Path of Mind

This page will detail the Talents and Abilities available to those who choose the Path of Mind.

General Path Rules
Each Path is divided into Tiers (usually 7). Anything from the first Tier is usually taken at Character Creation and thus uses one of the 3 Talents they receive at the beginning. However, each Talent is still listed with an Experience Cost (under Cost). This is how much the Talent will cost in XP after creation, if the player wishes to gain that Talent.

Weapon or Skill Checks
Some Talents call for a Weapon Skill Check or some other Skill Check. In these cases, a TN is listed and it is treated as any other Tested roll, meaning you take your number of dice and total the dice shown to try to meet or exceed the TN provided.

Talent Description
Each Talent follows a basic template, here is what each section means.

(Name of Talent) -- Self Explanatory

Prerequisites: This will list any Prerequisites for the Talent (usually other Talents, but sometimes skills). ALL Prerequisites must be met before the Talent can be taken.

Type: This will be the Type of Talent and it is only Passive or Active.


 * Passive Talents are those that are always active, or providing some sort of bonus continuously.
 * Active Talents are those that need some sort of Action taken in combat (or sometimes out). How many actions are explained in the description.

Description: This is the meat of the Talent, what it does and how it works. All TNs, rules, number of Actions and anything else will be described in this section.

Tier 1
These are the talents included in the First Tier of the Path of Mind.

Initiation Prerequisites: None Cost: 10 XP Type: Passive Description: This Ability gives the Psion the ability to channel psionic energies and therefore, manifest powers. The Psion now gains the Skill Psionics. The Psionics skill now becomes a Broad Skill and Specializations under the Broad Skill are: Psychometabolism, Psychokinesis, Clairsentience, and Telepathy. All Specialization rules apply. A Psion adds his Intelligence Attribute to the Broad Skill Psionics. Split Attention Prerequisites: Initiation Talent Cost: 10 XP Type: Passive Description: This Ability allows the Psion to split his concentration more easily. If any power has the Duration of “Sustained,” the Psion may use this Ability in conjunction with sustaining the power. However, any DOT, direct damage, or damaging powers of any kind that is sustained cannot be used with this Ability, only Buffs and De-Buffs. This Ability gives a general +2 to the Recoil of a number of sustained powers equal to 1/4 the ranks in the Psionics Skill. So, a Psion with 8 ranks in his Psionics skill can Sustain 2 powers at +2 to each Power’s recoil (effectively reducing total accumulated recoil for the round by 4). Willful Prerequisites: Initiation Talent Cost: 10 XP Type: Passive Description: This ability provides a general +5 bonus to the total of any Willpower save provided it is resisting mind-affecting spells or powers. For example, anything from Telepathy, Enchantment, or Abjuration. All other Willpower saves are rolled normally. Mental Acuity Prerequisites: Initiation Talent Cost: 10 XP Type: Passive Description: With this Ability, the Psion gains 1.5 his Intelligence bonus to all power damage. Also, they can add 1.5 times their Intelligence when calculating resistance to their powers (non-damaging only).

Tier 2
These are the talents included in the Second Tier of the Path of Mind.

Psychic Warrior Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description:  The Psion following this Path learns to weave combat with his powers. Sure, all Psions have “combat” powers, but Psychic Warriors also excel in personal combat as well as psionics. They may ignore half of their power’s recoil while in combat (rounded up). However, all other actions, combat or otherwise, build recoil normally. Additionally, they must give up 2 Psionics Specializations. Biomancer Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description:  The Psion who follows this path feels a greater connection to the Psychometabolism discipline than the others. Once this life path is taken the psion receives a +2 to all rolls involving Psychometabolism Specialization rolls. Also, because of this heightened connection to this discipline, they receive a –1 to all rolls involving any power from the Clairsentience Specialization. Kineticist Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description:  The Psion following this Path feels a greater connection to the Psychokinesis discipline than the others. Once this life path is taken the psion receives a +2 to all rolls involving powers from the Psychokinesis Specialization. Also, because of this heightened connection to this discipline, they receive a –1 to all rolls involving any power from the Telepathy Specialization. Psion Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description: The Psion who follows this path has balanced their study and their abilities to focus on all aspect of psionics. They receive no bonus to any one discipline and no minus to any either. Mind Melter Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description: The Psion who follows this path feels a greater connection to the Telepathy discipline than the others. Once this life path is taken the psion receives a +2 to all rolls involving powers from the Telepathy Specialization. Also, because of this heightened connection to this discipline, they receive a –1 to all rolls involving any power from the Psychokinesis Specialization. Oracle Prerequisites: Split Attention, Willful, or Mental Acuity Talents Cost: 15 XP Type: Passive Description: The Psion following this Path feels a greater connection to the Clairsentience discipline than the others. Once this life path is taken the psion receives a +2 to all rolls involving powers from the Clairsentience Specialization. Also, because of this heightened connection to this discipline, they receive a –1 to all rolls involving any power from the Psychometabolism Specialization.

