Mentalist - Spiritual Powers - Tier 2

Bind Objects

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.75 points

Range: 3// line-of-sight

Duration: Permanent

Area of Effect: Two or more objects (or pieces of the same object)

Classification: Utility

One of the handier talents that a Mentalist can draw upon, this special-purpose adaptation of telekinesis allows the Mentalist to join objects together. This power is especially useful in making quick repairs to broken objects (such as a window, a sword, an dinner plate, a vase, a snapped cable, a broken guitar string, a tear in a stocking, etc.) Generally speaking, the binding is as strong as super glue. In other words, broken objects can be made functional but may be somewhat fragile until a more thorough repair can be completed.

Another use of Bind Objects is assembling inexpensive furniture that is sold in flat packs. Essentially, the spell is sufficient for putting together a "do it yourself" project so long as the Mentalist has decent assembly instructions. The Mentalist can also cheat at jigsaw puzzles using this spell (why someone would is an entirely different topic).

Of course, this spell can be used for non-repair purposes. For example, a Mentalist can bind a security guard's boot to the floor. Or the Mentalist can bind a crowbar across a door in order to prevent entry. Likewise, a handgun can be disabled by binding the bullet to the chamber.

This spell does not work on living flesh. It does, however, work on Constructs and corporeal Undead.

Bindings can also be reversed. Although the spell is technically permanent, it can be undone with a Dispel Magic variant. Additionally, the Mentalist who case the spell can reverse it at any time so long as he/she is in range. Unbinding is free.

It is worth noting that the Binding repairs are more ascetically pleasing if the Mentalist has Artistic Ability. Moreover, the sturdiness of the repair is increased if the Mentalist has a skill related to the broken material (like Engineering, blacksmith, glass blowing, carpentry, etc). Enhanced repairs have sturdiness more akin to a spot weld (which is still weaker than the object before it was broken but more sturdy than super glue).

The power of this spell increases as the Mentalist ascends in level.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Mentalist can join up to five fragments or five surfaces (not to exceed 5 linear feet or five square feet, whichever is more applicable).
• Levels 5 to 9: The Mentalist can join up to ten fragments or ten surfaces (not to exceed 10 linear feet or ten square feet, whichever is more applicable).
• Levels 10 to 14: The Mentalist can join up to fifteen fragments or fifteen surfaces (not to exceed 15 linear feet or 15 square feet, whichever is more applicable).
• Level 15 to 19: The Mentalist can join up to twenty fragments or twenty surfaces (not to exceed 20 linear feet or 20 square feet, whichever is more applicable).
• Levels 20 and higher: The Mentalist can join up to 25 fragments or 25 surfaces (not to exceed 25 linear feet or 25 square feet, whichever is more applicable).

Deflect Physical Objects

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 1.0 points

Range: Internal to the Mentalist

Duration: 1 round per level

Area of Effect: An ellipsoid that conforms to the general shape of the Mentalist's body.

Classification: Defense

While Mathematicians are the reigning champions of physical wards, the Mentalist's power of concentration is such that she can also summon temporary barriers between herself and those who would seek to harm her with projectiles. There are fundamental differences between the type of shield that a Mathematician can erect and that of a Mentalist's. First, the shape of the shield is different (an ellipsoid vs. a cube). Second, a Mentalist's shield does not have Structural Points and does not absorb attacks. Instead, a Mentalist's shield causes incoming missiles to ricochet away from the Mentalist. Third, a Mentalist's shield can only deflect a finite number of attacks each round, as opposed to a Mathematical ward that can withstand any number of blows in a single round so long as the it retains even one Structural Point.

At base level, the Mentalist's deflection can cause one physical attack to ricochet each round. The attack must be a missile of some kind (a bullet, dart, thrown dagger, blowgun needle, etc). Purely melee attacks (a kick, a punch, a swing from a club) will not be deflected with this shield. If the Game Master is mathematically inclined, he/she could choose to actually calculate the path of the deflected missile in order to determine what it hits (a window, a tree, a parked wagon, a passer-by, another party member.) Note, the weight limit for deflection is one pound per five levels of experience. Thus, a Mentalist could reasonably deflect a bullet but not an ICBM. Moreover, only the highest level Mentalist has a chance to deflect a Gunslinger's Impossible Shot.

