Psionics for MechWarriors

These rules were initially developed for a Robotech: The Sentinels campaign using the Mechwarrior, Second Edition rules.  Several alien races in that setting have supernatural powers, and we needed a way to codify these powers and use them in play.  I enjoyed these rules during that campaign, and feel they are a natural addition to any MechWarrior game--though games that do not rely exclusively on mech combat (oh no!) would benefit most.

Psionic Potential

In order to make use of psionic powers, a character must 1) have the potential (naturally or otherwise), and 2) develop that potential through skills.  There are two methods of "achiving" psionic potential:  by virtue of one's race, or through a cybernetic implant.

Race: Human (Psychic)

Under these rules, human characters who set Race as Priority 1 (instead of 0) have psionic potential.  These characters automatically have access to all psionic skills.  Pychic humans may choose not to train in psionic skills, even though they have psionic potential.  Whether or not a psychic human has trained their abilities, they always perceive psychic phenomena (see below).

Advantage:  Psionic Implant

Requirements:  member of the Clans; combined LRN & CHA of 7+

Viewing psionics as volatile and unpredictable, the Clans bred any potential for psychic powers out of their bloodlines.  However, upon their return to the Inner Sphere and encountering psychic humans, controlled psionic development was pursued.  The solution was an ectoplasm-enhanced receptor implanted in the brain. Select one of the implant classes below; you gain access to that implant’s psionic skills (but no others).

Anyone with a psionic implant as the chance of perceiving psychic phenomena (INT check).

Gamma-class implant (2 pts):  Astral Projection, Clairsentience, Telepathy.

Kappa-class implant (3 pts):  Ectoplasty, Plasmakinesis, Telekinesis.

Mutant Humans (LegacySPORE)

In LegacySPORE, human mutants should be created as mutant animals, using the general rules update from After the Bomb second edition.  Instead of using the human description there, however, use the statistics presented below.  This plays off the mutant animal rules while still preserving aspects of the old method of creating human mutants.

As part of this rules update, options available to mutant animals are also expanded.

New Options for Mutant Animals

Add the following options to all other animals.

Human Features

Looks: The following options are available to non-human mutant animals:

[Partial -2] BIO-E for Androcephalic.  Androcephalic characters have bodies and limbs with no human looks, but heads—particularly faces—with full human looks.  Sphinxes are androcephalic mutants (often with the winged flight super ability).

[Partial +2] BIO-E for Hybrid.  Hybrid characters have legs and feet with no human looks,  but torsos, arms, and hands with full human looks.  The head has partial human looks—though often appears human-like with bestial traits (ears, nose, horns/antlers, etc.).  Fauns and harpies are hybrid mutants.

[Full -2] BIO-E for Zoocephalic.  Zoocephalic characters have heads with no human looks, but bodies and limbs with full human looks.  The deities of ancient Egypt were zoocephalic mutants.

In LegacySPORE, the only way a mutant animal can gain the traits of another animal is to select those traits as super abilities (such as Animal Abilities, Winged Flight, or the like)—BIO-E cannot be spent to develop such traits.  Using a priority system to maintain balance, all characters have the chance to develop super powers and/or psionics.