Aura Sight (Psionic)

==The Complete Psionics Handbook==
An aura is a glowing halo or envelope of colored light which surrounds all living things. It is invisible to the naked eye. A creature's aura reflects both its alignment and its experience level.
When a psionicist uses this power, he can see auras. Interpreting an aura requires some concentration, however. With each use of this power, the psionicist can learn only one piece of information-either the subject's alignment or experience level, but not both simultaneously.
A psionicist can examine up to two auras per round (he must be able to see both subjects). Alternately, he can examine the same aura twice, to verify his first impression with a second reading or to pick up remaining information. In any case, the psionicist must make a new power check each time he attempts to interpret an aura.
The psionicist can be reasonably discreet when he uses this power. He doesn't have to poke at the subject or give him the hairy eyeball. However, he does need to gaze at the subject intently. Since the range of this power is the range of vision, the psionicist can go unnoticed by maintaining his distance. If he tries to sense auras on the people he is conversing with, they certainly will notice that he is staring and probably will be uncomfortable.
The level of the character being analyzed affects the psionicist's power check. The higher the subject's experience level, the tougher it is to interpret the subject's aura. This translates into a -1 penalty for every three levels of the subject, rounded down. For example, a psionicist reading the aura of an 8th level character would suffer a -2 penalty.
If the die roll for the power check is a 1, the psionicist's reading is incomplete or slightly incorrect. For example, the psionicist may learn only the chaotic portion of a chaotic neutral alignment. Or he may interpret the character's level with an error of one or two levels.
Power Score - The psionicist can examine up to four auras per round instead of two.
20 - The initiator can't use this power again for 24 hours.
==Player's Option: Skills & Powers==
With this power, the user can detect auras (the normally invisible envelope of colored light that surrounds all living things). Each use of the power gives the user one piece of information—either the target's alignment (one portion of it) or relative level of power, but not both simultaneously.
This power can be used twice per round (for two PSP costs and with two MTHAC0 rolls) to examine two different auras or the same aura twice. The user can be discreet, but he needs to gaze at the target. Using the power from a distance is less noticeable than using it up close.
The level (or Hit Dice) of the target character affects the MTHAC0 roll. The higher the level of the target, the tougher it is to interpret the aura. The power's MAC should be improved by 1 for every three levels (or HD) the target has, rounded down. For example, an 8th-level target improves the power's MAC by 2, making it MAC 5 (and therefore harder to roll against).
The DM should relate game-related information in a story sense, rather than in mechanical terms. In the case of alignment, the user sees colored light that represents an element: 1) blue (lawful); 2) gray (neutral); 3) red (chaotic); 4) white (good); or 5) black (evil). Relative level of power can be described as follows: 1) dim aura (a low-level target, 1st to 5th level); 2) bright aura (a mid level target, 6th to 13th level); 3) dazzling aura (a high-level target, 14th to 20th level); and 4) blinding aura (a target above 20th level).
Category:Psionic Powers
Category:Science Psionic Powers
Category:Clairsentience Psionic Powers