Mentalist - Spiritual Powers

While a Priest or Shaman calls upon the Divine, and a Mathematician or Necromancer relies on memorized procedures, the Mentalist relies solely upon mental discipline. Most of the Mentalist's power pertains to manipulating minds, shielding thoughts, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and the alteration of physical objects. While Changelings make ideal Mentalists (given that they are a naturally empathic race), most other races can harness their mind when given proper training.

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Bubble Flight3.75 | The Mentalist can fly and also create air. | 1 turn/level

Bubble Flight

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 3.75 points

Range: Self

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: The Mentalist

Classification: Air, Telekinesis

This spell is an upgraded version of the 4th Tier spell "Flight". The enhanced version adds additional capabilities. The Mentalist is able to retain a protective bubble of air whilst flying. This would theoretically allow her to fly in a hard vacuum. It also excludes gaseous poisons. Thus, the Mentalist could do reconnaissance over a raging forest fire and not be affected by smoke inhalation. The air bubble can be maintained at any temperature that the Mentalist finds comfortable. Finally, although the bubble does not count as a shield in the Mathematical sense of the word, it does tend to deflect and slow incoming missile attacks. Those attacking the Mentalist with guns, arrows, blow darts, and the like have -2 penalty to hit. Even if successful, the damage is reduced by one point per die of the attack. In other words, a gun that inflicts 3d6 damage would inflict 3 points less damage. An arrow that could inflict 1d8 points of damage would inflict 1 point less damage.

The air within the bubble does replenish itself. If the Mentalist is more concerned with generating oxygen than travelling, she could instead use this power to generate breathable, air for up to five people in a 10' radius.

Like the 4th Tier variant, Bubble Flight is stackable with flying devices (such as hang gliders) and innate abilities (such as a Fey's flight). Of course, the Mentalist's flight capabilities still scales with her level.

Levels 1 to 4: Speed is 24//, Maneuverability C.
Levels 5 to 9: Speed is 36//, Maneuverability B.
Levels 10 to 14: Speed is 48//, Maneuverability A.
Levels 15 to 19: Speed is 60//, Maneuverability A. The Mentalist can bring one person into flight.
Levels 20 and higher: Speed is 72//, Maneuverability A. The Mentalist can being two people into flight.

Blink Teleport4.25 | The Mentalist can teleport a short distance | Instant

Blink Teleport

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment [interrupt]

BMS Cost: 4.25 points [5.0 as an interrupt]

Range: Self (initially) or 1// (higher levels)

Duration: Instantaneous

Area of Effect: The Mentalist (and allies at higher levels

Classification: Utility, Physics

Most teleportation spells cause the caster to take dimensional "shortcuts" through other realms so as to make days or weeks of travel only take turns or hours. Such journeys often have built-in peril, since residents of other dimensions generally view trespassers with disdain. When the caster emerges, he or she materializes in an approximate position relative to the desired destination (usually with a 500' margin of error).

By contrast, the Blink Teleport spell allows the Mentalist to immediately teleport a relatively short distance with high accuracy. Typically, such applications include dodging a grenade that is about to explode, evading a trap door, getting out of a jail cell, and sidestepping bursts of bullets from a machine gun battery. The destination must be within 500' and must be a place that the Mentalist has previously seen.

This spell has a few restrictions. The Mentalist can blink from an interior position to an exterior position, but not the other way around. Thus, this spell is generally not usable as a murder spell. While it won't allow the Mentalist to break into a home (if the Mentalist wants to use his powers for crime), it would certainly aid the Mentalist in escaping said home if the burglary attempt is botched. Generally speaking, the Mentalist can only teleport to increasingly exterior locations. For example, teleporting from the center of a castle to the gatehouse or outside would be acceptable, but doing the reverse would not be. Teleporting between ambiguous exterior locations is generally allowed.

Of course, the Mentalist must make a successful Willpower check to overcome barriers such as forcefields or magical wards. If the Mentalist fails, the teleport spell still works, but he ends up materializing just outside the barrier.

At at base level, only the Mentalist can be blinked to a safe location. However, at higher levels, the Mentalist can also teleport his allies.

Levels 1 to 4: The Mentalist can teleport up to 500'.

Levels 5 to 9: The Mentalist and one ally can teleport up to 600'.

Levels 10 to 14: The Mentalist and two allies can teleport up to 700'.

Levels 15 to 19: The Mentalist and three allies can teleport up to 800'.

Levels 20 and higher: The Mentalist and four allies can teleport up to 900'.

