Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- legacy:characters:background:mentalist [2025/03/20 04:57] – [Traits] tailkinker
+++ legacy:characters:background:mentalist [2025/08/26 17:46] (current) – [Traits] tailkinker
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Mentalist ======
+A Mentalist is an individual gifted with the ability to manipulate and perceive the world in ways far beyond ordinary human capabilities. Their powers are divided into three main categories: ESP (Extrasensory Perception), Psychokinesis, and Telepathy. These abilities allow the Mentalist to transcend normal limitations of sight, touch, and thought. Depending on their focus, a Mentalist can choose to specialize in one category, balancing or neglecting the others, or they can spread their abilities across multiple fields, becoming a well-rounded but less specialized practitioner of all three.
+{{ :legacy:characters:background:mentalist.jpg?400|}}ESP grants a Mentalist the ability to perceive beyond the ordinary five senses. They can read minds, predict the future, or sense hidden truths. A focused ESP Mentalist might become adept at clairvoyance or precognition, making them invaluable for gathering intelligence or avoiding danger.
-===== Focus =====
+On the other hand, Psychokinesis is the manipulation of physical objects through sheer mental power. From lifting objects with the mind to controlling natural elements or creating force fields, a Psychokinetic Mentalist is a master of altering the physical world with their thoughts alone.
-The Realm of Mentalism is broken into three categories:  ESP (the ability to perceive beyond the limits of one's own senses);  Psychokinesis (the ability to move or affect matter at a distance); and Telepathy (the ability to communicate mentally over distances).  When you select Mentalist as your background, you must choose one of these for your initial focus.
+Finally, Telepathy enables a Mentalist to directly connect with others' minds. Whether communicating silently, reading thoughts, or even controlling actions, a Telepath has access to the inner workings of the mind. While Telepathy offers profound control over social situations and minds, it also presents a unique vulnerability, as it requires constant mental focus and can be detected by other Telepaths.
-===== Attributes =====
+A Mentalist’s power comes with choices. They can specialize in one field, mastering one aspect of their abilities while neglecting the others, or split their efforts between two categories, gaining moderate proficiency in both. Alternatively, they can aim to develop all three areas, spreading their abilities thin but becoming versatile in how they approach problems. This choice shapes the Mentalist’s role in the world, whether as a focused powerhouse or a flexible problem-solver with a broad but shallow skillset.
-Place seven points in the attribute associated with your chosen initial focus:  Wisdom for ESP, Intellect for Psychokinesis, or Charisma for Telepathy.  Choose one of the other focus attributes, and place five points in that attribute.
+===== Focus =====
-In addition, you may distribute eight points among any of your other attribute scores.  No single attribute may receive more than four points.
+The Discipline of Mentalism is broken into three categories:  ESP (the ability to perceive beyond the limits of one's own senses);  Psychokinesis (the ability to move or affect matter at a distance); and Telepathy (the ability to communicate mentally over distances).  When you select Mentalist as your background, you must choose one of these for your initial focus.
 ===== Features =====
-**Stamina**:  A Mentalist begins play with 25 stamina, plus an amount equal to your Strength bonus.
+**Stamina**:  A Mentalist begins play with 12 stamina, plus an amount equal to your Wisdom bonus.  Even those who do not have Psychokinesis as their focus are able to use it to deflect attacks.
 **Recovery Dice**:  When you select Mentalist as your background, you gain two eight-sided dice (2d8) as Recovery dice.  This is in addition to any Recovery dice you gained due to your ancestry.
@@ Line 22: / Line 25: @@
 ===== Skills =====
-Place two training ranks in the spellcasting skill associated with your initial focus:  ESP Spellcasting, Psychokinesis Spellcasting or Telepathic Spellcasting.  In addition, place one training rank in the other two spellcasting skills.  In addition, choose any two additional skills, and place one training rank in each of the selected skills.
+Place two training ranks in the spellcasting skill associated with your initial focus:  ESP Spellcasting, Psychokinesis Spellcasting or Telepathic Spellcasting.  In addition, place one training rank in the other two spellcasting skills.  Finally, choose any two additional skills, and place one training rank in each of the selected skills.
 ===== Spells =====
-You gain access to the Realm of Mentalism, and your spellcasting attribute is based on the spell you are currently casting.  Choose one Power 2 spell from your selected Focus, and add it to the list of spells you know.  Then choose any four Power 1 spells and add them to the list of spells you know.
+You gain access to the Discipline of Mentalism, and your spellcasting attribute is based on the spell you are currently casting.  Choose one Power 2 spell from your selected Focus, and add it to the list of spells you know.  Then choose any four Power 1 spells and add them to the list of spells you know.
+==== Mana ====
-===== Base Class =====
+Like all spellcasters, you cast your spells using **mana**.  The maximum mana that you can have is equal to the number of training ranks you have in your highest Spellcasting skill, plus half your level (rounded //down//).  You recover an amount of mana equal to half your level whenever you complete a short rest.
-You may not select the Studied Caster base class as your first base class, as it is not permitted to learn spells from the Realm of Mentalism.
+If you select a spellcasting base class, you use its mana rules in place of these.
 ===== Traits =====
 Choose one of the following traits, and add it to your character.  In addition,
-the following traits are available to your character as Basic traits, regardless of their base class.
+the following traits are available to your character as Apprentice-tier traits.
   * [[legacy:traits:mentor|Mentor]]
@@ Line 41: / Line 46: @@
   * [[legacy:traits:Specialized Psychic Focus]]
-The following traits are available to your character as Expert traits, regardless of their base class.
+The following traits are available to your character as Journeyman-tier traits.
   * [[legacy:traits:Psychic Focus Mastery]]