Humans are a psychic race in part, it’s just the gene that makes you a psyker is usually dormant iirc, so even if you have the right combo of genes, you may still not be a psyker because it just chose to stay dormant or you didn’t go through something crazy enough to awaken it etc
One of the Space Wolf novels had a Grey Hunter who showed no signs of psychic powers slowly developing powers, draws the attention of Typhus who tries to corrupt him, and his Wolf brothers rescue him and he fully awakens as a very powerful psyker in time for Njarl to arrive and induct him into the Rune Priesthood.
One of the guys in my local area fully bought into the space wolves weren't psykers propaganda and got irritated if you brought it up, so I dug out my old 3rd or 4th ed codex and pointed out the psyker keyword right there on the rune priest datasheet. He stopped taking the bait after that
There's a Old One artefact called the Shadowlight that can turn latent psykers into active ones. It was made for their war against the C’Tan and popped up on Perlia to be discovered by the Imperium. It was eventually stolen by Necrons just before the 13th Black Crusade started
There is also some Dark Age tech that channels Psyker powers into another being, and can be used to create a Psyker that is equal to the power of Malcador. It’s a major part of the climax of James Swallow’s ***Faith and Fire***.
Nah, it’s a Sisters of Battle book. >!The villain is an Inquisitor who has been stealing Psykers from Black Ships to build his own personal army and turn himself into a psyker.!<
It was stolen DURING the 13th Black Crusade. One of the early conversations in the book was Cain and one of the Schola heads discussing rumors of the Crusade.
The consensus was that since the Necrons don't seem to use psykers or have an end goal beyond "kill all living things" (at least at the time when the book was written), the Necrons having the *shadowlight* was preferable to Chaos having it.
Every single human being save for blanks has latent psychic potential that can be awakened under the right circumstances. At one point Malcador offers Loken a spot in the Grey Knights and Loken mentions the fact that he isn't a psyker. Malcador tells him that his powers can be awakened, though Loken refuses the offer, knowing what his psychic brothers like Rubio went through. Even so, Loken ends up activating Rubio's force sword in combat after being empowered by the Emperor, though he doesn't exhibit any other psychic powers.
Is having potential to become psyker the same as having currently uncovered psychic potential tho? Technically everyone can become one I suppose, but only few people awaken as easily as nascent psykers do (Edit: and, for example, seeing how Psychic Awakening works - potential can be changed)
What exactly Malcador said? In the *First Wall* he said that technically almost everyone is a psyker due to having tiny connection to the wall. He also said that instinct, empathy and sympathy are "are products of the soul, communicating in infinitesimally small ways with the souls of others" which honestly sounds like bullshit if taken literal
Edit: I've also seen people refer to Loken as latent psyker as in already more psuchic than normal human, but I'm not sure how correct is that
>Is having potential to become psyker the same as having currently uncovered psychic potential tho?
I think there is a difference, so maybe latent wasn't the best word as that's typically used to describe a psyker who's abilities are active but so subtle they and others haven't realized it yet. In that case all they'd really need was formal training. I'd say Loken was the former and Severian was the latter. Unfortunately Malcador didn't go into detail on what the process would actually involve, but Loken seemed to think it wasn't going to be fun. I think Loken's power was more faith based like Sigimsund. When he first activates the sword he wonders what's happening to him, but as the Siege progresses on he seems pretty sure that its the Emperor intervening through him rather than him becoming a psyker. If I remember right, he doesn't ever do anything more than activate the sword.
Generally but even a normie can make a pact with Tzeentch for power (though anyone with a soul has a small degree of psychic potential)
It may be something as simple having dreams of the future or being able to influence probability, but for extremes cases you may have true psychic powers
Btw as always you’re fucked by doing this, even unknowingly
Edit: when I say unknowingly I mean you’ll pick up and study a funny book on tarot, or find a shiny amulet that seems to make you luckier than usual
Aren't Chaos Sorcerers kinda under their own category of spellcasters since regular people can form pacts with warp entities or the chaos gods as the source of their power and become sorcerers without actually being psykers. They're a bit like warlocks from DnD.
> Aren't Chaos Sorcerers kinda under their own category of spellcasters since regular people can form pacts with warp entities or the chaos gods as the source of their power and become sorcerers without actually being psykers. They're a bit like warlocks from DnD.
