Replacing the Sorcerer with the Psion

[Mark Hope]

This is just an idea I have had while tweaking elements of my homebrew and I'm looking for feedback or comment...

Some of the concepts raised in the "how bad are sorcerers" thread are pretty interesting and got me to thinking, especially the stuff about greater/lesser paths of magic. What if the sorcerer was removed entirely and psionics were ruled to be another form of arcane magic? Kind of an extreme version of the "psionics and magic are the same" variant. The psion (under a different name, of course) would become the default spontaneous arcane caster and would have no need for spell components - an interesting way to present them as disciples of the Greater Path of magic. Augmentation would show how the Greater Path allowed for increased flexibility, for example. I've been thinking that this might make for an interesting setting element. Thoughts, anyone?

(Just an aside - I do like the sorcerer class. This idea occured to me out of the blue and not out of any real desire to replace the sorcerer).

 

[Kaji]

Full Steam Ahead

Problem? None. I'm building my own homebrew right now, and I believe I will end up with both psions and sorcerers, but either could easily replace the other from a simple game function point. Mine will be different from a story and cultural point. I'd say of you like it, there's no real reason stopping you.

 

[Emirikol]

>Some of the concepts raised in the "how bad are sorcerers" thread are pretty interesting and got me to thinking, especially the


I did two things in my CONAN campaign:

1) I allow psionics
2) I allow sorcerers to choose their spells from ANY spell list (bard, druid, cleric, wiz, assassin, etc.)

Have fun.

jh

 

[Dave Turner]

It is absolutely the best thing to do. I was among those (perhaps the first?) to suggest it in the other thread.

In order to get the true difference in feel, I wouldn't tweak the psionic system at all. Give "sorcerers" all the advantages of psions, including the lack of verbal and somatic components, for example. Just make superficial changes to names and ideas (psion is now a "sorcerer" and powers are now "magic", etc.)

If I ever ran D&D again, I would do this without hesitation or second thought.

 

[Phaedrus]

I was thinking of this as well.

Tangential question, though... how much different is the Psion in XPH compared to the original? Since I don't really do psionics, I never bought the new book.

 

[Mark Hope]

In order to get the true difference in feel, I wouldn't tweak the psionic system at all. Give "sorcerers" all the advantages of psions, including the lack of verbal and somatic components, for example. Just make superficial changes to names and ideas (psion is now a "sorcerer" and powers are now "magic", etc.)

Exactly - the psion becomes another arcane caster with all other features left intact. The only real drawback at present is that there aren't as many psionic powers to work with, but drawing extra powers from Hyperconscious, the Mind's Eye series from the WotC site and the upcoming Complete Psionic should go some way to addressing this.

Tangential question, though... how much different is the Psion in XPH compared to the original? Since I don't really do psionics, I never bought the new book.

It's not hugely different - like most of the stuff in the XPH, it keeps the same basic concepts as the original but hangs together better. All of a psion's powers are now based on Intelligence and psicrystals are no longer inherent to the class (they're a feat) - those are the biggest changes. I wasn't really all that impressed with the original PsiHB, but I'm a big fan of the XPH.

 

[Psion]

I was thinking of this as well.

Tangential question, though... how much different is the Psion in XPH compared to the original? Since I don't really do psionics, I never bought the new book.

Ditch the old book and get the new one. The barely functional psionics combat system was ditched and the combat modes became powers and the psion is no longer a total wet blanket. If you want a dedicated psionic combat system, I recommend malhavoc's Hyperconscious. (A few powers need toned down IMO).

If you want to get a look at what psionics looks like now, check out the psionics section of one of the online SRDs:
http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/psionic.html

 

[Ogre Mage]

Yes, the 3.5 psionics system fits onto core D&D like a glove, while still maintaining its own unique flavor -- something the sorcerer fails at.

Perhaps the sorcerer as written would work better as a NPC class in the DMG. It is an easy way to slap caster levels onto a monster, whereas adding wizard levels is hard.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Not a bad idea at all. I think my biggest beef with the sorcerer and wizard is that they have few differences to give them unique feel. If I were to do it all over again, I'd just combine the two classes and use a variant of the AE spells readied system.

 

[Li Shenron]

You would basically just be back to pre-3rd edition ideas, when the Sorcerer didn't exist as a class. I don't see any problems in doing that, the character concept of a sorcerer can just be applied to the class mechanics of the wizard or someone else.