At a young age, likely sometime during adolescence, you began to develop unusual capabilities- abilities no one else has, but aren't magic. They're just something you can "do". You are a psychic. For some people, these powers are wildly out of control, being more of a nuisance or disruption than a useful tool, some can only access their powers through intense concentration or while under the effects of powerful emotion, while others use their powers as naturally as they would their own hands. Regardless of the nature of your powers, they changed your entire life. Simpler, uneducated folk fear and misunderstand psychic powers as a form of foul witchcraft, the effects of a curse, or something else- much as they may fear magic they do not understand.
If it became known that you have these powers, you were likely shunned, exiled, or possibly even arrested or assaulted. Did you hide your powers, and if so, did anyone ever find out? Were you open to your abilities? Were you treated differently, or did people accept you? Have you ever faced intolerance or fear because of your powers? What do you think of your powers- are they natural and a part of who you are, or are they some unnatural burden foisted upon you by fate? Did you have any mentors or teachers who helped you come to terms with or gain control over your powers? How did you use your powers in your day-to-day life or to make a living?
This background comes from the D&D wiki. I customized it for a character I made, and I claim no credit for its creation.
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Intimidation
- Languages: Any language of your choice and Deep Speech, or one other of your choice if you already speak Deep Speech.
- Equipment: A trinket of psychic or supernatural significance, Traveler's Clothes, and a pouch containing 20 GP
As a psychic, you are endowed strange abilities that some might call unnatural. You gain the following features:
Levitation. Whether you are moving or standing still, you can choose to vertically float up to one foot above the ground. You still treat this as if you were walking on the ground, and you are still subjected to effects that require you to stand on the ground to trigger/be affected by them. There must be solid ground within one foot of your feet in order to use this, so if you tried to float above water, you would simply sink through the water.
Telekinesis. You can use your action to telekinetically manipulate an object that is 10lbs or less within 30ft of you. You cannot not use this feature on an object that is being worn or carried. You cannot attack with objects manipulated by this feature.
Telepathy. You can use your action to establish a link between you and another creature you can see within 30 feet of you for 1 minute. While this link is active, you can telepathically speak to them as long as they remain within 30ft of you. Your telepathic utterances are in a language you know, and the creature understands you only if it knows that language. Your communication doesn’t give the creature the ability to respond to you telepathically.
Note: These powers are meant to have little mechanical influence but do change how the character's actions or experiences may be described, thus having a strong influence on descriptive roleplay. If there is a way to break the game with one of these powers, it is unintentional, and the DM reserves the right to work out a change to bring this feature more in line with the intended goal of this background.
Suggested Characteristics
How has your life been affected by your powers? Negatively? Positively? Do you cherish your powers, or want to get rid of them? Do you show them off at parties, or do you keep them a secret?
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My powers are growing day by day, and with each day I feel more at peace with them. |
| 2 | I know nothing of what is happening to me, but I know it is not natural. |
| 3 | I care not for how or why I have powers; I want them gone. |
| 4 | I sometimes have dreams of strange things that hold no relevance to anything. |
| 5 | I like using my powers to do tricks, pranks, and funny jokes. |
| 6 | I'll do anything to find out more about my powers, no matter the cost. |
| 7 | Particular stimuli, such as a specific color or loud noises, make my powers go crazy. |
| 8 | I am fascinated by things of a supernatural nature. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Order. I must keep my powers in check, only using them to help, never to harm. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Peace. I have powers that a tyrant would kill to have, and I will never be that tyrant. (Good) |
| 3 | Destruction. I will use my powers to crush all that opposes me. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. The power that I have is only a means to an end. That end is acquiring more power. (Evil) |
| 5 | Balance. Like everything else, I exist for a reason and a cause, and mine is to keep the harmony and balance of our world. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Loneliness. No one would listen, no one cared, so why should I. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I knew a guy who had the same powers as me. Guess what? he's dead. |
| 2 | My parents left me at an orphanage when I was just a child. |
| 3 | I harmed the ones I cared for using my powers, I can't do it again. |
| 4 | There was a wise teacher who taught me everything I know, for that I am grateful. |
| 5 | Once I ran with a circus as one of the carnies. |
| 6 | A group of unreasonable individuals are hunting me all over the world. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Powers rarely ever work the way you want or need them to, especially mine. |
| 2 | Sometimes I forget what I am doing or why I'm doing it, so I try to ..... what was I talking about? |
| 3 | My powers can sometimes activate by themselves, oops ..... just like that. |
| 4 | Voices speak to me and tell me ways to hurt other people. Yeah, they're doing it right now. |
| 5 | I am a compulsive liar about anything and everything. |
| 6 | I tend to go a little overboard on the dramatics. |
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