Psychic Powers - The Wrath & Glory Guide

Understanding the Warp: The Sea of Souls

The Warp is like the dark web of the 40k universe - a parallel dimension that connects all things, but browsing it can corrupt your soul and attract the attention of entities that make your worst nightmares look like children's bedtime stories. It's the source of all psychic power, faster-than-light travel, and most of the galaxy's problems.

Real World Analogy

Imagine the internet, but:

Every website can think and actively tries to harm you
Viruses are literal demons that possess your computer and soul
Your emotions create content that others can access
Browsing requires no technology - just raw willpower and training
The connection never truly closes - once online, always vulnerable

That's what psychic powers are like - tapping into the galaxy's most dangerous network!

flowchart TD A[Material Universe] ---|"Veil"| B[The Warp] B --> C[Chaos Gods] B --> D[Lesser Daemons] B --> E[Warp Storms] B --> F[Psychic Energy] F --> G[Sanctioned Psykers] F --> H[Unsanctioned Psykers] F --> I[Chaos Sorcerers] C --> J[Corruption] D --> K[Possession] E --> L[Reality Tears]

The Nature of Psychic Power

Psychic powers aren't magic spells you memorize from a book - they're acts of will that bend reality by channeling the raw stuff of emotion and thought from the Warp. Every time a psyker uses their abilities, they're essentially opening a tiny portal to a dimension of pure chaos and hoping they can control what comes through.

What Makes Someone a Psyker?

Genetic Mutation: A rare gene that allows Warp sensitivity
Soul Resonance: A psychic "frequency" that connects to the Warp
Emotional Intensity: Strong feelings can trigger manifestations
Traumatic Awakening: Often activated by extreme stress or near-death

The Imperial Response to Psykers

Detection: Black Ships patrol the galaxy, seeking psykers
Collection: Psykers are taken from their families (for everyone's safety)
Testing: Those who survive training become Sanctioned Psykers
Execution: Those who fail are put to death (the merciful option)
Sacrifice: Some feed the Golden Throne to keep the Emperor alive

Beyond the Great Rift, in systems like Gilead, the Black Ships no longer come. Psykers are found, hidden, burned or pressed into service locally, and a party that includes one has to decide which of those it is.

Psychic Disciplines: Schools of Power

Psychic disciplines are like schools of thought for the mind - each one is a different approach to manipulating reality. The core rulebook's disciplines are Biomancy, Divination, Pyromancy, Telekinesis and Telepathy, plus Maleficarum (the sorcery of Chaos) and the Aeldari Runes of Battle.

What Every Psyker Gets

Smite: the universal attack power. Test Psychic Mastery against the target's Defence; it reaches 35 metres and deals 1d3 Mortal Wounds, which go straight past Resilience.
Psyniscience: a universal ability for sensing the Warp around you.
Minor powers: small, flexible tricks (the core book has 14) open to any psyker.
One discipline: a psyker normally learns powers from a single discipline. Aeldari, and characters with the Warped Mind talent, can reach further.

The power names and exact effects are in the core rulebook. The lists below describe the kind of thing each discipline does, so you can pick the one that fits your character.

Biomancy: The Power Over Life

Philosophy

Biomancers understand that life is energy, and energy can be redirected, enhanced, or snuffed out with the proper application of will. They see the human body as a machine that can be optimized, repaired, or weaponized.

Typical Effects

Healing: Accelerate natural recovery
Enhancement: Temporarily boost the body
Affliction: Turn the body against itself
Reshaping: Physically alter living tissue

Practical Applications

Combat Medic Scenario

Situation: Squad member critically wounded by an Ork choppa

Power Used: A Biomancy healing power

Effect: Stops bleeding, seals wounds, gets them back on their feet

Risk: If any Wrath die shows a 1, the psyker suffers Perils of the Warp, even while the wound closes

Narrative: "I place my hands on the wound and channel the Emperor's healing light, feeling the flesh knit together under my touch."

Pyromancy: The Fury of Fire

Philosophy

Pyromancers embrace destruction as purification. Fire cleanses corruption, burns away lies, and reduces complex problems to simple ash. They see flame as the Emperor's judgment made manifest.

