Psychic magic

The psychic Rivani and spiritualist Estra wield different styles of psychic magic against duergar.

This article covers the type of magic. For the spellcasting class, see Psychic.

Psychic magic, also called psionics or mindcraft,¹ is one of three types of magic (along with arcane and divine magic) that can manifest in the form of spells and spell-like effects. It is unique for its focus on the spellcaster's internal powers—drawing magic through emotion and will rather than through study, birthright, or divine grant—and has strong ties to occult studies.²

And this is why psychic magic is in the occult tradition.

Spells

Psychic magic spells are purely mental, eschewing the verbal and somatic traits of arcane and divine magic in favor of emotional and material requirements.²

Classes

Main articles: Kineticist, Medium, Mesmerist, Occultist, Psychic, and Spiritualist

On Golarion

On most of Golarion, and particularly in the Inner Sea region, psychic magic is much rarer than arcane or divine magic. However, there are places in the world where psychic magic is more commonly studied or practiced:

The Darklands, where races like the alghollthus, deros, neothelids, and intellect devourers tap into psychic magic.¹
Among the Erutaki people of the Crown of the World.³
Geb.⁴
Hermea, location of rumored psychic breeding experiments.³
Nex, where mediums can draw on echoes of the nation's namesake archmage,⁵ and research leads to new psychic spells.⁶
Nidal, and recently by extension Cheliax, where mesmerists focus their abilities against outsiders.⁷⁸
Niswan, where occult research leads to the development of new psychic spells.⁶
Numeria, among agents of the Technic League.³
Osirion, where occultists search ancient tombs.⁸
Qadira, where mesmerists engage in anti-Taldan subterfuge.⁸
Razmiran, which is rumored to employ mesmerists to convert and inspire followers of Razmir.⁷
Across the continent of Tian Xia, where kineticists are especially respected.⁹
- The Forest of Spirits, where mediums commune with kami.⁸
- Kwanlai, where tengu mesmerists practice a unique form of the art.⁷
- Minkai, where planar disturbances sometimes lead to chaokineticists,⁹ and spiritualists advise the court.⁸
- Po Li, where spiritualists act as court advisors.⁸
Ustalav, which welcomes spiritualists⁴ and is home to the psychic-friendly Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye.⁸
Varisia, particularly mediums⁸ and students of the Harrowed Society.¹⁰
- Korvosa, where occultists train in secret in the Acadamae.⁸
Vudra, where the idea of mind over matter is much stronger than other parts of the world and psychic magic is treated with much more respect.¹⁸³
- Jalmeray, a colony of Vudra in the Inner Sea region, which hosts the region's largest concentration of psychics.³
The Worldwound, where combat against demons forges some paladins into psychic magic-wielding mind swords.¹¹

In Quantium, the Arcanamirium of Absalom, and northern Garund, non-psychic spellcasters also study psychic magic and attempt to reproduce some of its effects through other means.¹²

On distant worlds

Within Golarion's solar system, the world of Castrovel has several creatures capable of using psychic powers, ranging from plants to the intelligent races.¹³ The lashunta in particular pursue oneness through psychic magic.³

On Akiton, the Contemplatives of Ashok wield psychic magic, as do shobhad and ratfolk clans. Brethedans and Liavarans also practice psychic magic.³

References

For additional resources, see the Meta page.

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 234–235. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1 This book refers to psionics, but the canon-specific details it attributes to psionics are instead attributed to psychic magic in more recent books, and psionics is no longer mentioned.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Jason Bulmahn et al. (2015). Occult Adventures, p. 142. Paizo Inc.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 ^3.7 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 16. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 18. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 10. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 30. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 12. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 ^8.5 ^8.6 ^8.7 ^8.8 ^8.9 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 5. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 6. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 22. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 20. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7
↑ Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 28. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[CSp234-235-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 234–235. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1 This book refers to psionics, but the canon-specific details it attributes to psionics are instead attributed to psychic magic in more recent books, and psionics is no longer mentioned.

[OA-142-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Jason Bulmahn et al. (2015). Occult Adventures, p. 142. Paizo Inc.

[OO-16-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 ^3.7 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 16. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-18-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 18. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-10-5] Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 10. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-30-6] 6.0 ^6.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 30. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-12-7] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 12. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-5-8] 8.0 ^8.1 ^8.2 ^8.3 ^8.4 ^8.5 ^8.6 ^8.7 ^8.8 ^8.9 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 5. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-6-9] 9.0 ^9.1 Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 6. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-22-10] Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 22. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-20-11] Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 20. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

[OO-28-12] Robert Brookes, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, and Mark Seifter. (2015). Occult Origins, p. 28. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-785-7

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