Ultimate Psionics (PFRPG)

So i gotta ask, about how much rp is powerful build worth? im guessing in the 4/5/6 range, since there is no reach but also no size penalties.

Powerful build was written way before the ARG was released, so it wasn't designed with that in mind.

I've seen it valued at 3 or 4 and that seems to be right.

Deep Crystal is in the Psionic Items chapter.

Page 431.

And looks like something I need to add to our forthcoming Index for the book.

Thanks!

Okay, so I'm sure I'm just missing it somehow, but what the heck is "mind bolt"? A feat? Power? Class ability? I can't find it anywhere in the book.

It's from the soulbolt archetype for the soulknife.

Jeremy,
I have just gotten the Ultimate Psionics book I ordered from Paizo. I am very happy with it. I will enjoy pouring over it. Thank you!

Myles Crocker

PS I get a kick out of seeing my old beloved psion character on the cover in his green robes

Myles - glad you like it!

Also, just sent you a private message. :)

Ok so I ordered my color hardcover pdf bundle on March 5th and it still hasn't shipped, I realize that they are on backorder but can I get an ETA for this book. I've been drooling over my computer viewing the pdf and I want to hold this massive tome in my hands.

Same as Damien. I ordered on March 10th, and we're now in June... that's quite the wait for a book that is supposedly released... I consider myself pretty patient... but, generally not three months patient... Whats the deal?

UPS says they should arrive on Thursday at the Paizo warehouse. :)

UPS says they should arrive on Thursday at the Paizo warehouse. :)

YAY!

Looks like it got delayed in Montana, but is scheduled to be delivered today. :)

I just got my Ultimate Psionics book in the mail today and it looks like a really neat book. It's HUGE and the artwork and layout are really snappy. I was a little nervous about buying this because the only ones available were "non-mint" but other than a little dent on the binding and some rounded corners it looks perfect. For people on the fence about buying this I just thought I would throw that out there. The Aegis class in particular looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the solid work Dreamscarred Press folks!

<Edit> I just noticed one of the authors has little dots above the o in their name just like the band Motorhead and I am insanely jealous.

<Edit> I just noticed one of the authors has little dots above the o in their name just like the band Motorhead and I am insanely jealous.

"It's like a pair of eyes. You're looking at the umlaut, and it's looking at you."

And glad to hear the book is soon to arrive!! =)

Finally back in stock!

Finally back in stock!

Let's hope it stays that way for a little while! :P

So...how do forgeborn interact with cure spells and/or repair spells? Are they healed by repair spells like Warforged, or are they healed like humanoids?
(The rules aren't really clear on this).

So...how do forgeborn interact with cure spells and/or repair spells? Are they healed by repair spells like Warforged, or are they healed like humanoids?

(The rules aren't really clear on this).

From the Advanced Race Guide:

If a Half-Construct was healed differently than a standard race, it would have to be mentioned in the description. As it isn't, they are treated just like a human for healing purposes, except for being raised/resurrected (which is specifically mentioned).

Note that the Forgeborn's Source Crystal trait supersedes the standard Half-Construct restriction against being raised/resurrected.

Cheers!

Just got my copy the other day. Production quality is awesome. I've read through it rather quickly, but I haven't had time to go into it in any depth.

A couple of things struck me: first, you've got all these "psionic" races. Thinking of Golarion, I asked myself "where have these guys been hiding all this time?" Second, the book's races have bonuses to make their psionics "better" somehow (feats, I imagine, but I haven't dug into that yet). I wonder how the other races in the setting (let's stick with Golarion) will fit in. Are, for example, human "psionics" going to feel like second class citizens? In fact, the whole "psionics" thing, particularly with that name, feels like an add-on rather than a part of the world. Unless, I suppose, you base the enter setting on "Ultimate Psionics". :)

Speaking of the name, I much prefer "psychic ability". "Psionic" feels too science-fictiony. In fact, my favorite exposition of this kind of thing was P.E.I. Bonewits' Authentic Thaumaturgy, in which he proposed a system in which magic, miracle, and "psionics" (he didn't like the term either, as I recall) were all based on "psychic abilities" which everyone, or almost everyone, had to some degree or other. For Bonewits, the difference between "magic" and "miracle" is one of power - mana fuels both, but only the gods can handle the mana requirements of "miracles". AT is a low-magic, or weak-magic system, although I think it could be modified to high- or strong-magic without much trouble. You'd just have to ignore the laws of physics. :-)

I bought a copy of AT sometime in the last year or so, since my old copy went walkabout, but I think technically it's out of print. I would hope for a reprint, but Bonewits passed away a few years ago, so probably not.

I have a full color hardback on the way - really looking forward to checking this out!

