Xanthum's page

It's in my games now whether you like it or not. It's just to cool.

Nice, what more could you ask for?

Maybe next year I'll make it in time with something better.

On the earlier point of it becoming junk, I've thought of a revision. Instead of being keyed to one coin, perhaps it can be attuned. For example, a coin placed in the lid of the compass for one hour becomes attuned and works as written otherwise. It would stay attuned until another coin was placed in the lid. This solves the forgery issue and the becoming junk issue.

Sure, it is much like a tracking beacon or what have you. The general use of magic can be replaced by advanced technology in many cases. What is burning hands but a magic flame thrower? Regardless, point taken. The needle points to the object in a range of Long at CL 5th. The direction is true, it's not a margin of error or a limit on accuracy.

Good feedback guys.

I filled out the template provided, so that's how it came out. I could see an appraise being used in place of perception, but I think either is valid. I had intended it as you suggest, that it "turns off" beyond 600ft. What if the coin just happened to be north of you when you got in range? My thought is that he needle would more or less just not move until it got within range. I did want it to be less expensive, I already halved it. I could see it costing even less, maybe 1/4 or 3,000gp. The limited description was probably due to trying to cram it in at the last minute, which didn't happen anyway. It's admittedly kind of niche, but I think any adventurer who understood it's purpose could find a way to use it at some point. Figuring the item out doesn't even require much of a check. Although the compass missing it's coin entirely is a piece of junk. Though a DM might leave the compass in one loot pile and the coin in a strategic place nearby.

Yeah, it seemed like you could find lots of creative uses for it. Hand it over to robbers with other coins. Glue it to the bottom of a cart. Or just bury it your camp while you explore the wilds.

Good old procrastination. I guess I missed it by a few minutes. Since I can't possibly win, here is my submission. I halved the calculated price given it's very specific use. Feedback welcome.

Coin Compass
Aura faint divination; CL 5th
Slot --; Price 6,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Description
This ordinary looking compass has a coin seated inside the lid. While the coin is in place, this item works as a normal compass, pointing toward north. Once the coin is removed, the compass needle always points in the direction of the coin within a range of 600 feet.
The coin is typically designed to look like local currency and is usually gold. A close inspection of the coin will reveal it to be false (Perception DC 15). The effect of this item is blocked by even a thin sheet of lead.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, locate object; Cost 3,000 gp

Let me start by saying I really like psionics, and I've always played it when allowed (which was rare). I got the pdf and my first impression is that it might not be different enough. I see a lot of the things in this book that were in EPH that drew ire from DMs and some players. Things that might be a tad on the too powerful side and may once again relegate psionics to the rare exception rather than a viable option in many games. I am glad to have a set of rules that officially meshes with Pathfinder and I hope that I'll actually be given a chance to take advantage of them.

Since Paizo decided to reprint the Bear Trap in the new APG, I want to know how to reconcile this with trapmaking rules. The trap being a CR1 mechanical trap that costs 2g.

The cost of a mechanical trap is 1,000 gp × the trap's Challenge Rating. If the trap uses spells in its trigger or reset, add those costs separately. If the trap cannot be reset, divide the cost in half. If the trap has an automatic reset, increase the cost by half (+50%). Particularly simple traps, such as pit traps, might have a greatly reduced cost, subject to GM discretion. Such traps might cost as little as 250 gp × the trap's Challenge Rating.

Even assuming this is a simple trap, it's still 248g shy. That doesn't even take into account that items using cost more to buy than make.

This is not to say that I mind the Bear Trap, but I think it points to how the trapmaking rules are insufficient as written. Even Paizo doesn't seem to be following them. I wanted to have a trapmaking character in a game, but deemed it far too costly and time consuming.

I think to rectify this, we need a straightforward list of traps with reasonable costs and DCs clearly attached similar to what can be found for poisons.

Another thread on the topic

I know spell attack rolls are somewhat rare, making critical failures more so, but the ones in the samples are quite harsh.

I do have a request:
Can we have a class that is a generalist psionicist? I don't like being forced to specialize if I don't want to. I think the Erudite would be an excellent base for a...

I played a game recently with the Elven Wizard racial replacement Generalist Wizard and the Universal School from Pathfinder Beta and I was very happy with the results. Something for a generalist Psion, would be great.

Kineticist, always my favorite and sounds like he still will be. You probably already had this in mind, but the telekinesis ability should probably grow in strength over time. It should probably never be quite as good as Telekinetic thrust as it's a freebie.

As for the Seer at-will re-roll ability, I think you need to look at some serious limitations to this and be careful how you implement. This can be both very powerful and also tedious for a DM to reroll things constantly. They should probably have some limited way to read another person's future allowing them to re-roll something as well. I think this one will be taking tips from the Fatespinner PrC.

