Psyfocus

Psyfocus is a special type of mental structuring which is necessary to use psychic powers. Psyfocus dissipates over time, and must be built by regular meditation. Losing all psyfocus makes someone unable to use psychics, but has no other consequences. Higher levels of psyfocus permit higher-level powers, but also increase the rate of psyfocus dissipation

— In-game Description

Psyfocus is a medium-term limit of how often a pawn can use psycasts.

Summary

Psyfocus is a value ranging from 0% to 100%, obtained by any pawn with a psylink, a value from 0% to 100%. Every psycast immediately consumes a certain percentage of psyfocus. All psyfocus costs are the same for every caster, and unlike neural heat, these costs cannot be bypassed.

Higher level psycasts require a minimum amount of psyfocus to be cast, regardless of their psyfocus cost:

• Level 3-4 psycasts require a minimum of 25% psyfocus
• Level 5-6 psycasts require a minimum of 50% psyfocus

Degradation

In addition to spending it to use psycasts, psyfocus naturally falls a certain amount per day. The amount depends on current psyfocus:

• Below 25% psyfocus, the psyfocus falls at 3.5% per day,
• Between 25 and 50%, it falls at 5.5% per day
• Above 50%, it falls at 7.5% per day.

Meditation

With a few exceptions, psyfocus can only be gained by through meditation.

Pawns gain a base rate of +50% psyfocus per full day, or +2.08% per hour, of pure meditation. Meditation foci further improve these rates by their listed strength. For example, a wall with the Minmalist foci increases psyfocus gain by +22%/day, for a total of 72% psyfocus per day. Meditation also counts as Solitary recreation.

Pawns in a caravan will also regenerate psyfocus while remaining stationary or waiting.^[Rate?] This however, does not apply when the caravan is resting due to sleep. This allows for usage of psycasts even while on long caravan journeys, provided some time is taken off to recharge.

A pawn's target psyfocus level can be set using with gizmo on the toolbar while they are selected. The pawn will attempt to maintain that psyfocus level by meditating any time it drops below that value and the pawn is scheduled for "Anything". Meditation can also be performed while scheduled to Recreation or Meditation; the gizmo will not stop the action.

The rate of psyfocus gain from meditation can further be increased in the following ways:

• Using Wake-up increases the psyfocus gain from meditation by +20% per day for the duration of its high.
• The Psy-meditative persona trait grants an additional +10% psyfocus gain per day of meditation, while the weapon is held in hand.
• Each psychofluid pump increases +5% psyfocus per day of meditation from a completed deathrest, up to a maximum of +20% from 4 pumps. This bonus lasts until the next deathrest.
• Psy-sensitive and Super psy-sensitive genes increase psyfocus gain per meditation day by +10% and +20% respectively. Note that these genes are mutually exclusive.

The maximum meditation psyfocus gain is therefore a non-tribal pawn meditating to a legendary sculpture surrounded by 8 other masterwork sculptures, wielding a Psy-meditative persona weapon, while high on wake-up, having deathrested with 4 psychofluid pumps and with the super psy-sensitive gene. This results in a psyfocus gain per day of meditation of 164% or 6.83% per hour.

List of meditation foci

Meditation Focus	Focus Type	Base Strength	Psyfocus/Hour @ Base	Max Strength	Psyfocus/Hour @ Max
Anima tree	Natural	+28%	3.3%	+36%	3.6%
Animus stone	Natural	+34%	3.5%	+42%	3.8%
Small nature shrine	Natural	+22%	3%	+30%	3.3%
Large nature shrine	Natural	+30%	3.3%	+38%	3.7%
Grave	Morbid	+6%	4.6%	+34%	3.5%
Sarcophagus	Morbid	+10%	2.5%	+38%	3.7%
Small sculpture	Artistic	+12 - 28%	2.6 - 3.3%	+44%	3.9%
Large sculpture	Artistic	+12 - 28%	2.6 - 3.3%	+44%	3.9%
Grand sculpture	Artistic	+12 - 28%	2.6 - 3.3%	+44%	3.9%
Terror sculpture	Artistic	+12 - 28%	2.6 - 3.3%	+44%	3.9%
Large stele	Artistic	+15%	2.7%	+15%	2.7%
Grand stele	Artistic	+18%	2.8%	+18%	2.8%
Walls	Minimal	+22%	3%	+22%	3%
Brazier	Flame	+15%	2.7%	+31%	3.4%
Darklight brazier	Flame	+15%	2.7%	+31%	3.4%
Campfire	Flame	+12%	2.6%	+28%	3.3%
Torch lamp	Flame	+10%	2.5%	+18%	2.8%
Darktorch	Flame	+10%	2.5%	+18%	2.8%
Fungus darktorch	Flame	+10%	2.5%	+18%	2.8%
Meditation throne	Dignified	+15%	2.7%	+33%	3.5%
Grand meditation throne	Dignified	+15%	2.7%	+33%	3.5%

Each pawn has one or more meditation types. Each type allows the pawn to use different objects as a focus. A pawn with multiple types can use any type available to them.

