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GURPS Psionics includes the complete psionic power system for GURPS. It also includes files for complex tricks that players might want to use, and ghosts and other occult phenomena as psi. After pages of psionic technology, it describes psionic characters and campaigns, and then concludes with a psionic setting, a fairly standard present day conspiracy setting.

The psionics rules found in this book include and expand upon the rules found in the Basic set. Split up into powers (telepathy, teleportation, etc.) and skills (telereceive, telesend, mindswitch, etc.), it's impressively cleaner than and superior to any incarnation of the AD&D or Palladium psionics rules. It matches fictional descriptions and real-life reports of psionics. The section on advanced techniques should resolve most questions and clearly explains how to use the powers in combat.

A fairly complete description of the occult world as psionic phenomenon is included, useful mainly if you're planning on running GURPS Horror with heavy psionics. An included section on nonhuman psi powers does have general use, and includes rules for creatures that are psionics catalysts, common in science fiction.

Following is pages of psionic technology ranging from "Russian sleep" to psionic computers and internet to psionic drugs. The section covers psionic technology completely, almost too completely. Most of this needs a science fiction setting with a lot of psionic technology, although it would be useful for any cyberpunk game that involved psionics - particularly the drug section.

The character and campaign sections gratify the player and GM, respectively. The character section offers a dozen character types, with complete description, examples from fiction, and suggested skills and powers. It also includes the requisite new advantages, disadvantages and skills, most of which can be found in Compendium I. The campaign section discusses various psionic campaigns, and more importantly, how psionics fits into the campaign. It also discusses how to fit Psionics in with the other GURPS books out there.

Closing the book is the Phoenix Project. The Phoenix Project is a world of modern conspiracy, where the government tries to control psionics and psis themselves and the psis try to escape government control, with a couple other groups and some freelancers getting involved too. It's fairly standard conspiracy, with a psionics twist, but it's very well written and thought out. Many call for an entire worldbook on this setting.

There are only a few problems with this book. However...

Fantasy and low-tech worlds seems to be ignored in favor of high-tech. All the technology ranges from TL7 (modern day) on up. Possible magic and psionics mixtures are ignored in exchange for a comment about magic and psionics not interacting with each other.

The biggest problem is that most of the psionics rules are in the Basic set. If you enjoy psionics or psis, the additional rules will be useful, and in the right campaign the technology can be invaluable, but most campaigns will run perfectly on just the psionics from the basic set.

This book is truly a superior job by David Pulver. It's well designed and written (and decently illustrated - surprising, because I don't usually like Dan Smith.) If you want more psionics than is in the Basic set, buy it. If you are looking for psi-tech for any system, this is the book. If you are going to create your own psionics system for any game, look at this psionics system first for an example of a superior system. (Cover art by John Zelenik; courtesy of SJ Games)

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

GURPS Psionics
Author: David Pulver Category: game Company/Publisher: Steve Jackson Games Cost: $19.95 Page count: 128 ISBN: 1-55634-196-2 Capsule Review by David Starner on 07/22/98. Genre tags: none	<-- Thanks to Sandy Antures for the html code here--> GURPS Psionics includes the complete psionic power system for GURPS. It also includes files for complex tricks that players might want to use, and ghosts and other occult phenomena as psi. After pages of psionic technology, it describes psionic characters and campaigns, and then concludes with a psionic setting, a fairly standard present day conspiracy setting. The psionics rules found in this book include and expand upon the rules found in the Basic set. Split up into powers (telepathy, teleportation, etc.) and skills (telereceive, telesend, mindswitch, etc.), it's impressively cleaner than and superior to any incarnation of the AD&D or Palladium psionics rules. It matches fictional descriptions and real-life reports of psionics. The section on advanced techniques should resolve most questions and clearly explains how to use the powers in combat. A fairly complete description of the occult world as psionic phenomenon is included, useful mainly if you're planning on running GURPS Horror with heavy psionics. An included section on nonhuman psi powers does have general use, and includes rules for creatures that are psionics catalysts, common in science fiction. Following is pages of psionic technology ranging from "Russian sleep" to psionic computers and internet to psionic drugs. The section covers psionic technology completely, almost too completely. Most of this needs a science fiction setting with a lot of psionic technology, although it would be useful for any cyberpunk game that involved psionics - particularly the drug section. The character and campaign sections gratify the player and GM, respectively. The character section offers a dozen character types, with complete description, examples from fiction, and suggested skills and powers. It also includes the requisite new advantages, disadvantages and skills, most of which can be found in Compendium I. The campaign section discusses various psionic campaigns, and more importantly, how psionics fits into the campaign. It also discusses how to fit Psionics in with the other GURPS books out there. Closing the book is the Phoenix Project. The Phoenix Project is a world of modern conspiracy, where the government tries to control psionics and psis themselves and the psis try to escape government control, with a couple other groups and some freelancers getting involved too. It's fairly standard conspiracy, with a psionics twist, but it's very well written and thought out. Many call for an entire worldbook on this setting. There are only a few problems with this book. However... Fantasy and low-tech worlds seems to be ignored in favor of high-tech. All the technology ranges from TL7 (modern day) on up. Possible magic and psionics mixtures are ignored in exchange for a comment about magic and psionics not interacting with each other. The biggest problem is that most of the psionics rules are in the Basic set. If you enjoy psionics or psis, the additional rules will be useful, and in the right campaign the technology can be invaluable, but most campaigns will run perfectly on just the psionics from the basic set. This book is truly a superior job by David Pulver. It's well designed and written (and decently illustrated - surprising, because I don't usually like Dan Smith.) If you want more psionics than is in the Basic set, buy it. If you are looking for psi-tech for any system, this is the book. If you are going to create your own psionics system for any game, look at this psionics system first for an example of a superior system. (Cover art by John Zelenik; courtesy of SJ Games) Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)