[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
I've always run Divine magic as magic might that is granted to you temporarily by your deities, and thus is arcane magic with an overwhelming touch of the divine that separates it from Arcane.
Arcane magic is learned, whether self-taught or schooled, ability to manipulate the universe with the arcane energies that permeate the world.
Psionics is pure will power. Rather than using the arcane energies, you're just manipulating the world. No arcane energy involved whatsoever. The "Psi" energy, however, was.
Eldritch Magic (from some old homebrew stuff of mine) is pretty much like Divine magic, except instead of divine beings granting you specific spells, you're getting pure arcane might from extremely powerful eldritch beings with which to craft your spells.
I was pretty much always under the impression that Psionics operated entirely off one's will power.
That said... I'm off to build that life leech dhampir, just because I like leech tactics :).
[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
Give me about an hour...
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I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. Which is great in theory... now the hard part; finding a GM that not only hasn't banned psionics but knows them well enough to pull this off. Because that is probably the biggest reason psi gets banned anyway; GMs don't know the new system well enough to incorporate it into their game.
I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. Which is great in theory... now the hard part; finding a GM that not only hasn't banned psionics but knows them well enough to pull this off. Because that is probably the biggest reason psi gets banned anyway; GMs don't know the new system well enough to incorporate it into their game.
It takes about 15 minutes to become capable of adjudicating psionics, so that's a weaksauce excuse. That said, there's a very good reason that I haven't bothered to just change all my campaigns over to psionics as the only form of magic...because there's not much point in it.
See, yeah, psionics is better balanced than core magic, but if you don't have an issue with core magic, why deny players the ability to use that sort of magic? One of my favorite things about this system is that there is something for everyone. :O
If you like micro-managing your resources and have a "gotta catch 'em all" attitude towards your spells, then wizards are good for you! If you like a smaller list with simplified bookkeeping and decent adaptability, then psions are good for you!
If you like gunslinger casting (IE - spell slots) then you can do that. If you like having a reserve of magical power then you can do that.
One of my friends who doesn't get to play with us anymore (he's in the Army so he's usually everywhere except here) loved playing things like fighters, barbarians, and psions, but couldn't stand playing wizards at all.
Another friend enjoys bards, wizards, and psions.
Another friend still enjoys monks, wizards, and druids.
Another friend still gobbles up all things Dreamscarred (and who can blame him? :P).
Options are good. I find it's just less work for more gain to let everyone have their cake.
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[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
It's not finished, but here's a preview.
Warlock v0.1.1.
I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. Which is great in theory... now the hard part; finding a GM that not only hasn't banned psionics but knows them well enough to pull this off. Because that is probably the biggest reason psi gets banned anyway; GMs don't know the new system well enough to incorporate it into their game.It takes about 15 minutes to become capable of adjudicating psionics, so that's a weaksauce excuse. That said, there's a very good reason that I haven't bothered to just change all my campaigns over to psionics as the only form of magic...because there's not much point in it.
Options are good. I find it's just less work for more gain to let everyone have their cake.
It isn't weaksauce nor will someone do a very good job incorporating psionics on only 15 minutes of reading. Aranna's rule of good game mastery #1: Know the Rules. If you want to incorporate psionics you will need to be well versed NOT JUST on the mechanics involved in spending psi points and manifesting powers BUT you will also need a strong knowledge of all the various powers that will come up in play PC or villain. And if you want to make psionics shine then you will also need to learn all those tricky little bits that you can combo up with psi powers. That's a lot of learning for some GMs who may be happy with things the way they already are.
Take for example how many times people bring up the fact that not knowing the limit to how much you can pump a power breaks the game... That's a lot of GMs and players getting the basic mechanics wrong and I bet they spent far more than 15 minutes on the rules.
PS: Options are fine... I just prefer tightly themed games. Just a preference it isn't superior just different.