At base level, this spell blocks one physical missile per round. At higher level, the spell blocks additional missiles and additional missile types.

• Levels 1 to 4: This spell deflects one missile per round. The missile must be purely physical (a bullet, a dart, a boomerang, a blowgun needle, etc.)
• Levels 5 to 9: This spell deflects two missiles per round. The types of missiles blocked are as above (L1-L4) and also includes science-based energy attacks (like a laser, an infrared beam, an ultraviolet ray, a charged gamma ray attack, etc.)
• Levels 10 to 14: This  spell deflects three missiles per round. The deflection types includes the L1-L9 varieties and also includes physical objects enhanced by magic (i.e. a thrown dagger with a fire magic overlay, or physical objects conjured by magic (i.e. a Mathematician's throwing star or a Priest's holy whip).
• Levels 15 to 19: This spell deflects four missiles per round. The deflection types include all of the L1-L14 varieties and also includes magical projectiles of all kinds (within the weight limitation, of course).
• Levels 20 and higher. This spell can deflect up to five missiles per round. In addition to all of the deflection types listed in L1-L19, the Mentalist has a chance to deflect a Gunslinger's Impossible Shot. To determine if the deflection is successful, the Mentalist must match her Willpower against that of the Gunslinger's. If the Mentalist succeeds, then the bullet is deflected. If she fails, then she is struck.

Detect Lie

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.25 points

Range: 10// line-of-sight

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: 1 targeted individual

Classification: Utility, Mind

If there's one thing that professionals in law enforcement, politics, diplomacy, and espionage all agree upon is that sentient being are known to tell lies. While not foolproof, this power does give the edge in separating truth from fiction. It should be known that Detect Lie is effective only in the spoken word and in real time. It is not effective in discerning lies in written communication or in pre-recorded speeches. Moreover, the Mentalist must be fluent in the language that the target is speaking.

While the spell lasts for one turn per level, the Mentalist need not target the same individual for the entirety of the spell's duration. The Mentalist can switch targets once every other round. In other words, the Mentalist can spend one round evaluating one target, spend the next round acquiring a new target, and then spend the third round evaluating the newly-acquired target.

Of course, the target must know that he/she is lying for the lie to be detected. It's more than possible that a target could earnestly believe a set of "facts" that are completely incorrect. Moreover, a delusional person may completely believe a version of reality that is out of step with actual reality. A target can make an Empathic Resistance roll in order to avoid being read. On a critical success, the target is aware of the attempt (although not necessarily by whom).

There are varying degrees of deception. The Mentalist becomes more nuanced in detecting varying degrees of truth as he/she ascends in level.

• Levels 1 to 4: The Mentalist's scan returns values of true and false.
• Levels 5 to 9: The Mentalist can know if a statement is true, partially true, or false.
• Levels 10 to 14: The Mentalist's power returns a value of true, true but with omissions, partially true, and false.
• Levels 15 to 19: The Mentalist can know if a statement is true, true but with omissions, partially true, mostly false but with a kernel of truth, and false.
• Levels 20 and higher: The Mentalist's power reveals if a statement is true, true with omissions, mostly true but with an attempt to deflect using a kernel of falsehood, partially, true, mostly false with a kernel of truth, false, and boldly and wholly "pants on fire" false.

Certain types of minds are very hard to read. For example, a living, biological Mentalist may incur significant penalties (assessed by the Game Master) when attempting to lie-detect a Construct or a sentient Undead. Likewise, if the Mentalist is a Construct or Undead, penalties may be imposed when attempting to read the living.

