Empath

Empaths use their psionic abilities to aid and protect their allies and friends. Their transcendental understanding of the mind and its place in the cosmos grants them the ability to influence emotions, heal wounds, impart knowledge, and even reshape reality. An empath might recite confusing koans or pepper their speech with vague, esoteric terms that their companions don’t fully understand, but their usefulness cannot be denied.

An empath understands the cosmos and their place in it in terms of feelings rather than facts. Though psionic power stems from the mind, the empath channels this power through their heart. Logic and deduction, while important, reveal less truth to an empath than how they feel about a topic. To an empath, one can be technically correct, but still lose an argument because of how it was argued. Thus, the empath seeks to resolve conflicts by appealing to emotions rather than cold, rational logic, either by using words or their psionic abilities.

When creating an empath consider your personal philosophy. Is all the world a dream? Is every living thing connected, part of a greater whole? Where did you learn this philosophy, or did you develop it on your own? Did your psionic powers come before your philosophical outlook, driving you to find the answers to life’s questions in order to explain your psionic potential? Or were your mental abilities the product of meditating on your understanding of the cosmos and attaining enlightenment?

As an empath, you gain the following class features.

Hit Dice: 1d8 per empath level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier.

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution + your Constitution modifier per empath level after 1st.

Armor: Shields

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: Choose two from Arcana, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Persuasion, and Religion

A psionic talent is a psionic power that is like a cantrip spell. You know three psionic talents of your choice from the empath talent list, plus a bonus psionic talent determined by your choice of empathic mantle (see Mantle Powers below). You learn additional empath talents of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Talents Known column of the Empath table.

An augment is a psionic power that augments a psionic talent. You must be focusing on an augment’s corresponding psionic talent in order to manifest it. You know five 1st-level powers that augment the empath talents you know.

The Augments Known column of the Empath table shows when you learn more augments of your choice. When the table indicates that you learn a new augment, you may only choose a power that augments one of the empath talents you know. Each of these augments must have a minimum power level no greater than half your levels in this class when you learn them (round up).

For instance, when you reach 3rd level in this class, you learn one new psionic power that augments an empath talent you know, and the power can be up to 2nd level.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose to replace one of your existing powers that augments an empath talent you know and replace it with another power that augments any empath talent you know. The new power can have a minimum power level no greater than half your levels in this class when you learn them (round up).

You have an internal reservoir of psionic energy represented by psi points. You must spend psi points from this reserve to manifest a power that augments a psionic talent.

The number of psi points you have is based on your empath level, as shown in the Psi Points column of the Empath table. The number shown for your level is your psi point maximum. When expending psi points to manifest an augment, you cannot reduce your current psi points to below 0. Your psi point total returns to your maximum when you finish a long rest.

Though you have access to a potent amount of psionic energy, it takes training and practice to channel that energy. There is a limit to the number of psi points you can spend to manifest a power that augments a psionic talent. The limit is based on your empath level, as shown in the Psi Limit column of the Empath table. For example, as a 3rd-level empath, you can spend no more than 4 psi points when manifesting an augment, no matter how many psi points you have.

Wisdom is your psionic ability for your empath powers. You use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a psionic power or when making an attack roll with one.

Power save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Power attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Below is a list of psionic talents available to empaths. The descriptions of these powers can be found in Psionic Powers.

aura beacon

autonomous vitality

inertial transference

mindblade

mindlink

mystic displacement

primal metabolism

psychic static

sixth sense

verve

wild talent

Every empath pursues a particular path by which they use their psionic abilities to understand the cosmos, taking on a mantle that describes their philosophy.

Choose one of the following mantles: Mystic, Occultist, or Wilder. Your choice grants you mantle powers and other features when you choose it at 1st level. It also grants you additional features at 3rd, 6th, and 14th level.

Mantle Powers

Each mantle has a psionic talent and list of augments–mantle powers–that you learn at the empath levels noted in the mantle description. Mantle powers do not count against the number of empath talents or augments you know.

While you are focusing on a psionic talent and are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Beginning at 2nd level, you can guide another creature through meditation and unlock their full potential. To do so, you and one other creature within 5 feet of you must remain still, without moving or taking any action and concentrate (as though concentrating on a spell) for 1 minute. If both you and the target remain still and concentrate for the full duration, the target may then add double their proficiency bonus to all ability checks with one skill or one tool they are already proficient in, instead of their normal proficiency bonus.

This effect lasts until the creature finishes a short or long rest. You may use this feature once, and must finish a short or long rest before you can do so again.

Beginning at 10th level, you may use this feature twice between rests, and, beginning at 18th level, you can use it three times between rests. When you finish a short or long rest, you regain all expended uses.

At 11th level, you gain the ability to glimpse eternity and briefly increase your psi limit. As a bonus action, you increase your psi limit by 2 for the next power you manifest before the end of your next turn. You may use this feature once, and must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

The amount you increase your psi limit by grows when you reach certain levels in this class. When you use this feature, you increase your psi limit by 4 starting at 13th level, by 6 starting at 15th level, and by 8 starting at 17th level.

Beginning at 19th level, you may use this feature twice between long rests. When you finish a long rest, you regain all expended uses.

At 20th level, your psionically enhanced understanding of the cosmos allows you to transcend mortal limits. You gain the following benefits:

• You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

• You no longer age and cannot be magically aged.

• You are immune to disease, poison damage, and the poisoned condition.

• You can add half your proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any saving throw you make that doesn’t already include your proficiency bonus.