One of my players was interested in creating a Rogue Pysker but after some feedback from this forum & some research I was surprised that there were many auto detect Pysker powers but practically no powers/abilities that would allow a character to oppose detection.

To me this was like playing a thief character with no sneak/hide skill while the guards had a Detect skill they could use freely.

So what I set out to do here is give psykers (Rogues in particular) the equivilant of a sneak/hide ability. It does not guarantee them being safe from the guards but it does make things more equal in that they can now hide.

Skil:

Psyniscience :

Psykers cannot be detected using this skill unless they are actively using or have recently used psychic powers.

Psyker Powers:

Aura Ward:
Value: 100xp
Prerequisites: None
Focus Power Test: Willpower
Focus Power Time: Half Action
Range: Self
Sustained: Yes
Discipline : Divination & Rogue Psyker

"Listen up kid, the way your going you will bring the Emperor's pet psychopaths down on us all fast. So you better learn what I'm trying to teach you fast or you won't have to bother worrying about the Inquisition, you'll have to worry about me." Rogue Psyker Angros to a soon to be dead mutant.

Description:

Using this power hinders the detection of the Psyker's aura by any conventional abilities such as Diviniation's Aura Reading / Detect Taint & Navigator's Gaze into the Abyss Power and similar abilities. This power also affects powers such as psychometry or Detect Taint that attempt to read objects recently handled by the psyker.

Special:

Before using this power the psyker must stop/cancel all other sustained powers. They may attempt to activate them again after "Aura Ward" is activated though as detailed below.

Unlike "Mind Ward" this power must be used at the Fettered Psychic Strength. (Using more psychic strength would hinder this power not help it.) Also while other psychic powers can be used while Aura Ward is sustained, they must be used at the same level of Psychic Strength used to activate Aura Ward ( In effect the second power must also be fettered ). Example: A psyker with with PS 4 uses Aura Ward with a Fettered PS of 2. They may still use another power but the most PS they can give to that power is 2. Also trying to sustain two powers would also mean a further -1 PS to both powers as normal.

Note: What I am trying to do here is that while it is technically possible for a psyker to manifest other powers while hiding they would have to be very powerful to make it all worth while. For most psykers it just wouldn't be possible or effective to do so.

• Degree of Succes (0) : Any psychic ability used to read the aura of the psyker must pass an Opposed Willpower Test in order to succeed. If an opposed Willpower Test is already required, the psyker gains a +20 bonus to his Test. If the opponent fails this test they do not detect the user of " Aura Ward" as a psyker (or their PS or the number of disciplines / techniques known etc). Instead the " Aura Warded" character is viewed as a regular (non-psyker) person. Note: Other details about the character's Aura can still be read such as insanity or corruption points.
• Degree of Succes (1) : Attempting to read the aura of the " Aura Warded" character or item they have handled with a psy rating 2 or less is negated. Powers such as "Detect Taint" when used on objects handled by the "Aura Warded" psyker subtract 1 from their DOS.
• Degree of Succes (2) : Attempting to read the aura of the " Aura Warded" character or item they have handled with a psy rating 3 or less is negated. Powers such as "Detect Taint" when used on objects handled by the "Aura Warded" psyker subtract 2 from their DOS.
• Degree of Succes (3) : Attempting to read the aura of the " Aura Warded" character or item they have handled with a psy rating 4 or less is negated. Powers such as "Detect Taint" when used on objects handled by the "Aura Warded" psyker subtract 3 from their DOS.
• Degree of Succes (4) : Attempting to read the aura of the " Aura Warded" character or item they have handled with a psy rating 5 or less is negated. Powers such as "Detect Taint" when used on objects handled by the "Aura Warded" psyker subtract 4 from their DOS.
• Degree of Succes (5+) : Attempting to read the aura of the " Aura Warded" character or item they have handled with a psy rating 5 or less is negated. Powers such as "Detect Taint" when used on objects handled by the "Aura Warded" psyker subtract 5 from their DOS. Also the "Aura Warded" character gets a bonus of +10 to skills such as deceive as even normal people find it difficult to perceive their intentsions.

Note: This was based off the mind ward power and should be fairly balanced with it I feel.

Aura Ward versus Psyniscience:

Aura Ward and Psyniscience interact depending on whether the Ward is being sustained and/or whether the Psyniscience user is actively searching as detailed below.

