Ultimate Psychic Guide

Now updated for Ideology! A handy guide for everything you wanted to know about psycasting!

Into to Psycasting

So you have decided to dig into the wonderful and terrible realm of psychic powers and want to know what you have in store? Or perhaps you want to plan out your perfect psywarrior?

This here is the guide for you!

I will lay out all of the powers here for you as well as the mechanics behind how they work so you can build up your ideal psychic powerhouse!

Now let's dive right into the good stuff: The Powers. Each power requires a certain level of psychic amplifier to work. Each time a psychic amplifier is installed or upgraded you are given a random ability of the new level. Don't worry! You can always learn more abilities through the use of psytrainers.

For the slow ones among you the powers are laid out as follows:

Ability Name
In-game description

Range: How far away you can target with the power
Radius: The effect radius from the targeted point
Heat Gain: The amount of neural heat the psycaster will get for using this ability
Psyfocus Cost: The amount of psyfocus the psycaster will lose for using this ability
Cast Time: The amount of seconds needed to use the ability
Duration: The amount of seconds the ability will last
Effect of Ability
Relation Impact: Because some factions don't like you using your weird powers on their people.

Level 1 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 1 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Painblock

In-game description: Block pain pathways in the target's brain for a short time. This can allow a person to move and act even with grievous injuries which would normally incapacitate them.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 8
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Duration: 120s
Target only feels 10% of pain.

Not usable on mechanoids.

It's simple spell, but quite effective. Best for when you don't have the silver to shell out for a painstopper and want to make your berserker a more of a tank. Be aware that the lack of pain does not mean that they are invincible. Also good for keeping wimpy colonists in the fight (instead of him collapsing after being grazed by a bullet).

I can confirm that it will work on pawns that have been incapacitated from pain. Instead of taking another gun from the fight to rescue them you can have them drag themselves to the hospital or get back to fighting. Also good for demonstrating the proper way of behaving to pawns who are having a mental break.


Stun

In-game description: Momentarily disrupt motor function in the target's brain, preventing any movement.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 12
Casting Time: 0.25s
Psyfocus Cost: 1%
Duration: 3s
Relation Impact -15

A well timed stun can turn the tide of battle. It can mean the difference between a doomsday rocket taking out half of your colonists or giving you a few seconds to fall back. Best used in tying up big threats, like stopping centipede from firing its weapon so you can get your guys into melee range.


Burden

In-game description: Slow the target for a short time by suppressing motor activity in the brain.

Range: 29.9
Heat Gain: 8
Psyfocus Cost: 1%
Duration: 20s
Casting Time: 0.25s
Max Move Speed 40% (x Target's Psychic Sensitivity)
Relation Impact -15

Use of this is quite situational. Where this ability shines really is when it is used against those with above average psychic sensitivity. For example a target with the hypersensitive will have their max move speed reduced all the way to a max of 22%.
Hotfix #5 now multiplies the max move speed. See the Sensitivity and Entropy section below.

Most of the time I have used this ability is to help chase down straggling raiders who think they can flee.

Solar Pinhole
In-game description: Generate a microscopic skipgate linked to the core of a nearby star. Solar material leaks through the pinprick in spacetime, illuminating and warming the surrounding area until it closes. The light is enough to work by, but not enough to grow plants.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 8%
Cast Time: 0.2s
Duration: 5000s
Creates a source of light at the target location.

Good for when you don't want to burn wood for a torch and don't or cant run a power line for a lamp.


Chunk Skip
In-game description: Skip the 5 chunks of rock or slag to scatter them near the target point. This is useful for producing cover during offensive operations.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 2.9
Heat Gain: 14
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: Instant
Teleport 5 chunks to target position.

Great for when you need cover, but there isn't any around. Chunks aren't as effective as sandbags, but any cover is much better than no cover.

Level 2 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 2 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Blinding Pulse

In-game description: Induce noise in the visual centers of the brain, obscuring vision of everyone near the target point.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 3.9
Heat Gain: 20
Psyfocus Cost: 1%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 30s
Max Sight 50% (x Target's Psychic Sensitivity)
Relation Impact -15

Being unable to see well makes hitting anything incredibly difficult. Lure those pesky raiders into a choke point and slap them with this and they will having trouble hitting the broadside of a barn. Heavily affects both melee and shooting.


Entropy Link
In-game description: Form a psychic link between caster and target, so that gain and loss of psychic entropy is shared between both equally. The link lasts for some time, but will break if the two move far apart.

Range: 3.9
Entropy Gain: 20
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 120s
Transfer 50% of entropy gained to target.
Max Range (After Link): 10
Relation Impact -15

At first glance this power is useless, but I assure you it is AMAZING. As it turns out you can link to ANYBODY; colonists, animals, mechanoids, even that naked raider with a rusty knife who thought raiding you was a good idea. Do to the recent updates this ability can only target other pawns under your control, even those who do not have a psychic amplifier. More details in the Sensitivity and Entropy section if you are curious as to how this works.
Entropy Link has be removed and replaced with Neural Heat Dump.