It isn't weaksauce nor will someone do a very good job incorporating psionics on only 15 minutes of reading. Aranna's rule of good game mastery #1: Know the Rules. If you want to incorporate psionics you will need to be well versed NOT JUST on the mechanics involved in spending psi points and manifesting powers BUT you will also need a strong knowledge of all the various powers that will come up in play PC or villain. And if you want to make psionics shine then you will also need to learn all those tricky little bits that you can combo up with psi powers. That's a lot of learning for some GMs who may be happy with things the way they already are.
By this line of reasoning, every time new spells are published the GM suddenly doesn't comprehend magic anymore, since not only does he have to know how magic works, but he must also need strong knowledge of all spells and their combos.
No, I don't think so. All I need to know how magic works is the Magic chapter in the core rulebook, just like all I need to know how Psionics works is the Psionic Powers chapter in the psionics book. From there, I have the needed knowledge to incorporate any power that is published.
Take for example how many times people bring up the fact that not knowing the limit to how much you can pump a power breaks the game... That's a lot of GMs and players getting the basic mechanics wrong and I bet they spent far more than 15 minutes on the rules.
I'd be willing to take that bet, especially since the explanation of how augmenting a power (IE - spending more points on the power) explains the limit. In fact, it has never proved anything other than how people won't read rules before they try to pretend to be experts on them.
PS: Options are fine... I just prefer tightly themed games. Just a preference it isn't superior just different.
You should probably remove a good half of the core classes and most splat material, including new classes, as there is much overlap between them, only with different mechanics for each.
It isn't weaksauce nor will someone do a very good job incorporating psionics on only 15 minutes of reading. Aranna's rule of good game mastery #1: Know the Rules. If you want to incorporate psionics you will need to be well versed NOT JUST on the mechanics involved in spending psi points and manifesting powers BUT you will also need a strong knowledge of all the various powers that will come up in play PC or villain. And if you want to make psionics shine then you will also need to learn all those tricky little bits that you can combo up with psi powers. That's a lot of learning for some GMs who may be happy with things the way they already are.By this line of reasoning, every time new spells are published the GM suddenly doesn't comprehend magic anymore, since not only does he have to know how magic works, but he must also need strong knowledge of all spells and their combos.
No, I don't think so. All I need to know how magic works is the Magic chapter in the core rulebook, just like all I need to know how Psionics works is the Psionic Powers chapter in the psionics book. From there, I have the needed knowledge to incorporate any power that is published.
Take for example how many times people bring up the fact that not knowing the limit to how much you can pump a power breaks the game... That's a lot of GMs and players getting the basic mechanics wrong and I bet they spent far more than 15 minutes on the rules.I'd be willing to take that bet, especially since the explanation of how augmenting a power (IE - spending more points on the power) explains the limit. In fact, it has never proved anything other than how people won't read rules before they try to pretend to be experts on them.
PS: Options are fine... I just prefer tightly themed games. Just a preference it isn't superior just different.You should probably remove a good half of the core classes and most splat material, including new classes, as there is much overlap between them, only...
Now your being deliberately difficult. A GM who has mastery of spells doesn't lose that when new spells come out. They just wisely don't include them in their game until they have had time to review them and decide for themselves if they will fit.
As for the bet you will probably lose... most of these people probably spend at least an hour perusing the various powers they can get. And most of them probably at least spent 15 minutes skimming through how powers work.
As for options: I have done that to good effect before. It depends on the theme I am going for... horror? I probably remove many of the classes that specialize in slaughtering undead or keeping people healthy. Gives them good reason to fear the night. So yes with a psionics themed game I would remove the spell casters.
[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
Here's a preview of some of the power-combos, as I just finished writing the create healthstone power.
Discipline psychometabolism [affliction]
Level warlock 1
MANIFESTING
Display auditory, material, visual
Manifesting Time 1 standard action
EFFECT
Range short (25 ft. + 5 ft. / level)
Target 1 creature
Duration concentration
Saving Throw Will partial (see text); Power Resistance Yes
Power Points 1
You create a mystic funnel that drains astral energies from your target, slowly unmaking them and condensing the energy into a soul shard. Drain soul deals 2 points of damage per warlock level to the target each round that concentration is maintained. Each round the target may attempt a Will save to negate the damage for that round. Each round that the saving throw is failed, the caster condenses some of the target into a soul shard with an effective worth of 10 gp per hit die of the target. If the target is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points while this spell is still active, the caster creates a soul shard with the sudden rush of fleeing energy.