• Aura Ward is initialised and Psyniscience User is in range: Player automatically rolls Psyniscience to detect as the Ward is not fully up yet.
• Aura Ward is being sustained and Psyniscience User comes into range but is not actively searching for Psykers: Psyniscience User does not roll to detect.
• Aura Ward is being sustained and Psyniscience User is in range and is searching for Psykers: Psyniscience User makes an opposed role versus Ward User's Willpower to detect.

Deceptive Mind Ward:
Value: 200xp
Prerequisites: Mind Ward or Defraud.
Focus Power Test: Willpower
Focus Power Time: Half Action
Range: Self
Sustained: Yes
Discipline: Telepathy or Rogue Psyker

"The truely dangerous foes do not keep you out of their minds. They let you in and show you preceisely what they want you to see." Inquisitor Arrak of the Ordos Heritcus.

"I honestly believe this ability is more used by the Imperium proper then by Heritics. It was certainly useful in the last conclave I attended." Inquisitor Lyren of the Ordos Xenos.

Description:

Where as "Mind Ward" prevents a foe from looking into your mind, the very fact that you can keep them from looking can lead to a guilty verdict and quick death. This ability allows a psyker to freely choose what their foe sees in their mind and many opponents walk away believing nothing is amiss.

Special:

The warded psyker needs to decide on what they want to show their opponent. Depending on it's feasibility the GM may decide to provide a circumstancial bonus or penalty as they see fit. For instance an Inquisitor is probing the mind a of pysker who is known for his debauchery. If the pysker tries to show that he was attending church on the night the Inquisitor was interested in the Inquisitor would receive a bonus on their Opposed Willpower check. On the other hand if the psyker instead tries to show that he was visiting the local brothel instead the Inquisitor would receive a penalty as this would be far more believable.

• Degree of Succes (0) : Any psychic ability used to read the mind of the psyker protected by this ability is automatically detected by the psyker. The "Dececptive Mind Warded" character must pass an Opposed Willpower Test with a -30 penalty in order to succeed in showing their opponent whatever they choose.
• Degree of Succes (1) : The Opposed Willpower Test now only has a -20 penalty for the warded psyker .
• Degree of Succes (2) : The Opposed Willpower Test now has -10 penalty for the warded psyker .
• Degree of Succes (3) : The Opposed Willpower Test now has no penalty for the warded psyker .
• Degree of Succes (4) : The Opposed Willpower Test now has a +10 bonus for the warded psyker .
• Degree of Succes (5+) : The Opposed Willpower Test now has a +20 bonus for the warded psyker.

Please evaluate and give feedback.

Edit: Also any tips on how to edit a thread title would also be appreciated. That's what I get for trying to rush at the end.

I like them, but the first one needs a bit of clarification. Keep in mind that my reading of Psyniscience is that you can only use it to detect a Psyker if they're actively using Psychic activity. If they're just hanging around then they wouldn't trigger Psyniscience, although would trigger on a Mind Scan. Fortunately prejudice works both ways, and now the person doing the Scan would have to explain themselves. On the other hand Warding yourself means you have to sustain it, so everyone gets a chance to roll that Psyniscience.

Also how would warding yourself work against equipment like Psycrystals (glow when Psychic Powers are used in their presence, but non-targetting) or Psy-Occulums (makes Psykers glow in their sights because of techno-magic)?

Edit: Originally replied to the wrong post.

Also remember that one of the psyker's big advantages is rarity; they aren't really a dime a dozen, despite what some material occasionally implies would need to be, and many Rogue Psykers who make it do so simply by hiding among the teeming masses, particularly outside of the Imperium. If they were out in the Koronus Expanse, for instance, there would be few places where they would maybe be noticed, and even fewer where the people in question would care. So Footfallen people can sense you? Who are they going to tell? They are beholden to no Emperor. It's when you become obvious that the Inquisition, or one honest, Emperor-fearing civilian actually rats you out.

Also, I would think one of the aspects of using powers Fettered could be a lot less "turbulence", if you will; you make smaller and smaller ripples in the warp current around you, and so are less likely to be noticed. Not sure if that does anything, but I would think it should.

