abilities are based on what a mentalist is able to perceive.
A mark is made with a measure of stealth and severity. The stealth is determined by the awareness of the mentalist, plus any points of MBA they wish to add, plus up to 2D6. A sentient being can detect a mark on themselves, if they can locate it: awareness plus up to 2D6. It takes a mentalist to detect a mark on someone else, or on a separate object. The severity is determined similarly, except with willpower plus MBA points plus up to 2D6. The points of MBA dedicated for stealth or severity are separate, and are not usable for anything else until the mark is erased.
The source mentalist can erase one of their own marks at will; also killing the source mentalist will erase their marks. A being can erase a mark on themselves if they have sufficient willpower - an attempt is willpower plus 2D6. It takes a mentalist to erase a mark from someone else, or from an object, but they have to detect it first. All attempts to erase a mark by anyone other than the marking mentalist require successfully locating the mark: awareness plus up to 2D6. Attempting to erase a mark warns the mentalist that made the mark, so if an attempt fails the original mentalist might be able to dedicate additional points of MBA to strengthen the severity of the mark, or to add another more stealthy mark.
Zero-point marks are a special type. They are voluntary tags accepted, and consume none of the mentalist's MBA. They are usually used as a means for establishing telepathic contact.
The one-time ability requires the use of one die in the dice pool during combat to establish any kind of mark. By having the permanent ability, marks can be administered without necessarily using combat dice. However, marks made during combat CAN use up additional dice in that the mentalist must choose how stealthy and severe the mark will be. The same dice are used for both stealth and severity.
Miscellaneous
| Ability | One Time / Permanent |
| Telepathy | 1 / 2 |
| Neural Blast | 4 / 11 |
| Mental Veil | 0 / 0 |
| Mental Shield | 1 / 2 |
| Luck +1 any roll | 3 / 18 |
| Bestow (give power to another) | 9 / 12 (+ Donation) |
| Combine (+1 mentalist) | 5 / 9 |
