Psionics Ascendant

Strutinan

First Post
A complete rule book for playing with psionics in your 3.0 or 3.5 edition games. This product is made with the Prometheus Gaming License, for gamers by gamers.

Inside this 200+ page file you will find:
* A fully developed version of the psionics system previewed in Academe Mentus.
* Notes on all the races you are liable to play, and their views on psionics (even the monstrous races).
* A guide on integrating and running psionics in your games.
* Three pre-made mini-settings.
* Over 20 monster, many of them NEVER BEFORE SEEN.

And so much more...

As time wears on the artwork in the file will be added to and improved upon. I will also be using feedback from you to help me find any flaws that made it through the rounds of playtesting and editing, then releasing fixed versions of the file FOR FREE to those who previously purchased it. Eventually once it has been tweaked to perfection, it will be printed as a hard-copy (and hopefully hard cover) book.
 

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I'll just disclaim right up front that I didn't pay for this PDF. I was given a copy to review...the first time I've had such a luxury. Having never read a product by DaemonEye Publishing I had no idea what I was in for and was a bit nervous about offering to do this review. I'm not the sort of person to pull punches in my reviews and getting a free copy of the book isn't going to affect my opinion of the material. I consider a reviewers job to be not just raving about good products, but giving consumers fair warning about products that suck. Fortunately, Psionics Ascendant doesn't suck at all...in fact, I was rather pleasantly surprised.

Appearances - The first thing that made me breath a sigh of relief about this product was that I noticed right away that the PDF was well formatted as I skimmed it. Thorough bookmarks and nice layout made it really easy to jump right in and hop to the parts I was most curious about in my initial breeze through. The artwork, sparse as it is for a book this size, is overall above average, with most of the stand outs being Benjamin Richard's illustrations. On the flip side, though, there are some images that hurt my eyes with their terrible and often excessive coloring.

Contents - The book starts with a nicely laid out table of contents and a brief introduction to the book before quickly diving into the meaty chapters.

Chapter 1 - Psionic Races (12 pages): The title of the chapter is a bit of a misnomer. It isn't really so much about races that are innately psionic so much as mostly going over where psionics fits in with various races, most of which aren't typically known for psionics. This makes it far more useful in my opinion than if it had really been focused on "psionic races". There are a lot of races covered and each gets a fairly nice bit of detail. All the standard races and their sub races are accounted for, as well as several monstrous races...including a new gnollish sub race that has been "bred for generations to harness the powers of the mind". There are a few crunchy bits here and there, but mostly this is informational, making this chapter quite handy regardless of whether on uses standard psionics or the psionics system presented in this product.

Chapter 2 - Core Classes (23 pages): Next, we're introduced to the Psionicist base class and its 7 core prestige classes. The Psionicist is pretty buff compared to the Psion. More bonus feats, better saves, more power points, better hit dice, more skill points. What do they have less of? Well...uh...their starting gold is lower...that's about all I can see. On the other hand, Psionicists use a feat based system for their psionic powers so it really needs those bonus feats since they sort of replace the Psion's powers known and the slightly less flexible range of powers helps counter the other benefits. It's hard to say without playtesting, but looking at the pros and cons I'd say that neither is much more powerful than the others.

The seven prestige classes in this chapter can be achieved at fairly low level and essentially represent disciplines. We get the Creator (summons and shapes ectoplasm), the Fleshchanger (alters the structural makeup of their bodies), the Kinetic (applying physical force via the mind), the Mindbender (mental communications), the Seer (divination type stuff), the Sensei (meditative martial artists), and the Traveller (mental transportation). Nothing particularly radical but more interesting and flavorful than the way disciplines are handled in EPH.

This chapter also has Spark feats, which can only be taken at first level and only if the character's first level is Psionicist, and feats specific to each of the prestige classes. Each class also gets an example character, all 6th level, a small feature I appreciate.

Chapter 3 - Skills (4 pages): This short chapter gives us a run down of skills special to psionic characters as well how some general skills apply to Psionicists. Pretty standard SRD stuff here, but I find the new skill Twist (which lets the Psionicist pump up their manifesting level but with no small measure of risk) to have a lot of dramatic potential.

