The Psionicist

Another new optional class for AD&D 1E.

The Psionicist

A psionicist is a person who dedicates their development to the powers of the mind. Not everyone has the psychic gift to the extent necessary to the operations of the psionicist class. A psionicist must have a constitution score of 9 or more in order to withstand the ascetic practices necessary to the development of psionic gifts. In addition, a psionicist must have a score of 16 or more in at least one of intelligence, wisdom, or charisma, and none of those scores may be less than 10. Due to the intensive and extended training necessary to develop psionic powers, roll 2d8 and add 24 to determine the psionicist’s starting age. An important characteristic for psionicists is called the “IWC”. This is the average of the character’s intelligence, wisdom, and charisma scores, rounded to the nearest tenth of a point. A psionicist gains a bonus of +10% to earned experience if the IWC average is 16.0 or greater.

Table I: Experience Chart

Experience Points	Level	Hit Dice (d4)	Level Title
0-2,500	1	1	Beginner
2,501-5,000	2	2	Psychic
5,001-10,000	3	3	Medium
10,001-20,000	4	4	Adept
20,001-40,000	5	5	Guide
40,001-80,000	6	6	Sub-Warden
80,001-150,000	7	7	Warden
150,001-250,000	8	8	Trainer
250,001-500,000	9	9	Director
500,001-1,000,000	10	10	Sub-Master
1,000,001-1,500,000	11	11	Master
1,500,001-2,000,000	12	11+1	Grand Master
2,000,001-2,500,000	13	11+2	Grand Master (13th)
2,500,001-3,000,000	14	11+3	Grand Master (14th)
3,000,001-3,500,000	15	11+4	Grand Master (15th)
3,500,001-4,000,000	16	11+5	Grand Master (16th)
4,000,001-4,500,000	17	11+6	Grand Master (17th)
4,500,001-5,000,000	18	11+7	Grand Master (18th)
5,000,001-6,000,000	19	11+8	Grand Master (19th)
6,000,001+	20	11+9	Grand Master (20th)

Table II: Abilities

Level	Ability Multiplier	Modes		Disciplines
		Attack	Defense	Minor	Major	Grand
1	10	0	1	1	0	0
2	11	1	1	2	0	0
3	12	1	2	3	0	0
4	13	2	2	4	0	0
5	14	2	3	4	1	0
6	15	3	3	5	1	0
7	16	3	4	5	2	0
8	17	4	4	6	2	0
9	18	4	5	6	3	0
10	19	5	5	7	3	0
11	20	5	5	7	4	0
12	21	5	5	7	4	1*
13	21	5	5	8	4	1
14	21	5	5	8	5	1
15	21	5	5	8	5	2
16	21	5	5	9	5	2
17	21	5	5	9	6	2
18	21	5	5	10	6	2
19	21	5	5	10	7	2
20	21	5	5	10	7	3

*IWC average must be at least 16.0 in order to acquire any Grand Arts.

To determine the psionicist’s base Psionic Strength, multiply the IWC average by the Ability Multiplier from Table II. As usual, half of this is Attack Strength and half Defense Strength. For example, a psionicist with an intelligence of 12, a wisdom of 11, and a charisma of 16 has an IWC average of (39/3=) 13.0. At level 1, that psionicist would have (13.0×10=) 130 Psionic Strength Points, of which 65 would be Attack Strength and 65 Defense Strength.

The first Psionic Combat Mode that the psionicist will gain is always Mind Blank. After that, the player may choose Attack and Defense Modes freely as the psionicist gains in level, according to Table II’s schedule of Attack and Defense Modes. In addition, the player may freely choose Disciplines received according to the progression on Table II, and may choose from the expanded psionics Disciplines listed below as well. Note that the character may not choose any Grand Arts unless the character’s IWC average is at least 16.0, and does not gain any compensation if a Grand Art is called for at a particular level increase and the character cannot take such Arts. Disciplines begin at level 1 when acquired, and each increases by 1 level for each level the psionicist gains thereafter.

