Psionics getting more complicated?

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

I'm a big Psionics fan, and have high expectations for the revised book.

In the new & current issue of Dragon (316), Bruce Cordell has an article explaining the "Psionic Focus" rules in conjuction with the revised psionic feats.
Basically, utilizing most psionic feats requires the PC to "maintain" or "expend" psionic focus.

If I'm understanding the article correctly, becoming psionically focused requires a DC 20 concentration check!

So what do you think about this concept? Does this add needless compexity to the game, or add needed plausibility to the act of employing psionics in combat?

- Not a troll, just trying to wrap my head around this idea...

 

[tmaaas]

I don't think it's any more complicated than the current system and psionic feats. Now, psionic feats often require various power point reserves. So if you x pp left, you can use this feat, y left then that feat, etc.

The new system has basically two states (at least for what's been shown). You either have psionic focus, or you don't. And psionic feats, at least as presented in the article, can only be used when you have psionic focus. The difference is whether using the feat causes you to expend your focus or not.

Should be simple once we get used to it.

 

[demiurge1138]

I kinda like the idea. It avoids the doubling up of power points to fuel both powers and psionic feats. Like the article's rationale says, power points are few and far between at lower levels. And it helps the feats seem more special than just another psionic power.

I like the idea, but I'll have to see the finished product to see how it all works out. I'm optimistic, though.

Demiurge out.

 

[thorian]

I really have to say I don't like what I have seen so far. With a great deal of the feats requiring the expenditure of psionic focus, they will likely only be used once per battle, since the psion probably won't stop to regain psionic focus. He could spend a feat on reducing the time it takes to become psionically focused, but psions have precious few feats anyway (hopefully they addressed that issue). Plus it is one more thing to track -- am I focused or not, does this feat require maintainance of focus or expenditure or no psionic focus, etc.

The key points IMO to address were:
*MAD (multiple ability disorder) - They could have made psionics dependent on one stat like the rest of the classes, or to keep some of the 2e & 3e flavor they could have made Con determine PM, PP, PK and Wis determine CS, TP, MC.
*Psionic Combat - There doesn't ever seem to have been a good system for this, 2e, 2.5e, 3e so far have all been problematic. Design a system that integrates into the rest of the game. 2.5e was the worst, the defense you could raise in response to a psionic attack cost more than the damage it would do on average, and sometimes you spent more attacking than you did damage.
*Power Scalability - This really set psions and wizards apart, and was further exacerbated by the fact that psions have such a limited number of powers as they level up. Letting the powers scale with level is an easy fix for this.
*Broken combos - This has always been a problem and not just with psionics. However, unlike the core books, psionics is not as thouroughly playtested, so is bound to be more broken. When I playtested the 3e PsiHB, I sent in comments about many things, but they obviously didn't help.

I don't remember reading anything (not that I have a good memory) about fixing the main problems with psionics, except MAD, but they didn't mention how it would be fixed. I hope they have and just didn't put it in the preview. Please give us a good psionic system.

 

[Nightfall]

I don't mind either way, since all Psionics means you like Slacerians you knobby foreheaded people!!

 

[Aaron L]

Power scaling + power point systems = bad things a lot of the time.

 

[Acid_crash]

Me like da psionics so its all good to me. I think psionics needed some power scaling rules in them, and if it costs more power points to manifest increased scaled powers, then that's good also.

When does the revised PsiHB come out?

 

[Nightfall]

When does the revised PsiHB come out?

Feburary I believe.

 

[Piratecat]

No, in April.

I think I like the idea of psionic focus. The high skill check means that achieving the focus is much easier for higher lvl psions and psychic warriors, and lord knows it will be easier than keeping track of each feat's PP requirements.

 

[Desdichado]

I'm much more interested in Green Ronin's Psychic Handbook available any day now, IIRC, than I am in the revised Psionic Handbook. The original was competent enough, but very bland. I also like Green Ronin's "skills and feats" approach.