I like having to augment your powers separately. It shows which powers you value and which you can afford to power-up for a specific occasion. Other casters don't have that distinction and are a lot more powerful for it.

Yeah, I think augmenting and power point management is what Psionics is all about.

I had an archmage that could switch types out at will, but he had to get a PrC that didn't start until level 13/14. Building it straight into the powers with no cost might be pushing it. I like some of the ideas around picking a type and maybe getting alternates through feats or over time as a bonus in the class or kineticist line.

The casters I believe you are referring aren't "full" casters. Like the warmage; they have fairly poor spell selection.

I will admit I haven't been given the chance to play a psionic class extensively. The few times I've had one in a game either the game went south or I was kindly asked to pick a new class. In my limited experience, it seemed that a psion has much more staying power than a wizard. Sure, a wizard might have spells left, but they aren't the spells he wants. Even with the sorcerer, it's a bit closer on burnout, but feels like the psion selection is much wider.

True, it is similar to a heighten in that instance, but even so. Take a wizard's 5th level heightened Fireball. Now the costs are roughly equal right? The DCs are now even, but the psion's "fireball" still does more damage.

The Elan abilities are more panic button than anything else, but they are fairly nice panic buttons. It doesn't take very long before you can put your +4 on every time you need to make a saving throw without missing the 1pp per save too much.

At the very least, acid is a resistable type of damage. Steps were taken to "nerf" the damage of the rarely resisted Sonic type in 3.5.

The Precog power is more of a specific use type thing. You wouldn't throw it on for no reason all the time and not necessarily at full power. One of my favorite combos is Precog, Off. plus Telekinetic Thrust.

Yeah, the Body Adjustment chart was off, I'll cede that one.

Okay, off the bat I'll admit that I only skimmed most of the posts here. Sorry if I repeat anything.

I gotta say I've always loved Psionics and my DMs have always hated them. Many people get the feeling that they are overpowered and they truly can be. I think first and foremost you need to look at each ability, feat, and power to judge it's power balance. I'll try to recall the various points that I've noticed first-hand which might be over the top.

Energy type at will - already covered in this thread.

No Armor Power Failure - Needs to be kept in mind in the overall scheme of the power balance. I don't mind this per se, but a psion can wear full plate if he feels like it. Even non-proficient, they only take ACP to attack rolls and Str/Dex skills. I imagine the Psion who is going this route doesn't mind or has figured a way to compensate.

Power Points - A sensitive area, but the ramp up might be too high at current. This is probably more of an issue with the limitations of arcane classes than the psion being too good, but I won't go on that tangent.

Augmentation - I love augmentation, it's very handy, but in some cases it can be questionable. Any time you can bump a power's DC with power points it makes the power infintely more useful. Good example is the majority of the "energy [blank]" powers. Let's look at energy burst vs. fireball, shall we? Level 10, Int 16, Wiz: 10d6 DC 16. Psion: 10d6+10 DC 18. It's not the psion's role to put wizards to shame imo.
[Edit:I see PF changed Dispel, so the example only applied to 3.5]

Elans - Can spend 1 pp as an imm. action to get +4 racial (read stackable) bonus to saves for one round. Can reduce incoming damage at a rate of 2dmg/1pp as an immediate action as well, with no cap. For a -2 Cha penalty, it's a pretty good deal (too good?).

Other "problem" powers.
Crystal shard; let's break it down. Close range, the shortest "ranged" distance a power can have, but it's still ranged. Ranged touch attack, which means a high likelihood of hitting (even with the pathetic AB) especially on big, strong, armored, but not agile foes. This is particularly true later on as touch AC doesn't typically scale very high on tough CRs. (Great wyrm black dragon, CR 22, Touch AC 6) Power Resistance, negatory. Damage type, piercing? This might be a point of debate but this would traditionally fall under the "spell" or magic category and not be subject to any DR.

Precognition, Offensive. Adds an insight (read stackable) bonus to attacks for minutes per level. Looking purely at this power plus base AB, a psion can get a slightly better AB progression than a cleric.

Precognition, Defensive. Same bonus type, same progression, but on AC and saves.

Body Adjustment. Self heal. Sure it's a bit of a gamble, but it's easier and cheaper than drinking a potion. Not being able to heal others with it is sort of a benefit to me =P. Even making it d10 would reign this one in a little.
Cure VS BA: (level:min-max:avgs)
1: 2-9/1-12 : 5.5/6.5
2: 3-10/1-12 : 6.5/6.5
3: 5-19/2-24 : 11/13
4: 6-20/2-24 : 12/13
5: 8-29/3-36 : 18.5/19.5

That's what comes to mind at the moment, this is not comprehensive by any means. Just make sure my potential DMs won't dismiss the idea of psionics outright because it's "too good."

Guillaume:
Mind putting the file somewhere we don't have to sign up for if we aren't already members?