Typical Effects

Fire attacks: Bolts and gouts of psychic flame
Ignition: Set targets or objects ablaze at range
Barriers: Walls and rings of fire
Burning aura: Wreathe yourself or a weapon in flame

Divination: The Sight Beyond Sight

Philosophy

Diviners believe that time is an illusion and all events exist simultaneously in the Warp. By opening their minds to probability and causality, they can glimpse potential futures and gain insight into hidden truths.

Typical Effects

Precognition: See the next few moments before they happen
Scrying: Observe distant places or people
Augury: Read the likely shape of what's coming
True sight: See through illusions and disguises

The Danger of Knowledge

Diviners face a unique peril - the more they see, the more they understand how hopeless everything truly is. Many go mad from glimpsing the full scope of the galaxy's darkness, or become paralyzed by seeing too many possible futures.

Telekinesis: Mind Over Matter

Philosophy

Telekines understand that matter is just energy arranged in patterns, and consciousness can rearrange those patterns through will alone. They see the physical world as clay to be shaped by a sufficiently determined mind.

Typical Effects

Force attacks: Hurl objects or raw kinetic force
Lifting: Move objects, or yourself
Shielding: Invisible barriers against harm
Crushing: Compress objects or beings

Telepathy: The Meeting of Minds

Philosophy

Telepaths recognize that all consciousness is connected through the Warp. Thoughts, emotions, and memories are just different frequencies that can be accessed, transmitted, or manipulated by those who know how to tune in.

Typical Effects

Mind link: Communicate without words
Mental assault: Attack directly through thought
Mind reading: Skim surface thoughts and memories
Domination: Override another's will

Ethical Implications

Telepathy raises profound questions about privacy, free will, and the nature of identity. Imperial doctrine generally forbids mind reading of loyal citizens, but defines "loyal" quite narrowly.

Maleficarum and Runes of Battle

Maleficarum is the sorcery of Chaos: daemon-bargains and Warp-curses. It belongs to rogue psykers and heretics, so it fits Chaos campaigns or villains rather than an Imperial party. Runes of Battle is the Aeldari discipline, used by Warlocks, who channel power through wraithbone runes with a precision human psykers can only envy.

The Psychic Test: Channeling the Impossible

Using psychic powers isn't like casting spells in fantasy games - it's more like performing surgery while riding a motorcycle through a minefield. Every psychic test represents a moment where the psyker opens their mind to the Warp and hopes they can control what flows through.

Psychic Test Mechanics

Pool: Willpower + Psychic Mastery (+ any bonus dice)
DN:   set by the power (Smite: the target's Defence)
Wrath dice, by how hard you channel:
  Bound         1 Wrath die (the default)
  Unbound       +1 Wrath die
  Transcendent  + extra Wrath dice equal to your Rank or Tier,
                whichever is higher
Wrath die 6:  counts as an Exalted Icon (no Glory, no critical)
Any Wrath die 1: Perils of the Warp, whether or not the power works

The Psychic Test Process

Step 1: Declare the Power

Pick the power, its target, and how you channel it: Bound, Unbound or Transcendent

Step 2: Build the Pool

Willpower + Psychic Mastery = total dice, with one Wrath die for Bound and more if you push harder

Step 3: Make the Test

Count Icons (4-5 = 1, 6 = 2) against the power's DN

Step 4: Resolve the Power

If Icons ≥ DN the power works. Spare Exalted Icons can be shifted to make it more potent

Step 5: Check the Wrath Dice

If any Wrath die shows a 1, roll on the Perils of the Warp table (d66)

Complete Psychic Test Example

Situation: Sanctioned Psyker Theta-Nine blasts a cultist charging the squad

Power: Smite, channelled Bound

Target: A cultist with Initiative 4, so Defence 3 (DN 3)

Stats: Willpower 4, Psychic Mastery 3

Step 1: Declaration

"I gather the Warp behind my eyes and hurl it at the cultist."

Step 2: Dice Pool

Willpower 4 + Psychic Mastery 3 = 7 dice: six regular dice and one Wrath die. (Seven dice against DN 3 succeed about 86.5% of the time.)

