Questions on new Psionic HB...

[RigaMortus]

I don't have the book yet, but I plan on getting as soon as mt FLAGS gets it. I am just curious about a couple of things...

How much has the Psion changed? Is it true that they no longer start with a Psi-Crystal? That it's a feat they can take to acquire one?

Is Psionic combat still in? How does it work now? How does it work against non-psionic people?

Is the "default" rule that psionics is different than magic (so Detect Psionics would NOT detect magic, and vice versa)?

Do they still have Displays for mainifesting powers? Have they changed at all?

Thanks!

 

[James McMurray]

Yep, psicrystalsa re now a feat.

Psionic Combat is gone. The attacks and defense modes have been converted to powers. For instance, Mind Thrust does 1d10 damage, and is augmentable at 1pp = +1d10 damage. Its damage potential is high, but its will negates, so its an all or nothing blast. Empty mind (IIRC) gives +2 to will saves for one round, and is an immediate action to manifest, meaning you can do it during someone else's turn.

The default is that psionics and magic are the same.

All powers still have displays. However, instead of getting the Hide Display feat, you make a concentration check in order to hide the displays. This makes being a stealth psion much easier.

The XPH is a highly retooled psionics system. Don't expect to be able to easily convert older characters over (especially Psychic Warriors), but do expect to be impressed.

 

[alaric]

Psions now get bonus feats, including one at first level, so basically you can still have a psicrystal, or you can trade it in for another psionic feat.

There are a ton of changes in this book (making conversion difficult as James mentioned), including new races, 2 new psionic core classes, removing talents, no more powers per level instead you just have number of known powers and max level, most powers scale to one degree or another (for example Astral Construct is a single 1st level power now, it can be augmented up to what used to be Astral Construct IX), psions now use int as their base stat regardless of their discipline, the disciplines now each have a unique spell list on top of the generic psi list, updated prestige classes (now with less suckage!), and list of other changes that have slipped my mind at the moment.