Expansions to Psionic Disciplines (after the cut)

Table III: Additional Psionic Disciplines

Minor Disciplines	Grand Arts
23. Lights	1. Amplification
24. Rapport	2. Endowment
	3. Power Transfer
Major Sciences	4. Preservation
19. Wards	5. Restoration
20. Mental Surgery	6. Severance

Minor Disciplines (Devotions)

23. Lights

Range: 3”

Strength Point Cost: 1/turn

Duration: concentration or 2 turns/level of mastery

Saving Throw: none

Area of Effect: see description

Explanation/Description: By using this discipline, the psionic may duplicate the effects of the druid or magic-user spells Faerie Fire, Dancing Lights, or Light. The light produced shimmers and varies in color by individual, each individual having a signature color. Any user may choose instead to produce a white light rather than their personal color if desired. A variation allows the psionic to create a ball of light similar to one of the Dancing Lights, which can then be controlled and moved by another psionic at a cost of 1 point/round (the original creator can move it freely as part of the normal 1/turn cost listed above). To extinguish a light is free if the psionic is the original creator of the light, or costs 5 points if another psionic is doing the extinguishing. If psionics contend for control of the light, the original creator always wins, or else the psionic who spends the most strength points on controlling the light gains control. Additionally, this discipline may be used to light candles, at a cost of 1 strength point per 2 candles lit, rounding up.

24. Rapport

Range: 3”

Strength Point Cost: 5/round (10/round if not in physical contact)

Duration: concentration

Saving Throw: negates

Area of Effect: 1 person, or see description

Explanation/Description: This discipline is the ability to read a target’s mind. The effect varies by level of mastery.

First level of mastery: Simple Rapport. This may only be entered into between two psionics, and allows the psionics to share thoughts and memories. Up to six psionics may join into a single Rapport session, with each of them paying the full Strength Point Cost. All of the following levels may only affect one person at a time unless otherwise noted.

Second level: Rapid Sharing. This is a more sophisticated version of Simple Rapport, allowing the possessor of this level of mastery to share information up to 4 times as fast.

Third level: Detect Lie. Effects are similar to the level 4 cleric spell, and a saving throw applies.

Fourth level: Mind Scan. This is a probe of the target’s surface thoughts, revealing motives, intentions, etc.). A saving throw applies.

Fifth level: Very Rapid Sharing. As Rapid Sharing, above, but up to 10 times as fast.

Sixth level: Undetectable Lie. Effects are similar to the reversed form of the level 4 cleric spell, and a saving throw applies.

Seventh level: Multiple Detect Lie. May use Detect Lie on up to 4 individuals. The targets get a save penalty depending on how many the psionic is attempting to affect: 1 individual, -3; 2 individuals, -2; 3 individuals, -1; 4 individuals, save as normal.

Eighth level: Mind Probe. A deep probe into the hidden secrets of the target’s mind. A saving throw applies.

Major Disciplines (Sciences)

19. Wards

Range: 0

Strength Point Cost: 50 (plus special, see description)

Duration: until dispelled

Saving Throw: none

Area of Effect: up to 10’ radius hemisphere (additional psionics can cooperate, see below)

Explanation/Description: Once invoked, the psionic need no longer concentrate on this powerful warding shield. The basic area of effect is a 20’ diameter hemisphere centered on the user of the discipline, but some special items might alter this. No physical or magical force can penetrate the Ward. Those inside the Ward can see out, but no one outside of the Ward can see in. The Ward appears as a dome of softly shimmering light, which may be colored or white as per the Lights discipline.

Up to 4 psionics may cooperate in setting up a Ward. Each contributes up to 50 points, with a minimum total of 50 points from all of the participating psionics. For each full 50 strength points, the radius of the Ward is 10’, so that with an expenditure of 200 points, 50 from each of 4 participating psionics, the Ward could have a radius of 40’. This larger Ward will be centered on whichever psionic the participating psionics choose.

One the Ward is set up, the area of protection may only be opened from the inside, for a cost of 20 psionic strength points to open, and another 20 points to close it again. However, an overwhelming amount of power concentrated on the Ward from the outside can bring it down, see below. At any time, the psionics who originally set up the Ward may choose to simply end its effects.

