Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder + Psionics

[Psion]

Please no! Make psionics different to magic!

Indeed.

Uh, no. Even as much as some of us old school psi fans may like the idea, in practice it's just a mess to try and integrate an entirely different system into most games. Psionics and magic have to be able to effect one another.

Disagree.

2e and before, it was a mess, because it didn't have any sort of parity with magic. Under 3.5, it does, and I found it to be anything but a mess in actual play.

As for basic PF conversions:
1) I agree with the earlier comment about a "zot" type ability.
2) Look out for trouble powers. One of the biggest corrections to casters in PF was nerfing trouble spells. 3.5 Psionics had more than its share of trouble powers. Clones of 3.5 polymorph spells and things that bust the action economies are the obvious targets.
3) PF version of energy substitution boosts a level... finally! It should be apparent that for parity, a PF psion should not have as much flexibility in their blast powers as they do under 3.5.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Conversion document.

Thanks!

 

[Philosopher]

Actually, as I intimidated above, we already do have arcane and divine resistance, along with numerous other kinds of resistance. For instance, holy aura offers "spell resistance 25 against evil spells and spells cast by evil creatures." I suppose you could always grant "spell resistance 25 against psionic spells and spells cast by psionic creatures." Is that less complex than "psionic resistance 25?"

I would prefer that, actually. What makes it complex is not merely how it's worded, it's a matter of how much extra rules (beyond core) that are needed, and how they all interact.

If psionic resistance is just the same as spell resistance (same goes for any other game concept), then you're needlessly redefining what's already defined in the game. You're adding extra terms and concepts that don't do anything that isn't already done.

If they're not quite the same, then there's the issue of remembering which one is which at any given moment. The advantage of exception based rules is that you're always using the same core, and all of the minor differences are based on whatever spell, ability, whatever, is being used in the moment. Remembering what my evil spell resistance does is much easier if it's specified in the specific ability I'm using.

Besides, it's not like all psionic creatures had more resistance to psionic powers than they did to psionic spells, so the special resistance to psionic powers that you described wouldn't need to be found in every psionic creature.

 

[krupintupple]

as an exercise of thought, why not also a divine, incarnum or shadow spell resistance too? technically, if you want to slice it thusly, go ahead, but i'd rather not. divine is a different distinction than arcane, as are numerous other sources, but i find it far easier to read "spell resistance" and know that it also equates to "psionic resistance". does it serve to "flatten" the different manner of powers and abilities of a campaign? potentially. but does it really do much more than just give more complexities where none were due? probably not.

given, a unique interaction would be nice, but it seems that it would just be so much frill that, frankly, after the third week of an ongoing campaign would be wholly forgotten.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

As other have said at this point dreamscarred is the only one updateing the 3.5 psionic rule set. James has said that when they do a book it will not be using the spell point system but Vanican and it will not be called a psion.

 

[Xyxox]

As other have said at this point dreamscarred is the only one updateing the 3.5 psionic rule set. James has said that when they do a book it will not be using the spell point system but Vanican and it will not be called a psion.

Thanks for that info. It saves me from waiting on dreamscarred and puts me back to house ruling it myself.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thanks for that info. It saves me from waiting on dreamscarred and puts me back to house ruling it myself.

Ditto, because while I love the Vancian system for spellcasters, I prefer points for psi.

(I may still give it a look-see, though.)

 

[Shisumo]

Ditto, because while I love the Vancian system for spellcasters, I prefer points for psi.

(I may still give it a look-see, though.)

Um... but Dreamscarred's version does use points...?

"James" is James Jacobs from Paizo, not anyone from Dreamscarred.

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

Yeah dreamscarred is putting out the 3.5 system update. Paizo is not gonna be updating that system. Sorry if I caused confusion.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Aha- gotcha!