Step 3: The Roll

Regular dice: [1][2][4][5][6][3]. Wrath die: [1]. Icons: 4 and 5 give 1 each, the 6 gives 2, so 4 Icons.

Step 4: Power Effect

4 Icons ≥ DN 3: success! The cultist takes 1d3 Mortal Wounds, ignoring Resilience. The only Exalted Icon is needed to reach DN 3 (without it there are just 2 Icons), so nothing can be shifted.

Step 5: Perils Check

The Wrath die shows a 1, so Theta-Nine suffers Perils of the Warp: roll d66 on the table, even though the cultist is already burning.

How Hard Should You Push?

Every extra Wrath die is another chance of a 6 (an Exalted Icon) and another chance of a 1. The odds of at least one 1 among your Wrath dice:

Bound (1 Wrath die): 1 in 6, about 16.7%
Unbound (2 Wrath dice): 11 in 36, about 30.6%
Transcendent at Tier 3 (4 Wrath dice): 671 in 1,296, about 51.8%

Perils of the Warp: When Things Go Wrong

The Warp is not a safe place to visit, even briefly. Every time a psyker draws power, they risk attracting the attention of entities that view mortal minds as either toys to play with or snacks to consume. Perils of the Warp represent the universe's way of reminding psykers that some powers come with a price.

flowchart TD A[Psychic Test] --> B{Icons ≥ DN?} B -->|Yes| C[Power works] B -->|No| D[Power fails] C --> E{Any Wrath die = 1?} D --> E E -->|No| F[Done] E -->|Yes| G[Perils of the Warp:<br/>roll d66 on the table]

What the Perils Table Covers

The core rulebook's Perils of the Warp table is a d66 roll (two dice read as tens and units, 11 to 66). Its results run from unsettling manifestations to psychic harm, daemonic attention and worse. Use the book for the actual results; the descriptions below are narrative flavour to help you describe what happens, not table entries.

Warning Signs

Unnatural Aura: The psyker's eyes glow, temperature drops, electronics malfunction
Warp Echo: Distant sounds of screaming, whispers in unknown languages
Temporal Fluctuation: Clocks run backward, shadows move independently
Warp Stench: Overwhelming smell of sulfur, ozone, or decay

When It Gets Worse

Psychic Backlash

Narrative: "Pain lances through your skull as the Warp fights back against your intrusion"

Something Comes Through

Narrative: "Reality tears open and something with too many teeth steps through"

A Voice Inside

Narrative: "You feel another presence trying to crawl inside your mind"

Warp Rift

Narrative: "Space itself cracks like broken glass, revealing the howling madness beyond"

Sanctioned vs Unsanctioned Psykers

In the Imperium, there are two types of psykers: those who serve the Emperor officially, and those who are hunted as dangerous criminals. The difference isn't about power level or moral character - it's about training, control, and imperial authorization. In the core rulebook the first is the Sanctioned Psyker archetype (Tier 2); the Rogue Psyker (also Tier 2) sits in the Chaos archetypes sidebar.

Sanctioned Psykers: The Emperor's Weapons

Training and Indoctrination

Scholastica Psykana: Rigorous mental conditioning
Soul Binding: Ritual connection to the Emperor's will
Psychic Wards: Mental defenses against Chaos corruption
Imperial Doctrine: Absolute loyalty and proper usage protocols

What the Sanction Brings

Legal standing: You can use your powers openly, within orders
Keywords: Imperial keywords that open doors and Requisition
Wargear: Access to psychic hoods, force staves and other tools of the trade
The archetype ability and talents listed for the Sanctioned Psyker in the core rulebook

Obligations and Restrictions

Constant Monitoring: Always under Imperial surveillance
Limited Powers: Forbidden from dabbling in the darker arts
Expendable: Expected to sacrifice themselves for the mission
No Privacy: Thoughts and actions constantly scrutinized

Unsanctioned Psykers: The Hidden and Hunted

Why They Exist

Escaped Detection: Powers manifested after the Black Ship's visit
Hidden by Family: Loved ones concealed their abilities
Remote Worlds: Live beyond Imperial reach, as so many now do beyond the Great Rift
Rejected Training: Fled rather than submit to soul binding

