Wait, is this actually magic? – Yes and no. Mechanically it works on the same principles as magic, and the use of the Magery skill means we don’t actually have to make Yet Another Skill for this. Does Qi Manipulation work via the same basic principles of field manipulation as ‘traditional magic’ does? Yes. Does it use spirits to do so? No. Essentially the user is using their own willpower to force the same effects into existence. It’s a dangerous, often self-destructive method, and seen as a complete aberration by most magic-using societies.

Disallowed Spells – Qi Manipulation users cannot learn Incantations, nor can they learn the following spells: Ballistakinesis, Blind, Creation, Crush, Cryokinesis, Disarm, Gravity Manipulation, Grip, Ionize, Levitate, Maelstrom, Move Object, Plant Surge, Rend, Shield, Slow, Thrust, Track, Whirlwind

Dubiously Magical – Qi Manipulation produces much of the same effects as more traditional magic and operates off of the same basic principles as magic, but it does so without using spirits – the intermediaries between the mage and the effect being produced.  Consequently, Qi Manipulation effects cannot be suppressed or impaired by the Rebuke Magic or Resist Magic spells.  However, this ‘lower level’ of control means that the effects produced by Qi Manipulation are less refined.
When a Qi Manipulation user casts a spell that would normally have the [telekinetic] descriptor, it loses that descriptor.  If a spell they cast would deal damage, it deals energy damage instead of the kind of damage it would normally deal (even if that would have been physical damage).  When a Qi Manipulation user casts a spell against a hostile target, they must make a ranged or melee attack to affect the target, in addition to the Magery check as usual.  This attack is made as part of the spellcasting at no additional action.  However, the caster can choose each time whether to make a ranged or melee attack.  When you take the Magery Training feat you select a number of spells as normal for the feat, however you gain no benefits from selecting a spell multiple times.  To cast these spells, see Qi Casting below.

Modified Spells – The following spells have changed effects:

• Combustion – This spell can no longer set its targets on fire.

• Shatter – Shatter can only be in conjunction with a melee attack, not with a ranged attack.

Qi Pool – You have a pool of Qi Points equal to your level plus your Wisdom modifier.  These points are used to for the vast majority of the abilities of Qi Manipulation.

Qi Casting – You can produce the effect of any spell you have learned via Magery Training by expending 1 Qi Point to cast it.  Roll the Magery check as normal for this spell.  Any Qi Points expended in this fashion are regained at the end of the encounter.

Self-Enhancement – While you lack the ‘oomph’ and raw power of more traditional mages, you have flexibility that they do not.  By spending 10 minutes in meditation, you can invest any number of your Qi Points into Mojo Manipulations (see the Mojo Manipulation type of magic) at a rate of 2 Qi to 1 Mojo Point.  These Qi Points remain unavailable for other purposes until you spend 10 minutes in meditation to free them up (losing those Mojo Manipulations in the process).

Super Attack – By spending 1 Qi Point you can forcefully project your Qi in an offensive fashion.  When you obtain this ability, choose between melee or ranged.  If you choose melee, you can use your Super Attack as part of a standard unarmed strike attack (even with combat gloves).  If you choose ranged, than it functions as a Simple ranged weapon and your attack is made as a touch attack.  Unlike spells, you add half your level to the damage of your Super Attack.  Either a ranged or melee Super Attack is an attack action (not a standard action).

Super Attack Enhancement – Each time you gain this ability, choose an option from the list below to apply to your Super Attack.  These enhancements are used on an as-desired basis, chosen each time you use your Super Attack.

• Guided Attack (Ranged Only) – Your super attack can make one turn of up to 90 degrees between you and the target.  This can be used to possibly negate the effects of cover – however, using it to attack a target that you do not have any line of sight to incurs the usual penalties.  Using this enhancement adds 2 Qi Points to the cost of the Super Attack.

