[Psionics] Mind Blast - Opinions?

[Thanee]

What do you think about Mind Blast?

Isn't it just severely unbalanced, since you can use it as early as 3rd level and get a 60' cone with a 4th power level save modifier (save DC +4 due to 'non-psionic buffer' - something meant to lessen the effect, not worsen it) and an auto-kill effect (3d4 rounds of stun actually, but that's pretty much the same).

We thought about changing the +4 DC mod into a -4 DC mod (or +/-0 DC mod) and also thought about changing the stun duration to 1d4 rounds.

What do you think about this combat mode?

Opinions welcome!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Galfridus]

I was very worried about it too (there's a Psion in my campaign), but it has worked out fairly well. Here are some comments:

1) Psions are not generally strong on attacks, Mind Blast provides a reasonable counter.

2) 60' range emanation means the psion must get close to use this, and runs the risk of zapping party members.

3) It tends to be an all-or-nothing attack: especially at low levels, it's entirely possible for the psion to spend most or all of their PPs with no effect.

The party has encountered no psionic NPCs; the power has been used entirely against non-psionics.

It's a power that definitely has an effect on the game, and can "solve" difficult encounters quickly -- but then, you could say the same thing about a lot of spells/powers (Hold Person, for example). If you are concerned, my suggestion is that you put a level requirement on when you can take it (I would suggest 5th, 7th if you are really worried). At that point, it's more in line with other powers that the character has.

Also, it's obviously more powerful if your campaign tends to have a small number of strong encounters per day (as mine does), rather than the 3E "standard" of lots of little encounters.

I use the "If Thoughts Could Kill" psions and consider them balanced. (I also replaced psi-crystals with bonus feats, but that was for flavor not balance.)

 

[Kraedin]

Weakening Mind Blast would weaken the Illithid quite a bit, and I'm loath to do that to one of my favorite creatures.

 

[Grendel]

I applied the same rules to attack and defense modes as the rules apply to augumenting powerers with meta-psi feats.

The attack (or defense) you are useing cannot have a PP cost greater than you level -1.

its not official by any means but puts the powers inline with those presented in the books. This would put mind blast in-line with a 5th level spell.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I don't suppose this helps you much, but I ditched psionic combat entirely (yuck!) and placed Mind Blast as a 5th level telepathic power - as its power cost would suggest. Works well there.

Cheers

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I can't resist this topic...just like TWF ranger discussions.

Mind Blast is not unbalanced or too powerful as is on average.

My real problem with it is not the average results but the wild swings. The net result is if you catch a non-psionic party in one of these you have about a 10% chance of an instant TPK. If you are not willing to let the NPCs use a special power against PCs, it probably should not be in the game at all.

Letting a PC fire it off at 3rd level is just begging for trouble.

I agree with Plane Sailing, this is a 4th or 5th level power. It fits better there.

(Perhaps Psions should be given a little nudge up to compensate for losing access to this power, but I am not qualified to address that issue.)

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

If mind blast becomes a power, its DC should be raised to match that of a 5th-level power. Sounds fair.

 

[Thanee]

Thank you. So you would rather limit the availability instead of the power of the Mind Blast?

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nathan]

In one campain I am playing a 9th-level Telepath/1st-level Paladin. In combat against non-humanoids (where a lot of mind-effecting powers don't work) Mind Blast is often the attack ability the character has. Limiting this attack mode would severely hurt the character. Furthermore, against some groups of enemies (e.g. undead), this power is worthless.

Therefore, I would also propose to limit the accessibility to this attack mode instead of limiting the power itself IF someone wants to make some house rules on this power.

A lot of you have said that the problems with Mind Blast occur at the lower levels. However, a 3rd-level psion can only Mind-Blast once a day. This should be strong limitation, i.e. there should be far more encounters a day. And the wizard's sleep spell, for example, is also very effective at these low levels, but can be cast more than once a day.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Good point about sleep, although sleep is balanced by the HD restriction. To be hoest, a lot of this has to do with the way the DM runs their campaign. In mine, we have a psychic warrior but no psions, so the problem hasn't cropped up yet. I'm going to sic a polymorphing egoist on them, but they are unlikely to use MB.