The Psionicist (Variant T20 Service Class)

by Jason "Flynn" Kemp

QLI has released the Psionicist as a 20-level prestige class in the Traveller's Aide Supplement #5
adventure, Mind Over Matter. However, its implementation as a prestige class fails to address the
concept of a Milieu 0 or TNE-Regency campaign, or one based in Zhodani space, or an Alternate
Traveller Universe, any of which could allow Psionicists as an acceptable career path for qualified
characters. With that in mind, I present the variant Psionicist class below, presented as a service
class instead of QLI's official prestige class version.

For most psionically gifted individuals, psionics is simply an additional ability developed as
a side note to the pursuit of a career or lifestyle. For them, psionics is a part of their lives,
but it is not the whole of their lives. However, some people, upon discovering that they
possess psionic powers, dedicate themselves to the full realization of their psionic talents.
These people make their living within society through various means, but their true
devotion and dedication lies in seeking to understand the nature of their talents, and
finding new resources to aid in their development.

Though the dedicated Psionicist may suffer socially in other areas, their devotion is
rewarded in a number of ways: First, the psionic skills reflecting spheres of influence are
developed as class skills rather than cross-class skills. Second, over time Psionicists can
actually expand their talents into new areas and abilities. Third, Psionicists do not need to
take new psionic talents as feats, but rather gain these talents freely once they achieve
the requirements for the talent.

Characteristics: Some Psionicists approach their gifts academically, while others take a
mystical viewpoint to their studies. Whatever their approach, these Psionicists are
dedicated to the development of their gifts. Most are introverted individualists, though not
all, by far. Many are marked by a strong desire to learn and develop their talents, and bear
a lot of loyalty to those who have taught them and been kind, supportive or protective of
them, depending on the role of psionics in society.

Background: Due to the unpredicable nature of psionics, anyone from any background
could be a Psionicist.

Adventuring: In campaigns where psionics are persecuted, such characters are destined for
conflict and adventure by the very nature of their life path. Whether psionics are accepted
or not, the Psionicist's talents earn them a special place in any adventuring party. The
skills that Psionicists develop in questing for further psionic instruction and information
can prove useful in making contacts and gathering data on other topics as well, creating a
useful niche with any party.

Psionicist
Service Class

Game Rule Information

Class Type: Service

Enlistment Requirements: In order to enter the Psionicist class, the character possess a
positive psi strength score, and must have completed psionic training with either an
institute or "psionic master". For character creation, this usually means that the character's
first level feat has been taken as Psi Training.
Multiclass Restrictions: A character multiclassing into the Psionicist class must meet the
enlistment requirements given above.

Abilities: Education, and although it's technically not an ability score according to the
Traveller's Handbook, pg 188, Psi Strength.

Stamina: 1d6 + Con modifier per level.

Starting Funds: None.

The Psionicist
Level Base Base Base Base Special
Attack Fortitude Reflex Will
Bonus Save Save Save
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Starting Feats + Bonus Feat
2 +0 +0 +0 +3 Bonus Feat
3 +0 +1 +1 +3
4 +1 +1 +1 +4
5 +1 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat
6 +1 +2 +2 +5
7 +1 +2 +2 +5 Bonus Feat
8 +2 +2 +2 +6
9 +2 +3 +3 +6
10 +2 +3 +3 +7 Bonus Feat
11 +2 +3 +3 +7 Bonus Feat
12 +3 +4 +4 +8
13 +3 +4 +4 +8 Bonus Feat
14 +3 +4 +4 +9 Bonus Feat
15 +3 +5 +5 +9
16 +4 +5 +5 +10
17 +4 +5 +5 +10 Bonus Feat
18 +4 +6 +6 +11
19 +4 +6 +6 +11 Bonus Feat
20 +5 +6 +6 +12

Class Skills
Class Skill Key Ability Class Skill Key Ability
Appraise Int Psionic/Awareness Psi
Bluff Cha Psionic/Clairvoyance Psi
Craft (any) Int Psionic/Telekinesis Psi
Driving Dex Psionic/Telepathy Psi
Gather Information Cha Psionic/Teleportation Psi
Knowledge (any) Edu Sense Motive Wis
Liaison Cha T/Communications Edu
Navigation Edu T/Computer Edu
Piloting Dex T/Electronics Edu
P/Administration Wis T/Mechanical Edu
T/Medical Edu

Starting Skill Points: (4 + Int modifier) * 4. If you are taking Psionicist as a multiclass, you
do not receive these starting skill points.

