The following guidelines are taken directly from Marc Miller’s original 1977 rules found in The Traveller Book (ISBN-10: 0139302557, ISBN-13: 978-0139302558), save for a minor house rule that increases the effective range of some psionic talents.
PSIONIC STRENGTH
Powers of the mind are measured by Psionic Strength Points, initially determined for a character by rolling 2d6. Additional points may be gained with training or the use of psi-boosting drugs.
A psionic character has potential in five fields of talents: Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Telekinesis, Awareness and/or Teleportation. Upon discovery of psionic ability, roll 2d6 for each talent to determine which are known. The rolls may be done in any order, but there is a penalty of -1 on the first roll, -2 on the second roll, -3 on the third roll, and so forth.
* Telepathy … roll 5 or more to gain Telepathy level 1
* Clairvoyance … roll 6 or more to gain Clairvoyance level 1
* Telekinesis … roll 6 or more to gain Telekinesis level 1
* Awareness … roll 7 or more to Awareness level 1
* Teleportation … roll 9 or more to gain Teleportation level 1
Recovery: Beginning three hours after the last psionic activity, a character regains one psionic strength point per hour until the total equals the normal psionic strength rating.
Psi Drugs: One dose of psi-booster drugs (street cost Cr1,000; available on 2d6 roll of 8 or more) adds 3 Psionic Strength Points for up to one hour, or 6 points for the more rare double strength version (Cr4,000; available on roll of 10 or more). More powerful drugs “special” are rumored to exist to boost psi strength by +1 per hour to a maximum of 15 (Cr10,000, available on roll of 12 or more). Only one dose may be taken; additional doses within the hour have no effect. Psi-boosters have no effect on characters without psionic talents.
SOCIAL RISKS
Psionics are illegal throughout the Imperium, and the price for discovery by the public or authorities can be severe. Roll 2d6…
* 2 to 3 … no immediate punishment
* 4 to 5 … deportation
* 6 to 7 … imprisonment
* 8 to 9 … tarring and feathering
* 10 to 11 … lynching
* 12 … lobotomy
TELEPATHY TALENTS
Start at level 1 with two talents (Shield and Life Detection). Each month, roll 2d6. On a roll of 8 or more, the character increases in Telepathy by one level, but only if the level does not exceed the character’s psionic strength points total. (For example, a character with a natural maximum of 5 psi points cannot learn talents beyond level 5.)
Telepathy Level 1 (Shield): Prevents unwanted telepathy from others.
* Always on, no cost to maintain, only affects the psionic character.
* This power can be replicated for non-psionic characters by wearing a psi shield helmet (TL 8; Cr4,000).
Telepathy Level 1 (Life Detection): Senses living things.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 point per 60 seconds
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 2 points per 60 seconds
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds
Telepathy Level 2 (Telempathy): Senses emotions in individuals.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 point per 60 seconds
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 2 points per 60 seconds
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds
Telepathy Level 4 (Read Surface Thoughts): Senses immediate intentions.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per 60 seconds
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 8 points per 60 seconds
Telepathy Level 5 (Send Thoughts): Mind-to-mind conversation.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per 120 seconds
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per 120 seconds
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 4 points per 120 seconds
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 5 points per 120 seconds
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 5 points per 120 seconds
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 6 points per 120 seconds
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 6 points per 120 seconds
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 7 points per 120 seconds
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 7 points per 120 seconds
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 8 points per 120 seconds
Telepathy Level 9 (Probe): Dig into another’s memories.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 8 points per 10 minutes
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 9 points per 10 minutes
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 10 points per 10 minutes
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 11 points per 10 minutes
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 11 points per 10 minutes
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 12 points per 10 minutes
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 13 points per 10 minutes
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 14 points per 10 minutes
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 14 points per 10 minutes
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 15 points per 10 minutes
Telepathy Level 10 (Assault): Harm, maybe kill, by attacking another’s mind.
* Against an unshielded mind, the target immediately falls unconscious and loses 2d6+6 life points.
* Against a telepathically shielded mind, roll 2d6 modified by the attacker’s maximum psionic strength points minus the target’s maximum psionic strength points. (For example, psi strength 10 versus psi strength 6 gains a +4 bonus on the assault roll.) If the roll is successful, target immediately falls unconscious and loses 2d6+6 life points.
