Cerebremancer experience?

[green slime]

There really is a very low synergy between Psion and Wizard. Apart from the obvious saving on one stat, that is about it. Wizards are great at learning those spells they are interested in. Psions get a few powers, and buckets of points. So the psion part of a cerebremancer tries to focus on those powers that the player really, really likes, and uses wizard spells as supplements. IMX, the cerebremancer is seriously underpowered, but of course, as long as the player is having fun, there is no problem.

 

[Teneb]

I don´t think it´s unbalanced. I´ve played a mystic theurge and the two attributes are just a small part of the problem. Cerebremencers also can´t apply the same metamagic and item creation feats to both classes: they need empower spell and empower power, while a MT just need empower spell. Also, if he picks the feats he need to make an effective psion (psionic meditation, overchannel) and practiced caster/manifester he won´t have any to choose item creation or useful things like Great Fortitude and Improved Initiative.

If you still have doubts, you could speak with the player, saying that you´ll allow it, but reserve the right to clip a spellcasting level if he turns to be too much powerful.

That's a good point about the feats. I trust the player, and if it turns out to be more powerful I'm sure we can work out a compromise. This isn't stemming from me being dictatorial, but rather having no experience with this type of PrC before.

Are y'all playing it up from low level or jumping right in at high level?

They'll be starting at 8-9th level (I haven't completely decided yet).

IMX, the cerebremancer is seriously underpowered, but of course, as long as the player is having fun, there is no problem.

Thanks, I appreciate the first-hand input (from everyone).

I warn you, if you nerf the already suboptimal Cerebremancer, you will make baby Jesus cry.

Noted.

 

[Infiniti2000]

They'll be starting at 8-9th level (I haven't completely decided yet).

This is a key point. The PC will be noticeably affected by the loss of spell levels. Starting at a high level when he cannot gain any more spell levels anyway throws away the biggest balancing aspect of cerebremancer and the MT. The PC will have Spell/Power Levels at 3rd level of ability, but the straight-classed characters (not sorcerer) will have 5th level spells/powers. This goes for the NPC's as well. As the most obvious example of why this is such a huge detriment, a 7th level wizard (lower level than the PC) with a lesser glove of invulnerability cannot even be affected by the PC's spells or powers.