Chapter 4 - Feats (12 pages): Mostly psionic feats and knacks (minor psionic powers that don't cost power points but can only be used a limited number of times per day). There's a pretty nice selection here and nothing jumps out as out of balance. There are certainly some potent feats here, such as Mind Store (which lets you copy your mind in part or in whole to other creatures and such), but those have high requirements and often require XP expenditure to use. Overall this was another particularly strong chapter.

Chapter 5 - Metapowers (9 pages): This chapter gives us the Psionicists feat based powers. Each has a range of effect...the more power points you pump into them, the greater the effect, but the number of points you can spend on a metapower is limited by level. I personally like this method of psionics better than psionic powers being treated like spells. Everything seems pretty well balanced, which is important to me.

Chapter 6 - Prestige Classes (43 pages): In this large chapter we get 24 prestige classes. It feels like a bit of overkill, but I suppose one has to figure that standard d20 psionics has several sources for prestige classes that use it. I doubt the system in this product will receive much support out of its own company. A few of these are variants on classes from the EPH but the mechanical similarities are few. Speaking of mechanics, these prestige classes seem pretty sound...though I have to admit I only went over a few in detail and skimmed the rest. No one is paying me to spend three hours picking apart prestige classes bit by bit and I figure that I could get a fair feel for the general competence of design with a small sampling. This chapter also has a large number of class specific feats.

The prestige classes found here are Academy Scholar, Alchemical Addict, Arcanologist, Crystal Savant, Crystal Warrior, Dabbler, Dweomer's Disdain, Force Warrior, Grave Mind (A cool class, but can we ever get a prestige class that deals with undead that doesn't end up emulating or becoming undead?), Hypercognative, Intellus Guild Member, Living Weapon, Metamind, Mind Reaver, Mind Walker, Naturally Talented, Psychic Artificer, Psychic Savant, Pyrokineticist, Shadowed Mind, Slayer, Soul Knife, Spirit Bow, and Spirit Medium.

Chapter 7 - Psionic Combat (3 pages): A brisk run down of psionic attack modes and psionic defense modes and how they're used, as well as attack mode alterations. It's nothing revolutionary but straight forward and functional.

Chapter 8 - Psionic Rules (6 pages): I can't imagine why this chapter wasn't more towards the beginning of the book since its main purpose is explaining what all the mechanics and terminology in the previous chapters of the book mean.

Chapter 9 - Psionic Lore (6 pages): This chapter talks about different ways psionics can fit into a setting, how different cultures are apt to perceive psionics and stuff like that. Excellent food for thought.

Chapter 10 - Psionics In Society (5 pages): Pretty much a continuation of the previous chapter. It covers various levels of commonness of psionics and how they might affect aspects of society. We also get a couple of new cleric domains (Mind and Psionic) and some new spells from those domains. Lastly there are a handful of optional feats that would only be relevant to certain campaigns.

Chapter 11 - Cultures and Organizations (21 pages): This chapter delivers just what the title promises...cultures and organizations. It does so quite well, too. For cultures, we get the Obsidian Elves (remnants of elves cast out of elven society long ago in an overreaction to the earliest displays of psionic ability among elves), The Shadow Mirror (a jungle that has been conquered by the Yviss), and The Valley (home to psionic human refugees from another plane who have a strong relationship with the dwarves, who control the mountains surrounding The Valley. Despite the weak names, the cultures themselves are well described, complete with descriptions of settlements.

The organizations are the Aerie (a collective of mutated creatures that were once men), Darkling Guild (a notorious group of assassins), Intellus Guild (a loose group whose members share a mutual telepathic bond), Shadow Watchers (a group of people bent on banishing or destroying everything undead or extra-planar, regardless of whether they're good or evil), Synaptic Order (a militant group seeking perfect union of mental and martial abilities), and White Masters (a group motivated to help others, mainly through healing...too bad their name invokes a much less benevolent real world organization). The organizations aren't as well described as the cultures, but what's here is sufficient to give a usable basis.

