Martial Arts and Psionic Style Power-Sets

Psi-Wars, like Star Wars, focuses deeply on the development of martial arts skills.  Some characters might choose to deepen their combat capabilities with a formal education in a deeply detailed style, or might expand their combat capabilities into new directions.  Psionic characters might do the same: Rather than use the standard psionic power set, characters might study a focused psionic discipline.  In fact, we could even replace the psionic power set with the psionic style power-set.

The bulk of the work for this has already been done: The styles themselves detail what you can purchase and what you can't.  The details of the power set is, thus, pretty simple:

Martial Arts Power Sets

Advantages: Choose 30 points from among Trained by a Master [30], Weapon Master [Varies], or any Optional Attributes, Traits or Advantages from your chosen style.
Skills and Techniques: Style Familiarity (Chosen style) [1]; Spend 19 points on skills, cinematic skills, techniques and perks  associated with your chosen style.

Psionic and Communion Style Power Sets

Advantages: 30 points from among Talents, Powers or Communion levels associated with your chosen style.
Skills: Style Familiarity (Chosen style) [1]; Spend 19 points on skills, cinematic skills, techniques and perks associated with your chosen style.

Martial Arts Power Packages

Right, that's one of the shortest post ever.  To keep you from being bored, let's see if we can expand this.

Just as Psionic powers can be broken down into simple 25-point or 50-point packages, we can do the same here.  Martial Arts have 20 points worth of skills, perks and techniques.  We can use that as the basis for our how characters could learn to fight.  The following is a small sampling of possible techniques.  If we like it, it might be worth expanding.

The Destructive Form

Destructive Brawler 20 points

Skills: Brawling (E) DX+2 [4], Force Sword (A) DX+2 [8]

Techniques: Beat (H) Force Sword+2 [3], Targeted Attack (Pummel/Face) Brawl-3 [3]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Destructive Form) [1], Dirty Fighting [1]

Destructive Precision 20 points

Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1], Force Sword (A) DX+3 [12], Precognitive Parry (H) IQ [4]

Techniques: Targeted Attack (Force Sword/Arm) Force Sword [3]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Destructive Form) [1], Grip Mastery (Force Sword) [1]

The Graceful Form

Graceful Flyer 20 points

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+1 [8], Flying Leap (H) IQ-2 [1], Force Sword (A) DX [2], Jumping (E) DX [1]

Techniques: Feint (H) Acrobatics+3 [4], Flying Strike (H) Force Sword-1 [4]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Graceful Form) [1], Acrobatic Feints [1]

Graceful Dancer 20 points

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX-1 [2], Force Sword (A) DX+1 [4], Jumping (E) DX [1], Precognitive Parry (H) DX [4]

Techniques: Combat Art (H) Force Sword-1 [3], Spinning Attack (H) Force Sword [4]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Graceful Form) [1], Flourish [1]

Art of the Blade

Vibro-Brawler 20 points

Skills: Brawling (E) DX+3 [8], Shortsword (A) DX+1 [4]

Techniques: Bind Weapon (H) Shortsword (H) [4], Hammer Fist (A) Brawling [1] 

Perks: Style Familiarity (Art of the Blade) [1], Technique Adaption (Binding to Shortsword) [1], Trademark Move (Display of Force) [1]

Vibro-Storm 20 points

Skills: Brawling (E) DX [1], Shortsword (A) DX+2 [8]

Techniques: Counter Attack (H) Shortsword-2 [4], Dual Weapon Attack (H) Shortsword [5],

Perks: Style Familiarity (Art of the Blade) [1], Off-Hand Weapon Training [1]

Space Ninjutsu

Shadow-Stance 20 points

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX-2 [1], Judo (H) DX [4], Karate (H) DX-2 [1], Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ [1], Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]

Techniques: Choke Hold (H) Judo [4], Disappear (H) Stealth-7 [4]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Space Ninjutsu) [1],

Serpent-Stance 20 points

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX [4], Judo (H) DX-2 [1], Karate (H) DX [4], Savoir-Faire (Dojo) (E) IQ [1], Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]

Techniques: Exotic Hand Strike (A) Karate [1], Sweep Kick (H) Karate-1 [3], Targeted Attack (Exotic Hand Strike/Neck) Karate-2 [4]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Space Ninjutsu) [1],

Psionic Arts Power Packages

A psionic power package is just enough to get a psionic talent, a 25-point power-package and 20 points in skills, much like our fighting styles above.  Some samples might be:

The Visionary Path

Ecstatic Oracle 50 points

Advantages: ESP Talent +1 [5], Prognostication 2 [23]

Skills: Expert Skill (Psionics) (H) IQ-2 [1], History (Future) (H) IQ-1 [2], Meditation (H) Will [4], Philosophy (The Visionary Way) (H) IQ-2 [1], Prognostication (H) IQ* [2], 

