Fria Ligans forum

So in broad terms, what can Mystics do? The impression I'm getting so far is something akin to a Lovecraft-esq. scholar... someone with one or two abilities that can give them an edge or unusual ability, but not super heroic... is that about right? Plus of course the side issues of people screaming "sorcery" and trying to burn you (and the darkness points you no doubt incur...)

In addition, does being a Mystic mean you lose the ability to pray to the Icons?

They have a rather wide range of talents, from premonition-related talents to influencing another's actions to telepathy and telekinesis and more. But yeah, a mystic starts with just one such talent (and they're rather narrow in their application), so more Lovecraft scholar than D&D Wizard (even in how they're viewed by the general population).

Nope, you can still pray. No one knows where these talents come from. Maybe they're a gift from the Icons. Or the dark between the stars. Who knows?

They have a rather wide range of talents, from premonition-related talents to influencing another's actions to telepathy and telekinesis and more. But yeah, a mystic starts with just one such talent (and they're rather narrow in their application), so more Lovecraft scholar than D&D Wizard (even in how they're viewed by the general population).

Nope, you can still pray. No one knows where these talents come from. Maybe they're a gift from the Icons. Or the dark between the stars. Who knows?

Love the Lovecraftian comparison. Powerful as the characters might be, they are not in the same league as Other things out there in the Dark.

I've found—as a GM—that psionics and such ilk are overly-relied on by players and characters to work perfectly. I like them if they are role-played well, but if they're used with the expectation of all working with validity, I tend to houserule them out. But role-playing anything well gains you bonuses in my games.
I could see that Mystics in Coriolis easily attracting attention from beings in the Dark Between the Stars any time they use their powers. Sure, they could find out what their immediate antagonists are planning, but now some marid jinn have scented the Mystic and are interested... 

Getting darkness points to use these powers seems a rather hefty price already... It's basically fuelling the DM's madness.

Getting darkness points to use these powers seems a rather hefty price already... It's basically fuelling the DM's madness.

I guess the mystic who uses his powers without restraint will inevitably end up the butt of the session every time.

And the other players would start hating him... 

And the other players would start hating him... 

You know, thanks to the darkness points, I'm really not that sure. The GM can balance things out and has a rather quantifiable way of measuring power overuse.

Way back in the early 90s I dabbled in the Star Wars p&p. I frankly didn't allow Jedi characters, because those would have owned and lead the group immediately. Coriolis sounds so much more balanced in that for every miracle the Mystic performs he will fall face down in the mud some other time. If need be, you can make the player literally scared to use his powers as the darkness points pile up, with an evil smile and a creepy "Wait until you get to seven, my friend".

I believe Alphast's point was that even if you Vainamoinen will be strictly fair and have every mystic-induced Darkness Point strike the mystic and only him...

...not every gamesmaster will...

One important difference from Jedi-powers is that in Coriolis, there are no mystic-abilities that can be used for combat..

A mystic that keeps serving the GM darkness points that the GM uses to make life hard for the whole group, will sooner or later be subject to what we in Sweden call "Kamratuppfostran". Not sure if there are a good english word for it.. Pennalism?

Something like this clip from the movie "Full metal jacket" (A warning, it's kind of strong scene)
https://youtu.be/TCNqKrX1sx8

Something like this clip from the movie "Full metal jacket" (A warning, it's kind of strong scene)
https://youtu.be/TCNqKrX1sx8

Off-topic response:
Helluva price to pay for 1 jelly donut. 
(how many Darkness points did Pvt Pyle cause?)

Kubrick = Genius.