Neural Heat Dump
In-game description: Instantly dump all your neural heat into someone else. As a side-effect, the target will fall into a debilitating but non-damaging coma for about a day. The target must actively accept the psychic invasion, so only conscious allies can be targeted.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 0
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: Instant
Removes All neural heat from psycaster and puts the target into a psychic coma for about a day.
Relation Impact: -15

This power is not as useful as it's predecessor, but can still be effective when you need to throw around more powers than your psycaster can handle. You can only use this on your fellow colonists, however you won't be able to use this on anyone experiencing a mental break or whoever is psychically deaf. I can also be useful for saving someone from a horde of enemies, since enemies (unless it is a hungry animal) ignore downed pawns.


Waterskip
In-game description: Douse a target area in water, extinguishing fires. The water is archotechnologically skipped from distant bodies of water or underground aquifers.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 1.9
Heat Gain: 25
Psyfocus Cost: 1.5%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: Instant
Douse the target area with water.

Makes handling fires much easier. Keep those silly colonists out of those superheated rooms, just give your psycaster a good view and they can extinguish those flames from a distance.


Word Of Joy
In-game description: Speak happy, calming words to someone while using psychic suggestion to implant a joyfuzz loop in his mind. The joyfuzz will suppress uncomfortable thoughts and sensations in the target to improve mood. This has the side-effect of dulling sensation and decision-making, which reduces consciousness

Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 2s
Duration: 5000s (x Target's Psychic Sensitivity)
-20% Efficiency to Brain, +30 Mood
Relation Impact -25

Great for cheering up those mopey colonists. The reduced conscience will reduce the target's ability to do anything though.

Level 3 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 3 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Beckon

In-game description: Psychically command the target to approach the caster.

Range: 19.9
Heat Gain: 20
Psyfocus Cost: 1%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Duration: 8s
Forces target to follow the psycaster.

Not usable on incapacitated targets.

Another one of those powers that look crap at first but are actually quite powerful and very useful. You can target an enemy and they will be forced to stop everything to follow your psycaster. Even better, the target won't be able to shoot. Why try and Stun that centipede when you can force it to come to you for melee? It even works on animals too.

This power is also one of the few not seen as harmful, so factions don't care if you use it on them. With a bit of skill you can get those visitors to attack those insect hives or deal with those pesky mechanoid clusters for you. And if they die, why would their faction get mad? It's not like its your fault or anything...


Vertigo Pulse

In-game description: Interfere with the spatial orientation sense of everyone near the target point, causing intermittent loss of balance. Flesh creatures will become extremely nauseous as well.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 3.9
Heat Gain: 30
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 20s
Targets in affected area wander dizzily (wander radius 3), organic targets will vomit.
Relation Impact -15

This is how a psycaster can disable an entire raiding party, single-handed. The targets will not be able to shoot at you as they are too dizzy to sit still. When they start vomiting they won't even be able to fight back. Since I picked this power up raids, manhunter packs, and infestations have been mostly trivialized.


Chaos Skip

In-game description: Teleport the target to a random position near where he started.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 18
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Target is teleported to a random spot 6.9 to 24.9 away.
After teleporting they are stunned for a second or two.
Relation Impact -15

Might seem neat at first glance, but the random aspect makes this situational. You might just teleport that raider from a sensitive spot right into your killbox. Or he might wind up in your treasury or hospital. It also works on allies and downed targets as well. Use at your own risk.


Word of Love
In-game description: Speak about someone's romantic virtues while using psychic suggestion to implant romantic desire in the listener. For days afterward, the listener will feel psychically-induced romantic attraction towards the other person. This greatly increases opinion and makes them much more likely to attempt romantic advances and marriage proposals if they get the chance. This power can be used to connect two other people, induce love for the caster, or force oneself to love another.

Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 50%
Cast Time: 2s
Duration: 8000s
Force a person to fall in love with someone.

A psycast for those who want to play match maker. Now you can force all of your people to become couples so you need fewer bedrooms. Prisoners are also more receptive to recruitment if they like or love their warden.

Level 4 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 4 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Skip

In-game description: Teleport the target to a desired position not too far from his starting point.

Range: 27.9
Heat Gain: 25
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Teleport target to a point of your choosing. Stuns for less than a second.

The only limit to this ability is that you can only skip targets to places that the target can see.

The ultimate control ability. Get those melee soldiers where they need to be in a flash instead of having them wade through all that gunfire. Place that one troublesome raider right in front of your firing squad. Scoop that downed colonist from the clutches of those kidnapping raiders. Teleport those components away from that tantruming colonist. Have your psycaster blink away to safety. This ability is also considered a non-hostile action, so you can even move visitors and traders. The uses of this power is endless.


