In your current D&D 3.5 game, do the players or DM use Psionics and the XPH (Expanded
- Thread starter Xor
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We don't use them, because I as the DM dislike just about everything about the 3.x psionics books other than the introduction of power points. I dislike how new powers are gained, how they work, the classes and the majority of powers. Instead, the players are free to use the Psychic's Handbook from Green Ronin.
Many view Psions as just another list of spells/powers, YAH! That would be the point of having them introduced into your campaign. The more spells to choose from the better. Wizards are defined by their spell selection, or lack thereof.
1) I have only played a Psion Keneticist in 3.5 and so far he is a walking arsenal of energy. Great for the BIG BOOMER! He is the artillery of the party both long range and short, and has the staying power to finish a fight. His ability to alter the energy source at the time of manifestation is irreplaceable (fire, cold, electric or sonic). Only the Warmage or an evocation based Sorcerer can hold a candle to a Psion Keneticist, but they have either slower spell level progression or an extremely narrow spell choice. Wizards, clerics, are forced to memorize spells with the feats they wish to alter them with well ahead of time. They are forced to predict the future and that has made for terrible inefficiency in our campaigns in some cases leaving our party Wizards running for cover unable to cast their big attack spell. My Psions ability to augment his powers, choose the amount of damage di, add to DC, effect additional targets, spontaneously apply feats like widen power (my favorite for mass damage) all for x amount of points, LOVE THE PIONT SYSTEM!
So put me down as a advocate of the EPH!
Malum Fama Este
As he steps off of the soap box
1) I have only played a Psion Keneticist in 3.5 and so far he is a walking arsenal of energy. Great for the BIG BOOMER! He is the artillery of the party both long range and short, and has the staying power to finish a fight. His ability to alter the energy source at the time of manifestation is irreplaceable (fire, cold, electric or sonic). Only the Warmage or an evocation based Sorcerer can hold a candle to a Psion Keneticist, but they have either slower spell level progression or an extremely narrow spell choice. Wizards, clerics, are forced to memorize spells with the feats they wish to alter them with well ahead of time. They are forced to predict the future and that has made for terrible inefficiency in our campaigns in some cases leaving our party Wizards running for cover unable to cast their big attack spell. My Psions ability to augment his powers, choose the amount of damage di, add to DC, effect additional targets, spontaneously apply feats like widen power (my favorite for mass damage) all for x amount of points, LOVE THE PIONT SYSTEM!
So put me down as a advocate of the EPH!
Malum Fama Este
As he steps off of the soap box
ThirdWizard
First Post
I don't use psionics because nothing overly compells me to learn the system. My players have no interest in them, and I don't want to use Psi NPCs. It might add something to illithids and other psionic monsters, but they come up rarely enough that it isn't worth it to learn a whole new system for those rare cases.
Masquerade
First Post
1) Psionics and Incarnum are my campaign's bread and butter. I can't get enough.
kigmatzomat
Legend
1) and 6), sorta. The campaign has had psionics in it for some time. Two of the characters are working towards psionic classes (they have the wild talent feat) but neither can do anything with it right now.
I dealt with the goofiness of 1e psionics (but what wasn't unbalanced about 1e?) and the complete lack of integration with 2e (dang unique mechanisms) and was hopeful about the PsiHb. I was a lot more hesitant about psionics after one-shots quickly showed some of the broken or easily abused powers. The psi-warrior build I made to see how bad it could be if one of the players went that route was just horrific. (I ended up using him as a bodyguard that in sparring sessions could wipe the floor with the party melees either individually or 3 on 1.)
The XPH has far better balance and the powers still have flavor; all the more so that I'm mixing the XPH with an otherwise 3.0 campaign. It is harder to abuse (not impossible) without being nerfed. I'm quite pleased.
I dealt with the goofiness of 1e psionics (but what wasn't unbalanced about 1e?) and the complete lack of integration with 2e (dang unique mechanisms) and was hopeful about the PsiHb. I was a lot more hesitant about psionics after one-shots quickly showed some of the broken or easily abused powers. The psi-warrior build I made to see how bad it could be if one of the players went that route was just horrific. (I ended up using him as a bodyguard that in sparring sessions could wipe the floor with the party melees either individually or 3 on 1.)
The XPH has far better balance and the powers still have flavor; all the more so that I'm mixing the XPH with an otherwise 3.0 campaign. It is harder to abuse (not impossible) without being nerfed. I'm quite pleased.
GoblinMasquerade said:
Pretty much how I feel.
Boy, Magic of Incarnum is having a big impact on my current Greyhawk game.
I'm DMing a Soulknife in the game at present - very interesting. (And a range of other XPH characters going back through previous games).
Cheers!
In the campaign I'm DMing, I use psionics liberally when called for. It's an Eberron campaign, so there's plenty of places for psionics in the setting (Inspired, Kalashtar, various Aberrations), and one of the characters is playing a soulknife.
In the campaign where I'm a player, the DM doesn't like psionics, so we don't use them.
In the campaign where I'm a player, the DM doesn't like psionics, so we don't use them.
fnork de sporg
First Post
1
But not a lot. There was a psionic PC for a while, but he eventually was retired (we really needed another fighter-type). There's a small village of psionic half-orcs we stayed in, but we haven't been back. So it's not a main element by any stretch of the imagination, but it's out there.
But not a lot. There was a psionic PC for a while, but he eventually was retired (we really needed another fighter-type). There's a small village of psionic half-orcs we stayed in, but we haven't been back. So it's not a main element by any stretch of the imagination, but it's out there.
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