Psionics

PSIONIC POWERS OVERVIEW

A psionic power is a one-time psionic effect. Psionic characters and creatures need not prepare their powers for use ahead of time. They either have sufficient power points to manifest a power or they do not.

A power is manifested when a psionic character pays its power point cost. Some psionic creatures automatically manifest powers, called psi-like abilities, without paying a power point cost. Other creatures pay power points to manifest their powers, just as characters do.

Each power has a specific effect. A power known to a psionic character can be used whenever he or she has power points to pay for it.

MANIFESTING POWERS

CHOOSING A POWER

CONCENTRATION

Injury: Getting hurt or being affected by hostile psionics while trying to manifest a power can break your concentration and ruin a power. If you take damage while trying to manifest a power, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + points of damage taken + the level of the power you’re manifesting). The interrupting event strikes during manifestation if it occurs between when you start and when you complete manifesting a power (for a power with a manifesting time of 1 round or longer) or if it comes in response to your manifesting the power (such as an attack of opportunity provoked by the manifesting of the power or a contingent attack from a readied action).
If you are taking continuous damage half the damage is considered to take place while you are manifesting a power. You must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + 1/2 the damage that the continuous source last dealt + the level of the power you’re manifesting).
If the last damage dealt was the last damage that the effect could deal then the damage is over, and it does not distract you.
Repeated damage does not count as continuous damage.

Power: If you are affected by a power while attempting to manifest a power of your own, you must make a Concentration check or lose the power you are manifesting. If the power affecting you deals damage, the Concentration DC is 10 + points of damage + the level of the power you’re manifesting. If the power interferes with you or distracts you in some other way, the Concentration DC is the power’s save DC + the level of the power you’re manifesting. For a power with no saving throw, it’s the DC that the power’s saving throw would have if a save were allowed.

Grappling or Pinned: To manifest a power while grappling or pinned, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + the level of the power you’re manifesting) or lose the power.

Vigorous Motion: If you are riding on a moving mount, taking a bouncy ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rough water, belowdecks in a storm-tossed ship, or simply being jostled in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + the level of the power you’re manifesting) or lose the power.

Violent Motion: If you are on a galloping horse, taking a very rough ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rapids or in a storm, on deck in a storm-tossed ship, or being tossed roughly about in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the power you’re manifesting) or lose the power.

Violent Weather: If you are in a high wind carrying blinding rain or sleet, the DC is 5 + the level of the power you’re manifesting. If you are in wind-driven hail, dust, or debris, the DC is 10 + the level of the power you’re manifesting. In either case, you lose the power if you fail the Concentration check. If the weather is caused by a power, use the rules in the Power subsection above.

Manifesting Powers on the Defensive: If you want to manifest a power without provoking attacks of opportunity, you need to dodge and weave. You must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the power you’re manifesting) to succeed. You lose the power points without successful manifestation if you fail.

Entangled: If you want to manifest a power while entangled in a net or while affected by a power with similar effects you must make a DC 15 Concentration check to manifest the power. You lose the power if you fail.

MANIFESTER LEVEL

POWER FAILURE

THE POWER’S RESULT

SPECIAL POWER EFFECTS

Attacks: Some powers refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don’t damage opponents, such as disarm and bull rush, are considered attacks. All powers that opponents can resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are considered attacks. Astral construct and similar powers are not considered attacks because the powers themselves don’t harm anyone.

Bonus Types: Many powers give creatures bonuses to ability scores, Armor Class, attacks, and other attributes. Each bonus has a type that indicates how the power grants the bonus. The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don’t generally stack. With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus works (see Combining Psionic and Magical Effects, below). The same principle applies to penalties - a character taking two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one.

Bringing Back the Dead: Various psionic powers, such as reality revision and psionic revivify, have the ability to restore slain characters to life. When a living creature dies, its soul departs the body, leaves the Material Plane, travels through the Astral Plane, and goes to abide on the plane where the creature’s deity resides. If the creature did not worship a deity, its soul departs to the plane corresponding to its alignment. Bringing someone back from the dead means retrieving his or her soul and returning it to his or her body.

