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I've always had issue with Psyker powers being a power lottery, both from a competitive stance (random powers not being internally balanced versus one another), and from a "your dudes" stance. While most of the powers and disciplines are still being drafted up, I'm looking for feedback and suggestions based on the core changes, as well as a sample reworking of Pyromancy.

==Psyker Rules==

A Psyker has a Mastery Level, ranging from 1-4, and may select powers from different Disciplines. For each Mastery Level, the Psyker knows two powers; these are recorded at army creation.

The six core disciplines are: Biomancy, Divination, Pyromancy, Telekinesis, Telepathy, and Theosophamy (Sanctic powers mostly). Each discipline has 4 basic powers, and 2 advanced powers. For a Psyker to take an advanced power, the Psyker must select two basic powers from the same discipline.

The game keeps a Psyker Phase, but there is no rolling for Warp Charge dice at the start of each turn. An army always receives 2 dice per turn (Necrons receive 4) which may be used strictly for denial. Adamantium Will doesn't give a +1 bonus to the deny roll, but gives a free die instead.

A Psyker has two warp charge per mastery level.

Basic powers manifest on 4+, while advanced powers manifest on 5+.
Rolling two or more 6s results in a Perils roll.
Some Psykers can Push. This grants them a free die on manifestation rolls (a minimum of one die must be spent), but *any* double caused by at least one Push die results in a Perils roll. For example, if a Psyker uses one regular warp charge, and one from pushing, any double would cause a perils.

Psychic Powers have variable effects based on the number of successful warp charges manifested; the effects are determined after the roll, and not before declaring to use x number of WC. In any case, most powers can only benefit from a maximum of 4 WC unless otherwise specified.

Deny the Witch rolls can negate extra successes, even if the original power is not successfully denied. For each successful deny roll, remove one die from the manifestation attempt. The actual denial mechanics could use additional tweaking, but I am considering something like : "Deny is 4+ by default, every 2 WC sacrificed=1 deny die."

Finally, some powers are called Abjurations. Unlike other powers, they can only be cast when certain conditions are met. However, they can even be cast during an enemy's psyker phase. Some Abjurations can trigger other Abjurations.

Here is Pyromancy reworked under the system; the powers themselves may be modified accordingly but the idea is to show how the variable WC system would work. Most of the powers are direct damage though they operate on different targets/roles. I feel that Flashbang is a potential auto-take while Burn The Witch, while cute, is more situational, but that none of the powers are real duds (with possible exception of the regular Fireball, though it could easily be usable by a low-level psyker).
Scouring Flame: S5 Ap4, template. For each success beyond the first, +1 Strength and -1 AP, to max of S8/AP1.
Flashbang. Malediction power, range 18". Enemy must test for Blindness. Each success beyond the first causes a -1 penalty to the Initiative Test (max -3 penalty).
Burn the Witch!: Abjuration Witchfire. Cast on an enemy psyker within 18" immediately after it manifests a power. For each WC that was used for the power, the Psyker takes one S4 AP 5 hit ignoring cover; Look Out Sir! rolls may not be taken. For each WC beyond the first used to Burn The Witch, these hits are +1 Strength and -1 AP, max of S7 AP 2.
Fireball: Range 24, Strength 4, AP 5, Assault WC (max 4), blast, Barrage, ignore cover.
(Advanced) Molten Gaze: Strength 8, AP 1, Armorbane. Beam, range 6. Each success grants an extra 6" range.
(Advanced) Cleansing Flames: Nova Power, Range 12. All enemy units within range take D6 S5 AP 4 hits per successfully manifested WC.

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Psychic Powers have variable effects based on the number of successful warp charges manifested; the effects are determined after the roll, and not before declaring to use x number of WC. In any case, most powers can only benefit from a maximum of 4 WC unless otherwise specified.

I think this is a really cool idea!

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Scouring Flame: S5 Ap4. For each success beyond the first, +1 Strength and -1 AP, to max of S8/AP1.

Template weapon?

 MagicJuggler wrote:
Burn the Witch!: Abjuration Witchfire. Cast on an enemy psyker within 18" immediately after it manifests a power. For each WC that was used for the blessing, the Psyker takes one S4 AP 5 hit ignoring cover; Look Out Sir! rolls may not be taken. For each WC beyond the first used to Burn The Witch, these hits are +1 Strength and -1 AP, max of S7 AP 2.

Does it only work against Blessings, or was that meant to be "manifesting"?

In general, they look really powerful, but would have to have a few playtest games to check.

I edited the responses but yes, Scouring is a template and Burn the Witch! for any enemy power and not just blessings.

They're potentially really powerful, if enough warp charge are channeled, and the enemy doesn't deny. The key difference between this system and the core one is that a psyker only gets to use its own warp charge dice, rather than them all being pooled into a single source that any psyker can use. Of course, the more dice poured into a power (and especially if you push), the higher the odds of a Perils...

This means a Power like Scouring would potentially be S7, AP 2 if a level 1 caster put both wc into the power, pushed, and rolled all 4+s...but the odds of this happening are 1 in 8. The odds of it happening without a miscast are even lower (the two initial dice cannot roll double 6s, and the push die cannot be the same as the other two dice).

Powers like Burn The Witch! are potentially very powerful...if the player is forced into situations where abjurations trigger. In theory, such powers could force a player to play a more conservative game, reserving power dice for denial.