High Powerer Campaign - Psion?

[The Souljourner]

A friend of mine is planning a high powered campaign, and I'm considering playing a psion in it. Now, I've heard from some people that the psion is a very under powered class. I wanted to have everyone's opinion on how that might change given the following information.

Stats for this campaign will be determined as follows:

One 10
One 24
Four 10+2d6

Now, given that I can be guaranteed a 24 in my primary stat, and an average of 17 in all but one other, now how do you think a psion will fare in comparison to the rest of the party?

I don't mind if I'm not the best at any one thing, but I hate feeling powerless compared to the rest of the party.

Thoughts?

-The Souljourner

 

[Shard O'Glase]

They are generally only slightly underpowered. If you use the wizards online supplements(minds eye) they are even closer to balanced. The big problem is they don't have many PP so they run out quick unless your happy busting level one powers all day. And there attacks don't scale in damage. this is a problem in diversity really, most psions take virtually no damage dealing powers and primarily take save or die style powers(telepath powers mostly) Even people who don't have problems with save or die powers might develop one with the huge volume of save or dies being used.

i personally think the shaper is the best of the lot(not the most powerful, but the best) The minds eye article on them helped a lot as well. Oh and trigger ecto pupet rules(get a+6 int headband for a +10 attribute check). And like a sorcerer being able to pick your powers form a high elvel helps a lot, you can ignor powers that would suck at high levels. I kind of like the constructor prestige class as well(again minde eye) but its pre-reqs are tough especially the one that requires you know all the astral construct powers. Still I like the summoning astral construct thing and mastering that is cool.

 

[Spatzimaus]

Constructor is incredible. On paper it may look a bit iffy, especially that "know all Astral Construct powers" part, but in reality the pets get amazing. Instead of 1-3 powers, you get 4-6 from an expanded list. Instead of 2-5 constructs you get 3-8. And so on.
You're good for other stuff, too. After all, constructs are Metacreative, which means INT as prime stat, which means lots of skill points AND Metacreativity has a lot of other useful powers (Fabricate and Mass Cocoon are my favorites)

The biggest drawbacks of a Psion:
> They have the spells/day of the Wizard with the spells known of a Sorcerer. You REALLY end up being a one-tactic guy in combat.
> They're like specialist Wizards: they have to spread their points around just to get high enough stats to take powers from a few other disciplines. Getting all disciplines after level 4 is pretty much impossible.
In your campaign it won't be a problem, but my Psion was made with 30-point-buy and it IS a problem for him.
> They can't do direct damage well, but make up for it with some great indirect attacks (telepathy, the cocoon powers, etc.)

In combat, you'll often feel a bit shortchanged. But, overall, it's a good class; it multiclasses really well, and each discipline is different enough that they're practically their own classes.

 

[Urbanmech]

Check out "If Thoughs Could Kill" by Bruce Cordell. It addresses several of the shortcomings of the psion class. It gives rules for power scaling, secondary disiplines and an increased power point chart that brings the psion in line with the wizard for number of spells cast.

I don't recomend using the converted wizard spells, there are more than enough unique psion powers that they don't need to crib from the wizard list.

For a high level psion remember that you can use metapsionics much better than any other caster.

 

[Berk]

If I had to play a psion I would deffinately choose the constructer class. One of those almost took out an entire 10th level party, they are pretty neat, specially with all the other powers and abilities you can give your constructs from the expanded list.

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

It also depends on how much Psionic combat there is going to be. Mind Blast is down right nasty, espicially for a Psionic who is going to get tons of bonus Power Points, and against non-Psionics (3D4 rounds stun with a +4 to DC). Also you will want to consider if your DM plays the Psionics are different rule. If that is the case then you can become very useful since your abilities can work while the group's arcane/divine spell casters can't.

 

[The Souljourner]

Thanks for the tips. I guess I'm going to need to buy ITCK.

I took a quick look at Mind's Eye in general and the constructor in particular, and they both look very interesting. Although the constructor is not exactly what I had envisioned, it might be worth envisioning

I definitely like the new powers in Mind's Eye. Psychokinetic blast is exactly the type of power I would love to have as a psionicist.

I doubt the DM will use Psionics Are Different, simply because it's a pain in the butt.

Anyone else want to chime in on things they like about psions?

-The Souljourner

 

[zorlag]

-

Another vote for ITCK, especially to the revised power point table. And creature capacitor is a great feat...

Z.

 

[Urbanmech]

Another set of feats to look at from the Minds Eye are the psychic meditation feats. There is also a PrC to go with them. Great for a little boost for an hour a day or longer if you take the PrC.

I you want reviesed PrC's check out www.montecook.com archived The Stuff. Bruce Cordell reworked all the PrC's from the back of the psionics handbook to work with the more accepted +1 manifester level chart.

Don't expect your psion to outdamage the wizard or the sorcerer. Focus more on being able to use abilites over and over again. Inertial Barrier and True Sight are just great for helping out your party. If your DM doesn't like save or die effects then maybe the Psion isn't the best choice unless you choose to become a Shaper.

Savants can fill in for the party rogue when it comes to traps and detecting stuff. An egoist probalby isn't the best choice for a fighter type but Deep Impact can make up for the lack of a high BAB.

Most of the psion subclasses can be turned into a fun, versitile characters. Also remember that at high levels your Metapsionic cap is your manifester level -1, so a 20th lv psion can metamagic 9th lv powers with extend or other +2 PP effects.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Actually, I've seen a 5th-level egoist kick butt.

You need to use the errata'd version of Vigor, and all the Vigor-chain powers at the Mind's Eye.

You also want Metaphysical Body. A Hostile psicrystal is nice too.