Learning New Paths

The easiest way to gain powers is to start with them. Failing that, unless a new character starts with the Latent Psion trait, a roll is made at the beginning of the game to determine their psionic potential, applying a penalty to any chance of learning new powers by artificially increasing the number of paths the character knows for the purposes of power learning calculations. This penalty can range from moderate (55% chance to gain powers) to severe (less than 1% chance to gain new power).

The formula to gain new powers is different depending on the method of awakening. Using a matrix crystal, the formula is e ^ ( [existing paths] / -1.7). While in a portal storm, the formula is e ^ ( [existing paths] / -3). Existing paths here is the sum of the artificial paths rolled above and any additional paths unlocked during the course of the game.

The processing of gaining a new power path is referred to in the mod as "Awakening."

Gaining Access to New Powers

A character who has any awakenings has a chance to gain insight on a cooldown. By default, the cooldown is 12 hours to 168 hours, but is reduced by 3% per point of Intelligence above 10 and 5% per point of Metaphysics skill above 5. Only when you have insight are you capable of learning new powers. Learning a power consumes insight, requiring you to wait for the cooldown again. In addition, you cannot "bank" insight--you either have it or you don't.

Each power you have a path for rolls its own independent check to use up this insight. Tier 1 powers (Difficulty 1-3) roll every 12-24 hours, Tier 2 powers (Difficulty 4-6) roll every 36-72 hours, and Tier 3 powers (Difficulty 7-10) roll every 96-168 hours. This timer is reduced by Intelligence and by a flat 20% if you have the contemplation proficiency for that path (Biokinetic Contemplation etc). Since Tier 1 powers roll so much more often than Tier 3 powers, having multiple paths open will make it take much longer to gain the high-level powers in each one.

Banned Inspiration Effects

A way variety of effects prevent insight from triggering (though you do not lose it). This includes, but is not strictly limited to:

• Being asleep
• Being sick (cold or flu, infection, parasites, etc)
• Having a broken limb
• Being nauseated
• Curently studying or learning another power
• Being nutrient-deficient (anemia, scurvy, etc)
• Being poisoned
• Being sleep-deprived
• Being on fire or electrocuted
• Being dazed or stunned
• Suffering malaise from eating Soypelusa protein bars

Mastering New Powers

An important point is that insight just gives you the possibility to learn a new power--you still need to study and learn it. Rather than learning a power directly, you gain a recipe (the Practice tab of the recipe list) that lets you attempt to understand the power enough to use it. This requires a lengthy meditation period that ends with a roll:

• One half your Intelligence + a random number between 0 and your Metaphysics skill (with a minimum of one-half your Metaphysics skill) + a random number from -2 to 8 + a random number from -2 to 8 + 5 (if you have the contemplation proficiency for that path) VS
• (The Difficulty of the studied power * 1.5) + 7 + (1 if you have 1 maintained power + 2 for each maintained power past that) + 1 per point your Concentration Limit is below 0

In addition, being at Nether Attunement 6 gives you a +1 bonus to the roll, being at Nether Attunement 11 gives you a further +1 bonus, and having the Observed effect gives you a +2 bonus.

If you fail this roll, you may try again. If you succeed, you learn the power at level 1, and that same recipe you used to learn the power at all may now be used to study and improve it; no roll is required for this.