Wallraise

In-game description: Form a temporary wall by skipping rubble and soil up from deep under the ground.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 35
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 60s
Create a wall at target location in a "+" shape, takes up a 3X3 area. Cant be cast in a spot occupied by a creature.

Excellent for plugging holes in your walls in an emergency and creating cover for your colonists. Worry no more about those sappers turning your colony into Swiss cheese and leaving you exposed.


Smokepop

In-game description: Skip dust particles up from under the ground surface to form a thick cloud. This reduces the accuracy of any shot fired through it, and preventing turrets from locking on entirely.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 30
Psyfocus Cost: 2%
Cast Time: 1s
Smokepop, radius of 3.5, at target location.

Just like a smokepop belt, except you don't have to be standing in the spot you want to use it. The smoke prevents turrets from targeting you, and is incredibly hard for colonists or raiders to shoot through.


Focus

In-game description: Psychically focus the target's mind, boosting their sight, hearing and moving capacities.

Range: 24.9
Heat Gain: 15
Psyfocus Cost: 3%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Duration: 60s
Sight x1.3
Hearing x1.3
Moving x1.3

Causes target to move a bit faster and shoot a bit better. Also useful for other non-combat related tasks as well, as most crafting, surgery, and research speed is boosted from sight.


Word of Serenity
In-game description: Use calming words and psychic suggestion to end a mental break on a person or animal. The target will fall into a short psychic sleep. The psyfocus cost depends on the intensity of the target's mental break.

Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost (Minor): 30%
Psyfocus Cost (Major): 50%
Psyfocus Cost (Extreme): 70%
Cast Time: 2s
Duration: 246s
Force a person suffering a mental break into a psychic coma.

This is an excellent way to safely subdue someone when they go nuts. You can only use this on someone who is in the middle of a mental break. It will work on any pawn, friendly or enemy, so you can take down that berserk prisoner before he trashes his cell (though it won't work on those doing a jailbreak).

Level 5 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 5 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Berserk

In-game description: Induce an angry psychosis in the target's mind, causing them to attack anyone nearby.

Range: 14.9
Heat Gain: 40
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 0.25s
Duration: 15s
Cause the target to go berserk.
Relation Impact -15

Makes delaying raids pretty easy. Also handy for getting your enemies to take each other out. Other lower tiered powers can be just as effective. Best if you want to make sure a particular target dies, bonus points for making his friends do your dirty work. Also hit those particularly dangerous targets to help take out the raid. Can even be used on animals or even on the psycaster himself (I don't know why you would even want to do that though).


Invisibility

In-game description: Psychically manipulate the visual centers of everyone nearby, rendering them unable to perceive a particular individual for a short time.

Range: 19.9
Heat Gain: 45
Psyfocus Cost: 3%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 15s
Makes the target invisible.

Invisible targets can't be attacked, simple as that. The right colonist with this ability can wipe out faction bases fighting solo.

Also note that invisible targets can't be specifically targeted by abilities, so pile on all those buffs before you turn invisible.


Flashstorm
In-game description: Use differential-pressure skipgates in the atmosphere to generate a localized flashstorm. The storm will strike the area with lightning for some time before dissipating.

Range: 19.9
Radius: 13.9
Heat Gain: 65
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 164s
Cause lightning to bombard the targeted area.
Relation Impact -35

This functions similar to the orbital beam targeter, but instead of a laser from orbit it is a lightning storm.


Word of Inspiration
In-game description: Speak words encouraging creativity while psychically hypercharging the target's mind with new ideas. The target will experience a random inspiration appropriate to them.

Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 80%
Cast Time: 2s
Duration: Instant
Gives target a random inspiration.

This is a very powerful and very expensive psycast. It is random as to what kind of inspiration you get, but now you will have control over when they happen and be able to capitalize on them more readily. It won't matter how much resistance that prisoner has, they will be conscripted immediately by an inspired recruiter. Legendary items can now be made much more frequently. That thrumbo won't be able to resist an inspired tamer. And it only cost 80% of your psycaster's focus.


Farskip
In-game description: Skip the caster, along with anyone standing near him, to an ally at a distant location. This can send people far across the planet, but only works if there is a willing ally on the other side to use as a navigation beacon. The skipped people will always appear near a random ally on the target map.

Radius: 4.9
Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 70%
Cast Time: 5s
Duration: Instant
A long-distance teleport for the psycaster and anyone standing near him.

Use this ability to send in the cavalry to the lone scout in trouble or to send in a raiding party without having everyone trudge several miles across the map. The psyfocus cost will prevent you from being able to use this twice in a short amount of time, unless you have two psycasters with this ability.

