Sandbox:psionics

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Psionics is the manipulation of metaphysical forces through concentrated effort employing the Zona Bovinae, a term used by Skrell to denote the frontal lobe structures of the humanoid brain. The manipulation of these forces is, in practice, the use of influence over a Psionic Wake, also known as the Nlom by Skrell who interact with it.

Interactions with psionics are broken up into two distinctive forms, known as Sending and Receiving. Without a Zona Bovina, it is impossible to either send or receive psionic signals.

Receiving Psionics

Most carbon-based life in the Orion Spur possesses some degree of capacity for Receiving. This capacity comes from having a lobed brain, and can vary not only between species, but also between individuals of a species. This capacity is also known as Psi-sensitivity.

Mechanically, Psi-sensitivity is a sum-total of all of a character's sources for it, starting at 0. These sources can be either positive or negative, and can also be temporary. Characters with a Psi-sensitivity score greater than or equal to 1 are counted by the game as if being psychic, even if they are not capable of sending telepathically. While characters with a negative total Psi-sensitivity are considered "Psi-Deaf", and can situationally be ignored by psionic effects entirely.

Being Psi-Deaf causes telepathic messages to be scrambled and incoherent, if they are even received at all.

Sources of Psi-sensitivity

This list is not conclusive, and should be updated whenever new sources are added.

Positive Sources

• Being Capable of Sending (+Rank): Having any form of telepathy gives a bonus to Psi-sensitivity equal to one's own Psionic Rank.
• Having a Psi-Receiver (+1): Psi-receivers are a bioaugment consisting of a vatgrown cranial lobe, which has been genetically engineered to enhance the user's sensitivity.
• High Psi-sensivity Trait (+1): (Temporarily) Available in the Disabilities menu during character creation.
• Consuming Psycho-nootropic Drugs: Certain drugs can provide a temporary bonus.
  • Wulumunusha (+1, temporary): Overdosing on Wulumunusha gives a temporary bonus, which lasts until the drug is fully metabolized.

Negative Sources

• Having a Mindshield (-1): A mechanical implant that fully blocks telepathy in addition to penalizing sensitivity.
• Having a Mindblanker (-1): These work identically to Mindshields, except are a Bioaug. Available to Galatean characters.
• Low Psi-sensitivity Trait (-1): (Temporarily) Available in the Disabilities menu during character creation.
• Consuming Psycho-depressants: Certain drugs can give a penalty. None currently exist in the game, but are planned to be added.
• Active Psi-Suppression (-2): Activating the Psionic Suppression power gives a debuff that completely blocks telepathy.

Sending Psionics

The Psionic Brain

Skrell are widely believed to be the only species capable of Sending psionic signals, which is demonstrated by their expression of certain telepathic abilities. It is not canonically known if other sophonts are capable of Sending, though this is not necessarily impossible.

Non-Canonically, certain antagonists-- such as Loners, Cortical Borers, and Traitors who purchase a psionic augment, are all capable of Sending. Any antagonist with access to an Uplink may purchase a Psi-Jumpstarter to gain Rank 2, or a Psi-Awakener to gain Rank 1. Neither of these items exist canonically.

The fundamental elements in the use of psionics are Psionic Stamina (Psi-Stamina) and Psionic Powers. Psionic Powers use up Psionic Stamina. As powers are used, you Psionic Stamina lowers. Over time it will regenerate, however it is not at a rate able to keep up with constant Psionic use. Over use of your Psionic Powers will lead to Psishock, a state which stuns and damages you through overuse of your Zona Bovinae.

The default Psionic Powers given to all Sending-capable Sophonts.

Keeping track of your Psionic Stamina is essential, as well as access the Psionic Shop to acquire Psionic Powers. On the right of the HUD, a brain icon is present. Just below this icon is a number representing your current Psionic Stamina. By left-clicking the brain icon, you can access the Psionic Shop.

Psionic Powers appear in the top right of the HUD. You can use an ability by clicking on it, and using the item which spawns on either yourself, someone else, or using it in-hand. By shift-clicking the Psionic Powers, you can see what the ability does.

