Updating 3.0 Psions to 3.5

[the Jester]

Okay, so the Expanded PsiHB should be out in around two months... what are people going to do with existing pc psions that have a stat other than int as a primary attribute?

I know it's hard to tell without seeing the rules yet... I know there are supposed to be more psionic classes (?)... I know that all psions will be using int as their primary stat.

Anyone given this any thought yet? I have a 20th level fighter/psion/warrior of chaos imc who's all about the strength... I guess we'll have to see if there's an appropriate new class, or maybe grandfather it in for existing characters...?

Well, just looking for ideas on how everyone's handling this, if anyone's even given it any thought yet.

 

[Davelozzi]

In my game, one of my players has a 3.0/Mindscapes psion that was originally a shaper, but we retroactively made him a telepath a little while back because it better fit his (and my own) idea of the character. But we didn't change his ability scores so he's still got a 19 Int compared to a 15 Cha. In otherwords, I'm not expecting to hear any complaints.

As for any other changes, it's just the usual with any revision -- we'll wait & see waht they are, change it if it seems interesting and worthwhile, otherwise keep things how they are.

I am looking forward to the book though.

 

[ciaran00]

I have several characters/NPCs who are multiclassed via 3.0 Psion ability dependencies (an Illithid swashbuckler/psychoporter, warlock/telepath, etc. etc.). I am going to keep the various ability dependencies because I like the idea of different class combos with the psion (makes more sense in Dark Sun than elsewhere I guess). I have yet to see a compelling reason why it should all be Int now.

ciaran

 

[Allanon]

I've changed it to the mental triumvirate house rule someone suggested. Combined with the Mindscape rules makes for a nice system. Not too overpowered and not MAD.

Psychometabolism Intelligence
Psychoportation Wisdom
Psychokinesis Charisma
Metacreativity Intelligence
Clairsentience Wisdom
Telepathy Charisma

 

[Plane Sailing]

There is a player in my campaign who is a 9th Seer, and I can't guess what we're going to do until I've seen the 3.5 rules.

It is very likely that we'll move to new power definitions (with their built in scalability), but as for what will happen with the classes... I'll have to wait. The telepaths and mutables(aka egoists) are the "evil" psion classes in my culture that uses this kind of magic, the others are all "good" psion classes. That is an established part of my campaign setting, and I won't change that now.

I've not had enough information to make a decision yet, really.

Cheers

 

[Derulbaskul]

Psychometabolism Intelligence
Psychoportation Wisdom

Personally I would swap these two around. 'Porting seems to be about imagining yourself somewhere else and that seems to be more a function of Int. 'Metabolism seems to reflect your strength of will so seems to more related to Wis. IMO, of course.

I'm also planning on using the three mental scores, although I may also use Con for 'Metabolism (but definitely not Str). I would also like to retain the Midnscapes mental combat system unless WotC has finally got this right in the Expanded book.

 

[Plane Sailing]

In 3e psions the con-powered telekineticists were excellent. Having 1d4+4hp per level gave the same average as the party barbarian, all while standing back and flinging concussions from a distance (and buffing CON more with "animal affinity tortoise" or whatever).

cheers

 

[Derulbaskul]

In 3e psions the con-powered telekineticists were excellent. Having 1d4+4hp per level gave the same average as the party barbarian, all while standing back and flinging concussions from a distance (and buffing CON more with "animal affinity tortoise" or whatever).

cheers

Sure, but the decision to swap Con and Str so they applied to 'Kinesis and 'Metabolism respectively was purely due to the desire to ensure that the discipline most likely to be used by a Psychic Warrior matched the ability score that was likely to be his highest.

However, it makes no sense and there is no inherent logic to this choice, particularly when you consider that not having a Con score meant that you were unable to manifest 'Metabolism powers. Hmmm, I'm not even going to slap a "IMO" on that statement....

 

[James McMurray]

In my home games we'll be using straight 3.5 psionics, with whatever house rules are necessary to maintain balance.

Oer at Exodus (link in the sig) we'll either be switching to 3.5 psionics if it is balanced better than 3.0, or we'll be droping psionics from the arena altogether. In an arena setting, many of the psionics powers and feats are incredibly unbalanced because there is no need to conserve resources.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Sure, but the decision to swap Con and Str so they applied to 'Kinesis and 'Metabolism respectively was purely due to the desire to ensure that the discipline most likely to be used by a Psychic Warrior matched the ability score that was likely to be his highest.

However, it makes no sense and there is no inherent logic to this choice, particularly when you consider that not having a Con score meant that you were unable to manifest 'Metabolism powers. Hmmm, I'm not even going to slap a "IMO" on that statement....

Oh, I think I agree with you completely here... They really were being silly when they assigned powers to attributes. I can think of half a dozen reasons why the metabolism powers should have been CON based (thematic and practical) while telekinetic powers should have been STR based.

Not least is that the metabolism powers are more about mixing things up in HTH combat, and that is where you really NEED the CON