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Psychic Powers in the 'Verse

Trait (Asset): Reader, Trained (Major)

Empaths and uncontrolled Readers just learn stuff about people. You can do it on purpose. No matter how powerful a Peeper gets, they only learn things. Strong Readers can not only dig into the deepest corners of your brainpan, but also mess with it so you see things that ain't there, make you a puppet on a string, tie your memories into knots or even burn your brain from the inside out. Fortunately, anyone can learn to fight off these attacks, but even ordinary interrogators have all the time they need (barring a thrillin' rescue). Throw in Hands of Blue, and...

Anyhow, most Reader checks are opposed, with the target rolling Willpower + Discipline, with the Concentration and Resistance specialties applying against it.

The following specialties are available to Readers, by and large:

Scan
(Mind Reading): This specialty is a prerequisite for every other Reader specialty other than Block, and specialties other than Block can't exceed its rating. This is the most basic Reader talent, the ability to know what's flittin' through a target's head. This won't pick up memories or deeper emotions, but the Reader knows what's going on in a person's head 'now.' This ability can't be used to transmit to anyone not trained as a Reader, but two Readers can use Scan to communicate with one another.
Talk
(Communion): This specialty allows the Reader to communicate with another person. If that person is willing and present, contact is automatic; otherwise, use the Peeper range and familiarity rules to make contact for a willing subject or an opposed roll to force communication with an unwilling one (with a step bonus to the target equal to the Peeper rules if the Reader cannot sense the subject, as above). Communication between Readers can reach ten times the speed of human speech in this way, though non-Readers can only double or triple their speed. On the other hand, 'talk' isn't literal -- Readers can send feelings, images and even context while using Talk (this allows a Reader to share the Knowledge skill, though not others). A Companion with this ability could command almost any price.
Dig
(Mind Probe): Scan only picks up surface thoughts. Dig allows a Reader to go into the deepest recesses of a target's mind, dredging up even the faintest and most hidden of memories. A target gets a one to three step bonus when resisting this power if a memory is particularly shameful or secret; this is the opposite of what normally happens in the mind when a person is reminded of something, but something about Digging sends the mind into automatic defense mode. This is not always a hostile power, though -- the potential for its use in therapy is enormous, and it grants the rough equivalent of the clarity aspect of Total Recall on a successful roll (Easy to Formidable, depending on how deeply the memory is buried).
Mirage
(Illusion): You can make folks see or hear what ain't there. The more ridiculous the mirage, the higher a bonus the GM should give a character on the resistance roll, though a cunning illusion won't suffer such problems. The image of Mal pulling a derringer out of his pocket is a lot easier to swallow than the image of Jayne pulling Vera out of his cunning hat.
Ride
(Possession; prerequisite: Dig): You can control another person's actions utterly. Potential victims always get a +2 step bonus to resist this power, but once a person is successfully controlled, getting a second roll requires spending a Plot Point (or Stun equal to the margin of success for NPCs without 'em). Ridin' is like being the person you're in, down to every sense, though every memory needed requires an automatic, opposed Dig check. Also, the Rider can't use the victim's skills, so if you're ridin' Wash, you're on your own if you're tryin' to fly Serenity.
Edit
(Alter Memory; prerequisite: Dig): Sure, you can look in the darkest corners of some folks' heads, but they won't take kindly to it. Edit is an almost godlike power, allowing the Reader to change any damn thing in a body's head. I'taint easy, mind, and it's a Complex and opposed action, requiring the Reader to accumulate enough margin of victory to equal a Difficulty equivalent to the victim's Willpower in rank, with d4 being Average Difficulty and each step increasing the Difficulty by one level. Each roll takes one hour, and the target must be in proximity
Chat
(Group Communion; prerequisite: Talk): Named after the Cortex function for group conversation, Chat allows a Reader to create a mental link between multiple people. For each rank of specialty the Reader has, one person can be added to the group. Each non-Reader beyond that requires a roll, starting with Easy Difficulty and going up one rank for each additional person. Unlike Talk, the complex web of communication created by Chat cannot be forced on someone.
Burn
(Mind Blast; prerequisites: Talk, Mirage): This power allows the Reader to attack a target on the mental level. The default attack does Stun damage, though the intended victim can 'block' the attack instinctively with a Willpower + Discipline roll -- no action is required. By expending a Stun or Plot Point, however, the Reader can do Wound damage. Instead of disrupting the thought process, the brain Burner tries to cause a stroke or other catastrophic injury to the mind. The results of a Wound-based Burn attack are horrific to behold (see the episode "Ariel" for an example).
Block
(Mind Shield; no prerequisites): The Reader has increased ability to defend against mind attacks -- including protecting others. The bonus provided by this specialty explicitly stacks with the defense granted by Concentration or Resistance, and can automatically cover one extra person for each bonus level provided. More folks can be shielded, with Difficulty identical to adding people to a Chat.

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