A soul shard is a crystal formed of astral essences that can be used as a focus component for some forms of magic. The shard has a value of 10 gp per hit die of the creature it was created from and can be consumed as part of casting a spell or manifesting a power in place of material components or focus items of equivalent value. When used as a focus, a soul shard is considered to be worth ten times is usual value (100 gp / HD), but burns out and becomes useless after only one use, requiring a new shard to be used as a focus on the next power. If crystal light is manifested on a soul shard, the light persists for 1 hour per manifester level. Soul shards crack and fade out of existence 24 hours after they are created. A soul shard only works for the caster that created it and as a result has no meaningful trade value.
Once this power is manifested, the caster needn't maintain line of effect to the target, though the power immediately ends if the target is no longer within range of the power relative to the caster.
Augment
This power can be augmented in one or more of the following ways.
1. For every 2 additional power points you spend, increase the damage that this power deals by 1 point per round.
2. For every 2 additional power points you spend, you may increase the number of targets of this power by 1.
In addition, for every 2 PP spent augmenting this power, the saving throw DC increases by +1.
Discipline psychometabolism [demonology, healing]
Level warlock 2
MANIFESTING
Display olfactory, visual
Manifesting Time 1 round
EFFECT
Range 0 ft.
Effect 1 heathstone
Duration 24 hours
Saving Throw none; Power Resistance no
The manifester infuses a stone, gem, or crystal with restorative energies that can be used to heal or repair damage to creatures. To create the healthstone, the manifester requires a focus stone, gem, or crystal worth 100 gp for every 5 hit points to be restored by the healthstone, up to 15 hit points.
A healthstone is similar to a magical item once created and can be carried by a creature. As a swift action, the creature bearing the stone can issue a mental command to activate the stone. Upon activation, the bearer heals 5 hit points and the stone burns harmlessly away to nothing. Once healthstone has been used by a creature, the creature cannot benefit from another healthstone for 1 hour.
Healthstones that are not used within 24 hours of their creation burn out and become useless. A healthstone weighs 1 pound.
Augment
For every additional power point you spent augmenting this power, the healthstone heals an additional 5 hit points of damage, but the cost of the focus crystal to be infused increases by 100 gp.
The other option of course is using the old Art Haus WOW OGL material.[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
Here's a preview of some of the power-combos, as I just finished writing the create healthstone power.
** spoiler omitted **...
I've got the campaign book and the monstrous manual from that line. I wouldn't recommend them all that highly, in all honesty. I liked 'em, but they left much to be desired IMHO.
I have heard that DSP has a very close working relationship with Paizo. I doubt they would want to ruin that by making an obviously directly competing replacement for the core material.I don't see any evidence of that. Paizo after all has used material from at least one third party company, (either Necromancer, Green Ronin, or Frog Games) in at least one scenario. (and gave them credit.) They haven't to date, used ANYTHING from Dreamscarred that I'm aware of. A couple of folks from Paizo have said nice things about the Dreamscarred material, but that's it.
The main reason is that it would go against their main selling strategy... selling psionics to an established market... Paizo's D+D 3.5 refugees, they built their whole business about selling to Pathfinder players. Building a core system would mean having to take on Paizo directly, and they're not really geared to take that kind of risky business move. Not because of any "ill feelings" it might generate from Paizo, because they're not likely to succeed in launching whole hog like that.
One of the recent modules that dealt with the Dominion of the Black has a monster whose abilities are taken from DSP, and this resource is cited. I think it Doom comes to Dustpawn, but it could have been Dragon's Demand.
Moot point anyway. If Paizo takes on psychic powers, it will probably use a system similar to Vancian, as no one at Paizo is a huge fan of power points.
And more to the point, it's not that sexy to regurgitate work someone else has already done.
Agreed. Regurgitate =/= Sexy.
