Interesting.

Of course, that still doesn't change the fact that the most probable cause for an astropath's safe manifesting would be his soulbinding to the Emperor.

Cifer said:

Here's my problem with that logic...

Astropaths are second-tier psykers, powerful but lacking in the strength of will and character to resist the attentions of the warp on their own. They receive psychic training to increase their mental fortitude and soul-binding to gain the strength to send telepathic messages across interstellar distances.

Primary-tier psykers, aka sanctioned psykers, are those psykers with the combination of psychic power and strength of character to resist the attentions of the warp.

Third-tier psykers, BTW, are those too weak in power or will and are eaten by the Emperor.

So my understanding is that, by definition, Sanctioned Psykers are more resistant to the warp than Astropaths.

*nod*

Astropaths have One discipline they're mastered in, other Sanctioned Psykers grow in power and can develop any number of powers as the Emperor sees fit, after all they're alive for a reason and they have the documentation to prove it.

Unsanctioned psykers are either those who've not yet been collected or managed to go so far undetected by the Black Ships.

Others are just snacky stuffs that go well with chunky salsa for the big E's poker nights.

Astropaths are second-tier psykers, powerful but lacking in the strength of will and character to resist the attentions of the warp on their own. They receive psychic training to increase their mental fortitude and soul-binding to gain the strength to send telepathic messages across interstellar distances.

I'd assume that the Rogue Trader psykers don't fit into that classification. We'll see precisely what they are when it gets released (or when the demo adventure comes out, though I assume the pregens won't include a character with a complicated rules add-on), but "Astropath Ascendant" sounds like they're a little better than the average.

Cifer said:

The design diary states outright that they are the "...most self-aware and strongest willed of their kind..." However, to my logic, the strongest willed and most self-aware secondary psyker would be about the equal of a primary psyker.

Velvetears said:

That's actually slightly incorrect...when Ravenor has Psychic duels, there are very noticeable effects to the surrounding areas. The first one he has in the books affects local weather patterns, the second one dents areas of the ship that his and his opponents' ethereal forms slam each other into

A psy-duel is not a 'minor' flexing of powers so yes, there are major effects that bleed over from the warp.

However, Ravenor uses telepathy as a common form of conversing with his team. For him it seems to be a 'minor' power and never seems to envoke perils in its useage.

In another thread, sometime last year, T.S. Luikart wrote:

I have been working on expanding various rules, optional and otherwise, for psykers to get the balance I originally sought between danger and power without needlessly complicating the rules. I think that those who originally thought the psyker's rules a bit harsh will approve and those that find them to their taste will still approve of the characterful nature of my suggest change.

To wit - I rewrote the Invocation Skill. Enjoy!

Invocation (Advanced)
Willpower

An Invocation Test allows you to channel the warp more effectively, whether to boost your powers or to retain a firmer grasp upon the flow of energy. An Invocation Test allows you to do one or both of the following: boost your Power Roll when using Psychic Powers by an amount equal to your Willpower Bonus and/or drop two or more dice you are entitled to roll, according to your Psy Rating, in order to change your rolled dice’s outcome down by 1 (generally to avoid rolling 9s and thereby invoking Psychic Phenomena). It takes a Full Action for each use of the Invocation Test that you wish to employ, though you only need Test once. During this time, you clear your mind thorough various means, such as muttering mantras, meditating, fingering psychic-foci and so on.

A successful Test indicates that your mind is well prepared to touch the warp. On the next round, you may either add your Willpower Bonus in addition to any other bonus you add to your Power Roll, change the result on any rolled die by 1 for every two die that you were entitled to roll that you did not, or both if you spent 2 Full Actions before making your successful Invocation Test. You can chose to not roll any dice at all in the hopes that your total bonuses still reach the Power Threshold of the psychic ability you wish to employ but only after a successful Invocation Test.

Example

Xerzes has a Willpower of 45 and a Psy Rating of 3, he is thus normally entitled to roll up to 3 die on his Power Rolls and add his WB of 4 to the total in order to see if he can achieve a given power's Threshold. If he wishes to simply boost a Power Roll, he can take 1 Full Action to make an Invocation Test and if successful, he can add an additional +4 to his attempt to Focus Power – making his Power Roll on the following Round the sum total of one to three dice +8.

