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For Nail - The Psion
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<blockquote data-quote="Thanee" data-source="post: 2270139" data-attributes="member: 478"><p>This is true, but is this really an issue? How many long range spells/powers do you need to not be ineffective? One? A few? Psions get enough of those for sure and a huge majority of confrontations will happen at short range, anyways (or is that different in your games?).</p><p></p><p>Out-of-combat, range is usually no issue at all (except in rare, specific circumstances).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Correct. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That might be. In general, the self-buffing powers are pretty good, tho.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>7th level for Egoists, 9th level for everyone else. Not really a difference to typical sorcerers.</p><p></p><p>That "some exceptions" part for sorcerers is funny... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> 99% exceptions?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yeah, right! <em>Psionic Dominate</em> is a really bad power. C'mon! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Okay, a minor issue, close to being neglectable.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yep, a sorcerer can buff his-/herselves AND others Str (for example) with <em>Bull's Strength</em>.</p><p>A psion can buff his-/herselves Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha with <em>Animal Affinity</em>.</p><p></p><p>Sounds like a fair deal to me, if not more.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Ok. Not much of an issue either, since summoned creatures tend to be rather weak overall.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>There are actually quite a few spells, which psions do not have access to.</p><p></p><p>There are also some powers, which arcanists have no access to.</p><p>Some of those are quite powerful, too (i.e. <em>Psychic Reformation</em>, <em>Psionic Restoration</em>, <em>Psionic Freedom of Movement</em>, etc).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Granted. A very minor issue, tho.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><em>Burst</em> did get a hit with the new <em>Swift Expeditious Retreat</em> for sure.</p><p>Previously, the free action was a good advantage, now it is no longer.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yeah, a disadvantage (if you can even call it that), that is about completely neglectable from 3rd level onwards.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yep. That is one of the areas, where arcane spells are certainly better.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>True enough. Maybe there will be some more in future. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yep, in some campaigns that could be an issue. Most often, you can then buy items, which will lessen the impact quite effectively. Even arcane casters do not usually find the stuff they really want. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I would rather compare the swapping to the auto-level-scaling psions get. The sorcerer has a very limited form of upgrading spells (to higher versions, or something else; this is mostly to prevent sorcerers from avoiding low-level spells with caps, since they would then be stuck with those choices forever like in 3.0).</p><p></p><p>The psion gets this ability for free for (pretty much) all powers (except, of course, that the psion cannot change to a completely different power), there are very few powers for psions, which are completely useless later on, since there are (almost) no caps and many scale with the power level (can be augmented to higher versions). With a careful choice of powers (which sorcerers, even with the ability to swap one spell every other level, also have to do) this is no issue at all and overall even an advantage for the psion, since it works on the full breadth of their chosen powers, not just an extremely limited amount.</p><p></p><p><em>Psychic Reformation</em>, while costing a power known, completely tops this ability by being able to rewrite almost your whole character (for a cost, of course).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yep, that is also the wizard's advantage over the sorcerer.</p><p></p><p>They have to prepare their spells, tho. No spontaneous casting/manifesting for them.</p><p>A quick look at the sorcerer and the wizard class shows, how much this ability is worth.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A bonus feat, no less. Psions do not get Scribe Scroll or an equivalent, but neither do sorcerers.</p><p></p><p>Being able to not obtain a familiar, which as I have read many arcane casters do (I don't know why, I like familiars, but still), is a big advantage for the psion. I guess, if you could swap the familiar for a bonus feat, many arcanists would do so.</p><p></p><p>We all know what makes the human such a powerful race. It's the bonus feat at 1st level!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Did you include all the augmentable powers, or only those with "mass" in their name?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Agreed. That is a huge disadvantage.</p><p></p><p>However, since their powers known are limited (as with the sorcerer), this disadvantage is not as big as it would be, if they were more akin to wizards (then it would be REALLY huge).</p><p></p><p>Also, with the bonus feats, this disadvantage is lessened further.</p><p></p><p>In the end, it comes to how any psion's power selection really looks like compared to a spell list a sorcerer can cast the daily spells from. That is the only spell/power list, that is really relevant. If you look at those, I don't think the psion is at such a disadvantage, really. All in all (including the quicker access to higher levels and the higher number of powers of the highest levels) the psion is probably at a rather big advantage even. We all know how much more important the highest known levels are.