Novel approach to "fixing" psionics

[Staffan]

A thought occured to me last night that one of the major problems of the psion is that it doesn't really have a niche. When they first designed 3e (and even further back for AD&D and OD&D), they probably thought up a list of possible supernatural effects and split them up between clerics and wizards (with a bit of overlap). Then they added the psion, which basically had to do the same things the cleric and wizard already did - OK, sometimes the psion is better at something, but there are very few things that are exclusively psion-ish.

One possible solution to making the psion more attractive might be to decrease the portfolio of powers available to wizards and clerics instead of increasing the power level of the psion (OK, it could probably use a bit of boost anyway). Some spells that should probably leave the wizard list would be things like Detect Thoughts and maybe various Charm/Dominate spells - or at least increase their level.

The major problem I can see is that removing most of the classical psychic abilities from the wizard would totally nerf the Enchanter and to a lesser extent the diviner (ESP and telepathy/mind control are the first things that come to mind when talking about psychic powers, with telekinesis a distant third).

 

[ichabod]

This is actually a lot like how Rolemaster did it. They had three kinds of casters: chanellers (clerics), essence users (wizards), and mentalists (psions). It was all considered magic, but the breakdown is the same as you're thinking. If you want more details go buy a used copy of Spell Law.

As for nerfing the wizard, it's going to be hard to make the wizard weaker without making the wizard weaker.

 

[Staffan]

This is actually a lot like how Rolemaster did it. They had three kinds of casters: chanellers (clerics), essence users (wizards), and mentalists (psions). It was all considered magic, but the breakdown is the same as you're thinking. If you want more details go buy a used copy of Spell Law.[/B>

I've played Rolemaster a bit, but I wasn't actually thinking about it when I wrote that. It just occured to me that psions were kind of niche-less, and that might be a reason for its perceived wimpiness.

As for nerfing the wizard, it's going to be hard to make the wizard weaker without making the wizard weaker.

I was mostly thinking about nerfing the specific wizard type. Seeing as the archetypical psychic abilities deal with telepathy and ESP, the diviner and enchanter would take a serious blow from something like this - the enchanter more than the diviner, I think. Specialists like the Evoker or Necromancer, on the other hand, wouldn't care much.

 

[Bean 2.0]

how would a sorcerer fit into this because really the way i see it try nerfing sorcerers might work

 

[Staffan]

how would a sorcerer fit into this because really the way i see it try nerfing sorcerers might work

I've considered that too, but I'm a bit sceptical toward removing a whole class. That said, the sorcerer and psion do have many similarities, with both having relatively freeform casting/manifestation of a small number of known spells/powers.

 

[bebo]

but still where else in anthor class can u say ill disable him didnt work ill disable him again ad again and agin then pound on him with a stick like grand theft auto

 

[Staffan]

but still where else in anthor class can u say ill disable him didnt work ill disable him again ad again and agin then pound on him with a stick like grand theft auto

The sorcerer is pretty good at that too.