Empathic Domination4.5 | The Mentalist dominate another person | 1 round/level

Empathic Domination

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 5.0 points

Range: 10// line of sight

Duration: 1 round per level

Area of Effect: One person

Classification: Mind

While many of the Mentalist's mind-affecting spells involve quite a bit of moral ambiguity, the ability to empathically dominate another individual is quite difficult to justify. The target of this spell has two possibilities to avoid being completely taken over by the Mentalist. If the target makes a successful Empathic Resistance roll, then the Empathic Domination spell fails utterly. If the Mentalist overcomes the target's Empathic Resistance but the target makes a successful Save vs Sleep/Charm, then the Mentalist can only compel the target to complete actions that do not transgress the target's alignment (i.e. pulling a lever might be fine, but pulling the trigger of a gun might not be). If the target fails both types of resistance, then he/she essentially becomes a puppet of the Mentalist. In this event, all moral consequences are on the Mentalist and not the target. This is particularly important for characters whose professions have particular behavioral codes (such as Paladin or Gunslinger).

While under domination, the target can hide no secrets from the Mentalist. And while the Mentalist cannot access the target's spellcasting capabilities, the knowledge that makes the spells work are certainly available to the Mentalist. Moreover, the Mentalist can cast any spell he/she knows through the body of the target. The Mentalist can also access any languages that the target knows, and can even speak those languages (albeit haltingly and slowly).

The victim will generally remember the actions committed while under the power of Empathic Domination. However the memories feel as if they had been experienced by someone else (which, of course, they have). Depending on what the victim was compelled to do, he/she may be significantly traumatized and may takes months or years to recover. Moreover, if the victim was compelled to commit a crime, he/she may have to resort to seeking the assistance of the Church of Saint Eldra in order to prove one's innocence. This would, of course, require another deep-mind probe and thus would inflict further trauma.

Mentalists who routinely use this power are rarely able to retain a "good" alignment. The range of this power increases as the Mentalist ascends 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 30// *
Levels 15 to 19: The range is 40// *
Levels 20 and higher: The range is 50// *

* Binoculars or a spyglass is permitted

Group Invisibility5.0 | The Mentalist can make her group invisible | 1 turn/level

Group Invisibility

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 5.0 points

Range: 10// line-of-sight

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: Mentalist and three allies (to be invisible) and ten viewers

Classification: Mind, Illusion

The 5th Tier version of this spell allows the Mentalist to not only shield himself, but also a handful of allies. Like the 4th Tier version, this spell works by manipulating minds, not by bending light. Therefore, this spell works well against sentient living beings, intelligent animals, sentient machines, and sentient Undead. It works poorly against low-intelligence animals, feral Undead, and appliance Constructs. Moreover, the Mentalist and his allies would easily appear on security cameras. The Mentalist's allies must remain within 10// of the Mentalist in order to maintain this illusion.

Of course, this power cannot be used as a murder spell. If an invisible character attacks an affected viewer, the spell ends immediately (for everyone). This spell is designed for stealth, not mayhem.

This spell does become more powerful as the Mentalist ascends in level.

Levels 1 to 4: The spell affects the Mentalist, three allies, and 10 viewers.
Levels 5 to 9: The spell affects the Mentalist, four allies, and 15 viewers.
Levels 10 to 14: The spell affects the Mentalist, five allies, and 20 viewers.
Levels 15 to 19: The spell affects the Mentalist, six allies, and 25 viewers.
Levels 20 and higher: The spell affects the Mentalist, seven allies, and 30 viewers.

Illusion of Death3.5 | The Mentalist can make someone appear dead | 1 turn/level

Illusion of Death

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment

BMS Cost: 3.5 points

Range: 5// line of sight

Duration: 1 turn per level

Area of Effect: One person + 10 viewers

Classification: Mind, Illusion

This spell has the appearance of being a murder spell but is in fact an illusion. When the Mentalist casts Illusion of Death, it initially appears that the Mentalist has taken some other action (such as shooting a gun, casting an overtly damaging spell, using some kind of injurious artifice). The target of the spell must make a save versus sleep/charm or fully believe that he/she has been slain by the alleged weapon and now exists as a ghost.

Of course, no spell is complete without an audience. The viewers selected by the Mentalist will see the target as an insubstantial, incorporeal being and also see an illusionary version of the target's allegedly dead body.

In reality, nothing has happened to either the target or the viewers . However, the target will be so convinced that he/she is a ghost that the person will not attempt to attack with spells or weapons. More likely than not, the target will morosely survey the illusionary corpse and lament about being cut down too soon. Likewise, the viewers will be utterly convinced that the very live target is a haunted spirit. They may even try spells that target spirits (such as a banishing or turning). These attempts will, of course, fail.

Like many illusion spells, the target gets an additional saving throw if he/she takes damage from a weapon or spell. Likewise, since this is not a murder spell, the effect immediately ceases if the target does something that would result in immediate death (such as attempting to levitate across a canyon or a vat of molten metal).

Like many Mentalist spells, this power affects more individuals as the Mentalist ascends in level.

