Mindbreaker

Overview

The Mindbreaker is Rifts' premier psychic — the most powerful expression of pure psionic ability in the setting. Where a Psi-Knight has a small focused psi toolkit and a Manic has implants powering a narrower range, the Mindbreaker has everything: telekinesis, telepathy, mind control, pyrokinesis, psi-blade, healing, sense evil, see invisible, astral projection, and Mind Bolt — the iconic mind-targeted ranged attack that cuts straight through MDC armor to strike the pilot's mind. Mindbreakers are intelligence officers, interrogators, judges, and — in darker campaigns — terrifying assassins. They are universally feared by anyone who has secrets to keep.

Mindbreakers are physically unremarkable. They don't need armor or augmentation because their power is mental, and mental power doesn't care about your suit. A Mindbreaker walks into a Federation checkpoint and walks out knowing every soldier's name, their assignments, and exactly which one is hiding a personal grudge. This is the class for whom information is the primary weapon.

Mechanically, the Mindbreaker is a Psychic chassis with full Occult spell slot casting grafted on, running three caster resources in parallel: spell slots, an expanded focus pool, and Amped Cantrips. Every class feature carries the psionic trait, and most signature attacks target Will or Fortitude saves. Per the Megadamage & Hardness rules, that doesn't bypass Hardness on its own — but the Mindbreaker beats armor anyway: its mind-control conditions deal no damage (so Hardness has nothing to reduce), and its signature Mind Bolt carries the Psi-Edge property (the same as a psi-sword) and ignores non-psionic armor and Resistance entirely. This is the class you bring when armor is the problem.

At a glance

Class features by level

Mindbreaker Specialties

Choose one Specialty at L1; it shapes your psi emphasis and scales at L7 and L15. All three are of comparable mechanical weight — pick by play style.

Combat Mind (offensive emphasis)

• L1 Specialty: Free Mind Bolt signature spell (already in your starting repertoire) with +1 damage die.
• L7 Greater: Mind Bolt damage +1d6; can force critical-failure targets to lose 1 action.
• L15 Master: Mind Bolt +1d6 more; critical hits also Stun 1.
• Lore: A Mindbreaker specialized in psi-combat — often a frontline psychic who cuts through armor with the Psi-Edge Mind Bolt and blasts through opposition with telekinetic projectiles.

Mentalist Mind (control emphasis)

• L1 Specialty: Free Hypnotic Touch signature spell with extended duration (1 minute → 10 minutes).
• L7 Greater: Hypnotic Touch range extends to 30 ft; ranged charm.
• L15 Master: Charm critical-failure duration extends to 24 hours; immunity to dispel effects.
• Lore: A Mindbreaker who specializes in mental influence — interrogator, hypnotist, judge, infiltrator.

Sense Mind (detection/support emphasis)

• L1 Specialty: Free Sense Evil with extended range and detail.
• L7 Greater: Range extends to 1 mile; Sense Magic at-will.
• L15 Master: Psi-Channel ritual — locate a specific person on the same continent.
• Lore: A Mindbreaker who specializes in defense and information — sees psi-threats before they manifest, heals, and protects.

Class feats

Class feats available at each feat level — you gain one at every even level, and can always pick a feat of your level or lower.

Level 1

• Extra Amped Cantrip. Add 1 additional Amped Cantrip to your repertoire (independent of class progression slots).
• Mind Sense. Spend 1 focus point to attempt a Perception check to detect every creature within 60 ft, including invisible and stealth-using ones. Detection includes basic emotional state (hostile / neutral / friendly).
• Focused Defense. Gain a +1 status bonus to Will saves against psionic effects. Stacks with the Mind Block spell.
• Telepath. You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 ft that shares a language with you, as a free action, whether or not it's willing to reply. psionic.

Level 2

• Psi-Blade. Spend 1 focus point. Manifest a blade of psychic force for 1 minute (or until dismissed): a melee unarmed Strike dealing 1d6 force damage with the agile and finesse traits and the Psi-Edge property (it ignores Hardness and Resistance from non-psionic sources). The die increases at L9 (2d6) and L15 (3d6). psionic.
• Mind Static. Trigger: a creature within 30 ft Casts a Spell or uses a psionic ability. It takes a −2 circumstance penalty to that casting or activation. Once per round.
• Telekinetic Hand. You can manipulate objects within 30 ft at will (as the Telekinetic Hand cantrip). Once per round, you may attempt to Disarm or Shove a creature within 30 ft using your class DC. psionic.

Level 4

• Empowered Mind Bolt. Trigger: you Cast Mind Bolt. Spend 1 focus point: your Mind Bolt spell's critical-failure damage doubles.
• Hypnotic Mastery (Mentalist Mind only). Hypnotic Touch gains an additional effect: charmed creatures cannot communicate that they're charmed to non-charmed observers. Subtler manipulation.
• Extended Sense (Sense Mind only). Sense Evil and Sense Magic range extends by 1 mile. You can also identify the specific magical or psionic source by spending 1 minute concentrating.

Level 6

• Overwhelming Will. When a creature critically fails a saving throw against one of your control spells or psionic effects, it is also stunned 1.
• Sustained Amp. When you use Unleash Psyche, its duration is 3 rounds instead of 2.
• Reactive Stun. Trigger: a creature within 60 ft damages an ally. It must succeed at a Will save vs. your class DC or be off-guard until the start of your next turn. Once per round. psionic.