• Homing (Ranged Only) – By spending two additional swift actions before using your Super Attack you gain the benefit of any abilities you have that apply when you Aim.  Additionally, this allows you to reroll your attack once if you miss with the initial attack roll.  Using this enhancement adds 2 Qi Points to the cost of the Super Attack.

• Increased Power – This enhancement doubles the amount of damage dice your Super Attack does.  However, this doubles the Qi Point cost as well.  This ability can be chosen multiple times, up to a maximum amount of times equal to your Wisdom modifier.  Each time you take it allows you to double the damage and the cost again – twice is 4 points, three times is 8 points, four times is 16 points, and so on.  Each time you use the Super Attack you choose how many doublings you would like to apply.

• Increased Range (Ranged Only) – This can be chosen three times.  The first time increases the range of the super attack to Pistol range, the second to Rifle range, and the third to Heavy Weapon range.  Each range increase step adds 1 Qi Point to the cost of the Super Attack.

• Knockback (Melee Only) – Targets hit by your Super Attack are knocked prone in their square if your attack roll beats their Fortitude defense.  For every 2 points that you exceed their Fortitude defense, you can knock them back 1 square.  If this would knock them into a solid object, they take 1d6 damage per square of movement they had left to move.  If this would knock them into another target, compare your attack roll against that target to see if you knock that target prone too.  Using this enhancement adds 2 Qi Points to the cost of the Super Attack.

• With But A Touch (Melee Only) – This allows you to make a melee Special Attack as a melee touch attack.  However, you do not deal your unarmed strike damage with this, only the Special Attack damage.  Using this enhancement costs 1 Qi Point.

Diehard – You do not pass out when you reach nonlethal damage equal to your current hit points.  However, any nonlethal damage that would go beyond your maximum hit points becomes lethal damage instead.

Lifeburn – You can choose to take nonlethal damage in place of spending Qi Points.  By taking nonlethal damage equal to double your level you can negate 1 Qi Point of cost to activate an ability or cast a spell.  Qi Points gained in this fashion cannot be invested into passive abilities such as Self-Enhancement.  If you currently have nonlethal damage equal to your current hit points, then can continue using Lifeburn by taking lethal damage instead of nonlethal damage.

Charge Up – By increasing the amount of time it takes you to build up a Super Attack you can increase its power without adding to the cost.  For each move action that you spend charging the attack, you decrease the Qi Point cost by 1, to a minimum of 1.  A Super Attack affected by Charge Up is made as a Standard Action once you choose to stop charging, instead of an Attack Action.

Super Mode – Channeling your Qi inward, you push your body beyond its limits and act in harmony with the flow of Qi and magic.  Activating Super Mode is a swift action that can only be taken on your turn.  While Super Mode is active, you gain a +4 bonus to attack, unarmed and super attack damage, and your Fortitude and Reflex defenses.  Qi point cost of any ability that you use (aside from this) is reduced by half to a minimum of 1 Qi point while Super Mode is activated. Maintaining Super Mode costs 1 Qi point per round, and you may end Super Mode as a free action at any time.  While in Super Mode you have a visible aura of energy of a color the GM chooses upon your first use of this ability.

Flash Step – By spending 1 Qi Point as a free action on your turn you may teleport a distance up to your speed.  This movement is instantaneous and you are not considered to have moved through any of the squares between your starting and ending location.  You must be able to see your destination to move there.  This ability can only be used once per turn.

Ascension Mode – Through finer manipulation of your Qi you manage to temporarily ascend to a new level of power.  Activating Ascension Mode is a swift action that can only be taken on your turn while you are in Super Mode.  While in Ascension Mode the bonuses you gain from Super Mode are increased to +6, you gain Damage Reduction 15, and the Qi point cost of any ability you use (aside from this) are reduced to 0.  Maintaining Ascension Mode costs 2 Qi points per round, and you may end Super Mode as a free action at any time.  While in super mode your hair becomes spiky and glows a color chosen by the GM upon your first use of this ability.