Life Without a Sanction

No protection: Subject to arrest or execution on sight
No support: Must hide abilities and find their own resources
Temptation: Easy prey for cults and daemons offering help

Survival Strategies

Power Suppression: Avoid using abilities when possible
False Identity: Maintain cover stories and documentation
Underground Networks: Connect with other hidden psykers
Constant Movement: Never stay in one place too long

Sanctioned vs Unsanctioned Comparison

Chaos Sorcery: The Dark Path

While Imperial psykers draw power through disciplined training and faith, Chaos Sorcerers take a different approach - they embrace the raw chaos of the Warp and make pacts with entities that offer power in exchange for souls. It's like the difference between being a licensed electrician and grabbing live power lines with your bare hands. In the rules, this is the Maleficarum discipline.

The Four Paths of Corruption

Khorne: The Blood God's Rage

Philosophy: Violence is the only truth, strength comes through battle

Gifts: Battle fury, berserker rage, blessed weapons (Khorne despises sorcery itself)

Price: Must constantly seek combat, eventual loss of tactical thinking

Manifestation: Eyes turn red, weapons drip blood, aura of violence

Tzeentch: The Changer of Ways

Philosophy: Knowledge is power, change is the only constant

Powers: Reality manipulation, future sight, transmutation

Price: Constant mutation, obsession with plots and schemes

Manifestation: Constantly shifting features, unnatural knowledge, reality distortion

Nurgle: The Plague Father

Philosophy: Decay brings peace, suffering teaches acceptance

Powers: Disease control, regeneration, poison immunity

Price: Physical corruption, spreading plague, loss of clean sensations

Manifestation: Diseased appearance, cloud of flies, infectious touch

Slaanesh: The Prince of Pleasure

Philosophy: Experience everything, pursue perfection in sensation

Powers: Emotional manipulation, enhanced senses, sonic attacks

Price: Addiction to stimulation, loss of normal pleasure, eventual numbness

Manifestation: Unnaturally beautiful or horrific, hypnotic presence, reality distortion

The Corruption Mechanics

Corruption test: roll Conviction against a DN set by the GM
Pass:  no Corruption
Fail:  gain Corruption equal to how many Icons you fell short
       (DN 3, you rolled 1 Icon: gain 2 Corruption)
Build-up: enough Corruption triggers Mutation tests,
          and mutations come from the rulebook's tables

The thresholds at which Corruption starts to bite are in the core rulebook; this guide doesn't reproduce them.

Psychic Equipment: Tools of the Trade

Psykers don't just rely on raw mental power - they use specialized equipment to focus their abilities, protect against Warp incursions, and channel psychic energy more safely. Think of these items as the difference between performing surgery with your bare hands versus using proper medical instruments. Exact profiles are in the core rulebook's wargear chapter; this section is about what each item is for.

Psychic Hoods: Mental Armor

Function

Psychic hoods are like firewalls for the mind - crystalline arrays that help a psyker contain and direct psychic energy, and resist the powers of others.

Variants

Imperial Pattern: Standard issue, reliable but basic
Librarian Hood: Space Marine variant, more powerful
Inquisition Model: Includes purity seals and blessed components
Archeotech Hood: Ancient technology, unpredictable but potent

Force Weapons: Psychic Amplifiers

How They Work

Force weapons contain psycho-reactive crystals that respond to mental energy, allowing psykers to channel their power through physical objects. In the rules they carry the Force weapon trait; read the trait's text for what a psyker gains when wielding one.

Common Forms

Force Sword: The classic duellist's choice
Force Staff: The psyker's badge of office and focus
Force Axe: Brutal, and favoured by Space Marine Librarians
Nemesis Weapons: The Grey Knights' anti-daemon blades

Sanctified Equipment

Purity Seals

Purpose: Ward the bearer's soul against the Warp

Description: Blessed parchment inscribed with protective prayers

Sacred Oils

Purpose: Ritual cleansing of Warp taint

Usage: Applied to equipment or wounds

Psychic Dampeners

Purpose: Secure areas against psychic intrusion

At the table: A good story reason for powers to be harder, or impossible, in one particular place

Playing a Psyker: Roleplaying the Gifted and Cursed

Playing a psyker isn't just about having cool powers - it's about exploring what it means to have abilities that make you simultaneously valuable and dangerous to everyone around you. It's like being a nuclear reactor: incredibly useful, but everyone's nervous about what happens if you malfunction.