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I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. Which is great in theory... now the hard part; finding a GM that not only hasn't banned psionics but knows them well enough to pull this off. Because that is probably the biggest reason psi gets banned anyway; GMs don't know the new system well enough to incorporate it into their game.It takes about 15 minutes to become capable of adjudicating psionics, so that's a weaksauce excuse. That said, there's a very good reason that I haven't bothered to just change all my campaigns over to psionics as the only form of magic...because there's not much point in it.
See, yeah, psionics is better balanced than core magic, but if you don't have an issue with core magic, why deny players the ability to use that sort of magic? One of my favorite things about this system is that there is something for everyone. :O
If you like micro-managing your resources and have a "gotta catch 'em all" attitude towards your spells, then wizards are good for you! If you like a smaller list with simplified bookkeeping and decent adaptability, then psions are good for you!
If you like gunslinger casting (IE - spell slots) then you can do that. If you like having a reserve of magical power then you can do that.
One of my friends who doesn't get to play with us anymore (he's in the Army so he's usually everywhere except here) loved playing things like fighters, barbarians, and psions, but couldn't stand playing wizards at all.
Another friend enjoys bards, wizards, and psions.
Another friend still enjoys monks, wizards, and druids.
Another friend still gobbles up all things Dreamscarred (and who can blame him? :P).
Options are good. I find it's just less work for more gain to let everyone have their cake.
Some people learn certain things quiet easily. Others do not, and it does not help when many people are influenced by what they heard, which influences their way of reading material.
I am not saying psionics is difficult. I am saying that it is not as easy for everyone as it is for you. When some people easily grasp a concept it can be difficult to understand why others have trouble with it. I have to remind myself of this sometimes, especially back while saying "that is not how it works", when I used to find myself defending psionics or ToB.
Right now you are probably thinking, but it is so simple .........
I get it, trust me I do...
As a note, I don't think Psionics or Spellpoints are overpowered or unbalanced. It's just not my jam. But I like that there's the option for it for those that like it. I just hope to see Paizo's version where I can finally have a more Vancian style of psionics.
As a note, I don't think Psionics or Spellpoints are overpowered or unbalanced. It's just not my jam. But I like that there's the option for it for those that like it. I just hope to see Paizo's version where I can finally have a more Vancian style of psionics.
I doubt that will hapen. DSP has psionics down pretty well. There is next to zero room for Paizo to innovate.
Ultimate Psionics even has art-work that is on par with Paizo stuff.
Paizo could do a Psionic AP and setting.
As a note, I don't think Psionics or Spellpoints are overpowered or unbalanced. It's just not my jam. But I like that there's the option for it for those that like it. I just hope to see Paizo's version where I can finally have a more Vancian style of psionics.I doubt that will hapen. DSP has psionics down pretty well. There is next to zero room for Paizo to innovate.
Ultimate Psionics even has art-work that is on par with Paizo stuff.
Paizo could do a Psionic AP and setting.
Actually, Paizo has psionics in their setting and has said that if they use them, it would have Vancian mechanics in line with Arcane and Divine. And JJ is a huge fan of psionics, so I think it'd be not a matter of "if" but a matter of "when".
As far as what is easier to learn, I've noticed that new players are usually already familiar with point-based casting, but not with spell slot-based casting. That's because point-based casting is what a vast majority of CRPGs use, and a lot more people have played CRPGs than tabletop RPGs. I can't say if it is inherently easier to learn. But it doesn't matter, because new players generally don't have to learn it, since they already know it.
Now certainly, someone who's only ever played D&D and never played a CRPG in their life would be more familiar with spell-slot casting than point-casting, but those people are becoming rarer as time goes on.
While games that use mana make up the majority of games, spell slots magic aren't unknown to gamers. Spell slot casting is making a comeback with the Demon/Dark Souls series (as well as the upcoming Bloodborne). We could also go with Pokemon, Chrono Cross, and Fire Emblem (though Fire Emblem is a little different). I've had new players click with Vancian because "it's like Dark Souls!" So while still not the majority, they are a part of some very popular games that many video gamers would know.
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Ok, Time for an Anzyr Mini-Guide:
Psionics: How Does It Work?
