Arcane Background: Tao Mystic

Tao Mystic

Arcane Skill: Spirit Channeling (Spirit)

Starting Power Points: 10

Starting Powers: 3

The Tao Mystic is a representative of the spirit world and gains his power by calling upon the spirit. Each spirit is associated with a particular domain. A mystic has access to two spirits in the beginning but may contact more over time. The mystic's powers depend on his spirits. Also, each spirit incurs a special hindrance. If it is violated, the shaman looses his powers for 1d6 days. New spirits can only be chosen once every rank.

Ancestor Spirit: The Mystic must always honour his ancestors with a special 1 hour rite per day.

Powers: Boost Mental Trait, Dispel, Smite Undead, Speak Language

Celestial Spirit: The Myystic serves the celestial bureaucracy and must never refuse to settle a dispute.

Powers: Spirit Armour, Boost Mental Trait, Invisibility

Flame Spirit: The Mystic must never extinguish a fire.

Powers: Barrier (fire only), Elemental Blast (fire), Elemental Bolt (fire), Elemental Burst (fire), Elemental Manipulation (fire only), Light, Smoke Ladder

Grave Spirit: The Mystic must not destroy the undead unless they attack him.

Powers: Burrow, Entangle (hands from the ground), Fear, Lower Physical Trait, Spirit Armour, Zombie

Guardian Spirit: The Mystic must always defend those who cannot defend themselves.

Powers: Armour, Barrier, Deflection, Dispel, Environmental Protection, Invisibility, Stun

Healing Spirit: The Mystic must heal all those that ask his help.

Powers: Boost/Lower Trait, Greater Healing, Healing, Dispel

Knowledge Spirit: The Mystic must not lie when asked for information but may choose to remain silent.

Powers: Boost Mental Trait, Detect/Conceal Arcana, Speak Language, Wisdom

Nature Spirit: The Mystic cannot spend the night in a city.

Powers: Beast Friend, Burrow, Entangle, Environmental Protection, Fly, Shape Change

Travel Spirit: The Mystic must never spend two consecutive nights in the same bed.

Powers: Burrow, Environmental Protection, Fly, Speak Language, Speed, Teleport

War Spirit: The Mystic must always be armed.

Powers: Armor, Blast, Bolt, Burst, Fear, Quickness

Modified Powers

There are some powers, which are based on the standard powers provided in the rule book but offer special variants.

Boost Mental Trait

This variant of Boost/Lower Trait works only on Spirit and Smarts and only allows to boost them.

Elemental Blast/Bolt/Burst

These spells work like Blast, Bolt or Burst but deal damage based on the element. Thus, a creature immune against fire damage will not be harmed by the bolt of a Fire Tao Mystic.

Fire deals fire damage

Lower Physical Trait

This power limits the Boost/Lower Trait to lowering the traits Agility, Strength, and Vigor.

Smite Undead

This power combines the effects of Burst and Bolt but can only damage undead creatures.

Spirit Armor

This power works like Armour but grants +3/+6. However, this bonus is only effective against creatures of the spirit type or incorporeal creatures.

Find all of the spell descriptions on the Arcane Powers page.

New Powers

Smoke Ladder

Rank: Novice

Power Points: 1

Range: Smarts x 3 m

Duration: 1 minute

This spell turns the smoke from a fire into a ladder that reaches Smarts x 3m into the sky. It is very easy to climb and lasts for 1 minute.

Wisdom

Rank: Veteran

Power Points: 3

Range: Self

Duration: 3/1

The character can use his arcane skill instead of any knowledge skill for the duration of the spell. However, this power does not grant access to secret knowledge, only to that which the character could reasonably know.

New Edges

Extra Spirit

Requirement: Shaman, Novice , Special

The shaman can pick another spirit but must also live by its rules. This edge can only be taken once per rank.

Here is a link to Oriental Gear.