Mystic

As a mystic, you gain access to two martial traditions of your choice.

Maneuvers

You begin play with knowledge of 7 martial maneuvers chosen from the martial disciplines offered by your chosen traditions. Once you know a maneuver, you must ready it before you can use it (see Maneuvers Readied below).

You learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as indicated on Table: The Mystic. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites, if any, to learn it.

Upon reaching initiator level 4th, and at every even numbered initiator level thereafter (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. You can choose a new maneuver of any level you like, as long as you observe the restriction on the highest-level maneuvers you know; you need not replace the old maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. You can swap only a single maneuver at any given level.

Your initiator level is equal to your class level, and your initiation modifier for your mystic maneuvers is Wisdom.

Maneuvers Readied

At 1st level, you can ready five of your seven maneuvers known by meditating for ten minutes. The maneuvers you choose remain readied until you decide to meditate again and change them. You need not Rest to ready maneuvers; any time you can meditate, you can change your readied maneuvers. You must always ready your maximum number of maneuvers readied.

You begin each encounter with all your readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times you might have already used them since you chose them. When you initiate a maneuver, you expend it for the current encounter, so each of your readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter, unless you recover it, as described below.

As you advance in level and learn more maneuvers, you are able to ready more but must still choose which maneuvers to ready.

Granted and Withheld Maneuvers

Mystics rely on surging, primal arcane forces to fuel their maneuvers and do not have full control over their readied maneuvers. When you ready maneuvers, select two of your readied maneuvers to be immediately granted to you. You may use these two maneuvers at any time (when used outside of combat, they recover automatically the following round). The remainder of your readied maneuvers are withheld. You can initiate any maneuver that is currently granted to you, but you cannot initiate a withheld maneuver.

At the end of each of your combat turns, one withheld maneuver (randomly determined) is granted to you until all withheld maneuvers have been granted to you. Even if you do not initiate a maneuver, a previously withheld maneuver is still granted at the end of each round. If you can act in a surprise round, you are granted a maneuver at the end of that round as if it were a normal round.

At any time, you can spend one minute meditating to can change the two readied maneuvers you have chosen to be immediately granted to you.

As you advance in level, the number of maneuvers granted at the beginning of an encounter and when you recover your maneuvers increases. All maneuvers beyond the initial two you have chosen are randomly determined. For example, a 6th-level mystic would choose two maneuvers then randomly be granted two more.

Recovering Maneuvers

If you would be granted a maneuver but have no withheld maneuvers remaining, you lose all currently granted maneuvers, recover all expended maneuvers, and gain a new set of granted maneuvers immediately. You select any two of your readied maneuvers and gain the remainder of any granted maneuvers as randomized selections. At the end of your next turn, a withheld maneuver is granted to you, and the process of surging power begins again.

Stances

You begin your career with knowledge of one stance from any discipline offered by your martial traditions. At 2nd, 5th, 9th, 11th, 15th, and 18th levels, you can select an additional stance to learn.

Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended and you do not have to ready them. All the stances you know are available to you at all times, and you can change the stance you are  currently maintaining as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance or discipline description.

Unlike with maneuvers, you cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one you already know.

Your martial prowess is in part fueled by a reservoir of roiling, turbulent energy within your soul, and the passion and danger of combat causes this arcane energy to overflow outwards. This power, called animus, waxes and wanes with the use of your maneuvers in battle. Outside combat, you have no animus to spend, but your inner power can still be used for more subtle arcane arts. Your levels in mystic count as arcane spellcaster levels for the purposes of qualifying for prerequisites (such as those of item creation feats), and if you ever develop arcane spellcasting from another class, you may add your mystic level to your levels in that class to determine your overall caster level for the purposes of item creation feats.

When you enter combat, you gain an animus pool equal to 1 + your mystic initiation modifier (minimum 1) at the start of your first turn, and add one point of animus to your animus pool at the start of each of your turns thereafter. Your animus pool persists for one minute after the last enemy combatant is defeated or the encounter otherwise ends. At the end of any round in which you initiate a maneuver, you add an additional point of animus to your pool. Certain abilities, such as some class features, maneuvers, and feats, require you to expend points of animus to use.