Level Loss: The passage from life to death and back again is a wrenching journey for a being’s soul. Consequently, any creature brought back to life usually loses one level of experience. The character’s new experience point total is midway between the minimum needed for his or her new (reduced) level and the minimum needed for the next one. If the character was 1st level at the time of death, he or she loses 2 points of Constitution instead of losing a level. This level loss or Constitution loss cannot be repaired by any mortal means, even the spells wish or miracle. A revived character can regain a lost level by earning XP through further adventuring. A revived character who was 1st level at the time of death can regain lost points of Constitution by improving his or her Constitution score when he or she attains a level that allows an ability score increase.

Preventing Revivification: Enemies can take steps to make it more difficult for a character to be returned from the dead. Keeping the body prevents others from using a single manifestation of reality revision to restore the slain character to life.

Revivification Against One’s Will: A soul cannot be returned to life if it does not wish to be. A soul knows the name, alignment, and patron deity (if any) of the character attempting to revive it and may refuse to return on that basis.

COMBINING PSIONIC AND MAGICAL EFFECTS

Psionics-Magic Transparency: Though not explicitly called out in the spell descriptions or magic item descriptions, spells, spell-like abilities, and magic items that could potentially affect psionics do affect psionics.
When the rule about psionics-magic transparency is in effect, it has the following ramifications.
Spell resistance is effective against powers, using the same mechanics. Likewise, power resistance is effective against spells, using the same mechanics as spell resistance. If a creature has one kind of resistance, it is assumed to have the other. (The effects have similar ends despite having been brought about by different means.)
All spells that dispel magic have equal effect against powers of the same level using the same mechanics, and vice versa.
The spell detect magic detects powers, their number, and their strength and location within 3 rounds (though a Psicraft check is necessary to identify the discipline of the psionic aura).
Dead magic areas are also dead psionics areas.

Multiple Effects: Powers or psionic effects usually work as described no matter how many other powers, psionic effects, spells, or magical effects happen to be operating in the same area or on the same recipient. Except in special cases, a power does not affect the way another power or spell operates. Whenever a power has a specific effect on other powers or spells, the power description explains the effect (and vice versa for spells that affect powers). Several other general rules apply when powers, spells, magical effects, or psionic effects operate in the same place.

Stacking Effects: Powers that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves. More generally, two bonuses of the same type don’t stack even if they come from different powers, or one from a power and one from a spell. You use whichever bonus gives you the better result.

Different Bonus Types: The bonuses or penalties from two different powers, or a power and a spell, stack if the effects are of different types. A bonus that isn’t named (just a “+2 bonus” rather than a “+2 insight bonus”) stacks with any bonus.

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more similar or identical effects are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies. If one power or spell is dispelled or its duration runs out, the other power or spell remains in effect (assuming its duration has not yet expired).

Same Effect with Differing Results: The same power or spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. The last effect in a series trumps the others. None of the previous spells or powers are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell or power in the series lasts.

One Effect Makes Another Irrelevant: Sometimes, a power can render another power irrelevant.

Multiple Mental Control Effects: Sometimes psionic or magical effects that establish mental control render one another irrelevant. Mental controls that don’t remove the recipient’s ability to act usually do not interfere with one another, though one may modify another. If a creature is under the control of two or more creatures, it tends to obey each to the best of its ability, and to the extent of the control each effect allows. If the controlled creature receives conflicting orders simultaneously, the competing controllers must make opposed Charisma checks to determine which one the creature obeys.

Powers and Spells with Opposite Effects: Powers and spells with opposite effects apply normally, with all bonuses, penalties, or changes accruing in the order that they apply. Some powers and spells negate or counter each other. This is a special effect that is noted in a power’s or spell’s description.

Instantaneous Effects: Two or more magical or psionic effects with instantaneous durations work cumulatively when they affect the same object, place, or creature.

POWERS AND POWER POINTS

Daily Power Point Acquisition: To regain used daily power points, a psionic character must have a clear mind. To clear his mind, he must first sleep for 8 hours. The character does not have to slumber for every minute of the time, but he must refrain from movement, combat, manifesting powers, skill use, conversation, or any other demanding physical or mental task during the rest period. If his rest is interrupted, each interruption adds 1 hour to the total amount of time he has to rest to clear his mind, and he must have at least 1 hour of rest immediately prior to regaining lost power points. If the character does not need to sleep for some reason, he still must have 8 hours of restful calm before regaining power points.

Recent Manifesting Limit/Rest Interruptions: If a psionic character has manifested powers recently, the drain on his resources reduces his capacity to regain power points. When he regains power points for the coming day, all power points he has used within the last 8 hours count against his daily limit.

