Psychic Combat

Overview

Before a psionicist can use a telepathic power, he must establish contact with the recipient's mind. "Contact" is a telepathic devotion which paves the way for other telepathic powers. Usually, a single use of this devotion is all that's required; the psionicist uses contact first, then follows up with another telepathic power. Beings with no psionic talent can be contacted in this way. The contact devotion never works against a psionicist (or psionic creature). This is true even when he's sleeping or unconscious. Psionicists normally have closed minds. When a subject's mind is closed, he can only be contacted through telepathic combat. The text below describes five telepathic assaults, or attack modes, that are used to establish contact with a closed mind. It also describes five telepathic defenses, which can help prevent such attacks from succeeding.

Telepathic Attack Modes

There are five attack modes: mind thrust, ego whip, id insinuation, psychic crush, and psionic blast. Against a mind that is open to contact, each of these powers has specific effects. For example, ego whip can make a character feel so worthless that he suffers a penalty to all of his die rolls. None of these effects occur unless the subject's mind is open to contact, however. If the subject's mind is closed, an attack mode only serves to erode his resistance. If he is repeatedly struck with an attack mode, his mind can be forced to open, and contact will be established.