Will to Power: a 2E-inspired Psionics Mod

2.7
Languages: English

Author: The Subtle Doctor

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Overview

This mod endeavors to add a psionics system to the BG games which uses completely new mechanics. It is experimental, doing things that the game engine was not really designed for. But in play it should give you a new king of character with new kinds of abilities. I have no idea how it is balanced, power-wise, against the game's traditional warrior and magic-using classes... let's find out! :)

Installation

Windows:
The mod archive should be extracted into your game folder from the archive (or just unzipped and then copied there). If properly extracted, you should have a "will_to_power" folder and "setup-will_to_power.exe" in your game folder. To install, simply double-click "setup-will_to_power.exe" and follow the instructions on screen.

Run setup-might_and_guile.exe in your game folder to reinstall, uninstall or otherwise change components.

MacOS:
This mod is packaged and installed with WeiDU. To install, simply extract the contents of the mod into your game folder. If properly extracted, you should have a folder called "will_to_power," a file called "weidu," and the "Mac WeiDU Launcher" in your game directory. To install, simply double-click the WeiDU Launcher, choose "Will_to_Power" from the list, and follow the instructions on screen.

Compatibility

Will to Power is designed to work with the Enhanced Edition Infinity Engine games in the 2.x series of patches. (So, not PSTEE.)

This mod should be compatible with almost all other popular mods. It is at heart a kit mod, adding three kits to the game and unique game mechanics for those kits to use, without affecting other classes or kits or game mechanics.

Install Order:
Probably it should be after most other kits. Like maybe immediately before Might & Guile. (Kits installed after WtP will not have a chance to be Wild Talents.)

Modder Resources:
Will to Power adds three custom spellstates to SPLSTATE.IDS. It uses stat 33, "Tracking," to track PSPs, and will conflict with mods that use that stat in ways that are not limited to a kit or power. (My 'Mana Sorcerer' mod also uses the tracking stat, but it is fully compatible with Will to Power.)

Component 100:

The WtP Psionics System

In the Forgotten Realms you may commonly find magic users, who use words and gestures to harness, control, and shape external energies that infuse the world. A psion, on the other hand, learns to harness, control, and shape the energy that infuses his own being. The ability to utilize that energy results from a combination of long study, intense meditation, and rigorous physical conditioning. Through that training, a psion develops the ability to expand his mind past the limits of his body. With experience, he may perform great feats of strength, manipulate energy, move objects, or touch others' minds. While this seems supernatural, for a skilled psion it is no different from the way he uses his mind to lift his arm, or move his legs to walk.

Of course, hard running and heavy lifting take a toll on the body, and psionics is no different. Just as muscles contain stores of chemical energy that can be depleted, only to be recharged by rest and eating, so can psionic powers temporarily utilize stored biological energy. In-game, this is represented by a temporary reduction in your maximum hit points.

What this means in-game is that you will have a store of PSPs which can fuel your abilities; when you exhaust your PSPs, you can still use psionic powers but doing so will sap youir 'max hit points' value. This will recover over time... slowly - one hit point per two rounds.

Psionic powers have a 'casting time' of 1 and behave as if the player has Improved Alacrity active, so unlike magic users you can use powers more than once per 6 seconds. However, the use of each power induces a +2 penalty to casting time for one round, so their use becomes progressively slower if you use them too quickly. (Note: the mage/psion "Cerebremancer" will be able to cast spells within 6 seconds of using a psionic power, but the spell will take on that +2 casting time penalty; conversely, they cannot use psionic powers less than 6 seconds after casting a spell. The use of magic is simply too intense to use other supernatural abilities that soon afterward.)

Psionic powers are divided into five disciplines:

Psionic powers are categorized as "devotions," or minor powers which cost 4 PSPs/max hit points; "sciences," or major powers which cost 10 PSPs/max hit points; and "high sciences," which are the pinnacle their discipline and cost 20 PSPs/max hit points. (Note: every power in the Metapsionics pseudo-discipline is functionally a high science.)

Sleeping for a full 8 hours will fully restore all of a psion's PSPs. Members of the various psionic classes will also get an innate ability called "Restorative Meditation," which can only be used outside of combat. This ability allows the psion to regain half of the PSPs that have been spent since the last time they meditated or slept.

Wild Talents

This mod introduces a small chance that any playable character might have some latent psionic abilities, even if they are not in a psion class. Joinable NPCs will have an innate "check for Wild Talent" ability. Upon using this innate, there is a ~5% chance that the NPC will discover the ability to use a random psionic devotion from one of the five disciplines; there is a ~1% chance they will be able to use a science; and there is a ~1% chance they will be able to use two psionic powers. There is a ~94% chance that nothing happens.

As a demonstration of how this works, Haer'Dalis will automatically be a Wild Talent, getting one power from a select group.

The WtP Psionic Powers

Telepathy

Telekinesis

Pyrokinesis

Biokinesis

Clairsentience

Metapsionics

Component 200:

Add the PSIONICIST (thief kit)

PSIONICIST: the Psionicist is someone with roguish skills, but who (mostly) turns away from larcenous pursuits, and spends time focusing on education and meditation, to fully harness the power of the mind and the body. Psionicists are generally well-educated and very self-reliant. Through study and discipline, they can learn to use psychic abilities from any psionic discipline.NOTE: the Psionicist kit is chosen from the single-class thief/rogue menu. Upon starting the game, you must use the "Initialize Psionics" ability which will make you a multiclass thief/psion. Psionic development proceeds according to the Cleric XP and thac0 tables, so the character record sheet will look like a cleric/thief.

