A half-deep elf strides across the tunnel system, dark gleaming plate mail adorning her body. Sending her mind forth, she senses her prey—a hiding deep gnome that thinks his camouflage perfect. She continues forward until just barely past it, then with a flick of her blade, the gnome's head rolls.
A lithe halfling slinks amongst the bushes, hiding from sight as he stalks his target, ready to leap forth and strike. The halfling lunges forward, quicker than any creature ought to be, and sinks his daggers into the lumberjack harming his home forest. The man collapses, never knowing what hit him.
A cetandari woman roars a challenge to the heavens before her very mind encapsulates her body, wrapping her in protective energy before her blade meets the flesh of the orc before her. The woman's nose drips blood as the exertion of her mind causes her pain, then the orc's eyes go white and fluid dribbles from his ears before he collapses in a pile.
The mind is deadlier than the sword, this is the creed of all Battleminds. Battleminds are warriors who seek to test their skill against the mightiest and most dangerous opponents. These warriors possess a potent combination of psionic and physical skill, allowing them to use their minds to manipulate and deceive their foes even as their fighting skill lets them carve a swath through enemy ranks. Your mind is as deadly as your weapon and with the aid of your psionic prowess, your body can turn aside attacks as effectively as a suit of plate armor. Let those who would stand against your might quiver in terror when you approach, for you are a battlemind and supremacy in combat is your birthright.
One who turns the mind's potential to the warrior's art is known as a battlemind. Where psions devote themselves wholly to the development of mind-engendered abilities, battleminds give emphasis to the development of the body. With mental and physical energy working in union, the battlemind strives toward martial perfection.
The sword, axe, and bow are physical tools that battleminds embrace along with their psionic abilities. Well trained in both physical and psionic matters, the battlemind is a formidable adversary.
Untamed Psionics
The battlemind uses powerful but still somewhat raw psionic might to complement an already impressive physical form. These people, also known simple as psychic warriors by the less learned, are often prone to showing off their flamboyant abilities, and they claim to fear nothing. They know that only through conflict will their skills grow, and they are often eager to accumulate treasure that adventuring brings and the power it buys. A combination of strength, martial skill, and psionic ability allows the battlemind to surpass a normal fighter of equal experience—at least until they strain their mind, body, and soul too much. As the battlemind gains experience and power, his fighting skills and psionic abilities grow in concert.
A battlemind typically grows up among a society or small community of "the like-minded", founded by psions who wished to develop their powers in seclusion. Such communes are rare, but their existence provides some protection in a world often hostile to those with powerful mental abilities. Battleminds are often the children of psions, and just as often grow up dissatisfied with the regimen of commune life.
Unbridled Arrogance
One thing shared amongst all battleminds is their unwavering self-confidence. So great is the confidence and arrogance of a battlemind that they believe none, not even the gods above, can truly match them. Due to this, they sometimes have a tendency to rush into combat or refuse to back down.
A battlemind's self-confidence and arrogance rarely allows them to follow the gods, whether with true loyalty or simply lip service. They typically feel such worship is below them. They instead put their reliance on their will and internal fortitude much the same as psions. Rare battleminds who do follow a god exist, but it is rarely true worship, and they dislike associating with the likes of truly divine followers such as clerics or paladins.
Battleminds get on well with anyone, regardless of class, who appreciates their unique contributions and do not hold themselves above the battlemind. Battleminds make powerful comrades in combat, so most adventurers are happy to have one in their group. While they feel uncomfortable around the truly divine warriors of the world, they will still appreciate them all the same—or even more so should the warrior follow a god of combat, war, or psionic might.
Creating a Battlemind
As you create your battlemind, think about how your character unlocked their psionic capabilities. Was it through some chance event, or forged through continued discipline? Battleminds are bold and arrogant, an attitude earned through both their physical and mental aptitude. How do you focus your innate abilities of altering reality?
Space will warp, time will dilate, and the very matter of reality will reform in the pursuit of victory: physical and psychic violence in a single perfect whole.
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