Wanting rules for free form phychic abilities.

By Alaric0503, in Dark Heresy House Rules

I dont like how they have limited the mind of the psykers. My 2 psykers have always asked for me to change the system from pre-determined powers to a system that they can do anything with their minds, like a psyker should be able to do. So I would like to ask for help in a numbers system to do this. I have been working on how to make it balanced and fair. The threshold to use the power they think up is the numbers after each item is chosen and added up. I you have any ideas or suggestions then please let me know.

Something like this is what Im looking for:

Range:

  • Self +0
  • 1-50 meters +3
  • 51-100 meters +6
  • 101-200 meters +10

Damage:

  • 1D5 +2
  • 1D10 +4
  • +1 additional damage +1
  • Damage Trair +5

Complexity:

  • Blast/Area affect +3
  • Mind affecting +7
  • Mind Controlling +12
  • Chameleon +5
  • Invisibility +10
  • Simple Machines +3
  • Complex Machines +5

Duration:

  • 1 round duration +2 per round

If you go down this path you will be in danger of having two psykers who have an ability for every situation, that outshine the other PCs because they only ever need the WP stat, and they will have that maxed.

Try suggesting the psykers get creative with their power descriptions instead. What you have suggested is too powerful, and not fair to the other players in my mind.

I would agree that this seems a bit too powerful simply because half of the game is trying to figure out a tool for every job. If they feel limited, have them get creative with the abilities they already have and learn to play around with them a bit more. This also seems like it would make psykers who are not restricted by various schools of ability, which I believe to be important.

Zakalwe said:

If you go down this path you will be in danger of having two psykers who have an ability for every situation, that outshine the other PCs because they only ever need the WP stat, and they will have that maxed.

Try suggesting the psykers get creative with their power descriptions instead. What you have suggested is too powerful, and not fair to the other players in my mind.

Exactly. Example: My psyker player was sent out on a spacewalk to reactivate a generator to power up a derelict space station while everyone else covers him by holding off some marauding cultists. Unfortunately, there are cultists already out on the hull wearing battery powered electromagnetic boots to keep them from floating away. These guys notice the psyker and start shooting at him, he gets a suit puncture, and doesn't have void rounds for his gun, things seem pretty bleak. He's sitting there feeling screwed, when he suddenly says "Okay, I use weapon jinx on their boots." By the description of weapon, it will disable ANY mechanical or electronic object. Short story shorter, the cultists float away into the void screaming.