Chapter 12 - Psionic Hazards (5 pages): This chapter gives us psionic diseases (Brain Worms, Cascade Flu, Cerebral Parasites, Cerebramorph Sickness, Consciousness Shards, and Flesh Consumption), psionic poisons (Crystal Catalyst, Hawthorne Extract, Mindjack, and Obsidian Dust), Menes (pure mental data transmitted through telepathic contact...sort of like a psychic STD), and mindstorms (incorporeal clouds of psychic energy that really mess up anyone they come in contact with). There's plenty of stuff to really mess with players here, which makes it one of my favorite chapters.

Chapter 13 - Psionic Items (23 pages): This chapter provides rules for psionic item creation under the psionic system presented in this product, complete with examples. There are also the obligatory specific psionic items. A solid offering.

Appendix A - Terminology (1 page): A short glossary of terms.

Appendix B - Psionic Monsters (52 pages): This chapter consists mostly of standard psionic monsters revised for the new psionics system, though there are a few new critters to be found. It would have been nice to have had all the SRD psionic monsters revised here, but oh well. Can't have everything.

Character Sheet: Obviously a completely different psionics system is going to need a new character sheet to accommodate characters using it. This one is pretty basic but it gets the job done. Who needs their character sheets to look pretty anyway?

In Conclusion - This product rounded all the bases and made it home. What complaints I have about it are minor (some horrid pieces mixed in with the mostly good art, not translating more of the standard SRD psionic monsters to the new psionics system, some chapters in unusual order, little stuff like that). Anyone looking for a self-contained psionics system to add to their games that replaces the SRD system (at a much nicer price than the EPH) should give this product a shot, as should anyone who simply prefers a psionics system that doesn't make psionics users seem like just another spell caster. The only serious drawback to this system is that it doesn't have a lot of support out there like the SRD system. Despite being a better system in my opinion, the things that make it better also make it pretty much incompatible with all the other psionics supplements in existence without significant work. Still, at the $7 price (for 238 pages) there's not much reason not to give it a chance. I don't have any qualms at all about giving this product a solid 4-Star rating for what it is on its own. It delivers everything it promises with excellent execution.
 

Psionics Ascendant

This is a new pdf. book from Daemon Eye Publishing available from RPGNow!. It provides an alternative version of Psionics for D&D. Do we need another? Where psionics is concerned, we need all the support we can get and if it is good, why complain and yes, this book is good.

The Psionic Handbook and Expanded Psionic Handbook gave us a “spell” based psionic system and Green Ronin’s Psychic Handbook gave us a “Skills” based Psionic system. This book adds a “Feat” based psionic system. And I would have to say that this book is probably the one system that most like the original AD&D psionic appendix in the first edition Player’s Handbook. The book is also an excellent example of what a pdf. gaming book should be; limited art, most in the monster section, but what’s there is quite well done, and at over 230 pages long, so it is well worth the money. And it has bookmarks and direct page access thru the sidebar, so you can jump back and forth between chapters. It would take a while to print out, so I do hope we will see this book in print one day.

I would also say there are several aspects of this book that should have been in the Expanded Psionic Handbook. There are 13 chapters and 2 appendices and they are as follows.

Chapter One: Psionic Races:
Instead of just throwing out some “new psionic races” without any history or support, this book looks at the traditional and not-so traditional races and how psionics exists in that culture, including many of the monster races. How do Aquatic Elves view Psionics? How is their view different from Grey Elves or Wood Elves? The answers are here for all the different sub-races. This chapter also includes “Race only” feats for psionic characters that enhance existing racial traits. There are some new races to choose from; Obsidian Elves, Deep Halflings, and Chitterers, they are the psionic adepts among Gnolls. Several monstrous races are included as are Half Fiends, which takes into consideration that the Fiend part could be Cerebrilith, and it adds a feat for that heritage.

Chapter Two: Core Classes:
This chapter is in many ways more like D20Modern than D&D. We have the Psionicist as a core class, seven specialists classes as Advanced classes and twenty four Prestige Classes later for a touch of flavor.

