Pyrokinesis represents the ability to cause objects to spontaneously combust. Psychics with this power are usually referred to as pyrokinetics. Pyrokinesis is separate and distinct from Thermokinesis (see below), the latter of which permits a psychokinetic to actually manipulate ambient temperature. Pyrokinesis does not directly produce heat. Instead, this power triggers a chemical reaction that causes a given material to burn. A fire triggered by this power continues to burn until its fuel has been exhausted or until the fire is put out normally. A pyrokinetic can also extinguish an existing flame (whether or not she started it), but stopping a fire may be more difficult than starting one, as a fire may quickly spread to encompass a bigger area than where it was ignited. Once a fire is set, it follows all normal rules for fire damage.

A character with Pyrokinesis must overcome three difficulties in starting a fire: the size of the fire to be set, the desired heat level of the flame and the relative flammability of the material to be ignited. The modifiers applied to an attack roll for each of these criteria are listed below.

* A pyrokinetic cannot create a fire larger than a bonfire with a single application of this power.

* Thermokinesis is required to create temperatures hotter than a Bunsen burner, such as a chemical fire or molten metal.

* Igniting anything more flame resistant than this requires Thermokinesis.

The roll to start a fire involves Wits + Resolve. When the pyrokinetic seeks to ignite a person or some other target capable of movement, the attempt is treated as a ranged attack. Defense does not apply, but the pyrokinetic suffers a –2 penalty when attempting to ignite a moving target. Short range for a pyrokinetic attack is equal to a psychic’s Intelligence + Wits + Pyrokinesis dots in yards. Medium range is twice that distance and imposes a –2 penalty on an attack dice pool. Long range is up to twice medium range and imposes a –4 penalty on an attack dice pool.

The damage inflicted with a successful pyrokinetic attack is equal to one point of lethal damage for each success. This damage pool (minus the benefits of any heat-resistant armor) is inflicted every turn on anyone set ablaze until the fire is put out.

Once a fire is set, it can be put out normally or extinguished instantly with another application of Pyrokinesis. Putting out an existing fire requires an extended Stamina + Resolve roll with the number of successes required equal to the Size of the blaze +1, with each roll taking one turn’s action.

Cost: 1 Willpower
Dice Pool: Wits + Resolve to start a fire. Stamina + Resolve to snuff one out.
Action: Instant to start a fire. Extended to snuff out a fire, with each roll representing one turn.

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure:
The psychic suffers one point of lethal damage due to painful psychic feedback. Alternately, the psychic might produce a flame of the desired intensity but not where he wants it to combust. A pyrokinetic attempting to snuff a flame might make it larger instead.

Failure:
The attempt to start or extinguish a fire is unsuccessful.

Success:
The pyrokinetic ignites his target. If attempting to snuff out a flame, the pyrokinetic accumulates a number of successes equal to the Size of the fire +1.

Exceptional Success:
Additional successes are their own reward.

Option [Emotional Pyrokinesis]: Whenever a pyrokinetic is in the grip of strong emotion, the Storyteller may direct the player to roll Resolve + Composure with a dice penalty equal to the intensity of the emotion as described by the Emotional Response table below. If the roll is unsuccessful, the pyrokinetic’s powers function randomly, igniting small, nearby flammable objects. A dramatic failure means that this pyrokinetic activity might flare up at random intervals over the next several days whenever the pyrokinetic is agitated. Such wild phenomena do not require the expenditure of a Willpower point. A pyrokinetic with this option gains a +2 bonus on all deliberate uses of this power.