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Psionicist:

Starting Feats: The Psionicist begins play with the following feats:

Armor Proficiency (Light)

Bonus Feats: At 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 19th level the
Psionicist gains a bonus feat. These feats may be chosen from the list below. If the
character already has all of the listed feats, they may select any other feat from the Feats
chapter that they are qualified for.

Connections (Psionic) Negotiator* Vehicle

Dodge Opening The Mind* Weapon/Marksman
Gearhead Rapid Recovery* Weapon/Swordsman
Hacker Steward*
Legal Eagle Trustworthy

* A specialized class feat detailed below.

Negotiator: The Psionicist is a born negotiator. Add +2 to all Liaison and P/Administration
checks.

Rapid Recovery: A Psionicist must be at least fifth level to take this class feat. The
Psionicist recovers Psionic strength twice as quickly as normal, but only when meditating
and making a Constitution check of DC 10 to resist distractions. (This DC may be modified
by the Referee, based on the circumstances under which the character is attempting to
engage in meditation.)

Opening The Mind: A Psionicist must be at least seventh level to take this class feat. The
Psionicist has developed enough insight to potentially awake a new psionic sphere affinity
within himself. Thus, the Psionicist receives rank 0 in a psionic sphere skill they did not
currently possess.

Steward: Adds 1d3 Middle and 1d6 Low passengers requesting travel aboard ship.

NOTE: Psionic Talents are found in The Traveller's Handbook, and work exactly as
described there. However, rather than having to take each talent as a separate feat,
members of the Psionicist class automatically gain access to the talents within their
spheres as their skill rank in that sphere reaches the threshold required to use that talent.

Ex-Members: The only way for someone to become an ex-Psionicist is to lose all of their
psionic talents and abilities. However, it should be noted that psionic skill ranks are
generally only considered class skills for Psionicist class levels (and perhaps certain
prestige classes, as defined by the Referee for his milieu), which makes the skills
expensive for non-Psionicist class levels.
Prior History
Continued Employment: DC 2

Ranks
There are no ranks in the Psionic service.

Earned Benefits

Cash Benefits Material Benefits

1 5000 1 Low Passage
2 10000 2 +1 Intelligence
3 10000 3 +1 Education
4 20000 4 Middle Passage
5 50000 5 High Passage
6 50000 6 TAS Membership
7 75000 7 -

Duty Assignment

1d20 Assignment (Psionics Accepted/Illicit) Survival DC XP Bonus DC

1-4 Personal Training/Personal Training 10 Auto
5-10 Private Service/Displaced 14 10
11-14 Corporate Service/In Hiding 16 6
15-17 Government Service/On The Run 18 8
18-19 Public Service/Recruitment 10 12
20 Teaching/Teaching 12 16
Ability Modifier Wis None

Survival Mishaps
1d6 Mishap
1 No further action.
2 Deported and banned from world.
3 Tarred and Feathered. –1 to Charisma. Deported and banned from world.
4 Imprisoned for 4 years. Deported and banned from world upon completion of
sentence.
5 Lynched, beaten, and left for dead. Lose 1d6-3 points from Cha and Con.
Deported and banned from world.
6 Lobotomized. Lose all Psi abilities and rating, and 1d6-3 points from Int.
Deported and banned from world.
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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
D20 System Rules and Content Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Johnathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on
original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Traveller 20 Traveller's Handbook Copyright 2002, QuikLink Interactive, Inc.
Traveller's Aide #5: Mind Over Matter Copyright 2003, QuikLink Interactive, Inc.
Open Game Content from 'A Variant T20 Service Class: The Psionicist' Copyright 2003, Jason D. Kemp.

Designation Of Open Game Content: The following is to be considered Open Game

Content: everything under Game Rule Information, including the Psionicist class table and
the sections on class skills, class features, and prior history.