Peaceful Environment: To regain power points, a psionic character must have enough peace, quiet, and comfort to allow for proper concentration. The psionic character’s surroundings need not be luxurious, but they must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises. Exposure to inclement weather prevents the necessary concentration, as does any injury or failed saving throw the character might incur while concentrating on regaining power points.

Regaining Power Points: Once the character has rested in a suitable environment, it takes only an act of concentration spanning 1 full round to regain all power points of the psionic character’s daily limit.

Death and Power Points: If a character dies, all daily power points stored in his mind are wiped away. A potent effect (such as reality revision) can recover the lost power points when it recovers the character.

ADDING POWERS

Powers Gained at a New Level: Psions and other psionic characters perform a certain amount of personal meditation between adventures in an attempt to unlock latent mental abilities. Each time a psionic character attains a new level, he or she learns additional powers according to his class description. Psions, psychic warriors, and wilders learn new powers of their choice in this fashion. These powers represent abilities unlocked from latency. The powers must be of levels the characters can manifest.

Independent Research: A psion also can research a power independently, duplicating an existing power or creating an entirely new one. If characters are allowed to develop new powers, use these guidelines to handle the situation.
Any kind of manifester can create a new power. The research involved requires access to a retreat conducive to uninterrupted meditation. Research involves an expenditure of 200 XP per week and takes one week per level of the power. At the end of that time, the character makes a Psicraft check (DC 10 + spell level). If that check succeeds, the character learns the new power if her research produced a viable power. If the check fails, the character must go through the research process again if she wants to keep trying.

USING STORED POWER POINTS

A variety of psionic items exist to store power points for later use, in particular a storage device called a cognizance crystal. Regardless of what sort of item stores the power points, all psionic characters must follow strict rules when tapping stored power points.

A Single Source: When using power points from a storage item to manifest a power, a psionic character may not pay the power’s cost with power points from more than one source. He must either use an item, his own power point reserve, or some other discrete power point source to pay the manifestation cost.

Recharging: Most power point storage devices allow psionic characters to “recharge” the item with their own power points. Doing this depletes the character’s power point reserve on a 1-for-1 basis as if he had manifested a power; however, those power points remain indefinitely stored. The opposite is not true-psionic characters may not use power points stored in a storage item to replenish their own power point reserves.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Psionic creatures can create psionic effects without having levels in a psionic class (although they can take a psionic class to further enhance their abilities); such creatures have the psionic subtype.

Characters using dorjes, cognizance crystals, and other psionic items can also create psionic effects. In addition to existing spell-like and supernatural abilities, creatures can also have psi-like abilities. (Psionic creatures may also have extraordinary and natural abilities.)

Psi-Like Abilities (Ps): The manifestation of powers by a psionic character is considered a psi-like ability, as is the manifestation of powers by creatures without a psionic class (creatures with the psionic subtype, also simply called psionic creatures). Usually, a psionic creature’s psi-like ability works just like the power of that name. A few psi-like abilities are unique; these are explained in the text where they are described.
Psi-like abilities have no verbal, somatic, or material components, nor do they require a focus or have an XP cost (even if the equivalent power has an XP cost). The user activates them mentally. Armor never affects a psi-like ability’s use. A psi-like ability has a manifesting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability description. In all other ways, a psi-like ability functions just like a power. However, a psionic creature does not have to pay a psi-like ability’s power point cost.
Psi-like abilities are subject to power resistance and to being dispelled by dispel psionics. They do not function in areas where psionics is suppressed or negated.

Supernatural Abilities: Some creatures have psionic abilities that are considered supernatural. Psionic feats are also supernatural abilities. These abilities cannot be disrupted in combat, as powers can be, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity (except as noted in their descriptions). Supernatural abilities are not subject to power resistance and cannot be negated or dispelled; however, they do not function in areas where psionics is suppressed.

PSIONIC MALADIES

Disease, Cascade Flu: Spread by brain moles and other vermin; injury; DC 13; incubation one day; damage psionic cascade.

A psionic cascade is a loss of control over psionic abilities. Using power points becomes dangerous for a character infected by cascade flu, once the incubation period has run its course. Every time an afflicted character manifests a power, she must make a DC 16 Concentration check. On a failed check, a psionic cascade is triggered. The power operates normally, but during the following round, without the character’s volition, two additional powers she knows manifest randomly, and their power cost is deducted from the character’s reserve. During the next round, three additional powers manifest, and so on, until all the psionic character’s power points are drained. Powers with a range of personal or touch always affect the diseased character. For other powers that affect targets, roll d%: On a 01-50 result, the power affects the diseased character, and 51-00 indicates that the power targets other creatures in the vicinity. Psionic creatures (those that manifest their powers without paying points) cascade until all the powers they know have manifested at least twice.

