The Bastion Soul

Bastion Souls are living voids in the magical field. Where others channel the Current, Bastion Souls absorb and negate it. They are the shield against the supernatural — the one person in the room that the Mindweaver cannot touch, the wall that the Psy-Slinger cannot shoot through.

Bastion Soul Reaction Convention — Universal Rule

Bastion Souls are reactive defenders by nature — they exist to interrupt, absorb, and negate. To honor this identity without crushing the discipline under Mettle taxation, the following rule applies (parallel to the Seer Reaction Convention):

The first Bastion Soul Reaction used in a scene costs only 1 Strain (no Mettle). Subsequent Bastion Soul Reactions in the same scene cost 1 Mettle + 1 Strain (standard Reaction cost).

Each defensive discipline gets one cheap response per scene; everything after pays full price. Talent frontmatter lists the standard rank cost (Strain / Erosion / Memory). The Convention modifies that on first use.

Reactions Affected

All Tempo 0 Bastion Soul Talents are subject to the Convention:

• Rank 1: Kinetic Dampener, Disrupt, Anchor the Dying
• Rank 2: Absorb
• Rank 3: Siphon Power
• Rank 4: Reflect

Tier-Removal Hierarchy

This table is the canonical reference for which Bastion Soul Talents can negate Psionic effects of which Ranks. Cross-references in other discipline artifacts (Psy-Slinger, Mindweaver, Seer, Flesh Shaper) cite this hierarchy.

Reading the hierarchy: A Mindweaver R3 effect on an ally cannot be removed by Null Touch (R1) or Grounding (R2). The Bastion Soul needs Erasure Field (R3) or higher. This is the explicit reach-ladder that other disciplines reference when noting “X can be removed by Erasure Field or higher.”

Sub-Discipline Ladders

Key Mechanical Notes

• Iron Will defends the mind, not the body. Vital Read (Flesh Shaper R1) and other biological reads bypass Iron Will entirely. The Bastion Soul’s psychic fortress doesn’t help against a hand on your wrist counting your pulse.
• Attribute caps for transformations. Titan Form caps IRON at 5 and AR bonus at +5 from the Talent — both below R5 Apotheosis ceilings (Attribute 6, AR 5). All four cross-discipline transformation Talents (Apex Predator, Apotheosis, Titan Form, Chimera Form) follow consistent rank-ceiling logic.
• Damage caps locked. Entropic Shield (max 9 entry damage), Fracture Immunity (max 6 Strain rebound), Gravity Well (max 5 dmg/turn), Siphon Power (max 6 Strain). All single-axis fixed Damage scaling, no dice variance to targets.
• The Citadel is the only Talent in the game that blocks Rank 5 effects from outside. Even Reality Anchor’s “all ranks” capability only ends active effects; The Citadel actively prevents Miracles from crossing the dome.
• Consecrate Ground costs HP in addition to Strain. This is the only Bastion Soul Talent with an HP component — see the cost frontmatter.