Biokinesis governs a psychic’s ability to manipulate the biological processes of living things. The scientific explanation for biokinesis eludes most parapsychologists. The most commonly accepted explanation relies on Wilhelm Reich’s theories regarding orgone energy, which are consistent with biokinetics’ claims that they can perceive and manipulate some form of ambient “life energy.” Biokinesis permits a psychic to manipulate his own personal life force to alter his body in three ways. First, Biokinesis is a prerequisite for a number of other powers that allow a psychic to manipulate life energy. Second, the power can aid a psychic in attempts to control his own mind and body. Each dot in Biokinesis is added as a bonus die to all attempts to either meditate or to enter a trance state.
Finally, Biokinesis allows a psychic to make minor alterations to his own physical body, temporarily affording him the benefit of certain Physical or Mental Merits, including some from the World of Darkness Rulebook and others listed here. Each Merit gained this way has a “success cost” equivalent to the Merit’s normal rating. The player must make an extended Intelligence + Composure roll with each roll representing a number of minutes equal to the success cost of the desired Trait. A Merit gained through Biokinesis lasts for the duration of a scene unless stated otherwise. Normally, the psychic can gain only a single Merit with a roll, but a biokinetic’s successes can be spent on multiple Merits with an exceptional success. In order to be able to use a Merit, the psychic must meet any prerequisites for that trait, and the psychic must have Biokinesis dots equal to [the success cost of the Merit +1]. The Merits that can be acquired through this power include the following:
Eidetic Memory (Two successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Fast Reflexes (One or two successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Fleet of Foot (One to three successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Fresh Start (One success): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Hysterical Strength (Variable successes): The psychic can trigger a massive surge of adrenaline, temporarily boosting his own Strength. For every success spent to purchase Hysterical Strength, the psychic increases his Strength by one dot to a maximum of 5. Doing so is very taxing and potentially life threatening. Every turn in which the psychic actually uses his augmented Strength (for example, to lift something heavy or to strike a powerful blow), he suffers one point of bashing damage. The increase in adrenaline also makes the psychic extremely excitable, and he is at a –1 penalty on all Composure-based rolls to resist provocation to anger while the power is in effect. This Merit lasts for a number of turns equal to the psychic’s Biokinesis rating.
Improved Awareness (One to three successes): For each success spent, the psychic gains a +1 bonus on all Perception rolls. This Merit lasts for one scene.
Improved Immune System (Four successes): While this Merit is active, the psychic can attempt to cure himself of diseases, poisons or drug effects by temporarily heightening the effectiveness of his immune system. The player must make an extended Stamina + Resolve roll, with each roll reflecting one hour recovering from a drug or poison or one day spent recuperating from an illness. During this period, the character can take no action more strenuous than walking, and, ideally, should have complete bed rest. The number of successes required is determined by the severity of the disease, drug or poison from which the psychic seeks to recover. Generally, common colds require three to five, while cancer, AIDS and other persistent or deadly diseases might require as many as 30 successes to send into remission. Similarly, a single success might be required to overcome the effects of alcohol or minor food poisoning, while five or so might be required to overcome the effects of LSD or a rattlesnake bite. Note that if a poison or toxin is especially fast acting — having a lethal effect within turns or minutes rather than hours or days — this capability may be of no use against it.
This power can affect only mundane diseases, drugs and poisons. It cannot aid the psychic in curing himself of a blood bond. This power also does not affect any supernatural diseases or poisons. It also has no affect on psychological addictions, although it can cure the physiological effect of an addiction.
Iron Stamina (One to three successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Iron Stomach (Two successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Natural Immunity (One success): This Merit lasts for one day per dot of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Pain Resistance (Three successes): The psychic becomes extraordinarily resistant to the physical side effects of pain and injury. Wound penalties are reduced by one, and the character gains a +1 bonus on rolls to stay conscious after all Health boxes have been filled with bashing damage, all for the duration of the scene.
Quick Healer (Four successes): This Merit lasts for one day per dot of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Strong Back (One success): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Strong Lungs (Three successes): This Merit lasts for one scene.
Toxin Resistance (Two successes): This Merit lasts for one day per point of Biokinesis or until the psychic uses his Biokinesis again, whichever comes first.
Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Composure
Action: Extended
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure:
The psychic suffers one point of bashing damage due to painful psychic feedback. He cannot attempt to use his Biokinesis powers for the remainder of the scene.
Failure:
The psychic fails to accumulate any successes for now, but may keep trying, or utterly fails to manifest any biokinetic benefi ts.
Success:
Accumulated successes can be used to temporarily acquire a single desired Merit, provided the psychic meets any prerequisites and his Biokinesis dots equal or exceed the desired Merit’s success cost, plus one.
Exceptional Success:
Accumulated successes can be used to acquire multiple Merits temporarily, with successes allocated for dots as the player chooses.