As with any disease, a psionic character who is injured or attacked by a creature carrying a disease or parasite, or who otherwise has contact with contaminated material, must make an immediate Fortitude save. On a success, the disease fails to gain a foothold. On a failure, the character takes damage (or incurs the specified effect) after the incubation period. Once per day afterward, the afflicted character must make a successful Fortitude save to avoid repeating the damage. Two successful saving throws in a row indicate she has fought off the disease.

Disease, Cerebral Parasites: Spread by contact with infected psionic creatures; contact; DC 15; incubation 1d4 days; damage 1d8 power points.

Cerebral parasites are tiny organisms, undetectable to normal sight. An afflicted character may not even know he carries the parasites - until he discovers he has fewer power points for the day than expected. Psionic creatures with cerebral parasites are limited to using each of their known powers only once per day (instead of freely manifesting them). See the note about diseases under Cascade Flu, above.

Negative Levels: Psionic characters can gain negative levels just like members of other character classes. A psionic character loses access to one power per negative level from the highest level of power he can manifest; he also loses a number of power points equal to the cost of that power. If two or more powers fit these criteria, the manifester decides which one becomes inaccessible. The lost power becomes available again as soon the negative level is removed, providing the manifester is capable of using it at that time. Lost power points also return.

PSIONIC SPELLS

BARD SPELLS

2nd-Level Bard Spell
Glossolalia: Cone-shaped shriek distracts smart foes, makes concentrating difficult.

CLERIC SPELLS

3rd-Level Cleric Spell
Telepathic Bond, Lesser: As telepathic bond, but you and one other creature.

4th-Level Cleric Spells
Dweomer of Transference: Convert spellcasting into psionic power points.

5th-Level Cleric Spells
Psychic Turmoil: Invisible field leeches psionic power points away.

7th-Level Cleric Spells
Psychic Turmoil, Greater: As psychic turmoil, but you gain power points as temporary hp.

8th-Level Cleric Spells
Brain Spider: Listen to thoughts of up to eight other creatures.

MIND DOMAIN

Mind Domain Spells
1 Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages.
2 Detect Thoughts: Allows “listening” to surface thoughts.
3 Telepathic Bond, Lesser: Link with subject within 30 ft. for 10 min./level.
4 Discern Lies: Reveals deliberate falsehoods.
5 Telepathic Bond: Link lets allies communicate.
6 Probe Thoughts: Read subject’s memories, one question/ round.
7 Brain Spider: Eavesdrop on thoughts of up to eight other creatures.
8 Mind Blank: Subject is immune to mental/emotional magic and scrying.
9 Weird: Fearful illusion affects all within 30 ft., either killing or dealing 3d6 damage.

SORCERER/WIZARD SPELLS

3rd-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spell
Telepathic Bond, Lesser: As telepathic bond, but you and one other creature.

4th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spell
Dweomer of Transference: Convert spellcasting into psionic power points.

5th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spell
Psychic Turmoil: Invisible field leeches psionic power points away.

7th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spell
Psychic Turmoil, Greater: As psychic turmoil, but you gain power points as temporary hit points.

SPELL DESCRIPTIONS

The following spell descriptions are presented in alphabetical order.

Brain Spider

This spell allows you to eavesdrop as a standard action on the thoughts of up to eight other creatures at once, hearing as desired:

• Individual trains of thought in whatever order you desire.

• Information from all minds about one particular topic, thing, or being, one nugget of information per caster level.

• A study of the thoughts and memories of one creature of the group in detail.

Once per round, if you do not perform a detailed study of one creature’s mind, you can attempt (as a standard action) to implant a suggestion in the mind of any one of the affected creatures. The creature can make another Will saving throw to resist the suggestion, using the save DC of the brain spider spell. (Creatures with special resistance to enchantment spells can use this resistance to keep from being affected by the suggestion.) Success on this saving throw does not negate the other effects of the brain spider spell for that creature.

You can affect all intelligent beings of your choice within range (up to the limit of eight), beginning with known or named beings. Language is not a barrier, and you need not personally know the beings The spell cannot reach those who make a successful Will save.