Distant Touch

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.25 points

Range: Internal to the Mentalist

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: The Mentalist

Classification: Utility

While this is a niche spell that is infrequently used, there are times when the Mentalist may wish to extend his sense of touch instead of his sense of sight. For example, the Mentalist could use remote touch in order to feel around the darkened passages of a collapsed mine in search of survivors (all while remaining safe at the surface). Or the Mentalist might feel around for traps without the danger of triggering the trap (this is because the Mentalist's virtual hands don't have substance.

Distant Touch can reveal temperature, texture, hardness, and sharpness. Thus the Mentalist could easily tell the difference between a wall and a person. The virtual hands can, of course, pass through solid objects that aren't magically warded or made of black basalt or iron.

The range of the virtual hands increase as the Mentalist increases in level.

• Levels 1 to 4: The range is 10//
• Levels 5 to 9: The range is 20//.
• Levels 10 to 14: The range is 40//.
• Levels 15 to 19: The range is 80//.
• Levels 20 and higher: The range is 160//.
  

Empathic Shield - Narrow Radius

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 1.0 points

Range: Centered on the Mentalist

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: 1// radius

Classification: Utility, Mind

In a world where incorporeal spirits rule physical strongholds (like Scaradom and the Deadwoods), and in which one of the major races innately possesses empathic powers (the Changelings), the ability for the Mentalist to shield one's allies from empathic manipulation is paramount. Moreover, it is also helpful for the Mentalist to protect his/her cohorts from other Mentalists.

While the spell is active, the Mentalist and any ally within a 10' spherical region, gains a 10% bonus to Empathic Resistance and a +1 bonus to Save vs Sleep/Charm. This is cumulative with other innate resistances and other spells cast by members of different character classes.  

Of course, anyone implementing some form of "detect magic" or "magical sight" will also detect this spell in effect. The power is otherwise invisible (i.e. it doesn't make a shimmering effect like Mathematical wards).

The protection offered by this spell does increase as the Mentalist ascends in level.

Levels 1 to 4: The shield provides +10% to Empathic Resistance and +1 to Sleep/Charm.

Levels 5 to 9: The shield provides +20% to Empathic Resistance and +2 to Sleep/Charm.

Levels 10 to 14: The shield provides +30% to Empathic Resistance and +3 to Sleep/Charm.

Levels 15 to 19: The shield provides +40% to Empathic Resistance and +4 to Sleep/Charm.

Levels 20 and higher: The shield provides +50% to Empathic Resistance and +5 to Sleep/Charm.

Mentored Talent

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.25 points + the cost of the shared spell

Range: Touch

Duration: Until used

Area of Effect: 1 targeted individual

Classification: Utility, Mind

Like several other character classes (Priest, Shaman, Ranger, etc.), the Mentalist can grant access to a spell to a fellow Mentalist of lower level. Only one spell can be granted to any particular person at any particular time. Thus, a Mentalist with three trainees can give each one a single spell, but cannot give one trainee three spells.

The Mentalist essentially "prepays" the casting cost at the time that the spell is given to the recipient. However, the power level of the spell when cast is reflective of the recipient's experience level, not the grantor's experience level. For instance, if a 15th level Mentalist grants Deflect Physical Objects to a 2nd level Mentalist, the spell will cast at the Level 2 power, not the Level 15 power.

Shatter  

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.5 points

Range: 10// line-of-sight (ranged touch attack)

Duration: Instantaneous

Area of Effect: One person or object

Classification: Combat

While most of the Mentalist's repertoire of spells pertains to sensory augmentation and telepathy, this power is one of the exceptions. Indeed, this spell makes the Mentalist uniquely suited to assassination work (or covert operations), given that the Mentalist spells require no talismans or spoken words.

When the Shatter spell is cast, the power of the Mentalist's destructive intent is converted into a 1' sphere of agitated matter that is propelled at the target at a rate of 48''. Essentially, the target is slammed by an invisible shockwave. Aside from any physical damage (1d8 at base level), the target must make a Save vs Magical Weapon in order to avoid being toppled over by the blast. If the saving throw fails, the victim loses his/her next action (either the one later in the current round or the action next round). This spell makes no noise aside from a subtle "whoosh" sound as the sphere of compressed air travels towards its target.