Psionic Ranks

Psionics Ranks are a mechanical method for describing someone's capacity for Sending. These ranks define and limit what powers can be bought from the Psionic Shop, and also define how many Psipoints you have to gain Psionic Powers.

The Psionic Shop where you can acquire new abilities.

The ranks are:

• Rank 0: Psi-Mute: No access to powers at all.
• Rank 1: Sensitive: 2 Psipoints. Most Skrell are at this rank.
• Rank 2: Harmonious: 10 Psipoints. Provided by a Psi-Jumpstarter. Skrell antagonists can also use a Psi-Jumpstarter to upgrade to this rank, and their starting points stack with those provided by the item.
• Rank 3: Apex: 14 Psipoints. Loner starts at this rank.
• Rank 4: Limitless: 40 points. Admin-only.

Psionic Powers

Powers are generally split between Canon and Non-Canon. Canon powers can be used by either ship characters, event characters, or both. Non-canon powers are exclusively antag abilities and not considered real powers in lore. Within these non-canon powers, some may even be limited on Psionic Rank depending on how powerful they are.

The key components of a Psionic Power is its Point Cost, Psi-Stamina Cost, and Cooldown. The Point Cost is how many Psipoints you need to gain the ability from the Psionic Shop. After gaining the power, you can use it for the Psi-Stamina Cost, which will lower your Psi-Stamina by that amount. After use, you must wait for however many seconds the Cooldown is before it may be used again.

