Psionic powers can have abilities that do basically the same things in slightly different ways. Today’s post converts some Photokinesis abilities to Umbrakinesis.

Umbral Fantasm

Skill: Fantasm (IQ/Hard)

You can rearrange the shadows in a two-yard area to produce believable, moving illusions. This ability works like the Hologram ability (Psionic Powers, pp. 35-36) except that it requires a sufficient amount of darkness (i.e., darkness penalty of -1 or worse). It can work in total darkness by “controlling the shadows” to “produce sufficient light” to allow the illusion to be meaningful. It can’t create a Flash type effect like Hologram, but it can produce startling shadow effects. If your GM agrees that the illusion is sufficiently startling, make a Quick Contest of Fantasm vs the higher of your targets IQ or Perception. If you win, your target must make a Fright Check. The modifiers from Powers p. 94 apply.

Statistics: As Hologram except replace the Environmental limitation with Environmental, Darkness, -10% and the Power Modifier with Necrokinesis, -10%

Tenebrism

4.8/level; 4.16/level using Multiplicative Modifiers

Skill: Tenebrism (IQ/Hard)

You cloak the area around you in darkness and shadow. This works exactly the same as Photorefraction (Psionic Powers, pp. 36-37) except that it is only Stealthy in a sufficient amount of darkness (i.e., darkness penalty of -1 or worse). The darkness need not be natural, but darkness but it must not come from this ability.

Statistics: As Photorefraction except that the Stealthy enhancement is limited by Environmental, Darkness, -10% and the Power Modifier is replaced by Necrokinesis, -10%.

The Blocking variant is available, as is an additional non-stealthy variant.

Designer Notes

The conversions were low effort, but there were enough minor tweaks in special effects to make the changes interesting. Realistically, Tenebrism shouldn’t be stealthy without a significant amount of darkness. Setting a different minimum level is left as an exercise for the reader.

The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.