Tier 3
These are the talents included in the Third Tier of the Path of Mind.

Psychic Combat

Prerequisites: Psychic Warrior, Biomancer, Kineticist, Psion, Mind Melter, or Oracle Talents

Cost: 20 XP

Type: Passive

Description: Even if the Psion is un-practiced in Telepathy, is restricted to it for some reason, or doesn’t even have a power they can manifest from that discipline, all Psions learn Psychic Combat. This gives them the ability to interrupt another Psion’s power. This is handled much like Melee Combat, but instead of a Melee or Martial Arts skill, the two Psions use their Psionics skill to roll against each other. The Psion manifesting the power at the other rolls to manifest the power normally. However, the Defending Psion rolls his Psionic skill with no Specializations, just the Broad Skill plus the Attribute. Then, the manifesting Psion then does the same. Whoever rolls higher wins. If the defending Psion wins, the power is repelled or interrupted and doesn’t take effect. If the manifesting Psion wins, the defending Psion takes the full effect of the power as if it were manifested on anyone else. They can still resist the power normally via any saves the power may have or armor they have versus direct damage powers.

Additionally, they may use their ranks in Psionics to determine their Ranged Defense rating. This is different from their Psionic Defense rating, and works with the physical world instead of the mental. Any ranged attack, tech, magic, psionic, or otherwise goes against their Ranged Defense. Melee Defense remains the same.

Rebuff

Prerequisites: Psychic Warrior, Biomancer, Kineticist, Psion, Mind Melter, or Oracle Talents

Cost: 20 XP

Type: Passive

Description: This Ability allows the Psion to protect a number of party members from any malevolent psionic powers. Before any powers are cast, the Psion makes a Psionics skill roll at TN 30. If successful, the Psion and his party may add +5 to any save they must make as a result of a manifested power. If they are making a standard save vs. Consciousness or Death because of damage taken, this bonus does not apply. Additionally, for every 3 the psion rolls over 30, the he may add an additional +2 to the bonus. For example, if the Psion rolls a 39, then the bonus will be +6. The Psion may affect a number of party members equal to half his Psionics skill.

Like Psychic Combat, the psion can split this into mental and physical protection. The rules above describe Mental protection and use (if they have ranks) the Specialization Telepathy. If they use the Specialization Psychokinesis, then they can apply the above rules to Physical protection.

Meditation

Prerequisites: Psychic Warrior, Biomancer, Kineticist, Psion, Mind Melter, or Oracle Talents

Cost: 20 XP

Type: Passive

Description: Through daily meditation, the Psion opens his channeling abilities and powers manifest easier and hit harder. Whenever the Psion wakes up for the day, if he spends at least 2 hours meditating, he may make a Psionics roll at TN 30. If he succeeds, then until he sleeps again or eighteen hours has passed—whichever comes first—he gains a +2 bonus to manifest his powers and to the total damage of any power that causes damage. For every 4 they roll over 30, they may add an additional +1 to the bonus.

