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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Thanee" data-source="post: 1507181" data-attributes="member: 478">~+~ Summary ~+~For the record, here's what I am basically saying in a nutshell...Summary of comparison between psion and sorcerer:* * * * *Assumption: Spells and powers are roughly equal.Note: This includes scaling/non-scaling, caps/no caps, -/augmentation (i.e. "lesser" and "greater" all-in-one), -/built-in flexibility (modular powers).* * * * *Major Fact: There are more spells than powers to choose from. Also some especially powerful psionic powers are only accessible via a feat (Expanded Knowledge to access other discipline's power lists), which further limits the psions selection.Fact: Powers often only work on the psion where spells can also be cast on teammates.Fact: Sorcerers can cast more spells per day than psions can manifest powers, given that psions augment their powers to some degree. The additional spells are of a relatively low level, tho (which makes them far from useless, however, especially since they scale up to some point). If you add up spell slots to compare with a higher level power (say, something like two 2nd level spells roughly equaling one 4th level power), both come out much more similar, since psions have more high level manifestations at the expense of lower level ones usually.* * * * *Major Fact: Psions get access to higher level powers one level earlier compared to sorcerers.Major Fact: Psions get much more high level (relative to character level) powers known than sorcerers. Often 3-4 times as many!Major Fact: Psions get the effect of several metamagic (one general) feats (Eschew Material, Silent Spell, Still Spell, Heighten Spell, Energy Substitution) for free (no feat cost, no augmentation cost (except Heighten), no increased manifestation time, no expenditure of psionic focus, nothing). Spellcasters need several feats to keep up with this ability and still won't be able to achieve the same results. Also to some extent, augmented powers can keep up with empowered / maximized spells (slightly lower effect, slightly higher save DC).Major Fact: Psions can spontaneously use Quicken Power, sorcerers cannot use Quicken Spell that way (and can only use it at all by spending another feat on Arcane Preparation).Fact: Psions have more flexibility in applying their power points compared to the sorcerer's spell slots. Psions can manifest much more high level powers compared to the sorcerer's high level spell slots. While psions can almost resemble the sorcerers spellcasting (altho the sorcerer will have some more low level spells then (see above)), when they don't augment to the max, they also have the option to burn their PP quicker for a vastly more devastating effect (high amount of high level manifestations). Sorcerers do not have the latter option. Especially at higher levels, the ability to manifest huge amounts of high level powers is a major asset. They also can technically manifest extreme amounts of unaugmented low level powers, but that doesn't seem like a very effective use of their flexibility (thanks to the non-automatic scaling, otherwise it would quickly reach insane levels, so this limit is very important to the psion's flexibility).Fact: Psions get better skills and more bonus feats than sorcerers (even if you exclude the first two to keep up with familiar and to get Psionic Meditation to keep up with metamagic application). They also can wear armor with no chance to ruin their manifestations.Fact: Metamorphic Transfer is broken like no tomorrow! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />Fact: Most of the above applies to all (or at least most) character levels.* * * * *Conclusion: Psions are vastly superior to sorcerers!* * * * *One thing not covered is the comparison between Spell Focus / Spell Penetration and the psionic equivalents. Psionic Endowment / Power Penetration can only be used by expending the psionic focus (regain as move action normally). This means that psions can't use them simultaneously (except once when they spend another two feats on Psicrystal / Psicrystal Containment). They both have a higher effect, tho (roughly twice as good). With Psionatrix, psions can effectively "buy" a Spell Focus equivalent (no Greater version, tho). That seems - all in all - roughly equal to me, especially considering, that the psionic focus is probably mostly used for only Power Penetration or Quicken Power, anyways.ByeThanee</blockquote>

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