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Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Starfinder RPG

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Psychic Class Details | Phrenic Amplifications | Psi-Tech | Psychic Disciplines | Archetypes

Psychic

Source Occult Adventures pg. 60
Within the mind of any sentient being lies power to rival that of the greatest magical artifact or holy site. By accessing these staggering vaults of mental energy, the psychic can shape the world around her, the minds of others, and pathways across the planes. No place or idea is too secret or remote for a psychic to access, and she can pull from every type of psychic magic. Many methods allow psychics to tap into their mental abilities, and the disciplines they follow affect their abilities.

Role: With a large suite of spells, psychics can handle many situations, but they excel at moving and manipulating objects, as well as reading and influencing thoughts.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.
Starting Wealth: 2d6 x 10 gp (average 70 gp).

Class Skills

The Psychic's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points at each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features

 Spells Per Day
LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecial1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st+0+0+0+2Discipline power, discipline spell, knacks, phrenic amplification, phrenic pool, psychic discipline3--------
2nd+1+0+0+3Detect thoughts4--------
3rd+1+1+1+3Phrenic amplification5--------
4th+2+1+1+4Discipline spell63-------
5th+2+1+1+4Discipline power64-------
6th+3+2+2+5Discipline spell653------
7th+3+2+2+5Phrenic amplification664------
8th+4+2+2+6Discipline spell6653-----
9th+4+3+3+6Telepathic bond6664-----
10th+5+3+3+7Discipline spell66653----
11th+5+3+3+7Major amplifications, phrenic amplification66664----
12th+6/+1+4+4+8Discipline spell666653---
13th+6/+1+4+4+8Discipline power666664---
14th+7/+2+4+4+9Discipline spell6666653--
15th+7/+2+5+5+9Phrenic amplification6666664--
16th+8/+3+5+5+10Discipline spell66666653-
17th+8/+3+5+5+10Telepathy66666664-
18th+9/+4+6+6+11Discipline spell666666653
19th+9/+4+6+6+11Phrenic amplification666666664
20th+10/+5+6+6+12Remade self666666666

Spells Known

Level01st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th
1st42--------
2nd52--------
3rd53--------
4th631-------
5th642-------
6th7421------
7th7532------
8th85321-----
9th85432-----
10th954321----
11th955432----
12th9554321---
13th9554432---
14th95544321--
15th95544432--
16th955444321-
17th955444332-
18th9554443321
19th9554443332
20th9554443333

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A psychic is proficient with all simple weapons, but not with any type of armor or shield.

Spells: A psychic casts psychic spells drawn from the psychic class’s spell list. She can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a psychic must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a psychic’s spell is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the psychic’s Intelligence modifier.

A psychic can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1–7: Psychic. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score (see Table 1–3 on page 17 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook).

The psychic’s selection of spells is limited. A psychic begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the psychic’s choice. At each new psychic level, she learns one or more new spells, as indicated on Table 1–8: Psychic Spells Known. Unlike a psychic’s spells per day, the number of spells a psychic knows isn’t affected by her Intelligence score; the numbers on Table 1–8 are fixed.

At 4th level and every even-numbered level thereafter (6th, 8th, and so on), a psychic can choose to learn a single new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the psychic loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least 1 level lower than the highest-level spell from the psychic’s class list that the psychic can cast. A psychic can swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.

A psychic need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any psychic spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Knacks: Psychics learn a number of knacks, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table 1–8. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they don’t consume any slots and can be used again. Knacks cast using other spell slots (due to metamagic feats, for example) consume spell slots as normal.

Phrenic Pool (Su): A psychic has a pool of supernatural mental energy that she can draw upon to manipulate psychic spells as she casts them. The maximum number of points in a psychic’s phrenic pool is equal to 1/2 her psychic level + her Wisdom or Charisma modifier, as determined by her psychic discipline. The phrenic pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours don’t need to be consecutive. The psychic might be able to recharge points in her phrenic pool in additional circumstances dictated by her psychic discipline. Points gained in excess of the pool’s maximum are lost.