Level 6 Abilities

Here are all the powers that will require at least a tier 6 Psychic Amplifier to use:

Berserk Pulse

In-game description: Generate an overwhelming rush of undirected rage in everyone near the target point.

Range: 14.9
Radius: 2.9
Heat Gain: 65
Psyfocus Cost: 6%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 15s
Cause the targets to go berserk.
Relation Impact -75

Force a whole group of enemies to kill one another. 'Nuff said.


Manhunter Pulse

In-game description: Drive nearby animals into a manhunting rage using a psychic pulse.

Range: 34.9
Radius: 27.9
Heat Gain: 50
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 60s
Cause the targets to go berserk.
Relation Impact -75

Does not work on humans.

Send some of the local wildlife to soften up your enemy's defenses.

Mass Chaos Skip

In-game description: Skip everyone near a target point to a random location nearby.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 7.9
Heat Gain: 40
Psyfocus Cost: 3%
Cast Time: 1s
Cause everyone in a target area to teleport to a random range between 6.9 to 24.9, and stun them for a few seconds.
Relation Impact -75

Scatter an organized attack force into chaos. As is the case with Chaos Skip, the chances of enemies skipping to a more sensitive location multiply for every enemy targeted. In the worst scenario it could potentially break up an overwhelming force into more manageable chunks.


Skipshield
In-game description: Generate a spherical skipgate that sends all incoming and outgoing ground-level projectiles to some distant place. People and items are not affected.

Range: 24.9
Radius: 4.9
Heat Gain: 65
Psyfocus Cost: 4%
Cast Time: 1s
Duration: 15s
Place a force field to cover the target area.

Use this to keep your melee fighters from getting shot. Not quite as useful as any other bullet shield because it prevents you from shooting out of it.


Neuroquake
In-game description: Find a discontinuity in the psychic field and unfold it, releasing a massive amount of psychic energy. Every creature on the map outside of a safe circle near the caster will be driven violently insane. Casting this takes three hours of meditation, and afterwards, the caster will go into a three-day psychic coma. The disturbing neuroquake echoes will inflict pain on everyone for many kilometers around, causing diplomatic consequences with all factions.

Radius: 5.9
Heat Gain: 0
Psyfocus Cost: 50%
Cast Time: 24s
Duration: 2880s
Drive everything outside of the safe radius berserk.
Relation Impact: -75 (if hit) or -10 (for factions within 4 world tiles)

Drive everyone on the map that isn't next to the psycaster into a berserk rage. This can be useful to outright destroy an enemy base without much damage to the base itself. Best to have a strike team handy to mop up the remaining defenders and haul the caster back home. Also good as a last resort defense against invaders at your home base.

Sensitivity and Neural Heat

And now for the nitty-gritty details on how to optimize your psycasting. There are lots factors that go into how powerful the various effects are.

The primary stat that affects abilities is Psychic Sensitivity. The base sensitivity scores are as follows:

• Default: 1
  
• Mechanoid: 0.5
  
• Centipede: 0.75
  
• Psychically Hypersensitive: 1.8
  
• Psychically Sensitive: 1.4
  
• Psychically Dull: 0.5
  
• Psychically Deaf: 0

All effects with a duration has it multiplied by the target's Psychic Sensitivity.
Psychically Deaf targets are immune to psychic effects.

A couple of ability effects become multiplied by a target's sensitivity:

• Burden has the speed modifier of 40%, so a Psychically Hypersensitive target will get their move speed reduced to 72%, a Psychically Dull target will get reduced to 20% speed.
  
• Blinding Pulse has the sight modifier of 50%, a Psychically Hypersensitive target will get 90% and a Psychically Dull target will get 25%
  
• Some abilities can't even target someone who is Psychically Deaf.

Now what is Neural Heat? It is the amount of chaotic psychic energy a person can safely handle. There is a built-in safety switch to prevent someone from going over the limit, but that safety can be disabled for an emergency, but it will cause long-lasting or permanent damage to your psycaster.

All things have a default Neural Heat of 30 multiplied by Psychic Sensitivity (rounded up). For example, a Psychically Hypersensitive person will have a Psychic Entropy Limit boosted to 54, while a Psychically Dull person will have a Psychic Entropy Limit reduced to 15.

Increasing a colonist's Psylink will multiply that colonist's Neural Heat limit (rounded up) depending on the level.

• Psylink Level 1: x1 (no change)
  
• Psylink Level 2: x1.3334
  
• Psylink Level 3: x1.6667
  
• Psylink Level 4: x2
  
• Psylink Level 5: x2.3334
  
• Psylink Level 6: X2.6667

Now how do you get rid of that nasty Neural Heat? Just simply wait it out. Heat loss rate is calculated on a 30 second basis; the default rate for a colonist with a psylink is 4 per 30 seconds. A pawn without a psylink has a base recovery rate of 8 per 30 seconds. Unfortunately heat recovery is NOT changed by sensitivity.

