What Replaces Psychic Combat in the Revised Psionics Handbook?

[shadow]

From what I've heard psychic combat has been done away with in the Revised Psionics Handbook. I was a little disapointed to hear that. Although, the rules for psychic combat weren't the best, I liked the idea because it gave psionic characters flavor and differentiated them from spellcasters. With psychic combat gone, is there anything to replace it? And now that it's gone, how are psionics any different from a point based magic system?

 

[psionotic]

Psionic combat is indeed gone. Most of the attack and defense modes have been turned into different powers. Things that differentiate psionics from point-based magic.

1) Many of the powers are 'augmentable,' allowing the manifester to increase their effects, DCs, damage, etc:

2) Some psionic feats allow creative uses of powers, such as Opportunity Power, which lets you manifest a touch attack power as an AoO.

3) There are a lot of powers which are Swift actions, and a few that are Immediate actions. Swift actions are essentially quickened, whereas Immediate actions are free actions that you can manifest even if it isn't your turn.

I think that rounds out most of the differences. It is true, though, that the removal of psionic combat makes psionics much more like magic than in the past.

This, I believe, is my 200th post. Yay.

 

[ConnorSB]

Technically, yes, psionic combat has been done away with.

Bruce Cordell, however, published his own psionic combat system a while back in the Malhavoc book Mindscapes, based off of the 3.0 rules.

I've been using the Mindscapes combat system in conjunction with 3.5 psionics, and it seems to be working just fine. The "mode equivelent thingys", rather than draining a particular ability score, instead give the psionic character real world consequences from those that happen "in the mindscape". Bonuses to reflex saves against your psionic opponent, for example.

Most of the stuff in mindscapes can be easily ported to 3.5. The new powers are just, well, new powers. Some of the monsters have to be tweaked to have psi-like abilities rather than "natural psionics", but other than that it works really well.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I'm glad psi-combat is gone. It was the biggest hurdle for getting my players to accept it. I'm still waiting for my XPH to arrive, but if it meshes as well with the core magic systems as I've heard, I'll be very happy.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Thought shield and tower of iron will are free actions that give you SR/PR against mind-affecting effects. Empty Mind gives you a +2 bonus to your Will save, and is also a free action.

You don't get these powers for free, nor are you required to use them. (No -8 saving throw nonsense.)

 

[RangerWickett]

I posted a personal revision of the Mindscapes rules on this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=85727

 

[Psion]

What "replaces" it per se is the power system; all combat modes are now powers.

I use the mindscapes system as is; it meshes pretty well with XPH since they both operate under the assumption that all of the existing combat modes are now powers.

I was also toying with the idea of a 5-level prestige class optimized for using combat modes (at the cost of manifester levels) and possible with some mindscapes benefits, for those who want to make mental brawlers.