If the Ward was set up without prior preparation, outside psionics may collapse it by expending 3 times the amount originally used to set it up (150 points if one psionic set up the Ward or multiple psionics only spent the minimum amount, up to 600 points for a Ward set up by 4 psionics expending the maximum amount). If the area was previously prepared by each of the participating psionics expending 20 psionic strength points in a ritual requiring a full turn (10 minutes), then outside psionics will require 5 times the amount of strength used to set up the Ward to break it. The preparation of an area lasts for 24 hours, and affects Wards of up to 50 points per 20 points spent in preparation. Non-psionics may break down the Ward by inflicting a number of points of damage equal to the amount of psionic strength needed to collapse it. Note that psionics within the Ward may regenerate the Ward by expending psionic strength points, at a rate of 1 strength point per strength or damage point required to collapse the Ward.

20. Mental Surgery

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: special, see description

Duration: special, see description

Saving Throw: negates (only necessary if used on unwilling person)

Area of Effect: 1 individual

Explanation/Description: This discipline is the ability to reach into a target’s mind and make alterations there to cure it of afflictions or to add particular mental quirks. The effects are as follows, by level of mastery:

First level: Dispel Exhaustion. As the 4^th level illusionist spell, except that the Haste function does not apply. Cost: 10 strength points.

Second level: Inhibition. Plants a compulsive behavior pattern in an individual which may only be overcome with a successful save. Cost: 20 strength points/week of effect.

Third level: Read Memories. Much deeper and more comprehensive than the abilities listed under Rapport, this allows the instant scanning of the individual’s mind to learn the subject’s secrets. Any of the subject’s general recollections may be accessed, costing 10 strength points per month in the past the memories lay. Memories from the more distant past may be discovered, but will be more sketchy, and cost 20 points per year old the memory is. Gaining detailed information or accessing a deliberately hidden memory costs an extra 50 strength points, beyond the costs listed above. The subject of the Reading is not aware that the process is taking place.

Fourth level: Adjust Memories. Can cause the subject to forget or remember some fact, or implant an entirely new memory, for the same cost as Read Memories.

Fifth level: Feeblemind. As the 5^th level magic-user spell. Permanent until removed. Cost: 30 points.

Sixth level: Cure Insanity. Can remove an insanity or Feeblemind effect. The target may resist with a saving throw, or the spellcaster or psionic who initially caused the illness may resist with a saving throw (even if not present or aware of the attempt). Cost: 40 points.

Seventh level: Cure Psychic Wound. Heals injuries of the sort caused by psychic combat. Cost: 50 points.

Eighth level: Trigger. Plants a “trigger” in the subject’s mind, so that if tampered with in a way defined by the psionic, Feeblemind or instant death (chosen by the psionic) results. Cost: 70 points.

Grand Disciplines (Arts)

1. Amplification

Range: 3”

Strength Point Cost: 10/person

Duration: special

Saving Throw: negates (only applies to unwilling subjects)

Area of Effect: up to 6 individuals

Explanation/Description: By using this discipline, the psionic may tap psionic strength from non-psionic individuals. The subjects, who may be willing or not, are placed in a deep, trancelike sleep that lasts 1d6+3 hours. For that period of time, the psionic may make use of their latent psionic strength, tapping up to 2 points for each point of intelligence, wisdom, and charisma possessed by the targets. However, using too much of the energy can have adverse effects on the subjects. Using 50% or more of the subject’s energy results in Feeblemind, lasting for 1d6 weeks. Using 75% or more of the subject’s energy results in a permanent Feeblemind effect. Using 85% or more of the subject’s latent energy puts the subject into a coma for 1d12 days. Each day, the character in the coma must make a System Shock roll or die. Using 95% or more of the latent energy forces the subject to save or die. If the save is successful, the subject’s intelligence, wisdom, and charisma scores all drop to 3 permanently.

2. Endowment

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: 100

Duration: permanent

Saving Throw: success (see description)

Area of Effect: 1 individual

Explanation/Description: A sufficiently powerful and able psionic may Endow others with psionic ability. This requires that the subject have an intelligence, wisdom, and charisma score of at least 10 each, and one or more of those scores must additionally be 16 or higher. If this requirement is met, the psionic must Mind Probe the subject, using the eighth level Rapport ability, to determine the personal power ritual that will be required. This ritual will usually require the acquisition of one or two difficult-to-acquire items such as a phoenix feather, dragon’s claw, or the like. Once this is done, the psionic and the subject perform the rite, which should take about an hour, and the psionic expends the 100 point strength cost. Then the subject makes a saving roll vs. psionics, modified by the normal modifiers such as the wisdom save bonus. If successful, the subject immediately becomes a psionic as per the Players Handbook. Disciplines when first acquired are of a level 1 mastery and increase as normal thereafter.

