Continuum II: C’hi Powers, Part I

The next few posts will be another segment of the Continuum II rules – a set of rules I’ve had knocking around for many years now. Since they were designed to be modular, some parts may find a home in pretty much any campaign. This particular module is concerned with second-order Psychic Powers – commonly known as C’hi Powers.

Continuum II used a scale of 1-6 for several universal constants. For Psychic Powers, which involved transferring energy through the Empyrean Plane the important one was Empyreal Transfer Impedance. At 6, psychic powers did not work. At ETI 5, only Introspection powers – abilities based on awareness of your own energy field and how it interacted with other energy fields – operated. At ETI 4, you could also use C’hi powers – abilities based on manipulating your internal energies.

C’hi powers could be quite useful, they offered remarkable fine control and considerable versatility – but the user was limited by the actual energy content of his or her own body. An incautious user could easily harm, or even kill themselves. On the other hand, C’hi powers were almost impossible to block without killing the victim. As usual with Continuum II, the rules were concerned with HOW things worked – what you used your tools and effects to do was up to you.

C’hi techniques are the most personal, and thus the most individualistic, of all active psychic powers. They tend to be interpreted and used differently by each and every C’hi master. They also have highly variable costs, as they can be warped, extended, combined, “pushed” – and otherwise mangled – in a vast variety of ways. Adding special limitations will reduce the costs somewhat – but it can be hard to tell just what’s a limitation.

Like most psychics, C’hi masters can generally only use three abilities at a time. Since some attacks will involve several techniques, this can be a bother. C’hi masters may partially avoid this problem by setting up a list of “practiced combinations” which only count as a single psychic effect. Such combinations may involve up to three abilities themselves, including, possibly, other combinations. Masters are automatically entitled to develop up to (Int/2) combinations, and may acquire an additional three per skill point expended in study. Skill points may also be – as usual – spent to upgrade particular abilities, up to a maximum total of seven (basic techniques are already at II, Advanced at III).

In any case, onwards with the techniques!

PRIMARY C’HI TECHNIQUES:
	Technique	Advanced Version
1)	Acrobatics	Free Action .
2)	Adrenal Surge	Adrenalin True
3)	Amplification	(Char) Boosting
4)	Animation	Psychic Forging Sp.
5)	Auric Shunt	Auric Bar
6)	Balancing	Adhesion
7)	Binding	Paralyasis
8)	Biofocusing	-True
9)	Bokken	Charging
10)	C’hi Drain	-True
11)	C’hi Infusion	C’hi Teaching
12)	Compensation	Auric Body
13)	Dim Mak	-True
14)	Dragon C’hi	World C’hi (True)
15)	Eagles Claw	Crushing Claw
16)	Energy Absorption	Energy Storage
17)	Evasion	Vanishing
17b)	Face Dancer	Shapechange
18)	Focused Mastery	True Mastery
19)	Focusing	Ad. Focusing
20)	Hastening	Ghosting
21)	Hypersenses	True (Sense)
22)	Iron Fist	C’hi Pulse
23)	Iron Flesh	Protective Air
24)	Kinetic Aura	-True
25)	Latent Energy	Remote Trigger
26)	Light Foot	Levitation
27)	Metabolic Control	Internal Alchemy
27b)	Bioenhancement	Phermones
28)	Mystic Channeling	-True
29)	Parting Waters	Tunneling
30)	Polarity Shield	-True
31)	Plague Carrier	Poison Touch
32)	Power Block	Damage Shield
33)	Precision	Prana-Bindu
34)	Projection	Psychic Lance
35)	Psychic Aura	Psychic Projection
36)	Psychic Purging	-True
37)	Psychic Reserver	-II, III, Etc
38)	Psychic Shield	-True
39)	Resistance	-True
40)	Self Healing	The Healing Touch
41)	Senethar	Channeling
42)	Sexual Techniques	Tantric Mastery
43)	Shadow Casting	Animal Mimicry
44)	Shockwave	Chiburst
45)	Somatic Control	Yoga Mastery
46)	Transfer	Reflection
47)	Vibration	Vibratory Pulse
48)	Vocal Control	Psychic Voice
49)	Whirlwind	-True
50)	Will Shield	Iron Will

 

Ability Listings :

Acrobatics: This technique generates an low-grade internal psychokinetic field which subtly “guides” the users movements, augments his reflexes, and “cushions” falls, allowing the user to perform any acrobatic feat which he can clearly envision, including midair turns, spectacular leaps, landing safely – and resisting being knocked, thrown, or lifted. The advanced version is expensive, but can compensate for external hindrances – allowing the user to ignore encumbrances, move freely underwater or through similar mediums, and override the effects of paralysis or other hindrances. Further improvements usually involve increased movement rates, feats of immovability, strength enhancement, and reduced costs.
The usual game mechanic is to spend one psychic Str point per D6 that needs to be removed to make whatever roll the GM requested… The advanced version usually costs anywherefrom one point per turn to one point per round, depending on the resistance.

