Psychic Resistance, Wards, and Penetration

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Some targets possess innate or ritual protection against psychic effects. These defenses are collectively referred to as the target’s Psychic Resistance Total. To affect such a target, the Penetration of the projected psychic power must equal or exceed this total.

Sources of Psychic Resistance

  1. Talent: Resist (Psychic Powers)
    Represents a target’s natural or trained ability to shrug off the effects of Warpcraft.
    • Adds directly to Psychic Resistance Total.
  2. Hexagrammic Wards
    Arcane symbols, tattoos, or ritual objects encoded with psychic-neutralizing runes.
    • Often used by the Inquisition, elite soldiers, or assassins.
    • Provides a fixed bonus to Psychic Resistance.
  3. Pentagrammic Wards
    More powerful and rare than hexagrammic wards; often used to bind daemons or shield high-value targets.
    • May include sacred metals, psychic-null alloys, or relic-grade items.
    • Provides a fixed bonus to Psychic Resistance.
    • Grants a multiplier to Psychic Resistance vs daemons.
    • Areas protected by pentagrammic warding are anathema to daemons and increase their Instability risk and force them to use warp essence to activate the warpcraft.
  4. Talismans and Relics
    • Items imbued with psychic-null properties, faith, or ancient protective energies.
    • May be technological (e.g., Blackstone fragments), faith-based (e.g., saintly relics), or arcane (e.g., talisman of legendary witch).
    • Provide a resistance bonus while carried, worn, or invoked.
    • Some may offer passive resistance, others may need to be activated.

Layering and Stacking

  • These sources of resistance can be used in combination.
  • Their effects are cumulative, forming a single Psychic Resistance Total.
    • Example: A target with Resist (Psychic) +2, a Hexagrammic Ward (+3), and a Pentagrammic Ward (+/x2) has a total resistance of (2+3+2)=7 versus psychic powers and a total resistance of ((2+3)x2)=10 versus daemonic powers.

Penetration vs. Psychic Resistance

  • When a psyker projects a power, their Overbleed determines its Penetration: Penetration = Overbleed = (Power Projection Total – Power Level)
  • If Penetration ≥ Psychic Resistance Total, the power takes effect as normal.
  • If Penetration < Resistance, the power fails to affect the target, though it may still function in the environment.

Optional Advanced Rules

  • Psy-null Zones: In areas of extreme anti-psyker defense, psychic powers may automatically fail unless empowered with Warp Essence or relic focus.

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