All Psylink levels multiply the base heat recovery rate:

• Psylink Level 1: x4
  
• Psylink Level 2: x4.5
  
• Psylink Level 3: x5
  
• Psylink Level 4: x5.5
  
• Psylink Level 5: x6
  
• Psylink Level 6: x6.5

These are NOT cumulative. If you have a normal colonist with a level 1 Psylink their recovery rate will be 16 per 30 seconds; one with a level 6 Psylink will have a rate of 26 per 30 seconds.



Pain also increases heat recovery rate. Based on the severity of the pain felt by the pawn, it will have the heat recovery rate increased by a percentage.

This poor schmuck was recently in a social fight and had to be hospitalized:

(It's an image of the old meter, I know. It still works for this example.) After being beaten so badly he collapsed from the pain he now has a recovery rate of +62%. He has a level 1 psylink so he would have a recovery rate of 20 per 30 seconds. After his beating he now has a recovery rate of 32.5 per 30 seconds. This makes the mindscrew implant actually useful.

Note: the ability Painblock will minimize the benefit from this. A painblock implant will negate this feature entirely.



When a colonist completely recovers from the entropy they have accrued they will develop a psychic hangover. It usually takes a short while for the hangover to form once entropy reaches 0. Once formed this hangover has various negative effects:

• Conciousness x80%
  
• Manipulation x80%
  
• Hunger rate x150%
  
• Tiredness rate x150%
  
• Mood -12

This mechanic means you will have to keep an eye on your pawn's entropy levels in combat. Letting a hangover develop in the middle of combat will reduce the pawn's effectiveness. If they do start forming or obtain a hangover using any ability will remove the hangover.

Note: the psychic hangover mechanic has been removed.


What happens to a psycaster who goes over the safe amount of Neural Heat? Lots of nasty things can happen, worsening by how far over the limit they go. There are always short term consequences with a chance of a long term consequence.

Here are the short term consequences in order of least to most severe:

• Overloaded:
  
  • Psychic Breakdown severity 2
    
  • Psychotic Wander (mental break)
• Hyperloaded:
  
  • Psychic Breakdown severity 4
    
  • Psychotic Wander (mental break)
• Brain Charring:
  
  • Psychic Breakdown severity 6
    
  • Psychotic Wander (mental break)
• Brain Roasting:
  
  • Psychic Breakdown severity 8
    
  • Psychic Shock (max consciousness 10%)

Psychic Breakdown gives the pawn a reduction in consciousness based on the severity. The breakdown wears off at -1 severity per day.

• Minor Psychic Breakdown reduces Consciousness by 20% (severity 4 or less)
  
• Major Psychic Breakdown reduces Consciousness by 30% (severity 5 to 11)
  
• Extreme Psychic Breakdown reduces Consciousness by 40% (severity 12 or more)

While a pawn has psychic breakdown they will suffer a mental break (based on severity) every few days.

The long term consequences include psylink degradation (loss of a level), and brain damage of a random severity.
Permanent damage from neural heat has been removed in the September 2020 update.

Psyfocus and Meditation

Note: This section is still WIP. I am still in the process of dissecting the code and doing in-game tests to get you the best and most accurate information.

As you have seen, all psycasts will cost psyfocus. Psyfocus is described as the structure of thought required to use psycasts. It's sort of like psyching yourself up before giving a speech or performing in front of an audience. The amount of psyfocus built up also limits what level of psycasts you can use. Now this mental preparation does not last forever, and it decays faster the more psyfocus the psycaster has stored up:

• 0% - 25% will lose 3.5% per day; can use up to level 2 psycasts
  
• 25% - 50% will lose 5.5% per day; can use up to level 4 psycasts
  
• 50% - 100% will lose 7.5% per day; can use up to level 6 psycasts

Now how to regain psyfocus? Through meditation, of course! Meditation on it's own will get you up to 50% psyfocus per day. If you are serious about using psycasts, you will need to get your psycaster a Meditation Focus.

And not just any focus will do either! Each psycaster will have a preference to what kind of focus that they will benefit from, which is derived from their background, traits, and, for the snobs, nobility status.

The types of meditation focuses are:

• Artistic (those with civilized backgrounds)
  
• Dignified (the nobles)
  
• Flame (the pyromaniacs)
  
• Minimal (the ascetics)
  
• Morbid (the mentally troubled)
  
• Natural (the tribals or uncivilized backgrounds)

Don't worry about guessing, you can find what meditation types a character can use in their information screen.

Giving your psycaster an appropriate meditation focus will give them a boost to how much psyfocus they can build in a day. Depending on the focus type, there are various ways to boost the amount of psyfocus it can give.

