The Psyker

[PaxVenire]

I had an idea for a future game protagonist, or perhaps even a tabletop character idea for anyone who wants to use it. This character would bring a slight fantasy element that was present in Fallout 1 back to the series. The protagonist would simply be known as The Psyker.

The Psyker could be the protagonist to a game set anywhere, but preferably a game near or around the core region as that's where FEV is most prominent and potent. Players can choose between one of a few dominances for their powers at the beginning of the game: Electrokinetic, Telekinetic, Photokinetic, Pyrokinetic, and Telepathic. These powers come with an ability that allow the player to roleplay with their chosen power, or dominance.

Once a day, Electrokinetic-Dominant Psykers (INT) are able to bypass a science roll when it comes to computers and digital locks or shoot a powerful bolt of electricity at an enemy.

Once a day, Telekinetic-Dominant Psykers (STR/END) are able to bypass a strength roll or push enemies aside. (Think Skyrim's fus ro dah, but less extreme)

Once a day, Photokinetic-Dominant Psykers (PER) are able to trick people's vision, allowing them to hide in plain sight for a short bit. (Think of using a Stealth Boy, without needing one)

Once a day, Pyrokinetic-Dominant Psykers (AGL) are able to set an enemy ablaze or cause an explosive to detonate.

Once a day, Telepathic-Dominant Psykers (CHA/LCK) are able to bypass a speech roll or convince a shopkeeper to give them a discount.

The once a day is rule is inspired by Baldur's Gate 3's tadpole ability, and an effort to limit the player's power. After all, this isn't supposed to be a power fantasy, rather just a unique ability you gain for your choice of Psyker Dominance. It would also allow replayability as each of these powers are unique and abide by different playstyles.

These powers don't come without cost however. Using these powers will take a portion of your health, and while you can heal yourself back up afterwards, you will also suffer a debuff until you rest for a stat tied to your power, UNLESS you obtain a nullifier of sorts.

The backstory of the Psyker is a blank slate, left up to the player, EXCEPT for the fact that he is somehow either descended from the Master's experiments with FEV or perhaps the result of a new big bad resurrecting these specific kinds of experiments.

What do you think? Let me know.

 

[Iprovidelittlepianos]

What exactly do the attributes have to do with the powers? Is the power more effective with a higher attribute score?

I’m skeptical of the idea of having psykers play a significant role in Fallout. I like how Fallout doesn’t have “magic”, unlike some other sci-fi roleplaying universes (Mass Effect, Underrail, Star Wars RPGs). The Master’s psychic powers are the only ones I really tolerate, I tend to ignore the existence of all others. But the idea of playing as one intrigues me. I still haven’t played BG3 but your idea reminds me of some of the birthsigns in pre-Skyrim Elder Scrolls.

The powers you’ve listed are fine, but I think it would be fun to add more, and have them be unlocked by choosing perks as you level. And maybe the second or third ranks of the perk could allow using the respective power twice or three times a day. Maybe don’t lock the player into only one specialization, but allow them to pick and choose powers from different categories as they level. That could be part of the Psyker’s backstory. He didn’t show any signs of psychic powers at first, so the Master or whoever considered him a failed experiment (and just let him go I guess? If Talius is any indication, the Unity just sets surviving FEV rejects free). Then it turns out he’s actually super powerful, it just takes some time and experience to get there.

Of course, I like the idea of using the powers coming with a cost, and how acquiring a psychic nullifier would mitigate that. I’m thinking what if the powers were a little unpredictable without a nullifier? Like, in “stressful situations” (ie combat), one of your powers randomly activates, causing you to lose the ability to use that power for the day, and if it’s an offensive power it randomly targets someone in combat, including potential allies. Would make Luck pretty important if you plan on fighting alongside allies without a nullifier.

Anyway, sorry for hijacking your idea and adding a bunch of shit, you just got me thinking.

 

[PaxVenire]

What exactly do the attributes have to do with the powers? Is the power more effective with a higher attribute score?

I wasn’t thinking of making them more/less powerful dependent on the stat amount. This is because the Psyker-Dominance already grants the player a free action or roll bypass when the power is chosen.

