Psionics

[Firestorm]

What do you people think of Psionics?

I recently bought the Psionics Handbook, and I think they totally rock! WAAAY cooler than spells, IMO. And the psychic combat is totally awesome, a "Battle of the Minds".

It would be cool, if they were implemented in NWN, but they won't

Frankly, I think they went a bit too far with psionics. Okay, Wizards and Paladins and Dragons are all right and fit into DnD, but then adding psychic powers and all? Uh-uh

[Volar Blackmane]

Hmm, I'm a fan of psionics myself. Heard something of the system, but don't know anyone who owns the book. How does it work, I've heard that there are psionic points or something? How many powers does a psionicist have?

[Voltric]

Volar, This link has the Psionic rules at the end of the list. http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/srd.html

I'm not a big fan of Psi. I think it is a little over powered compared to the magic system. We have a guy in our current group playing a psion and he is a bit strong for his level, but some of that is because he is playing a blue goblin and some of it is the player is a bit of a min-maxer. He does RP well so it's not that big of a deal but I can see Psi being really abused.

I'm not a huge fan of prionics, though I own the book... I agree that they may be a little overpowered (no material components or focuses, I think, creatures generally have less PR than SR and a psion is way more flexibe even than a sorcerer!).

[Volar Blackmane]

Thanks for the link. A blue goblin?

[Vanadin]

I actually think WotC did a fairly good job balancing Psi classes to the normal classes. After being ridiculously overpowered in 2e, Psions and Psychic Warriors now actually come across as playable.
Psions are a lot more versatile than sorcerers, true, but on the other hand they can use fewer spells (powers) per day than the sorcerer.
Psychic Warriors are best compared to clerics, both in fighting prowess and spell/power usage, and I don't feel they are in any way better. In fact, were I a min-maxer I'd choose a cleric any day...

The only thing I feel is unbalancing is the Psionic feats. Some of them are cumulative with normal feats and abilities, others are just way too powerful.
But on the other hand, so are a lot of the feats presented in the class supplements. Not to mention the FRCS feats, they're really the dream for a min-maxing player.

[Azardu]

In my humble opinion, psionics have no place in a fantasy setting. In fantasy, arcane and divine magic are the mystical powers, there's no need for a third one. Put that in a scifi game instead. But as I mentioned, this is just my humble opinion

[Voltric]

Blue goblins are one of the new races in the Psi Handbook. I don't own the book so I can't give you all the details. I've just found form playing with one that they are a bit over powered. There maybe other new races in the book but again as I said I can't add details.

[Cullain]

Just to disagree with Voltric.....

I think psionics in 3E are actually pretty well balanced. Not as powerful as spells, but able to be used more often. It's actually a pretty good balancing act.

As for whether psionics belong in a fantasy game: I think that depends on the campaign world. In my campaign world I've tried to put a lot of thought into how they fit into the cosmology, and I think they fit it rather well. In other worlds, it just wouldn't work.(and heck, in other fantasy worlds, psionics make a lot more sense than the standard D&D magic system)


Cullain

[Xandar Dae'Ithil]

I'm not a huge fan, nor am I really against it, but I do think it has it's place in DnD.
Azardu: Psionics is not a kind of magic.

It seems to me that many, if not even most, of the psionic powers are just psionic version of wizard or cleric spells, with a few little differences. I tried a campaign with psionics, and I didn't really like it. I am with the people who think psionics don't belong in fantasy.

[Tesserus]

Would some of matron malice's powers in the dark elf trilogy: homeland book be consider psionics? or perhaps an ability she aquired by being a cleric of loth? She can read minds you know.

[Invoker]

Well I had a psionic warrior player boast to me about his char once. He said he holds 20 arrows in one hand and 20 in the other and then blasts all of them at the BBEG (big bad evil guy) with his psionic powers about 40-60 attacks per round I don't know if it's the DMs fault for allowing this or if it's really a whacky side effect of some psionic powers in the book (never looked at it) but that sure sounds um.. nevermind
I'm kind of neutral towards psionics as I haven't seen one played first hand. It also depends on the setting imo. For ex, psionics in Dark Sun was very cool. Speaking of Darksun, that Thre'kreens (might remember the name wrong, some bug/humanoid fighter race) was very cool too but that's OT.

[Volar Blackmane]

Probably a psionic version of telekinesis, wizards can do that too.

By using telekinesis (PHB, page 264), one twentieth level wizard can hurl almost 3500 arrows per turn. There is no object limit in the spell, just a weight limit (level*25lb.). Alternatively the wizard could use 500 shuriken, if he prefers.

The psiconist has a place as long as it remembers its place and stays in it.

[Voltric]

To start with telekinesis or any psi version of it won't be that useful in combat. You'd have to prepare everything in advance. If you had setup time yes, at 20th level you could hurl hundreds of arrows at a target. Mind you have to hit that target, it's not automatic. But at 20th level you could also do a lot worse things. So it's not really unbalanced.

In combat this wouldn't work quite as well. First how many arrows is a mage going to carry around? Then you have to pull them all out. Then the mage has to take a round to cast the spell. It might work once with 100 arrows but that'd be it. The characters just couldn't carry the weight.

[Volar Blackmane]

Just think what that mage could do to defend a well-stocked castle against hordes of humanoid attackers, though. Not to mention you're bound to roll a few criticals with 3000+ arrows