The Psionicist has better Hit Die and Saves than the Psion, but the Psion has a greater variety of powers to choose from. And while the Psionicist gets fewer power points, the cost of the power feats is less as well. We also have Spark Feats as an option here, they are “1st level only” feats that provide several skill bonuses ( Athlete’s Spark, Healer’s Spark, Thief’s Spark), but cost you a few 1st level Psionicist abilities. These allow you to modify your Psionicist to be a “Psychic” Rogue, Warrior or Healer at 1st level.

Next we have the specialist classes and of special note, you don’t have to specialize. You can take the Psionicist all the way to 20th level if you choose because here specialization is just an option. Why would I choose to specialize? Because they come with bonus powers and give you access to feats that are only available to each specialist.
The specialist are;
Creator: A master of summoning and shaping ectoplasm.
Fleshchanger: The shapeshifting master of the flesh.
Kinetic: The master of Telekinesis.
Mindbender: The telepathic master of thought.
Seer: Those who seek the hidden truths of the world.
Sensei: The warrior of the mind who uses psionics to boost his combat abilities.
Traveler: The master of Teleportation.

Chapter Three: Skills:
Here we have the basic skills for a Psionicist, those skills you know are adapted to the new rules and several new skills are added. Harness Subconscious allows you to draw forth power from your deep mind, but at a cost to your maximum power point total until it “heals”. Note that the Psicraft skill can be used here to “Detect Psionics” by it’s aura. The last new skill is Twist, this skill is to the Psionicist as the Overpower feat is to the Psion, but of course as a skill, your can get better at it.

Chapter Four: Feats:
In the original AD&D psionic system, there were two types of powers, Minor and Major (which became Devotions and Sciences later). Here, we have three types of feats; Knacks, Powers and Metapowers. Knacks are like the missing zero level powers from the Psionic Handbook, no cost in power points, but limited in number of times per day you can use them. Next are the Power feats, now I will warn you, the powers are linked to multiple ability scores, but only to the mental scores; Int, Wis & Cha. Along with the power feats are the usual General, Psionic and Metapsionic feats as well, but you may find a few feats have changed types here, for example Psionic Charge and Psionic Shot are power-type feats here as are most of the feats that used to require reserve power points or cost power points to use.

Chapter Five: Metapower Feats:
Metapower feats are the heavy hitters of the psionic power-feats, basically, they take a group of similar themed powers and put them together into one Metapower. These are balanced in the power point cost of what you can do with them. For example, Adaption allows you to manifest Energy Resistance (Fire) 2 for 1 point, Breath Water for 3 points, and Immunity to Poison for 6 points as well as many other adaptions.

Chapter Six: Prestige Classes:
We have a bunch of PrCs here and the best part is that they use a +1 manifester level mechanism so they can be converted to XPH rules with little difficulty. Also, many the PrCs have access to special feats unique to the class.
Academy Scholar: A Psionicist who has gone to college.
Alchemical Addict: A master of psionic Symbiotes.
Arcanologist: A Psionicist who learns a little magic.
Crystal Savant: A master of Psicrystals.
Crystal Warrior: A warrior who becomes crystal.
Dabbler: A PrC for those who multi class a lot.
Dweomer’s Disdain: A warrior who hunts magic users.
Force Warrior: A master of a blade of force.
Grave Mind: A psionic path to undeath.
Hypercognative: One who masters his own mind.
Intellus Guild Member: The corps is mother, the corps is father.
Living Weapon: The master of claw and tooth who makes permanent changes to his body.
Metamind: A living source of greater psionic power.
Mind Reaver: An anti-psionicist.
Mind Walker: Very skilled telepaths.
Naturally Talented: One with limited psionic ability.
Psychic Artificer: A psionic craftsman.
Psychic Savant: One who has a psionic body to go with his mind.
Pyrokineticist: A master of fire (who can still manifest powers).
Shadowed Mind: A psionicist who focuses on shadow and stealth.
Slayer: He who hunts those of similar power.
Soulknife: One who uses a force blade with stealth and precision.
Spirit Bow: A psionic archer.
Spirit Medium: A seer who talks to the dead spirits still walking this earth.

