Psion-Kinetics: What are your house rules?

[ARandomGod]

I've got a player in my campaign that I'm going to allow to play a psion. This will be the first psion in this particular group since 3.0, where they decided that psionics was overpowered.

I'm of the opinion that the 3.5 psionics is pretty well balanced, however I know that the guy who's thinking of playing the psion really likes to power-play. I also remember reading a lot of house rules various people have made for the psion, especially the kineticist.

So help me out here, what house-rules suggestions do you have to help fully balance out the psion, especially the kineticist, and to help it so that the group can see this in play and say "wow, that's not as bad as I expected it to be".

 

[Staffan]

The biggies are energy missile and, IIRC, energy stun (it's one of the other energy powers anyway). They have augmentations that say you increase the save DC by 1 per extra PP spent on augmenting them, it should be per 2 PP like all the other energy powers.

I have another house rule for energy missile as well: the base version only hits one target. If you want more, augment it by 2 PP per extra target (these PP don't count toward save DC, only damage augmentation).

One house rule I've seen people use, but don't use myself, is to have psions taking an energy power choosing which energy to use when learning it, not when using it. Some even make them choose one energy type for their character, so all their energy powers use the same type.

 

[Nifft]

- Energy Missile
- Energy Stun
- Dispel Psionics

Energy Stun: simple error, should be +1 DC/2 pp spent augmenting damage.

Dispel Psionics: personal preference, should work like Dispel Magic (with a level check cap at 10th), and be augmentable for 6 pp to raise the level check cap to 20th.

Energy Missile: simple error, should be +1 DC/2 pp spent augmenting damage. Additional personal preference: should cost 1 pp/extra target beyond the first.

-- N

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

I've got a player in my campaign that I'm going to allow to play a psion. This will be the first psion in this particular group since 3.0, where they decided that psionics was overpowered.

Psionics 3.0 are overpowered? Don't think I've heard that one before...

*shrugs, Energy Missle and Energy Stun are the two main ones you need to watch for.

 

[Thanee]

Psionics 3.0 are overpowered? Don't think I've heard that one before...

Well, depending on what extra rules you used, they most definitely were. PsiHB 3.0 alone was rather underpowered, really, but with ITCK/MS things were a lot better.

Psychofeedback alone could make a character overpowered.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Energy Missile is the worst one, as mentioned already. The five selectible targets are also way too powerful for that level.

Then, depending on the campaign, the free choice of energy type is also to be considered. If that won't be a big deal, ok, but if it's highly beneficial, then you should consider to have the Psion choose one energy type per power as he learns them.

Bye
Thanee

 

[ARandomGod]

Energy Missile is the worst one, as mentioned already. The five selectible targets are also way too powerful for that level.

Then, depending on the campaign, the free choice of energy type is also to be considered. If that won't be a big deal, ok, but if it's highly beneficial, then you should consider to have the Psion choose one energy type per power as he learns them.

Bye
Thanee

What about choosing one power type, and then being able to change that for a PP cost?

Any opinions there? What sort of cost would be semi-appropriate?
Two would be similiar to +1 spell level...

But it really shouldn't make too much of a difference in my games. And energy substitution, while a feat, doesn't take up an additional spell level.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

My house rule is that all the energy things use the sonic option, but you can change that to fire with the Pyrokinetics feat.

I don't like my psychics tossin' lightning and such around.

 

[Thanee]

What about choosing one power type, and then being able to change that for a PP cost?

I'd probably just make it a feat like Energy Substitution, for every energy type.

But it really shouldn't make too much of a difference in my games. And energy substitution, while a feat, doesn't take up an additional spell level.

If you think, that it doesn't give a big benefit, then just leave it as is.

Bye
Thanee