3. Power Transfer

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: special

Duration: permanent unless object is destroyed

Saving Throw: negates (see description)

Area of Effect: 1 object

Explanation/Description: This art is the method that psionicists use to create objects of power, which are the psionic equivalents of magical items. Generally, this method is similar to that used to make magic items: the item that will be empowered must be of the highest quality, etc. Once empowered, the object will have qualities similar to those of an unusual sword. That is, the object will have ego and intelligence and be semi-sentient.

To empower an object requires 100 strength points for every minor devotion to be Transferred, 200 strength points for every major science, and 300 points for every grand art to be possessed by the object. The physical object will cost 20,000-50,000gp (at the least) and take from 40-400 days to complete. The psionicist must be closely involved with the manufacture of the item, even if unable to produce it without assistance, taking 8 hours out of each day working on the item alongside the creator if not using the psionicist’s own skills. This time allows the psionicist to come to intimately understand the most minor and seemingly insignificant details of the item in preparation for Transferring power to it. On the day after this process is complete, and each day thereafter, the psionicist may attempt to Transfer a particular discipline, science, or art into the item. This will succeed if the psionicist can roll a successful saving throw vs. spells.

Prior to each daily Power Transfer attempt, the item must be prepared by the expenditure of 50 psionic strength points, which allows the above attempt to occur within 24 hours. One power may be Transferred per day. During this period, the psionicist may do nothing else other than eating and sleeping – the psionicist’s entire attention is focused on the process. If a period of 24 hours goes by with no attempt to Transfer a discipline, science, or art into the object (whether due to voluntary or involuntary reasons), or if the psionicist is interrupted by disruptive events, or if one of the above saving throws vs. spells is failed, then the object is finished and no further powers may be Transferred into it.

When the object is finished, it may be “sealed” by the application of the permanency ability (see Preservation, below). If this is not done, then the object will lose 10% of its psionic strength per month, becoming a normal item after 10 months.

Upon completion, the object will have a psionic strength equal to half of the maker’s psionic strength, an intelligence score equal to that of the psionicist, and an ego score of 1 per discipline, 2 per science, and 3 per art Transferred into it. Roll 1d20: 1-13 no attack modes, 14-18 one attack mode, 19-20 two attack modes.; it will always have one defense mode (not necessarily Mind Blank). It will be very difficult to destroy (+5 on all saving throws, -5 on all attacks or other actions made against it).

If the maker chooses, the object can be made indestructible (except by extreme, cosmic or cataclysmic force) by channeling 400 strength points into it on the day prior to the application of permanency.

The object will have the same personality traits (or alignment, in games which use that) as the psionicist possesses at the time of completion. The making psionicist may sense the presence of the object if it is within 12”, and may command the item if it is within 3”, even if another person possesses it. If the current possessor of the object resists the psionicist’s control of the item, this is resolved by doubling the object’s ego (remember that the psionicist must be within 3” of the object) and using the normal procedure for control.

If the object of power is destroyed, then the psionicist who created it will suffer. The maker will immediately lose all psionic strength points (these are recovered normally) and must make a system shock roll. If the object was made indestructible by the application of 400 psionic strength points, then the destruction of the object will automatically strip the psionicist of all psionic strength permanently, and will be subject to feeblemind and immediate death (no saving throw permitted).

If the object has not been subjected to the permanency ability, then it will be unable to recover psionic strength points. When it runs out of psionic strength, it will also lose its powers, becoming an entirely normal item. If it has been subjected to permanency, it will recover psionic strength just as any living psionic.

A psionic in possession of an object of power may use the object’s psionic strength points and other abilities as if they were the psionic character’s own, so long as the psionic remains in control of the object (as per the section “Swords vs. Characters” in the DMG, p. 167-168). Non-psionic characters may make use the object’s abilities so long as they remain in control of the object.

