James/Regimen

The following outlines James' revised teaching regimen. As he has not been an active Official Teacher for some time (though he has retained the status), a few key aspects of his regimen require adjustment to better mesh with the room's slightly different atmosphere. Below, his teaching regimen, student benefits, and instructor benefits are all outlined. As well, the Schule vom Gemut is described post-Empirical Industries sponsorship. There is also an updated player-character staff roster.

Instructor-Specific Techniques

Teacher's Intuition- Through trial and experience, James has come to understand the motivations, strengths, and weaknessess of his students. With his heightened intuition and paternal instincts, he is able to specifically target problem areas, resulting in far more efficient training and teaching methods. Each time he teaches a class, all of the player-character students gain ten percent of their PsiPLs, if they have one. Each time he spars with a student, that student gains ten percent of his or her TotalPL.

Eye for Weakness- Though James is widely-regarded as the world's most powerful psion, he is well-aware of the fact that there are forces greater than he at work in the world. To that end, he strives ever for self-improvement, to better both is own technique and the technique of those who rely on him as a teacher. Each time he teaches a class or conducts a spar, he gains a single extra tech day. This benefit allows him to gain an additional three tech days weekly, max.

Opened Mind- James possesses the ability to open the minds of mortals and power-wielders alike, granting them a psionic power-level. The process, while extremely sensitive in nature, is also completely safe when performed properly. While the amount of psionic power a virgin mind can produce once it is opened varies from student to student, it is never less than 100 and never more than 300. It is generally accepted that greater effort on the student's part results in heightened psionic prowess, as psionic power is based off of the will of the student, not off of intelligence or inventiveness.

Grading Scale

James employs a grading scale that is very similar to the one used by other, more typical educational institutions around Cardinal. Because classes taught in order to gain power cannot be accredited to the job market in any meaningful way, however, it varies slightly to better suit the ideas and concepts James wishes to impart to his students. Each time a student completes a class, a grade is assigned, based on two factors; the student's grasp of the concepts presented and the effort on part of the student's MUN. The grade can range from F (failing, no credit is given) to S (exemplary, additional bonuses are earned).

The grading scale also uses an Extra Credit system, wherein a student may engage the instructor outside of typically scheduled classes. Doing so (be it in the form of extra help with taught concepts or a simple student-instructor spar) grants a single extra tech day to the concept or technique in question if it is already being learned. How many times a student may request Extra Credit training is dependent on how well they score when they complete the class.

F: The worst grade a student can get. If a student fails a class, training credit is not given. The student may then attempt to pass the class again, or request remedial training and additional help from the instructor.

D: One rung up from the bottom of the ladder. If this grade is earned, the student will still be allowed to research and learn the taught technique specific to the course, but will not qualify for extra credit training until they earn a higher mark (more on this below). This mark gives the student access to a taught technique for base TD as learned by James. Therefore, if the student marks a D, they will learn the technique as if after bias changes it would cost them the base cost that James paid to learn the technique.

C: A mediocre mark that serves only to distinguish a terrible or poor student from an average one. If this grade is earned, the student will qualify for extra credit training, but the frequency is adjusted to reflect what their effort and intuitiveness has earned; they are allowed to train twice weekly for extra credit. Likewise, the bias adjustment for taught techniques when this grade is earned is minimal; 5% of the taught technique's base cost is cut away, and the technique is learned for that cost.

B: An acceptable grade, though far from the best. A student who earns a B mark is subject to an additional bias bonus, as well as allowed to train for extra credit more often than students who's marks do not measure up to this standard. The bias change is as follows; 10% of the taught technique's base TD cost is cut away, and the technique is learned for that price. Likewise, extra credit training is allowed up to three times per week.

A: Considered James' high-mark. A student who earns this mark has room for improvement, but not very much. The rewards reaped from earning this mark are substantial, reflecting the studen't dedication and hard work. Taught tech bias is a hefty 20% reduction from the base cost, and extra credit training is allowed up to four times weekly as well.

S: he highest mark that any student can earn from James. This represents a student who commands absolute knowledge of all present concepts and ideas, and has no room for improvement. The S mark represents perfection, and has only been awarded to two students out of the thousands that have passed through the doors of the Schule vom Gemut. As would be expected, the rewards for earning this mark are quite notable; the base cost of the taught technique is reduced by 25%, and extra credit training is allowed one time per day, seven times per week. Likewise, each class has a specific bonus that is awarded for completing it with a mark of S (see specific classes for details).