Mind Bore/Ballistic

Prerequisites: Psychic Warrior, Biomancer, Kineticist, Psion, Mind Melter, or Oracle Talents

Cost: 20 XP

Type: Passive

Description: This ability gives the psion’s damaging abilities a Penetration rating. The psion may use their Intelligence bonus as a Penetration rating for their damaging powers (Mental or Physical, detailed later). This is handled just like the Penetration rating on a weapon, i.e. the rating (or their Intelligence bonus) is subtracted from the target’s Armor Rating making the armor ignore less of the damage. Two other uses for the spell is adding more to their resistance TN and gaining more successes on a Psychic Combat Contested roll.

For the addition to the TN, simply add half of the character’s Intelligence bonus to the calculation for their resistance TN. This stacks with the bonus from Mental Acuity, thus giving them the opportunity to have 2 times their Intelligence bonus calculated. Again, like in Psychic Combat, the resistance is Physical or Mental, and uses Psychokinesis or Telepathy respectively.

For Psychic Combat Contested rolls, they get an automatic number of success equal to half their Intelligence bonus (rounded down, but minimum of 1). Again, like in Psychic Combat, the resistance is Physical or Mental, and uses Psychokinesis or Telepathy respectively.

Charge

Prerequisites: Psychic Warrior, Biomancer, Kineticist, Psion, Mind Melter, or Oracle Talents

Cost: 20 XP

Type: Passive

Description: With this ability, the psion can increase the power of any power they manifest by making it last longer or do more damage. Everything happens in quarters, halves, or doubles, meaning how much the spell will be increased by. First the character must make a Psionic skill roll at TN 30. A success will increase the spell by a quarter power (either x 1.25 to damage or duration). A TN of 35, will increase it by half or 1.5 times the damage or duration. A TN of 40 will double the damage or duration.

The character must choose the TN before they roll and are set at powering it to that level regardless of the final result. For example, if the character chooses to empower the power by half, then they will need to roll a TN of 35. If they rolled a 44 after everything was totaled, they still only empower the power by half though they have met the TN for double. Also, before the power is manifested, the character must declare if they are empowering the damage or duration. Of course, on damaging powers, since most are instant, only damage can be empowered. Likewise, for non-damaging powers, only duration can be empowered. However, on Damage over Time powers, the character must choose which one they are empowering. If they choose to empower the damage, multiply the number of dice by the appropriate level (1.25, 1.5 or 2) and round up. So, if their spell normally does 3d6 and they choose 1.25, they will roll 4d6 (at 1.5, 5d6, and at 2, 6d6). If they choose duration just multiply the time, regardless of increment, by the number and round up. So, something that lasts 3 actions will last 4 at 1.25. Something that lasts 5 minutes will last 8 at 1.5. And so on.

Finally, empowering a power, regardless of what is empowered, causes double the Recoil, so their next action in the round will have double the normal Recoil applied.

Tier 4
These are the talents included in the Fourth Tier of the Path of Mind.

Practiced Manifestation Prerequisites:Psychic Combat, Rebuff, Meditation, Mind Bore/Ballistic, or Charge Talent Cost: 25XP Type: Passive Description: With this Ability, the caster selects a specialization under Psionics. Once done, the character can reduce the Recoil for any power manifested with that specialization by 2. Thus, if the powers from that Specialization would normally have a Recoil of 4, it is now 2. This can only be taken once and apply to one Specialization. Enlarge Prerequisites:Psychic Combat, Rebuff, Meditation, Mind Bore/Ballistic, or Charge Talent Cost: 25XP Type: Passive Description: This is like Charge, but instead of affecting damage or duration, it affects range or area. All the same TNs apply as they do in Charge. Also, before the spell is cast, like with Charge, the character must declare if they are enlarging the range or the Area of the power. Collective Prerequisites:Psychic Combat, Rebuff, Meditation, Mind Bore/Ballistic, or Charge Talent Cost: 25XP Type: Passive Description: With this ability, the psionic telepathically links his companions and synchronizes their actions for more efficient performance. To establish this connection, the psion must make a Psionic check at TN 35 (if they have Specialization ranks in Telepathy, they may certainly add those). If they make it they receive a handful of bonuses due to the enhanced connection. While on foot, he may add 10 to their base movement. If piloting a land vehicle in combat, they may increase the base speed by 25%. Increase their Melee and Ranged Defense by adding +1 to Melee and Ranged Defense roll the collective makes. This also increases by +1 for every 3 the psion rolls over 35. They can give a bonus to the collective’s Initiative total of +1, which raises by +1 for every 2 the psion rolls over 35. The members of the collective need only be in range of the psion’s Telepathy, once out of range, that member loses any above bonuses.