Meditation types

Natural

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Required: Most tribal Childhood Backstories, including the Tribe Child backstory for any children raised in a New Tribe start.
Note that as of 1.3.3117, player created backstories do not gain the natural meditation focus even when found on tribal pawns or the backstory is tribal themed. It is unclear if this is intended or a bug. The following backstories are affected: Accursed Child, Sole Survivor (n.b. not the generic backstory of the same name), Forest Child. Additionally the following childhood backstories can be found on pawns that spawn as tribals, but also don't grant the focus: Mad Scientist, Youth Delinquent, Killer, Game Fanatic, Dusty Farm Hand, Ranger Child.

Natural meditation is available to tribal pawns. Natural meditation objects and shrines are most effective when nothing is built nearby - buildings or furniture within 35 tiles will reduce their effectiveness.

Anima tree:

64px

Anima trees have a base meditation focus strength of 28%. Each animus stone within 10 tiles increases the meditation effectiveness by 2%, while each small or large natural shrine within 10 tiles increases it by 1%. Up to 4 buildings can affect the tree, for a maximum bonus of +8% for 4 animus stones. Its effectiveness is limited by artificial buildings within a 35 tile radius. Note that this does not include flooring and torch lamps.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 36% for an anima tree with no artificial buildings within 35 tiles and surrounded by 4 animus stones. Also note that unlike other natural buildings, meditating at the anima tree also produces anima grass for additional psylink levels for pawns with the natural focus.

N.B. It is currently unclear if the following values are cut offs, or points in a processed curve fit to those values.

Artificial items in range	0	5	10	50
Strength Offset	-0%	-8%	-15%	-30%

Animus stone:

Animus stones have a base meditation focus strength of 34%. Each animus stone up to a total of additional 4 stones within 10 tiles of an animus stone increases the meditation effectiveness by 2%, for a maximum of +8%. Like the Anima tree its effectiveness is limited by artificial buildings within a 35 tile radius. Note that this does not include flooring and torch lamps.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 42% for a Animus stone with no artificial buildings within 35 tiles and surrounded by 4 additional animus stones.

N.B. It is currently unclear if the following values are cut offs, or points in a processed curve fit to those values.

Artificial items in range	0	5	10	50
Strength Offset	-0%	-8%	-16%	-34%

Small nature shrine:

Small nature shrines have a base meditation focus strength of 22%. Each animus stone within 10 tiles increases the meditation effectiveness by 2%, up to a total of 4 stones for a maximum of +8%. Like the Anima tree its effectiveness is limited by artificial buildings within a 35 tile radius. Note that this does not include flooring and torch lamps.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 30% for a small nature shrine with no artificial buildings within 35 tiles and surrounded by 4 animus stones.

N.B. It is currently unclear if the following values are cut offs, or points in a processed curve fit to those values.

Artificial items in range	0	5	10	50
Strength Offset	-0%	-6%	-12%	-22%

Large nature shrine:

Large nature shrines have a base meditation focus strength of 30%. Each animus stone within 10 tiles increases the meditation effectiveness by 2%, up to a total of 4 stones for a maximum of +8%. Like the Anima tree its effectiveness is limited by artificial buildings within a 35 tile radius. Note that this does not include flooring and torch lamps.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 38% for a small nature shrine with no artificial buildings within 35 tiles and surrounded by 4 animus stones.

N.B. It is currently unclear if the following values are cut offs, or points in a processed curve fit to those values.

Artificial items in range	0	5	10	50
Strength Offset	-0%	-8%	-16%	-34%

Morbid

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Required: Psychopath, Bloodlust, Cannibal, Masochist, Jealous, Undergrounder, Tortured artist

Morbid meditation is used by pawns with the appropriate traits and requires graves or sarcophagi. Filled graves or sarcophagi are more effective and bodies with a relationship to the meditator are more effective than strangers.

Grave:

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Graves have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 6%. This increases by 10% if the grave is full, and a further 10% if the grave is occupied by a pawn with a relationship to the meditator. It is further increased by being within 10 tiles of up to 4 additional graves or sarcophagi. Each of these 4 grants an additional 1%, or 2% if full, for a maximum bonus of 8%. Note that only the primary grave has to contain a pawn with a relationship to the meditator.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 34% for a grave occupied by a loved one and surrounded by 4 additional full graves or sarcophagi.

Sarcophagus:

Sarcophagi have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 10%. This increases by 10% if the sarcophagus is full, and a further 10% if the sarcophagus is occupied by a pawn with a relationship to the meditator. It is further increased by being within 10 tiles of up to 4 additional Graves or Sarcophagi. Each of these 4 grants an additional 1%, or 2% if full, for a maximum bonus of 8%. Note that only the primary sarcophagus has to contain a pawn with a relationship to the meditator.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 38% for a sarcophagus occupied by a loved one and surrounded by 4 additional full graves or sarcophagi.

Artistic

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Incompatible: Ascetic, Tribal Childhood Backstory

Artistic focus is the default focus for non-tribal pawns. It uses artwork as a focus, with higher quality art being most effective.

