Pyramid Review
Mindwalking: A Guide to Psionics (for Alternity)
Published by Wizards of the Coast
96 pages, $18.95
The second major general rule expansion for the Alternity game system, Mindwalking: A Guide to Psionics, expands upon the already strong core rules for Psionics adding a variety of elements that Game Masters can easily adapt for their own campaign settings. Author JD Wilker's goal is to provide a set of tools for GMs to use for developing Psionics in their game worlds. These tools include the mechanics for running psionics, how to run them and what trouble spots to avoid.
The introduction establishes a basic definition of psi powers and effects as well as an overview of how psionics will affect characters, non-player characters and creatures, and campaigns as a whole. The role of psionics in the two existing Alternity settings, Star*Drive and DarkMatter, are also examined.
The next section focuses on the mechanics of Alternity psionics. New powers, skills, perks, and flaws are described. Alternity provides two methods for having psionic characters. The first is the Talent, other character professions who happen to have a psionic skill (or skills). Talents are provided both as a character development option for players as well as a way of controlling the level of psionics in the game for the game master.
The primary psionic character is the Mindwalker. The Mindwalker creation rules, already present in the core Alternity system, are revised, . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: February 25, 2000
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