Psionics and You

[the Jester]

I've used psionics in 1e, 2e (but not 2.8), 3e and now will be using the XPsiHB.

Generally, psionics have played a minor but important part of the game. At least one character from most major parties has been psionic; my current epic party has a psychic warrior/cleric/templar and a fighter/psion/warrior of chaos in it.

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

The PCs in my 2e Forgotten Realms campaign each gained a wild talent following a psionic adventure in Dungeon (that I can't remember the title of -- Silver Rise?).

Recently, one PC in my Freeport campaign took a level of psion.

Er... that's it, in 20+ years of playing D&D.

Cheers


Richard

 

[Li Shenron]

I have never used psionics. In some previous campaign played with 3.0 rules, psionic classes from the Psionics Handbook were made available by default by the DM, but no one choosed to play them.

 

[Turanil]

We sometimes used the Complete Psionic Handbook in 2e (especially in Dark Sun adventures). Granted, it was unbalanced.

I bought the Psi handbook 3.0, never got the opportunity to use it, and by the way found it deceiving (psi-powers work like spells, so what's the point?). I do not plan to buy the PsiHB 3.5 because of the waste of money with the 3.0 precedent version. However, I will gladly get a look at the SRD, to see if it still looks like spells, or has been much improved.

 

[Telperion]

I'm currently using 3rd edition psionics in my SL campaign. The thing is that psionics is very rare in that campaign setting and also very much hated. I actually haven't used a single real psionic character so far in the entire campaign, although we haven't been playing very long, but it sometimes scares my players very much when an NPC pulls of a "magical seeming" trick that doesn't register with Detect Magic.

SL uses "Psionics are different" rule with a little extra on the side, and so in this campaign setting psionics is a very powerful weapon/tool. You can't protect (magically anyway) yourself from it, you can't detect it and you can't learn it (unless you are inflicted by a certain disease). It makes psionic characters into real nasty bogey-men, because they can do stuff that few others can and there's no way to stop them except brute force and a good Will-save.

I'm rather looking forward to XPH, although I'll probably never use psionics extensively. I just love that "O' my gosh! What was that?!" look on my players face

 

[diaglo]

no one ever qualified for Psionics in my campaign.

but they were available.

 

[Psion]

Not having the 3.5 book, I can't say I've used it. If I do use it, I'll filter it.

I wasn't running games when just Eldritch Wizardry was out.

In 1e, the appendix served more as a munchkin option, and went by the wayside as our playstyles matured.

You missed one! When the psionicist class appeared as a class in the dragon, I used it more. It seemed a more solid archetype and less abusive since you couldn't have major powers at first level.

The 2e Complete Psionics was probably one of the more flavorful versions of the psionics combat system, be the cracks began to show with relatively low level characters having access to potent power, and the power gaming possiblities were gross.

2.5e S&P was broke as written. In psionic combat, you did more damage to yourself than your opponent! I house ruled the heck out of it and based some major groups in my game on it, but I still had problems in play with PC psions. During this era, I instituted my own version of the "transparency" rule by creating some overlap in mechanics like magic resistance, because I came to realize what a problem that was.

3e blew everything earlier out of the water, but still needed some nips and tucks. I guess that's fair, since 3e did too (alt.rangers, anyone?) The psionicist needed upgraded, and psionic combat was near worthless, and the displays, while a good idea, were a little overblown. I tweaked the class and a few feats.

If Thoughts Could Kill reaffirmed some of the changes I made in Psions, but I still had my own tweaks (frex: inner power, body fuel, and hide display feats.)

Mindscapes was a great addition to the game. It took psionic combat from something that was in the book that sounded interesting but nobody ever did, to something that became a regular and flavorful part of our game.

3.5e I don't have yet. So far it sounds promising (and it sounds as if it accomodated Mindscapes combat!), but it sounds like it will be a headache to adapt, and it sounds as if the "new core class mania" that brought us MinisHB and Complete Warrior has infected this book as well.

 

[Mystery Man]

I've never used Psionics as a regular part of my game

to continue that sentence..."And I never will"

 

[hong]

What I want to know is, who was the OTHER guy who ticked "oD&D"?

 

[Wombat]

Regularly? None.

Ever? Eldritch Wizardry/OD&D and 3.0 Psionics Handbook. Hated 'em both.