Probability travel was a major psionic power of the psychoportation discipline that allowed the manifester to travel to other planes of reality.[1][2][3]
Effects[]
Early records suggested that users of probability travel were able to cross into other realities, some of them alternative, and some reachable through the ethereal plane. Novice manifesters were only able to transport themselves, and went off-course about one in five times. With more progress, they became more adept, being able to bring first two people with themselves, and ultimately eight at the peak of their psionic practice.[3]
The earliest records also asserted that, when used at the moment when one was struck by a sphere of annihilation, this science allowed the manifester to destroy the sphere harmlessly and gain an additional power—if they survived.[4]
The power could also be used to arrive in the astral plane bodily, and find one's way to alternate Prime Material planes that had color pools in the astral plane.[5] As there was no projection, no silver cord was manifested, and the risks were commensurate.[1][2][6]
Records post-dating the Time of Troubles referred to powers such as this as being unable to access the ethereal plane.[7]
Display[]
This power had no psionic display when manifested.[1]
Users[]
This power was knowable to all psions[1][2][3] and wild talents sometimes allowed people to employ this science.[8][9][10]
Probability travel was exhibited as an innate psionic ability by baku,[11] cerebral parasites,[12] opinicuses,[13][14] and shedu.[15][16][17]
In psionics terms, it could be known by githzerai[18][note 1] mind flayers[19] and alhoons,[20][21] ki-rin,[8] and phoenixes,[22] as well as nabassu[23] and yochlol among the tanar'ri.[24] When exhibited by nabassu, they were noted as being able to bring others with them.[23]
A staff of the magi was said to use similar powers, per some early sources.[25]
History[]
The illithid that attacked the Emerald Dragon in the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR planned to escape with probability travel if things got too dicey for it.[26]
Known/Notable Users[]
Rumors & Legends[]
Some ancient stories claimed that the rutterkin were descended from a race of humans from a distant corner of the Prime Material plane, who discovered the Abyss and its tanar'ri as a result of experimenting with planar travel and probability travel.[30]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The creatures filed under "in psionics terms" are those who were first stated out with magical powers and rules, which in some cases were described as 'psionics' in fluff text, and then later got stated or revised with actual psionics powers and rules once The Complete Psionics Handbook came out. It also refers to any creatures where psionics were noted in 1st edition, but not carried over as part of their identity into later editions.
Appearances[]
Card Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bruce R. Cordell (March 2001). Psionics Handbook. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 0786918357.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Steve Winter (1991). The Complete Psionics Handbook. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 64, 66. ISBN 1-56076-054-0.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Gary Gygax (1978). Players Handbook 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 115–116. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 154. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), pp. 61–62. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ Gary Gygax, Roger E. Moore (November 1982). “The Astral Plane”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #67 (TSR, Inc.), p. 30.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (1998). A Guide to the Ethereal Plane. Edited by Michele Carter, Keith Francis Strohm. (TSR, Inc.), p. 36. ISBN 0-7869-1205-7.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Steve Winter (1991). The Complete Psionics Handbook. (TSR, Inc.), p. 21. ISBN 1-56076-054-0.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1995). Player's Option: Skills & Powers. (TSR, Inc), p. 94. ISBN 0-7869-0149-7.
- ↑ Steve Kurtz (April 1, 1995). The Complete Book of Necromancers. (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-0106-3.
- ↑ Allen Varney, ed. (June 1994). Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-1560768623.
- ↑ Steve Winter (1991). The Complete Psionics Handbook. (TSR, Inc.), p. 116. ISBN 1-56076-054-0.
- ↑ Monstrous Compendium included in Tim Beach, Tom Prusa and Steve Kurtz (1993). City of Delights. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 1-56076-589-5.
- ↑ Jon Pickens ed. (1995). Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-0199-3.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 109. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 313. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Steve Winter (1991). The Complete Psionics Handbook. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 1-56076-054-0.
- ↑ Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 45. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 251. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1992). Menzoberranzan (The City). Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc), p. 88. ISBN 1-5607-6460-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (March 1993). “Campaign Guide to Myth Drannor”. In Newton H. Ewell ed. The Ruins of Myth Drannor (TSR, Inc.), p. 62. ISBN 1-5607-6569-0.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (September 1982). “Featured Creatures”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #65 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 40. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 130. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 134. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1987). Waterdeep and the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 63. ISBN 0-88038-490-5.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ Don Turnbull (1981). Fiend Folio. (TSR Hobbies), p. 25. ISBN 0-9356-9621-0.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (April 1998). The Illithiad. Edited by Keith Francis Strohm. (TSR, Inc.), p. 89. ISBN 0-7869-1206-5.
- ↑ Allen Varney, ed. (June 1994). Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), p. 108. ISBN 978-1560768623.