Artistic

Up to 9 sculptures can be placed near a meditation spot to benefit a psycaster with an Artistic focus. Whoever is meditating on the spot will focus on one sculpture. The remaining 8 sculptures will link to the main focus sculpture, providing a boost to the amount of psyfocus it can produce.

The higher quality the art piece is the bigger focus boost it provides. The size of the sculpture and material does not seem to have an effect on focus strength. If you have crap artists, then you can build steles or grand steles instead, though they will not link together like sculptures will.
Main focus and linked strength bonus:

• Awful: +12%, +0% linked
  
• Poor: +16%, +0% linked
  
• Normal: +20%, +1 linked
  
• Good: +22%, +1 linked
  
• Excellent: +24%, +1 linked
  
• Masterwork: +26%, +2 linked
  
• Legendary: +28%, +2 linked
  
• Stele: +15%
  
• Grand Stele: +18%

Following these stats, the best setup will require one legendary(+28%) sculpture to serve as the main focus along with 8 masterwork sculptures(+2% each) or better to get a total focus bonus of a whopping +44%.

Dignified

This meditation type requires a meditation throne, which you would already have for psycasters who have gained this focus. The psyfocus gained through this method is dictated by the impressiveness level of the throne room, the higher the better.

Focus strength bonus:

• Meditation Throne: +15%
  
• Grand Meditation Throne: +15%

The impressiveness of a room can be improved by using high quality floors, doors, columns, art, and furniture. Using expensive or prettier materials for everything will give a boost too. The easiest way to boost impressiveness is by bigger room size, although it will get very expensive to make a large room satisfactory to higher ranked nobles.

Room impressiveness scores and bonuses given:

• Score: 0; -5% Strength
  
• Score: 30; +0% Strength
  
• Score: 60; +4% Strength
  
• Score: 100; +8% Strength
  
• Score: 170; +10% Strength

An extra +8% is gained for satisfying the title requirements of the assigned noble.

The best setup for this will require either throne(+15%), an appropriate throne room(+8%), and a room impressiveness score of at least 170(+10%) for a total bonus of +33%.

Flame

This focus is based around fire and is exclusive to pyromaniacs. The focuses for this type are torches, camp fires, and braziers. Of course they will need to be fueled and lit to provide any bonus. Like the artistic focus, up to 9 focus sources can be used at once for a meditation spot, with one being selected as the primary focus while the other 8 linking to the main one.

Focus strength and linked bonus:

• Torch: +10%, +1% linked
  
• Campfire: +12%, +2% linked
  
• Brazier: +15%, +2% linked

The best possible setup would be using one brazier(+15%) as the main focus and 8 more braziers or camp fires(+2% each) for a total bonus of 31%.

Minimal

A meditation available only to those with the Ascetic trait.
For an ascetic to be happy, they need only the basics. An empty room will do.

Focus strength and linked bonus:

• Wall: +22%

... And that's it. the best you can do for this focus is +22%. At least it's the cheapest, only requiring a blank room.

Morbid

This is the meditation granted to those with the psycopath, cannibal, masochist, jealous, bloodlust, undergrounder, or tortured artist traits. The focus for this meditation type are graves. Of course, the graves will need to be full to get the most bonus from them. Up to 5 graves can be used at once for a meditation spot.

An extra focus bonus is given for graves of those who had a relationship with the person meditating. Spouse, lover, rival, any relationship would do.

Focus strength and linked bonus:

• Grave: +6% (+10% for relationship), +1% linked (+1% if filled)
  
• Sarcophagus: +10% (+10% for relationship), +1% linked (+1% if filled)

The bonuses in the parenthesis is given in addition to the primary bonus, (eg. a relationship with someone in a sarcophagus will grant a total +20% focus; an empty linked grave/sarcophagus will give a +1% bonus, but a filled one will give a total of +2%)

Also it is good to note that only the main meditation focus can benefit from the relationship boost.

The optimal setup will need one sarcophagus(+10%) that contains someone with a relationship(+10%) to the one using the meditation spot, and then 4 other filled graves or sarcophagi(+2% each) for a maximum meditation focus strength of +28%.

Other Boosts:

There are a couple of other ways to boost psyfocus gain from meditation:
For those that like to live on the edge, the drug wake-up will give an extra +20% focus gain.
A weapon persona with the personality trait Psy-meditative will give an extra +10% focus gain.

Nature Meditation Focus

This meditation is so complicated that it hit the character limit, so I decided to make it its own section!

Any that come from a tribal background can use this method. This is also the only other way to gain psylink levels without having to buy or earn an expensive psylink neuroformer.

Each of the main focuses can be boosted by 4 Animus Stones(+2% each). Nature shrines can't link to each other but can link to an Anima Tree, but only 4 of any object can give the link benefit at a time.