Psyker Personality Archetypes

The Reluctant Oracle

Motivation: Wants a normal life but can't escape their gift

Conflict: Using powers helps others but risks everyone's safety

In their words: "I never asked for this burden, but I'll bear it for those who cannot."

The Faithful Servant

Motivation: Sees powers as a sacred duty to the Emperor

Conflict: Balancing human compassion with divine mandate

In their words: "The Emperor granted me these abilities to serve His will."

The Desperate Survivor

Motivation: Uses any means necessary to stay alive and free

Conflict: Tempted by quick solutions that lead to corruption

In their words: "I'll do whatever it takes to avoid the Black Ships."

The Scholar of Power

Motivation: Seeks to understand and control psychic phenomena

Conflict: Knowledge comes at the price of innocence and safety

In their words: "There are patterns in the chaos - I just need to find them."

Daily Life as a Psyker

Constant Vigilance

Emotional Control: Strong feelings can trigger unwanted manifestations
Mental Discipline: Daily meditation and thought drills
Threat Assessment: Always aware of potential Warp incursions
Social Isolation: Others fear and distrust psychic abilities

Relationship Challenges

With Teammates: Useful but dangerous, like carrying live explosives
With Authorities: Constantly proving loyalty and control
With Civilians: Fear, superstition, and misunderstanding
With Other Psykers: Competition, shared burden, or mentorship

Narrative Integration: Making Psychic Powers Matter

Psychic powers work best when they're not just mechanical abilities but integral parts of the story. Every manifestation should advance the narrative, create complications, or reveal character development.

Psychic Powers as Plot Devices

Investigation Enhancement

Power: Divination or telepathy that reads the past from an object or mind

Story Use: Uncover clues about past events

Complication: Also reveals disturbing truths the investigators weren't prepared for

Example: "As I touch the ritual dagger, I see flashes of the sacrifice - but also realize the victim was willing..."

Social Dynamics

Power: Telepathic communication

Story Use: Coordinate team actions silently

Complication: Risk of mental link being intercepted by enemies

Example: "I establish mind-link with the team, but feel another presence listening in..."

Combat Cinematics

Power: Telekinetic manipulation

Story Use: Create spectacular environmental effects

Complication: Collateral damage and attention from Warp entities

Example: "I tear the ceiling supports loose, crushing the cultists - but the sound echoes through the Warp..."

Managing Psychic Power in Campaigns

Power Level Scaling

Tiers 1-2: A few powers, Bound by default, focus on control
Tier 3: Reliable powers and a bigger pool, with Unbound as a real option
Tier 4: Transcendent channelling throws more Wrath dice, so greater rewards and much greater risk

Consequence Management

Immediate: Perils effects, combat complications
Short Term: Unwanted attention, resource drain
Long Term: Reputation changes, corruption accumulation
Campaign Arc: Major Warp incursions, daemon hunting

Try It at the Table

Activity 1: Building the Pool

Work out the pool, the number of Wrath dice and the DN for each of these:

Character: Psyker Kaine (Tier 2, Willpower 4, Psychic Mastery 3)

Smite against a cultist with Defence 2, Bound
Smite against an Ork Boy with Defence 3, Unbound
A minor power with DN 2, Bound
A discipline power with DN 4, Unbound, after the GM grants +1 bonus die
The same power channelled Transcendent at Tier 2 (Rank 1)

Answers: 1) 7 dice, 1 Wrath, DN 2. 2) 7 dice, 2 Wrath, DN 3. 3) 7 dice, 1 Wrath, DN 2. 4) 8 dice, 2 Wrath, DN 4. 5) 7 dice, 3 Wrath (1 + 2 for Tier, the higher of Rank and Tier), DN 4.

