Empathy

Empathy is the ability to feel and understand other people's feelings and emotions. A user of this ability can feel exactly what another person is feeling, and for the same reasons, without direct contact with them.

Usage

 * Discover other people's true intents, desires and any secrets that they are trying to hide.
 * Hear emotionally charged discussions by feeling the heightened emotions behind the words.
 * Channel or replicate other people's powers.
 * Resist the effects of replicated & channeled powers.
 * Enhance or evolve your own powers.
 * Guide others beings and heal their emotional wounds.

Overview
"You're nervous, I can feel it."

- Phoebe Halliwell to Chris Halliwell.

The most basic form of Empathy involves actively channeling other people's feelings and emotions — by concentrating on them — in order to feel exactly what another person is feeling, and for the same reasons.

Cupids possess only the most basic form of empathy; their empathy is limited to human beings. Whitelighters on the other hand possess an even weaker form of the power; they are connected to their charges on a physical level, and will automatically feel what their charges feel, but only when a charge is hurt and is in pain.

More advanced Empathy — bestowed solely upon Empaths— involves channeling emotions from any being that can produce emotions: ie; magical and non beings, animals and ghosts. It also involves channeling emotions across vast distances and being able to experience verbal feedback when channeling heightened emotions across vast distances, allowing the possessor to psychically hear the being(s) they are channeling speak.



Phoebe possess the more advanced empathy. This initially causes considerable problems, as after encountering the emotions of others she would sometimes act on their whims. Although initially Phoebe exhibited little control over her ability, her proficiency has noticeably increased over time.

She can now interpret and understand each emotion without being overwhelmed. As such, beings with malevolent intent are usually worried when they are around her, afraid she will find out any secrets that they are trying to keep hidden. Phoebe can sometimes channel emotion across a city wide distance and in between dimensions.

"You despise us. In fact, until I became an empath I never realised how much you truly hate us."

- Mitzy Stillman to Margo Stillman.

One memorable user of this power was Mitzy Stillman. Mitzy gained this ability temporarily when she stole Phoebe's identity and powers. Mitzy's empathy power let her realize how much Mabel hated both her and her younger sister, however, the power also gave her headaches.

Another memorable user of this power was Prue Halliwell. She gained the power for a few hours in 2001 when the spell she casted to remove the power from Vince backfired and made her an empath. Her empathic ability allowed her to channel emotions from miles away and listen in on the arguments people were having all over the city by picking up on the intense emotion behind the angry words people were shouting at each other.

Empathic Healing
"They use their sensitivity to guide mortals, ease their pain, even heal them."

- Leo to the Charmed Ones.

The possessor can heal emotional wounds by using their intimate knowledge of what the other person is feeling or has gone through, and then offering them advice and comfort. Phoebe, as an advice columnist, uses her gift to help the people who write to her. She answers their letters through her column, giving them helpful advice.

Aside from counseling, immortal Empaths can also heal emotional suffering, akin to Whitelighters healing physical wounds. Father Thomas used his hands to heal the emotional anguish of his parishioners.

Empathic Channeling and Replicating
A branch of Empathy used to manipulate the powers of others, which is composed of two—and arguably the most powerful—aspects of the power; Channeling and Replicating other people's powers.

Phoebe Halliwell is able to apply both of these methods, and is particularly skilled in this area. Initially, Phoebe would channel other people's powers to the point of replication, however, as she gained greater control over her empathic ability, she began to channel and deviate activated powers, instead of replicating them.

Empathic Power Resistance
Channeling powers through Empathy enhances the body's natural defence mechanisms, makes the powers, when used against you, ineffective. The only known Empath to have ever done this is Phoebe Halliwell; she is not immune to the powers she replicates from others, but she can withstand their effects.

Empathic Power Augmentation
The possessor can dramatically enhance their own powers by channeling a massive amount of emotions into them, making themselve's much stronger than usual. Augmentation can also happen automatically if the user cannot control their empathy power. The only known Empath to have ever used this aspect of empathy was Prue Halliwell. She was only able to do this during her brief time as an empath.

Empathic Power Granting
The possessor can transfer their power into another being through a touch. Depending on the receiver: for example; a demon, this power can act as a curse, forcing the demon to feel the pain he or she inflicts.

The only known Empath to have ever done this was Father Thomas. In 1996, when he was attacked by the demon Vinceres, he placed his hands on the demon's chest and transferred his empathy powers to him. Father Thomas knew the power would make the demon insane and unable to set one foot outside and thus not being able to kill.

Empathic Manipulation (Pathokinesis)
The possessor can channel other people's emotions — rather it be their enemy's, their enemy's victims or a mixture of both — and project, reflect or amplify those same emotions through the hands in the form of two tiny electricity bolts. Phoebe Halliwell is the only known being with this power.

Empathy and Different Planes/Realities
"I don't know, maybe try feeling her? The demon created these worlds by using our emotions, right? I don't know, maybe use him as a conduit to tap into her feelings."

- Paige suggesting Phoebe use her power to sense Piper.

Empathy is one of the very few powers that is capable of stretching through different planes of existence and alternate realities. Phoebe first revealed this while in one of Gith's emotion/desire fueled realities and used her power to tap into Piper's emotions, sensing her sister's fear even though she was in a different reality. Once this connection was made, Phoebe and Paige were able to use their combined desires in order to shift themselves through Gith's realities and transport themselves to Piper.

Phoebe later showed this aspect of her power again when Piper and Leo were trapped in The Ghostly Plane. Phoebe was able to sense Piper's presence and even feel her pain when she was injured. Since Piper is the common denominator in both these examples, it is possible that Phoebe's power was amplified in both cases by the strength of her sisterly love.

Insanity and Demons
"I'm afraid that you're in danger, you weren't meant to receive this gift. You can't handle it."

- Leo expressing concern for Prue.

The power of Empathy can drive a being insane if they are not destined to have it, however, demons can never gain this power naturally, due to the fact that they cannot handle human emotions. It would destroy them or drive them insane, as it drove the demon Vinceres almost insane, but shortly after it was taken away, he returned to normal.

Prue accidentally took this power from Vinceres through the use of a spell. Although she was fine with it at first, eventually, as its range expanded, she was unable to control it developing to the point where she was constantly taking in the emotions of the entire city of San Francisco. However, with Father Thomas help she was able to the power. The power left her immediately after she destroyed Vinceres as she was never meant to have it.

List of Users

 * Empaths
 * Father Thomas
 * Upper-level Witches
 * Phoebe Halliwell
 * Angelic Beings
 * Cupids
 * Whitelighters