The High Science of Psychometabolism is elemental composition, the ability to transform oneself into any element. The psionicist can change his body into dense materials such as iron or obsidian, sand or earth, water, or even air. While he is in elemental form, the psionicist gains any natural immunities or vulnerabilities of that element. For example, a sword cut simply can’t harm a watery or gaseous body, while iron bodies need not breathe—but they can be rusted.

The psionicist retains his limbs and senses. Very dense bodies (stone or metal) reduce his Armor Class to 0 and give him an effective Strength of 21. Amorphous bodies give him the ability to slither under doors and elongate limbs. Gaseous bodies allow the psionicist to drift with the winds. Normal weapons may be unable to harm some forms, but magical weapons (and monsters capable of striking creatures hit only by magical weapons) can always harm the psionicist, regardless of his form.

The psionicist may change his form once per round without being forced to use an action. If he changes his form a second time, he must forego any other actions for that round.

In addition to the combat abilities of the various forms, the psionicist can always move in the element his body is composed of. For example, by changing to sand he gains the ability to burrow through sand at his normal movement rate. Some elemental bodies may he excellent camouflage; it’s hard to see a character made out of nitrogen gas, for example.

Power Score: The psionicist gains the combat ability of an elemental of the appropriate type.

20: The psionicist botches the transformation and must make a system shock roll or suffer 3d10 points of damage.

This power allows the psionicist to do terrible things to the nervous system of another creature. With a touch, he can inflict wracking pain, unconsciousness, or even death. This power works best on creatures of the psionicist’s own species; there is a –2 penalty to the power check if the psionicist uses the power on a creature of a different species, and a –4 penalty if the psionicist uses the power on a creature of a different order such as an insect or a mollusk.

The psionicist must touch the skin of the victim, which can be a difficult proposition in combat—a normal attack roll to hit the victim is required. If he attacks successfully, the effect on the victim is determined by the psionicist’s initiation roll.

The victim may attempt a saving throw versus poison to avoid the effects of the psionicist’s touch. Any of the effects can be neutralized by the application of a neutralize poison spell or the successful use of the antidote function of the science poison simulation. If the psionicist wishes, he can “pull his punch,” using a lesser effect on the victim than that indicated by the power check result.

Power Score: Even if the victim makes his saving throw he is still stunned for 1d2 rounds.

20: The psionicist must save versus poison or suffer one of the above effects, determined randomly.

The psychometabolist can use this power to produce natural toxins from her own body. The psionicist can only simulate poisons that she has experienced or tasted herself; if she had survived the sting of a giant scorpion at some point in the past, then she can reproduce the scorpion’s venom. (If the psionicist purposely tastes or injects a small amount of poison in order to learn how to simulate it, she suffers half the normal effect and gains a +2 on her saving throws against that dose.)

The psionicist can create the poison in her bloodstream or saliva. If she creates the toxin in her bloodstream, she can nick herself with a blade to get to it. Poisons the psionicist simulates can he used in their normal fashion; contact poisons can be used to poison victims with a touch, injective poisons can be smeared on weapons, and so forth. If the psionicist has an ingestive poison in her bloodstream and is bitten by a monster, that creature is affected normally by the venom.

An attack roll is required to hit an opponent with poisoned spittle or an envenomed blade, and the victim gets a saving throw appropriate to that poison type. A dose of the psionicist’s poison remains potent for a number of rounds equal to her level or until it has been applied once.

This ability also has two secondary uses. First, the psionicist also learns how to construct antidotes for poisons she has been exposed to. She gains a +4 on any saving throw against poison, and a +8 bonus on poisons she can manufacture herself. Secondly, the psionicist can produce an antidote to treat someone else if that person has been poisoned with a toxin that the psionicist knows how to create.

Power Score: The poison is concentrated; the victim saves at –2.

20: The psionicist poisons herself for 10-30 points of damage (save versus poison for half damage).

With this power the psionicist can repair permanent injuries that natural healing could not restore. Severed limbs can be regrown, blindness or deafness repaired, and even paralyzing injuries to the brain or spinal cord can he healed. The psionicist is capable of healing such injuries in himself as well as in others if the need arises.