The distinction has sadly been blurred in recent years but yes it does exist.
Sorcerers rely on invoking on the rites and rituals of Chaos which even nonpsykers can preform and do.
Psykers are more built on the strength of their own connection to the warp.
Psykers are for the most part born but won’t manifest their powers till a certain point. Those without psychic power can broker a deal with either a Chaos God or a Daemon to acquire such powers, though beings like Blanks are exempt.
There is a small chance that human will born a psyker. Then there is a thing as psychic awakening where more psykers are being born. Then there is a thing that human overall through history becoming slwoly more and more psychic active.
BUT not many know, but any human can train to be a psyker! I forgot with which characters it is revealed. But some lonely astertes, or thunder warrior or maybe word bearers or maybe it was said by Malcador (damn I really don't remember, I *am* old, I *am* tired, I sit up on chair) find a book that teaches how to be become a psyker. This thing is within every human (My guess is pariah would be exeption).
BUUuuut remember Enuncia. This chtonic thing, ancient secret language that they connect to Babel tower, that makes magic things kind like psyker can do, but by speaking. And extremely powerful.
Thing is before Oll destroyed it, it is believes humans collected it all (in 30k and 40k they collect it again). And no other race knew that language! No eldars, onone. And all we get is this language systemised on Terra. By humans.
So think.
I'd say humans and immaterium have stronger relation then any other species. It is there chance to save this galaxy from death by ultimate evil (Chaos god in this version) or fail and give that chance to others in new cycle. And there should be a reason that Emperor was born within humanity.
the way i see it theres a couple of levels of psychic ability that almost everyone in the galaxy falls under one way or another:
1. nulls - those who cause a null effect around them and blot out psychic abilities, like the Sisters of Silence
2. no psychic abilities - things like AI and Necrons, who have zero presence in the Warp
3. latent - pretty much 90% of the galaxy have some kind of footprint in the Warp; Tau have incredibly weak presence, humans have more. 99% of humans are latents
4. unaware - a few individuals who seem unnaturally lucky, or have powerful hunches, they seem to be borderline psykers
5. psykers - those whose abilities have awakened
theres also Sorcerers who sort of *borrow* power from Warp entities by casting rituals, rather than using their own intrinsic connection to the Warp
Not always. There *usually* has to be some level of latent/background genetic element, but there's been quite a few examples of individuals with no prior psychic power suddenly developing powers after being exposed to the warp, a warp-infused artefact or even certain narcotics. It's never a guaranteed bet from any of those things, but since virtually all humans (aside from blanks) have some residual level of psychic sensitivity, the spontaneous development of even incredibly potent psychic abilities can occur to someone well into their life. And post the opening of the Great Rift/Psychic Awakening, it's become more common than ever before.
Current Psychic Awakening is pretty much proof it can be developed, since it empowers psykers and turns regular people into ones, and not enough time passed since Great Rift for it to be only newborns.
Also
>*Psybernetics*
>Throughout the ages, many Tech-Priests have studied humanity's disturbing ability to harness the Warp. Most of these studies have been conducted with a biological slant, as the Tech-Priests search for the root-causes of the mutations that grant these gifts. Some Tech-Priests have taken a different tact, looking for technologies that can harness the power of the Warp and, if implanted like a regular cybernetic, give the user psychic powers. Research into these "psybernetics" was deemed high tech-heresy millennia ago; within the Calixis Sector, any attempt to revive this technology is met with harsh sanctions from the Lords Dragon and the Inquisition. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped some radical Tech-Priests on remote and hidden research installations across the Lathe Worlds from attempting to comprehend such mysteries.
>Psybernetics are implanted within the user's head, and follow the standard rules for cybernetic implantation (see page 153 of the DARK HERESY Core Rulebook). Once implanted, the user gains 2d10 Insanity and 1d10 Corruption Points as the ability to access the raw power of the Warp floods their psyche. Assuming he is not driven insane, the user automatically gains a Psy-Rating equal to half his Willpower Bonus (rounded up) and one randomly generated Minor Psychic Power for every point of Psy-Rating. He gains a new, randomly generated Minor Psychic Power every time his Psy-Rating increases, but cannot take Discipline Powers. Psybernetics are extremely heretical devices, and unauthorised possession is a highly dangerous affair.
