A good warrior trains to perfect reflexes, reaction time, perception, and the ability to anticipate the enemy’s every move. A combat telepath takes this training one step forward, using the ability to sense an enemy’s very thoughts to master the battlefield.
Most combat telepaths come from races that gain mind reading abilities naturally, though many come from the ranks of spellcasters and psionicists who seek to use their abilities better in direct combat.
Entry Requirements
Base Save Bonus: Fortitude +2.
Skills: Arcane Lore or Psi Lore 3 ranks.
Special: Must be able to cast detect thoughts as a spell or spell-like ability or be able to manifest read thoughts as a psionic power or psi-like ability.
| Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Combat telepathy, telepathic progression |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Rapid reading, spherical detection |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +2 | +2 | Predictive assault |
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Arcane Lore, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Persuasion, Profession, and Psi Lore.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Combat Telepath gains no proficiency with any type of weapon, armor, or shield.
Combat Telepathy
By reading an opponent’s mind, you are able to react to their attacks almost before their can make them. When using your detect thoughts spell or ability or read thoughts power or ability (hereafter simply called your mind-reading ability for simplicity), you gain additional bonuses against any creature that fails its Will save.
You gain an Insight Bonus to your armor class equal to your key ability modifier against any enemy whose thoughts you can currently read with your mind-reading ability. If you are caught flat-footed, you lose this insight bonus against that attack.
In addition, you are better able to maintain concentration in battle. At the start of your turn as a free action, you may maintain concentration on your mind-reading ability with a successful Concentration check (DC 10 + all damage taken since the end of your last turn). If you fail this check, you may use a standard action to maintain concentration as normal. Otherwise, your mind-reading ability ends. Actions which normally end concentration, such as casting a spell or manifesting a power, end your mind-reading ability as normal.
Telepathic Progression
You add your level in combat telepath to your caster level or manifester level when using your mind-reading ability, which increases any effects based on caster or manifester level.
If your mind-reading ability is a spell-like or psi-like ability with limited uses per day, you gain one additional use of your mind-reading ability at 1st level and a second additional use at 3rd level.
In addition, you add your level in combat telepath to the save DC of your mind-reading ability.
This benefit does not advance or grant any other class features.
Rapid Reading
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to rapidly access the thoughts of your targets and understand their state of mind.
When you use detect thoughts, you immediately gain all information as if you have already been concentrating for three rounds, immediately forcing any creature in the area to make a Will save to resist having its surface thoughts read.
When using read thoughts, you gain the benefit of the augment ability without spending the 2 additional power points.
Spherical Detection
Your mind-reading ability improves at 2nd-level, drastically increasing its area of effect. The area changes from a cone-shaped emanation to a sphere-shaped emanation, affecting all targets within range around you, regardless of direction.
The maximum range of your mind-reading ability does not change.
Predictive Assault
At 3rd level, you gain deeper insight into how your enemies will move and react in combat. While your mind-reading ability is active, you can spend an immediate action to assess a target’s thoughts to better predict their movements, gaining an insight bonus to attack rolls and weapon damage rolls against that target equal to your key ability modifier.
This bonus lasts until the end of the target’s next turn.