Adrenal Surge: Taps the users physical reserves – allowing brief bursts of “superhuman” strength, speed, endurance, and reaction time. While this uses little psychic energy, it’s rapidly exhausting. The technique cannot be used for more then (End/3) continuous rounds – and should not be used more then (End) rounds in any one day. It leaves the user strained, tired, aching, and hungry. The advanced version extends the “burst” with psychic energy, tripling those limits. During a burst the user receives +1 attack, +3″ move, a +1 on his Defense Rating, Damage Bonus, Resistance Rating, and Attack Rating, and a chance to evade any incoming missile he’s aware of… Adrenal surge can also be used for a “final strike”, making the user almost unstoppable – and incredibly dangerous – for the few minutes before his body burns out totally. Further improvements commonly include allowing momentary bursts of incredible speed, strength, and agility – or other “supreme efforts”. Such stunts are dramatic, but generally leave the character exhausted.

Amplification: This handy ability channels psychic energy into boosting one or more of the user’s “basic” attributes (Strength, Intellect, Presence, and so on). The basic version is passive, and provides a +3 bonus on an attribute, to a maximum of 19. It can also be used to boost two attributes by +1, to a maximum of 18. The attribute(s) to be enhanced must be selected when this ability is acquired, and can not be changed thereafter. The “advanced” version is an active ability focused on the same attribute(s) . It allows the user to boost an attribute by +6, to a maximum of 24, or to enhance two attributes by +3, to a maximum of 21. Minor variations apply to movement rate and to some optional attributes (GMO depending on the attribute). Further improvements usually involve specialized bonuses and related bonuses, rather then further increases in the basic attribute. These attribute maximums are for “normal” humans, with a base attribute range of 3-18 and a normal limit of 21. They should be adjusted appropriately for races with differing limits and for special talents.

Animation: This bizarre technique channels a part of the users personal energy into an inanimate object, giving it temporary “life” under his (or her) control. Obviously enough, massive items require more energy to animate. Being essentially a “part of the user”, such items can be used in many ways, but are limited by the users strength. Items commonly animated include ropes, flexible weapons, and ECHO (Exoskeletal Configuration/Humaniform Operation) combat vehicles. The advanced version permits the user to create a permanent psychic construct – although this requires expending permanent points of psychic strength. Weapons are common, armor, companion creatures, tools, and instruments are all possible. Whatever the form, such constructs are a living part of the character and can generally be called forth at will. Constructs can be imbued with a variety of C’hi powers – as well as those of their basic form. The exact cost of giving a construct a specific power, function, or ability, is up to the GM. Simple solidity (allowing a sword to function as a sword or some such) is relatively cheap. Some are simply channels and/or amplifiers for the users psychic abilities. These are also relatively cheap. Constructs can be “imbedded” in physical objects, rendering them permanetly “solid” as well as making them a good deal more independent. This has occasionally allowed such creations to survive the death of their creator.

Auric Shunt: Allows the user to “channel” kinetic energy within his personal bioenergy aura, amplifying, redirecting, and focusing it as necessary. The “basic” version of this ability must be specifically “focused” via some physical gesture or through concentration. It is often used to divert blows and missiles, increase the impact of the users blows, assist in “martial throws”, and to create small “force fields” (allowing the user to block sword blows and such with his bare hands without injury). The advanced version of this skill allows the user to generate an “aura” of such effects, creating a “sphere of defense”, diverting full flights of arrows, or manifesting walls of force. Popular special tricks include attempting to turn an opponents blow back upon himself (basic), and generating the equivalent of an exo- kinetic field (advanced, see “psychokinetic effects”). This technique is sometimes known as “hard” and “soft” C’hi – but unless the user chooses to specialize, both modes are available. Further improvements commonly include easy “reflection” of missiles, force fields, and a variety of special tricks. Probably the most common later improvement is to set up a “passive” enhancement of the users Defense Rating and effective toughness. The most common use of “Auric Shunt” is probably to block attacks or enhance attacks. The basic version is good for +/- 3 points per point expended, the advanced is good for +/- 5. Other tricks vary…

