Magic & Psionics

Overview

This page defines how Rifts magic and psionics map onto Starfinder 2e / Pathfinder 2e mechanics. There are no new traditions and no preserved point pools. Every Rifts caster lands on an existing chassis with a custom spell list and a small number of subsystem-level features — the psionic trait and ley lines.

ambient magic energy and psychic energy are not reproduced as separate point pools. Rifts' parallel magic and psychic energy pools don't translate to the slot / focus / impulse architecture of SF2e, so classes map by feel rather than by point cost. Psionics stays distinct from magic through a trait, not a fifth tradition: a psionic trait on the relevant spells, focus features, and impulses preserves the Rifts “psychics aren't mages” distinction without forcing a parallel rules infrastructure. Ley lines matter, but mostly to the Linewalker — they are a class feature first, with a modest ambient bonus for other casters.

Tradition and chassis assignments

Each caster class starts from this table. It is the single highest-leverage reference here: every caster build begins by looking at its row.

Notes on the assignments

• Mystic uses a bespoke Occult chassis blending spontaneous Occult slot casting (Sorcerer-derived) with a Channel Psi stance and Psi Impulse system (Kineticist-derived) — the first true hybrid caster in the lineup. The two resources (slots and impulses) operate independently in parallel; the L9 Dual Channel class feature is the only mechanic that explicitly bridges them. Tradition is Occult (matching the psionic trait alignment); no deity is required, because the Mystic is touched or blessed rather than cursed.
• Warlock has no eidolon — Rifts Warlocks summon dynamically rather than partnering with a single bound entity. It is a Sorcerer chassis with a custom Dimensional Affinity bloodline: a spontaneous Occult full caster, summon-and-teleport-themed signature spells, a small focus pool (1 → 2 → 3) with dimensional focus features, and a class-feat list heavy on custom metamagic feats that modify summoning and teleportation spells (Empowered Summon, Multi-Summon, Distant Teleport, Group Teleport, Banish Twin, and more).
• Mindbreaker is the premier psychic — telekinetic, pyrokinetic, healer, and mind-controller all at once — so it grafts an Occult slot progression onto the Psychic chassis. This is the heaviest customization in the table.
• Psi-Knight is a Champion at its core with a small psionic toolkit. The psi-sword is a focus impulse; psi-strike is a class feat. Most of the class is non-magical.
• Firestarter is a single-element Kineticist. Kineticists aren't usually thought of as psionic, but in Rifts the Firestarter is explicitly psychic, so its impulses carry the psionic trait.
• Technomancer is a gadgeteer-on-demand, not a slot-counting spellcaster. In place of spell slots it uses a daily Technomancer Reagent Pool (4 + class level reagents, refilled on a long rest). Quick Crafting (1-action, spend 1 reagent) produces a one-shot Technomancer gadget from the Technomancer's known formula library — the Quick Alchemy pattern applied to magical-tech gadgets. Technomancer Innovation remains the signature persistent class feature. The Technomancer's “magic” is delivered through items, not casting; the tradition is still Arcane (gadgets are magical, Arcane-aligned), but the Technomancer doesn't fit the standard slot-caster paradigm.

The psionic trait

The psionic trait is a weapon, spell, and feature trait modeled on existing traits like incapacitation, fire, or death. It is not a new tradition and not a new resource.

What carries the trait

• All psi-class focus spells, impulses, and class features (Mindbreaker mind blast, Manic psychic enhancement, Psi-Knight psi-sword, Firestarter pyrokinetic impulses).
• A specific set of Occult spells designated as psionic-tagged — typically mind-affecting Occult spells: charm, mental stab, fear, telekinetic projectile, and the like. Psionic classes draw from this subset; non-psionic Occult casters can still cast them, but the spells pick up the trait when they do.
• Bespoke Rifts-flavor spells gain the trait if they're psychic in fiction.

What the trait does

• Selection gating. Psionic classes can only learn psionic-tagged spells and features for their primary casting list. Non-psionic Occult casters can still take psionic-tagged options normally; the trait doesn't block them.
• Distinct interaction with counter-effects. Anti-magic effects suppress all magical effects, including psionic ones — psionic effects are magical, mechanically. But effects keyed to psionic specifically (a Psivore ancestry feature, a Negate Psionics spell, certain Mindbreaker abilities) work only on psionic effects, not on the wider magical pool. This creates the Rifts dynamic where a Psivore bypasses your mind-shield but can't dispel your wizard friend's fireball.
• Identity, not power. The trait doesn't grant bonuses or penalties on its own — it's a label that other mechanics key off of.

