Using Psionics Psionic energy can be shaped and used by psionicists and wild talents to produce desired effects, called psionic powers. All psionic powers are grouped into one of five categories, or disciplines, based on how the energy is used. The major powers of a given discipline are called sciences.

Two key concepts need to be presented before the rules for using psionics in the AD&D game are detailed. These are psionic strength points (PSPs) and mental attack rolls (MTHAC0s). These are described below.

Psionic Strength Points (PSPs): Every psionic character has an internal store of psionic energy, represented as psionic strength points. These are used to activate sciences and devotions, to focus psionic attacks, and to determine how much psionic damage a hero’s psionic defenses can stand.

Mental Attack Rolls: The success of psionic attacks against closed minds is determined by the number a character needs to roll on 1d20 to hit a specific mental armor class (MAC). The mental attack number (MTHAC0 ) is the number the character needs to hit a MAC of 0. When used on open minds, the roll is made against a power’s MAC. Each power has a base MAC number used to determine the difficulty of activating a psionic power against an open mind.

All psionic powers belong to one of five disciplines: clairsentience, psychokinesis, psychometabolism, psychoportation, and telepathy. Within each discipline, the powers are divided into two categories: major powers, or sciences; and minor powers, or devotions. The five disciplines are defined as follows:

Clairsentient powers allow characters to perceive things beyond the natural range of human and demihuman senses.

Psychokinetic powers move objects across space using only the energy of the mind.

Psychometabolic powers affect the user’s body by altering it in some manner.

Psychoportive powers allow psionic travel, moving characters from one location to another without crossing space.

Telepathic powers involve the direct contact of two or more minds.

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