1. Much like Spellcasters have a caster level, Manifesters have a Manifester Level.
2. Much like spellcasters have spells divided into group ranging from 1st level to 9th level spells, Manifesters have powers grouped from 1st level powers to 9th level powers.
3. Much like spontaneous casters, manifesters can use any power they know. The difference is that spontaneous casters must have a spell level available to cast it, while a manifester must have power points available to cast it.
4. Powers cost a number of power points based on their level. 1st level powers cost 1 PP, 2nd level powers cost 3 PP, 3rd level powers cost 5 pp, 4th level powers cost 7 pp, 5th level powers cost 9 pp, 6th level powers cost 11 pp, 7th level powers cost 13 pp, 8th level powers cost 15 pp, and 9th level powers cost 17 pp.
Check your understanding question: The power point cost of powers goes up by _ pp per level of the power.
A. 2!~
5. Powers have options called augments that change how a power works (increasing its damage dice, save dcs, adding additional targets, etc.) but require a manifester to spend the required number of augment points.
6. You cannot spend more power points on a power then your manifester level. (Ie. a 9th level manifester can spend 9 points. This means they can manifest a 5th level power without augments, or a lower level power that has been augmented up to 9 power points).
7. You cannot spend more power points on a power then your manifester level. Not following this rule is a cause of many people calling Psionics "OP" and bears mentioning twice. Once in bold.
Next time on Anzyr's Mini-Guides:
Psionic Focus and You!
As a note, I don't think Psionics or Spellpoints are overpowered or unbalanced. It's just not my jam. But I like that there's the option for it for those that like it. I just hope to see Paizo's version where I can finally have a more Vancian style of psionics.I doubt that will hapen. DSP has psionics down pretty well. There is next to zero room for Paizo to innovate.
Ultimate Psionics even has art-work that is on par with Paizo stuff.
Paizo could do a Psionic AP and setting.
Various Paizo devs have said that it's likely they will do some sort of Psychic magic system, that will be vancian, and not use power points. Psychic magic is at any rate already built into the setting, with Vudra and Castrovel.
Various Paizo devs have said that it's likely they will do some sort of Psychic magic system, that will be vancian, and not use power points. Psychic magic is at any rate already built into the setting, with Vudra and Castrovel.As a note, I don't think Psionics or Spellpoints are overpowered or unbalanced. It's just not my jam. But I like that there's the option for it for those that like it. I just hope to see Paizo's version where I can finally have a more Vancian style of psionics.I doubt that will hapen. DSP has psionics down pretty well. There is next to zero room for Paizo to innovate.
Ultimate Psionics even has art-work that is on par with Paizo stuff.
Paizo could do a Psionic AP and setting.
I must admit. I have no desire to see such a thing.
I have no problem with other people wanting it, but I posit that the market is too niche to warrent Paizo dev production cost. You could just call normal magic "psionics" and you end up with basically what you want. It's like how I doubt DSP will make spell-point magic system, you could just call psionics "magic" and you get basically the same thing.
I think it's just the issue you run into when you try to mix two complete systems into one. It becomes very difficult to add anything different enough to warrant printing.
I'm the opposite. For me, psionics is the flavor, not the mechanics. Spellpoints don't really make psionics for me. It's the fluff and flavor of it that does. So that's why I'm happy with psionics that follows a spell slot system like arcane and divine magic. And while the wizard does have some spells that could really be psychic magic, I know there's plenty of cool spells that a Vancian psion could have that an arcane and divine caster wouldn't.
Though, one thing I liked in 4th ed was associating ki with psionics. I also like the correlation of eastern mysticism, asceticism, and spiritualism that Paizo wants to go with for their psychic magic. So seers, mediums, gurus, and such are definitely my back. But I also like the wilder and psion and soulknife. :)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ok, Time for an Anzyr Mini-Guide:
Psionics: How Does It Work?
1. Much like Spellcasters have a caster level, Manifesters have a Manifester Level.
2. Much like spellcasters have spells divided into group ranging from 1st level to 9th level spells, Manifesters have powers grouped from 1st level powers to 9th level powers.