Balancing: Gives the user a vastly improved sense of balance and accompanying control. This ability can be used in climbing, when walking on slippery, narrow, or sloping surfaces, when diving, in acrobatics, or to reduce the effect of falls. It also negates penalties for surface conditions and allows the user to fight from any position without penalty – at least within reason. While the advanced version doesn’t literally allow the user to stick to walls and things, it does allow him / her to manage with the tiniest projections and surface irregularities – or to accomplish remarkable acrobatic and contortional feats. While extraordinary, such feats are in no way superhuman – and so are relatively cheap to perform, usually costing no more then one point per turn. If you want to be a human fly, to join a circus, to twist yourself into bizarre positions – or to fight that way – then this is the technique for you. Further improvements usually involve die roll bonuses or other martial arts enhancements.

Binding: This skill employs inductive feedback to “jam” an opponents central nervous system, effectively allowing the user to use a martial-arts type “hold” or “nerve strike” at range. The targets escape rolls are based on dexterity, rather then strength. The targets bioenergy aura must be in contact with the users aura, giving this skill a maximum range in feet equal to the users and targets combined dexterities. The “advanced” version allows only one chance to escape via any given means, and causes near-total paralysis. Unusually, there is a “standard” third level to this skill, that allows the user to jam the targets involuntary nervous system as well – causing anything from mild headaches through respiratory failure, shock, convulsions, and heartbeat irregularities. This is unpleasant, and causes up to 2D6 points of damage per round – while your victim remains helplessly paralyzed. Further improvements may involve diagnostic or helpful abilities, “reading” the targets neural responses, inflicting massive pain, controlling someone else’s body, and causing even more damage.

Biofocusing: Allows the user to transfer physical energies within his body by psychic means. The “basic” version only covers to muscular force – but by concentrating the output of many muscles, it allows the user to exert great force with a touch – or to increase his effective strength. The advanced version uses psychic means to protect the user’s body from the consequences of concentrating other energies, allowing him / her to focus thermal (depends on constitution), bioelectrical (depends on dexterity), or other energies (DMO). Even more advanced techniques permit the user to build up a pool of energy over time, generate an intense surge of power, or tap energies from the immediate area (within his or her bioenergy field).

Bokken: Allows the user to channel his power into a material focus, enhancing it’s effectiveness. While this is limited to relatively basic, hand-held, items, the technique makes even crude props as effective as a “conventional” tool or weapon. Hence a crudely-carved wooden blade can be used as effectively as a well-made steel blade, a couple of crossed sticks could function as a pickaxe, and some thin twine could substitute for a heavy rope. Obviously enough, such items normally must remain in contact with the user. The advanced version of this skill can further enhance the effects – giving the focus item supernormal effectiveness. Weapons gain a bonus to their Attack Rating and Damage Bonus of (Users Level-1)/3, and can be used against creatures resistant to normal weaponry without penalty. Other items gain similar bonuses, albeit to defense or to noncombat effects. Improvements usually involve temporarily charging an item with psychic energy, either from this discipline (allowing the use of this discipline on missiles and such) or from some other discipline. The effects and stabality of this vary enormously. This technique is often combined with “Animation”, allowing the user to do remarkable things with things like ribbons and pieces of string. Stranger improvements may involve learning to enhance functions of psychic, mystic, and technological devices, enhancing other people’s abilities – and temporarily imbuing items with a “pool” of energy and some abilities to use it on.

C’hi Drain: Allows the user to disrupt a targets reserves of psychic energy and, thanks to its physical aspect, induce physical exhaustion and damage as well. The “advanced version” allows the user to disrupt both his victims current energy reserves and his ability to accumulate psychic energy, causing neurological damage which must be healed through time or specialized techniques before the victim can regain his full power, or use it to best effect (see; “Overload Damage Effects”). The recovery time necessary may be further extended by applying this talent over several hours, although this normally requires a helpless, or throughly distracted, victim. One notable “special trick” involves combining C’hi Drain with Dragon C’hi (Bioenergies) to “steal” a portion of an opponents power. The “advanced version” of this trick allows the user to steal part of a dying victims life energy itself, permanently increasing his personal vitality, psychic potential – and possibly even acquiring one or two of his victims abilities. Sadly, only a small part of the victims talents can be stolen in this fashion and integrating such stolen life energies with your own is difficult and dangerous. Bits of each victim’s memories and personality are acquired as well – an effect which can easily drive the user insane. Further improvements commonly involve extending the recovery time, creating a continuing effect, or using this technique to disrupt magical or physical powers.