Psi Overview

In Eclipse Phase, psi abilities are the result of infection by the mutant Watts-MacLeod strain of the exsurgent virus. This plague physically modifies your async’s brain architecture and functions. These alterations are copied when you upload, fork, and resleeve, meaning the infection and psi abilities stay with you when you switch from morph to morph. Async abilities are inherent to the ego and not a biological or genetic predisposition of the morph.

Prerequisites

To be an async, you must purchase the Psi trait during character creation. It is possible to become an async in game via infection by the Watts-MacLeod strain. To wield psi, you must purchase psi sleights with CP or Rez Points. To use psi-gamma sleights, you will also need the Psi skill, though you may default to WIL.

Morphs and Psi

Async abilities only function on a biological substrate — meaning that you require a biological brain and nervous system. An async sleeved in a synthmorph, infomorph, or a biomorph with a cyberbrain may not use their sleights.

Mental Fragmentation

The process of infection had a permanent effect on your async’s mind. Upon becoming infected, you either suffered a mental breakdown or underwent a long, slow process of mental subversion. Either way, you acquired either an Addiction or Mental Disorder negative trait according to your specific sub-strain. This trait does not provide bonus CP and is permanent — it may not be eliminated with psychosurgery or Rez Points.

Sleights

Asyncs manipulate their egos and otherwise create effects that cannot be matched nor mimicked by technological means. To use these abilities, they train their mental processes and practice cognitive algorithms called sleights, which they can subconsciously recall and use as necessary. Sleights fall into two categories: psi-chi (cognitive enhancements) and psi-gamma (brainwave reading and manipulation). Psi-chi sleights are passive, always-on abilities. Psi-gamma sleights must be activated, requiring an action and a Psi skill test. A summary and full list of sleights can be found on Psi Sleight Summaries.

You start with one free sleight, chosen from those available to your specific infection sub-strain. All other sleights must be bought with Customization Points (during character creation) or Rez Points (during game play).

Infection Rating

Your async has an Infection Rating that represents the exovirus’s influence. This rating changes over time, depending on how frequently you use your abilities.

Your base Infection Rating equals your Psi trait level × 10. Every time you use psi-gamma sleights or push a sleight, your Infection Rating increases (Infection Modifiers). Every time you recharge, it decreases (Easing the Infection).

Playing the Infection

Consider having a player other than the async take on the role of the infection. This is particularly useful for the architect and stranger sub-strains, but works for all of them. The infection player can whisper in the async’s ear, describe compulsions and hallucinations, or even maintain a sort of alter-ego internal dialogue with the async.