3. Much like spontaneous casters, manifesters can use any power they know. The difference is that spontaneous casters must have a spell level available to cast it, while a manifester must have power points available to cast it.
4. Powers cost a number of power points based on their level. 1st level powers cost 1 PP, 2nd level powers cost 3 PP, 3rd level powers cost 5 pp, 4th level powers cost 7 pp, 5th level powers cost 9 pp, 6th level powers cost 11 pp, 7th level powers cost 13 pp, 8th level powers cost 15 pp, and 9th level powers cost 17 pp.
Check your understanding question: The power point cost of powers goes up by _ pp per level of the power.
A. 2!~
5. Powers have options called augments that change how a power works (increasing its damage dice, save dcs, adding additional targets, etc.) but require a manifester to spend the required number of augment points.
6. You cannot spend more power points on a power then your manifester level. (Ie. a 9th level manifester can spend 9 points. This means they can manifest a 5th level power without augments, or a lower level power that has been augmented up to 9 power points).
7. You cannot spend more power points on a power then your manifester level. Not following this rule is a cause of many people calling Psionics "OP" and bears mentioning twice. Once in bold.
Next time on Anzyr's Mini-Guides:
Psionic Focus and You!
See! I said it only takes like 15 minutes. :P
In my campaign, the Blood Elf Warlock did rather well..... when he wasn't being deliberately insubordinate to high ranking Horde commanders.I've got the campaign book and the monstrous manual from that line. I wouldn't recommend them all that highly, in all honesty. I liked 'em, but they left much to be desired IMHO.The other option of course is using the old Art Haus WOW OGL material.[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
Here's a preview of some of the power-combos, as I just finished writing the create healthstone power.
** spoiler omitted **...
Oh I'm not saying the mechanics are unusable or anything, or that you can't have fun with them. Merely that I'd generally prefer to play a tweaked PF rather than what the Warcraft book + Manual of Monsters (or was it Monstrous Manual? I'd need to check my shelf) had to offer. That said, Azeroth is a fun world indeed.
Now if you played the 2e equivalent of the line, where it was the "World of Warcraft" version, it seemed a bit more solid, but I never got the chance to pick the book up and I've only seen some previews and such online (such as a starter adventure and a summary of the basic mechanics and changes from the first campaign book). I just know the first one was kind of odd in places (off the top of my head, the "gladiator" prestige class had no apparent reason to be there other than giving an option to deal x2 Strength when two-handing a weapon :P).
The monster book probably colored my perceptions in a more negative fashion truthfully. A lot of them were just poorly put together, and some of them were just silly (the writeup for the cannonical characters such as The Lich King were generally insanely over the top by comparison to their video game counterparts and what they actually were capable of doing).
That said, if someone finds them on clearance or something, I'd consider giving them a look. They've got some nice fluff and campaign info that you can use with another RPG system. :)
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I ok EVERYTHING unless it is cheese walking and talking type. And yes, anyone who played for long would know it when they seen it. Psionics are balanced, fairly easy for those newbies I have taught. In fact easier then a wizard or sorcerer to be honest. For veterans I would say its the opposite for the most part.
As far as balanced, IMO they are all tier 2 thru 4, makes for a more interesting game, nothing horrible, noting god like. The ability to nova when and where you like against any encounter, social, combat, or whatever you like is awesome. The hardest thing about psionics is gadging how much power to use, how much to save.
Dreamscarred Press did 110% on these 2 books, got the balance, flavor and mechanics the way they should be. I really feel its mistrust because of older editions, or plain hysteria keeping most away, but that is another tale.
YMMV, but I urge everyone to at least look at the d20pfsrd and check the class's and powers. It cant hurt, I hope.
Actually I don't ok most things. Past experience has taught me that most* of what a player wants to bring in IS cheese walking and talking. And no I don't always know it when I see it. Many things seem pretty reasonable until you actually see it in action in combination with other reasonable things at medium to high levels. So I have to look at things very carefully and compare it to other, at least, semi-optimal builds before I bring it in.
Having said that, I found the DSP psionincs a pleasant surprise. Potentially powerful? Yes. But not excessively so when compared to other baseline things that are allowed.