Teaching Techniques

James, while not teaching all of his techniques, teaches the vast majority of them. These range from original techniques devised by him, to common techiques offered to help round out an already capable fighter. The amount of time it takes to master the basic concepts of a technique (thus allowing the student to begin investing tech days) depends on the base tech day cost of the technique. The process may require anywhere between one and four sessions with James instructing the students, each session counting as a single 'credit.' Once all the necessary credits have been acquired, the student is assigned a grade, and investing TDs may begin.

Techniques with a base TD cost of 30 days or less require a single credit.

Techniques with a base TD cost between 31 days and 60 days require two credits.

Techniques with a base TD cost between 61 and 90 days require three credits.

All techniques with a base TD cost greater than 90 days require four credits.

Taught Techniques

The following is a list of classes James offers. Some classes have prerequisites that must be completed first, while others may only become available to a student under special circumstances.

Original Techniques

Bildnistanz- Teaches the student to use natural grace and poise in concert with psionic capability to produce mirror images of him or herself.

Prerequisites- None. Credits required- Three.

Flustern der Kraft- A very basic, yet very important skill for any psion is the ability to mask his or her power-level. This skill allows the user to take the first step down that road by allowing him or her to manipulate how much of their energy is sensible.

Prerequisites- None. Credits required- One.

Flustern der Kraft, Complete Concealment- The second step of this class permits the user to completely mask his or her psionic power-level from the senses of others.

Prerequisites- Flustern der Kraft. Credits required- One.

Planar Step- This advanced teleporting technique allows the user to delay their return to the physical plane, all while monitoring their surroundings in order to determine the perfect time to rematerialize and strike.

Prerequisites- Basic Teleport (it is not necessary for James to have taught this technique to the student; the student need only know it). Credits Required- Three.

Planar Step, Extension Upgrade- Further augments the effectiveness of Planar Step by extending the amount of time the user may remain absent from the physical plane.

Prerequisites- Planar Step. Credits Required- One.

Planar Link- With this technique, the student can learn to open two-way portals to the astral plane, diverting hazardous energy away from them and others.

Prerequisites- Planar Step with Extension Upgrade. Credits required- Two.

Planar Link Capacity Upgrade- As implied by the name, this technique grants the user the ability to transfer more raw energy through a Planar Link. It may be repeatedly upgraded with further instruction from the professor.

Prerequisites- Planar Link. Credits Required- One.

Planar Link Expansion Upgrade- This upgrade allows the student to create larger portals that may transfer objects with greater physical mass. It may be repeated once again to form portals up to ten feet in diameter, with further instruction.

Prerequisites- Planar Step with Extension Upgrade, Planar Link. Credits required- Two.

Planar Link Multiplicity Upgrade- Once completed, the student will be able to create multiple portals to cover themselves from varying angles of attack.

Prerequisites- Planar Step with Extension upgrade, Planar Link with Expansion and Capacity upgrades.

Planar Cell- A rarely-taught technique, this ability teaches the learning psion how to sever the very fabric of reality, then use it as a culture to create their very own pocket dimension. The dimension has several uses.

Prerequisites- Planar Step with Extension Upgrade, Planar Link with Capacity, Expansion, and Multiplicity upgrades.

Planar Bridge- Creates a bridge between two planar links, allowing an object to enter one and exit another. Advanced technique with many prerequisites.

Prerequisites- Planar Step with Extension Upgrade, Planar link with Capacity, Expansion, and Multiplicity Upgrades, and Planar Cell. Credits Required- Four.

Common Techniques

Though any character may learn these techniques on his or her own, learning them from James allows them to learn them much more quickly, as well as providing certain other bonuses.

Basic Teleport

Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- Two.

Passive Defense Linking

Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- One.

Enhanced Autokinetic Movement (Up to level 1)

Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- Three.

Enhanced Psionic Senses (Up to level 1)

Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- One.

Enhanced Psionic Stamina (Up to level 2) Prerequisites- Each level requires the level prior to it to be completed. Credits required- Two per level.

Multitask (Up to level 1) Prerequisites- None. Credits required- Four.

SOI Expansion Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- Three.

Skill Shot

Prerequisites- None. Credits Required- One.

Weapon Proficiency, Katanas (Up to level 4)

Prerequisites- Each level requires the level prior to it to be completed. Credits Required- One credit for level one, two credits for level two, two credits for level three, four credits for level four.