The primal power of animus can be used in several ways—the foremost of which is the augmentation of maneuvers. If you have the ability to augment your maneuvers in other ways, such as from another class feature or the maneuver itself, this cannot be combined with the augments granted by your animus class feature; you must choose which augmentation type to use when initiating the maneuver. You can spend points of animus to augment your maneuvers in the following ways, depending on your class level.

Starting at 1st level, you can spend a single point of animus to augment a maneuver as part of that maneuver’s initiation action to apply one of the following effects to it (if applicable):

• Enhance Maneuver: For each point of animus spent, you add a cumulative +2 insight bonus to all d20 rolls made (including attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, and skill checks) when initiating that maneuver (a maximum of three animus may be spent on this augmentation); if the maneuver allows you to make multiple attacks, then this bonus only applies to the first attack.
• Increase DC: For each point of animus spent, the save DC of that maneuver increases by 1.

When you reach 4th level, you can spend up to two points of animus on maneuver augmentation, rather than one, and you gain access to the following additional augmentations:

• Anima Burn: You add 1/2 your class level to damage rolls made during that maneuver. This augment costs two points of animus, and can only be applied once to a given maneuver.
• Increase Potency: For each point of animus spent, you may ignore 10 points of energy resistance or 5 points of damage reduction.

When you reach 9th level, you can spend up to three points of animus on maneuver augmentation and gain access to the following additional augmentations:

• Animus Rush: You may move up to your base movement speed as part of the initiation action for the maneuver before initiating the strike. This is a teleportation effect and you must clearly see your destination. This augmentation costs three points of animus.
• Increase Range: You may target a creature within 30 feet with a strike that normally uses a melee attack. Resolve the strike normally as if the targeted creature was within your melee reach. This augmentation costs two points of animus.

At 13th level, you can spend up to four points of animus on maneuver augmentation, and at 19th level, you can spend up to five points of animus per augmentation.

You contain incredible elemental power within your body, surging energies that constantly flow through your blood and muscle. Bringing these energies to bear is as easy as breathing for a mystic, shifting the flow of power with the subtle movements of your martial stances. When you ready your maneuvers, you may select one of the following elements (and associated energy type) to be your active element: air (electricity), earth (acid), fire (fire), and water (cold).

After readying maneuvers, you can change your active element by taking a standard action to focus inwards or by expending one point of animus as a free action while assuming a new stance. Whenever you initiate a maneuver that deals damage, you may spend one point of animus as part of its initiation action to change all damage the maneuver deals to your active element’s associated energy type. For example, if a mystic whose active element is currently air initiated the cursed fate Veiled Moon strike, she could spend one point of animus to change her attack’s damage (including the strike’s bonus damage) from her weapon’s normal damage type to electricity damage.

If you have access to the Elemental Flux discipline, then your active element from this class feature is the same as your active element for Elemental Flux maneuvers. If you are psionic, you can change your active energy type whenever you changes your active element, and vice versa. Your active energy type need not match your active element.

When you find that your martial power is beginning to wane or that few options remain available for use, you can pause in battle, drawing on your inner well of animus to reinvigorate your body and mind. As a full-round action, you can spend one point of animus to grant yourself all your remaining withheld maneuvers, then immediately expend them in a raging cadence of arcane power. As there are no remaining maneuvers to be granted, a new set of maneuvers is granted to you at the end of your turn, as normal.

In addition, until the start of your next turn, creatures that target you with melee attacks are engulfed in the explosion of energy, taking 1d6 points of damage of your active element’s associated energy type, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every two points of animus remaining in your animus pool.

At 2nd level and every five levels thereafter, you gain a bonus Combat feat or Item Creation feat. You must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal.

Starting at 2nd level, the sorcerous power within your body makes you resilient to the supernatural. These energies defend you from esoterica, granting you a +1 arcane bonus to your AC and saving throws against esoteric effects. This bonus increases by +1 at 6th level, and again at 11th level, 16th level, and 20th level.

