—affect the user’s body by altering it in some way.

Psychometabolism offers a wide range of useful powers. With them, a psionic character can fight as well as a fighter, become stealthier than a thief, heal like a cleric, or change shape like a wizard. A well-played psychometabolist may be the most dangerous character of the DARK SUN campaign.

The psychometabolist takes more personal assignments than a psychokineticist does. Psychometabolism is a good combat discipline, but its powers augment the user's own abilities rather than directly damaging several opponents at once. A psychometabolist must settle for dispatching his foes one by one. They are more valued as bodyguards than artillery pieces. Psychometabolism is the ideal one-on-one fighting discipline.

Psychometabolists, also known as "Mindguards" or "Shapesmiths," are the psionicists most likely to work independent of any patrons or employers, working as freelancers or existing in the wastes as hermits. This is not to say that their skills are less valued! Psychometabolists are sought out as bodyguards and agents by the great merchant dynasties and the nobility of Athas. As "Mindguards," they can protect their employers from psychic as well as physical attack. As "Shapesmiths," they make the most effective of spies and assassins. Their powers can duplicate or surpass a thief's stealth abilities.

As an adventurer, the psychometabolist is a powerful and flexible addition to a party. He can stand in as a warrior, a thief, or a cleric for a brief time. However, he is best used as an advance scout. His capabilities for hidden movement and observation are unsurpassed, and he can fight well in a pinch.

Unless otherwise noted, Range is zero, Area of Effect is the psionicist’s body, and PSP cost is per use or per round. If Preparation Time is not listed, then the psionicist triggers the power instantly, but full effects won’t come into play until the beginning of the next round. (Animal Affinity, for instance.) When Preparation time is listed as "0", then both trigger and effect are instant (Death Field, for instance).

Some Psychometabolic powers require both physical and psychic interaction, and therefore have a range of "touch". Some of these powers use the Victim’s MAC as the success roll.