Is this a gamebreaker?

[Rystil Arden]

So, the real question here is: does this "simple example" actually play to any of the psion's strengths? Methinks you need a better example.

Well we have to use damage dealing attack spells because that was the type of psion (Psychokineticist) that I was supposed to compare. As to how I made the example: I was trying to help the Psion out. If you include metamagic and metapsionic feats, the sorcerer will do massive amounts more than the psion.

 

[Nail]

Try a Shaper.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Try a Shaper.

I know very well what a Shaper can do, but look above. The comparison was asked for a Psychokineticist.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Wow, yea. Our party recently got a Psion (telekineticist) to join us and by far he takes the cake as far as power goes. He can lay the smack down time and time again, without stopping, it's kinda ugly. In the Psion's first full-out combat there came a poitn where everyone at the game table (even the DM) stopped... we were all just so surprised that the Psion was readying another blast-thingy attack afterall he had already manifested that day! Egads. I think the burden of proof ies on those who say Psions are "balanced", rather than the folk who say otherwise.

OK, admittedly he said telekineticist, but I think it clearly wasn't a telepath. Also, he was very rude to my first comparison. If you would concede the Psychokineticist to me on his behalf, I'll move on to the Shaper (and there I wouldn't be surprised if the Psion did win out over the Sorcerer).

 

[Nail]

I know very well what a Shaper can do, but look above. The comparison was asked for a Psychokineticist.

Before a year ago or so, I didn't know what a psion could do. I thought: "hey, they can't be that bad, right? they're on their second version (3.5e, expanded), and I'm sure they've taken care of the balance issues."

Then a fellow player started playing a Psion, starting at level 7 or so.

Psions can make fine blasters, but they do even better with their self-buffs, constructs, and force/ectoplasmic goo spells. Oh, and those "Crystal" spells. Moreover, they can take a wide range of specialized powers (with feats) and boost them (with extra power points). The other spell-casting classes do not have this versitility. (A Sor can't take Paladin spells, for example.)

Still, my Clr 14 gives it a shot, at least, as does our Wiz 14 and Sor 13/Clr1. And as a DM, I work on making it challenging for the psion.

The common phrase you hear around the table, right after the psion has either avoided certain death or defeated all of our opponents, is "...and the psion class isn't over-powered at all!"

Fortunately, the player of the Psion is a real great guy to game with!

 

[Bront]

I find it interesting that you are all talking about a Fighter/Mage as a front line fighter. I have an elven character with similar level stats (As with everyone else in the game to, so no unfair advantage), who has made an excelent archer (and perhaps an arcane archer later).

You don't need to worry as much about being a front line fighter, because with Precice Shot, you can use your bow and still support the front line fighters, the range gives you more versitility to use your spells out of danger of attacks of opertunity, and you can take the Rapid Shot feat to get an extra attack without ever having to use a prep spell. The high dex helps even more.

It's not a gamebreaker, even when he does have one of the more powerful weapons in the party, especialy since, as a party, we work as a team. Not everyone has to be super in combat to be cool, and in a well done party, not everyone will be. And those who are not strong in combat are often stronger in many useful non-combat ways that a combat focused character could envy.

 

[EPRock]

Ultimately it all boils down to the Skill of the DM,

If one specific character is mopping all the enemies, there are many things that can be done to stop it. We do not use Psionics in any of the games that I play or run so I am not able to describe ways to stop them.

But if a sorcerer is destroying the whole party have a rogue sneak up beside them (invisibily) and as they are going to cast a spell of death, stabby stabby...

 

[Nail]

Ultimately it all boils down to the Skill of the DM,....(snip).....But if a sorcerer is destroying the whole party have a rogue sneak up beside them (invisibily) and as they are going to cast a spell of death, stabby stabby...

And you'd have that happen ever encounter, I assume. Or maybe just limit that to once per gaming night.

That's what a skilled DM would do, at any rate, right?

 

[Thanee]

One question: Why did you choose the Sun Elf specifically? Roleplaying reasons?

Just wondering, since you could have the very same stats as a human and have an extra feat (which is quite useful for such a character).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Scratched_back]

One question: Why did you choose the Sun Elf specifically? Roleplaying reasons?

Just wondering, since you could have the very same stats as a human and have an extra feat (which is quite useful for such a character).

Bye
Thanee

I like elves as a race. Partly for roleplaying reasons, partly for nice little extras like spot/listen bonuses and low light vision. Above anything else though, for roleplaying. I'd never played (nor witnessed anybody else playing) a Sun Elf and thought they could be fun. Haughty and almost racist... elite if you like.

I remember a thread on EN World spanning ten pages almost about Sun Elves and were they/weren't they racist, hahah