Beyond the worship of the divine and the studies of arcane scholars lies the mysterious terrain of the mind, accessed through psychic magic. Classes that draw upon psychic magic do so via innate mental abilities, whether they directly cast spells, create elemental effects, or focus psychic energy through objects. Members of these occult classes find themselves drawn to the strange and the hidden; they have connections to the timeless Astral Plane, the haunted bleakness of the Ethereal Plane, and the history of the Material Plane chronicled as psychic impressions in places and objects.

Psychic magic is a third type of magic that functions differently from arcane and divine magic. The occult classes' spell lists include many new spells allowing them to fully express their mental powers.

Occult classes all use psychic magic. In most cases, this means they cast psychic spells. The occult classes are as follows.

Kineticist: With a connection to the elements, a kineticist can bring forth energy in the form of kinetic blasts. Instead of casting psychic spells, the kineticist uses unique psychic spell-like abilities called wild talents to manipulate elemental energy and matter.

Masters of the elements, kineticists wield a strange and ill-controlled power as their bodies strain to act as vessels for the roaring might of the Elemental Planes. A kineticist can manipulate the elements both in combat to destroy her foes and out of combat to aid her team. By straining her body past the limits of safety, she can increase her ability beyond what she can ordinarily achieve. If you want to play a mystical non-spellcaster who can pay a great personal price to boost her abilities in emergencies, you should consider playing a kineticist.

Medium: By contacting spirits in places of power, the medium allows the personalities of legendary heroes to overcome his own, vastly changing his abilities and spells. He holds seances to benefit himself and his allies.

The Astral Plane is home to entities of thought that are shaped and empowered by tales of those who came before. The medium channels these legendary spirits, idealized versions of the original stories' protagonists, and uses the spirits' varied powers to change his own so he can fill any role a party might need. If you enjoy versatility and the ability to be exactly what the group needs in a given situation—as well as roleplaying interactions with spirits and the drawbacks of being influenced by them—you should consider playing a medium.

Mesmerist: A mesmerist's piercing stare lets him insinuate himself into other people's minds. A master of enchantment and illusion, the mesmerist controls and influences the behavior of others.

Master mentalists and consummate liars, mesmerists use their eerie stares to weaken their foes and contingent hypnotic tricks to prepare their allies in advance for bad situations. The mesmerist fills the support role of the bard, but instead of strengthening and protecting his allies, he weakens and disables his foes. If you enjoy playing a skillful character who can support the party but are interested in shaking it up by being more on the offensive, you should consider playing a mesmerist.

Occultist: To make use of his powers, an occultist channels psychic energy into a varied collection of antiques and mementos with storied pasts. Every type of implement allows him to use a different school of magic.

Steeped in esoteric lore but still strongly tied to the physical world and its trappings, occultists access magic through the power of their implements, which may be magic items or even ordinary objects with psychic significance, such as a saint's finger bone, a dagger used in ritual sacrifices, or a necklace belonging to the occultist's mother. With resonant and focus powers from his implements, plus psychic spells, a large set of skills, object-reading powers, and powerful binding circles, the occultist has something to add to almost any situation. If you enjoy playing a well-rounded character whose abilities revolve around a collection of unique items, you should consider playing an occultist.

Psychic: With her incredibly potent mind, the psychic can cast spells that are more powerful than those of members of any other occult class. She accesses these spells through a specific discipline, and can bend and amplify psychic spells as she casts them.

Powerful and enigmatic, psychics are the primary spellcasters of the occult world, and the sole practitioners of certain psychic spells of great power. Each psychic approaches her magic through a chosen discipline that grants her special abilities, and her mastery of the art of phrenic amplification allows her to alter and adjust her spells on the fly to suit her needs. If you like playing spellcasting characters such as sorcerers and also enjoy versatility and tinkering, you should consider playing a psychic.

Spiritualist: Attuned to the spirits of the dead, a spiritualist forms a bond with a phantom—a returned spirit that has unfinished business but did not become undead. This spectral ally can alternate between forms, emerging from the safety of the spiritualist's mind to take on an incorporeal form or an ectoplasmic body.

When the dead are chained to the mortal world by strong emotions, they inevitably descend toward the Negative Energy Plane, warping and twisting into undead. A spiritualist bonds with one of these spirits before that transformation is complete, providing a safe haven for this phantom and gaining a powerful servant in exchange. If you want a companion with the ability to switch between a variety of forms and even meld into your character's form to increase her options, you should consider playing a spiritualist.