Phrenic Amplifications: A psychic develops particular techniques to empower her spellcasting, called phrenic amplifications. The psychic can activate a phrenic amplification only while casting a spell using psychic magic, and the amplification modifies either the spell’s effects or the process of casting it. The spell being cast is called the linked spell. The psychic can activate only one amplification each time she casts a spell, and doing so is part of the action used to cast the spell. She can use any amplification she knows with any psychic spell, unless the amplification’s description states that it can be linked only to certain types of spells. A psychic learns one phrenic amplification at 1st level, selected from the list below. At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, the psychic learns a new phrenic amplification. A phrenic amplification can’t be selected more than once. Once a phrenic amplification has been selected, it can’t be changed. Phrenic amplifications require the psychic to expend 1 or more points from her phrenic pool to function.

Note from Nethys: The full list of phrenic amplifications is available here.

Psychic Discipline (Ex or Sp): Each psychic accesses and improves her mental powers through a particular method, such as rigorous study or attaining a particular mental state. This is called her psychic discipline. She gains additional spells known based on her selected discipline. The choice of discipline must be made at 1st level; once made, it can’t be changed. Each psychic discipline gives the psychic a number of discipline powers (at 1st, 5th, and 13th levels), and grants her additional spells known. In addition, the discipline determines which ability score the psychic uses for her phrenic pool and phrenic amplifications abilities. The DC of a saving throw against a psychic discipline ability equals 10 + 1/2 the psychic’s level + the psychic’s Intelligence modifier.

At 1st level, a psychic learns an additional spell determined by her discipline. She learns another additional spell at 4th level and every 2 levels thereafter, until learning the final one at 18th level. These spells are in addition to the number of spells given on Table 1–8. Spells learned from a discipline can’t be exchanged for different spells at higher levels.

Specific psychic disciplines are further described starting on page 64.

Detect Thoughts (Sp): At 2nd level, a psychic can use detect thoughts as a spell-like ability once per day. She can also expend any unused spell slot of 1st level or higher to cast detect thoughts. If she does so, she uses the level of the spell slot expended to determine the Will save DC. When a psychic gains this ability, if she knows detect thoughts, she can learn a different 1st-level spell in place of detect thoughts, losing the old spell in exchange for the new one.

Telepathic Bond (Sp): At 9th level, a psychic can use telepathic bond as a spell-like ability once per day, using her psychic level as her caster level. She can’t leave herself out of a bond created in this way. She can also expend any unused spell slot of 4th level or higher to cast telepathic bond. Casting the spell using a higher-level spell slot gives no benefit on its own, but the psychic can apply metamagic feats that would increase the spell level to the appropriate level. For instance, if the psychic knows Extend Spell, she can use a 5th-level spell slot to cast extended telepathic bond as a full-round action. When a psychic who knows telepathic bond gains this ability, she can learn a different 4th-level spell in place of telepathic bond, losing the old spell in exchange for the new one.

Major Amplifications: At 11th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a psychic can choose one of the following major amplifications in place of a phrenic amplification.

Note from Nethys: The full list of major amplifications is available here.

Telepathy (Su): At 17th level, the psychic can mentally communicate with any other creature within 100 feet that has a language. It is possible to address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as both speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time. When a psychic who knows telepathy (see page 189) gains this ability, she can learn a different 5th-level spell in place of telepathy, losing the old spell in exchange for the new one.

Remade Self (Sp): At 20th level, the psychic is affected by one of the following spells as a constant spell-like ability: arcane sight, fly, haste, heroism, nondetection, or tongues. This ability is chosen when the psychic reaches 20th level and can’t be changed. While the psychic is under the effects of this spell-like ability, each time she casts a psychic spell, she can link one phrenic amplification or major amplification she knows that has a point cost of 1 to that spell without spending any points from her phrenic pool. This amplification is in addition to the normal maximum of one amplification per spell.

Alternate Capstones

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 28
When a character reaches the 20th level of a class, she gains a powerful class feature or ability, sometimes referred to as a capstone. The following section provides new capstones for characters to select at 20th level. A character can select one of the following capstones in place of the capstone provided by her class. Some capstones are for specific classes, while others are for a range of classes that qualify for them. In some cases, a capstone specifies what ability it replaces. A character can’t select a new capstone if she has previously traded away her class capstone via an archetype. Clerics and wizards can receive a capstone at 20th level, despite not having one to begin with.

