Psychic and Psion in use: experiences?

[Turanil]

Please don't tell me about D&D 4th edition! Thanks!

Well, what I see here is that people play XPHB psionic classes, but nobody seems to play a Green Ronin's psychic. However, I well remember previous poll where people said that they prefered Green Ronin Psychic's Handbook over WotC 3.5 XPHB...

In any case, I will remember to play a psion rather than a sorcerer!

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Well, the sorcerers were always a bit underdone anyway. It's not that the psion is more powerful than the sorcerer, really. It's that they're more fun to play. They have greater versatility, they can augment powers to improve the effects (meaning that they need fewer powers known than sorcerers have spells known, meaning greater repertoire), and all powers are viable choices for a psion, while many sorcerer/wizard spells are simply unsuitable for sorcerers, further limiting their flexibility as casters.

The poor sorcerer. He never gets an even break. IMC, I'm trying something new to breathe some life into the sorcerer. They cast spells using spell points, plus they can take bloodlines (Unearthed Arcana) at reduced cost. That way, they get a few nifty neat-o traits and have some of the flexibility of psions. But it's hard to keep that "arcane" aspect because they start to get more and more psion-like as you do that kind of thing...

 

[Evilhalfling]

I ran a party of non psionic characters(8th and again at 9th) into a stronghold of blues -
10th level Telepath,
5th Seer/ 3rd Fighter
and 6, 4th lvl mixed telepaths & seers
plus peon goblins and a couple of Psionic wolves

The telepath really hurt the part in an arieal battle, dominating several and soaking up 140 hp damage (2 vigors), by the end he had 10 psp and was failing about with unaugmented dispells and 1 pt charm spells.

the party then ran away and came back after gaining a level or 2

The second time they fought the party had a magic circle, and made a couple of important saves, taking him down quickly.

The Seer was a archery specialist and did a fair amout of damage with 4d6 psionic shots, and energy retort.

The apprentices behaved perfectly, dishing out heavy punishment with energy stun (5' burst) through pinholes in a stone wall they ran themselves out of psp and got away clean.
The party fears psions and is nervous around blue goblins. The psions were great at dishing out huge damage and burning out - a player would have to husband points even more than a wizard, The leader with 110 psp spent 30 in prep - and only had 7 rounds of spells before running low and trying to escape.

 

[Michael Tree]

I'm currently playing a 4th level Erudite. Overall, its very well balanced. From levels 1-3 he was more powerful than an equivalent level Wizard, but that's more because Wizards are so weak at low levels. He was quite well balanced with the other characters in the party.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

In any case, I will remember to play a psion rather than a sorcerer!

At this point, the sorcerer's only advantage is that he can help his buddies and do more different things than a psion. The psion's really kind of limited in what he can do, based on his specialty; for example, telepaths are easily shut down by Mind Blank or things that are immune to mind-affecting powers. Yes, you can get other specialties' powers, but it takes a feat/power, and while you have quite a few feats available, you can't spend them all on other powers.

Personally, I rather enjoy how my epic psion tosses around 240-point energy missiles like they were candy.

Brad