Quint. PsyWar Thought

[Psion]

Cheers for your comments - I think, overall though, that many of you were expecting a 'general' psionics book.

I just expect a book to deliver thoughtful, playable material.

Psychic Progression: As 2WS-Steve pointed out, the simple +1 progression does not always work and what you have to be careful of is allowing Psychic Warriors one thing, but at the same time be wary of a Psion entering the class.

I realize that. However, I think that you/the author needs to realize that starting over at first level again is a BIG hit for a character... doubly so since you don't start giving the character back powers until 4th level (and then, they are zero level!)

If you want to do it, that's fine, but make sure you make up for it in the abilities. I don't think the QPW does. The prestige classes do have good BAB advancement, which in part makes up for the weak progression, but not fully considering that the class abilities REQUIRE that the character have access to certain abilities, some of them fairly high level.

As an example, the Finesse Fighter has a class ability that lets them enhance the wound sliver ability. I don't have my QPW here, so I forget the level they get this at, but the PW does not get a 5th level power until 13th level, which means that the character cannot expect to get a full ten levels out of the class AND use all of the class abilities as designed by 20th level, which I think was a bit shortsighted on the authors part.

Which is why I suggest in my post that you do what the mind eye does with these classes: if you don't have the power being enhanced, you get the power for free, but don't get the enhancement. That would balance out the class nicely.

So long as you design the class correctly, I would agree that you don't need +1 manifester advancement, but you have to make sure you design knowing how weak "rebooting" the character's psychic power advancement is.

Another alternative is to say "+1 psychic warrior level" every few levels like mind's eye does. It's dirty, but it works.

It is a balance thing (and, incidentally, we will not automatically do something just because other 3rd parties have done it the same way in the past!).

I'm not saying you should. This is how other publishers (including the author of the PsiHB) have approached the issue. If you want to go about it different, then go ahead... just make sure the end product is just as appealing, or people won't want to play the classes.

Improved Powers: Again, yes, they are not always needed as prerequisites. So?

So? As mentioned above, not only are you making them weaker by forgoing the +1 advancement scheme, but by using the restarted advancement scheme, you are making it harder to get the powers that their class abilities enhance as well, therefore making some class abilities useless, which doubly weakens the class.