sinmissing
First Post
I haven't actually used GR's PH, but does it look like the Psychic has the same exploit as the 3.0 Psion; where you can perform actions that generate strain, but heal more strain with the healing powers than they cause?
Grim Tales and Green Ronin's psychics handbook
- Thread starter Charles Gray
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sinmissing
First Post
Does anyone have any thoughts on how Strain could be converted to Spell Burn? The suggestion of using Ability Damage was, not helpful.
I was thinking that each 6 points of Strain = 1d of Spell Burn, but that makes some of the powers cost as much as 10d. Is that good, bad or balanced?
I was thinking that each 6 points of Strain = 1d of Spell Burn, but that makes some of the powers cost as much as 10d. Is that good, bad or balanced?
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
I'd say that's balanced ... actually I'd put it down on the low end of the spectrum.
I used a Strain system for my Skills'n'Feats magic system ... my average Strain numbers are divisible by 3 ... just seemed to work for me.
The average Strain for any particular skill in the book seems to be 4 or so. If you're using a 6 Strain = 1d then most skills in the book are going to be 1d burn skills.
I used 3 Strain = 1d for my own conversion. Most skills are then 1-2d with some of the bigger ones getting to 4d. I don't think my Diabolism list had any that would convert to more than 4d of burn ... which is quite a bit, but most of those high Strain numbers are from variable-DC effects (which I see in Psychic Handbook as well) with corresponding DCs of 25-30. At half-ranks that takes a while to tag regularly.
Most of the Psychic Handbook stuff is divisible by 2 ... I'd say maybe ... 4 Strain = 1d?
--fje
I used a Strain system for my Skills'n'Feats magic system ... my average Strain numbers are divisible by 3 ... just seemed to work for me.
The average Strain for any particular skill in the book seems to be 4 or so. If you're using a 6 Strain = 1d then most skills in the book are going to be 1d burn skills.
I used 3 Strain = 1d for my own conversion. Most skills are then 1-2d with some of the bigger ones getting to 4d. I don't think my Diabolism list had any that would convert to more than 4d of burn ... which is quite a bit, but most of those high Strain numbers are from variable-DC effects (which I see in Psychic Handbook as well) with corresponding DCs of 25-30. At half-ranks that takes a while to tag regularly.
Most of the Psychic Handbook stuff is divisible by 2 ... I'd say maybe ... 4 Strain = 1d?
--fje
sinmissing
First Post
I'm glad you have this product Heap, because I got tired of waiting for you to post SFX: Diabolism and went hunting for it myself. Good read by the way. When I saw that Alternity used strain, and you had converted it to Spell Burn, I hoped to ask you about your thoughts of GR's PH, but hadn't seen you post in this topic.
I don't know where to place the middle in terms of strain cost. Most stuff seems to be relatively low (4), but then you see examples where a Take 20 Psychic Weapon costs 60 Strain. (That's 10d - 12d! - serves them right, no argument there.) Mindswitch costs 12, so that would be 2d or 3d, by your suggestion.
I'd like to hear from people who have been using this system. What trends do you see in strain costs?
Also, with Psychic ability already being Feat Heavy, I'm not sure if there is enough room to add Improved Caster Level and Master Eldritch Flow. hmm . . .
I don't know where to place the middle in terms of strain cost. Most stuff seems to be relatively low (4), but then you see examples where a Take 20 Psychic Weapon costs 60 Strain. (That's 10d - 12d! - serves them right, no argument there.) Mindswitch costs 12, so that would be 2d or 3d, by your suggestion.
I'd like to hear from people who have been using this system. What trends do you see in strain costs?
Also, with Psychic ability already being Feat Heavy, I'm not sure if there is enough room to add Improved Caster Level and Master Eldritch Flow. hmm . . .
HeapThaumaturgist
First Post
Sorry about the slow. I got carried away with our Int argument and sort of forgot it until JonRog jogged my memory. Recently posted it up in another thread. I'd deleted the PDF and had to re-build it from my Pagemaker document. Corrected a few errors, while I was at it. Nothing major though.
In the end I think it comes down to an assumption with Strain, as-is, that HPs go up over time. At 1st-5th level you can't take 20 with that skill without passing out. When you convert to Spell Burn, say, you just ... can't take 20. Unless you're a Psychic monster or something like that with humongous Str. Even then ... the problem with Strain-as-Spellburn is that you begin to severely limit a battle-oriented Psychic. (It's hard to be an effective combatant when your combat-skills cause you to become weaker.)
--fje
In the end I think it comes down to an assumption with Strain, as-is, that HPs go up over time. At 1st-5th level you can't take 20 with that skill without passing out. When you convert to Spell Burn, say, you just ... can't take 20. Unless you're a Psychic monster or something like that with humongous Str. Even then ... the problem with Strain-as-Spellburn is that you begin to severely limit a battle-oriented Psychic. (It's hard to be an effective combatant when your combat-skills cause you to become weaker.)
--fje
sinmissing
First Post
np
GR does recommend, possibly, that the Attribute burn could work on the attributes which modify the skill in question. Maybe, as will Magical Adept, one could balance attribute damage against STR, CON, and or the modifying attribute as well?
GR does recommend, possibly, that the Attribute burn could work on the attributes which modify the skill in question. Maybe, as will Magical Adept, one could balance attribute damage against STR, CON, and or the modifying attribute as well?
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