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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ruleslawyer" data-source="post: 2717842" data-attributes="member: 1757">Well, now. Familiar is a sor/wiz class feature, and burning hands is a sor/wiz spell. That means that most people able to cast the spell (I am assuming here that the domain users, wand-wielders, and spell storing ring wearers comprise fewer than 50%) will know exactly what a familiar is and what the ramifications of its demise are. Seems more like good tactics than DM rancor to me. That said, as to the main topic of this discussion, I still think the wizard has it in spades over the psion for several reasons:1) Melee? Who cares about melee? Neither of these characters should be getting in a stand-up fight. Same goes for grappling. If you actually have to test your ability to respond to a grapple, and you're not at a level where you can have a stilled dimension door prepped, you deserve to die. Nor is the psion, with his puny d4 hit die, going to fare all that much better than the wizard in the grip of a barbarian or monk.2) While D&D does reward specialization over versatility, there is a downward limit to how much you can restrict your options and still stay with the power curve. The wizard's ability to learn every arcane spell in the books counts for a LOT. The psion can pull off what he knows (typically inertial armor, metamorphosis, schism, and a few blasting powers) pretty darn well. However, the restriction on the number of powers he can use is pretty hurtful. In KDs example regarding the psion, for instance, those four AC-boosting powers represent a quarter of what the 7th-level psion knows in total. The wizard is still left with numerous other options. Let's say, for example, that there arises a situation in which flying, invisible scouting, summoning an extra ally, setting up a flanking condition, buffing another party member, etc etc (the typical range of situations that suggest themselves in any of my games, at least) come up. What then?3) Finally, wizards may run out of spells somewhat at lower levels, but the problem, IMX (and I've done a LOT of high-level 3e gaming) doesn't really arise at high levels. Wizards can sling out spells in every combat and have room for more. I don't see the psion's more efficient use of resources to engage in melee (!) as really an advantage.</blockquote>

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