Of course, the Mentalist must be able to see the target. Moreover, there must be some medium by which the energy is transferred (air, water, earth, etc.) This spell does not work in a vacuum. This spell works against living targets, Constructs, Undead, and inanimate objects. It does not work against barriers made from pure energy or pure magic. In other words, the Mentalist could easily break a plate glass window but could not break a Mathematician's shield with this spell.  It does not affect wholly incorporeal or out-of-phase entities. Targets protected by magical/energy shields could still be knocked down and lose an action, even if they don't actually take damage.

The range and power of this spell increases as the Mentalist ascends in level:

• Levels 1 to 4: Range is 10//; damage is 1d8; knockback save is unmodified.
• Levels 5 to 9: Range is 20//' damage is 2d8; knockback save is at a -2 penalty.
• Levels 10 to 14: Range is 30//' damage is 3d8; knockback save is at a -4 penalty.
• Levels 15 to 19: Range is 40//' damage is 4d8; knockback save is at a -6 penalty.
• Levels 20 and higher: Range is 50//' damage is 5d8; knockback save is at a -8 penalty.

Telepathic Speech

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.5 points

Range: 50//

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: 4 individuals

Classification: Utility, Mind

While the Mentalist can establish permanent mental communication with a handful of close allies, there are times when a Mentalist may need to send psychic messages to others on a more temporary basis. For example, the Mentalist may need to relay commands to soldiers in a platoon during a mission that requires great stealth and near total silence. A Mentalist may need to communicate with security personnel during visits by heads of state. Like the granted power Psychic Link, this spell creates a mental bond that is the equivalent of normal speech. In other words, it does not give the Mentalist the ability to read minds or detect deception.

At base level, the spell has a 50// range and can link up to four other individuals. When binding to a type of sentient being that is fundamentally different (for example, the Mentalist is a sentient Construct and wishes to join in Telepathic Spech with a sentient Undead individual), the spell costs 1.0 BMS instead of 0.5 BMS. Moreover, Telepathic Speech does not count as a psychic attack. Recipients can decline being linked without having to roll a saving throw.

Like many other Mentalist spells, the range and yield increase as the Mentalist ascends in level.

• Levels 1 to 4: The range is 50// and can link up to four other people.
• Levels 5 to 9: The range is 150// and can link up to eight other people.
• Levels 10 to 14: The range is 250// and can link up to twelve other people.
• Levels 15 to 19: The range is 350// and can link up to sixteen other people.
• Levels 20 and higher: The range is 450// and can link up to twenty other people.
  

Telescopic Sight

Tier: 2

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 0.25 points

Range: Internal to the Mentalist

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: The Mentalist

Classification: Utility

Spyglasses, binoculars, and small telescopes can be quite handy in the day-to-day life of the professional adventurer. However, these devices can become broken, confiscated, and stolen. Sometimes the Mentalist might prefer to gaze into the distance without others knowing she is doing so.

The Mentalist has two choices in how the far sight can manifest. She could have the magnified image take up her entire field of vision (which would, of restrict her peripheral vision) or she could have the magnified vision occupy only 1/4 portion of her vision (which would reduce the details of the magnified rectangle but would preserve her peripheral vision). It's worth noting that the Mentalist actually has to be able to see. If the Mentalist is temporarily or permanently blinded, this spell will not work. For members of other races, this spell would magnify infrared or ultraviolet images as the case may be, OF course, the Mentalist could just as easily use this power to act as a microscope (i.e. magnifying the very small instead of magnifying something distant.)

The degree of magnification increases as the Mentalist ascends in level. Additionally, the Mentalist can "zoom" the image (for example, zooming from 10x to 30x).

• Levels 1 to 4: The magnification is 30x.
• Levels 5 to 9: The magnification is 60x.
• Levels 10 to 14: The magnification is 150x.
• Levels 15 to 19: The magnification is 300x.
• Levels 20 and higher: The magnification is 500x.