Adusting Psionics. A little.

[Bohemian Ear-Spork]

Let me start by being blunt: I know sweet FA about the Psionics rules. Because that, I've avoided using them...but I've got a player who wants to play a Psion, and there's really no real reason for me to say no to him, beyond my own prejudices. It's an Eberron game, after all, and it's not like psis don't have a place there.

But. I tend to run pretty low-combat games, with maybe one combat encounter per session (one or two every couple of days, in game time). And from what I've been reading, this can be a problem with Psionic characters, who can burn just about everything they've got in a turn or three, if they're so inclined.

Last night, I had me an idea. Take the Psionic classes, and cut the Power Points/Level by a lot. Maybe cut the current totals to ¼ of what they are now. And then allow PCs to renew their Power Points with five minutes of meditation.

I don't want to worry about exact numbers at this point, but can those more experienced with using the Psionics rules tell me if this basic idea could work? Are there any powers that are still likely to be problematic, or perhaps even MORE problematic under this system?

 

[hong]

There's nothing wrong with telling your player "no psions". Yes, they're an integral part of the Eberron setting. No, an individual game does not have to use all elements of a setting. Just treat them as background flavour if you don't feel comfortable using them.

 

[Bohemian Ear-Spork]

There's nothing wrong with telling your player "no psions". Yes, they're an integral part of the Eberron setting. No, an individual game does not have to use all elements of a setting. Just treat them as background flavour if you don't feel comfortable using them.

I don't have a problem saying it; he wouldn't have a problem hearing it. I wanted to give it a shot this time, though. The Psi rules have enough fans that I'm wanting to see how they work in an actual game, and this seems as good a time as any.

 

[moritheil]

Let me start by being blunt: I know sweet FA about the Psionics rules. Because that, I've avoided using them...but I've got a player who wants to play a Psion, and there's really no real reason for me to say no to him, beyond my own prejudices. It's an Eberron game, after all, and it's not like psis don't have a place there.

But. I tend to run pretty low-combat games, with maybe one combat encounter per session (one or two every couple of days, in game time). And from what I've been reading, this can be a problem with Psionic characters, who can burn just about everything they've got in a turn or three, if they're so inclined.

Last night, I had me an idea. Take the Psionic classes, and cut the Power Points/Level by a lot. Maybe cut the current totals to ¼ of what they are now. And then allow PCs to renew their Power Points with five minutes of meditation.

I don't want to worry about exact numbers at this point, but can those more experienced with using the Psionics rules tell me if this basic idea could work? Are there any powers that are still likely to be problematic, or perhaps even MORE problematic under this system?

That still lets them go nova during the first round of a fight. Worse, it lets them go nova during the first round of every fight, if their fights are spread out.

 

[jasin]

This means that any long lasting powers are essentially free: a psion could buff up with stuff lasting 1 hour/level or 10 minutes/level and then "recharge" for 5 minutes.

Also, it might be too crippling at low levels, while still leaving them powerful at higher levels. But I haven't really looked at the numbers.

Depending on how important combat is, how good a minmaxer the psion-wannabe is, and how good a minmaxer everyone else is, you could just not worry about it. In a game with only one combat per two in-game days, most spellcasters are going to feel even more powerful than they do in a "typical" game. A psion will just be a bit more more powerful. But if the game really emphasizes diplomacy or investigation over combat, then the psion might rather choose to match others in diplomacy or investigation, rather than outshining them in combat...

Hong's suggestion also works, but then, that's Hong's suggestion for everything.

 

[blargney the second]

If your players know that you run a low-combat game, they should be making PCs that can do well in all the other encounters you run them through. If they make a nova psion, they will be a dire one trick pony of legend. Make them suffer accordingly.
-blarg

 

[Deekin]

I currently play a psion (seer) in a game where we have about 1-2 combats per day. I really can't go nova though, for two reasons.

1. There might be other encounters where we need my powers

2. I have used up about half my PP on utility powers, such as object reading, clairvoyant sense, and time hop, in non-combat encounters

3. When I do go nova, it's a tought combat and everyone, including the Duskblade, is going nova, and we have to just to survive.

Psions need about 3-5 encounters per day. An encounter is just where someone expends resources, such as a telepath doing some mind reading while talking, or a seer object reading the strange dagger that you found.

 

[irdeggman]

I don't think nerfing psions will help.

The way you've described how you typically run your game - you will have the same "issues" with sorcerers. Fewer encounters make for real powerful characters when they character can do a lot quickly and spending resources doesn't really add up in the long run.

 

[Piratecat]

Here's a suggestion. Keep PP the same, but give the psion a magic item that requires five minutes and X number of PP to activate each day. The item gets more powerful along with the psion, but requires corresponding more PP to activate. This is a near-guaranteed way to reduce the amount of PP the psion has available without making him feel nerfed (he has the item to compensate.)

 

[Bacris]

Psions need about 3-5 encounters per day. An encounter is just where someone expends resources, such as a telepath doing some mind reading while talking, or a seer object reading the strange dagger that you found.

Quoted because it's so damn accurate.

Psions are balanced on 3-4 encounters per day. Not 3-4 combats per day.

Situations where the psion needs to expend resources for items such as: knock, communication, transportation, information, etc, etc, all count in that scheme of things.

If your psion builds up a "pure-combat" manifester, I'd likely recommend gently reminding the player that it isn't all combat and, if he sticks with this uber-firepower-damage-dealing-machine, then have 1-2 sessions with no combat at all, but non-combat encounters, where the choices he's made are shown to be short-sighted and 1-trick-pony-ish.

My kineticist, which by very nature is a damage-dealer, used a LOT of power points for items such as: dimension door to get around problems, telepathy powers for communication across distances, and other utility items.