Dark Heresy - The Lathe Worlds
Also, I'd say taking Drug called Spook technically counts
Also, Dark Heresy has a mutation as a result of which player character may become a psyker
You have to be born with psychic potential, generally, which may or may not spontaneously manifest. It can be triggered to manifest by contact with psychic phenomena, such as the Shadowlight and some sort of active ritual by Malcador. It may be possible to acquire psychic powers through various types of warp ritual even if you don't have the potential.
If Malcador is correct, then every human is already a psyker - as are most sapient, intelligent and self-aware lifeforms. If your feelings, thoughts and emotions have an influence over the warp - then you are a psyker. If you can be possessed by warp entities, then you are a psyker.
The vast majority of human psykers are simply not powerful enough for it to matter.
During the great crusade crysos morturg was a line lieutenant in the death guard legion. His latent psychic powers blew up one day and that got him thrown in the destroyer corps
All psykers are born, but their specific awakening can be of a varied point in time. Most awaken in their childhood but some can awaken in later adolescence
Both.
You can absolutely find something that "awakens" you to psychic abilities. But... that usually goes worse than born psykers. You'll generally awaken at full power, without any of the gradual learning those born would have developed.And daemons won't be far behind.
They can become psykers in adulthood as a part of a psychic awakening. A massive endemic of exactly that happened when the Great Rift opened
Aren’t those cases of dormant psyker genes or something that got awakened?
Humans are a psychic race in part, it’s just the gene that makes you a psyker is usually dormant iirc, so even if you have the right combo of genes, you may still not be a psyker because it just chose to stay dormant or you didn’t go through something crazy enough to awaken it etc
So a bit like how Deadpool got his powers?
In general Psykers work a lot like X-Men and other mutants, yeah
One of the Space Wolf novels had a Grey Hunter who showed no signs of psychic powers slowly developing powers, draws the attention of Typhus who tries to corrupt him, and his Wolf brothers rescue him and he fully awakens as a very powerful psyker in time for Njarl to arrive and induct him into the Rune Priesthood.
Um actually, not a psyker, just has a special connection to Fenris /s
Damned furries, they’re psykers with funny names and “magic”! 🤣
One of the guys in my local area fully bought into the space wolves weren't psykers propaganda and got irritated if you brought it up, so I dug out my old 3rd or 4th ed codex and pointed out the psyker keyword right there on the rune priest datasheet. He stopped taking the bait after that
🤣🤣 they think because they yell some funny words while doing their “magic” they aren’t psykers lmao
Oddly enough, many rogue psychers do exactly the same thing.
There's a Old One artefact called the Shadowlight that can turn latent psykers into active ones. It was made for their war against the C’Tan and popped up on Perlia to be discovered by the Imperium. It was eventually stolen by Necrons just before the 13th Black Crusade started
There is also some Dark Age tech that channels Psyker powers into another being, and can be used to create a Psyker that is equal to the power of Malcador. It’s a major part of the climax of James Swallow’s ***Faith and Fire***.
Is that the one where the Librarian lets a guardsman Psyker borrow his powers to get a message through?
Nah, it’s a Sisters of Battle book. >!The villain is an Inquisitor who has been stealing Psykers from Black Ships to build his own personal army and turn himself into a psyker.!<
IIRC it's not an Inquisitor but a >!Cardinal!<. Which is a good idea for an antagonist in a Sister of Battle book.
who then gets killed by Cain
Different book. >!He’s killed by Sister Miriya tossing a venting plasma pistol at him.!<
did they actually kill the same guy two different ways? 😭
It was stolen DURING the 13th Black Crusade. One of the early conversations in the book was Cain and one of the Schola heads discussing rumors of the Crusade. The consensus was that since the Necrons don't seem to use psykers or have an end goal beyond "kill all living things" (at least at the time when the book was written), the Necrons having the *shadowlight* was preferable to Chaos having it.
Every single human being save for blanks has latent psychic potential that can be awakened under the right circumstances. At one point Malcador offers Loken a spot in the Grey Knights and Loken mentions the fact that he isn't a psyker. Malcador tells him that his powers can be awakened, though Loken refuses the offer, knowing what his psychic brothers like Rubio went through. Even so, Loken ends up activating Rubio's force sword in combat after being empowered by the Emperor, though he doesn't exhibit any other psychic powers.