And as I said before. I love the way the system works.
.
.
I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. ...
Seriously considering that for the next campaign I GM. About 90% sure that I will if I can get Herolab packages for the psionics books.
Actually I don't ok most things. Past experience has taught me that most* of what a player wants to bring in IS cheese walking and talking. And no I don't always know it when I see it. Many things seem pretty reasonable until you actually see it in action in combination with other reasonable things at medium to high levels. So I have to look at things very carefully and compare it to other, at least, semi-optimal builds before I bring it in.
Having said that, I found the DSP psionincs a pleasant surprise. Potentially powerful? Yes. But not excessively so when compared to other baseline things that are allowed.
And as I said before. I love the way the system works.
.
.
I have always said since psionics is better, why not just ditch the spell casting classes and go straight psionics in your games. ...Seriously considering that for the next campaign I GM. About 90% sure that I will if I can get Herolab packages for the psionics books.
Awesome, you sound like a good GM.
Let us know how it goes, please.
...
Awesome, you sound like a good GM.
Let us know how it goes, please.
eh, I'm at best a mediocre GM with occasional flashes of greatness. ;)
Won't be for several months at least. We are only about 2/3 finsihed with the current one and we don't get together all that often. But yes, I will let people know how it goes.
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Eh, I operate on the principle that if something slips by you, you don't just go 'well, I messed up, now I gotta live with it'. You just fix the problem then and there.
Call me a bad DM if ya like, Been running games regularly since second edition, made the switch to 3.0 fairly fast, and so on, till now pathfinder. Got 3 groups atm and play enough that rarely does anything make it in that I can't call cheese. More importantly my players in all 3 games seem pretty good about policing themselves. I rarely pull strange on them, but if they open the door then its in my world and I can use it.
Seems to keep things pretty gentlemanly, or what have you. We have next to no house rules in the kids game, 3 of my kids and 3 of their friends. The next group is all adult but running the all psionics party and loving it. The last gets together not as often as we would like but RL has its way. This is the group where all of them know the rules well, we moved to Kithfinder a while back but that is another discussion.
I do have a lot of free time, YMMV
I'm dying to know about this "Dark lord of the Sith" type archetype one of the reviews for Ultimate Psionics mentioned... Seriously need to pick that up soon...
That said! I'm tempted to give the 'whole psionic' campaign a try... Just need to mod the aberrations and Great Old Ones to use Psionics rather than Magic, and I'm good to go for a doomsday campaign where Magic has been "turned off" by the invading "Other Realm" that finally broke through. Fortunately, it's usually something as simple as a hand wave for fixing those things (just turn the 'magic' into 'psionic' and done).
Which reminds me. Anyone know if DSP has plans for Mythic Psionics?
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Which reminds me. Anyone know if DSP has plans for Mythic Psionics?
If DSP did mythic, we might have mythic rules that actually worked. That'd be pretty sweet.
Mythic Psionics are happening, their was some big Mythic Mania kickstarter and DSP is doing some material for it.
I'm actually finishing off part 5 of WoTR and aside from a couple of snags, I actually haven't had trouble with Mythic.
But that's a topic for another thread.
Which reminds me. Anyone know if DSP has plans for Mythic Psionics?If DSP did mythic, we might have mythic rules that actually worked. That'd be pretty sweet.
Well I'll be... O_o
I've taken to offering it in every game I run, and people in my general circle picked it up from me as well.
Only had 3 people take it up between several games so far, but they've all enjoyed them and I haven't noticed any balance issues.
Currently have a Soulbolt as the captain of the crew in my Skull and Shackles game.
Next campaign I run will probably have psionics. I can even fit it into the world fairly easily.
Though in the background, I may tinker with them some. But that's just the tinkerer in me. I have to pick things apart and tweak them :)
Design Manager
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I'm dying to know about this "Dark lord of the Sith" type archetype one of the reviews for Ultimate Psionics mentioned... Seriously need to pick that up soon...
