Psionics: One thing I don't get.

[Aust Diamondew]

If psionics are powers of the mind then how do strength, constitution and dexterity have anything to do with using them? I just want to know what the justification for it is because I really like how each discipline is linked to a different attribute but I just can't figure out a semi-logical (I know magic and psioncis aren't suppose be logical) reason as to how powers of the mind can be governed by how much I can bench press.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Well, for one thing, they aren't anymore. XPH changed how they work. The key ability is now based on your class (much like INT for wizards and CHA for sorcs). All psions, regardless of what their particular discipline is, use INT as their key ability.

 

[Psion]

Under 3.5, it doesn't depend on those stats.

In 3.0, I saw it as a bit of eastern mysticism, wherein mastery and purity of the body was the key to deeper secrets.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I sorta like that eastern mysticism concept of psionics. I don't like the 3.5 idea paticuarly of just linking all psionic powers to intelegence, then a psion is just a sorcerer with power points instead of spells per day.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

I sorta like that eastern mysticism concept of psionics. I don't like the 3.5 idea paticuarly of just linking all psionic powers to intelegence, then a psion is just a sorcerer with power points instead of spells per day.

True, but I see it as the lesser of two evils. Under 3.0 psionics, a psion had to have great scores in every attribute to get access to powers. A sorcerer only needs a 19 CHA to have access to theoretically any spell on his spell list; a psion would need a 19 in every ability to have the same flexibility. And it wasn't like individual psionic powers were so much better than spells of the same power level either.

Tying it to one score per class may strike one as artificial, but at least it compares better to similar classes now.

But to answer your original question (you should use the 3.0 posticon BTW), I agree with Psion. Mind-body unity and all that jazz.

 

[The Weregamer]

My DM has ruled that PsyWars use constitution rather than wisdom as their primary attribute. He thinks that since most of the PsyWar powers are body altering it makes as much sense as wisdom, and is more in-character with the class.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

My DM has ruled that PsyWars use constitution rather than wisdom as their primary attribute. He thinks that since most of the PsyWar powers are body altering it makes as much sense as wisdom, and is more in-character with the class.

The only problem I would have with that is that it allows the PsiWarrior to double-dip out of CON, already a stat he'd have a high score in.

 

[The Weregamer]

The only problem I would have with that is that it allows the PsiWarrior to double-dip out of CON, already a stat he'd have a high score in.

True, but not that different from the benefit of extra skill points that a Wizard gets for his already high INT.

 

[reiella]

True, but not that different from the benefit of extra skill points that a Wizard gets for his already high INT.

Well, except that Wizards don't get as much use out of skill points as psywars [or rather everyone] gets from con. Now, if Wizards had the Rogue skillset, that would be a bit better comparison/consideration. Ironically, even bards [who can be a bit of a skill-based class] don't use Int as their casting stat.

 

[Psion]

True, but not that different from the benefit of extra skill points that a Wizard gets for his already high INT.

I'm not sure this is a problem in the case of the psy war (who now compares to a monk in its need for multiple high attributes), but I do think using con is a problem for classes like psion. Using con as a casting/manifesting stat directly shores up one of the weaknesses of classes with d4 hit dice.