I’m skeptical of the idea of having psykers play a significant role in Fallout. I like how Fallout doesn’t have “magic”, unlike some other sci-fi roleplaying universes (Mass Effect, Underrail, Star Wars RPGs). The Master’s psychic powers are the only ones I really tolerate, I tend to ignore the existence of all others. But the idea of playing as one intrigues me. I still haven’t played BG3 but your idea reminds me of some of the birthsigns in pre-Skyrim Elder Scrolls.

I completely understand the skepticism of magical powers in Fallout, I agree that Fallout magic should be extremely rare, which is why I didn’t want to make the Psyker protagonist a walking all-powerful God. We’ve seen people with Psyker abilities outside the Master’s compound, and a lot later in the timeline. The Forecaster from New Vegas comes to mind particularly and perhaps is our strongest evidence for Psyker abilities to pass down genetically.

The powers you’ve listed are fine, but I think it would be fun to add more, and have them be unlocked by choosing perks as you level. And maybe the second or third ranks of the perk could allow using the respective power twice or three times a day.

Perks would be good for the player’s selected dominance. Going back to Baldur’s Gate 3, the more Mindflayer tadpoles you collected from the bodies of other infected people, the more perk-like abilities you got to unlock by consuming these tadpoles. Obviously DnD is way more ingrained in magic, and as we both agree, Fallout magic should be at a minimum. There could be some form of compromise where perks give you a bit more power as you proposed with a second or third use before you need to rest, or even allow you to multi-dominate a Psyker ability, at the cost of an extreme debuff. (I.E. You use your Telekinetic-Dominance three times, resulting in a -3 STR until you rest, however you are in the middle of the desert and are now overencumbered as a result of your power use. The Buffout in your pack is looking quite appetizing right now.)

Maybe don’t lock the player into only one specialization, but allow them to pick and choose powers from different categories as they level. That could be part of the Psyker’s backstory. He didn’t show any signs of psychic powers at first, so the Master or whoever considered him a failed experiment (and just let him go I guess? If Talius is any indication, the Unity just sets surviving FEV rejects free). Then it turns out he’s actually super powerful, it just takes some time and experience to get there.

My reasoning for having only one specialization (perhaps two with a perk like you suggested) was both an effort to hamper the magic and also allow for replayability. My idea was for the power, or psyker-dominance, to just be a cool new side mechanic unique to your player being an experiment, not necessarily to make you a Fallout Dragonborn.

I really do like the idea of the protagonist being a uniquely powerful Psyker considered a failure at first. Perhaps this could even act as a story hook for the game. Much like how the Courier was shot and left to find out why, the Psyker could be from some secret lab, and just dumped somewhere random, with the curiosity of who did what to you being a guiding force for the first act of the game.

As for the Master/Unity being the one to do this, the more I think about it, the more I would actually prefer if the experiment was done by some new big bad evil guy rather than the Master/Unity. This would be too predictable and it would kind of be a letdown when the player finds the lab they came from and it’s just Mariposa or the Cathedral, knowing their story ends with the Vault Dweller, and not you.

While I am on the camp of FEV being perfected by the Master and FEV remaining Mariposa-exclusive, I wouldn’t buy that the Master was the only one in Fallout history to experiment with psyker powers. Especially considering our real-world history with MK Ultra type experiments.

Of course, I like the idea of using the powers coming with a cost, and how acquiring a psychic nullifier would mitigate that. I’m thinking what if the powers were a little unpredictable without a nullifier? Like, in “stressful situations” (ie combat), one of your powers randomly activates, causing you to lose the ability to use that power for the day, and if it’s an offensive power it randomly targets someone in combat, including potential allies. Would make Luck pretty important if you plan on fighting alongside allies without a nullifier.

I also really like this idea of an unstable power at first without a nullifier. It would make for some fun moments of random chance as well as maybe even strengthen the player’s curiosity of his power’s origin. Maybe without a nullifier, resting won’t always replenish your power, instead debuffing the stat tied to your power immediately.

This could also give players who don’t use chems in fear of addiction moments where they would look very viable. I’m laughing right now because we’ve basically just made a playable Mama Murphy.

Anyway, sorry for hijacking your idea and adding a bunch of shit, you just got me thinking.

Don’t be! I like spitballing, and the ideas you’ve added got me thinking in turn. I think the Psyker is actually more intriguing to me now with these concepts discussed.