BASIC D20 PSIONIC SKILLS
Basic d20 assumes that you will use the normal D&D manifesting system to create psionic characters. A
more basic, generic system is detailed here that allows each character to be customized as the player
desires.

PSIONIC SKILLS
There are six Psionic skills, one for each discipline of psionics. Each rank in a Psionic skill costs the sameas one rank in a normal Basic d20 broad skill area (1 Power Point per skill rank). Purchasing ranks in a
Psionic skill confers certain manifesting benefits to the character. Each Psionic skill represents thecharacter’s knowledge and mastery of one of the disciplines of psionics. These skills are listed below.
Check: Normally associated with manifester level checks only. The
key ability does not figure into manifester level checks. The key
ability does affect the saving throw DC for powers of that discipline.

Psionic Skills
Clairsentience
Metacreativity
Psychokinesis
Action: Not Applicable.
Psychometabolism
Psychoportation
Try Again: Not Applicable.
Telepathy
The Psionic skills do not work like other skills. Each Psionic skill grants the character the following
advantages:
Manifester Level: the character’s level for the purposes of manifesting is equal to the number of skill
ranks the character has in a Psionic skill. Each Psionic skill counts separately. Thus, a character canpotentially have six different manifester levels, since there are six different Psionic skills. Manifesterlevel governs the highest level of power the character can use, the maximum number of power points
the character can use for one power, and is used for all situations where a manifester level is required.
The character’s manifester level in each discipline is based on the number of skill ranks in Psionic skill
the character has in that particular discipline. For game effects requiring a class manifester level (orsome other “generic” manifester level), use the highest manifester level from among the character’s six
different Psionic skills. For manifester level checks, use the appropriate Psionic skill to determine
manifester level.
Power Lists: Each Psionic skill allows the character to access powers of the appropriate discipline. These
powers become part of the character’s personal power list, representing the breadth of the character’spsionic knowledge and training. They are taken from all power lists (psion, psychic warrior, etc.). If a
power has different power levels for different classes, use the psion level. For example, telepathy
becomes a 7th level power under this system. If a power is not found on the psion power list, use thelowest level listed for any class.
It is important to note that not all of these powers become automatically known by the character
immediately. They must be found and learned through normal means (as determined by the GM).

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Being on the character’s personal power list simply makes them available to be learned by thecharacter, much like all psychic warrior powers are available to be learned by psychic warriors.
All powers of the appropriate discipline up to a level equal to the number of Psionic skill ranks plus one,
divided by two, become part of the character’s power list. See the chart below.
Ranks
1
3
5
7
9

Power Levels in List
1st
1st-2nd
1st-3rd
1st-4th
1st-5th

Ranks
11
13
15
17

Power Levels in List
1st-6th
1st-7th
1st-8th
1st-9thFor example, a character with 7 ranks in Psychokinesis would include all psychokinesis powers from 1st
to 4th level in his personal power list. A character with 17 ranks in Metacreativity would have every
metacreativity power (1st-9th) in his personal power list.
Power Knowledge: Each time a character gains an odd-numbered rank in a Psionic skill, he gains
knowledge of one power of the appropriate discipline. If the character takes Expanded Knowledge feats
during the normal course of the campaign, he can learn additional powers on his personal power list as
well. A character must know a power before he is able to manifest it. In order to know a certain power
through Expanded Knowledge, the character must have learned the power from another character,studied a psionic item containing the power, or by some other method (as determined by the GM). A
known power can be manifested as long as the character has enough power points to do so. It bears
repeating: a power must appear on a character’s personal power list before he is able to learn it.
Power Points: Every rank gained in a Psionic skill adds anumber of points to a character’s total power points. The
table to the right shows the number of power points in thecharacter’s total for each Psionic skill. For example, if acharacter has three Psionic skills at 7 ranks, two Psionic skills
at 5 ranks, and one at 3 ranks, then that character’s power
point total is equal to 3 X 8 + 2 X 4 + 1 X 2 = 34 power points.
Always round all fractions up to the nearest integer.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in a Psionic skill, you
get a +2 bonus on Science (psicraft) checks relating to theappropriate discipline.

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Ranks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Power
Points
0.33
1
2
3
4
6
8
10
12
15

Ranks
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Power
Points
18
21
24
28
32
37
42
47
52
57

KEY ABILITIES FOR PSIONIC SKILLSThe GM determines the key ability for all Psionic skills in his campaign. He can vary the key ability bycharacter, allowing the player to determine the nature and “feel” of his particular psion. The GM canalso choose different key abilities for different Psionic skills, such as Wisdom for Clairsentience andCharisma for Telepathy. He could rule that the highest of the character’s mental abilities (i.e., Int, Wis,
and Cha) is always that character’s key ability.
Regardless of the key ability chosen for each Psionic skill, certain uses are standard. The key ability isadded to the Difficulty Class of the saving throws for powers manifested by the character. The key
ability also determines the highest power level the character can learn.
HIGHEST POWER LEVEL ABLE TO BE LEARNED = KEY ABILITY × 2 + 1

A simple table summarizes this formula:
Key Ability for Psionic Skill
+0
+1
+2
+3
+4

Highest Power Level Able to be Learned
1st
3rd
5th
7th
9th

BONUS POWER POINTSThe formula for bonus power points remains:
BONUS POWER POINTS = KEY ABILITY × HIGHEST RANKS IN A PSIONIC SKILL × ½

POWER POINT COST BY POWER LEVELThe base power point costs by power level are shown below.
Power Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

Power Point Cost
1
3
5
7
9

Power Level
6th
7th
8th
9th

3

Power Point Cost
11
13
15
17