My hardcover finally arrived. It's gorgeous. I love thumbing through it. Great cover art. 8^)

Weird question, but are those that get the HC of UP from the minis KS still waiting for something or is the book on the way? I ask only because I pledged at the starter level which meant that I get printed versions of UP and the Bestiary among other things and I am wondering if I am getting one big package or a few smaller ones. I am just curious but I am enjoying what I have right now.

Weird question, but are those that get the HC of UP from the minis KS still waiting for something or is the book on the way? I ask only because I pledged at the starter level which meant that I get printed versions of UP and the Bestiary among other things and I am wondering if I am getting one big package or a few smaller ones. I am just curious but I am enjoying what I have right now.

I don't represent Dreamscarred, but what I suspect you're waiting for is... minis. Shipping costs are large, so I don't expect Jeremy to send out a bunch of packages. But... I could be wrong.

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but I've been compiling a list of iconics for all classes recently and I started work on this book. I did some research and found the following:

Lina, human Kineticist
Adrian, Xeph Soulknife
Nomon, Blue Aegis
Peywin, Elan Cryptic
Umbar, Noral Dread
Maikra, Half orc Marksman
Dukalti, Half giant Psychic Warrior
Illira, maenad Wilder
??- Dromite Tactician
??- Ophiduan Vitalist

As you can see, I am missing the rest of the Psion specialties and any of the prestige classes, as I heard some were done as well. The ones I have seen of those seemed fan based and not official. My question is, does someone know where to find a complete list of all the Ultimate Psionics Iconics so I can complete and clarify my list?

Thank you. I love the idea of Psionics and hope to include them in my next campaign.

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, but I've been compiling a list of iconics for all classes recently and I started work on this book. I did some research and found the following:

Lina, human Kineticist
Adrian, Xeph Soulknife
Nomon, Blue Aegis
Peywin, Elan Cryptic
Umbar, Noral Dread
Maikra, Half orc Marksman
Dukalti, Half giant Psychic Warrior
Illira, maenad Wilder
??- Dromite Tactician
??- Ophiduan Vitalist

As you can see, I am missing the rest of the Psion specialties and any of the prestige classes, as I heard some were done as well. The ones I have seen of those seemed fan based and not official. My question is, does someone know where to find a complete list of all the Ultimate Psionics Iconics so I can complete and clarify my list?

Thank you. I love the idea of Psionics and hope to include them in my next campaign.

The ones I know for certain are:

Dagiron, Half-Orc Metaforge
Eimee, Elan Mystic Archer
Li Mu Bao, Elan Psychic Fist
Lanis, Tiefling Metamind

Those are the ones in the "Ultimate Psionics Kickstarter" forums on the DSP site, but they might have been re-posted elsewhere.

Thanks Cavian.

Okay so current list:

• Lina, Human Kineticist
  
• Adrian, Xeph Soulknife
  
• Nomon, Blue Aegis
  
• Peywin, Elan Cryptic
  
• Umbar, Noral Dread
  
• Maikra, Half-Orc Marksman
  
• Dukalti, Half Giant Psychic Warrior
  
• Illira, Maenad Wilder
  
• ??- Dromite Tactician
  
• ??- Ophiduan Vitalist
  
• Dagiron, Half-Orc Metaforge
  
• Eimee, Elan Mystic Archer
  
• Li Mu Bao, Elan Psychic Fist
  
• Lanis, Tiefling Metamind
  

Anyone else have any insight?

There are a few more, but I don't have my notes as I'm currently dealing with a cranky baby. I'll see about getting the list posted.

Ahmed Antar the Sighted Seeker
Amalthea the Phrenic Slayer
Kozak the Dark Tempest
Javed the Psion Uncarnate
Lady Seraphine the Soul Archer

I may have a name for the pyromancer, I just have to dig some more.

The rest of them have not yet been named (including the tactician and vitalist, as no backers picked them).

A response from the man himself...thank you so much. I understand the cranky baby bit and I appreciate you looking into this. Mayhaps in the future we can finish the list and have it online somewhere, similar to how Paizo does Meet the Iconics. I'm no official writer, but I would love to help in this capacity...

There's also Sandoval the Erudite (the other character on the front cover of the book with Lanis and Kozak and the iconic for the erudite archetype)

And yeah, that's something we have planned once we launch our new website - a sort of "Meet the Iconics" deal for the psionic iconics. :) Just a matter of finding the time.

*Claps

Have the book in my hands now. Just fantastic.

Dumb Question
Is the print version a Paizo only thing. I have been waiting for my local game store to get one in for me, and his distributors have never had it available.

I am one of those support your local game store people.

There just doesn't seem to be a lot of distributor support for 3PP publications. That really bugs me, because I've tried to get things from my FLGS, too.

I ended up buying mine from DSP directly.

They are starting to be available in game stores - your store can order from ACD or Alliance.

