Where To Get Every Merit Badge In Psychonauts

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Basic Braining

Marksmanship

Oarsman

Pyrokinesis

Levitation

Telekinesis

Mental Magnet

Shield

Invisibility

Clairvoyance

Confusion

Psychonauts is a cult classic video game that lives up to the hype. It's funny, challenging, and subverts expectations. You play as Raz, a young psychic who has broken into a summer camp for kids with psychic abilities because his parents wouldn't let him go. The game takes place among tons of other kids who are also gifted psychics (some more disturbing than others...).

Throughout your journey, you'll acquire new psychic abilities to solve new puzzles and you'll be encouraged to think outside the box when using them. In this guide, we review every "Merit Badge" you earn that provides some new ability to your roster. If you're missing one that you need in order to progress, look no further! We've got them all right here.

Basic Braining

Basic Braining is the first merit badge you'll earn during Psychonauts! To get it, you need to complete the level Coach Oleander's Basic Braining. The play on the military term "Basic Training" is intentional — it serves as a tutorial to the game and is military-themed since the character whose brain you enter is a veteran.

Ability

Completing this level and getting your Basic Braining badge allows you to access all areas of the summer camp.

Marksmanship

The next badge you'll earn is the Marksmanship one — also called the PSI-Blast — from one of the counsellors. Sasha Nien, a former secret agent, teaches Raz to defend himself against opponents inside other people's minds. You'll earn it during the level Sasha's Shooting Gallery. All you need to do is progress through the story to meet Sasha, and he'll explain the rest! Beat the level, and you'll earn the badge.

Ability

You use the marksmanship badge to shoot "psychic energy" at your opponents as an attack.

Upgrades

The Marksmanship badge earns upgrades depending on Raz's PSI Cadet Rank.

Cadet Rank 40: Chain Blast (psychic energy can bounce and hit up to three opponents)
Cadet Rank 70: Super Chain Blast (psychic energy can bounce and hit up to six opponents)

Oarsman

Psychonauts (Raz using a canoe on the lake)

Before you can go out on the lake, Admiral Cruller will tell you that you need the Oarsman badge. This is a subtle way to direct you to do Sasha's level before proceeding on. Once you've gotten the Marksmanship badge from Shasha Nien, return to Ford Cruller in Ford's Sanctuary. He'll give you the Oarsman badge. Next time you talk to Admiral Cruller, he'll make a comment about how your time in the canoe simulator has really paid off!

Ability

Admiral Cruller will give you access to the boat, which you need to reach Milla out on the lake.

Pyrokinesis

Psychonauts (image of the a redactor on fire)

Unlike most other merit badges, you don't need to complete any particular mission or challenge to unlock the Telekinesis badge. You'll earn it automatically, upon reaching PSI Cadet Rank 10.

Ability

Pyrokinesis, like the name suggests, allows you to set nearby objects on fire. That includes people and animals. A gauge appears that fills up and becomes red to indicate that you've made something so hot that it has burst into flames.

Upgrades

There's only one upgrade for Pyrokinesis, which you earn by increasing your PSI Cadet Rank.

Cadet Rank 45: Thermal Detonation (chain explosion is created once something is set on fire)

Levitation

Psychonauts-(Raz-riding-a-thought-bubble)-1

After completing Sasha's mind puzzle, you'll need to go talk to the counsellor Milla Vodello by going out on the lake. The level inside her mind is called Milla's Dance Party. Once you complete it, you'll earn the Levitation badge so that you can hover anywhere you go.

Ability

Levitation has a few unique uses. Activating it allows players to ride on a ball made of mental energy, which Milla calls a "thought bubble." You'll roll around and down slopes while on it. The ball can also act as a parachute to avoid hitting the ground too hard and bounces so that you can jump extra high.

Upgrades

You'll earn upgrades for Levitation at high PSI Cadet Ranks.

Cadet Rank 50: Wrecking Ball (use the thought bubble as a weapon)
Cadet Rank 60: Rolling Havoc (the thought bubble is a wrecking ball any time he rolls with it)

Telekinesis

Just like Pyrokinesis, this badge doesn't require you to complete a certain level. It's given to you automatically when you reach PSI Cadet Rank 20.

Ability

Telekinesis is a skill that lets Raz pick up objects from far away and move them.

Upgrades

This badge only upgrades once, when Raz reaches the appropriate PSI Cadet Rank.

Cadet Rank 65: TK Extension (Raz can throw objects further than before)

Mental Magnet

Psychonauts (Raz standing at the camp store)

To get your Mental Magnet Merit Badge, all you need to do is save up 400 Arrowheads and then purchase it from Chef Cruller in the Camp Store. However, Arrowheads can be hard to come by — you'll need to do your fair share of searching around camp (or you can simply cheat and look them up, we won't judge).

Ability

When you're in other people's minds, hovering lights can be picked up to give you more health, ammo, and grenades. Arrowheads will also hover in this fashion. With the Mental Magnet badge, these things will be attracted to Raz so that you don't have to run over and pick them up. It's not essential for any of the quests but it is a lifesaver in dire situations where extra health or ammo is the difference between life and death.

Shield

Psychonauts (lungfish resistance fighters)

The Shield merit badge is learned in Lungfishopolis, the mental mind of Linda. When you enter and talk to some resistance fighters in the city, they'll offer to help you if you "punch a hole" in the prison and free their "comrades." Once that's done, they give you the Shield badge so that you can get past some lasers that are blocking your path.

Ability

Using the Shield stops you from moving and it can only be used for a short period of time. However, it blocks all incoming attacks while it's active.

Upgrades

As with most other merit badges, there are two upgrades for the Shield.

Cadet Rank 55: Offensive Shield (any opponent attempting to use a melee attack on you is pushed back)
Cadet Rank 80: Ferocious Aura (in addition to pushing back the melee attacker, your shield also does some damage to them)

Invisibility

You automatically unlock the Invisibility merit badge when you reach PSI Cadet Rank 30, much like Pyrokinesis and Telekinesis.

Ability

The Invisibility badge makes you turn invisible — no big surprise. While you can't be seen by the naked eye, you could still be heard or picked up by an infrared camera/sensor. You should also keep in mind that it won't last forever.

Upgrades

You'll upgrade Invisibility only once, upon reaching the right PSI Cadet Rank.

Cadet Rank 60: Advanced Invisibility (you can remain invisible for twice as long)

Clairvoyance

Clairvoyance is given to Raz by Boyd Cooper, better known as the Milkman. When you enter his mind, you find him in front of a conspiracy board, surrounded by loose papers. Talking to him will prompt him to give you this merit badge.

Ability

The Clairvoyance badge lets you see through the eyes of another person. It can even work over really long distances, but only if you have an item that belonged to the person you're trying to observe.

Confusion

Confusion is probably the last merit badge you'll unlock. It's given to you by a character in a much later part of the game: Dingo Inglagrante, the matador in the mental world of Black Velvetopia. He's a character you come across that asks you to finish painting an advertisement for him. As payment (and to help you do the task), he gives you the merit badge Confusion.