Planning a new Psionics campaign - any advice?

[Waylander]

Hi!

Previously I've always kept psionics out of my fantasy campaigns. However, in a new campaign I'm putting together for my players I've decided to replace magic with psionics. As I've never included psionics in any 3.xE campaign so far I'd be grateful for any experience other people might have had in terms of what I should look out for.

To set the scene. In terms of resources I have the WotC books (Expanded Psionics Handbook, Complete Psionic) and on a whim I bought the following on eBay for 99p each! (d20 Mindscapes, If Thoughts Could Kill, Beyond All Reason, Of Sound Mind, Psionics Toolkit). They've not arrived yet so I've no idea what to expect but it seemed to good an opportunity to resist at that price.

Also, with regards to campaign world I'm planning to use Eberron (which we have never played in so far).

Many thanks in advance

 

[Herobizkit]

My only thought would be to impress upon the players that running an all-Psion campaign is much like running an all-Sorcerer campaign. Healing abilities are few and far between, but everyone will have awesome combat and/or utility powers.

It would really be in your best interest to limit the players to the XPH and CompPsi but draw your own material for monsters, villains et al from your 3rd-party products. In all seriousness, the XPH is by far one of the best put-together books of the official 3e library (and I wouldn't at all be surprised if you start running your 3e casters using the PP mechanic) and adding 3rd-party products to the already unfamiliar Psionic rules will give players a headache and an anneurism for yourself. Keep it simple and introduce new concepts one at a time.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

DSP-d20-SRD: Home

Dreamscarred not only makes some truly excellent psionic material, but they even made a wiki-like thing to host it all for free ;p

It also gives you a method of healing via psionic classes.

Other then that, I'd recommend not using the CPsi errata, as much of it is just trash. For that matter, much of CPsi as a whole is trash.

Edit: I can't comment on the books you bought, as I know nothing about them. Dreamscarred is excellent though, and it's made by some major fans of psionics and of XPH, so you don't have to deal with even more new and fiddly rulesets.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Indeed, if you are into 3e Psionics, look up Dreamscarred Press, pronto. As chance would have it, they even released a purely psionic (as in, with no 'magic', per se) world: Third Dawn. No, I am in no way affiliated, related or what have you. DSP are simply the best choice for first place to turn to, after you get hold of the XPH.

Re: those other products you picked up, Waylander, I believe they are all 3.0, not 3.5, and therefore for use with the Psionics Handbook, *not* the Expanded Psionics Handbook. So beware! They are rather different systems - not just a matter of a simple update, or additional content. Completely different, I'd go so far as to say. Of Sound Mind was pretty decent, IIRC; not so sure of the others.

One book not already mentioned, that should be, is Hyperconscious. Handily, it also includes full 3.5 updates (. . . so hey, it *can* be done. . .) for Mindscapes and If Thoughts Could Kill! So yeah, if you plan to use those others, grab this one for sure - check eBay and Amazon, I guess, or PDF stores if preferred. It's also plenty solid, on its own merits.

 

[Waylander]

My only thought would be to impress upon the players that running an all-Psion campaign is much like running an all-Sorcerer campaign. Healing abilities are few and far between, but everyone will have awesome combat and/or utility powers.

It would really be in your best interest to limit the players to the XPH and CompPsi but draw your own material for monsters, villains et al from your 3rd-party products . . .

Good advice I'm sure I've read the ocassional criticism of the XPH is there anything to be wary of there?

Dreamscarred not only makes some truly excellent psionic material, but they even made a wiki-like thing to host it all for free ;p. . . .

Many thanks - I'll be sure to check out Dreamscarred Press!

Re: those other products you picked up . . . I believe they are all 3.0, not 3.5, and therefore for use with the Psionics Handbook, *not* the Expanded Psionics Handbook. So beware! . . . One book not already mentioned, that should be, is Hyperconscious. Handily, it also includes full 3.5 updates (. . . so hey, it *can* be done. . .) for Mindscapes and If Thoughts Could Kill! . . .

Thank you - I wasn't aware of the edition difference being so problematic. I have purchased a copy of Hyperconscious as you've suggested (not bad at £6). With regards to campaign setting I am keen to use Eberron but as I've said above I will taking a look at Dreamscarred Press.

Many thanks

 

[Evilhalfling]

Good advice I'm sure I've read the ocassional criticism of the XPH is there anything to be wary of there?

I have used a lot of psionics in my 3.5 games, but I generally top out at 11th level. These are the issues that came up in my games:

Energy Missle is still too good, even with the errata that fixes the DCs
I house ruled it to single target. Augment: +1 pp=3 targets, +2 pp=5 targets.
Vigor at 5 temp HP per pp is annoying, but without ready healing perhaps it balances.

Summoning multiple over-channeled/surged astral constructs is overpowered, prolly not broken.

Are the players on board? about half my players dislike psionics and wont use them. Its never stopped me from using psionic enemies though.