Regeneration is a slow and tedious process. It requires one full turn to repair minor damage such as the loss of a finger, a broken bone, or nondestructive loss of eyesight or hearing. Three full turns are required to heal a badly broken bone or regenerate a mangled hand or foot, and as many as six turns to regenerate an arm severed at the elbow or eyes that were physically destroyed. The DM should use his best judgment in deciding how long it will take to repair any given injury.

Regeneration can be used to repair the damage caused by a disease, but cannot cure a disease. It can also restore lost ability points (Constitution, Dexterity, etc.) that may have been lost to the ravages of disease or injury. Regenerate can’t improve a person beyond his original condition, so growing extra arms, for example, is not possible.

Power Score: The healing proceeds twice as fast as would be normally expected.

20: The psionicist suffers 1d12 points of damage but the patient is unaffected.

Some psychometabolists are able to drastically alter their own metabolisms, doubling their speed for short periods of time. A character using accelerate is effectively hasted for as long as he maintains this power. The psionicist’s movement and rate of attack are doubled, and he gains a –2 bonus to initiative rolls while the power is in effect.

Spellcasting and psionics use are not speeded up by this power, although this ability can be used to counter a magical slow effect. After the psionicist stops maintaining accelerate, he must rest for a number of rounds equal to the time he was accelerated, doing nothing but catching his breath. He does not suddenly age a year as the recipient of a haste spell would.

Power Score: The psionicist’s movement and attacks are tripled, and he automatically strikes first in any melee round.

20: The psionicist suffers 1d4 damage and must save versus death or pass out for 3d10 rounds.

This power enables the psionicist to alter his appearance by means of a limited control over his facial features. He can change his skin coloration to any normal variation, alter the appearance of his hair, change the color of his eyes, and even adjust the bone structure of his face. The psionicist cannot pass for a member of another species.

If the psionicist passes his power check with a roll of 10 or better, he can mimic the features of a particular individual well enough to fool anyone who relies on appearance only to identify that person. If he is closely examined, the psionicist must make another power check to see if his disguise works.

Power Score: The psionicist automatically passes any power checks to protect his disguise.

20: The psionicist must save versus polymorph or become stuck in his new features.

A psionicist with this power can cause other people to fall asleep by manipulating their natural rhythms. The victim receives a saving throw versus spells to avoid the effect. If the victim fails the saving throw, he or she remains asleep until awakened by injury, water in the face or violent shaking, or until the psionicist ceases to pay the maintenance cost.

The psionicist suffers a –2 penalty to his power check if his victim has a reason to be exceptionally wakeful. He also suffers a –2 penalty if his victim is a monster of some kind. Thri-kreen and other insects can be placed in a temporary state of torpor with this power, but the psionicist suffers a –4 penalty on his power check when trying to affect such creatures.

Power Score: The victim does not remember being put to sleep and may continue to sleep naturally after the psionicist stops maintaining the power.

20: The psionicist falls asleep himself for 2d6 rounds or until awakened.

A psionicist can gain energy and rejuvenation from the energy of the sun by using this power. For each turn that he rests in a sunny area while using photosynthesis, he heals one hit point from any damage he may have sustained. If the psionicist maintains photosynthesis for an hour or more, he satisfies his need for one meal that day and only requires half of the water he would normally have to drink.

The psionicist must remain still while using the power, or he gains no benefit from it.

Power Score: The psionicist completely fills his daily requirement for food and water with one turn of rest while using photosynthesis.

20: The psionicist lapses into a light doze and sleeps until roused or darkness falls.

This power allows the psionicist to form strong, sticky pads on her fingers and toes. She can use these pads to adhere to almost any natural surface. While she maintains spider touch, the psionicist can climb or move across vertical walls and cliffs at her normal movement rate with no fear of falling.

As a secondary effect, the psionicist’s gripping Strength increases to 20 for purposes of keeping hold of items.

Power Score: The psionicist gains spider-like agility and receives a +2 bonus to Dexterity for as long as she maintains the power.

20: The psionicist gets stuck to the surface during the climb and can not release herself.