Curtailing psionics

[IndyPendant]

I *hate* psionics as well. I feel it's a useless bit of hybridization: psionics is really modern (or futuristic) magic after all. So it's really just modern magic taken back to medieval times.

I guess my fundamental issue is...there's no *point* to it. Why create what is essentially magic, and then say it isn't? I like what I've seen of the Eberron setting too though, so I'm debating relaxing my stance as well.

Here's a suggestion for you: if you do implement any form of psionics, make it *magic*. (i.e., Knowledge: Arcana and Spellcraft work with it, spell resistance applies to it, spells that protect vs the appropriate magical effects work against the appropriate psionic effect, dispel magic works vs psionics, etc etc.) Some of these may already apply; I freely admit I really don't know a lot about psionics, since I hate the concept. Make it all apply. Make mindflayers magical aberrations. Etc etc. That is what I would were I to ever allow psionics.

The one other thing I see being an issue with psionics is the ability to dump all your PP in one fight, even at high levels. No other caster can do that. But that has been debated over post after post, lasting pages and pages (and pages and pages and pages and...) on this forum, so I don't want to resurrect *that* one. Just warning you--watch your fights/day, if you allow psionics. Hard enough to keep spellcasters in line with 1 or 2 fights per day. Psions would be a nightmare.

One small request though: whatever changes you do make, could you come here in a few months and post your results? I'd be interested in seeing what a fellow psionics-hating-GM does with this, and how well it goes.

Thanks.

 

[Ferrix]

So rename them.

Rename Metacreation "Dream Crafting", Psychometabolism "Morphic Dreaming", and Psychokinesis "Dreamer's Grasp".

Psychoportation would be "Path of Dreams", Clairsentient would be "Quori Sight".

I have heard many people take issue with the pseudo-science names of psionics (its all very Victorian "science" really) but that is really the easiest thing to change.

DC

I think that's the best idea, not that the names ever have to actually come up in IC game play persay.

Altering the psionics system will otherwise just make it overly lopsided to a very small range of abilities (telepathy, whatnot) which a wizard or sorcerer can do just as well with the right spell selection. I doubt you'll see your players jumping always to play the psion or whatever other psionic classes, and if they do, emphasize their weaknesses (d4 hp, easy to burn out, etc.).

 

[Dragonblade]

I *hate* psionics as well. I feel it's a useless bit of hybridization: psionics is really modern (or futuristic) magic after all. So it's really just modern magic taken back to medieval times.

Not necessarily. Lots of fantasy has a sort of pseudo-psionic magic system. "Sorcery" in David Edding's Belgariad series is basically psionics. Also the Lone Wolf fantasy series has psionics and its very Warhammerish in feel. Plus Dark Sun. One of the greatest campaign settings that TSR released strongly featured psionics.

I guess my fundamental issue is...there's no *point* to it. Why create what is essentially magic, and then say it isn't?

Why not?

Here's a suggestion for you: if you do implement any form of psionics, make it *magic*. (i.e., Knowledge: Arcana and Spellcraft work with it, spell resistance applies to it, spells that protect vs the appropriate magical effects work against the appropriate psionic effect, dispel magic works vs psionics, etc etc.) Some of these may already apply; I freely admit I really don't know a lot about psionics, since I hate the concept. Make it all apply. Make mindflayers magical aberrations. Etc etc. That is what I would were I to ever allow psionics.

Good advice, and the Expanded Psionic Handbook basically tells GMs to do exactly that.

The one other thing I see being an issue with psionics is the ability to dump all your PP in one fight, even at high levels. No other caster can do that. But that has been debated over post after post, lasting pages and pages (and pages and pages and pages and...) on this forum, so I don't want to resurrect *that* one. Just warning you--watch your fights/day, if you allow psionics. Hard enough to keep spellcasters in line with 1 or 2 fights per day. Psions would be a nightmare.

Actually, it doesn't really work that way unless the psion PC is cheating. You cannot spend any more points on a single power than your manifester level. A wizard can cast a quickened Fireball with a 7th level spell slot. Since you have to be 13th level to cast a quickened Fireball, the spell will do 10d6 damage.

A psion manifesting the equivalent of a quickened fireball would need 5 points for the base 3rd level power plus 8 more points just to quicken it. 13 points. Which means a psion has to be at least 13th level. The same as the wizard. However, the psion's "fireball" won't do 10d6 damage. Psionic power damage doesn't increase unless you spend points to boost it. However, our 13th level psion cannot spend more on a power than his manifester level so just quickening it and he has already reached his max. The psion's "fireball" will do only 5d6 damage compared to the wizard's 10d6. Advantage wizard.

Now psion's are very flexible. Much like a sorcerer. But in terms of sheer power per spell, a wizard or sorcerer wins hands down. Any notion that psionics are "broken" is a myth.

I can certainly understand not liking them in terms of atmosphere or feel. But I personally feel that they are already weak enough vs. traditional casters that its probably better not to include them at all rather than water them down further.

When I DM, I run a pretty brutal game world. To compensate, I'm generous with gold and magic and encourage healthy min/maxing. I allow the XPH with no restrictions or house rules. And most of my players, who are all big time power gamers, don't usually play psionic characters becuase they are viewed as distinctly underpowered. The example I gave above is just a sample of that.