Ultimate Psionics is just that—the ultimate book on psionics, combining nearly all of the material in Psionics Unleashed and Psionics Expanded into a single hardcover book. But not only does Ultimate Psionics contain existing content, over seventy pages of brand new material has been added (separately released as Psionics Augmented for those who already have Psionics Unleashed and Psionics Expanded), giving more character options, advice for game masters on using psionics, and even an example of completely altering the theme of psionics from the power of the mind to runic magic, to help you understand how easy it is to change the feel of psionics without changing the system so that it can easily fit into any campaign.
Ultimate Psionics is an over-400 page hardcover book that includes:
Ten psionic races, including the brand new forgeborn and noral, with racial archetypes, advanced racial options, and more
Ten psionic classes from the psion and soulknife to the aegis and vitalist, giving everything you need to have an all-psionic party
Psionic skills and feats, including over forty brand new psionic feats such as Assassin's Venom, Deep Focus, and Telepathic Link
Over 100 pages of psionic powers, including 0th level psionic talents new powers like T’Nail’s Ardent Legion
Nineteen psionic prestige classes, including the brand new Dark Tempest prestige class
More psionic items than could ever be found in any treasure horde, including legendary items like the Heartstaff and the Dancing Robes of Sharatwan and over 10 pages of brand new psionic items like the greater psicrystal staff, the tactician's chessboard, and more.
An entire section for advice and tips for game masters on introducing and using psionics, including the most commonly encountered rules mistakes, how to handle transparency, and variant themes if you don't want mental power and prefer psionics to be a form of magic.
And much more!
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At the time of writing this review there are 10 reviews of it already. Plus each expansion has reviews and the first product has 13 reviews. There are threads on Paizo's forums and other places on the internet. The book is often on the top ten list of Paizo's third party sales. There are arguments about the power level and articles about it and the publishers have two more entire subsystems coming out with a Kickstarter money, forums of fans and is often quoted as the only third party publisher allowed at certain tables.
What the heck am I supposed to say after all that?! I can't review this. Its probably the most acclaimed third party product in all of Pathfinder. Everybody loves it, and if you don't you probably aren't going to be too thrilled with any other third party product or someone is going to come along to explain why you not liking it makes you a dirty poopy-head, and they're right! Well if you're okay with the very idea of psionics to begin with.
What's going on in this book is that it's a compilation of the psionic stuff that came out before it making for a fat book rivaling the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, detailing new races, new classes, magic items, feats, archetypes and prestige classes all supporting psionics. In fact it might as well be the core rulebook for psionics. If you get this book you have pretty much a core rulebook full of information on an entire class of magic and enough classes and subclasses and prestige classes and options to keep you busy for years.
But what are psionics? In a nutshell it's 'mind magic'. If you want to make a crystal ball massaging gypsy curse dealing psychic you're going to be disappointed. This is more like Esper or Psychic Pokemon variety mind magic making it feel kind of like psuedo-scientific ESP stuff than talking to spirits or new age tarot reading. But these guys aren't just bending spoons, they're generating mind-light sabers and shooting psychic lasers. This is all centered around a new way to cast their spell-like 'Powers' with a pool of points representing their psionic energy. Its a neat system, especially if you're tired of spell slots, but not each of the classes in here are based around the powers. you get a few that use their mind to do other things like create armor and weapons, plus you get some feats so anyone can tap into their mind and do a few tricks. Its a new world, a whole new way to play. Once you crack it open and start playing it's hard to dismiss. Its just a cool bunch of options.
So why did I buy this? What made me go "okay, I'm going to use this." Well for one you can see most of the options on d20pfsrd.com, which helps you figure out if you think this system is more broken than a core rulebook wizard. I went ahead and did the legwork of comparing the best powers to Magic spells and how well they can cast and found powers to be overall weaker than magic with superior casting options but way less variety so the strongest psionic class comes off about as powerful as a well made Sorcerer. I also liked having the option of presenting casting that felt less ole-timey for when I wanted to run a steampunk or space campaign. It's also the most 'complete' alternate system experience I've ever seen, and trying it with newer players they were able to pick it up much and understand it faster than vancian casting. So it won me over. Five stars all around. You just cant lose with this book.
This book is absolutely amazing. Dreamscarred Press show us once again that they're the undisputed masters of flavorful, balanced psionics. This beautiful book has a place of honor on my shelf right next to my Core Rulebook, and if I could only pick one rules supplement to use in a campaign, it would be this one by far.