Probably referring to the Dark Tempest PrC, which lets you blend Soulknife with another manifesting class (Dread works really well for the Sith feel). There's also a legacy weapon intended specifically for characters intending to take that PrC that's basically a double-bladed lightsaber.
[tease] You know what would be cool! Playing a WoW Warlock in Pathfinder! [/tease]
:)
Here's a preview of some of the power-combos, as I just finished writing the create healthstone power.
** spoiler omitted **...
Sweet! :)
I'll quit bugging you about it for a while ;)|
Design Manager
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Actually, Paizo has psionics in their setting and has said that if they use them, it would have Vancian mechanics in line with Arcane and Divine. And JJ is a huge fan of psionics, so I think it'd be not a matter of "if" but a matter of "when".
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What JJ is a "fan of" is something he calls psychic magic. Which from the reading of his posts is something far different than the comic book power style of D+D psionics. Different enough that by his statements, psychic magic and traditional SRD psionics could live side by side.
The other thing is that there is no announced development schedule for this material so I wouldn't hold any campaign plans waiting for it to come out.
Erik Mona has talked about a possible Paizo foray into the powers of the mind as being focused on "psychic magic" as well, and has said it will probably be vancian, and probably look more occult and less "crystal punk" than the psionics presented and supported by DSP.
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Erik Mona has talked about a possible Paizo foray into the powers of the mind as being focused on "psychic magic" as well, and has said it will probably be vancian, and probably look more occult and less "crystal punk" than the psionics presented and supported by DSP.Actually, Paizo has psionics in their setting and has said that if they use them, it would have Vancian mechanics in line with Arcane and Divine. And JJ is a huge fan of psionics, so I think it'd be not a matter of "if" but a matter of "when".
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What JJ is a "fan of" is something he calls psychic magic. Which from the reading of his posts is something far different than the comic book power style of D+D psionics. Different enough that by his statements, psychic magic and traditional SRD psionics could live side by side.
The other thing is that there is no announced development schedule for this material so I wouldn't hold any campaign plans waiting for it to come out.
Too late. I've got a tiefling psion in a friend's Rise of the Runelords game (which is now on hiatus) that carries weird fetishes, and her psicrystal (a really small construct) is a...voodoo doll. A voodoo doll that either takes on her damage (via share pain) or inflicts damage on someone else (via forced share pain).
They better try really hard, because it's damn difficult to find a theme that I can't fluff psionics right into quick, fast, and in a hurry. Especially considering psionics is far closer to real life occultism in its depictions than vancian magic ever was. I've studied various traditions of magic to better understand different cultures and in a few cases to understand some friends of a different religion than my own more clearly (as some religious beliefs incorporate willful influence on the world). I can say in good faith that none of the methods that I have read about look like Vancian magic.
I've found that, given psionics' innate fluffability (complete with DSP encouraging you to refluff them even, see spoiler below) makes it far more likely that if I want something that more closely resembles a fantastic version of an existing methodology of magic, I'm probably better off with psionics rather than core magic. That said, I'm a big fan of refluffing all sorts of stuff (having magical fruit that carry potion effects for example, or stone tablets that shatter to release a scroll effect, etc) so it's never bothered me than my psionic tiefling carries around a talking voodoo doll, or that my psionic witch carries around bone fetishes and an athame.
In many parts of this book, references are made to using crystals for psionic purposes. This is done mostly for a stylistic element that ties crystals to mental energy, but it is in no way a rule you must use in your games. Crystals are simply the type of item given in this book, you can use any type of item or concept that fits into the setting of your campaign.
For example, take the psicrystal, a small piece of crystalline rock that talks, crawls, and even manifests powers. Instead of being a piece of crystal, this could be matter drawn from the Ethereal Plane and given form by the subscionscious mind of its owner, taking a form not unlike a homunculus, or resembling a miniature replica of its owner, or even an animated doll.
Similarly, cognizance crystals could instead be created from a special type of liquid that is contained within a mineral which, when processed with special metals and shaped into a disc is able to hold a reservoir of psionic energy.
These are just a tiny sliver of the ways in which you can implement the material side of psionics to fit your game world. Crystals are the option used within this book, they certainly are not the only choice.