Chapter Seven: Psionic Combat:
The Psionic Combat of the Psionic Handbook remains part of the game here, but it has been improved upon. The modes are the same as you remember, but deal power point damage first and an effect second; Stunned, Shaken, etc. Defense modes also have a secondary effect that will help you against other attacks; +2 vs. Mind-Affecting, Save vs. Divinations that do allow a save, etc.
Also, the Psionicist gains a Psionic Combat Bonus equal to half his manifester level, and this serves as to enhance your mental combat skill. There are also attack mode alterations, techniques that allow you to use your modify your attacks; Brutal, Quickshot, etc.
If you wish to bring back psionic combat for your game, this is an interesting option.

Chapter Eight: Psionic Rules:
This chapter covers the descriptors and definitions of psionic powers and how to use them.

Chapter Nine: Psionic Lore:
What is Psionics? This chapter asks and answers that question is several ways giving you a variety of options for your game. It covers the source of psionics and how it interacts with magic, both arcane and divine.

Chapter Ten: Psionics in Society:
This chapter focuses on who uses psionics within your world. How does it affect politics, art & religion? And how common is psionics? This chapter is a must read for those introducing psionics into an existing game. If psionics is common, how has arcane and divine magic adjusted to deal with it? Several feats and spells are included in this chapter to help with that.

Chapter Eleven: Cultures and Organizations:
Not only do we have psionic guilds and training facilities, but also we have psionic services along the line of alchemists and craftsmen. It also covers various organizations based on race and on the Prestige classes.

Chapter Twelve: Psionic Hazzards:
Here we have Psionic diseases, poisons and menes. They are like rogue thoughts, that can infect a person telepathically. We also have Mindstorms, the remnants of psychic battles.

Chapter Thirteen: Psionic Items:
Here we have new alchemical items, one thing nice about this book is that psionic alchemy is not overlooked, in fact it expanded on with more new psionic items than in most magical alchemy books. Animae items are animated by alchemy, Symbiotes bond with a person to enhance them and Substances that can be used to make other psionic items.

Psionic items are done in the same manner as weapons & armor are done in the DM’s Guide. They list a variety of enhancements (from +1 to +5 value), what they can be used on (Jewelry, Clothing, etc.) and this helps set the cost. There are several unique items as well.

Appendix One: Psionic Terminology:
This appendix is a dictionary for the terms used throughout this book.

Appendix Two: Psionic Monsters:
Here are the psionic monsters;
Aboleth:
Astral Constructs:
Behkshae: An Undead Brain
Blue:
Brain Mole:
Caller in Darkness:
Cerebral Homunculus: A Homunculus crafted of thought and ectoplasm.
Cerebrilith (Demon):
Cerbramorph: A psionic “living ghoul” who eats brains for power.
Construct, Psionic: A basic listing to make psionic constructs (which would have gone well with the Craft Psionic Construct feat in the XPH).
Couatl:
Crysmal:
Distortion Stalker: Centaur-like wolves who stalk with psionics.
Dragon, Jeweled: A multi-colored psionic dragon.
Echo: The ghost of a psionicist who died a horrible death and has sent his spirit back in time to prevent that death.
Folugrub:
Half-Giant: Created by alchemy to be a human /giant crossbreed.
Half-Jeweled Dragon:
Intellect Devourer:
Mindolon: A psionic parasite that animates a preserved corpse to serve it as a body.
Neothelid:
Obsidian Elves: A lost clan of elves exiled for their study of psionics.
Phthisic:
Psicrystal:
Psion-Killer:
Psionic Lich (Template):
Psityche: An echo of a soul that died under emotional duress.
Psycholus: Bizarre, alien creatures with vast psionic powers.
Psycholus Dwarven Slaves: Generations of slavery have reshaped these dwarves.
Puppeteer:
Temporal Filcher:
Thought Eater:
Udoroot:
Underground Dweller: A race of psionic cockroaches.
Yviss: A race of psionic reptiles who seek world domination.

If none of the previous psionic systems worked for you, then this one may be what you are looking for. If you are satisfied with the XPH rules like I am, then there is still plenty here to modify and use in your game. And if psionics simply has no place in your game, why are reading this review ? ;)


Mike Briggs (Dark Psion)
This was from a provided review copy.
 

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