It's been said a hundred times, but Dreamscarred Press creates fantastic products. Where they shine the most is in their psionic material. This book is *the* book for psionics, hands down.
I don't have anything to add that's not already been said. So I'll keep this very short. This book's cover was done by Wayne Reynolds, appropriate for a book of this quality. However, plenty of the artwork in this book is less than stellar. I expected more from a giant of a 3pp company (as giant as they get, anyways).
Despite some of the underwhelming art, the text inside is filled with as much psionic crunch and flavor you could ever ask for. There's a reason this is the go to book for psionics. It has absolutely everything you need and more. If you're thinking about adding psionics to your game, don't wait. Get this book now!
Gotta say that having it in my hand makes it even more impressive than the PDF I fell in love with. Now that I can't rely on PDF word search I am really impressed by the formatting in the book.
Everything is easy to find. When I have a question it's very easy to find an appropriate answer by perusing the ToC. The title "Ultimate Psionics" really applies as just about all the character concepts I could want as a Pdionic can be made from all the Base Classes, Archetypes, and Prestige Classes detailed!
The only downside was that my mailman stuffed it too roughly into my mailbox and it bent in some of the back cover's corner. The damage is pretty minor and impossible to see on my bookshelf, so I'm not getting too down over it.
The only singular problem with this book is that the pages are a bit more fragile than I would like.
Edit: After about a year of using this book on the table I can say that it still deserves 5 stars, excellent book.
This won't be a long review, because I can't compete with Endzeitgeist's excellent reviews. It's really a small list of glitches that affected my impressions of the books.
First, the good stuff. Fixes to original base classes are great and were necessary, as well as changing some of the feats and the addition of 0 level powers. All good. The expanded list of powers is amazing, and the new classes, for the most part, are pretty interesting. More on that in a second.
The artwork is good, not stellar but, but good. My only gripe with it is once again a female ophiduan was shown with hair and breasts. They're reptiles for Pete's sake, and it clearly says in their description they are hairless. Grr.
There are an uncomfortable number of typos and some awkward sentence structuring, but it's easy enough to extrapolate what's being said in each case. I wish that they'd proofread things a bit more thoroughly.
My biggest "gripe" is the Dread seems unnecessary in my book. It's focus is very narrow and would've made a better psion prestige class, in my opinion, just as the marksman would've been a better psychic warrior PrC.
Overall I'm going to give the book 4 stars, largely for the truly amazing amount of work that went into it. But the glaring typos and curvaceous ophiduan really bugged me.
Addendum. I received two copies 4 days apart with the same order number, though I only purchased one. I've been in touch with Paizo Customer Service and as soon as I get paid I'll be sending the extra copy back so that someone else might enjoy it.
Is the non-mint version still on backorder? Or is there any other reason why it'd shipped seperately from the other book (Deep Magic) in my cart?
Both books in your cart are nearly 7 pounds each. Its cheaper for shipping to your address to ship them in two separate boxes than to ship them together.
thanks
sara marie
Thanks. Maybe I'll wait for Amazon after all. *sigh*
Jeremy, just wanted to let you know, I am an Ultimate Psionics Kickstarter backer and I still haven't received my book. I am a reasonable and patient man, so no worries, this is just an FYI.
Stupid question Gambit... did you back at a sufficiently high level that you're getting the limited edition hardcover? If so, that doesn't exist yet. They're still finishing up the Psionic Bestiary. Once PB is complete, it can get compiled into UP and the print order for the limited edition gets issued.
Gambit - send me a message or email with your Kickstarter info (username and/or email address used for Kickstarter) and I'll be happy to look it up. :)
Jeremy, just wanted to let you know, I am an Ultimate Psionics Kickstarter backer and I still haven't received my book. I am a reasonable and patient man, so no worries, this is just an FYI.
Stupid question Gambit... did you back at a sufficiently high level that you're getting the limited edition hardcover? If so, that doesn't exist yet. They're still finishing up the Psionic Bestiary. Once PB is complete, it can get compiled into UP and the print order for the limited edition gets issued.
If not, I'm sorry but I can't help you.
No, I backed at the $100 color hardcover level.
So apparently it wasn't a stupid question, it was a stupid response
Jeremy, just wanted to let you know, I am an Ultimate Psionics Kickstarter backer and I still haven't received my book. I am a reasonable and patient man, so no worries, this is just an FYI.
Stupid question Gambit... did you back at a sufficiently high level that you're getting the limited edition hardcover? If so, that doesn't exist yet. They're still finishing up the Psionic Bestiary. Once PB is complete, it can get compiled into UP and the print order for the limited edition gets issued.