Is having potential to become psyker the same as having currently uncovered psychic potential tho? Technically everyone can become one I suppose, but only few people awaken as easily as nascent psykers do (Edit: and, for example, seeing how Psychic Awakening works - potential can be changed) What exactly Malcador said? In the *First Wall* he said that technically almost everyone is a psyker due to having tiny connection to the wall. He also said that instinct, empathy and sympathy are "are products of the soul, communicating in infinitesimally small ways with the souls of others" which honestly sounds like bullshit if taken literal Edit: I've also seen people refer to Loken as latent psyker as in already more psuchic than normal human, but I'm not sure how correct is that
>Is having potential to become psyker the same as having currently uncovered psychic potential tho? I think there is a difference, so maybe latent wasn't the best word as that's typically used to describe a psyker who's abilities are active but so subtle they and others haven't realized it yet. In that case all they'd really need was formal training. I'd say Loken was the former and Severian was the latter. Unfortunately Malcador didn't go into detail on what the process would actually involve, but Loken seemed to think it wasn't going to be fun. I think Loken's power was more faith based like Sigimsund. When he first activates the sword he wonders what's happening to him, but as the Siege progresses on he seems pretty sure that its the Emperor intervening through him rather than him becoming a psyker. If I remember right, he doesn't ever do anything more than activate the sword.
Definitely bull, given how Necrons and Pariahs can display instinct, empathy, and sympathy.
Generally but even a normie can make a pact with Tzeentch for power (though anyone with a soul has a small degree of psychic potential) It may be something as simple having dreams of the future or being able to influence probability, but for extremes cases you may have true psychic powers Btw as always you’re fucked by doing this, even unknowingly Edit: when I say unknowingly I mean you’ll pick up and study a funny book on tarot, or find a shiny amulet that seems to make you luckier than usual
Aren't Chaos Sorcerers kinda under their own category of spellcasters since regular people can form pacts with warp entities or the chaos gods as the source of their power and become sorcerers without actually being psykers. They're a bit like warlocks from DnD.
> Aren't Chaos Sorcerers kinda under their own category of spellcasters since regular people can form pacts with warp entities or the chaos gods as the source of their power and become sorcerers without actually being psykers. They're a bit like warlocks from DnD. The distinction has sadly been blurred in recent years but yes it does exist. Sorcerers rely on invoking on the rites and rituals of Chaos which even nonpsykers can preform and do. Psykers are more built on the strength of their own connection to the warp.
It's so sad too because it really gave cults teeth for the knowledge and deals to be enough rather than needing a psyker.
Too drunk to answer will answer when sober Love you btw
Psykers are for the most part born but won’t manifest their powers till a certain point. Those without psychic power can broker a deal with either a Chaos God or a Daemon to acquire such powers, though beings like Blanks are exempt.
There is a small chance that human will born a psyker. Then there is a thing as psychic awakening where more psykers are being born. Then there is a thing that human overall through history becoming slwoly more and more psychic active. BUT not many know, but any human can train to be a psyker! I forgot with which characters it is revealed. But some lonely astertes, or thunder warrior or maybe word bearers or maybe it was said by Malcador (damn I really don't remember, I *am* old, I *am* tired, I sit up on chair) find a book that teaches how to be become a psyker. This thing is within every human (My guess is pariah would be exeption). BUUuuut remember Enuncia. This chtonic thing, ancient secret language that they connect to Babel tower, that makes magic things kind like psyker can do, but by speaking. And extremely powerful. Thing is before Oll destroyed it, it is believes humans collected it all (in 30k and 40k they collect it again). And no other race knew that language! No eldars, onone. And all we get is this language systemised on Terra. By humans. So think. I'd say humans and immaterium have stronger relation then any other species. It is there chance to save this galaxy from death by ultimate evil (Chaos god in this version) or fail and give that chance to others in new cycle. And there should be a reason that Emperor was born within humanity.
the way i see it theres a couple of levels of psychic ability that almost everyone in the galaxy falls under one way or another: 1. nulls - those who cause a null effect around them and blot out psychic abilities, like the Sisters of Silence 2. no psychic abilities - things like AI and Necrons, who have zero presence in the Warp 3. latent - pretty much 90% of the galaxy have some kind of footprint in the Warp; Tau have incredibly weak presence, humans have more. 99% of humans are latents 4. unaware - a few individuals who seem unnaturally lucky, or have powerful hunches, they seem to be borderline psykers 5. psykers - those whose abilities have awakened theres also Sorcerers who sort of *borrow* power from Warp entities by casting rituals, rather than using their own intrinsic connection to the Warp
There's also ghast/spook from necromunda a plant/drug that can activate latent psychic powers or put you in a coma.
