Psihammer

[Crothian]

Finally! Desribed by reviewers as the "best psychic-lite rules yet", Psihammer is the easiest and most fun-to-play rules ever written for d20 psi powers!

New feats - almost 40 of them - for all levels.
Psifacts - Unique Psihammer artefacts.
Brand new hair-raising monsters.
Ready to play Characters and NPCs.
Background material - psyhic Orders and Mentors.


Psihammer is the first set of rules designed to allow any class or creature, of any level, to wield super psychic powers and forge mighty psychic artifacts.

Psihammer is tightly packed with streamlined feats, item creation rules, monsters and templates, as well as background world material that fits into any campaign.

Psihammer are the psychic rules that won't wreck your game - they'll lift it up to a whole new exciting level!

Psihammer contains TWO VERSIONS when you buy it - one file designed to be used straight off the screen, in easy to read screen format, and a text-only file that prints quickly in standard print layout.

 

[Dark Psion]

PsiHammer: A Psionic Lite Alternative

PsiHammer is a recent alternative psionics rule book from Karmatech available as a 50+ page pdf at RPGNow! with both a screen and printer versions. There are a few color pics in the screen version, but they are very well done and support the material very nicely.

The system is very reminiscent of the 1st edition psionics rules, in that it is an add-on to existing classes using feats to gain your psionic abilities. The one key difference would be balance. In the original psionic system, you got something for nothing, but here being psychic will cost you your feats.

It is a feat based system and the only skill you need is Concentration. The rules use an average of your Int, Wis & Cha to determine your power level and to set your save DCs. The feats are presented as a chain of abilities in five different disciplines;

Forcer: Project and manipulate psychic force
Sixsenser: Read auras, sense things beyond your eyes and see thru time
Energetic: Manipulate Fire and Electricity
Shifter: Control your body and shift your form
Telepath: Communicate, manipulate and control minds

There is a sixth “general” category for powers that are available to any psychic or do not fit in the aforementioned disciplines. The power feats have a prerequisite of each previous power feat, so you have to work your way up the list and there is also “Clashing”, which is mental combat that any psychic can use. One nice touch here is that the damage done is based off what part of the brain is damaged.

There are no power points to spend here, to use a power feat you just “invoke” it as an action, the type depending on the individual power feat. Some power feats do require Concentration checks to maintain or to attempt something unusual. There are some nice illustrations using miniatures to show how certain powers are used and some excellent NPC descriptions. Some of the power feats are very innovative and would make excellent psionic powers for the XPH psionic rules.

There are rules for creating and using Psifacts, magic items with psychic abilities or uses. There are several Psilock Orders, organizations of, for and against psychics and rules for mentors in the psionic arts. Lastly, there are templates for adding psionic powers to monsters and a few new monsters with built in power.

Overall, if you want a “Psionic Lite” system, this may be to one for you. It is quick and easy and portrays psychic powers as something more mystical that sci-fi.

There are a couple drawbacks to this system, first is power level. You are not going to achieve realm shattering power with this one and second, due to the limited number of power feats, all Forcers and going to look alike from a psychic point of view. But to be honest, I doubt you can make a psionic lite system without these problems.