New Psychic Discipline - Virtenics (Combat Psychic)

EDIT: We made some changes based on u/DominikIlchenko critique!

Hey everyone!

A friend and I have been working on something for our SWN campaign and today I wanted to share this labour with you :) Now we are not min maxers, nor are we designers of games, so although it may seem to me that this is balanced against the other disiplince (though admittedly I think overs is a bit more powerful by design), We are just two people in a room. So feel free to use and critique this disipline any and all feedback is appriciated. DISCLAIMER: It has been never used, we literally just finished making it.

tl;dr: Made new psychic disipline, please tell us how bad/good it is, but also feel free to use it :D

Psychic Discipline: Virtenics

The Power of Virtenics was specifically designed to create the most able combat psychic. This discipline is a dangerous insight into what a powerful mind can do in the heat of battle. Mastering these abilities in their full potential can take years, but army instructors have figured out a way to minimize the risk and amplify the effectiveness of the powers listed below so that they can be used in a skirmish.

Level 1: Pitch-Noise

The first thing one would learn is to manipulate slight intricacies of sound around them to disrupt others and protect themselves. The psychic chooses a target. Said target must roll a Mental Save or suffer a -2 to hit or -1 to all skill checks for 1 round. Alternatively, this ability can be used as a distracting ability to prevent Ranged Attacks of Opportunity against the psychic (Something I have in my homebrew rules).

Level 2: Weapon Adjustment

A psychic must learn to use and mend the tools of war, and as such they may also manipulate its structure in an act of malice. Improve or Decrease Weapon Condition by three levels (The condition mechanic is taken from Other Dust).

Level 3: Momentum/Apathy

Heightening awareness or hindering it can turn the tide of battle, allowing the psychic to use their powers to their fullest potential. Increase your initiative with an additional 1d4 or alternatively, make someone lose 1d4 points of initiative. The ability can only be used once at the beginning of combat

Level 4: Cerebral Maul

But tools of war can fail, guns may jam and blades dull over time. A psychic’s mind however, is ever sharp and vigilant. Psychic chooses a target, then said target must make a mental save or suffer Discipline Level/2 d10 damage. On a success, the target is unaffected. At Level 9, the ability grants 5d10 damage.

Level 5: Precise Highlighting

The psychic creates some sort of distorting or highlighting field around a number of people, up to a maximum of 6. These individuals will either have a -2 or +2 to their armor for the duration of the psychic’s concentration. The psychic can choose the modifier in case by case basis, granting some bonuses and others hindrances. This concentration will require their full attention however, besides their other psychic abilities and has an effective range of 120 meters expanding outwards with the psychic as a center.

Level 6: False Fervor

To control a mind one must have perfect concentration, but even a slight alteration within one's brain can turn the tide and make an excellent commander into a babbling idiot or a precise sniper into an amateur. The psychic chooses a single target and manipulates their inflow of endorphins to an unbalanced degree, making their decisions clouded. The Player may ask the DM what this target next move is going to be. The player than can propose a reasonable alteration to this move that stays in the same category. The situation applies 3 modifier to the situation, be it a - 3 to hit/damage/ac/skill rolls/saves and so on. It is up to the DM’s discretion as to what is possible, but here is an example: “The target wants to shoot the players, so they decided that yes they will shoot him, but will be aiming at non-vital parts of their body such as legs or arms, meaning that the player will receive a bonus to AC based on the modifier provided above”.

Level 7: Mind Flaying

Disruption of nominal functions is one thing, but absolute halt of a cerebral system can do things, that not many can dream of producing. A long range ability with a maximum distance of 350 meters that allows the psychic to choose up to three targets that they are aware of. Said targets must make Physical saves and on a failure they collapse on the floor immediately with system strain at full. On a successful save, the target is one point from hitting maximum system strain and must make a mental save. If they fail that save, they will be stunned until the beginning of the psychic’s next turn.

Level 8: Caged Tether

A mind is a set of gears that all must turn in order for it to function. A psychic is like a mechanic, they may either fix the gears, or break them entirely. The psychic chooses a target, and this allows a microsecond shutdown and control of a nerve system, to bend the person entirely to the psychic’s whim. This last for one round, allowing the psychic to control the mind of a target or make them say something of their desire or any other creative use, but these thoughts cannot be brought to self harm. This ability puts the psychic at their system strain maximum, but does not make them go unconscious, as this power debilitates them mentally in an immense fashion.

Level 9: Ascension

In the end, we are nothing but pure biological machines, that can be altered into overdrive, but of course as with anything, such benign powers comes a price. The Psychic chooses a target, amplifying their power to the maximum, where they are capable of powers of a demi god. As of this moment, the affected target can attack three times per round. This ability costs system strain each round, the number is doubled every time a new round begins after the initial casting (1/2/4/8 and so on). This ability can be cast at a range of 30 meters on a target the psychic is aware of but once cast it lasts an indefinite range. If the psychic chooses to disable this ability, the target suffers 1 system strain immediately. If this meets their system strain maximum, they suffer a heart attack and may die. To avoid death, they must succeed a Physical Save.