Techniques: Deep Trance (H) Meditation-1 [4], Deep Time (H) Prognostication-1 [5]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Visionary Path) [1], Ecstatic Psi [1], Secret Technique (Deep Time) [1]

Disciplined Oracle 50 points

Advantages: ESP Talent +1 [5], Prognostication 2 [23]

Skills: Expert Skill (Psionics) (H) IQ [4], History (Future) IQ-2 [1], Meditation (H) Will-2 [1], Philosophy (The Visionary Way) (H) IQ-2 [1], Prognostication (H) IQ* [2], 

Techniques: Competitive Precog (H) Prognostication+4 [5], Directed (H) Prognostication-1 [5]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Visionary Path) [1], Exposition Sense [1], Psychobabble [1]

Prana-Bindu

Warrior's Self-Mastery 50 points

Advantages: Psychic Healing Talent +1 [5], Metabolism Control 5 [23]

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX [4], Esoteric Medicine (H) IQ-2 [1], Meditation (H) Will-2 [1], Metabolism Control (H) HT* [2], Power-Blow (H) HT+1* [4]

Techniques: Metabolic Speed (H) Metabolism Control-3 [6]

Perks: Style Familiarity (Prana-Bindu) [1], Attribute Substitution (Power-Blow to HT) [1], Secret Technique (Metabolic Speed) [1], Skill-Assisting Psi (Power-Blow) [1], 

Ascetics's Self-Mastery 50 points

Advantages: Psychic Healing Talent +1 [5], Metabolism Control 5 [23]

Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX-2 [1], Esoteric Medicine (H) IQ [4], Meditation (H) Will+2 [12], Metabolism Control (H) HT-1* [1],

Perks: Style Familiarity (Prana-Bindu) [1], Life Force [1], Inner Mastery [1], Stabilizing Skill (Phsychic Healing, Esoteric Medicine) [1]

True Communion

Way of the Philosopher 50 points
Advantages: Communion 6 [25], Learned Prayer: Wisdom of Communion [5]
Skills: Expert Skill (Psionics) (H) IQ-2 [1], Meditation (H) Will [4], Philosophy (H) IQ+1 [8], Hidden Lore (Communion) (H) IQ-2 [1]
Techniques: Communion Heuristics (H) Philosophy-3 [4]
Perks: Style Familiarity (True Communion) [1], Secret Technique (Communion Heuristics) [1],

Way of the Mystic 50 points
Advantages: Communion 6 [25], Learned Prayer: Psionic Focus [3]
Skills: Expert Skill (Psionics) (H) IQ-1 [2], Meditation (H) Will+1 [8], Philosophy (H) IQ-1 [2], Hidden Lore (Communion) (H) IQ-1 [2]
Techniques: Communion (H) Meditation+4 [5]
Perks: Style Familiarity (True Communion) [1], Inner Mastery [1], Stabilizing Skill (Choose one psionic power; Meditation) [1]

Deirdre Brooks, Bodhisattva of Education

Dierdre Brooks worked very hard to earn her PhD (in Education, with a thesis on “Epistymology and Education: On knowing when something has been taught” and when something has been learned) and it launched her from the world of mere mortals into the magnificent world of academics, where she had always yearned to be. Only there, she discovered that she was locked in an endless wheel of dissertation, publication, argumentation and lecture. She realized that she learned nothing and knew nothing. So, she abandoned her lofty position and wandered the world.

She studied in the secret laboratories beneath the Rocky Mountains she found data without context. She sought knowledge in the sacred libraries of the vatican and found only dust. She meditated with mystics in India and found empty babbling. She journeyed further east until she found her path blocked by endless ocean, and a single island, and upon the island, a deer. She sailed to the island and clambered the winding paths of its mountain, always following the strange deer. Finally, the deer stopped by a fountain in a cave, and bowed its head.

“You may drink,” it said “But you will forever be burdened with wisdom.”
Suddenly, all became clear: the context behind the data, the meaning of the dusty books, the truth in the babbling, and the purpose of the fountain. “I know what I came to know.” She said, and the deer became a kirin and bowed its head

“Then you should teach me.”


And thus, was Deirdre enlightened. Kirin became her student and offered the Estate of Education as her payment. Deirdre came back down from the mountain bearing a new great work: The Eightfold Path to Smarter Living: the Art of Self-Engagement, a wondrous treatise that laid out the steps necessary to improving ones life. But though the wisdom contained unparalleled wisdom, those who followed its precepts needed a teacher, and Deirdre became that teacher, for she had transcended her professorship and became something greater: a life-coach.

Dierdre follows the Song of Light, and her flowers are the Vervain (the Key of Something Powerful) and the Alyssym (the Key of Destiny Fulfilled).

Anti-Psi Styles

In a world full of psionic powers, characters will seek to protect themselves from that power.  Mundane countermeasures (like Mind Block) exist and mundane characters will certainly seek to train themselves in its intricacies.  Anti-Psi characters will also seek to improve their talents, studying the art of anti-psi as deeply as psions study the arts of psi.

