Planescape Converting Planescape monsters

[Shade]

Does this seem significant? Here is the 2E power:

"With probability travel, a psionicist can traverse the astral plane physically as if he's in astral form. This power has a distinct advantage over magical astral travel. When a wizard uses the astral spell, he forms an astral body, which remains connected to this material body by a silvery cord. In contrast, a psionicist using probability travel never leaves his physical form; he brings it along. He has no cord, so, unlike the wizard, he can never die because his cord has been severed. (On the other hand, he can still be blown to bits.)
The astral plane boasts nothing that would attract tourists, but its two-dimensional color pools serve as highways to the outer planes. These pools, scattered randomly throughout the astral plane, provide connections to all surface layers of the outer planes.
Travel through the astral plane is speedy: 10 yards per minute per Intelligence point. However, distance on the astral plane does not equate to distance on other planes. After 1d6+6 hours of travel, the traveler reaches the color pool he sought. There is a flat 75% chance that this pool leads to the exact destination the character wants. Otherwise, it is at least 10 miles off target - maybe more.
The psionicist can take other persons (as defined by the charm person spell) along on his probability trip. Each passenger costs 12 extra PSPs initially, plus 4 extra PSPs per hour, and adds one-half hour to the time needed to find the correct color pool. Passengers must travel voluntarily; this power cannot drag a character into the astral plane against his will.
Combat on the astral plane is unusual. The traveler's physical body cannot affect astral bodies in any way. However, psionic powers do work against the minds of astral travelers. Most magical items which are keyed to a particular plane do function there, often with enhanced effect.
If the psionicist simply turns off this power while in the astral plane, he doesn't leave. Instead, he's stranded, unable to move except by physically pushing off of solid objects (which are extremely rare in the astral plane). He's also stranded if he runs out of PSPs or is knocked unconscious on the astral plane. the only exit from this plane is a color pool."

Isn't that essentially how anyone gets around while on the Astral Plane via plane shift or some method other than astral projection?

Naturally, we don't always keep the "All/All" part anymore, but it probably should have some of the following:
ego whip, mind thrust, id insinuation, psionic blast, psychic crush;
intellect fortress, mental barrier, mind blank, thought shield, tower of iron will

I'd go with ego whip, mind thrust, id insinuation, and psychic crush.

 

[BOZ]

Isn't that essentially how anyone gets around while on the Astral Plane via plane shift or some method other than astral projection?

i don't know, is it? is this guy overly complex, or should we just give him plane shift?

 

[Shade]

I'd hesitate giving him plane shift, as that negates a large part of its flavor text involving waiting around color pools and such. However...

Borrowing from the genies:

Plane Shift (Sp): A dhour can enter either the Astral or Ethereal Planes. It is otherwise similar to the spell of the same name (caster level Xth).

 

[BOZ]

right. good call. how about "can enter only the Astral or Ethereal planes" instead?

 

[Shade]

Sounds good.

 

[BOZ]

now that that part is settled, how do we handle the planar tracking and following through portals and such?

 

[Shade]

These two abilities from the spectral hound might help.

Astral Tracking (Su): A spectral hound can attempt to track normally even through the featureless wastes of the Astral Plane (base DC 25). A spectral hound can use this ability to track quarry that uses a teleportation spell to travel, by entering the Astral Plane at the departure point, following the trail of the teleportation through the Atral Plane, and returning to the plane of departure at its quarry's destination.

Plane Shift (Sp): A spectral hound can travel from the Astral Plane to any plane that borders the Astral Plane and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell, except that the spectral hound can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

 

[BOZ]

actually, a whole lot...

 

[BOZ]

Plane Shift (Sp): A dhour can travel from the Astral Plane to any plane that borders the Astral Plane and back again. A dhour can likewise travel to the Ethereal Plane and back again. This ability is similar to a plane shift spell (caster level Xth), except that the dhour can transport itself only and it chooses its destination with pinpoint accuracy.

 

[Shade]

Cool. And are we going with some variation of this?

Planar Dependent (Ex): A dhour can survive out of the Astral or Ethereal Planes for 1 hour by using 2 power points. Once it is out of power points, it begins to drown (refer to the drowning rules on page 304 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).