Small sculpture / Large sculpture / Grand sculpture / Terror sculpture :

All sculpture sizes have identical meditation statistics and mechanics. Sculptures have a base Meditation Focus Strength that dependent on their quality. Higher quality sculptures have higher strengths, up to a maximum of 28% at legendary quality. Up to 8 additional sculpture of normal quality or better within 10 tiles will each increase this strength by a value dependent on its quality. 8 additional sculptures of masterwork or better can the maximum bonus of 16%. Note, as the focus sculpture's quality has a significantly larger effect than that of the supporting sculpture, it is always better to have the best quality sculpture as the focus.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 44% for a legendary sculpture surrounded by 8 additional sculptures of masterwork or legendary quality.

Quality	Awful	Poor	Normal	Good	Excellent	Masterwork	Legendary
Base Strength	+12%	+16%	+20%	+22%	+24%	+26%	+28%
Strength Offset	+0%	+0%	+1%	+1%	+1%	+2%	+2%

Large stele:

Large steles have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 15%. It appears that no other modifiers exist for steles as they do for other foci.^{[Fact Check Needed]}

Grand stele:

Grand steles have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 18%. It appears that no other modifiers exist for steles as they do for other foci.^{[Fact Check Needed]}

Minimal

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Required: Ascetic

Ascetics can meditate with nothing- all they need is a wall. This has the advantage of being practically free and it has a reasonable base effectiveness. However, this cannot be increased; if an ascetic pawn has multiple methods they should optimise and use them instead.

Wall:

Walls have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 22%. It appears that no other modifiers exist for wall as they do for other foci.^{[Fact Check Needed]}

Flame

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Required: Pyromaniac

Pyromaniacs can use fire to meditate. All fires must be lit to add focus. While it requires upkeep, this is a cheap and effective method of meditation- the main drawback being the Pyromaniac.

Brazier:

Braziers have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 0% in their unlit state. This increases by 15% when lit. It is further increased by being within 10 tiles of up to 8 additional braziers, torch lamps or campfires. Note that they must be lit to grant the bonus. Each of these 8 grants an additional 2%, for a maximum bonus of 16%.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 31% for a lit brazier surrounded by 8 lit braziers, torch lamps or campfires.

Campfire:

Campfires have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 0% in their unlit state. This increases by 12% when lit. It is further increased by being within 10 tiles of up to 8 additional braziers, torch lamps or campfires. Note that they must be lit to grant the bonus. Each of these 8 grants an additional 2%, for a maximum bonus of 16%.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 28% for a lit campfire surrounded by 8 lit braziers, torch lamps or campfires.

Torch lamp:

Torch lamps have a base Meditation Focus Strength of 0% in their unlit state. This increases by 10% when lit. It is further increased by being within 10 tiles of up to 8 additional braziers, torch lamps or campfires. Note that they must be lit to grant the bonus. Each of these 8 grants an additional 1%, for a maximum bonus of 8%.

The maximum meditation focus strength is thus 18% for a lit torch lamp surrounded by 8 lit braziers, torch lamps or campfires.

Dignified

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Required: Title

Dignified meditation is used by nobility. It requires a throne and its effectiveness is based on the throne room's quality.

Meditation throne / Grand meditation throne:

Both thrones have identical meditation statistics and mechanics. They start with a meditation focus strength of 15%. If it is in a throne room that meets the pawns requirements, its focus strength is improved by 8%.

Psyfocus gain is further affected by a room's impressiveness, as seen below.

Impressiveness Value	0	30	60	100	170+
Description at Value	Awful	Mediocre	Slightly Impressive	Very Impressive	Unbelievably Impressive
Strength Offset	-5%	+0%	+4%	+8%	+10%

Graph

N.B. The room impressiveness descriptors only relate to descriptors the room will have at that specific value. The descriptors themselves do not control the value. A room with 50 room impressiveness will be listed "Slightly Impressive" but will not make the cut off for the 4% increase.

The dignified meditation focus has a maximum of +33% psyfocus / day in an Unbelievably impressive room that meets throne requirements.

Other ways to increase psyfocus

Other than meditation, the following methods will increase a pawn's psyfocus:

• Using Go-juice instantly refills a psycaster's psyfocus by 15%.
• Ideoligion rituals can select the fully refilling the psyfocus of all participants as a reward for sufficiently high quality outcomes.^[Detail] .
• The Kill-focused persona trait grant an instant +20% psyfocus on killing an enemy. Note that psyfocus is gained for directly killing a pawn. This includes killing wild animals, downed hostiles, friendly NPCs, colonists, and even slaughtering colony animals will grant psyfocus as long as the weapon is held in hand whilst doing so. Age and body size do not affect this rate. Excess colony animals, especially from rapidly-breeding animals such as chickens, can thus be turned into into massive psyfocus gain, allowing continuous use of utility psycasts such as Word of Inspiration or Word of Trust or high cost combat options such as Berserk pulse.

Version history

• 1.4.3563 - Fix: Children generated at tribal game start don't have natural meditation focus.