Real World Experience with XPH Psions?

[The Souljourner]

Anyone here have real world experience with Psions, post XPH? I'm thinking of running one in an upcoming campaign, but wanted to hear what people thought of them. Please assume that all powers are house ruled to what they reasonably should be, i.e. +1 DC per 2 PP, dispel psionics increases the maximum by +10, not the actual check, etc.

Are there must have powers/feats? What are the biggest problem you've had while running the character? Any suggestions on how to make them unique/interesting/fun?

Much thanks,
-The Souljourner

 

[Scion]

I have had experience up through fifth currently.

Biggest problem so far is that focus is effectively a once per battle deal. Spending a full round to try to get focus back to use again is very hindersome (the dm did not approve of my suggested houserule). Plus, the fifth level feat was much better spent on something other than psychic meditation, 6th level it will have to be for that

Changing energy missile in the way you propose does not solve the actual problem. (I will try not to talk about the save progression being fine for a specialized, small area power. I and others have run the numbers in various threads already). The important thing is to make it unable to target attended objects. Without that then a player can pretty much crippler a number of classes very easily. At least if one is forced to use a ray attack to do so then the ray might miss and it only hits one object at a time.

For the most part there are a great deal of interesting powers that are unique enough to give a good feel that is different from the other casters. Being open to slightly modifying or helping to come up with signiture powers always helps though (I have been thinking about how to make a few dozen different 'summoning' type powers to cover just about everything, given appropriate costs of course. Need a weapon? manifest one up. Need a torch? there it is. Need random piece of equipment X? go for it. etc)

For the most part the new psionics seems to be one of the most balanced forms of magic yet. There are still issues here and there (durations especially) but then every magic system has a few issues. ::shrugs::

Also, problems with various things will shift a great deal from campaign to campaign, what sort of world are you planning? Do you have any houserules? Each of those could effect various parts greatly. (I get the impression that you mean you are playing as a player, but then all of the questions still fit when modified slightly any houserules? what is the campaign like? How open is the dm to helping come up with modified spells/powers?)

Edit: just to be clear on something though, there really isnt much in the way of 'must have powers'. For any particular build there will be, but overall not really.

I have seen some say vigor, but while it is nice (very nice indeed) it isnt necissary. My psion does not have it nor any plans to get it. Too many other powers are needed for my particular concept.

Others have said that inertial armor is required. But, psions can wear several armors with little to no penalty (rays are the big one, must get an armor with no armor check penalty) and not have to worry about it too much. Saving both the pp and the power slot for other things (also, it is much harder to dispel real armor).

I like overchannel a great deal, but a good portion of builds can find a better use for the feats. I simply like it because the character I am useing is built around useing it all of the time.. crazy guy

Psicrystal is very nice, but find out how your dm is going to rule it ahead of time. Some of the rules are a bit wishywashy, which is most unfortunate. However, between it having a few nice built in abilities, giving you alterness, and giving skill focus in something (or a save boost) it is pretty nice for just about anyone to have. Along with it being able to hold another focus (did I mention how rough focus is to use?).

 

[Evilhalfling]

I've just used them as NPC's and they seem to have the ability to blow all there points in a hurry - since they can spend their level in points each round a 10th level caster spent 3 rounds in prep, fought at full strength for 6 rounds and was reduced to 1st and 2nd level powers while trying to get awawy-
of course he made a lot of use of vigor due to taking 150 hp of damage in that time, and surviving.

 

[EricNoah]

I think I'm about to multiclass from Artificer 2 (Eberron) to Art 2/ Psion 1. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the rules in play. One cool thing I carry over from the Artificer class is being able to wear decent armor and shields while using my psion powers. DM is going to help me work on some house rules to eventually allow me to craft psionic items with my Artificer abilities (the artificer craft reserve, access to the full psion power list when crafting through UMD checks, etc.).

 

[The Souljourner]

Scion, thanks for the insight. I guess I never thought about using energy missile to target held objects. I can definitely see how that could be a problem.

Yes, I'm talking about being a player. The questions are still pertinent, however. I don't have many details about the campaign, but I can tell you the types of campaign we normally run. Usually about 50/50 role play/combat, usually about 5 PCs... often on homebrew worlds, though they're almost always very close to PHB standard. We generally start with better than PHB standard stats, but not by too much (usually rolling two sets of stats and choosing one, or rolling up 7 stats and dropping one, etc).

-The Souljourner

 

[Hypersmurf]

Anyone here have real world experience with Psions...?