4. Preservation

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: 50

Duration: permanent, except for first level of mastery

Saving Throw: none

Area of Effect: one individual or object

Explanation/Description: Preservation is used to forestall decay or prevent demise. Its effects may be applied to the psionicist or to another individual or object. Depending on the level of mastery, different specific effects are available.

First level: Preserve Corpse. A corpse affected by this ability will not decay for 24 hours after application.

Second level: Trap Soul. This ability allows the psionic to keep the soul of a dead character from leaving the body, with effects similar to the eighth level Magic-User spell Trap the Soul.

Third level: Release Soul. This ability allows the release of a soul trapped in a body or other object.

Fourth level: Siphon Memories. Can only be done in the first 10 minutes after the death of a character. The psionic Siphons approximately 50% of the subject’s memories, gaining access to them and becoming affected by them. For every minute after the subject’s death, reduce the amount of memories Siphoned by 5%, so that 5 minutes after death, only about 25% of the subject’s memories are recovered by the psionic. For up to one week, the psionic may display the subject’s aura, personality, and so forth, fooling any magical or psionic attempts to detect alignment or the like. However, before the week is up, the psionic must “assimilate” the memories. Delaying this forces the psionic to make a system shock survival check for each 24 hours the assimilation is delayed. If the psionic assimilates the memories after the week is up, a saving throw vs. spells is required, with failure meaning that the psionic gains an insanity (per DMG p. 83-84), which lasts until a heal, restoration, or wish is used to alleviate the condition. In any case, a psionic retains access to the percentage of Siphoned Memories.

Fifth level: Permanency. As per the magic-user spell of the same name. See the description of Power Transfer for an example of the use of this ability.

Sixth level: Dispel Permanency. Neutralizes the effects of magical or psionic Permanency.

Seventh level: Death Stasis. This ability stops the process of dying, locking the soul to the body (and so it may not move more than 3” from the body), such that the body is dead but not irretrievably so. This ability must be applied within 1 minute of death, or else the soul will have vacated the body and moved on to its destination. A soul affected by Death Stasis may not communicate with the living, except by a speak with dead spell or the like. It is still on the Material plane, but is invisible to any creature that is not dead or able to see the dead.

Eighth level: Remove Death Stasis. Cancels the Death Stasis effect, restarting the dying process. The dead body must then be immediately healed of its deadly injuries or else it will truly die.

5. Restoration

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: 60

Duration: permanent

Saving Throw: negates

Area of Effect: 1 individual or object

Explanation/Description: This Art has two functions. The first is as per the cleric spell of the same name, including the deadline for effectiveness – 1 day/level of mastery of the psionicist, except that the psionicist may extend the duration by expending 20 psionic strength points extra per day of such extension. The second function is the reverse of this, allowing the psionicist to energy drain the subject, just as per the reversed form of the clerical spell. The subject gets a saving throw against the latter ability.

6. Severance

Range: touch

Strength Point Cost: special, see description

Duration: permanent until removed

Saving Throw: negates

Area of Effect: 1 individual

Explanation/Description: This terrifying Art is in many ways a continuation of Mental Surgery. It is the ability to reach into a subject’s mind and soul and block the ability to use magical, psionic, and divine powers. This includes spell casting abilities, psionic abilities, paladins’ special divine abilities, and similar powers. While Severed, the affected character cannot gain experience points or levels either, so that the character becomes a normal person, albeit with the saving throws, hit points, attack ability, and other non-magical and non-psionic abilities previously held. The costs to apply this Art are as follows:

Cleric/druid spell use: 30 points × the level of spell use severed. For example, if the subject could use third level cleric spells, the ability would cost 90 points.

Magic-user/illusionist spell use: 20 points × the level of spell use severed.

Innate magical, divine, or monk abilities: 30 points per ability blocked.

Psionic abilities: 80 points to block the use of any psionic strength points, also forcing the subject to act as “defenseless psionic” in any psionic combat situation.

It is up to the Referee if other abilities can be Severed, and what psionic strength point cost is assessed.


This class is based on the article in Dragon magazine #78 by Arthur Collins, with many small and large adjustments to fit it better for the Middle Sea world and to correct problems I see in the original.