Tier 5
These are the talents included in the Fifth Tier of the Path of Mind.

Psychic Surge Prerequisites: Practiced Manifestation, Enlarge, or Collective Talent Cost: 30 XP Type: Passive Description: This Ability allows the Psion to channel many times more the normal amount of energy into a specific damaging power. This is a Charged Ability. The Psion must spend 3 Actions focusing the energies. He may take no other actions, even Psychic Combat, but he may defend normally. Then, the Psion makes a Psionics skill check at TN 40. If they succeed, the next damaging power they manifest at the end of the 3 Actions will do maximum damage. It must be a direct damage power and the power damage is determined initially in the standard way following all rules for manifesting powers and setting damage. Once the amount of damage is set and the Psion successfully manifests the power, the power receives a sudden surge of energies and causes maximum damage to the power’s Area of Effect. A power used in conjunction with this Ability cannot be interrupted or dissipated via Psychic Combat. Instant Manifestation Prerequisites: Practiced Manifestation, Enlarge, or Collective Talent Cost: 30 XP Type: Passive Description: With this ability, the psion has a chance of manifesting a psionic power instantly for free. Any time they roll a 6 on their exploding dice and the following roll is also a success, they can manifest as a free action (no Recoil, no Action cost) any psionic power from any Specialization they know. This free power cannot be Charged, Enlarged, or modified in any other way--just the base power and damage, if applicable. They must still roll the manifestation normally to see if it was successful. Otherwise, as mentioned, there is no Action cost and it does not build any additional Recoil. The initial power does build Recoil and it does apply to this “free” power, but no more Recoil is added for any following action.

Tier 6
These are the talents included in the Sixth Tier of the Path of Mind.

Centering Prerequisites: Psychic Surge or Instant Manifestation Talents Cost: 35 XP Type: Passive Description: Through a series of mental exercises, the Psion has gained the ability to regain his focus and shrug off the ill effects of manifesting powers. First the Psion makes a Psionics skill check at TN 40. If successful he removes all recoil accumulated from manifesting powers ONLY. Any recoil accrued from using weapons or fighting unarmed does not get removed. This is a reflexive action, but may one be performed ONCE per combat and may not be reset by any other Professional Skill ability that resets one-time-use Abilities. Precognition Prerequisites: Psychic Surge or Instant Manifestation Talents Cost: 35 XP Type: Passive Description: With this ability, the psion tunes himself so acutely to his surroundings that he is able to predict any danger or harm directed towards him. First, he must roll a Psionics roll at TN 30. If successful, he is immune to attacks for 2 Actions. Enemies will still try to attack him, thinking they can hit him, so any opponent the character is engaged with, will continue to fight him, but just not hit him. The character may make his normal number of attacks or spells granted to him, but may make no special Ability attack, only normal attacks or spells. For every 5 the character rolls over TN 30, they may add another Action of immunity. This Ability can only be used ONCE per Combat but can be “re-set” any other Talent that resets one-time-use Abilities.

Tier 7
There is only one talent included in the Seventh Tier of the Path of Mind. 2nd Nature Prerequisites: Centering or Precognition Talents Cost: 40 XP Type: Passive Description: The Psion at this point is so practiced that some powers are permanent. This Ability allows the Psion to manifest and make permanent the effects of a number of powers equal to 1/4 his Psionics skill. The powers must either be a Buff spell or a De-Buff power that effects the personal area of the Psion, not a direct De-Buff power. For example, the Buff powers Enhance Physique and Persona from Psychometabolism, 6th Sense from Clairsentience, and Iron Body from Psychometabolism as well are good choices for Buff powers. For Psions with a bit more cunning personalities, Befuddle from Telepathy manifested in a small radius (say 1m or so) around them, confusing those who get too close would be acceptable.