Mind Bender

A Psionic projection device for psionically trained Agents. This device must be used in order to initiate Psionic attacks in combat situations. The target needs to be within clear line of sight of the operator before an attack can begin. The Agent has a choice of four different attacks of increasing difficulty. Psionic Probe reveals information about the target, Psionic Panic reduces morale, Psionic Stun will render the target unconscious and psionic control will allow complete control of the target.

Mind Bender

Size: 2 x 2 Weight: 3 Manufacturer: Marsec Base Price: $1,200 Minimum Weekly Stock: 3 Maximum Weekly Stock: 12 Battlescape Score: 5

Marsec has produced the mind bender as the modern day application of the old Psi-Amp that amplifies a user's latent psionic powers.

Even so, psionic powers today are nowhere near as powerful as they used to be, and are now limited to strictly line of sight attacks. Gone are the days of nigh peerless dominance over your enemy forces with sheer willpower alone.

In fact, latent psionic powers have watered down so much that only those spliced with Sectoid genes are even able to use them to any great effect. Ordinary humans at best can use it to probe enemies once in a blue moon. Androids can use the mind bender as a fancy paper weight.

A highly skilled hybrid however can effectively direct the Mind Bender to practical use in combat. It can be used to probe an enemy's vital statistics, stun an alien by numbing its mind or even force it out of combat temporarily by making it panic. The more useful but most difficult attack is mind control, although this can only be done very briefly.

Though the duration of a mind control session is short, a lot can be done. For example, in a few seconds you can instruct the victim to set all of its grenades timers and have it throw its Disruptor shield over to you before breaking the psionic link. Or just make it jump off the side of a building.

One major disadvantage of the Mind Bender is that very few aliens are susceptible to psionic attacks. The only two that can be reliably affected by it are the Anthropod and Skeletoid. All other aliens are either highly resistant to psi attacks (Multiworm, Hyperworm, Queenspawn, Psimorph, Micronoid Aggregate), or practically immune Spitter, Brainsucker, Multiworm Egg, Chrysalis, Popper, Megaspawn (only probes work on these, and even then only one-fifth of the time). Human opponents, on the hand, are fair game.

It's not an essential device to have in combat, as it does not have very immediate initial benefits. It does however pay off in the long run after you've invested the time and money in training naturally powerful hybrids. It becomes indispensible for disarming humans and humanoid aliens of their Disruptor shields.

Usage Note

Real Time notes

When using the mind bender in real-time combat, in addition to the initial cost of each attack, as long as any psionic effect is in place, the user's psi energy will be drained to keep up the attack. This continues the attack, and the user continues to deal morale or stun damage to the target.

Psi-energy costs differ depending on the severity of the attack used. Once psi-energy is completely drained the attack ceases to take effect. Psi Energy recharges over time. It is recommended that the psi-link is maintained only for as long as necessary to conserve psi energy.

Turn based notes

When using the mind bender in turn-based combat, there is no additional psi-energy cost as stun and panic are treated as a one-off attack against the target. Likewise, a successful mind control will only ever last until the end of the turn. Assuming they have enough PSI energy and TU, multiple psi attacks can be made by a single unit in one turn. Mind controlled units may only have a few TUs left, but since priming or dropping items does not have a TU cost it can still be a very effective tactic.

As in real-time combat, psi attacks have differing psi-energy costs. Psi-energy will slow recharge every turn. Stun and Panic attacks will affect the target immediately, the floating icon above the target is only an indication that it succeeded, there is no need to maintain further visibility nor does "breaking the link" with another action remove/decrease the effect.

Mind Bender Quick Overview

The mind bender is akin to a sorceror's magic staff. A device to channel the user's energy.

The mind bender provides several functions. The first is a display of the agent's psi stats. These are the same that you can view in the inventory screen, although you can see any updates to the stats as they happen. The data may not be instantaneous, so give the game a few seconds to update the screen. In Real Time Combat, bringing up this panel will also break any current active attack you may have on at the moment.

The primary use of the mind bender is to perform four separate psi attacks on the enemy. Probe, Panic, Stun and Mind Control.

Probe

The easiest function, and only gives you access to the target's statistics in the inventory screen. Costs 8 Psi-energy.

Panic

Causes the target to lose morale. One of the easier attacks with minimal drain in real-time. Once the target's morale is too low, it will start to panic. Costs 10 Psi-energy.

Stun

Inflicts stun damage on an enemy target. If the stun threshold exceeds the unit's health, it will be knocked out. Stun damage is the same as the type caused by the stun grenade or stun grapple. Costs 16 Psi-energy.

Mind Control

Takes full control over the target. The hardest and most expensive attack to perform. Costs 32 Psi-energy.