—involve the contact of two or more minds (psyches). Unless otherwise stated below, each telepathic power only functions on other minds if psychic contact (q.v.) is first established either consensually or through psychic combat.

Even once contact is established, these contact-requiring powers operate less efficiently on minds of different physiologies. Note that these penalties are not cumulative: a living thri-kreen has no more difficulty Dominating a Dwarven banshee than an undead war beetle.

Sometimes a psionicist inexplicably finds it impossible to affect a contacted mind. If the telepath has already successfully used a telepathic power on a target mind, rolling a 1 will have no effect other than temporary failure. But if the telepath rolls a 1 while trying to affect a contacted mind, she will be unable to affect that mind with telepathic psionics until she advances another level of experience.

Powers List

Telepaths are common in Athasian society. Almost every powerful person employs one or more telepaths to guard against any hostile influences or attacks that may be directed at him. The telepath functions as a bodyguard and a valued adviser who is often the client's right-hand man. Even the sorcerer-monarchs employ telepaths to watch over their other minions and ensure their continued loyalty to the crown.

Slavery creates an enormous demand for psionic guards capable of quelling any uprising with but a thought. Templar patrols often include a telepath to interrogate witnesses and suspects. The great merchant caravans often require telepathic assistance to keep the mekillots docile and direct them in their work. A telepath will never lack for work, as long as he is willing to perform tasks of overseeing, domination, or animal control.

Telepaths are also the finest communicators in Athas. With mindlink, a character can instantly contact any person he knows. Merchants make extensive use of this ability, and the master psionicist of the house is introduced to every caravan captain or outpost agent in the dynasty.

Diplomacy is another arena in which rapid communications are important. Most city-states don't trust their neighbors enough to make a high-ranking psionicist available for direct contact, but the city-states do maintain embassies with each other. Usually, at least one member of the embassy is a skilled psionicist who can report news quickly to his sorcerer-king.

In an adventuring party, the telepath is useful. He can eliminate one foe at a time with his mental attacks. However, he's best used to circumvent or confuse defenses by distracting sentries, controlling guards, and so forth.

Preparation Time

Preparation time works differently for some telepathic powers. "Preparation time: C" means that the power can be initiated instantaneously after contact. "C + RT" means that the required time after contact is equal to the Real Time necessary for the player to speak the words into the subject’s mind. "C + *" means that the time from contact to full effect depends on the situation, and what the attacker is trying to accomplish (Hallucination, for example). These unique situations are described in the description of the power itself.

Range

Range is zero unless otherwise stated —meaning that the area of effect originates at the psionicist. Several powers list a range of "normal senses"; this means that the psionicist must see, hear, or touch the target in order to use the power. Powers that strengthen normal senses (Blindscape or All-round vision, Heighten Senses, detect life, the Infravision spell, the Detect invisibility spell, etc.) could be used to initiate a "normal senses"-range power, but powers that substitute for normal senses (Clairvoyance, etc.) cannot be used in this way. Certain powers (such as psychic clone) exist which do allow the psionicist to use these powers from a distance beyond normal senses.