Psyker

**Psykers**, also referred to as sorcerers, witches and various other designations, are psychic mutants able to attune in a way or another to the Warp, and use this connection to affect the world around them. This however come at great risk, as Chaos can use that link to corrupt or consume the soul of a psyker, or worse: use it as a bridge to invade realspace.

The Imperium of Man hold a tight control over any psyker it can identify, and those trained by the Imperium's institutions are called sanctioned psykers. They are very rare in the Koronus Expanse.
The Imperium uses sanctioned psykers for various tasks, including interstellar travels (through Navigators and the Astromanican), interstellar communications (through astropaths), or even combat. Unsanctioned psykers are considered heretics.

## Gameplay

Psykers fit the classical role of caster in role-playing games. Psyker is considered an Origin, but it can provide a character with a similar level of power to an Archetype. Psykers can access multiple abilities and a large number of talents not available to other characters which can support their Archetype or radically alter their playstyle.

All psykers are either sanctioned or unsanctioned. Unsanctioned psykers are more powerful but also more dangerous to their own allies. The player character can be created as a sanctioned psyker. If they are not, then they can become an unsanctioned psyker after becoming an Exemplar. Heinrix is sanctioned, and Idira is unsanctioned.

### Psy Rating

All psykers have a Psy Rating which represents how potent their powers are. Almost all psyker abilities have their effects enhanced by the user's Psy Rating. Sanctioned psykers start out with a Psy Rating of 0, making their powers very weak. Unsanctioned psykers start out with a Psy Rating of 1. Every ten levels, a psyker can take a talent that will increase their Psy Rating by 1. Some equipment can also increase the wielder's Psy Rating.

### Psychic Powers

Abilities that are exclusive to psykers are considered psychic powers. They can be major or minor, with major powers having a greater risk of negative side effects. Psychic powers are organized into five disciplines: Biomancy, Divination, Pyromancy, Sanctic, and Telepathy. Every psyker will start out knowing at least one discipline. Each discipline comes with an innate power that is learned as soon as the psyker learns the discipline, as well as several other abilities that can be learned when leveling up. Whenever a psyker would gain an ability from their Archetype, they can instead choose to learn a new discipline or learn a new power from a discipline they already know. Some powers also have other requirements like a particular Psy Rating or learning another power first.

Some (mostly force staves) grant the wielder an additional psychic power. As long as the psyker is wielding that weapon in their hands, they will be able to use the associated power. These are typically attacks, and their damage is affected by the weapon's level as well as the psyker's Psy Rating.

Damaging psychic powers are considered weapon attacks. This means that they count towards the attack limit per turn and gain all the benefits of talents and abilities that increase damage.

### Perils of the Warp

Psychic powers are risky to use, as they can trigger Psychic Phenomena or Perils of the Warp, meaning that a psyker can hurt (and maybe kill) themselves by abusing their powers. The likelihood of this happening is affected by veil degradation, which represents how much the power of the Warp is bleeding into reality.

Psychic Phenomena are mostly harmless, but their unnerving effects reduce momentum. Regardless of veil degradation, there is always some chance of triggering Psychic Phenomena, with unsanctioned psykers being twice as likely to trigger them. Perils of the Warp can seriously hinder the player, causing a random effect such as damaging the psyker, damaging nearby characters, or even summoning an enemy daemon. Perils of the Warp do not trigger while veil degradation is below 15.

Veil degradation is usually zero at the start of combat, but it could be higher for story reasons. Each time a psychic power is used by any psyker, including NPCs, veil degradation increases to a maximum of 20. Minor powers increase veil degradation by 1 while major powers increase it by 3. At the start of each round, veil degradation decreases by 1.

## Disciplines

Psychic abilities are organized into five disciplines. Every psyker will start with access to a discipline (Idira and Heinrix start with two), and can choose to learn another or learn a new power from one of their previous disciplines whenever they would learn an ability from their Archetype. Each discipline also comes with a set of talents that the psyker can learn.

### Biomancy

Biomancers are able to alter biological processes with their minds. They can manipulate their own flesh, as well as that of allies and enemies. Biomancy is focused on support, allowing psykers to heal or strengthen themselves and allies while weakening enemies. Biomancy can grant a character, either the psyker or an ally, significant melee combat power. Heinrix starts with access to this discipline.

Abilities

* Iron Arm
* Enfeeble
* Invigorate
* Warp Speed
* Regeneration
* Metabolic Overcharge

Talents

* Adrenaline Surge
* Biophysical Distortion
* Confer Immunity
* Corpus Conversion
* Deterioration
* Pulse of Life
* Sanguine Siphon
* Strange Vitality

### Divination

Divination grants a psyker the ability to peer into the future and alter the course of fate. It is a fully support focused discipline, allowing allies to foresee attacks and more easily avoid them. Idira starts with access to this discipline.

Abilities

* Forewarning
* Foreboding
* Prescience
* Perfect Timing
* Precognition
* Prophetic Intervention

Talents

* Edge of Fate
* Fatebringer
* Flawless Plan
* Predicted Downfall
* Unnatural Luck

### Pyromancy

Pyromancers are masters of flame, able to create blazing infernos out of nowhere. Pyromancy is singularly focused on offense, setting enemies on fire to deal both immediate damage and burn damage over time. Pyromancers can become more powerful by setting themselves on fire.

Abilities

* Ignite
* Orchestrate Flames
* Firestorm
* Inflame
* Molten Beam
* Incinerate

Talents

* Backdraft
* Blaze
* Blazing Inferno
* Body of Flames
* Burning Blood
* Fire Within
* Melting Armour
* Relentless Blaze
* Sparks of the Greater Flame

### Sanctic

Sanctic Daemonology allows a psyker to master their connection to the Golden Throne, supporting allies with holy might and smiting daemons and heretics. Sanctic psykers play the role of a paladin, able to support and heal allies, destroy unholy enemies, and become a powerful melee threat. Sanctic powers have their effectiveness based on the psyker's Psy Rating and Resolve, unlike other disciplines which are based on Psy Rating and Willpower. Heinrix starts with access to this discipline.

Abilities

* Word of the Emperor
* Light of the Emperor
* Purge Soul
* Hammer of the Emperor
* Shield of the Emperor
* Sword of Faith

Talents

* Destined
* Edge of Dawn
* Eternal Glory
* Hymns of Hatred
* Psalms of Heroes
* Sanctified Slayer

### Telepathy

Telepaths use the power of their minds to delude, control, and destroy the minds of their enemies. Telepathy is a balanced discipline with a mix of offensive and support powers. Idira starts with access to this discipline.

Abilities

* Psychic Shriek
* Sensory Deprivation
* Mind Bond
* Dominate
* Psychic Assault
* Mind Rupture

Talents

* Aftershock
* Mental Breach
* Mind Siege
* Mind Thief
* Pain Channeling
* Visions of Doom
* Warp Minds
* Weak Hearts

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Games Workshop (2020). *Warhammer 40,000: Core Book* (9th ed.). ISBN 978-1-78826-986-5
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1  Idira Tlass: Warp Powers Unchained on Owlcat Games' official website (June 22, 2022) (backup link)
3. ↑ Reuben, Nic: "Owlcat Games on exploring the Koronus Expanse and going full heretic in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader" (June 15, 2022). *Rock Paper Shotgun*. (achived on June 16, 2022)
4. ↑ Purslow, Matt: "Classic RPG Rogue Trader Will Explore More Than Just the War in Warhammer 40,000" (July 1, 2022). *IGN* published by Ziff Davis. (achived on July 20, 2022)