Well, I visited a palm-reader at Victoria Park Market, once... does that count?

-Hyp.

 

[Roman]

Well, I visited a palm-reader at Victoria Park Market, once... does that count?

-Hyp.

Actually my first thoughts were similar when I read the title of this thread.

 

[Shadowdweller]

I've played about five or so psions, and DM'd a number as well...although admittedly with what is mostly the same play group. Funwise, they're okay...but seem a little bland to me as compared with arcane casters or druids (I've never been a big cleric fan, but maybe that's just me). Or at least the supposed disciplines turn out to have some fairly illogical abilities. I can understand the thematic "theory" behind such things, but, playwise, when the TELEPATH gets Hostile Empathic Transfer (as opposed to the more healy-oriented egoist) and the EGOIST gets Hustle (as opposed to the movement-oriented nomad), I think the flavor and strategy of being a particular type is compromised.

They seem almost a little bit too focused. Even assuming the house rules you speak of, many powers seem to be very difficult for the enemy to resist. Partly because low-level powers are often more expansive with respect to type of creature affected and partly because of the inherent Heighten Spell built in to augmentation. Coupled with Overchannel, Psion save DCs still increase faster than comparable arcane equivalents. In contrast, as I am very fond of repeating, I don't think psionic powers are anywhere near as widely versatile as spells (even based on a simple PHB to XPH comparison). There's a lot of personal buffs and formulaic blast spells, for instance. There's also a lot of very cool defensive powers that only get use if there's a fair number of psionic opponents or opponents that use mind-affecting abilities (hint, hint DMs: Psionic combat is NOT dead).

And yes, I too find that it's pretty easy to run through all one's power points very quickly. Especially when trying to blast the enemy. Damagewise, you still won't be able to keep up with the party beaters...or at least not after a MAXIMUM of two fights. As a result, I've often tried to maladict instead...which seems a little bit more efficient. Despite taking it with at least three of my five psions, I've yet to actually use Schism in game as a PC...simply because of the power point cost. More than about one or two blast powers is just plain unnecessary.

A number of powers seem to pop up and get used rather frequently in our play group REGARDLESS of discipline or varying character concept. Amongst these are: Vigor, Touchsight, Detect Hostile Intent, Empathic Transfer, Hostile Empathic Transfer, Energy Missile (although note that we play with the save DC scaling in the RAW), Ectoplasmic Entanglement, Psionic Domination, and the Energy Adaptation chain.

Feats that seem to be common/frequently used: Overchannel (-I- think it's worth it anyway...just makes Hostile Empathic Transfer more useful ), Expanded Knowledge, and Psionic Meditation.

Anyways, that's what I think. Hope it was coherent and not too long-winded.

 

[Shadowdweller]

Oh, and also (probably depending on who one's DM interprets the Psionic-Magic Transparency and how much time one has to react after realizing that an oncoming fireball is going to BURN you) the Spellcraft skill, even at cross-class cost, has proven pretty usefull.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Anyone here have real world experience with Psions, post XPH? I'm thinking of running one in an upcoming campaign, but wanted to hear what people thought of them. Please assume that all powers are house ruled to what they reasonably should be, i.e. +1 DC per 2 PP, dispel psionics increases the maximum by +10, not the actual check, etc.

Are there must have powers/feats? What are the biggest problem you've had while running the character? Any suggestions on how to make them unique/interesting/fun?

Much thanks,
-The Souljourner

Must-have feats: Aligned Attack (for the soulknife), Boost Construct, Expanded Knowledge... every psion I've built as a player has taken this feat at least twice, Ghost Attack (soulknife again... see the long description), Mental Leap (the changes to Jump make this feat so much easier to use), Skill Focus (Concentration) and the Deep Impact feat line, but you need Hustle to make effective use of it.

Burrowing Power is really cool, and Empower Power is so/i] powerful. Unconditional Power is a life-saver at the higher levels, although there aren't too many such effects that dazze or stun you that force a Fortitude save at high levels. I'm probably missing some important monster in there.

Chaotic Mind is great for slaadi.

I think every character I've taken has Animal Affinity and Vigor - the latter is virtually mandatory. Inertial Armor is also very common, especially since it stacks with a shield. Because it scales, it's not so bad that you aren't wearing a +5 mithral shirt like you would have in 3.0.

There aren't too many fun Telepathy powers, IMO, especially at low levels, plus I hate how Dominate went from way too weak before the errata to way too strong now, and beware the powers that don't have scaling DCs... unless Heighten Power makes a comeback.