Expanded PsiHB Excerpts

[Weyland]

*delurk*

I'm moderately concerned about the Soulknife, but in the other direction. Aside from the ability at high levels to reduce a mind to batter (which, if I read correctly, only works on "living, nonmindless targets"... so they're somewhat hosed against that lich in the corner), I just don't think the class has enough punch.

I'm perfectly cool with them lacking any actual manifested powers; in exchange for this though, I'd hoped for more cool roguey stuff. Sneak attack with the mindblade, for example. Maybe 6+int skill points, more skill access, and evasion. As it is now, they really seem to be a weak psionic warrior with a glowy weapon.

I'd love to multiclass one with rogue (maybe rogue 3/soulknife X?) but then they're giving up what really boosts the class, their weapon progression.

Perhaps if the Psychic Strike was a straight damage bonus all the time (similar to how lightsaber damage goes up in Star Wars) and Knife to the Soul was divorced from it's reliance on that ability?

The races look cool, and some of the feats do seem interesting. The anti-psionic feats in particular appear to be a nice spin. I know a couple fighters in my campaign that'd be giving those a serious looking at.

*relurk*

 

[Gez]

EDIT: And did anyone else notice that there's a male maenad in the picture?!?

Have you seen my post, above? The one with a link?

 

[Hardhead]

Have you seen my post, above? The one with a link?

Oh, yeah. I wasn't sure what you were talking about when I read it, as I hadn't seen the maenad pic yet. My bad.

 

[Chroma]

Making a creature Large makes it tons more powerful. They get reach, they get higher dice weapons, and they become immune to spells that only affect medium size creatures. Look at the half-Ogre for an example of a critter that they tried to balance at low-ECLs and be large sized. It's generally agreed to be broken.

Well, it would still only have only have class hit die, though I admit reach and bigger weapons are a big bonus. Are there spells that only affect medium or smaller creatures? I'd always thought it tended towards humanoids only (which is close to the same thing in practice) for lower level type limits.

 

[Simplicity]

"It's not an error. The designers turned the class as is. We took the chance of originality."

Great, so now we have another Halfling Outrider on our hands? I hope this quote was from ancient history, and not about the Soulknife...

Anyways, I think the class is quite powerful, actually. Sure, it starts off as a shortsword. But you can charge it up with a psychic strike long before hand. So, you get a nice punch right off the bat. He may not be rogue-like in his dependence on Str, but combining this class with rogue is a nice combo. He can start doing some unholy amounts of damage with sneak attack psychic strikes.

My question is though, if you can form two mindblades... Can you charge them BOTH before combat starts? (dual-wielding sneak attack psychic strikes... ).

Assuming dual-strike works:
--------------------------
1d6 damage + 1d6 sneak +1d8 psystrike at 3Sok/1Rog
2d6+2 damage + 4d6 sneak + 2d8 psystrike at 5Sok/3Rog (plus Free Draw)
2d6+2 damage + 2d6 psychokinetic + 6d6 sneak + 4d8 psystrike at 7Sok/5Rog (Guessing Psychokinetic is +1d6 damage)

Another interesting question: Could you sneak attack on a blade wind? I don't see any restriction against it... (assuming you were invisible or something of course)

The ability dependence may be on strength, but in my opinion, this IS a rogue class that is REALLY effective at taking guys out in the surprise round.

 

[Felon]

Making a creature Large makes it tons more powerful. They get reach, they get higher dice weapons, and they become immune to spells that only affect medium size creatures.

Didn't know there were spells that only affected medium-sized creatures. There are spells that only affect humanoids, and by giving the half-giant the giant creature type, it gains immunity to them.

More importantly, the section on Improving Monsters in the back of the MM says that increasing a creature's size from medium to large gives it +8 Str, +4 Cn, and +2 natural armor. That's a reason right there not to make it large.

Anyway, if I can swallow dwarves as medium sized, I can believe these half-giants are medium sized. If it helps keep the ECL low, so be it.

Well, a dwarf is still a humanoid, and doesn't have any sort of awkward "treated as whatever size class it feels like being at the moment" ability. I can't say I care for it overmuch, but I might allow a player to try it out, just because I like to test new mechanics.

Question: what the heck does stomp do?

 

[Chroma]

More importantly, the section on Improving Monsters in the back of the MM says that increasing a creature's size from medium to large gives it +8 Str, +4 Cn, and +2 natural armor. That's a reason right there not to make it large.

I believe that's when you "grow" a creature that's originally Medium to Large by adding hit dice, it's not something that all Large creatures get automatically. If the Half-Giant was Large to begin with, it wouldn't get this increase.

 

[Chroma]

More strangeness...

More strangeness with the "displays" related to psionic powers:

Intellect Fortress
Psychokinesis
Level: Psion/wilder 4
Display: Auditory

You encase yourself and your allies in a shimmering fortress of telekinetic force.

Wouldn't that be a visual display? Perhaps if it were a crackling fortress of telekinetic force.

I'm just not sure of the point of "displays", couldn't a psionic creature's eyes/forehead just "blaze with power" instead of all the buzzing, smells, and flashing lights? I realize it's there to prevent the undetectable manifester, but it seems so clunky when it could be just part of manifesting. When's the last time you ever saw a representation of someone manifesting a mental power in comics, movies, or games that didn't involve either glowing eyes or "ripples" around the head? *laugh*

 

[nikolai]

Question: what the heck does stomp do?

Somethings along these lines:

Stomp
Psychokinesis (Con)
Level: Psion 1
Display: Au, Vi
Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: 20 ft.
Area: Two-dimensional “cone” (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex negates
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 1

This power creates a shock wave that travels along the ground, toppling creatures and loose objects. The area is conelike but extends in only two dimensions, flat along the ground (creatures in the air above the shock wave are not affected). All creatures standing in the area who fail their Reflex saves are thrown to the ground and take 1d4 subdual damage in the process. Rising from a prone position is a move-equivalent action.

I like the Half-Giants, but dislike the way they've been linked to psionics, and particularly the stomp 1/day.

 

[Felon]

"It's not an error. The designers turned the class as is. We took the chance of originality."

I see quotation marks. What's the source? If this is designer, I need to go yell at him

The designers don't need to be getting "original" with core mechanics like BAB. It muddles things up, and they should know that. Even the 3.5e monk was tweaked for consistency in determining attacks per round.