Activity 2: Perils Interpretation

For each result, say whether the power works and whether Perils of the Warp happens:

Smite at DN 3: 4 Icons, the Wrath die shows 1
Unbound power at DN 3: 2 Icons, Wrath dice show 1 and 4
Healing power at DN 2: 6 Icons, Wrath die shows 6
Transcendent power at DN 4: 4 Icons, Wrath dice show 6, 3 and 1
Divination at DN 3: 0 Icons, the Wrath die shows 1

Answers: 1) Works, Perils. 2) Fails, Perils. 3) Works, no Perils; the 6 is an Exalted Icon but gives no Glory. 4) Works, Perils. 5) Fails, Perils.

Activity 3: Discipline Specialization

Sketch a psyker concept around each discipline:

Biomancer: Combat medic background, powers and personality
Pyromancer: Purifier, equipment and tactics
Diviner: Information specialist, investigation focus
Telekine: Utility expert, problem-solving approach
Telepath: Social infiltrator, ethical considerations

Activity 4: Corruption Tests

A psyker makes three Corruption tests (Conviction) during a session. How much Corruption do they gain?

Tests:

Witnesses a daemon manifest: DN 3, rolls 3 Icons
Reads a forbidden grimoire: DN 4, rolls 1 Icon
Touches a Chaos artifact: DN 3, rolls 2 Icons

Answer: 0 + 3 + 1 = 4 Corruption. Then describe how the character has changed.

Activity 5: Psychic Equipment Load-out

Design equipment packages for different psyker roles:

Sanctioned Psyker: Official Imperial service
Unsanctioned Hidden: Concealed abilities, urban environment
Inquisition Operative: Well-funded, dangerous missions
Rogue Trader Retainer: Exploration focus, alien encounters
Military Specialist: Battlefield support role

Advanced Psychic Concepts

Gestalt Psychic Effects

Multiple Psyker Coordination

When multiple psykers work together, their combined will can achieve effects beyond individual capability, but also multiplies the risks. The core rules don't have a gestalt mechanic, so treat this as story: a ritual the GM can turn into a sequence of tests, where every psyker taking part rolls their own Wrath dice and risks their own Perils.

Applications

Psychic Barrier: Protect large areas or groups
Mass Mind Link: Network communication across vast distances
Reality Anchor: Prevent Warp incursions in critical areas
Daemon Banishment: Combine power to expel major threats

Psychic Nulls: The Soulless

The Anti-Psyker

Some individuals are born without a presence in the Warp, creating "dead zones" that smother psychic activity.

In Your Story

Psychic Immunity: Hard or impossible to affect with powers
Power Disruption: Psychic abilities falter near them
Daemon Repulsion: Warp entities shy away from them
Social Rejection: Others find them deeply unsettling

Warp Storms and Phenomena

Large-Scale Warp Disturbances

When psychic activity reaches critical mass, it can tear holes in reality itself. The Great Rift is the largest example of all, and the reason systems like Gilead are cut off.

Campaign Effects

Warp Storms: Entire systems cut off from astropathic communication
Reality Fluctuations: Physics become unreliable
Daemon Incursions: Mass manifestations threaten worlds
Time Distortion: Temporal paradoxes and chronological confusion

Key Takeaways

The Psychic Truth

The Pool Is Simple: Willpower + Psychic Mastery against the power's DN
Wrath Dice Are the Risk: Any 1 on any Wrath die means Perils of the Warp, success or not
Push With Care: Unbound and Transcendent add Wrath dice, and with them more chances of Perils
Smite Is Always There: Mortal Wounds that ignore Resilience
Faith Protects: Belief provides real defense against Chaos
Isolation Hurts: Psykers need support but endanger those who help

Psychic powers in Wrath & Glory aren't just another type of weapon - they're a fundamental force that shapes reality, corrupts souls, and determines the fate of worlds. Use them with respect, fear them appropriately, and remember that in the grim darkness of the far future, the price of power is always higher than you expect to pay.

The Psyker's Burden

To be a psyker is to stand forever at the edge of an abyss, knowing that the power to save a world and the potential to damn it both flow through your mind. The strong serve faithfully until death. The weak become the very threats they once fought against.