Expanded Psionics Handbook Play Use?

[Kae'Yoss]

One of my two current characters is an Elan Gestalt Monk/Egoist in Ravenloft. His transformation probably was not voluntary, but he doesn't remember anything, anyway: He's the result of some "mad scientist"'s experiments, which deleted all his old memories, and planted new memories and a new identity into his mind - along with psionic powers and the other odd bit of knowledge.
In the same campaign we have a Gestalt Psionic Mindflayer(Telepath)/Psychic Warrior.

In another, the DM set a Duergar Soulknive/Assassin on us (from that one psionic assassin organization out of the PGtF), and we're going to have a new player who's going to play a Ranger/PsyWar/Shadowdancer.


Personally, I haven't seedn the Soulknive in action (except that one enemy), but I like it (and if anything should hapen to my monk/egoist, I'll probably play a kineticist/soulknive)

 

[Jeph]

A friend in whose campaign I play has been using it heavily. We've got a psychic warrior in our party, and he totally rocks. Able to regularly dish out a +6d6 bonus damage attack, and this at 5th level. At 6th, it'll go up to a regular 8d6, and up to 11d6 if he's feeling really nasty. Plus he regularly does the pumped up Inertial Armor plus Force Screen combo to get up to get a regular +4-6 each armor and shield bonus with no check penalty and no GP cost.

But despite all this, he doesn't really overshadow the other characters; an archer fighter/ranger and a melee fighter. In other words, it's fun and balanced, which is a Good Thing.
--Jeff

 

[GrayPumpkin]

I’ve only just started using it. I’ve been running my wife through a solo campaign with psion (telepath), before deciding whether to allow psionics into my regular campaign. We’ve only played three times but so far it’s been working out very well. She likes the flexibility and being a telepath is a city-based game is working out nicely for her.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

How does the psychic warrior do +6d6 damage? If he only expends focus once per round, he can do no more than +4d6 damage with Greater Psionic Weapon, and if he can expend focus twice he could do +8d6 damage.

Or are you talking about dissolving weapon?

 

[dren]

Wacky. The general consensus I've seen is that they are significantly too weak.

Unless you are in a game where there are "magical walmarts" and players can buy the magical items they want...being able to access 12 types of magical weapons at 10th level is extremely powerful. Without the need to buy magic weapons, a soulknife can then double up on other buffing type items.

In my medium magical level campaigns, the soulknife by far is the most powerful melee type class. As always, YMMV

 

[Aries_Omega]

Likes and Hates

I liked the races. I wish that they fleshed out the races more. They aren't that bad. Just a little small on the details. I love details for races. Also more on variant campaigns. I myself state that magic and psionics are different but similar in some cases. The spell "detect magic" will work at 1/2 ability vs. psionics and unless the caster knows about psionics through skills all they will get is aura strength and that it is "something odd". Then again Elves gain their bonus against sleep and charms no matter what source they are.

As far as classes the Soulknife is out. I like it better as a prestige class. The only thing I liked is that it they were trying to get away from the image of an "assassin with psychic powers". Trying is the key word. I did like the wilder though.

One question. In Dragon Magazine they had one additional psionic class called the Erudite. I don't get it. How different is it from a psion?

AriesOmega

 

[Incenjucar]

There's a -huge- amount of discussion on the XPH over in the WotC boards.

Soul Knives are spiffy. Weapons are the most expensive staple in the game. Being able to have a whole variety of them is -very- powerful. Mind Feeder+Deep Crystal secondary weapon=Mega Death.

Wilders are very very cool, but at high levels, there's some serious debate as to whether they're gimped or not, because they suddenly get a guarantee of massive enervation for augmenting first level powers by two points. Once the erratta comes out, all will be well.

Also, blues need to lose their free 2/3 wild talent feat and maybe gain a minor vulnerability so that they can be LA 0.

 

[resistor]

Unless you are in a game where there are "magical walmarts" and players can buy the magical items they want...being able to access 12 types of magical weapons at 10th level is extremely powerful. Without the need to buy magic weapons, a soulknife can then double up on other buffing type items.

In my medium magical level campaigns, the soulknife by far is the most powerful melee type class. As always, YMMV

The Soul Knife is, as far as I can see, a one trick-pony. It's very very good at having the right weapon at the right moment, but very little else. While very powerful in a specific situation, this is overpoweringly useful in a typical varied campaign.

For me, core classes should be general. While certainly they're better at some things than others, no core class should be a one trick pony. That seems more typical of a PrCs to me: mages who focus on a single kind of magic, fighters who focus on a single weapons, and in this case psionicists who focus on a single manifestation of their power.

 

[FungiMuncher]

I just started playing in an FR campaign, and was allowed to build a character from the XPH.

I really like the idea of a Soulknife. However, when actually putting the numbers on the page, I just couldn't get enthusiastic about it. I agree with resistor, the class is a one trick pony - and not even that great of one at low levels.

The character I finally made was a Ranger 1/Psion(Nomad) 2. With only two sessions, I can say that I'm having a lot of fun with him. He's a great scout and tracker, and helps the other PCs with his Skate power. His Energy Ray power hasn't been too useful, though - so far, we've been fighting Githyanki. Their power/magic resistance has been really frustrating. I hoping that the Shards of Crystals power, once I level up, will help with that, though.

 

[Jeph]

How does the psychic warrior do +6d6 damage? If he only expends focus once per round, he can do no more than +4d6 damage with Greater Psionic Weapon, and if he can expend focus twice he could do +8d6 damage.

Or are you talking about dissolving weapon?

Both in conjunction. +4d6 Dissolving Weapon when unpumped and +2d6 Psionic Weapon. I guess calling it "regular" is a bit overstepping it... more like "once per combat when it really counts." Is there a rule that we missed that prohibits that combo?