Empath (Character Kit)

Description: Empaths, also sometimes called "sympaths," have an incredibleability to sense emotions. Some leading sages in psionics believe that such sensitive empathy is a natural ability, perhaps a benign genetic throwback from a prehuman race or a new sense appearing among all peoples. Empaths are able to pick upthe emotions of many creatures as easily as smelling a scent, but they are also far more vulnerable to psionic attack than other psionicists because their minds arenaturally more open. They must have a strong personality to be able to controltheir own emotions and mind, possessing a minimum Charisma of 14.
Role: Empaths make excellent advisors and negotiators; they can sense what theother being is feeling and cater to those demands. They can warn of possible danger and use their other considerable psionic talents to protect themselves by influencing the reactions of others. Clearly, empaths could easily abuse their advantage over others—and there is many a tale of once-good empaths betraying their lord and dominating him from the sidelines. The thought is chilling but all too possible.
Chosen disciplines: Required telepathy.
Recommended clairsentience.
Sciences/Devotions: Required Empathy (free; see below), ESP, Probe, Telempathic Projection.
Recommended — Awe, Conceal Thoughts, Contact, Danger Sense, Domination, Ejection, Identity Penetration, Life Detection, Mass Domination, Mindlink, Phobia Amplification, Post Hypnotic Suggestion, Psychic Impersonation, Send Thoughts, Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions, Switch Personality, Ultrablast.
Weapon Proficiencies: Any allowed to psionicists.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus — body language 5 .
Recommended—animal training, animal handling, bribery 1 , etiquette, hypnosis 4 , information gathering 3 , languages (modern), reading lips.
Equipment: The empath has no specific equipment needs.
Special Benefits: An empath can sense emotions without expending PSPs on a successful power check (Wis at +2). A failed check results in no information being obtained or misleading information (DM's choice). Contact is still needed to sense the emotions of other psionicists. The empath also gains the ability to use Identity Penetration at Wisdom 0 and Life Detection at Intelligence 0, if these powers are known.
Special Hindrances: Due to this openness of the empath's mind, he is more vulnerable to psionic interference and attack. His power score is Wis -2 to use Conceal Thoughts. He receives a -2 on saves vs. the psionic powers of Inflict Pain, Phobia Amplification, Domination, Mass Domination, Ultrablast, and Probe (the DM may rule that other psionic powers and some spells are included in this also). Synaptic Static causes 1d3 hp damage per round, all psionic power rolls being at -2 while under its influence. Finally, intelligent psionic creatures may find the empath's naturally open mind an attractive temptation to infiltrate. Attacks from such creatures are at +2, and the empath receives a -2 penalty on saving throws against them.
Races: Any race of psionicist may be an empath. All elven or half-elven empaths have their innate resistance to charm and sleep spells reduced by half.
Category:Character Kit
Category:Character Kit Dragon Magazine