Are there actually any up to date guides on this book?
Searching for some Psion stuff i found mostly things that require readings dating back to 3rd and 3.5 edition.
I guess some new guides that only reference the Pathfinder editions would be a real help and could make this even more popular.

Also, will there be a book with some more and new powers in it?
I´m surely no psionics expert yet, but i guess more options to mind affect normaly not affected things like undead, magical beasts, fey or even constructs would be awesome. Perhaps in feat form?

Also, will there be a book with some more and new powers in it?

I'd love to own such a book. Heck, I'd love to contribute to such a book. Heck, I'd pay to contribute to such a book before paying to own such a book.

But I haven't heard of such a thing.

Hayato Ken wrote:

Also, will there be a book with some more and new powers in it?

I'd love to own such a book. Heck, I'd love to contribute to such a book. Heck, I'd pay to contribute to such a book before paying to own such a book.

But I haven't heard of such a thing.

One thing I found really useful... but it is a bit old - and the PDF is not availalbe on Paizo, but Malhavoc had a "If Thoughts Could Kill" with an adventure and some 3.x psi rules. The best part, there is an appendix with arcane spells converted to Psi powers (gives the short descriptions) and advice and rules to do the same yourself. I've found a number of spells from other 3PP that I thought make great Psi Powers.

If you can find it. I have a copy from way back in the day. Maybe Jeremy could put out something like that. With so many huge spellbooks (1001 spells, Deep Magic etc) it is really nice.

One thing I found really useful... but it is a bit old - and the PDF is not availalbe on Paizo, but Malhavoc had a "If Thoughts Could Kill" with an adventure and some 3.x psi rules. The best part, there is an appendix with arcane spells converted to Psi powers (gives the short descriptions) and advice and rules to do the same yourself. I've found a number of spells from other 3PP that I thought make great Psi Powers.

If you can find it. I have a copy from way back in the day. Maybe Jeremy could put out something like that. With so many huge spellbooks (1001 spells, Deep Magic etc) it is really nice.

I think I have a copy of that hanging around in a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory in the basement, with a sign on the door saying "beware of leopard". <Grin>

I think though that while that might not be a horrible resource for GMs in a pinch, part of the goal with the psionics system is to be different. Sure, you need dispel psionics and you need powers that deal energy damage. You need something that allows flight, or altering your shape. But how those happen should as often as possible be implemented differently. And beyond those, power effects should be unique whenever possible.

So I wouldn't want to hand an equivalency table over to players, personally.

Let me give you an example.

I have in mind a 0th level power that is in theory equivalent to prestidigitation. Only it's not. I call it false transsubtantiation.

See, my power can change the colour of something, or the temperature, or even the composition, not unlike prestidigitation. Only... it can't, because what it really does is move attributes. If you want your pants to be green instead of brown, you need something of similar size which is green, and you move the pigmentation. If you want a drink to be cold, you have to move the heat into some other object, like a dagger. If you want to turn your iron sword into an adamantine sword, you need an equal-mass ingot of adamantine to swap. My power literally exchanges the essences of things but it never creates or destroys. So if you're clever enough, you can do all the things that prestidigitation could do, but you go about it in a wholly different manner.

To me that's psionics... equivalent but different. You can't necessarily do the exact same things, but you can get the same jobs done.

And yes, I intend a true transsubstantiation power as well, just as soon as I take the time to figure out how to balance a power that lets you turn lead into gold. <Grin>

A book with more powers is on our radar.

I guess by that law of transsubstantiation you described one would already need the same amount of lead as of gold, so that should not be a problem. I see other problems with that power, as in "oh there are fey or demons, let me exchange the metal of your magical sword with this cold iron!"

The true question would be is that false transsubstantiation power augmentable to true transsubstantiation?

Else i totally agree with equivalent but different.
I totally love how slumber works as an augmentable psionic sleep and i really think that the power scaling is very well balanced (unlike some Path of War stuff).
I could always just create my own powers out of spells, maybe they were even cool and balanced like the psionics stuff. But i want to have that as an original material so it can be shared with others.
Also that would make acceptance really higher. I´m not a fan of simple and fast houseruling, because most cases i have seen seriously tampered with the overall game balance in ways i didn´t like at all.

Edit: Best ninjaéd ever^^

I guess by that law of transsubstantiation you described one would already need the same amount of lead as of gold, so that should not be a problem. I see other problems with that power, as in "oh there are fey or demons, let me exchange the metal of your magical sword with this cold iron!"

Well, the balance problem is that an identical mass of iron isn't as valuable as a mass of gold. And saying "you have to have the same value" seems kind of metagame. Needs some thought.

As for the DR bypassing feature, well, yabbut...
1} it's a feature, not a bug. If you're willing to carry around 10 pounds of cold iron to shift into your sword, so be it. Better than a golf caddy full of swords!
2} time is still an issue. You'd sacrifice actions to shift out the materials in a weapon. So, not so ridiculous.