Name	Availability/Canonicity	Description/Use	Point Cost	Psi-Stamina Cost	Cooldown
Air Bullet	Antag only, Non-canon	Wrap air in a psionic bubble, compress it, then send it flying at your enemies. Activate the spell in hand to create up to six air bullets, then fire them by clicking something.	3	0	5
Assay	Automatically given to all Psionic users, Canon	Touch a person to get a rough estimate of their Psi-sensivivity. This does not provide any direct information on a person's Psi-rank.	N/A	2	10
Barrier	Antag only, Non-canon	Activate in hand to give yourself psionic armour. This armour is slightly worse than generic heavy armour, and has a small passive upkeep.	1	30	20
Bubble	Antag only, Non-canon	Create a protective bubble around you that removes your need to breathe or wear voidsuits in EVA.	1	10	10
Charge	Antag only, Non-canon	Use this spell on an item with a cell to charge it.	1	5	5
Commune	Automatically given to all Psionic users, Canon	Send a telepathic message to the target if they are capable of Receiving. Strong receivers will receive an indication of who sends the message, while Psi-deaf individuals will only partially receive the message. Contrary to popular opinion, this power is completely safe, and will never harm the target regardless of their Psi-sesnitivity.	N/A	10	15
Electrocute	Antag only, Non-canon	Administer a painful amount of psionic shock to the nervous system of a foe in melee range, causing burn and agony damage.	2	5	10
Emotional Suggestion	Psionic users, Canon	Sends an emotion to the target if they are capable of Receiving. Strong receivers will know who sent the message, while Psi-deaf individuals won't receive it at all.	1	15	10
Focus	Event characters, Canon	Activate this spell in your hand to generate five units of synaptizine in your bloodstream.	1	20	50
Grip	Antag only, Non-canon	Grip a victim with psionic energy. You can squeeze your grip to crush them. Drop your spell to undo the stasis.	3	10	20
Hollow Technique: Purple	Automatically given to Limitless users, Non-canon	Purple is an extraordinarily destructive energy wave of annihilation that rips whatever it hits from existence.	N/A	50	10
Ion Blast	Antag only, Non-canon	Activate in hand to release a 3x3 ion blast around you. Be careful, this ability is expensive to use.	3	30	20
Jump	Loner only, Non-canon	Teleport to a destination you click on.	3	25	50
Lightning	Automatically given to Apex users, Non-canon	Fire a concentrated lightning bolt. Activate this spell in hand to switch to a second mode that hits living beings in a 4x3 area in front of you.	N/A	15	10
Mend	Antag only, Non-canon	Mend a creature's wounds. This handles internal wounds as well, such as ruptured organs and broken bones.	2	30	50
Mind Muddle	Event characters, Canon	Use this at range to confuse a target and give them a little bit of pain.	1	10	20
Mirror Shade	Event characters, Canon	Activate this spell to generate two psionic copies of yourself that will attack nearby mobs. These clones are not dense, will deal pain damage, and disappear after thirty seconds.	2	20	100
Nlom Eyes	Antag only, Non-canon	Roughly locate a mob on your z-level.	2	5	10
Psi-Awaken (Awaken)	Automatically given to Apex users, Non-canon	Stimulate a living being's Zona Bovinae and bring them to Psionically Harmonious rank.	N/A	100	20
Psi-Drain	Automatically given to Apex users, Non-canon	Drain psi-stamina from a living being. This can be used both in melee and at range.	N/A	5	10
Psi-Punch	Antag only, Non-canon	Imbue your fists with psionic power.	2	3	0
Psionic Recovery	Automatically given to all Psionic users, Canon	Activate in hand to regenerate psi-stamina.	N/A	0	5
Psionic Search	Automatically given to all Psionic users, Canon	Scan your Z-level for beings who are capable of Receiving.	N/A	10	5
Psi-Stamina Weave	Psionic users, Canon	Activate this spell in your hand to regenerate your psi-stamina a little bit.	1	0	0
Psi-Sunder (Sunder)	Automatically given to Apex users, Non-canon	Destroy a living being's Zona Bovinae. This will make them psionically deaf.	N/A	20	30
Psionic Suppression	Psionic users, Canon	Toggle activate to completely block telepathic messages. While active, it gives a -2 modifier to Receiving, which can be useful for hiding from Assay and Psi-Search.	1	5	N/A
Psi-Sword	Antag only, Non-canon	Create a psionic sword.	3	5	10
Psi-Tool	Antag only, Non-canon	Create a psionic tool that can change into a screwdriver, crowbar, wrench or wirecutters.	1	5	10
Pull	Antag only, Non-canon	Pulls the target straight towards the user, smashing windows along the way. If it can be held in your hands, it goes straight to your hand. Note that you can catch items you pull to yourself if you toggle throw mode before pulling an item.	2	10	50
Read Mind	Psionic users, Canon	Rip thoughts from someone's mind. If your rank is Psionically Sensitive, you may only skim the surface thoughts from a person's mind. If your rank is Psionically Harmonious or above, your target is forced to respond to a five-word question with the truth. This power is extremely dangerous, causing a stroke if your Psi-sensitivity is 2 or more points greater than the target, and moderate brain damage otherwise. Psi-sensitive characters are more resistant to this brain damage, but are never completely safe from it.	1	50	10
Rejuvenate	Antag only, Non-canon	Restore a creature's blood.	1	30	50
Rend	Antag only, Non-canon	Activate it in your hand to switch to a structure mode, in which you cannot target living beings (synthetics included) but you can tear apart walls and airlocks much faster.	3	35	30
Shockwave	Antag only, Non-canon	Create a wave of telekinetic energy to pummel the ground in a straight line in the direction you're facing. Anyone caught in it falls over unless wearing magboots.	2	20	50
Singularity	Antag only, Non-canon	Creates a psionic illusion. Anyone within four tiles of it is forced to walk towards it. It will dissipate after ten seconds.	2	20	100
Skinsight	Psionic users, Canon	Get information on a creature's vitals. Activate in your hand to switch between a normal mode or a slower, more detailed mode. Note that the body scan mode is not 100% accurate with the numbers given.	1	10	10
Spasm	Event characters, Canon	Force a target to drop the items in its hands.	1	20	100
Stasis	Antag only, Non-canon	Condenses the Nlom field around one person at a time. This immobilises them like an energy net and also applies stasis to them.	2	20	100
Throw	Antag only, Non-canon	"Click this spell with an item to prepare it to be thrown, then use the spell to throw the item with lethal force.	3	20	20
Time Stop	Antag only, Non-canon	Freeze living beings around you in a 5x5 area. This power is currently bugged and does nothing.	2	30	10
Warp	Loner only, Non-canon	Teleport to a location you can see.	4	10	50
Zona Absorption	Automatically given to Loner, Non-canon	Absorb a psionic energy from a being's Zona Bovinae, granting you an extra point to be used in the Point Shop.	N/A	10	30