Deep Magics (Su)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s repertoire of spells deepens dramatically. She gains an additional spell known for each spell level she can cast. A character of any class with spells known can select this capstone.

Perfect Body, Flawless Mind (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s endless training and study has resulted in an unmatched mastery of the self. The character increases her ability scores by a collective total of 8. For example, she can increase one score by 8, or one score by 5 and another by 3, or four scores by 2, and so on. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Phrenic Mastery (Su)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 29
At 20th level, the psychic’s mind is a legendary weapon in its own right. The psychic’s phrenic pool increases by 6, and she gains two new phrenic amplifications.

The Boss (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 30
At 20th level, the character has become more than just a lone hero—she has become one of the senior figures of her field, with powers and responsibilities to match. The character becomes one of the leading figures in some manner of group or organization, as appropriate to the campaign and the setting. A wizard might become the dean of an arcane university or mages’ guild, a fighter could command a mercenary army or a city guard, a cleric might lead a major temple or her own sect, and so forth. The player and the GM should work together to determine the specifics. The character gains the Leadership feat if she does not already have it, and the number of followers that the feat grants is multiplied by 10 (although depending on the campaign and setting, the position may grant other powers as well). If multiple characters in a party select this capstone, the GM may consider pooling them to grant the players a particularly large and powerful organization, such as a small kingdom. Characters of any class can select this ability.

With This Sword (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character’s blade has become as well-known as the character herself. The character selects one item she has—preferably something iconic and significant, such as a weapon or arcane bond. The item becomes a minor artifact and gains 100,000 gp worth of new powers. The player and the GM should work together to select the new powers, with an eye towards making something memorable yet campaign-appropriate. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Won’t Stay Dead (Ex)

Source Chronicle of Legends pg. 31
At 20th level, the character becomes a paragon of resilience. Once per week, if the character is killed, petrified, or otherwise removed from play, the character manages to survive by some dint of skill or luck and returns at the end of the combat or the scene (GM’s discretion). The player and the GM should work together to ensure that the method of the character’s survival is at least vaguely plausible, if unlikely. Characters of any class can select this ability.

Favored Class Options

Drow (Blood of Shadows pg. 15): Gain 1/6 of a phrenic amplification (or a major amplification if the psychic is at least 11th level).
Duergar (Darklands Revisited pg. 13): The psychic treats her Wisdom bonus as 1/3 point higher for the purpose of determining the number of uses or rounds per day of her discipline powers.
Dwarf (Occult Adventures pg. 84): When casting psychic abjuration spells, add 1/2 level to the effective caster level of the spell, but only to determine the spell’s duration.
Elf (Occult Adventures pg. 84): Increase the total number of points in the psychic’s phrenic pool by 1/3 point.
Gnome (Occult Adventures pg. 85): Increase the total number of points in the psychic’s phrenic pool by 1/3 point.
Half-Elf (Occult Adventures pg. 85): Gain 1/6 of a new phrenic amplification.
Halfling (Occult Adventures pg. 85): The psychic treats her Charisma bonus as 1/3 point higher for the purpose of determining the number of uses or rounds per day of her discipline powers.
Half-Orc (Occult Adventures pg. 85): Gain a +1 bonus on concentration checks required because of taking damage while casting spells from the psychic class.
Human (Occult Adventures pg. 85): Add one spell known from the psychic spell list. This spell must be at least 1 level lower than the highest spell level the psychic can cast.
Human (Horror Adventures pg. 41): Add a +1/4 bonus to AC when flatfooted, to a maximum of what the psychic’s AC would be if not flat-footed.
Kitsune (Blood of the Beast pg. 12): Gain 1/6 of a new Magical TailARG feat. Any kitsune character can choose this bonus upon gaining a level in her favored class.
Ratfolk (Blood of the Beast pg. 20): Gain 1/6 of a new phrenic amplification.
Vanara (Blood of the Beast pg. 28): When casting psychic divination spells, the psychic adds 1/2 to the effective caster level of the spell, but only to determine the spell’s range and its d% chance to provide correct or meaningful information (such as with augury or divination).
Wyrwood (Heroes of Golarion pg. 6): psychic gains 1/6 of a phrenic amplification.