The information given by the game about psychic powers is not very exhaustive. This guide collects some data. The focus is on technical data of individual psychis powers.

This guide is current as to version 1.4.2b2-14263 "public_test" of Space Hulk Ascension.

Five Chapters have Librarians. Ultramarines, Blood Angels and Dark Angels get one each. Space Wolves and Salamanders two. Each Librarian can bring up to three psychic powers into battle. He chooses them from a selection of three (Space Wolves) to seven (Blood Angels). The three slots for Psychic Powers unlock at levels one, two and four.

Broodlords are immune to psychic powers. Kill them by other means. The two Toughness powers might help.

Some psychic attacks may kill Genestealers. The probability depends on willpower (WP). Genestealer WP. Not Librarian WP.

Rending claw and scything talons have WP 2 early game and WP 3 middle and late game. Biomorphs (feeder tendrils, flesh hooks and acid maw) have WP 4.

probability to survive: (WP * 5 - testpenalty)/100

Testpenalty is listed under each power. For example, Murderous Hurricane has testpenalty -10. That gives a biomorph a 30 % chance to survive.

Available to: All
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 1
Range: 6 (Horizontally and vertically only, not diagonally. See screenshot.)
Effect: Adds one AP to all units within rangefor the current turn. Including the Librarian himself.

Basic power which mimics the effect of a Sergeant. Works in addition to a Sergeant.

The four Terminators in this screenshot are just inside range.











Available to: Ultramarines, Blood Angels, Dark Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 2
Range: 6
Effect: Creats a barrier on a single tile which cannot be penetrated in any way. Lasts one turn.

Force Barrierr is arguably the most powerful Psychic Power in the game. The ability to block a corridor is not to be underestimated.

Available to: Ultramarines, Blood Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 3
Range: 6
Testpenalty: 0
Effect: Attacks, and likely kills, a single target. Even outside Line of Sight.

Compared to Psychic Storm Area, there is no reason to bring this power into battle. Ever.


Available to: Blood Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 4 (Description claims 2. Probably a bug.)
Range: Line of Sight (otherwise unlimited?)
Testpenalty: None. No WP test. Automatic kill.
Effect: Kills a single target.

You already have a Storm Bolter. So Smite seems redundant. However, it is guaranteed to kill and does not require an Action Point. You may prefere an area attack power.


Available to: Dark Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 3
Range: 6
Testpenalty: 0
Effect: Attacks, and likely kills, a single target. Even outside Line of Sight.

Identical to Psychic Storm Target in all but name. Graphics and sound effect are different as well. Ignore in favour of Hellfire.


Available to: Space Wolves
Unlocks at: Level 4
Cost: 4
Range: Line of Sight (otherwise unlimited?)
Testpenalty: -20
Testpenalty increase per subsequent target: 10
Effect: Attacks between 2 and 4 targets and may kill several.

Assume four targets with WP 4 each. The first has a 40 % probability to survive. The 2nd 30 %, 3rd 20 % and 4th 10 %.

Attacks multiple targets with line of sight (LoS) from one target to the next. Requires LoS from Rune Priest to the first target. There is no control about which or how many other targets it strikes. Can affect targets hiding around corners. Space Wolves Rune Priests routinely field this power for lack of alternatives. It can be suprisingly effective, and even worth using, unlike the other powers in this section.

Librarians are rightly feared among enemies because of the powers listed here.

They attack multiple tiles, which form a square. Range is measured from the Librarian to the center of the square.

Available to: Ultramarines, Blood Angels
Unlocks at: Level 2
Cost: 3
Range: 5
Area: 7*7 tiles
Testpenalty: 20
Effect: Kills all enemies inside the area of effect.

Basic killing power. Use freely against everything.


Available to: Blood Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 2
Range: 5
Area: 5*5 tiles
Testpenalty: 0
Effect: Attacks, and likely kills, all enemies inside the area of effect.

Smaller area of effect but lower cost than Psychic Storm Area. Use at level 1 if you really have to bring an area attack power.


Available to: Dark Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 3
Range: 6
Area: 7*7 tiles
Testpenalty: 0
Effect: Attacks, and likely kills, all enemies inside the area of effect. Any targets killed burst into flames which block movement.

Better range and better effect at the same cost as Psychic Storm. Resulting flames may protect you from Broodlords for a turn. Hellfire is one of the two reasons Dark Angels Librarians give their Blood Angels breathren a run for their money.


Available to: Space Wolves
Unlocks at: Level 6
Cost: 4
Range: 5
Area: 5*5 tiles
Testpenalty: -10
Effect: Attacks, and likely kills, all enemies inside the area of effect. Any targets not killed are stunned and skip their next turn.

High cost and small area. This is as good as Rune Priests get. Any targets affected are not a threat next turn: They either die or are stunned. May protect you from Broodlords if a stunned unit blocks the way.

Available to: Blood Angels
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 2
Range: 6 (Horizontally and vertically only, not diagonally. Identical to Prescience. See there.)
Effect: Terminators gain +2 TS for one turn.

Helps the squad survive when you cannot kill all 'stealers at range. If you use this a lot, consider playing Imperial Fists instead. Their +10 defense bonus equals two points of TS.


Available to: Salamanders
Unlocks at: Level 3
Cost: 2
Range: 0 (Librarian only)
Effect: Librarian gains +3 TS for one turn. (All in-game descriptions are wrong.)

A Librarian casting Vulkans Anvil can fend of anything in melee. Not as good as Force Barrier. Combine with TS 5 and Force Axe Mezoa or Force Sword Mordian for maximum effect.

Available to: Salamanders
Unlocks at: Level 1
Cost: 4
Range: 7
Effect: Shoots like a Heavy Flamer. Long Fire pattern.

A Heavy Flamer which cannot run out of ammo thanks to meditation. Limited to one of four patterns. Can achieve cleanse objectives.


Available to: Salamanders
Unlocks at: Level 5
Cost: 4
Range: 0
Effect: Shoots not quite like a Heavy Flamer. Round Fire pattern but centered on the Librarian. Sould be able to achieve cleanse objectives (confirmation required).

All tiles around the Librarian plus four others burst into flames which block movement. Completely protects the Librarian from anything outside the affected area. Except Flesh Hooks.

Not exactly a Psychic Power, all Librarians have the ability to meditate.
Meditation costs 4 Action Points. It replenishes Focus Points, up to the maximum value which is Willpower * 5 (+ 5 For Blood Angels and +5 for the Psi Boost skill).

The number of Focus Points gained equals the Librarian's Willpower stat multiplied by his rank.

With up to seven powers to choose from, which ones does one select?


Available: Prescience, Force Barrier, Psychic Storm Target and Psychic Storm Area (total: 4)
Drop Psychic Storm Target. Psychic Storm Area does the same and more.


Available: Prescience, Force Barrier, Psychic Storm Target, Smite, Psychic Storm Area, Bloodboil, Shield of Sanguinius (total: 7)
Same as Ultramarines: Prescience, Force Barrier and Psychic Storm Area. Might replace one with Shield of Sanguinius once in a while. But which one? You really want those three.


Available: Prescience, Force Barrier, Mind Worm, Hellfire (total: 4)
Drop Mind Worm. Same as Ultramarines.


Available: Prescience, Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane (total: 3)
Nothing to choose. Use all three. No Force Barrier places Rune Priests at a considerable disadvantage.


Available: Prescience, Vulkans Anvil, Fury of the Salamander, Nocturnes Fire (total: 4)
The only mandatory power is Fury of the Salamander. I find myself dropping any of the other three, depending on the mission. Even Prescience can be left out.