Levels 1 to 4: One target, 10 viewers
Levels 5 to 9: One target, 15 viewers
Levels 10 to 14: Two targets, 15 viewers
Levels 15 to 19: Two targets, 20 viewers
Levels 20 and higher: Three targets, 25 viewers

Regenerative Coma4.5 | The Mentalist can recover from injuries | 1 hour

Regenerative Coma

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment [interrupt]

BMS Cost: 4.5 points [5.25 as interrupt]

Range: Internal to the Mentalist

Duration: 1 hour

Area of Effect: The Mentalist

Classification: Body / Healing

Unlike Priestly healing spells, which rely on an infusion of divine energy to restore health, a Mentalist uses her force of will to repair cells, break down toxins, and develop antibodies to diseases. While the casting cost is steep, the Mentalist can become more efficient by also obtaining medical training (healing, herbalism, etc.) In the latter case, the casting cost is reduced by 0.25 BMS per point of skill in medically-related talents (for a maximum of a 2.0 BMS cost reduction).

At time of casting, the Mentalist can choose to appear dead (this is more useful than one might initially think). If the Mentalist is "dead", she will appear to have no life signs when read with instrumentation or physical methods (such as taking one's pulse). A magical scan would still reveal that the Mentalist is alive.

Once the Mentalist engages in Regenerative Coma, she cannot abort the spell. While comatose, the Mentalist gradually recovers up to 60 hit points. Moreover, she can neutralize any toxins in her body (this has the side effect of also ensuring that the Mentalist awakens sober with no hangover). If the Mentalist is infected with a disease, the power of Regenerative Coma allows her immune system to begin producing antibodies. In the latter case, the Game Master may still rule that the Mentalist feels "under the weather" for a period of time, but is otherwise okay. This spell also removes up to 30 REM of radiation.

It's worth noting that the Mentalist may be restored to health upon awakening from Regenerative Coma, but that does not mean that she is combat-ready. On the contrary, she will awaken fatigued and physically weak until she has engaged in normal sleep for at least six hours. In the mean time, the Mentalist can engage in supportive activities that do not require heavy lifting, fast running, or melee combat.

While the Mentalist is incapacitated for an hour at base level, the coma period becomes shorter as the Mentalist increases in level.

Levels 1 to 4: The coma lasts for six turns.
Levels 5 to 9: The coma lasts for five turns.
Levels 10 to 14: The coma lasts for four turns.
Levels 15 to 19: The coma lasts for three turns.
Levels 20 and higher: The coma lasts for two turns.

Three Part Scenario4.0 | The mentalist can slow time | 1 round

Three Part Scenario

Tier: 5

Concentration: 1 segment [Interrupt]

BMS Cost: 4.0 points

Range: Internal to the Mentalist

Duration: 1 round

Area of Effect: The Mentalist

Classification: Utility

One of the more potent Mentalist spells, Three Part Scenario allows the Mentalist to complete three non-violent actions in a single round. This feat is accomplished by the Mentalist gathering her will and slowing time for herself. From the Mentalist's perspective, everyone around her will appear to be moving in slow motion, while outside observers will observe the Mentalist exhibiting frenetic alacrity.

The three actions that the Mentalist can take must be non-violent and non-damaging. If a Mentalist attempts to attack, the spell ends prematurely. Some useful examples of Three Part Scenario might be: administering medical aid to three allies in just one round; picking up a ticking bomb, running across the street, and dropping it into a well; changing out of street clothes, donning armor, and then mounting one's horse. Many such combinations are possible. The only restriction is that the action must be non-violent. Three Part Scenario can be used as an interrupt.

While the potency of this spell does not scale with level, the Mentalist does become more efficient at casting this spell as she attains higher levels.

Levels 1 to 4: Casting costs 4.0 BMS
Levels 5 to 9: Casting costs 3.75 BMS
Levels 10 to 14: Casting costs 3.5 BMS
Levels 15 to 19: Casting costs 3.25 BMS
Levels 20 and higher: Casting costs 3.0 BMS.

Things to Consider

Of the Scholarly classes, the Mentalist most easily split-classes with other professions.
Unlike other character classes, Mentalists do not need to pray, chant, solve formulae, or collect relics in order to cast spells. They use their minds and bodily reserves. Nothing else is needed.
The Mentalist's extended senses and telepathy make them ideal scouts, spies, and undercover agents.
Whereas a Priest draws from the Plane of Radiace and the Plane of Light, a Mentalist draws upon the power of her mind and her body's internal resources.
As most Undead are considered non-sentient, a Mentalist can mask his/her presence from Undead.
A Mentalist's spells use BMS, not spirit points.
A Mentalist's spells cast much faster than those of other character classes. This is because the Mentalist does not need to chant or draw sigils -- she just has to think.

Mentalist - Spiritual Powers - Tier 5