The true question would be is that false transsubstantiation power augmentable to true transsubstantiation?

I haven't looked at what I have penned in a while, but I think the two were separate powers. False augments up the volume of what you can transsubstantiate, and true does the same, but lets you actually modify a thing instead of moving traits of two things.

Edit: Best ninjaéd ever^^

I'll say.

Lord Mhoram wrote:

One thing I found really useful... but it is a bit old - and the PDF is not availalbe on Paizo, but Malhavoc had a "If Thoughts Could Kill" with an adventure and some 3.x psi rules. The best part, there is an appendix with arcane spells converted to Psi powers (gives the short descriptions) and advice and rules to do the same yourself. I've found a number of spells from other 3PP that I thought make great Psi Powers.

If you can find it. I have a copy from way back in the day. Maybe Jeremy could put out something like that. With so many huge spellbooks (1001 spells, Deep Magic etc) it is really nice.

I think I have a copy of that hanging around in a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory in the basement, with a sign on the door saying "beware of leopard". <Grin>

I think though that while that might not be a horrible resource for GMs in a pinch, part of the goal with the psionics system is to be different.

Nice reference. :D

I agree with you. I would never hand it to a player and say "go to town". I use it for 2 main things; the first is when I am looking at a new huge spellbook and I see a spell that I think makes a better Power than spell, I use the guidelines to make it so. Help use those to enhance psionics. When I do that, the spell is question is never allowed in my games as a spell.

The second is for an idea I am toying with - run a game with no magic, just psionics. When I ponder the idea of complete replacement, there are a few spells that I think should be available to PCs that don't have psionic equivalents, so I use that resource.

I agree that going willy nilly changing basic common spells to powers is a very bad idea.

Oh we are currently running a no magics psionics (and path of War) only kingmaker campaign.
I would say it works fine so far, but we already had two character deaths from the same player and sometimes it´s really challenging.
The lack of healing is one thing if you´re not used too, we´ll get a vitalist soon, curious if this will change a lot.
I´m the psion. Pretty cool so far, but i found that most control spells are mind-affecting, which can be difficult

I agree that going willy nilly changing basic common spells to powers is a very bad idea.

In Authentic Thaumaturgy (AT, available as a free pdf somewhere on the web) Isaac Bonewits posited that all magic is based on "psychic abilities" and the use of mana. The difference between "divine magic" and "arcane magic" (PF terms) is that the former involves channelling mana from the gods or their minions, rather than manipulating it directly. "Psionics" would be raw use of psychic abilities.

AT is pretty "weak magic" as presented, so if you want a PF style campaign you're going to have to increase both the availability of "psychic abilities" and the amount of mana a mortal can manipulate on his own. Both are fairly easy to do.

@Jeremy Smith

Q1) If a wilder gains access to fusion through Expanded Knowledge, will it effect a telepath, being that the telepath is restricted from using fusion?

Q2) If so, does the wilder then lose access to all other restricted powers he gained through Expanded Knowledge that do not belong to the telepathy discipline?

Got my copy at my FLGS (Gen-X Comics and Games).

Very pleased with it, tried to get some homebrew going inspired by it and DragonStar, and got crickets.

Need to figure out how to make item/artifact that converts class levels on use on a temporary basis.

@Jeremy Smith

Q1) If a wilder gains access to fusion through Expanded Knowledge, will it effect a telepath, being that the telepath is restricted from using fusion?

Q2) If so, does the wilder then lose access to all other restricted powers he gained through Expanded Knowledge that do not belong to the telepathy discipline?

Nothing says a telepath is restricted from using Fusion - at 17th level, he could use a feat to select it using Expanded Knowledge. It's just that he can't select it as one of his normal powers known - he, a Wilder, or anyone not an egoist, has to burn a feat to pick it up.

This reminds me why, once again, I'm both glad for backwards compatibility and sad that there can't be an official update for the Gem Dragons from 3.x and earlier, especially as I loved their look back in 2E.

I remember the whole thing about dragon moltings turning into appropriate materials if buried in their horde, and that would make an awesome component for an artifact or item that either 'unlocks' psionic potential in characters, or allows for temporary conversions of existing classes to psionic classes in a 'henshin' type fashion. Though the intent was to also include a disadvantage in the form of making the user function as a thrall of the source dragon if will is exerted.

Plus, great crystal materials for weapons of the obligatory aesthetic.

Got my hard copy in the mail this week. I think it's a worthy addition to my Pathfinder hardbacks. I love that it is as big as the CRB and makes a nice bookend with it. I love having all of the psionics info in one spot! Mechanics wise, I played psionics in AD&D and 2nd Edition and this seems like a fairly well balanced approach to psionics. Well done, Dreamscarred!

So is there any chance that we will be getting a Mythic path and mythic abilities for psionic folks?