[HOE] Syker Power: Brain Blade

[Robert Holland <robert@macauley.com>]

C M Hylton's new syker powers reminded me of one I posted to the list a few
years ago. Here it is again, for those who may not have been here the first time
around.

Brain Blade
Type: Sykokinetic
TN: 5
Strain: 1
Speed: 1
Duration: 1/round
Range: Melee

Brain blade was developed by a syker who liked to get up close and personal in
combat and decided that her machete just didn't cut it (so to speak). When
activated, a crackling beam of force extends from the syker's hand to a maximum
length of three feet (it can be shorter if he wants). Treat this as a melee
weapon with DB +2, damage equal to STR + 3d8, and one level of AP for each
success and raise on the activation roll (due to the focus and density of the
energy field). Unlike most syker powers, it requires a certain amount of
coordination to wield effectively, so it has its own coordination under the
Fightin' skill. Fightin': Brawlin' will do in a pinch--punching someone with
your fist and punching someone with a massless energy field attached to your
fist aren't all that different--but it provides no Defense Bonus when used in
this way. The user can attack with the power on the same action he activates it.

A syker who's really into slicin' and dicin' can fire up two brain blades at
once, one from each hand. This doubles the Strain requirement (to 2/round) and
requires a second blastin' roll at TN 5 (if the second blade was activated after
the first) or a single roll at TN 7 (if both were activated simultaneously;
failure means neither one makes it up). The -4 off-hand penalty and the -2/-2
two-weapon penalty apply if appropriate, though if the blaster wants to pick up
fightin': florentine: brain blades for the usual 3 bounty points, he can use
those rules (roll once to hit, a raise means both weapons strike home).

--Robert Holland