Focus strength and link bonus:

• Small Nature Shrine: +22%; +1% linked
  
• Large Nature Shrine: +30%; +1% linked
  
• Animus Stone: +34%; +2% linked
  
• Anima Tree: +28%

Unlike the other meditation types, this one is negatively affected by nearby man-made structures, so keep that in mind when building your base. Nature shrines are not counted as man-made for these calculations.

Nature shrine strength penalty for nearby structures:

• Structures up to: 5; -6% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 10; -12% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 50; -22% Focus

Animus Stone strength penalty for nearby structures:

• Structures up to: 5; -8% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 10; -16% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 50; -34% Focus

Anima Tree strength penalty for nearby structures:

• Structures up to: 5; -8% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 10; -15% Focus
  
• Structures up to: 50; -30% Focus

Assuming you kept your base far enough away from the meditation area, the best possible focus gain rate will be using 5 animus stones. That will give you a psyfocus gain of +42%, the second best achievable rate in the game. This is good for when you want to quickly fuel your tribal psycasters, but you can get a lot more from this meditation type.

I mentioned above that this is a method to naturally develop a character's psylink, and to do that you will need to focus on an Anima Tree when meditating. Sure it only gets you a focus gain of +36%, but doing so generates anima grass around the tree. Once enough anima grass grows around the tree, you will be able to have a character perform a ritual to psycically bond with the tree, giving them a psylink level.

The tree requires 20 grass for every psylink level. You can speed up the growth of the grass by having multiple people meditate at the Anima Tree. Psychic sensitivity has no effect on grass growth and neither does psylink level. Almost anyone can meditate at the tree to promote grass growth, so long as they have the appropriate meditation focus type. Have your whole tribe take turns meditating at the tree and you will have a psychic powerhouse in no time!

By far this is the fastest and lowest-cost way to get a level 6 psylink!

Other Psychic Modifiers

You aren't limited to just traits and Psychic Amplifiers to change a colonist's Psychic Sensitivity and Neural Heat Recovery Rate. There is equipment available that can enhance them!

The psyfocus apparel listed here cannot be manufactured and must be traded for.

Here are the different items that a psycaster can benefit from:
Regular Gear:

Psychic Sensitizer (Brain Implant)

• Sensitivity +0.25
  
• Base Market Value 1,200

I consider this implant a must-have for all your psycasters. That slight bump you would get to your Neural Heat Limit could mean you can get one more chance to use an ability. Also get a slightly longer duration for ALL effects. It's also one of the cheaper brain implants and the benefits are well worth the silver.

Eltex Helmet

• Sensitivity +0.15
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +6.6%
  
• Base Market Value 500

It offers slightly more protection than a simple helmet and is effective at shedding that nasty heat.

Eltex Skullcap

• Sensitivity +0.4
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +9.1%
  
• Base Market Value 500

The skullcap offers no protection but gives a bigger boost to sensitivity and heat recovery rate than any other piece of apparel.

Eltex Shirt

• Sensitivity +0.1
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +3.3%
  
• Base Market Value 400

Another must-have for each of your psycasters. It may look like it doesn't give as much of a bonus as other psyfocus gear, but it can be worn with ALL kinds of armor, including the coveted Marine Armor or the new Cataphract Armor!

Eltex Vest

• Sensitivity +0.15
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +5%
  
• Base Market Value 500

Not as good as other psyfocus gear, since it takes up the slot for a flak vest, and cant be worn with Marine Armor. If you are like me, you would have everyone wearing a flak vest to protect against any damage they may take.

Eltex Robe

• Sensitivity +0.2
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +8.3%
  
• Base Market Value 600

It fits comfortably over your flak vest and it provides better heat and cold insulation than a basic parka or duster. If you aren't fitting your psycaster in heavy armor, it is the best choice of apparel.

Eltex Staff

• Sensitivity +0.5
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +8.3%
  
• Base Market Value 1,000

This "weapon" offers the best sensitivity and recovery rates available in an item. It also deals less damage than any club, making it the worst weapon. Give this to your psychic wizard who will be away from the front lines.

Prestige Armor
Prestige armor offers the same protection as the regular variants, and has a bit of Eltex fibers woven in to give a slight boost to psycasters. It also has a bit of fancy gold plating thrown on to satisfy those picky nobles. All prestige gear (recon, marine, and cataphract) gives the same boosts. Unlike other Eltex gear, these can be crafted.

Prestige Armor

• Sensitivity +0.05
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +3.3%

Prestige Helmet

• Sensitivity +0.05
  
• Heat Recovery Rate +3.3%

Related Stuff I Didn't Know Where Else To Put:

Psychic Foil Helmet

• Sensitivity -0.9

Just... No. Giving this to your psycaster will effectively neuter them. The only reasonable use of this is to protect your psycaster or someone sensitive from psychic drones.

