A battlemind was a martial form of psionics user[1] that emerged on Toril in the nine-decades following the Spellplague.[2] These warriors exhibited a mastery of the Invisible Art that was inextricably linked to the fury of battle and combat.[3] Believing their strength and durability to be channels through which psionic energy flowed,[4] they had a relentless drive to seek out the mightiest and most dangerous of foes and challenges to test their skills against.[1]
Activities[]
Many battleminds took up lives as adventurers, mercenaries, or simply wandering warriors in order to sate their desire for battle.[1] On occasion, small numbers of them gathered together to form mercenary companies or knightly orders.[5] In the land of Kara-Tur, some took to the path of a sohei in obscure religious sects that focused on the power of the mind.[6]
Culture[]
The types of people to take up the life of a battlemind were usually those whose lifestyle or profession involved combat in some manner, such as a common brawler, a gladiator, a professional soldier or tactician, a nobleman's advisor or guard,[3] a city guard, or a brigand.[4] For some battleminds, they were once just commoners, who idolized legendary heroes and yearned to follow in their footsteps.[3] Regardless of their origins, battleminds viewed each other as kindred spirits.[4]
In most cases, battleminds awoke to their psionic powers spontaneously,[7] often during some manner of battle, physical exertion, athletic feat, from the thrill of hunting, or even just thrill experienced during exploration of an unknown realm or ruin.[3] Oftentimes a battlemind might not even recognize their powers to be psionic in nature, at least initially,[3][8] instead perceiving themselves as mere fighters or other form of martial warrior who simply displayed substantial training or some latent skill.[8]
Battleminds did believe in some level of discipline and study when it came to mastering their unique form of psionics.[9] They may even have had formal combat training prior to becoming a battlemind[7] or actively learn at a special school.[10] But most believed in intuitive development,[7] learning by observing the maneuvers of friend and foe alike,[5][11][8] reacting as their instincts demanded,[5] and mixing those disparate styles into their tactics.[5][11][8]
They largely believed in natural talent over the merits of formal training, study, and instruction.[7][11] In their eyes, no amount of formal training could make up for a lack of natural talent for combat[7] and experience.[7] They may even arrogantly belief their own prowess to be superior to the skills of others,[5] seeing themselves as the pinnacle of the warrior's art,[4] whose companions were simply less effective combatants than them.[7] But few were so arrogant as to believe that there was nothing to learn from the example of others.[5][8]
The personality of a battlemind was often defined by boldness, self-confidence, arrogance[1][3] or quiet conviction, and a dedication to perfection,[4] an attitude they came to develop over the course of numerous victorious battles.[1][4] They developed reputations for being reckless[3] and having an air of superiority about them.[4] They frequently were first to jump into a conflict, caring little for danger or the outcome, and viewed most defeats as mere setbacks. But even the most arrogant of battleminds were not suicidal in their confidence, they knew when to back down and could recognize that their demise would not serve the greater purpose for which they fought.[3]
The path of the battlemind appealed to the hardy nature of dwarves and wilden, the quick thinking of half-elves, and the sheer physical prowess of goliaths. Some of the powers available to battleminds also appealed to the guile and trickster nature of many gnome and tieflings warriors.[9] Beyond Toril, battleminds could be found on the worlds of Nerath[9] and Athas.[12]
Religion[]
Some battlemind were known for their impiety, rarely praying to any god, leading to stories that such behavior was to blame for ill luck. The deities typically favored by a battlemind were those who represented justice, martial skill, strength, or psionic power.[9]
Abilities[]
In any conflict a battlemind acted as a frontline defender, controlling the battlefield by jumping into the thick of it,[7][9] carving their way through enemy ranks,[1] and drawing attacks to their heavy armor and shield.[7][9] Whereas the endurance of a barbarian or fighter might ebb from such punishment, a battlemind's psionic energy drove them to carry on.[4] This behavior gave their allies the chance to wreak havoc[7][9] and eventually gave them the opportunity to channel that amassed pain,[11] dishing back the punishment they had taken.[7][11] Other times a battlemind used their powers to manipulate and deceive their foes,[1] avoiding their attacks until they could deliver a punishing blow of physical and mental might.[11]
