No one is thrilled with Psionic rule systems :(

[Voneth]

Since Star Wars and the PsiHB has come out, I've been looking into how 3rd party publishers have tried to offer an alternate system for supernatural abilites. It's been lonley research.

It seems that the d20 community at large is not a big fan of much beyond DND magic. [rant] Heck the PsiHB fourm on wizards is filled with "this sux!" or "Here is my homemade fix for what sux!" but you drop a line or two about some alternative systems -- they don't even offer a reply." [/rant]

In the recent reviews of the Judge Dredd game, the psionic rules got a quick gloss over. In reviewing the product, I discovered the game offers a take on DND psionics that fundmentaly changes the power level and feel of the psionic rules. (Here's to hoping that Psion gives a more in depth review of the psionic system in T20)

I've seen that Ken Hood's psionic system is now in print in Forbidden Kingdoms not that many people noticed.

And everyone talks about Spycraft this and that and not much about their two systems of psionics and magic.

I was about floored that I got quick answer about the "psionics" in Hell on Earth, which is basicly just DND magic.

And Farscape ...

who not given up on waiting for this product, never mind its psionic rules.

I just thought a lot more people would be jazzed about having optional rules to spice up the powers in their games.

 

[Neowolf]

I agree, I've personally thought of porting over the Talislanta magic rules to D&D for use in my own campaigns. In the Tal rules, there are no set spells, you actually make them up on the fly. There are different schools of magic (such as Crystolomancy and Elemental Magic) and different effects (such as Attack, Heal, Defend, Alter, Conjure, Summon, etc.). The way spells are made is that the caster will choose a school, an effect, and a level, then make a spellcasting roll to check the spell's success. There were no limits on how many spells per day a person could cast, but as they cast more and more spells they start getting a cumulative penalty that makes it more difficult to successfully accomplish what they were intending. Obviously, certain schools were better at certain effects: Fire Elemental Magic was good for Attack spells, Earth Elemental Magic was good for Defend spells, etc. The spell's level determined variables such as its damage, healing ability, and so on. All in all, it worked really well and gave spellscasters a ton of freedom in describing what their spells do.

My own pet peeve with psionics is how the different specializations are built on different ability scores (not that I mind psionics based on Wisdom or Charisma, but at the same time psionics based on Strength or Constitution just seems a bit silly to me). So let me get this straight... a half-orc with strength 20 can be a better psion than an elf with intelligence 18? If I were ever to DM a group interested in psionics, I would probably rework the specializations.

 

[Aaron L]

I would love alternate rules for magic and psionic systems, but with one caveat: they have to be balanced to work with the standard systems. I will not abandon standard Vancian D&D magic, but I would love to have another system to use alongside it. In fact, I actively search for such systems, because I want more and varied systems of magic within my game.

 

[Psion]

It seems that the d20 community at large is not a big fan of much beyond DND magic. [rant] Heck the PsiHB fourm on wizards is filled with "this sux!" or "Here is my homemade fix for what sux!"

Squeaky hinges, I assure you.

I hung out on the PsiHB forum over there for a while. I got tired of the old tired arguments being repeated again and again. They've died down over here pretty much.

And you know what: after a year with the Psionics Handbook in play, most of the concerns that some folks over here were putting forth (mainly JXLC), none of them actually ever panned out in play.

I've seen gathering of less vocal posters who are fine with the system.

but you drop a line or two about some alternative systems -- they don't even offer a reply." [/rant]

All talk, no action.

Or rather, they just like to complain. Typical.

(Here's to hoping that Psion gives a more in depth review of the psionic system in T20)

I'll put it at the top of my list of features to highlight this weekend.

I've seen that Ken Hood's psionic system is now in print in Forbidden Kingdoms not that many people noticed.

I am not a big Ken Hood fan. I do have FK, but haven't looked at it in enough depth to say how well it works.

And everyone talks about Spycraft this and that and not much about their two systems of psionics and magic.

I rather like Spycraft psionics... though I can't attest to how it actually works in play. It's a skills&feats type system.

 

[chatdemon]

Psionics is one of those love or hate things. I personally hate it, at least the way it's been done in most games in the past. IMO, it's either completely out of place (like in traveller) or the mechanics just don't mesh well with the existing supernatural stuff ( as in D&D).

A project I've toyed with now and then over the last year or so is adapting the D20 psionics rules (elements of all the versions I've seen, mainly the core D&D version and the Skills and Feats version that's floating around, Ken Hood's IIRC) and turning them into another branch of standard magic. Sort of a cross between the sorceror (since its inborn) and the cleric (since it relies on willpower and belief ). I don't have anything concrete to offer yet, but this is type of system I would be most likely to embrace.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Re: Re: No one is thrilled with Psionic rule systems

Squeaky hinges, I assure you.

I hung out on the PsiHB forum over there for a while. I got tired of the old tired arguments being repeated again and again. They've died down over here pretty much.

And you know what: after a year with the Psionics Handbook in play, most of the concerns that some folks over here were putting forth (mainly JXLC), none of them actually ever panned out in play.

I've seen gathering of less vocal posters who are fine with the system.



.

Maybe not in your play. But from JLXC's posts his complaints seem to have panned out in his play, and the complaints have panned out in my play. Virtually everyone who now has no problems uses ITCK which have some very large and fundamental changes in it. Personally I think if useing the errata + the minds eye stuff it gets fairly close to where it should be. ITCK I haven't played with much yet, though it looks good, and I think a combo of ITCK and minds eye woulf likely make psionics too good.

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I like psionics, always have, always will. I don't how ever like the psionics is just another type of magic deal, seems like an excuse to let the DM be lazy. I think it ruins the whole flavor of psionics.

 

[Voneth]

From what I saw in Judge Dredd, Mongoose tried to fix that with some flavor names (mental sting) and more powerful effects. They however stuck to the Spell system of DC saves to simplify things, however in a default JD game there is no magic.

I suggest at least picking up their upcoming $15 psionic supplement for DND psionics.

I think part of the "magionics" feel for the DND system lies in that it is level based. Almost every 3rd party publisher has to a feats and skills system, except for JD and perhaps Farscape.

 

[radferth]

psionic system

I use psionics in my D&D campaign (which has a lot of Lovecraft elements) as the magic that the old ones and their minions use; mainly just to have something different for the PCs to face. I don't much like the psi vs. psi combat system, but I don't know if I'll use it, fix it, or just trash it and have no psi vs. psi combat and convert mind blast into a spell (or whatever they are called in psionics.

Flavor aside, are the psionic classes balanced if one chucks the attack and defense modes?

I do like a psionics "system" which was presented in a very old issue of the dragon (don't have the exact reference). Here is a close paraphrase of the system:

1) A psionist is a character class like the magic-user. Rather than memorizing spells, they get 2 power points per level.

2) For their spell list, psionicist get the magic-user spell list, but the word "mental" or "mind" is added to the title of each spell (e.g. mental hold person, mind fireball). Each spell costs a number of power points equal to its level.

The author aknowledged it wasn't a great system, but was no worse than any other he has seen, and was much simpler.

 

[Neo]

Well speaking for myself i loved the Psionics Handbook and everything in it, and i enjoy the occasiona foray playing as a psionics user.

However it has by far recieved far more use in the games of Dragonstar i have run