D&D 3E/3.5 Wild Talents in 3e?

[Sir Brennen]

I'm looking at an older 2E adventure in which some NPCs have a wild talent, and I want to replicate this without actually having them have a level in the class. I also want to open up the option to players who might be interested in having minor psi-like abilities (through a feat, most likely.)

For instance, in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, most of the races have "Natural Psionic" as a racial feature, with the description "This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class." Are there other sources besides classes?

 

[IcyCool]

I'm looking at an older 2E adventure in which some NPCs have a wild talent, and I want to replicate this without actually having them have a level in the class. I also want to open up the option to players who might be interested in having minor psi-like abilities (through a feat, most likely.)

For instance, in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, most of the races have "Natural Psionic" as a racial feature, with the description "This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class." Are there other sources besides classes?

Well, the Wild Talent feat gives you pretty much the same thing as the Naturally Psionic racial ability. Having either of those lets you take psionic feats, some of which are pretty cool. They don't make a bad replacement for the minor psi-like abilities from 2E.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

There's also a template in the XPH that grants some powers as the creature advances in level.

The Phrenic Creature, it's called. http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/psionicMonsters.html#phenric-creature

 

[MatthewJHanson]

There's also an optional feat (Hidden Tallent on on page 67 of the XPB) (it's not in the SRD) that grants a character one 1st level power.

 

[Sir Brennen]

There's also an optional feat (Hidden Tallent on on page 67 of the XPB) (it's not in the SRD) that grants a character one 1st level power.

Ah... that's what I was looking for. Missed it since it's not in the Feats section.

The actual Wild Talent Feat does allow a non-psychic character some interesting feat options to choose afterward, but you still can't manifest powers with it. Actually, I'm surprised the names of these two feats aren't swapped, since Hidden Talent does seem more a nod to the wild talent feature from 1st and 2nd editions.

Thanks for the input, everyone

 

[Hawken]

I'm looking at an older 2E adventure in which some NPCs have a wild talent, and I want to replicate this without actually having them have a level in the class. I also want to open up the option to players who might be interested in having minor psi-like abilities (through a feat, most likely.)...Are there other sources besides classes?

The Psionic Races are an option, if you care for them. If you don't like the races, then maybe swap out one racial ability from the PHB races (or any others) and put in a psionic racial ability from one of the races in the XPH.

The feats are a good option as well. IMO, feats are too few and far between to have characters "waste" a feat just to be able to take psionic feats. So, I would do away with the Wild Talent feat. Or at least switch the name with the Hidden Talent if you want to keep that 1e or 2e flavor in your games.

There was a Dark Sun book called The Will & The Way (or something like that), that book had expanded rules for psionic combat, dozens of more powers and a chart at the back for Wild Talents (back then Wild Talent meant you had a psionic power or two or three, not just access to a psionic feat). The chart would have you roll once to determine the number of psionic powers you could have--Wild Talents could have up to 3 powers. Then you would roll and see what discipline the power was in and whether it was a low or high level power. Yes, it was possible for a 1st level character to have what would be equal to a 9th level power! Then you would roll to see what the power was and their tables listed every psionic power that had been made up to that point.

I used that in several of my campaigns and even when low level characters had a high level power it wasn't used that often. It would tend to draw (un)wanted attention to that character. So, there was some balance in there without the powers totally disrupting the game or stealing everyone else's fun.