Starting at 3rd level, you learn to aid your allies with the arcane power of the elements. You learn the seven Elemental Glyphs (a special type of martial glyphs available only to mystics). Although at first your surging energy was raw and unformed, you have begun to master your ability and can use it to empower your allies, granting them benefits in combat.

As a move action, you can spend one point of animus to apply an elemental glyph to a number of allies equal to your mystic initiation modifier modifier within your sight. The effect of this glyph depends on the element it is associated with, but all glyphs last for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your initiation modifier. You are not limited to casting glyphs of your active element (as darkness, illumination, and metal have no elemental type).

Allies may only be affected by one of your glyphs at a time, with new glyphs ending the current glyph in effect and replacing it on the affected ally. The benefits of these glyphs are cumulative (for example, an 8th level mystic grants both the 3rd level and 8th level benefits to her allies). Different glyphs from different mystics may apply to the same target. Glyphs are supernatural abilities and not subject to spells or effects like dispel magic but do not function within an antimagic field or similar effect.

Air

The glyph of air fills your allies with energy and speed.

• Basic: At 3rd level, all movement speeds possessed by each ally under the effect of the glyph gain a +10-foot enhancement bonus to speed. In addition allies may choose to make one turn of up to 90 degrees while making charge attacks.
• Advanced: At 8th level, this enhancement bonus to movement speed increases to 30 feet, and they may make Acrobatics checks to jump as if they had a running start.
• Master: At 13th level, allies affected by the glyph of air gain the ability to move up to 30 feet as a swift action. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, whenever one of your allies uses the glyph of air’s swift action movement ability, they can make a single attack with a weapon they are wielding at their highest base attack bonusat any point during this movement.

Darkness

Though darkness often connotes evil, for the mystic its shroud offers both protection and insight, allowing your allies tactical avenues that they would otherwise be unable to access.

• Basic: At 3rd level, allies affected by the glyph of darkness gain concealment (20% miss chance).
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies gain darkvision and the effects of a see invisibility spell out to a range of 60 feet.
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies are shrouded in a pitch-black veil, gaining total concealment (50% miss chance).
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, affected allies gain the blindsight trait with a range of 30 feet.

Earth

The dour, steadfast nature of earth allows your allies to better stand their ground and weather assaults

• Basic: At 3rd level, this glyph makes allies more difficult to move against their will. Affected allies gain a bonus to their CMD equal to your initiation modifier.
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies gain DR/adamantine equal to the your modifier.
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies gain resistance to all energy types equal to your class level.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, the first time during the encounter that an affected ally is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, they are instead reduced to 0 hit points and automatically stabilize. Their hit points cannot be reduced below 0 for the rest of the round. Once this effect triggers on an ally, that ally cannot gain its effect again until the end of the encounter. In addition, affected are allies are immune to bleed damage.

Fire

The unquenchable flames of passion drive your allies to feats of glory.

• Basic: At 3rd level, affected allies gain a circumstance bonus on attack rolls equal to 1/4 your class level (minimum +1).
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies add 1/2 your class level as fire damage to attacks they make.
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies’ attacks ignore a number of points of energy resistance equal to your class level.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, whenever an affected ally is targeted by a melee attack, the attacker takes fire damage equal to your class level, regardless of whether or not the attack hits.

Illumination

The light of the universe reveals truth wherever it hides.

• Basic: At 3rd level, affected allies’ attacks ignore the miss chance from concealment granted to targets by anything less than total concealment.
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies gain a circumstance bonus on Will saving throws against illusion spells and effects equal to your initiation modifier.
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies gain the effects of a true seeing spell out to a range of 30 feet.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, affected allies are protected from any falsehood, gaining the effects of a mind blank spell.

Metal

Sturdy and unyielding like the forged iron from which it takes its name, the glyph of metal imparts resolute strength to your allies.

• Basic: At 3rd level, affected allies increase their natural armor bonus to AC by an amount equal to 1/4 your class level (minimum +1).
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies gain a circumstance bonus on Fortitude saves equal to 1/4 your class level (minimum +1).
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies’ attacks ignore a number of points of damage reduction and hardness equal to your initiation modifier.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, affected allies gain damage reduction/– equal to your initiation modifier and gain spell resistance equal to 15 + the mystic’s class level.

