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Psychoteric Whispers

Source: House of Shadow

A Delaque’s ability to subvert reality goes far beyond the spreading of simple mistruths and rumours. The most accomplished of their kind can tap into the Psychoterica generated by their brothers and sisters, and channel it into lies so potent that they can shift a sentient being’s perception of their surroundings. To deliver these lies, the Delaque must get close, often leaning in to whisper in the ear of their intended victim, but the effects can be dramatic. With a psychoteric whisper, they can make their enemies see friends as foes, think their weapons have failed them, or even become blind to the presence of the Delaque.

Psychoteric Whispers are special short ranged psychic abilities possessed by certain Delaque. Much like skills they enhance the abilities of a fighter in specific ways and can be employed by using actions, most often with an enemy fighter as the target. Psychoteric Whispers are, in effect, psychic powers and use the rules for manifesting, disrupting and maintaining Wyrd Powers found in the Necromunda Rulebook.

Mastery Of Lies​

To use Psychoteric Whispers, a Delaque fighter must first be upgraded to become a Psyker. Only a Master of Shadow or Phantom may be upgraded in this way – note that Psy-Gheists may also make use of these powers as they are already Psykers when added to the gang. Fighters can either be upgraded to become Psykers during gang creation, or by spending XP later on:

  • A Delaque Master of Shadow or Phantom may be upgraded to become a Psyker when added to a gang roster for a cost of 30 credits (this increases their credits value accordingly). The fighter gains both the Psychoteric Mastery and Non-sanctioned Psyker special rules (as follows).
  • A Delaque Master of Shadow or Phantom may be upgraded to become a Psyker by taking an advance at a cost of 7 XP (this increases their credits value by +30). The fighter gains both the Psychoteric Mastery and Non-sanctioned Psyker special rules (as follows).

Psychoteric Mastery: A fighter with this special rule is a Psyker, as described in the Necromunda Rulebook, and is able to use Psychoteric Whispers. The fighter must choose one discipline (Madness, Delusion or Darkness) to specialise in and may immediately select a single Wyrd Power from that discipline to know.

During Campaign play, this fighter may gain additional Wyrd Powers from their chosen discipline in exactly the same way as they might gain a Primary Skill (i.e., by spending 6 XP to gain a random Wyrd Power, or by spending 9 XP to choose a Wyrd Power).

Non-sanctioned Psyker: Should a fighter with this special rule be taken Out of Action, the enemy gang is rewarded a bounty of D3x10 credits at the end of the battle. Should a fighter with this special rule be captured and sold to the Guilders, they are worth their full value.

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Psychoteric Choirs​

All Delaque share a link to the Psychoterica and, even if they are not skilled in the use of Psychoteric Whispers, can aid those that are. When a Delaque fighter (including House Agent Hired Guns, Hangers-on and Brutes) uses a Psychoteric Whisper, its potency will be increased for every friendly Delaque fighter that is within 3" of them, is Standing and is not Engaged, as the other Delaque join in with hissing whispers under their breath. Each eligible Delaque fighter within this range will increase the range of the Psychoteric Whisper by 1" (to a maximum of +3").

In addition, the Psychoteric Whisper will be harder to resist, and any Intelligence check made to resist the Psychoteric Whisper must reduce the result of the dice roll by 1 for each friendly Delaque fighter within 3" of the whisperer (to a maximum of 3).

Madness​

The psychoteric discipline of Madness is the psychic mastery of fear and insanity, and those skilled in its use can make those who hear their whispers lose all rational thought. At its most simple, it instils panic and indecisiveness in those it touches, but a skilled psyker can expand it even further, until the world breaks down around their victims, leaving only a realm of darkness and terror from which there can be no escape.

1. Existential Barrage (Simple)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 1" of the Psyker. That fighter immediately makes an Intelligence check. If this check is failed, they become Broken and immediately flee. If, after they have moved, there are any fighters friendly to them within 5", those fighters must also immediately pass a Nerve test or also become Broken.

2. Terrible Truths (Basic)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 3" of the Psyker. That fighter must make an Intelligence check. If this check is failed, they gain the Insane condition.