I like them, but the first one needs a bit of clarification. Keep in mind that my reading of Psyniscience is that you can only use it to detect a Psyker if they're actively using Psychic activity. If they're just hanging around then they wouldn't trigger Psyniscience, although would trigger on a Mind Scan. Fortunately prejudice works both ways, and now the person doing the Scan would have to explain themselves. On the other hand Warding yourself means you have to sustain it, so everyone gets a chance to roll that Psyniscience.

Also how would warding yourself work against equipment like Psycrystals (glow when Psychic Powers are used in their presence, but non-targetting) or Psy-Occulums (makes Psykers glow in their sights because of techno-magic)?

Edit: Originally replied to the wrong post.

Thanks,

Regarding Psyniscience: I agree with you on it's use but while I was working on these house rules I found this thread ( link ) and wanted to clarify how I felt the skill should work.

Regarding Aura Ward & Psyniscience: I forgot to consider that. I think it should only be detectable as an Opposed Willpower vs Psyniscience check. In order to cut down on the rolling perhaps just keep track of the roll the warded player made when they initialised the power and compare other people's Psyniscience rolls to it.

The other method would be to only allow a Psyniscience roll when the power is first initialised and not if the power is being sustained. If the Ward User initialises another power though, fair game.

One thing struck me though. Just how much is Psyniscience an ' active ' skill (as in the player has to choose to use it) and how much is it a 'reactive' skill (the player automatcially rolls it?). Thinking about it I would like to have the following:

- Aura Ward is initialised and Psyniscience User is in range: Player automatically rolls Psyniscience to detect as the Ward is not fully up yet.

- Aura Ward is being sustained and Psyniscience User comes into range but is not actively searching for Psykers: Psyniscience User does not roll to detect.

- Aura Ward is being sustained and Psyniscience User is in range and is searching for Psykers: Psyniscience User makes an opposed role versus Ward User's Willpower to detect.

Let me know what you think.

Regarding Psycrystals & Psy-Occulums: I haven't been able to find them in any Rogue Trader book so I don't know how much of a big thing they are. Off-hand I would favor the opposed check again with a hefty penalty depending on how rare/powerful Psycrystals & Psy-Occulums are meant to be. Could you give some guidelines? or tell me where I can read up on them?

Also remember that one of the psyker's big advantages is rarity; they aren't really a dime a dozen, despite what some material occasionally implies would need to be, and many Rogue Psykers who make it do so simply by hiding among the teeming masses, particularly outside of the Imperium. If they were out in the Koronus Expanse, for instance, there would be few places where they would maybe be noticed, and even fewer where the people in question would care. So Footfallen people can sense you? Who are they going to tell? They are beholden to no Emperor. It's when you become obvious that the Inquisition, or one honest, Emperor-fearing civilian actually rats you out.

Also, I would think one of the aspects of using powers Fettered could be a lot less "turbulence", if you will; you make smaller and smaller ripples in the warp current around you, and so are less likely to be noticed. Not sure if that does anything, but I would think it should.

Agreed on Fettered being less like to be detected.

I do think Psykers should be rare but the main reason for these houserules is to offer some control back into the player of a Rogue Psyker (or even a sanctioned Psyker who wants to hide for some reason). Right now there is no official method for a Psyker to 'hide' which makes them helpless in many situations.

This way the psyker at least has a *chance* as long as they don't do anything silly.

I play it both ways where that Psykers are very rare, but on the other hand I think everyone should expect that a Rogue Trader has some sort of Psychic ally, which kind of works against you.because you're not supposed to be one!

The option I am actually the "most" happy with, is just give your player a Null-Rod to hold on to or keep on their person when they're around strangers. Give them a -10 * Psy Rating penalty to their actions for doing so, but it means complete obscurity, and is so horrifying an option to most Psykers that they'd never think the person holding a Null Rod is themselves a Psyker.

PCs hated when I pulled that trick on them.

Found the entry on Psi-crystals and Psyocculum Aetherscrye right where you told me Erathia (Into the Storm and Hostile Acquisitions respectively). Thanks.

Regarding Psi-crystals:

An aura-warded would have to make a hard (-20) willpower check to avoid being detected. (I would ask for a check every short while as long as the character was nearby.)

Actually touching the crystal would require a punishing (-50) check to avoid detection and even on success would likely cause mental distress as detailed in the item description.

Regarding the Aetherscrye:

Same as the check against Psyniscience, only difference would be that the Aetherscrye wearer would always be actively looking for a Psyker.