Monday, June 7, 2021

Let's Read: Traveller, 1977 Edition, Worlds & Adventures, page 38

Let's continue with more psionics, specifically Clairvoyance abilities. We've seen Sense (level 2) and Clairvoyance (level 5) thus far. Next up...the radio version of Clairvoyance, Clairaudience. It's identical to the former, so it's also level 5 and costing 2 PSPs + range to use. But it's audio only. So, Clairvoyance is like the Six-Million Dollar Man, for you oldsters like me. Clairaudience is the Bionic Woman's ability.

Next up, the full package of Clairvoyance and Clairaudience together. It's level 9, costs the same as the previous abilities, and allows you to see and hear what's going on at a distance.

Direction allows you to target your extra-sensory abilities, which seems odd; you should be able to aim it right off the bat. But it's a level 3 ability, requiring no points except range costs, and it basically means you can target a specific area, rather than just a general one. Okay, that makes sense.

Clairvoyants are the ultimate spies; they can see and hear at a distance, without anyone having the slightest clue they are around. Their abilities are completely invisible, even to other psionics. Useful, and scary. As beginners, they are level 1 (which means they have no actual power; Sense is level 2), and they get the same 8+ roll once per month as Telepaths do to go up a level. They can do this until they reach their maximum level, based on their psionic strength rating.

Now we move on to the third psionic ability: Telekinesis. Yes, moving things with your mind. Your level determines how much you can lift mentally. At level 1, your mighty powers enable you to move...1 gram of weight. One lousy gram. Do you know what weighs a gram? A raisin, or a paper clip, or a pen cap. Not exactly earth-shattering, is it? Still, it's a start. The table of telekinetic levels goes up to level 10, which tops out at 100 kilograms, or the size of a full-grown man. Well, it's not moving tanks or anything, but lifting someone up off the ground from thirty feet away is still impressive.

There's enough sensory awareness in the TK to manipulate objects in a meaningful way. And if I'm reading this right, the weight you lift determines the PSP you use in that instance. If you throw the object, the cost is doubled. TK ability lasts for up to a minute. Gravity doesn't affect the mass you can move, either; it's mass, not weight that you're lifting. An important distinction that I was wondering about.

And that's it for this page; next time, we'll see what else Telekinesis can do.

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