Dark Heresy 2.0 3 of 5: Psychic Powers

 

 

 

 

The first thing to note is that the Psychic Threshold system has been removed for determining wether a power is manifested or not.

 

This has been replaced with the focus power test that started in Rogue Trader, but with some modifications.

 

Step 1 is to Determine Psy level. You decide how much of your psy rating you want to apply to the focus power test. This must be atleast one, but for everyone psy level below your psy rating that you choose the focus power test receives a +10 bonus. This will make it easier to use the power, but make the power weaker for effect.

 

You can choose to "Push" a power and allows you to make the psy level two higher than your current psy rating. This adds a -10 for each level increased. This also changes the perils of the warp by making the test on any number besides doubles instead of on doubles that you must roll on the table for psychi phenomena.

 

Step 2 is to make the test. This is usually a Willpower test and takes into consideration the modifiers from step 1.

 

Step 3 is to apply the effects of the power.

 

Second is there are now 10 psy ratings instead of six and in certain circumstances can go higher.

 

Third is there are still only five psychic disciplines. They are:

 

Biomancy

Divination

Pyromancy

Telekinesis

Telepathy

 

This list is exactly the same as what we see in the 40k 6th Edition big rule book (BRB), and I think this is intended to remain this way.  

 

There is a seperate discipline tree that works just like the talent tree and you will notice that the name of powers are the same as in the 6th edition BRB. However, there are more powers in this book.

 

You can use as many disciplines as you want, but have to purchase the top most power first.. There is a limit to how many disciplines you can use based on your psy rating. So if you are psy rating 2 you cannot purchase the top power of a discipline in a third discipline until you increase you psy rating.

 

Fourth is that each discipline has its own perils of warp table. This makes for some uniquely interesting problems for your psyker depending on what discipline he falls under.

 

Each psychic power is broken down like this

 

EXP cost:

Prerequisite:  willpower X, etc, etc.

Type: this will be normally attack or utility 

Time: number of AP required to complete.

Focus Power: This is how you will take you focus power test. This is usually a modifier or an opposed test notification.

Range: distance x Psy Level usually

Sustained: this is a yes or no and tells you if you must use the sustained power rules

Effect: What actually happens to target

 

Fifth is that the overbleed rule is gone, so no more passing focus test by a lot and having the power become really powerful.

 

Part 4 of 5