Material Component: A spider of any size or kind. It can be dead, but must still have all eight legs.

Dweomer of Transference

With this spell, you form a radiating corona around the head of a psionic ally, then convert some of your spells into psionic power points. When you finish casting dweomer of transference, a red-orange glow surrounds the psionic creature’s head. For the duration of the spell, any spells cast at the subject don’t have their usual effect, instead converting themselves harmlessly into psionic energy that the subject can use as energy for psionic powers. You can cast any spell you like at the subject, even area spells, effect spells, and spells for whom the subject would ordinarily not be a legitimate target. The spells don’t do anything other than provide the subject with power points, but you must still cast them normally, obeying the component and range requirements listed in the description of each spell.

For each spell you cast into the dweomer of transference, the psionic creature gets temporary power points, according to the following table. The transference isn’t perfectly efficient. The temporary power points acquired through a dweomer of transference dissipate after 1 hour if they haven’t already been spent.

Glossolalia

You utter shrieks of nonsense and gibberish that thinking creatures find distracting and confusing. The spell affects only creatures with Intelligence scores of 3 or higher. Any such creatures within the spell’s area must succeed on Fortitude saves or be stunned for 1 round (if they have Intelligence scores of 20 or higher), dazed for 1 round (if they have Intelligence scores between 10 and 19), or shaken for 1 round (if they have Intelligence scores between 3 and 9). In addition, a creature within the spell’s area loses any psionic focus it might have had and takes a -4 penalty on Concentration checks for 1 round. These effects happen whether or not the creature succeeded on its save.

Mental Pinnacle

For a brief time, you achieve the mental dominance of a powerful psion, able to lash out at enemies using only the power of your mind. Your revel in your new mental powers to the point that you disdain using spells, even in the form of effects from magic items. You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence and Wisdom, 3 power points per caster level, and access to the following powers.

• Mind Thrust^A: Deal 1d10 damage.

• Ego Whip^A: Deal 1d4 Cha damage and daze for 1 round.

• Psionic Blast^A: Stun creatures in 30-ft. cone for 1 round.

• Id Insinuation: Swift tendrils of thought disrupt and confuse your target.

• Psychic Crush^A: Brutally crush subject’s mental essence, reducing subject to -1 hit points.

You manifest the powers as a psion of your caster level does, creating displays as described in each power’s description. You lose your spellcasting ability, including your ability to use spell activation or spell completion magic items, just as if those spells were no longer on your class list. For the duration of this spell, you use magic items and psionic items as if you were a psion with only the five powers given above on your class list.

Any unspent power points dissipate when the spell ends.

Material Component: A potion of fox’s cunning, which you drink (its effect is overridden by the effect of this spell).

Probe Thoughts

All the subject’s memories and knowledge are accessible to you, ranging from memories deep below the surface to those still easily called to mind. You can learn the answer to one question per round, to the best of the subject’s knowledge. You can also probe a sleeping subject, though the subject may make a Will save against the DC of the probe thoughts spell to wake after each question. Subjects who do not wish to be probed can attempt to move beyond the power’s range, unless somehow hindered. You pose the questions telepathically, and the answers to those questions are imparted directly to your mind. You and the target do not need to speak the same language, though less intelligent creatures may yield up only appropriate visual images in answer to your questions.

Psychic Turmoil

With this spell, you create an invisible field that leeches away the power points of psionic characters standing within the emanation. Nonpsionic characters are unaffected.

When the spell is cast and at the beginning of each of your subsequent turns, psionic creatures within the area of the psychic turmoil lose 1 power point per manifester level they have. Characters who succeed on a Will save when they first come into contact with the emanation lose only half as many power points (round down) each round. Characters get only one save attempt against any particular psychic turmoil effect, even if they leave the spell’s area and later return.

Material Component: Five playing cards, which are torn in half when the spell is cast.

Psychic Turmoil, Greater

As psychic turmoil, except you gain 1 temporary hit point for each power point the spell takes from a psionic creature. The temporary hit points last for 1 hour.

Telepathic Bond, Lesser

You forge a telepathic bond with another creature with an Intelligence score of 6 or higher. The bond can be established only with a willing subject. You can communicate telepathically through the bond regardless of language. No special power or influence is established as a result of the bond. Once the bond is formed, it works over any distance (although not from one plane to another).