Now let's say Xerzes is not particularly eager to draw the darker attentions of the warp, but is in a bit of a hurry. He can spend a single Full Action to make an Invocation Test that will allow him better control of the warp's flow. If successful, he can throw a Power Roll with only one die adding +4 for his WB, and that die can be adjusted down a single number, e.g. Xerzes rolls a 9. He turns the 9 to an 8, for a total Power Roll of 12 (9 for the roll + 4 for his WB). If Xerzes is not in a rush, he could spend 2 Full Actions preparing for his Invocation Test – this would allow him use 1 Power Roll die which could be adjusted down by 1, +4 for his WB, plus an additional 4 for the (presumably) successful Invocation Test, e.g. once again Xerzes rolls a 9, which he adjusts to an 8. His total is 16 (8+4+4).

Finally, Xerzes is in a quiet merchant's quarter where he dares not call up the dangers of the warp, yet he still feels the need to invoke the Minor Power Sense Presence. Sense Presence has a Threshold of 7. Xerzes can take 2 Full Actions to make an Invocation Test. If successful, he can choose to throw no dice at all, but he will still achieve an 8 on his Power Roll with his WB of 4 and the positive result of the Invocation Test – easily meeting the Threshold for Sense Presence, with no chance of causing Psychic Phenomena.

Dice can only be removed to adjust a rolled die on a 2-for-1 basis unless you are rolling no dice at all, it takes power to control the warp, but the ambient energy around a powerful psyker can accomplish a great deal. A 10 reduced to a 9 causes a Psychic Phenomena as normal.

Failure on an Invocation Test indicates that you are not composed enough to gain any benefits from your preparations. If you make a successful Invocation Test and then do not take the Focus Power Action on the following Turn, there are no side effects (aside from you possibly looking a little foolish).

So there you have it. As house rules go, they don't come much more official than this

the warp is unsafe and there is ALWAYS someone/thing looking for a way out hence the danger.... that said however i do see your point i have a psyker in my game and (yes he rolled a little too well for my likeing) he has is voidborn with the living nightmare package so even before the empoers tarot he had a WP of 50 which went to 53 after the tarot then 350 xp later he has WP of 63 even at a low level moinor powers are going to succeed before he rolls but he is still rolling at the moment ....... mainly because ive added a new piece of kit for him if he doesnt want to have to risk perils for minor powers......... psychic hoods boosts powers makes them a little safer but at a cost to the body here are the stats i made for it feel free to stael and tweak

cost 999 thrones

effects: it aids your mind in keeping out the sentient things in the warp

it allows you to manifest minor powers without rolling providing you have enough bonuses. each time you use this roll a d10 and on a 9 you feel drained gain 1 level of fatigue

or for major powers you can add 1 to your WP bonus at the cost of 2 wounds and yes you still have to roll

Here is my spin, the chances of a low level psyker rolling a 9 are relativly small. If he does roll a nine he isn't seriously screwed till he rolls 75+, also a relativly small chance. so the magority of the perils of the warp are background fuzz. Flavor text for the big mojo the psyker soaked all his points into. Use the tables as a guidesheet and fudge the edges as needed. While it is true that a 100 on a peril roll gets you demonicaly possesed and killed, it doesn't necisaarily have to be immediate. A little corruption and knowledge that you are chaos food can leed to great roll playing for the character. See Carl in the Ravenor novels for a guide.

Personally, I like the Phenomena rules. What people don't realize is that Psykers are extremely powerful, they can get most of the talents and skills of other careers and force weapons and psychic powers on top. They shouldn't be able to spam even minor psychic powers to get consistent bonuses to hit and penalties to being hit, or Call Item to make the Assassin with her hidden weapon feel underpowered, Knack/Lucky and so on. Simple game balance. Nobody is playing Ravenor in DH.

When I read these other threads about Fearful Aura being used in every encounter and Seal Wounds almost every round, I feel you've obviously made it WAY to easy for your Psykers. With these rules, the hack-and-slash type of characters should play a Psyker. The knowledge type of characters should play a Psyker. The sneaky type of characters should play a Psyker. Basically everyone is better with psychic powers to augment them.

Every invocation of Perils of the Warp is +1 CP. Enforce it! "Armor of Contempt" is rank 8. "Favored by the Warp" is rank 6 and 8 for Scholars and Savants, respectively. Power (and Phenomena/Perils) rolls are no tests and thus can't be rerolled with Fate points per RAW. They won't even make it past rank 5 as PCs if they abuse the Warp. Your Psykers should use the Warp sparingly... when the job can't be done without use of a psychic power. Not manifest one every round, a dozen every encounter... very few per session with as few dice as needed to not gain corruption.