With the right set of psionic powers and martial skills, a battlemind's combat style might become visually indistinguishable from that of a paladin or ordinary fighter.[7]
One of the most distinguishing facets of the battlemind was its access to psionic powers known as "aspects". These were idealized states of mind that a battlemind channeled psionic energy into, allowing them to reshape their physical or mental form to better match that vision. Being states of mind, accessing aspect powers required a battlemind to first have a solid sense of self. Sometimes the alterations given by aspect powers were subtle, while others could be quite profound.[7] One might take on the qualities of iron or stone, while another might enhance one's speed and agility.[13]
With the right mindset any battlemind could multiple aspects, but this was not a common practice. Some even rejected this unique power altogether, dismissing it as "shapechanging trickery". Those who embraced aspect powers usually chose one or two to focus that reflected their own sense of self.[7]
Relationships[]
A battlemind was quick to show their respect for, as well as attention to, the talents and unique styles of non-psionic martial warriors that fought alongside them. This was because battleminds felt all had some maneuver or another that they could learn from. This included the likes of barbarians, fighters, monks, paladins, rangers, and wardens.[5]
Those who wholly embraced the martial aspect of the battlemind class alienated themselves from the more formal training of other psionics users, particularly psions[5] and monks.[7] Only the most arrogant of battleminds would discount other types of psionics users. Just like their approach to conventional warriors, they looked to such individuals for psionic feats and other common ground.[5] And in the heat of battle, a battlemind and monk could put their opposing philosophies aside.[7]
Battleminds were more accepting of the strange abilities of ardents than other psionics users,[14] the two often being clumped together martial manifesters driven by emotion and instinct.[10] But ardents found their propensity for some battleminds to shut themselves off from emotions to be incomprehensible.[14]
Rumors & Legends[]
Some believed that the rising number of battleminds, as well as other psionics users, following the Spellplague was a response by Toril's collective unconscious to the rising threat of the Far Realm.[2][7] However, this theory was generally unknown among the wider populace of the Realms and evidence towards it was hard to gather.[2] Some battleminds who claimed to experienced memories that were not their own would try to argue this as evidence of some kind of collective consciousness.[15]
Appendix[]
External Links[]
- Battlemind article at the Dungeons and Dragons 4e Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition ruleset and setting.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mike Mearls, Bruce Cordell, Robin Heinsoo, and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2010). Player's Handbook 3. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7869-5390-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 110. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 30. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ Chris Sims (October 2011). “Character Themes: Fringes of Kara-Tur”. In Christopher Perkins ed. Dragon #404 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 40. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Mike Mearls, Bruce Cordell, Robin Heinsoo, and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2010). Player's Handbook 3. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 978-0-7869-5390-5.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 108. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Bruce Cordell, Robin Heinsoo, and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2010). Player's Handbook 3. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 44. ISBN 978-0-7869-5390-5.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
- ↑ Ari Marmell, Robert J. Schwalb (August 2010). Psionic Power. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 38. ISBN 978-0-7869-5560-2.
Connections[]
Ardent (3.5e) • Ardent (4e) • Battlemind • Divine mind • Erudite • Lurk • Monk • Psion (Egoist • Kineticist • Nomad • Seer • Shaper • Telepath) • Psychic warrior • Soulknife • Wilder
Psionicist Kits
Spiritualist
Prestige Classes
Cephalometer • Cognition thief • Elocater • Fist of Zuoken • Illithid slayer • Metamind • Psion uncarnate • Psychic theurge • Sangehirn • Thrallherd
Paragon Paths
Thrallherd • Uncarnate
Related Classes
Ancient master • Mindbender • Yuan-ti cultist