3. Psychotic Lure (Basic)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that currently has a Ready marker and is within 3" of the Psyker. The opposing player must activate that fighter in their next turn. The chosen fighter cannot perform a Group Activation when next activated.

4. Cyclopean Gaze (Double)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that currently has a Ready marker and is within 1" of the Psyker. The chosen fighter immediately loses their Ready Marker.

5. Craven Howl (Basic), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, Broken enemy fighters cannot attempt to Rally whilst within 5" of the Psyker.

6. Unrememberable Utterance (Simple), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, all enemy fighters who activate whilst within 3" of the Psyker can only perform one action, rather than the usual two (note that this means the fighter will be unable to perform a Double action).

Delusion​

Reality is a mutable substance, as psykers skilled in the psychoteric discipline of Delusion well know. Eyes and ears can be made to betray their owners, and even once-trusted allies can seem as enemies should the psyker’s powers do their work. Even an enemy’s own flesh can be turned against them with this power, their mind making phantasmal horrors into terrible reality.

1. Spatial Psychosis (Simple)​

Choose a single enemy fighter within 12" of the Psyker, that is Standing and is not Engaged. That fighter immediately becomes Pinned. Note that if that fighter is within ½" of the edge of a ledge or platform, this may cause them to fall.

2. Seen Unseen (Basic), Continuous Effect​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 3" of the Psyker. While this power is maintained, the chosen fighter treats all fighters as being enemy fighters, and all fighters treat the chosen fighter as being an enemy fighter. Note that this means any rule, special or otherwise, that affects friendly fighters or friendly faction fighters ceases to work for the chosen fighter whilst this power is maintained as the chosen fighter has no friendly fighters of any sort on the battlefield.

3. Ghost and Shadow (Basic)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 10" of the Psyker. The Psyker’s controlling player may immediately change this fighter’s facing (in other words, they may turn the model to face any direction).

4. Deceitful Thoughts (Double)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 5" of the Psyker. That fighter immediately makes an Intelligence check. If this check is failed, the Psyker’s controlling player may immediately move that fighter up to their Move characteristic in any direction. Note that this move may not be used to move enemy fighters off ledges, into dangerous terrain or any other part of the battlefield harmful to them.

5. Suicidal Embrace (Basic)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 3" of the Psyker. That fighter immediately makes an Intelligence check. If this check is failed, that fighter must resolve a single close combat attack against themselves with one of their Melee weapons (chosen at random, if the fighter has no weapons with the Melee trait, they will make an unarmed attack against themselves). This attack automatically hits, but must roll to wound and inflict Damage as normal.

6. Opprobrious Curse (Simple)​

Choose a single enemy fighter that is within 3" of the Psyker. That fighter immediately makes a Toughness check. If this check is failed, the fighter immediately suffers a Flesh Wound.

Darkness​

Darkness is a powerful ally for those with the skill to shape it. In the underhive, shadows are plentiful and offer protection for hunters and hunted alike, though for those skilled in the psychoteric discipline of Darkness, they offer a special advantage. With the power of their minds, they can wrap themselves in this blackness, using it to conceal themselves in the open or bring down blinding darkness upon their enemies.

1. Cacophony of Silence (Double), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, all enemy fighters within 5" of the Psyker must re-roll successful Hit rolls when making a ranged attack.

2. Penumbral Mirror (Basic)​

Choose one enemy fighter and one friendly fighter that are both currently within 5" of the Psyker. Immediately move the chosen friendly fighter to any other point within 5" of the chosen enemy fighter. The chosen friendly fighter may even move into base contact with the chosen enemy fighter.

3. A Perfect Void (Basic), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, the Psyker counts as being in full cover to all enemy fighters within 10".

4. Eternal Slumber (Double)​

All Seriously Injured enemy fighters within 3" of the Psyker immediately go Out of Action.

5. Cloak of Whispers (Basic), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, the Psyker and all friendly Delaque fighters within 3" of them cannot be the target of, or be affected by, any gang tactics played by the enemy player.

6. Sight Blight (Basic), Continuous Effect​

While this power is maintained, all enemy fighters within 5" of the Psyker count as being affected by the Pitch Black rules as detailed in the Necromunda Rulebook. Note that this does not actually create an area of darkness and only affects those who enter or remain in range of the Psyker.

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