Expanded Psionics Handbook

[kilamanjaro]

Just to be difficult, I thought the article was perfectly clear and I can't understand why some people are thinking it's a different stat for every discipline.

 

[Lalato]

It's OK to be difficult... I'm not nearly as intelligent as my dog thinks I am. Ahhhh... let me bask in the warm glow of my dog's reverance of me.

 

[kilamanjaro]

It's OK to be difficult... I'm not nearly as intelligent as my dog thinks I am. Ahhhh... let me bask in the warm glow of my dog's reverance of me.

LOL!
This quote almost makes me want to get a dog.
Almost.

 

[I'm A Banana]

No it wasn't - we can disagree on mental powers based on physical ability scores, but requiring multiple high ability scores was very unfair. (You needed Dex 14 to get dimension door, BTW, and not every psion is nimble like a wizard.) This would force MAD, which is something to avoid.

Read the whole post, man.

The problem with the original was that MAD was enforced. With a 'general' list of powers that don't use an ability score, or just use one, MAD is very much lessened, even if you need a Dex 14 to get Dimension Door. The original psion didn't have a general list, just 6 specific lists.

MAD is only there if you NEED the multipule high stats. With a generalist list, the psion would not NEED multipule high stats, but could still benefit from high non-mental stats.

 

[Particle_Man]

I wonder if Bruce put in the Mindscapes combat to replace old psionic combat, or just nixed psionic combat entirely.

Mindscapes was a cool notion, with some abusable flaws. The basic idea was that you sent your avatar to kick some other avatar's b$tt on some astral plane thingy created by the two of you for this purpose. You each got an extra attack per round but had to use it to do this or give up the attack. If you "hit", you got a minor 1 round advantage vs. that opponent in the "real world".

The abuse was that it wasn't too hard to get dr 3/- vs. an opponent, or a really beefy boost to the damage of your "Regular" psionic powers vs. that opponent. Plus, there was a feat that let you beat up on non-psionic avatars, which seemed grossly unfair, since it was pretty easy to hit them and they couldn't hit back, and in the "real world" they were not even aware of what you were doing.

But...mechanics aside (they can be fixed) I liked the idea. No clues, eh?

 

[Lalato]

It is my understanding that psionic combat has been replaced. However, it is not Mindscapes. According to a post I read by Bruce on the Monte Cook/Malhavoc boards, he noted that you could still use Mindscapes as an added supplement, if you prefer that system.

--sam

 

[Davelozzi]

what is the MAD you guys keep refering to?

We should make a new rule that whoever the first person to use MAD in a thread is has to explain it. This happens every single time, and understandably so.

 

[reiella]

We should make a new rule that whoever the first person to use MAD in a thread is has to explain it. This happens every single time, and understandably so.

But I like the idea of using psions as Mutually Assured Destruction weapons .

Bit disappointed with the blurb news on the half-giant so far, but I'll wait until it's in print and can see the transition .

Note about the implied campaign setting, it is quite possibly just flavor for the 'Generic D&D setting' (similiar to how the Vasharan are explained in BoVD).

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Read the whole post, man.

The problem with the original was that MAD was enforced. With a 'general' list of powers that don't use an ability score, or just use one, MAD is very much lessened, even if you need a Dex 14 to get Dimension Door. The original psion didn't have a general list, just 6 specific lists.

MAD is only there if you NEED the multipule high stats. With a generalist list, the psion would not NEED multipule high stats, but could still benefit from high non-mental stats.

Dimension door would be one of these general power, unless it's somehow broken to give psions an escape option. You would need a very short exclusive list - sort of like those shaper-only powers the preview mentioned.

 

[Aristotle]

I'm happy to see the old psionic combat system go. I never did like it, but I am also eager to see what they replace it with. I've thought the idea of psi-combat was cool since the original Dark Sun books came out... but the rules for combat never seemed to capture the same feel as the novels for me.

Psionics have pretty much always been my favorite addition to the rules. I really can't wait to see what this new book brings to the table.