Curtailing psionics

[Brennin Magalus]

Although I used to be absolutely dead set against psionics, the kalashtar and inspired from Eberron have caused me to reevaluate my stance. I am thinking of allowing them, but I would limit them to kalashtar, inspired, and appropriate aberrations (e.g., mind flayers, aboleths) and furthermore I would only allow telepaths and seers (the other disciplines would be stripped of all or almost all of their powers). I do not think mind powers should include teleportation, hurling energy, creating things out of thin air, or radically altering one's body. I imagine these limitations would make psions less appealing, but that would serve my goal of making them rarer than clerics, sorcerers, and wizards.

 

[ARandomGod]

No teleporation would be sad!

Telekenisis, teleportation, and divination are the base psionic skills. Telekenisis can make fire pretty easily...

 

[Brennin Magalus]

I don't mind psychoportation powers that use the "astral plane" or "realm of dreams" as the means of travel. Also, I don't mind telekinesis or empathic transfer.

By the way, does anyone know the reasoning behind the psion's PP per level jumping so dramatically in the XPH as compared to the 3.0 psionics handbook? That and the bonus feats strike me as a major overkill.

 

[Staffan]

By the way, does anyone know the reasoning behind the psion's PP per level jumping so dramatically in the XPH as compared to the 3.0 psionics handbook? That and the bonus feats strike me as a major overkill.

Well, 3.5 psions need more PP since they're paying more for augmentation. Also, I think they changed the way they figured how many PPs to give them. IIRC, the 3.0 psions basically got enough points at each level to manifest one power of their highest level (plus the points they had before). In 3.5, they based it on a wizard's spells per day instead (converted to PP), minus some sort of fudge factor I'm not sure of.

 

[dedicated]

It's not overkill, if you change a Sorceror's spells per day using the psionic equivalent (1,3,5,etc...) you'll find Sorcerors get more

 

[DreamChaser]

It's not overkill, if you change a Sorceror's spells per day using the psionic equivalent (1,3,5,etc...) you'll find Sorcerors get more

Of course there are some who will point out that this is not ACCURATE enough because of the autoscaling of some parts of psionic powers and the autoscaling of all parts of spells and other such stuff but I think it is close enough.

I don't mind psychoportation powers that use the "astral plane" or "realm of dreams" as the means of travel. Also, I don't mind telekinesis or empathic transfer.

Will you continue to allow soulknife? their mind blade is essentially psychokinetic. What about the psychometabolic powers of the psychic warrior? Without those powers, the class does not fly. Most of the stuff I've read on the Kalashtar indicates that they are often soul knifes.

I suppose my greatest concern with your concern is that you seem to be presuming that psionics should be "realistic" while they are set into a world that is magical. If a human wizard from Korth can summon a ball of fire from nothing, why can't an extradimensional horror from the eternal realm of dreams?

Overall, I don't think there would be much draw to playing psionics in you game for me, but if this is what you must do to try to use the full range of Eberron concepts, go for it.

DC

 

[Planesdragon]

I would only allow telepaths and seers (the other disciplines would be stripped of all or almost all of their powers). I do not think mind powers should include teleportation, hurling energy, creating things out of thin air, or radically altering one's body.

Could I interest you in a balanced system that gives you two out of four, a less gamish way of changing ones self, and a hurling energy as requring a fundamental aleration of the character be worth it?

What if the same system includes rules for totemic items, moving via the ethereal plane, or working with both the minds of the living and the spirits of the recently departed?

(shameless Mindcraft plug)

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Thanks, everyone, for the input thus far. As for specific comments:

It's not overkill, if you change a Sorceror's spells per day using the psionic equivalent (1,3,5,etc...) you'll find Sorcerors get more

I'm not sure that is a fair comparison, since the sorcerer also gets more spells per day than a wizard. I think a better comparison would include spells known v. powers known as well as taking into account the psion's ability to augment powers without feats.

Will you continue to allow soulknife? their mind blade is essentially psychokinetic. What about the psychometabolic powers of the psychic warrior? Without those powers, the class does not fly. Most of the stuff I've read on the Kalashtar indicates that they are often soul knifes.

I would only allow the psion; the other psionic classes are "off the table." As for the kalashtar, I think a kalashtar monk with substitution levels can replace the soul knife.

I suppose my greatest concern with your concern is that you seem to be presuming that psionics should be "realistic" while they are set into a world that is magical. If a human wizard from Korth can summon a ball of fire from nothing, why can't an extradimensional horror from the eternal realm of dreams?

I think you make a good point. It would be easier for me to accept, I think, if the powers in question were more grounded in the realm of dreams and did not use pseudoscientific jargon.

Overall, I don't think there would be much draw to playing psionics in you game for me, but if this is what you must do to try to use the full range of Eberron concepts, go for it.

I appreciate your thoughts, as I would like to make psionics viable (albeit limited).

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Could I interest you in a balanced system that gives you two out of four, a less gamish way of changing ones self, and a hurling energy as requring a fundamental aleration of the character be worth it?

What if the same system includes rules for totemic items, moving via the ethereal plane, or working with both the minds of the living and the spirits of the recently departed?

(shameless Mindcraft plug)

Yes, you could. I will check it out.

 

[DreamChaser]

I think you make a good point. It would be easier for me to accept, I think, if the powers in question were more grounded in the realm of dreams and did not use pseudoscientific jargon.

So rename them.

Rename Metacreation "Dream Crafting", Psychometabolism "Morphic Dreaming", and Psychokinesis "Dreamer's Grasp".

Psychoportation would be "Path of Dreams", Clairsentient would be "Quori Sight".

I have heard many people take issue with the pseudo-science names of psionics (its all very Victorian "science" really) but that is really the easiest thing to change.

DC