Why a trait and not a tradition

• Traditions gate spell access and determine which class can cast what. A fifth tradition would force every existing spell to be re-evaluated for inclusion and would create a parallel anti-magic infrastructure — a large surface area.
• A trait lives inside the existing Occult tradition. Psionic spells are just Occult spells with a label, so all existing infrastructure (dispel, counterspell, anti-magic, spell save DCs) keeps working without changes.
• The Rifts feel of “psychics are different” survives, because the trait carves out psionic effects both for class restriction and for anti-psi targeting.

Ley lines

Ley lines are mechanical terrain tied to Rifts cosmology — mostly a Linewalker class feature, with minor ambient effects for other casters.

Terrain types

• On a ley line. Within 30 ft of an active ley line.
• Ley line nexus. Intersection of two or more ley lines. Much stronger effects.
• Ley line storm. A rare GM event. An active terrain effect that hits everyone in range.

Effects

For the Linewalker, ley-line interactions are signature class features defined in the Linewalker. Indicative list:

• Recover one focus point per minute while on a line (a renewable energy supply).
• +2 status bonus to spell attack rolls and spell DCs while on a line.
• Doubled spell range while on a line.
• “Ley Line Walk” travel ability: stride along the line at travel speed × 10 outside of combat; access nexuses as a one-action teleport between connected nexuses (a high-level feature).

For other casters — any class with spell slots, a focus pool, or impulses, magical or psionic:

• +1 status bonus to spell attack rolls while on a ley line.
• Recover 1 focus point on a 10-minute rest taken while on a line (faster focus recovery than baseline).

For non-casters:

• No effect under normal conditions.
• During a ley line storm, all creatures in range make a Will save against the storm's DC; on a failure, they take mental damage and/or are confused for one round. Storms are GM-triggered events, not ambient terrain.

The bonuses are small enough not to encourage “camp on the ley line” play but real enough to register at the table. The Linewalker gets a much bigger benefit, preserving the “ley line specialist” identity.

Cross-tradition

Both magical and psionic effects benefit from ley lines. Ley-line energy is a terrain-of-mystical-energy effect, not a magic-versus-psionic distinction. Mindbreakers and Firestarters get the same ambient bonus as Mystics and Technomancers.

Spell-list policy

The policy is hybrid: each Rifts caster class uses the standard spell list for its tradition, plus a class-specific Rifts signature list of flavor spells.

• The signature list is made of class-flavored spells from Rifts canon, converted to SF2e mechanics. Examples: Armor of Ithan (Linewalker), Carpet of Adhesion (Linewalker / Technomancer), Mystic Portal (Warlock), Mind Bolt (Mindbreaker), Fire Blast (Firestarter).
• Signature spells are documented in the spell and impulse catalog.
• Spell ranks are chosen by effect tier against the existing spell power curve. Rifts ambient magic energy cost is not used as a scaling input — it doesn't match rank scaling.
• Critical specializations, durations, ranges, and components use the SF2e baseline.

This means a Linewalker player doesn't have to learn an entirely new spell list — they get the standard Arcane list plus the flavor material, which keeps onboarding light.

Cross-references

• Hardness interaction. Per Megadamage & Hardness: Hardness and Resistance reduce all damage, psionic included — a saving throw only sets the amount, it doesn't bypass armor. Psionics stay relevant against power armor two ways: control effects that deal no damage (mind-affecting save-or-suck — nothing for Hardness to reduce) ignore armor entirely, and a few signature damage abilities punch through — the Manic's Mind Over Matter and the Firestarter's Penetrating Fire carry Penetrating N, while psi-blades and the Mindbreaker's Mind Bolt carry the Psi-Edge property (ignore non-psionic Hardness/Resistance entirely). Not a blanket bypass.
• Cyberware interaction. Per Cyberware: cyber cost is paid from the class's native resource — spell slots for slot casters, focus pool capacity for focus casters. Psionic and magical classes pay the cost identically; there's no “psionics is cheaper to cyberware” or vice versa. A Mindbreaker who installs cyberware loses spell slots and focus pool capacity, just as a Mystic does.

Psi-sword and psi-strike

Psi-sword and psi-strike are focus impulses with the psionic trait. The Psi-Knight materializes the blade by spending a focus point or activating a stance; the damage type, range, range increment, and specific mechanics are defined in the Psi-Knight. The Firestarter's pyrokinetic impulses follow the same pattern.