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he Babylon Project, Babylon Project, Babylon5, Babylon 5, TBP, Role Playing Game, RPG, Rules, Technomages, Telepaths, Psi Corps, Psi, P rating,
These rules are an unofficial supplement to The Babylon Project. A Role Playing
Game by Chameleon Eclectic. This setting for this game is based on the Babylon
5 television show by Warner Bros. Please feel free to
mail me with any
comments, corrections, or changes.
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This page is for rules concerned with Telepaths and has some notes on Technomages.
For additional rules go back to the index.
In the TV show, it has been stated officially that it is impossible for a telepath's P-rating to increase without dramatic outside intervention (i.e. Vorlons). However, this doesn't work that well for a game where the initial characters start off fairly weak; as they do in the base TBP character generation system.
Thus I propose this change in the character creation process. Instead of buying P attribute a two skill points per attribute they can by Psionic Potential (at one Point per skill) and then buy the actual psionic attribute for one level per skill point (up to the potential). Characters would still be limited to trading in a maximum of eight skill points for psionic attributes.
1) Thus a character who wished to start out at attribute four would spend 4 skill point to get a maximum potential of four, and would then spend another four points to buy the actual attribute. This exactly parallels the existing character creation process. In addition this character will NEVER be able to raise their psi-rating by spending experience points.
2) However, a character who wished to have potential to raise their skills could spend 7 initial skill points on Psionic Potential, and only 1 point on the actual attribute. This character would start out much weaker than character 1 above, but could spend seven experience points per attribute level to raise their psi attribute to a maximum value of the Psionic Potential (in this case 7).
Note: The relevant telepath monitoring organization (i.e. Psi Corp) will know what your ultimate potential is,. as well as your current attribute. This has it's ups and downs. Since potential is known, showing up with extra powers isn't grounds for summary vivisection, "I want your body" (cut, cut). however, failure to develop the attribute may get criticism for 'slacking' during the routine scans.
Chris Upchurch has a very similar system on his web page.
Technomages should not normally be available as a PC character. They rarely "leave their places of power". This is because they really have very little (or possibly no) special characteristics. Their abilities are simply very specialized technology. Is the holographic projector that the mage uses in the first season that different than the battle management projector system on the White Star? Not really. Technomages on their home ground have many tricks, traps, and other devices at their finger tips at home, but are limited when traveling to small systems they can transport with them.
Technomages do have access to some 'ancient technologies' that allow them to see reflections of future probabilities. By the time they show up on B5 the crew of the Icarus has already gone where they shouldn't have and the WAR was certain (or near certain) to happen. No one knows how much the Technomages saw, but we can be fairly sure that running was a wise choice.
The Centauri Empire will cheerfully take your comments if you send them to our local Ambassador .