* Against a target wearing an psionic shield helmet, use an automatic psionic strength rating of 15 as defense against psionic assault as described above.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 10 points per 2 seconds
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 11 points per 2 seconds
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 12 points per 2 seconds
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 13 points per 2 seconds
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 13 points per 2 seconds
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 14 points per 2 seconds
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 15 points per 2 seconds
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 16 points per 2 seconds
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 16 points per 2 seconds
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 17 points per 2 seconds
CLAIRVOYANCE TALENTS
Start at level 1 with no immediate talents. Each month, roll 2d6. On a roll of 8 or more, the character increases in Clairvoyance by one level, but only if the level does not exceed the character’s psionic strength points total. (For example, a character with a natural maximum of 5 psi points cannot learn talents beyond level 5.)
Clairvoyance Level 2 (Sense): Learn vague details of what is in a remote 5-meter radius area (“the room contains two humans and a vargr, all wearing some sort of armor”).
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 points per round (15 seconds)
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 2 points per round (15 seconds)
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 2 points per round (15 seconds)
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 3 points round (15 seconds)
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 4 points round (15 seconds)
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 4 points round (15 seconds)
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
Clairvoyance Level 3 (Direction): Increases the cost of other Clairvoyance powers but makes results more focused, knowing exactly where the target is, direction, how far away and, if technical, the coordinates of the target.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … not applicable
* Close (3m to 25 m) … adds 1 point per use
* Short (25m to 100m) … adds 1 point per use
* Medium (100m to 300m) … adds 2 points per use
* Long (300m to 750m) … adds 2 points per use
* Distant (500m to 5km) … adds 3 points per use
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … adds 3 points per use
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … adds 4 points per use
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … adds 4 points per use
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … adds 4 points per use
Clairvoyance Level 5 (Clairvoyance sight): See in a remote location.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per round (15 seconds)
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 4 points per round (15 seconds)
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 4 points round (15 seconds)
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
Clairvoyance Level 5 (Clairaudience hearing): Listen in a remote location.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per round (15 seconds)
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 4 points per round (15 seconds)
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 4 points round (15 seconds)
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
Clairvoyance Level 9 (Combined sight and hearing): See and listen in a remote location.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per round (15 seconds)
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per round (15 seconds)
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 4 points per round (15 seconds)
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 4 points round (15 seconds)
* Distant (500m to 5km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Very Distant (5km to 500km) … costs 5 points round (15 seconds)
* Regional (50km to 500 km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Continental (500km to 5,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
* Planetary (5,000km to 50,000km) … costs 6 points round (15 seconds)
TELEKINESIS TALENTS
Start at level 1 with no immediate talents. Each month, roll 2d6. On a roll of 8 or more, the character increases in Telekinesis by one level, but only if the level does not exceed the character’s psionic strength points total. (For example, a character with a natural maximum of 5 psi points cannot learn talents beyond level 5.)
Telekinesis only works out to Very Long range (maximum 500 meters, about one-third mile).
Telekinesis Level 1: Move 1 gram without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass does no meaningful damage on impact.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 points per 60 seconds, or 2 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 2 points per 60 seconds, or 4 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds, or 6 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds, or 10 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 10 points per 60 seconds, or 20 points to throw
Telekinesis Level 2: Move 10 grams without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass does no meaningful damage on impact.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 2 points per 60 seconds, or 4 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds, or 6 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds, or 8 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds, or 12 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 11 points per 60 seconds, or 22 points to throw
Telekinesis Level 3: Move 100 grams, one-fifth pound, without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass has 1 in 6 chance of causing 1 life point of damage.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 3 points per 60 seconds, or 6 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 4 points per 60 seconds, or 8 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds, or 10 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds, or 14 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 12 points per 60 seconds, or 24 points to throw
Telekinesis Level 5: Move 1 kilogram, little over 2 pounds, without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass causes 1 life point of damage.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 5 points per 60 seconds, or 10 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 6 points per 60 seconds, or 12 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 7 points per 60 seconds, or 14 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 9 points per 60 seconds, or 18 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 14 points per 60 seconds, or 28 points to throw
Telekinesis Level 8: Move 10 kg, about 22 pounds, without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass causes 1d6 damage.
