Why is preventing psioninc DC augmenting bad?

[Bardsandsages]

I just don't allow psionics at all. That settles that.

While 3.5 fixed a lot of the problems with psionics, the whole thing still feels like an afterthought that doesn't really gel well unless you are running a psionic game.

But getting back to point, if you are putting limitations on the psionics because you don't fully understand the powers, then how can you effectively put limitations on the power to begin with? You either need to decide to understand the powers so they can be used, or decide you are not allowing psionics at all because you don't want to deal with it. Particularly if you already have a player that has shown a willingness to take advantage of your lack of understanding of the rules, you might be better off just saying "no" until you are confident you understand the game mechanics involved and how they will impact your game.

 

[kigmatzomat]

It's that the player concerned has a tendancy of keeping me on my toes rules wise. Creative interpretation, remembering scewed tid bits about powers or abilities, etc. It's forced me to be more knowledgable about the rules. Thing is, I have limited access to the psionic rules, so it's harder for me to stay up to date.

Completely understandable. Tell the player he needs to loan you his psionics books for a week or two so you can familiarize yourself with the system at leisure. Whet his appetite, if needed, by pointing out you have no idea what kinds of loot is psionically appropriate, especially within DragonStar and need to do research.

I personally avoid running mechanics/settings/etc if I don't own the book but will make limited exceptions that are clearly delineated (e.g. only the classes Fee, Fie, and Fo, the feat Phum, and nothing else, not even the rules "clarifications.") Were I you, I'd go with the RSRD psionics + errata since it's free and contains more than enough material for DragonStar IMO. Complete Psionic was a disappointment to me, with the soulbow being the only thing I might miss.

 

[Storyteller01]

But getting back to point, if you are putting limitations on the psionics because you don't fully understand the powers, then how can you effectively put limitations on the power to begin with?

Thought I had a handle on things with the original house rule. The discussion has given me a better perspective so far.

 

[irdeggman]

My concern would be it's use in a gestalt campaign. The balance is shot since the player is looking at mixing it with a combat based class.

Shouldn't matter since the limit is the number of actions available in a round anyway.

1 swift
1 move
1 standard
X free (based on DM for what is reasonable)

An immediate action uses up yuor next round's swift action.

Basically a gestalt fighter/psion can still only do so much a round.

A single attack (regardless of the amount granted by high BAB/2 weapon fighting) unless using the full-attack action, which means no move action.

Most psionics that would come into play here are standard action powers.

 

[irdeggman]

But getting back to point, if you are putting limitations on the psionics because you don't fully understand the powers, then how can you effectively put limitations on the power to begin with? You either need to decide to understand the powers so they can be used, or decide you are not allowing psionics at all because you don't want to deal with it. Particularly if you already have a player that has shown a willingness to take advantage of your lack of understanding of the rules, you might be better off just saying "no" until you are confident you understand the game mechanics involved and how they will impact your game.

This sums it up perfectly.

If you don't understand psionics or feel comfortable with them - then don't allow them.

If you don't feel understand or feel comfortable with magic then don't allow it. Magic use is just as abuse as is psionics when the DM doesn't understand or feel comfortable with the system.

 

[irdeggman]

We've done well so far, since it's a dragon star game (heavy fire balls are balance with blaster rifles). It's that the player concerned has a tendancy of keeping me on my toes rules wise. Creative interpretation, remembering scewed tid bits about powers or abilities, etc. It's forced me to be more knowledgable about the rules. Thing is, I have limited access to the psionic rules, so it's harder for me to stay up to date.

If the player has something to say about the rules that you don't know - make him show you the information before hand. If he is trying something "creative" then he needs to prove to you it is legit and not say things like "I read it somewhere", which is a common statement from players.

 

[Corsair]

Psionics are in the SRD. They pretty much work as intended, and free to use.

 

[Bacris]

Thing is, I have limited access to the psionic rules, so it's harder for me to stay up to date.

IMO, anything your psion intends to do, the onus is on him to have the rules available - not his interpretation. If he wants to do something and you want rules validation of it, he should be able to show you how it works. If not, not allowed, plain and simple.

 

[wildstarsreach]

I can see the reasoning: A sorcerer has only a few high-level spells that have the highest of DCs, why is it that psions have all their powers available at the highest of DCs?

But what really irks me is that some powers have DC scaling and some don't (stomp). They should have made a universal rule (perhaps that the DC was 10+half pp+Ability mod) instead of doing each power individually. This would have also fixed the +1DC/pp problem fixed in CP.

If a spell doesn't work, the sorcerer can unlearn a spell and learn a new one. A psion cannot once learned unless he gets a certain psionic item or psychic reformation which from what I have heard and experienced not been allowed.

 

[wildstarsreach]

My concern would be it's use in a gestalt campaign. The balance is shot since the player is looking at mixing it with a combat based class.

From the casual reading, gesalt characters are not balanced for regular campaigns. You are mixing options that I find may lead to terrible imbalances. I think that house rules with regards to this situation may be in order.