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Yes, but by the time they run out, they have already done like half-again or even twice as much.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>See 14).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>See 9).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Who is missing that? I certainly am not. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>So much for sure.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Sure.</p><p></p><p>Higher offense, lower defense... that sounds like a reasonable trade-off to me.</p><p></p><p>The problem is just, that psions get more advantages (see last paragraph of above post) than disadvantages compared to sorcerers (or arcane casters in general).</p><p></p><p>Bye</p><p>Thanee</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Thanee, post: 2270139, member: 478"] This is true, but is this really an issue? How many long range spells/powers do you need to not be ineffective? One? A few? Psions get enough of those for sure and a huge majority of confrontations will happen at short range, anyways (or is that different in your games?). Out-of-combat, range is usually no issue at all (except in rare, specific circumstances). Correct. :) That might be. In general, the self-buffing powers are pretty good, tho. 7th level for Egoists, 9th level for everyone else. Not really a difference to typical sorcerers. That "some exceptions" part for sorcerers is funny... :D 99% exceptions? Yeah, right! [i]Psionic Dominate[/i] is a really bad power. C'mon! ;) Okay, a minor issue, close to being neglectable. Yep, a sorcerer can buff his-/herselves AND others Str (for example) with [i]Bull's Strength[/i]. A psion can buff his-/herselves Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha with [i]Animal Affinity[/i]. Sounds like a fair deal to me, if not more. Ok. Not much of an issue either, since summoned creatures tend to be rather weak overall. There are actually quite a few spells, which psions do not have access to. There are also some powers, which arcanists have no access to. Some of those are quite powerful, too (i.e. [i]Psychic Reformation[/i], [i]Psionic Restoration[/i], [i]Psionic Freedom of Movement[/i], etc). Granted. A very minor issue, tho. [i]Burst[/i] did get a hit with the new [i]Swift Expeditious Retreat[/i] for sure. Previously, the free action was a good advantage, now it is no longer. Yeah, a disadvantage (if you can even call it that), that is about completely neglectable from 3rd level onwards. Yep. That is one of the areas, where arcane spells are certainly better. True enough. Maybe there will be some more in future. :) Yep, in some campaigns that could be an issue. Most often, you can then buy items, which will lessen the impact quite effectively. Even arcane casters do not usually find the stuff they really want. :) I would rather compare the swapping to the auto-level-scaling psions get. The sorcerer has a very limited form of upgrading spells (to higher versions, or something else; this is mostly to prevent sorcerers from avoiding low-level spells with caps, since they would then be stuck with those choices forever like in 3.0). The psion gets this ability for free for (pretty much) all powers (except, of course, that the psion cannot change to a completely different power), there are very few powers for psions, which are completely useless later on, since there are (almost) no caps and many scale with the power level (can be augmented to higher versions). With a careful choice of powers (which sorcerers, even with the ability to swap one spell every other level, also have to do) this is no issue at all and overall even an advantage for the psion, since it works on the full breadth of their chosen powers, not just an extremely limited amount. [i]Psychic Reformation[/i], while costing a power known, completely tops this ability by being able to rewrite almost your whole character (for a cost, of course). Yep, that is also the wizard's advantage over the sorcerer. They have to prepare their spells, tho. No spontaneous casting/manifesting for them. A quick look at the sorcerer and the wizard class shows, how much this ability is worth. A bonus feat, no less. Psions do not get Scribe Scroll or an equivalent, but neither do sorcerers. Being able to not obtain a familiar, which as I have read many arcane casters do (I don't know why, I like familiars, but still), is a big advantage for the psion. I guess, if you could swap the familiar for a bonus feat, many arcanists would do so. We all know what makes the human such a powerful race. It's the bonus feat at 1st level! Did you include all the augmentable powers, or only those with "mass" in their name? Agreed. That is a huge disadvantage. However, since their powers known are limited (as with the sorcerer), this disadvantage is not as big as it would be, if they were more akin to wizards (then it would be REALLY huge). Also, with the bonus feats, this disadvantage is lessened further. In the end, it comes to how any psion's power selection really looks like compared to a spell list a sorcerer can cast the daily spells from. That is the only spell/power list, that is really relevant. If you look at those, I don't think the psion is at such a disadvantage, really. All in all (including the quicker access to higher levels and the higher number of powers of the highest levels) the psion is probably at a rather big advantage even. We all know how much more important the highest known levels are. Yes, but by the time they run out, they have already done like half-again or even twice as much. See 14). See 9). Who is missing that? I certainly am not. :) So much for sure. Sure. Higher offense, lower defense... that sounds like a reasonable trade-off to me. The problem is just, that psions get more advantages (see last paragraph of above post) than disadvantages compared to sorcerers (or arcane casters in general). Bye Thanee [/QUOTE]
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