Psionics in your game?

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'd use suggest the XPH, Hyperconscious and CompPsi (while its not great, there is some useful material within it). The Psychic Handbook is a slightly different take on the whole business of psionics- as I recall, not entirely compatible with WotC's version.

Hyperconscious has some good PrCls, including one that, to some people, works the way the Soulknife should have worked.

I'd also track down a copy of Dragon #341. In the Class Acts section of that issue, they introduce new Feats for Soulknives, some of which are better thought out and executed than their close analogs in CompPsi.

 

[Bacris]

Hyperconscious offers a fair bit of material fully compatible with the XPH. By and large it's well-balanced, although some of it really makes you stop and consider if you want to use it - powers that deal permanent INT damage, for example. Many of the PrCs are a bit weak - the Ghostbreaker is the only PrC I'd consider near overpowered - full BAB, full manifesting, 5 level PrC with fairly easy Prereqs.

Other than that, it offers a much more intuitive psionic combat system than in 3.0 psionics, but has a VERY strong tie to dream-based psionics. You can use much of the material without using dream-based aspects, but that cuts out about 20-30% of the material.

Psychic's Handbook is a complete psi-replacement and is more skills / feats based if I remember correctly.

One of the reviews on Untapped Potential, one of the other books mentioned, is in my sig. If I said more than that, it would be obviously biased, as I am one of the authors

 

[Cadfan]

I voted the "No" option, but not for the reasons in the choice given. The choice given implies that I think psionics don't "belong" in D&D, presumably for thematic reasons. I've got no problem with psionics thematically. I don't think psionics is balanced.

And I'm aware of the usual psionics apologetics, so let me be clear- I run most (essentially all) of my games between levels 2 and 12. Anytime I hear someone start defending psionics say the words "Gate" or "Timestop" or "Meteor Swarm" or "Greater Metamagic Rod of Maximize" my brain turns off. Those belong to a magical land where characters have more than a dozen levels, to which I never intend to go.

 

[Imp]

IMC psionics are npc-only*, because psionic powers come from demonic possession, basically.

I have maintained elsewhere that you can sub psionics for magic wholesale, so it's not because I loathe the mechanics, it's just a flavor decision.

*I could maybe be persuaded to allow a split-class. Maaaybe. They are scary scary crazy demons though.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Hey Bacris- I've heard a lot of compliments for Untapped Potential. Is it .pdf only, or is there a hardcopy version?

 

[Deekin]

Hey Bacris- I've heard a lot of compliments for Untapped Potential. Is it .pdf only, or is there a hardcicopy version?

There are hardcopy versions. I got mine off the Inital print run.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ah, yes- I just now noticed it!

 

[Yeoman99]

I've allowed psionics in a couple of my campaigns, but have to say its never really seemed to gel with the others in the party. That said, it was in the days when I wasusing 1st ed. Since then, nobody has shown any interest in the idea as players, so I reserve it for 'Alien' style monster encounters.

I guess that if I were into Eberron I might reconsider, but as Greyhawk is my territory my current approach seems to fit.

 

[Mr Samedi]

Always.

I sang praises to the heavens when they brought out the 3.5 XPH and brought hope to what was previously a horrible, clunky system.

 

[Jhaelen]

This can't be a true segment of the population...

While I'm a huge psi-fan and definitelyy use it, I'm shocked at over 50% saying yes.

Of course these polls are not representative.
I think, the main reason is, that nobody who doesn't use psionics and doesn't care about it will bother to open or vote in such a thread.
So the only negatives you'll see here are those who either actively outright hate it (with or without a reason) or have tried it but it didn't work for them because it seemed overpowered or something.