Mesmerist Tricks, Psychic Spells & Hypnotic Stare

[Palanan]

Can a mesmerist cast spells while maintaining a hypnotic stare?

I’m trying to fit my head around this ability, and I can’t tell from the text if the mesmerist can do all manner of other things while maintaining the stare, or if it’s supposed to be understood that he’s concentrating on that alone. I’m assuming he can trigger an implanted trick as a free action during a stare, but it would be good to know for certain.

Also, mesmerist tricks are a little confusing as well. If I understand correctly, a second-level mesmerist knows two tricks, which he can implant a total of 1+Cha mod times per day. But he has to touch the recipient, and can only keep one trick active at a time? Seems like an extremely limited and situational benefit.

[Psyren]

Activating Stare is a swift action, and maintaining it does not require an action at all - in other words, yes, you can cast spells and do other things (even attack) while using it. Gaze attacks do need to target the subject of your stare however.

As for tricks, it's actually 1/2 level (min 1) + Cha. So at max level you get 10+Cha/day, not 1+Cha. You're also overlooking the Manifold Tricks class feature they get later.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Psyren
Activating Stare is a swift action, and maintaining it does not require an action at all - in other words, yes, you can cast spells and do other things (even attack) while using it. Gaze attacks do need to target the subject of your stare however.

Thanks for clarifying this, much appreciated.


Originally Posted by Psyren
As for tricks, it's actually 1/2 level (min 1) + Cha. So at max level you get 10+Cha/day, not 1+Cha. You're also overlooking the Manifold Tricks class feature they get later.

This is for a second-level mesmerist, so if I’m reading this right his number of tricks would be half his level (1) + Cha, or 1+Cha.

[Psyren]

This is for a second-level mesmerist, so if I’m reading this right his number of tricks would be half his level (1) + Cha, or 1+Cha.

Well sure, but it's a bit unfair to say a 2nd-level character's abilities seem limited. That's rather the point of low levels, no?

[Palanan]

Tricks seem very strange to me. This is my first time really looking closely at them, and I'm not sure what to make of them. They seem more incidental than anything else.

Handy in a pinch, depending on the circumstances, but I think it's fair to describe them as situational.

[Psyren]

That's a matter of taste, but personally I think several of the situations are pretty common. An immediate get-out-of-grapple-free card for anyone on your team (or later, your whole team) like Slip Bonds is likely to come up frequently for instance, and it applies to any attempt to restrain you too. Reflect Fear is a godsend to any psychic caster. Mesmeric Mirror is immediate action mirror image. There's plenty I can see as being generally useful rather than situational.

[Kurald Galain]

Handy in a pinch, depending on the circumstances, but I think it's fair to describe them as situational.

The good ones are not.

For example, in most campaigns getting grappled is very rare, so a trick that lets you escape from grapples is highly situational and really not worth the pick and the prep time. But any rogue in your party is going to love False Flanker; any party member with a low will save could commonly use Gift of Will; as Mirror Image as one of the best defensive spells, so is the Mesmeric Mirror trick; and Psychosomatic Surge is great emergency healing. Basically anything that triggers off attacking or being attacked is going to be useful more often than not.

[Psyren]

Mesmeric Mirror can actually be used in place of the grapple one since grapple is an attack. But the one that suppresses fear is particularly helpful since it will stop any old muggle from shutting off (most of) your spellcasting with a skill check.

[Bucky]

Both the stare debuffs and the tricks are very good from an action economy standpoint. They don't take Standard or Move actions, so they don't need to be high impact.