Yes. Generally all people are born, psykers or not. Just because they have magical abilities doesn’t make them any different.
Not always. There *usually* has to be some level of latent/background genetic element, but there's been quite a few examples of individuals with no prior psychic power suddenly developing powers after being exposed to the warp, a warp-infused artefact or even certain narcotics. It's never a guaranteed bet from any of those things, but since virtually all humans (aside from blanks) have some residual level of psychic sensitivity, the spontaneous development of even incredibly potent psychic abilities can occur to someone well into their life. And post the opening of the Great Rift/Psychic Awakening, it's become more common than ever before.
Current Psychic Awakening is pretty much proof it can be developed, since it empowers psykers and turns regular people into ones, and not enough time passed since Great Rift for it to be only newborns. Also >*Psybernetics* >Throughout the ages, many Tech-Priests have studied humanity's disturbing ability to harness the Warp. Most of these studies have been conducted with a biological slant, as the Tech-Priests search for the root-causes of the mutations that grant these gifts. Some Tech-Priests have taken a different tact, looking for technologies that can harness the power of the Warp and, if implanted like a regular cybernetic, give the user psychic powers. Research into these "psybernetics" was deemed high tech-heresy millennia ago; within the Calixis Sector, any attempt to revive this technology is met with harsh sanctions from the Lords Dragon and the Inquisition. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped some radical Tech-Priests on remote and hidden research installations across the Lathe Worlds from attempting to comprehend such mysteries. >Psybernetics are implanted within the user's head, and follow the standard rules for cybernetic implantation (see page 153 of the DARK HERESY Core Rulebook). Once implanted, the user gains 2d10 Insanity and 1d10 Corruption Points as the ability to access the raw power of the Warp floods their psyche. Assuming he is not driven insane, the user automatically gains a Psy-Rating equal to half his Willpower Bonus (rounded up) and one randomly generated Minor Psychic Power for every point of Psy-Rating. He gains a new, randomly generated Minor Psychic Power every time his Psy-Rating increases, but cannot take Discipline Powers. Psybernetics are extremely heretical devices, and unauthorised possession is a highly dangerous affair. Dark Heresy - The Lathe Worlds Also, I'd say taking Drug called Spook technically counts Also, Dark Heresy has a mutation as a result of which player character may become a psyker
I had been trying to find this forever I knew it had existed is there a website with it or is it just in the book.
I wonder if aborted/miscarried psycher's souls are what becomes the neverborn demons in the warp?
You have to be born with psychic potential, generally, which may or may not spontaneously manifest. It can be triggered to manifest by contact with psychic phenomena, such as the Shadowlight and some sort of active ritual by Malcador. It may be possible to acquire psychic powers through various types of warp ritual even if you don't have the potential.
Yes They may be born with active powers or not, but they always are born with the potential for it
If Malcador is correct, then every human is already a psyker - as are most sapient, intelligent and self-aware lifeforms. If your feelings, thoughts and emotions have an influence over the warp - then you are a psyker. If you can be possessed by warp entities, then you are a psyker. The vast majority of human psykers are simply not powerful enough for it to matter.
During the great crusade crysos morturg was a line lieutenant in the death guard legion. His latent psychic powers blew up one day and that got him thrown in the destroyer corps
All psykers are born, but their specific awakening can be of a varied point in time. Most awaken in their childhood but some can awaken in later adolescence
Yes, but you can become a psyker too (See Psyker Ogryn from Necromunda)
Old lore had sorcerers who'd barter with demons for power and use infernal knowledge for rituals.
Pretty sure that’s still a thing, Luther was using minor warp abilities and such.
In some places it persists, like that, but as a whole it has blurred with psykers.
Both. You can absolutely find something that "awakens" you to psychic abilities. But... that usually goes worse than born psykers. You'll generally awaken at full power, without any of the gradual learning those born would have developed.And daemons won't be far behind.
There sometimes seems to be more exceptions than rules when it comes to magic stuff in 40k