Psychic Virus
Psychic virus [Major] by Iczer
The character is able to transmit a psychic virus on touch to others. This virus must be delivered with a touch, not a strike in combat (though a grab will suffice). Characters afflicted with this virus must save vs psi (16+) or suffer its effects. There are a few exceptions.
1) Those willing to be afflicted automatically fail the save (even if they believe the affliction to be benign, or the affliction is concealed as something else)
2) People of low mental fortitude fail automatically (ME’s of 8 or less, IQ’s of 8 or less)
3) People already afflicted with this are –2 to save
4) Animals, even mutant ones are immune
5) Psychics, or anyone with ISP automatically succeed, and have a 30% chance of realising the infection.
6) Anyone under the effect of a mind shield of any sort succeeds automatically
7) Magicians, or any spell caster have a +3 to save
8) People of extraordinarily high will (ME 16+) automatically save
9) People with pseudo psychic powers (mental stun, diving aura, mind control, transferral/possession etc) have +4 to save.
Of the above, only numbers 4,5 and 6 are unable to voluntarily get infected.
Infected characters lose 1 ME point and become susceptible to commands and implications from the character. This is not slavish devotion, merely the kind of devotion one can expect from lifelong friends and bosom buddies. Infected individuals will never betray the character, nor will they act against his best interests. Nor will they sacrifice their principles or their alignment (though they will bend them).
The character draws strength from this bond. His virus may infect 30 people per level. Every person infected grants him an extra SDC point. Every 3 infected grant him an extra PS point. Every 10 increases his healing rate (x2 at 10, x3 at 20, x4 at 30 etc..) every 15 grants him a natural AR (10 at 15, +1 for every 15 extra) every 30 infected grant him an extra attack per melee.
The character may issue general commands through an empathic link with his brood. Commands such as ‘be nice to one another’ or ‘you all now hate superheroes’ are general and permeate the thoughts of the victims in a subtle way.
Strain the bond: the character can also strain his bond. He can explicitly order 1 member of his brood per level to obey him. If this command strains the individual’s alignment, he is allowed a new saving throw to shake off the infection. If he fails he will obey the command happily. The virus is detectable at the psychic level through powers such as psychic diagnosis and see aura, as well as through the power of supersurgeon. In addition, a chemical analysis of an infected person’s blood will reveal the presence of the virus
At fifth level, the character can make his psychic virus contagious. Contagious viri may pass from victim to victim, spreading beyond the immediate range of the character. The character is still limited to 30 victims per level in this fashion, and the character can veto any new transmission. At fifth level the virus is also a spoilsport. Victims who are cured go into a mild withdrawal for 6d6 days.
Curing the virus: there are several ways to free victims of the virus. An analytical hardware character with a fully stocked lab and a sample of the virus, may tray to make a cure (-30%). Psychic purification has an 80% chance of removing the virus, while magical cures have a flat 10% per level of the spell used chance of success. Another cure is to attempt counter brainwashing techniques (5% chance per day). Alternatively one can go straight to the source. If the character is beaten down to HP, his hold on others weakens significantly. Once he has lost all SDC, all victims get a saving throw at +2. after that point, every blow shakes 1d4 victims free. Alternatively, the character can release a victim at will. When a victim is no longer infected, his ME returns to him.
Other bonuses:
- +1d4 IQ, ME, MA. +1d6 PB
- +4 to save vs psionics. Half effect even if the save is failed. (immune to psionics after 100 victims)
- Able to sense the general well being of all victims, as well as general location. Will know if a victim is cured, or is in the process of brainwashing.