Abilities:
– Begins with access to the first power in all five psionic disciplines: Mind Ward, Project Force, Static Discharge, Adrenaline Rush, and Object Reading. The Psionicist can proceed to learn two additional powers with each new level of experience.
– Psionicists begin with 15 Psionic Strength Points (PSPs). They gain 5 more PSPs per level through 20th level, and 2 per level after that.

Restrictions:
– May only distribute 15 skill points per level into thief skills.
– May not Pick Pockets or Set Traps.
– May not be Chaotic.
.

Component 300:

Add the SOULBLADE (fighter kit)

SOULBLADE: SOULBLADE: these warriors uses meditation to harness psychic powers in order to enhance their martial abilities. They spend time focusing on education and meditation, to fully harness the power of the mind and the body. Soulblades are generally well-educated and very self-reliant. Through study and discipline, they can learn to use psychic abilities from any psionic discipline.

NOTE: the Soulblade kit is chosen from the single-class fighter menu. Upon starting the game, you must use the "Initialize Psionics" ability which will make you a multiclass fighter/psion. Psionic development proceeds according to the Cleric XP and thac0 tables, so the character record sheet will look like a fighter/cleric.

Abilities:
– Soulblades begins with access to the first power in all five psionic disciplines: Mind Ward, Project Force, Static Discharge, Adrenaline Rush, and Object Reading. The Soulblade can proceed to learn two additional powers at each new even level of experience, and one additional power at each new odd level of experience, up to level 14. From level 15 onward they may learn one additional power.
– Soulblades begin with 15 Psionic Strength Points (PSPs). They gain 5 more PSPs per level through 20th level, and 2 per level after that.

Restrictions:
– Limited to medium armors.
– May not be Chaotic.
.

Component 400:

Add the PSYPHER (ranger kit)

PSYPHER: these warriors uses meditation to harness psychic powers in order to enhance their survival abilities. They spend time focusing on education and meditation, to fully harness the power of the mind and the body. Psyphers are generally well-educated and extremely self-reliant. Through study and discipline, they can learn to use psychic abilities from any psionic discipline.

NOTE: the Psypher kit is chosen from the single-class ranger menu. Upon starting the game, you must use the "Initialize Psionics" ability which will make you a multiclass ranger/psion. Psionic development proceeds according to the Cleric XP and thac0 tables, so the character record sheet will look like a ranger/cleric.

Abilities:
– Psyphers begins with access to the first power in all five psionic disciplines: Mind Ward, Project Force, Static Discharge, Adrenaline Rush, and Object Reading. The Psypher can proceed to learn two additional powers at each new even level of experience, and one additional power at each new odd level of experience, up to level 14. From level 15 onward they may learn one additional power.
– Psyphers begin with 15 Psionic Strength Points (PSPs). They gain 5 more PSPs per level through 20th level, and 2 per level after that.
– Psyphers are not constrained to a particular alignment or reputations core, and do not 'fall' like some rangers do.

Restrictions:
– Limited to light armors.
– Psyphers cannot cast divine spells.
– May not be Chaotic.
.

Component 999:

Allow Multiclass Clerics to Use More Weapons

Since psionic development uses the Cleric class as a template, as a technical matter all psions operate as multiclass clerics in the game. The only problem is that clerics are by default bound by an ethos that precludes using pointed or edged weapons, and psions are not supposed to have any such restriction. If you install this component, is will liberalize which weapons can be used by ALL multiclass clerics, and liberalizes the proficiencies available only to the psion classes:

This of course will have implications for no-psionic class in your game; it is completely optional, and you can instead just play psions with blunt weapons. Your choice of course. This component will not ba available if you have already installed the armor/weapon usability changes from Faiths & Powers; in that case the pionic kits will use the FnP system to be able to use a variety of pointed and edged weapons.

Contact Information

This mod was created by SubtleDoctor. You can visit The Gibberlings Three for information on this and many other fine mods.

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Huge thanks in particular to kjeron, Camdawg, Mike1072, kreso, Grammarsalad, Aquadrizzt, and more for advice and help with the code. And to everyone discussing it in various threads at Gibberlings3 and the Beamdog forums, for helping to sort through my good and bad ideas and helping me get the best ones implemented.

Thanks to the still active and vibrant Infinity Engine modding community.

Tools Used in Creation
WeiDU by Wes Weimer, and then the bigg and then Wisp
Near Infinity by Jon Olav Hauglid, and then Argent77 and Astrobryguy
IESDP maintained by igi

Credits and Copyright Information

Copyright 2018. If you want to use or adapt any part of this mod in another mod or similar endeavor, please try to contact me at forums.gibberlings3.net or forums.beamdog.com to discuss it. As a general rule, I have no problem with that as long as you credit the source of the work. If you cannot get in touch with me, assume that you have my permission to use any of this code for any project that is non-commercial, offered for free, and intended for the greater enjoyment of players of Infinity Engine games. You may NOT use this code for any profit-making or commercial venture, without express permission from me.

Version History

Version 0.9 - February 2020

Version 0.8 - Sometime in 2018

Version 0.7 - September 2018