Psionics: Balance and Integration

[Nail]

I'm thinking auto-scaling of powers should be free for Psions...considering Sorcerers and other spell casters get it for free for spells.

That would be fine! ,.......Oh, and they can't cast all of their power points into high level powers. They have to put the vast majority of them into low level powers that only scale to class level 5...

 

[Nail]

Dimension slide has to be augmented to be move-action, doesn't it? It's therefore similar to quickening a weak version of dimension door (although cheaper).

Except for this part:

"Dimension Door: ....After using this spell, you can’t take any other actions until your next turn. "

So, IOW: No, not at all like a Quickened Dimension Door.

 

[Thanee]

Planar Binding just helped with getting rid of 20 negative levels in total (nice Cleric replacement, that spell).

(Mature Adult) Shadow Dragons are meeeean!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Testament]

I'm thinking Heighten Spell should be a free feat for Sorcerers...considering Psions get it for free.

Not quite...the power level doesn't change, only the save DC. Spell immunities and Globes of Invulnerability really ruin the day for a Psion, considering that most of their direct damage powers are lower level.

S/PR is another bane of a Psion's existence, since their SR negating powers either:
1. Suck (D4 damage per PP spent on all but one!)
2. Are Shaper only
And all of them do piercing/slashing damage. Hello DR! If they want to crack through the PR the old fashioned way, then to have a good shot at it requires them to blow their focus.

 

[Thanee]

PR isn't so bad, really, since they can opt to use the quite high bonus from the Power Penetration feat chain (does use up focus, but when needed, that's certainly the best use for it, anyways).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Testament]

That's the point though, it costs their focus, so unless they've taken other feats, then they have to spend a full round getting it back.

 

[Thanee]

Psionic Meditation for the Psion is just like Natural Spell for the Druid. A feat 99% of them will end up with.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Rystil Arden]

Psionic Meditation for the Psion is just like Natural Spell for the Druid. A feat 99% of them will end up with.

Bye
Thanee

While that is true, it presents a curious conundrum for Psions playing with a nasty DM (25 PB). The psion is forced to effectively waste 5 of their points just to get Psionic Meditation, when most psion builds, which don't require Wisdom, could have just shrugged off the Will save hit of 8 Wisdom with a +2 Will Psicrystal and spent the points on Int or a stat that will help them survive.

Not to say that you're wrong in my experience, but only that it forces 99% of psions to have 13 Wisdom.

 

[KarinsDad]

While that is true, it presents a curious conundrum for Psions playing with a nasty DM (25 PB). The psion is forced to effectively waste 5 of their points just to get Psionic Meditation, when most psion builds, which don't require Wisdom, could have just shrugged off the Will save hit of 8 Wisdom with a +2 Will Psicrystal and spent the points on Int or a stat that will help them survive.

Not to say that you're wrong in my experience, but only that it forces 99% of psions to have 13 Wisdom.

Actually, I think he is not correct at all.

We have two psions in our group. One of the two has Psionic Meditation, the other does not.

It is all dependent on what the character is trying to achieve. For example, the other psion in our group is more combat oriented and hence does not need the psionic focus for metapsionic or other psionic feats. The only thing he uses his psionic focus for is the Take 15 Concentration check every once in a while in combat.

PS. Too bad I had not considered dropping my Wisdom this way. Mental note for my next psionic PC. I didn't take any ranks in Listen or Spot for my current PC, might as well not have a positive modifier to those skills for the next PC.

 

[Thanee]

It is all dependent on what the character is trying to achieve. For example, the other psion in our group is more combat oriented and hence does not need the psionic focus for metapsionic or other psionic feats.

You mean "combat oriented" as in physical combat? Multiclassed, too?

Well, ok, that's a bit of a different story then.

I was mainly talking about Psions, that actually use psionics directly.

Bye
Thanee