Level 8

• Mass Hypnotic. Trigger: you Cast Hypnotic Touch. Spend 1 focus point: target up to 5 creatures within 30 ft with a single Hypnotic Touch casting. Each makes a separate Will save.
• Greater Focused Defense. Your Will save bonus against psionic effects increases to +2. Stacks with all other bonuses.
• Avatar Apprentice. Spend 2 focus points to cast a 1-minute version of Avatar of Mind with smaller benefits (Unleash Psyche for 1 minute, +1 status to DCs, no focus regen, no 1-mile sense).

Level 10

• Greater Mind Bolt. Your Mind Bolt deals 1 additional die of damage, and its range increases to 240 ft.
• Dominate. Spend 2 focus points. Target one creature within 30 ft; it attempts a Will save vs. your class DC. On a failure, you dictate its single action on its next turn; on a critical failure, you control it for 1 round. psionic, mental, incapacitation.
• Psychic Resilience. You gain resistance to mental damage equal to half your level, and a +2 status bonus to saves against being controlled or confused.

Level 12

• Mind Reaper. When you successfully Mind Bolt a target, the target attempts an additional Will save against your spell DC. On a failure, the target loses access to one of their daily resources (1 spell slot, 1 focus point, 1 reagent, etc.) — the target chooses which to burn.
• Psi-Channel Mastery. The Psi-Channel ritual (the Sense Mind L15 feature) becomes available to all Specialties via this feat. Locate a specific creature on the same continent given a personal effect.
• Unleashed Mind. When you use Unleash Psyche, you can spend 1 additional focus point to avoid the Stupefied 1 aftermath when the effect ends.

Level 14

• Mind Crush. Spend 2 focus points. Target one creature within 60 ft. It attempts a basic Will save vs. your class DC against mental damage equal to your Mind Bolt's damage + 2 dice; this damage has the Psi-Edge property. psionic, mental.
• Puppeteer. While you have a creature dominated or charmed by your psionic effects, you can perceive through its senses and direct its movement, and the effect's duration is doubled. psionic.
• Telepathic Network. Your Telepathic Bond (or Telepath) can link your whole party at any distance on the same plane, and linked allies gain a +1 status bonus to checks made to Aid one another. psionic.

Level 16

• Astral Projection Mastery. Your Astral Projection signature spell (if learned at higher levels) becomes a 1-action activity instead of 1 hour. Duration scales with caster level.
• Mass Mind Bolt. Trigger: you Cast Mind Bolt. Spend 1 focus point: target up to 3 creatures within 60 ft with a single Mind Bolt casting. Each makes a separate basic Will save.
• Mind Fortress. You and allies within 30 ft are immune to the frightened condition and gain a +2 status bonus to Will saves against mental and psionic effects. psionic.

Level 18

• Greater Focus. Your focus pool maximum increases by 1.
• Devastate Mind. When a creature critically fails a Will save against one of your psionic effects, it is also drained 1 and can't use reactions until the start of your next turn.
• Mass Domination. Your Dominate and charm effects can target a second creature within range (each saves separately).

Level 20

• Perfect Avatar. Your Avatar of Mind capstone lasts 2 minutes instead of 1, and its aftermath is reduced to Stupefied 1 for 10 minutes (instead of Stupefied 3 for 1 hour).
• Apex Psychic. Your Unleash Psyche is permanently active at its highest scaling (+3d6 to your psionic abilities and +1 status to spell DCs) with no Stupefied aftermath. When you declare Avatar of Mind, its larger benefits supersede this.
• God-Mind. Your psionic control effects ignore immunity to mind-affecting effects from non-psionic sources, and your Mind Bolt and Psi-Edge attacks overcome psionic defenses as well, applying Penetrating equal to your level against psionic Hardness or Resistance.

When the resources run dry

The Mindbreaker has multiple resource axes; how the class plays when stretched depends on which is depleted.

With spell slots drained

• Cantrips remain. Amped cantrips remain (the focus pool fuels them).
• Mind Bolt is unavailable (3rd-rank spell, requires a slot).
• Survival mode: rely on focus + Amped cantrips + Unleash Psyche bursts.

With focus pool drained

• Amped cantrips revert to their non-amped versions.
• Unleash Psyche is unavailable.
• Spell slots still work.
• Refocus on a 10-minute rest restores 2 focus points (your faster refill).

Anti-psi zones

• Most class features are psionic-tagged, so anti-psi zones suppress them.
• You retain HP, light armor, simple weapon proficiency, mundane skills, and Recall Knowledge.
• Roughly 30–40% effectiveness in anti-psi zones — a significant failure mode.

Anti-magic zones

• Slot spells are suppressed (they're magical).
• Focus pool effects are suppressed (also magical via the psionic trait).
• Amped cantrips are suppressed.
• You're fully reduced to a mundane character.

Where the class shines

• Investigation, interrogation, social scenes with hidden truths: the Mindbreaker dominates. Sense Evil, mind reading, Hypnotic Touch, and Psi Sense make you the party's truth-detector and information specialist.
• Combat against armored enemies: the Mindbreaker excels. Its mind-control conditions deal no damage, so Hardness can't stop them, and the Psi-Edge Mind Bolt ignores the armor that would soak ordinary spell damage. This is THE class for fighting Chromeboys, Cyborgs, and other high-Hardness enemies.
• Combat against unarmored or low-Will enemies: the Mindbreaker dominates — low-Will-save enemies are particularly vulnerable.
• Stealth and infiltration: with telepathy, mind reading, and charm, you have a strong infiltration toolkit. The Mentalist Mind specialty excels here.