[3.5 Psionics] How would you fix psionics?

[Kerrwyn]

How would I fix psionics?

I'd remove the durn things. That'd "fix" 'em real good.

Somebody beat me to it.
Ah, well.

 

[Psion]

You forgot Multiple Ability Dependency.

MAD is a myth made up by the WotC psionics board.

 

[blackshirt5]

2) Psionic powers are underpowered. Why?
a) There is a lack of "signature" powers for psionicists. Mages
have magic missile and fireball, spells which are
deliberately overpowered yet kept because they give the
class flavor and strength. Psionicists have nothing like
this.
b) A great deal of psionicist powers have direct correlations to
magic spells. Animal Affinity, Schism, and Ectoplasmic Wall
are some good examples of this. This causes a serious
lack of flavor in the psionicist class.
c) Psionicist powers do not scale with their level. This leaves a
majority of their lower level powers unutilized when they
hit higher levels.

So, ENWorld, how should WotC fix these problems if they revise psionics? What other problems do you think they should fix? (Or if you think what I said is not a problem with psionics, tell me I'm full of crap.)

I'd add in the psionic power: Nipple Death Lasers. I guarantee, you're not gonna see any clerics, paladins, wizards, sorcerers, rangers, or bards using Nipple Death Lasers.

Although on a serious note, I also do not like Psychic Combat.

 

[reiella]

If MAD is a falacy made up by the Psi Board, then class distinction is something as well. As are the existance of creatures who use Psionic Combat modes...

Kinda boring for every psionicist of a specific discipline to be stuck with the same power set for 7-8-9 power levels.

It also somewhat hinders players who use the standard matrix (one discipline they won't have access to by default, and in general no access at all unless they wish to forego 9th level powers for a few levels).

 

[Simplicity]

I've been thinking after reading a few of these posts and a few things occurred to me:

- Make Psionic combat a free action but it requires a concentration check if you are doing anything else (I.E. combat). DC varies by the type of action. This way two psi-warriors can fight could fight a physical and mental battle at the same time but with penalties. When two psions face each other they stop look in the eye and go at it. That seems to have the right “feel” to me.

- Get rid of that horrid Psi-table and make psionic combat simpler. Maybe a DC vs. DC check using Psi-blast/ Psi-shield skills. Whatever the difference between the checks (If positive) equals to the amount of sub-dual damage the PC takes. For non-psionic aware the psi-blast skill roll is the DC check for the targets will save. If fail they are stunned for one round. Increase the skill points for Psions/Psi-warriors by 2 points per level to compensate for the new skills.

- Add two new feats Psionic Sensitive and Wild Talent. Psi Sensitive is that you can now get the psi-blast /psi shield skills and 3 0-level powers that require a concentration DC 15 to manifest. Wild Talent feat allows you to pick to a level one power that require a concentration DC 20 to manifest.

- Remove all the psionic type spells from other spell casters. Off the top of my head I think most of them we be from the Enchantment school but I would have to look at the list.

NetNomad

YES. I absolutely agree with this post.

 

[DonAdam]

I hate psionic combat.

Not the implementation (though I hate that too) but the very idea.

Why must every psionicist be a telepath?
That's what psionic combat amounts too. Boo.

I also hate physical stat-based powers. What does me being strong or fast have to do with being a "master of the mind?" I say rekey all disciplines to mental stats.

I also hate the organization of the powers, but that problem is rife in the spell rules as well. Organization based on descriptors is the only thing that makes sense. For example, the school of psychoportation is the least well defined thing ever. Manifesting spider climb is like manifesting teleport? Spider climb should be psychometabolism, and psychoportation should be replaced with some kind of space/time school.

End polemic.

 

[EarthsShadow]

I do like the idea that I think somebody did mention: bring back Mental Attack bonuses and mental Armor Class and have the modes focus on that, and then instead of doing ability damage, do either subdual damage and/or hit point damage, or do other effects like stun, cause fear or other mental effects.

Personally, the thing I hate the most about psionic combat is that non-psionics get such a huge benefit and for some reason that just seems wrong to me.

 

[Simplicity]

I do like the idea that I think somebody did mention: bring back Mental Attack bonuses and mental Armor Class and have the modes focus on that, and then instead of doing ability damage, do either subdual damage and/or hit point damage, or do other effects like stun, cause fear or other mental effects.

Personally, the thing I hate the most about psionic combat is that non-psionics get such a huge benefit and for some reason that just seems wrong to me.

I think this was WotC's way of ensuring that you don't multiclass as a psion just to get a little psionic abilities... For instance Inertial Armor is a MUST for any monk otherwise. However, I thought 3e was supposed to be about "options, not restrictions."
So the whole concept seems kind of silly to me.

 

[netnomad]

”YES. I absolutely agree with this post.”

Thanks.

A few more things occurred to me:

-The Psi skills should cost power points to use. For each power point you use you gain a +1 to a Psi-skill. The max points you can use equal your psionic class level. It cost a minimum 1pp to use either skill.

- Instead of getting new modes the Psi-warrior gets a +1 bonus to a psi-skill. A psion can get a bounces or can pick from one of the atinalte modes found here:

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/psi/psi20030207a

Instead of the prerequisite being modes it changes to ranks in a psi-skill. This has to be tweaked in a play test but you get the idea.


-NetNomad

 

[EarthsShadow]

Or, they can put PP into skills to enhance them further, but to use them at their base rank they dont' cost any points to use.

Why not also include an optional rule where a psion is so focused into a particular discipline that they cannot at all get powers from other disciplines, aka specialized psions, and they get bonuses to their focused discipline.

psionics can have so many options and its been barely tapped. But, I plan on changing that in my new campaign world I plan on writing up.