Psychic Silencer (Implant)

• Slight Pain (0.2)
  
• Makes the Psycaster Undetectable

You little rebel, you. You are feeling naughty and want to use powers and tools without permission from the Empire? Give your psycaster one of these babies. This will keep your secrets safe, and therefore keep the Empire from kicking down your door.
Every time you use an unauthorized ability un-silenced there is a chance for the psycaster's psychic signature to be picked up by the Empire. If that happens you will be declared an enemy of the Empire, who will then begin sending crusades against you to cleanse your heretic filth from the galaxy.

The Empire no longer has a monopoly on psychic powers, so the psychic silencer no longer needs to exist and has been taken out as of the May 2020 update.

Miscellaneous Items

Here are the things that are changed by Psychic Sensitivity that don't fit above.

Psychic Reader (Implant)

• Negotiation Ability +0.5 x Psychic Sensitivity

Let's your colonist read the minds of others. The extra bonus isn't stated in the description, but it's there! The negotiation ability mostly affects social impact and prisoner recruitment, with a slight buff to trader discounts.

Psychic Harmonizer (Implant)

• Range of 30
  
• Base mood effect 8 x Psychic Sensitivity (To people in range)

Turns the recipient into a walking Psychic Soothe Emanator so long as they are happy giving a +8 mood buff. If the person is unhappy it will give up to a -8 mood debuff to anyone in range. Pair this with a joywire and you will have a happy colony!
Note: this mood effect only gets applied to anyone that is from the same faction as the person with the implant. The sensitivity multiplier is applied by the recipient of the mood buff, not the person with the implant.

Psychic Suppressor (Mech Cluster Building)

• Reduces consciousness based on sensitivity.

This nasty little mechanoid device could cripple your psycasters. Beware!

Psychic Soothe Emanator

• Mood +5 x Psychic Sensitivity

A handy little structure that you can set up to help your colonists feel better. It is a vary rare piece of tech that you can obtain as quest rewards.

Psychic Drone

• Soothe: +16 x Psychic Sensitivity
  
• Low Drone: -12 x Psychic Sensitivity
  
• Moderate Drone: -22 x Psychic Sensitivity
  
• High Drone: -30 x Psychic Sensitivity
  
• Extreme Drone: -40 x Psychic Sensitivity

These are triggered by events and mechanoid cluster buildings.

Ideology

This short section is for those that have the Ideology DLC.

Those ideoligious nuts that follow the Blindsight meme gain access to the Blind Psysense precept, which grants a slight +.3 psychic sensitivity to blind colonists.

Furthermore the blinding ritual that comes with this meme has a chance to grant a psylink level to the colonist having their eyes cut out, provided the ritual has satisfying result or better.


The other psychic influence added by this DLC are the psychic emanators that are encountered while going through the Archonexus quest line; their negative mood effects are multiplied by the recipient's sensitivity.

These can vary from a -5 mood debuff up to a -18, which can be devastating to someone highly sensitive.

Conclusion

Now you are a psychic expert! I'd give you a medal, but it seems those pesky raiders swiped it while I was typing this...

I wrote this guide after being frustrated by the sheer lack of information out there. I dug into the game files and made one to spare others from having to dig and experiment.

Any feedback is appreciated, and encourages me to keep this guide as up to date as possible.

Thank you for reading, especially to those who have made it all the way to the end.



Multiple raiders were harmed in the making of this guide.

[Roasty Toasty]

@tomstemarie that sounds like you are experiencing a bug with the game or a mod you might have installed.

[tomstemarie]

This is a wonderful guide thank you! I have a question about Farskip... its clearly one of the most powerful psycasts in the game, but everytime i use it, my pawns travel, but they arrive as "Independent" Faction NPCs, and are no longer part of my faction or in my control. In fact, the same thing happens with Skip Doors too. Am I doing something wrong with these casts?

[Saruwatari]

thank you for the guide

[Roasty Toasty]

@Aiavaso that's right! The restriction on using psycasts was removed to allow more freedom of choice for players instead of encouraging allying with the empire faction.

[Aiavaso]

wait Psychic Silencer is removed? no longer relation punish for using psy-abilities without proper rank?

[Roasty Toasty]

@amul, you can't mix or stack meditation types. When someone meditates, they only choose a single target as the meditation focus, like a throne, art piece, or grave.

[amul]

Do meditation types stack? If I have a psychopath noble, can I fill his throne room with the sarcophagi of his enemies and lit braziers to get stacking bonuses?

[BigStupidBeast]

it's awesome bro!
thank you

[Owa]

Isn't this missing Word of Trust? That ability is great for recruiting prisoners much faster.

[Zlorfik [CH/BY]]

Against Mechanoids there is still very few one can do with Psychic only. I guess teleporting into a trap could work.