Water

Fluid and changeable, the glyph of water grants allies flexibility in both their movement and their thinking.

• Basic: At 3rd level, affected allies gain a circumstance bonus to their CMB and on Swim checks equal to your initiation modifier.
• Advanced: At 8th level, affected allies ignore difficult terrain when they move.
• Master: At 13th level, affected allies gain the effects of a freedom of movement spell.
• Grandmaster: At 19th level, affected allies gain fast healing 10.

Starting at 4th level, you are able to channel your animus into your craft, substituting primal arcane energies in place of more ordinary spells. When crafting an item, you use your initiator level as your caster level to determine how potent a creation you can create and for the purposes of meeting caster level prerequisites.

In order to create a spell trigger or spell completion item, your initiator must be at least the minimum required to cast the spell or spells in question. When attempting to create a magical item for which you do not possess a prerequisite spell, you can attempt to replicate the spell through your innate power with an Arcane Lore check (DC 15 + the level of the spell being replicated). If successful, you can create the item as if you had cast the prerequisite spell. You must possess any material components necessary for casting the spell that you are replicating.

If the item being created requires multiple spells, you must make this check for each spell you intend o replicate. If you fail the skill check, you may not try again for that spell while creating that item—the item creation DC increases as normal for the creation of an item without a prerequisite spell in such a case.

Starting at 5th level, your natural instincts with magic work to protect you, guiding your reactions against offensive spells cast by your enemies and allowing you to siphon off a small amount of that energy for your own use. If you are targeted by an esoteric effect that normally would have a lesser effect (such as a partial effect) on a successful Fortitude or Reflex saving throw, you may make a Will saving throw instead of the effect’s normal save. If that Will saving throw is successful, you are completely unaffected by the effect, taking no damage and suffering no ill effects. If you fail the Will saving throw, you suffer the effect as normal, and add one point of animus to your animus pool.

You must be unencumbered and wearing light or no armor to use this ability. This ability does not protect you from traps, extraordinary or supernatural abilities, or any other effects that require a Fortitude or Reflex save. A helpless mystic does not gain the benefit of withstand spell.

Starting at 6th level, you are capable of drawing deep on your training to channel the untapped energies within you, granting you an infinitesimal moment of perfect clarity. Once per day as a free action, you may expend one granted maneuver and instantly replace it with another maneuver you know. This maneuver is added to your currently granted maneuvers and readied for use, replacing the previous maneuver. At 10th level and every four levels thereafter, you can use this ability one additional time per day.

Starting at 9th level, you can channel your animus to act as a sort of null-magic energy, smothering active esoteric effects with its flow. In order to use this ability, you must have identified an ongoing esoteric effect through an Arcane Lore (or Psi Lore) check or other method. As a standard action, you can spend a number of points of animus equal to that effect’s level to suppress (as if by an antimagic field spell) that spell or power for a number of rounds equal to your mystic initiation modifier. Time spent suppressed counts against the suppressed effect’s duration. This ability can only be used on effects within 30 feet, although you do not need to identify the effect while it is within that range, and it remains suppressed even if it leaves that range.

At 15th level, you gain the ability to draw in energy from the world around you, converting it into animus to fuel your own primal power. As a move action, you can add a number of points of animus to your animus pool equal to 1d6 + your mystic initiation modifier. Unlike other animus abilities, this may be used outside of combat to generate a small pool of animus that persists for one minute. You cannot use this ability multiple times to accumulate animus; additional attempts only reset your animus pool to 1d6 + your mystic initiation modifier. You may use this a number of times per day equal to your mystic initiation modifier + 1 (minimum of 1).

At 20th level, your control over your elemental powers are strong enough that you can manifest two elemental glyphs at the same time. As a move action, you may spend two points of animus and manifest an elemental glyph of any two elements, regardless of your active element. These glyphs otherwise function as your elemental glyphs class feature.