* At this level, enough pressure can crush a human’s windpipe.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 8 points per 60 seconds, or 16 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 9 points per 60 seconds, or 18 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 10 points per 60 seconds, or 20 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 12 points per 60 seconds, or 24 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 17 points per 60 seconds, or 34 points to throw
Telekinesis Level 10: Move 100 kg, about 220 pounds, without physical contact.
* Thrown object of this mass causes 2d6 damage.
* At this level, pressure is equal to a human jaw biting down on back teeth.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 10 points per 60 seconds, or 20 points to throw
* Close (3m to 25 m) … costs 11 points per 60 seconds, or 22 points to throw
* Short (25m to 100m) … costs 12 points per 60 seconds, or 24 points to throw
* Medium (100m to 300m) … costs 14 points per 60 seconds, or 28 points to throw
* Long (300m to 750m) … costs 19 points per 60 seconds, or 38 points to throw
AWARENESS TALENTS
Start at level 1 with no immediate talents. Each month, roll 2d6. On a roll of 10 or more, the character increases in Awareness by one level, but only if the level does not exceed the character’s psionic strength points total. (For example, a character with a natural maximum of 5 psi points cannot learn talents beyond level 5.)
Awareness Level 2 (Suspended Animation): No need for food or water, minimal air, no risk of sudden death.
* Only works on self, cannot be used on others.
* Can be maintained up to 7 days or come out of it due to an external trigger.
* Costs 3 points regardless of duration.
Awareness Level 4 (Psionically Enhanced Strength): Temporary boost in physical strength.
* Only works on self, cannot be used on others.
* Add +1 Strength modifier and +7 life points … costs 5 points per 60 minutes.
Awareness Level 5 (Psionically Enhanced Endurance): Temporary boost in physical stamina.
* Only works on self, cannot be used on others.
* Add +1 Endurance modifier and +7 life points … costs 5 points per 60 minutes.
Awareness Level 5 (Regeneration): Heal wounds, regrow lost limbs and organs.
* Only works on self, cannot be used on others.
* May reverse the damage done by a toxin or disease, but not permanently cure.
* Cannot reverse the effect of aging.
* As rule of thumb, regenerate 1 life point per second (up to 15 life points per combat round).
* Costs 1 point to heal 1 life point (or 2 psi for 2 life, etc. up to limit of available psi points).
TELEPORTATION TALENTS
Start at level 1 with no immediate talents. Each month, roll 2d6. On a roll of 12 or more, the character increases in Teleportation by one level, but only if the level does not exceed the character’s psionic strength points total. (For example, a character with a natural maximum of 5 psi points cannot learn talents beyond level 5.)
In all cases, psionic character must have a mental image of a destination before teleporting or the power fails.
On a rotating planet, changes in altitude increase temperature 2.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer down, or a like amount teleporting up. To be safe, only destinations within 400 meters up or down of the same altitude should be attempted per teleport unless special protective gear is worn.
Teleportation Level 5 (Self Only): Move a distance without crossing the space between.
* Only works on self, nude, cannot be used on others or objects.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 point
* Close to Medium (3m to 300m) … costs 3 points
* Long to Very Long (300m to 3km) … costs 4 points and disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes.
* Distant to Orbit (3km to 1,000km) … costs 5 points, disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes, collapse on roll of 8 or more on 2d6.
Teleportation Level 7 (Limited Carry): Move a distance without crossing the space between.
* Only works on self plus up to 1 kg, about 2 pounds, in clothing and gear.
* Only works on self, nude, cannot be used on others or objects.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 point
* Close to Medium (3m to 300m) … costs 3 points
* Long to Very Long (300m to 3km) … costs 4 points and disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes.
* Distant to Orbit (3km to 1,000km) … costs 5 points, disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes, collapse on roll of 8 or more on 2d6.
Teleportation Level 9 (Broader Carry): Move a distance without crossing the space between.
* Only works on self plus up to 10 kg, about 22 pounds, in clothing and gear. A small living animal could be carried.
* Only works on self, nude, cannot be used on others or objects.
* Talking (1m to 3m) … costs 1 point
* Close to Medium (3m to 300m) … costs 3 points
* Long to Very Long (300m to 3km) … costs 4 points and disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes.
* Distant to Orbit (3km to 1,000km) … costs 5 points, disoriented for (2d6 x 10) minutes, collapse on roll of 8 or more on 2d6.