I originally designed the following styles with non-psions in mind.  They focus mostly on Expert Skill (Psion), Meditation and Mind Block.  However, given that Anti-Psi characters need something to counterbalance powers like True Communion or Psionic Witchcraft, I've added some Anti-Psi and Broken Communion powers as well.  Treat these as examples.  There might be simpler, smaller mundane styles, or more baroque and sinister anti-psi styles.

Communion Styles

Divine Favor can absolutely have its own traditions and cultures and techniques, and should!  Just as Catholicism has a different body of supernatural lore and power than Appalachian folk-religion, so too should Communion have a rich variety of worship and empowerment.

Communion Style Familiarity

Communion styles are just psionic styles with a greater focus on communion.  Treat them as the same, except they gain the following, should it be relevant:

• You may acquire any non-secret learned prayer with earned points in play without having to seek instruction.

Communion styles have a greater focus on skills and perks than on powers, as miracles rarely require skills outside of Meditation, Philosophy and Religious Ritual.  Even so, we gain "Learned Prayers" as style abilities, which characters may purchase the same way they could purchase "style skills and techniques."

Aeon-D Season 1: Episode 1

Our Heroes:

• Nichodemus Faust -- The Devil in a Suit
• "Eddie" -- A mysterious, time-travelling gadgeteer
• "Doc" -- A deeply christian healer with a floating rainbow cat
• "Kurst" -- Totally not a wendigo, he promises.
• Alexander Ini-Herit -- Philosophical brick

Psionic Styles

Psionic Styles focus primarily on exploring a few specific or interrelated concepts within the world of psionic powers.  Most should offer some kind of secret power or technique, or at least a few interesting perks, but their most important aspect is adding in cultural context.  Psionic styles say something about a setting.

For building a psionic style, follow the guidelines in Thaumatological Styles:

• Styles have Required Skills to learn, and might have Required Psionic Skills to learn.  Don't bother to list a power as a prerequisite: it's assumed when you include the skill.
• Styles may have Additional Skills and Techniques which represent psionic skills and techniques that the character can learn as they wish.
• Styles may have Perks.  A character may learn 1 perk for every 20 points invested into style-related skills and techniques but not powers.
• Styles may have Secret Skills and Secret Techniques which represent lore available only to that school. Each has a perk associated with them, and must be learned at the feat of one of the style's masters.
• Styles may have Optional Traits, which represent advantages, skills or techniques that a specific school of a style may or may not teach.

Building Psionic Styles

Thaumatology: Magic Styles

GURPS Thaumatology: Magical Styles is probably my favorite book out of the Thaumatology line (other than the core book itself, of course).  In addition to giving us more perks (I dearly love perks), Magical Styles take the cosmology-building of Magic and turns into the culture-building of specific applications.  We might devise a world of 4 elements, with magical colleges circling those four elements, but then we need to show what practitioners of those magics might be, and suddenly we have the vivid detail of the Fire Dancers of the Black Mountains.  It takes the generic and makes it specific.

I want to do the same for Psi-Wars, and I want it for several reasons.  First, Star Wars emphasizes martial training, and it does so in a classic wuxia tradition of external vs internal.  The hot-headed jedi student wants to learn how to fight with a lightsaber (external arts) and how to blast people with lightning, but the master slows him down and demands patience and teaches him first to medidate and commune with the force (internal arts).  We've spent the last month or so discussing external styles.  Now, we can discuss internal styles.

Moreover, players may well be at a loss as to how to build their characters, how to tie them into this vast and crazy world we're building. The addition of things like Paths helps that, but the players still need to grasp what it all means for them, specifically.  The Jedi Order and the Sith Order do that by providing cultural context. We need to do the same for Psi-Wars.  Perhaps we have an Oracular Order who has oracles who dedicate themselves to reading the future (and blind themselves to the mortal world) while they're guarded by warriors who have mastered Third Eye fighting techniques, and they work together to reshape the future of humanity.  Then, a player has a reason to choose ESP, a direction to take his Space Knight.  Or perhaps we have Death Cultists who worship the Path of Death and see Psychic Vampirism as a sacred communion with the Dead God's power.  Our "Sith" become these Death-Worshippers, cowled men with ghostly, white-bladed force swords who drain the life out of those around them with their terrifying power.  Context.

But to make this work, we need to understand the components and pieces of our styles.  We need skills, perks, techniques and optional traits.  I've already defined most of these in a previous post, but we can always revisit and revise old ideas.  In particular, I lacked techniques, which was fine when we're only worried about what a skill does, but if we want to differentiate one school from another, we need greater definition.  Thus, in this post, I'll define further techniques and perks, either taken from other sources, or adjustments from said other sources to fit psionics and communion, or created whole-cloth to fit our assumptions in Psi-Wars.