If not, I'm sorry but I can't help you.
No, I backed at the $100 color hardcover level.
So apparently it wasn't a stupid question, it was a stupid response
Uh. Now I'm all ashamed. I try so hard to not be stupid.
I was curious if anyone's purchased one of the non-mint books. I'm seriously considering doing it, just to get a copy a bit sooner, and possibly try to get some money into DSP and Paizo's hands for all the work Jeremy has been putting into this. I'm fine with a couple dings on the cover or a couple light scrapes on the back, but might be a bit more hesitant to acquire something with severely-smashed corners or binding that's on the verge of falling apart. What's the break point (generally speaking) between "We're willing to sell this to someone" and "Nope, this one's a loss"?
I was curious if anyone's purchased one of the non-mint books. I'm seriously considering doing it, just to get a copy a bit sooner, and possibly try to get some money into DSP and Paizo's hands for all the work Jeremy has been putting into this. I'm fine with a couple dings on the cover or a couple light scrapes on the back, but might be a bit more hesitant to acquire something with severely-smashed corners or binding that's on the verge of falling apart. What's the break point (generally speaking) between "We're willing to sell this to someone" and "Nope, this one's a loss"?
My (two) non-mint copies just arrived.
There is very, very, very minimal damage to my copies. There's nothing in the way of scratches or edge dings. What I've got is extremely light spine-crush. What I mean is, if you were to take a book and look at the spine (as if it were on the bookshelf), the top and the bottom of the spine is always "weak". You could try to fold it down (or up from the bottom one) to meet the pages inside. This is because the pages aren't quite as big as the cover. Well, imagine a player did that gently, once.
A tiny, light crease. Seriously, this looks like a book that has been used a couple sessions. That's it.
Bottom line: if I had been shipped these as mint, I would NEVER have noticed and certainly never have complained.
I'd take a picture and post it somewhere but honestly, mine are excellent.
I just wanted to add, these two non-mint copies are in addition to the limited edition one I'll eventually get from the original Kickstarter. I bought these as backups and gifts... and I'm impatient... and they were at a great price.
Complicated and the answer is likely useless to you. I ordered within hours of the non-mint books becoming available, but I put them in my sidecart to ship with my April AP subscription. That shipped on the 17th. That said, I'm in Canada, so 7 calendar days is the minimum shipping time for me, ever.
Poking through the PDF now; ordered a non-mint early this morning (as in, first thing I did when I woke up!). The PDF is making me even more excited to get a copy of this in my hands!
Jeremy, thanks again for all the work you've done on this. I saw your earlier post indicating all you're doing in light of your personal life and trying to run things for DSP, and I wanted you to know it's appreciated.
I was curious if anyone's purchased one of the non-mint books. I'm seriously considering doing it, just to get a copy a bit sooner, and possibly try to get some money into DSP and Paizo's hands for all the work Jeremy has been putting into this. I'm fine with a couple dings on the cover or a couple light scrapes on the back, but might be a bit more hesitant to acquire something with severely-smashed corners or binding that's on the verge of falling apart. What's the break point (generally speaking) between "We're willing to sell this to someone" and "Nope, this one's a loss"?
Liz sent me pictures of a few where the spine is bent at about a 30 degree angle, but as she said, if they aren't usable, they don't get sold.
So, as it indicates the books are back-ordered, I’m assuming more are on the way? Any ETA?
/me points at the post two before Hobbun's.
You are referring about Jeremy checking on the tracking info? Yes, saw that. So I take it that Jeremy’s answer not only covers replacements, but if you just want to purchase one?
I don’t need a replacement, but I would like to purchase a new copy.
Thing have been kind of slow on it, but I think there will be a bet of most of the Race and basic Class information sometime in the next week or so. There are a couple of things doing a review on, but it's progressing. :)
So, as it indicates the books are back-ordered, I’m assuming more are on the way? Any ETA?
/me points at the post two before Hobbun's.
You are referring about Jeremy checking on the tracking info? Yes, saw that. So I take it that Jeremy’s answer not only covers replacements, but if you just want to purchase one?
I don’t need a replacement, but I would like to purchase a new copy.
I get it now. The replacements are replacing stock so that Paizo can sell them.
Is there a point cost listed anywhere for the half-giant and the other psionic races?
Ive been wondering if we will see a custom race chapter somewhere listing psionic abilities and traits with their rbp value so I can make my own psionic monsters using the rules in the ARG. Is this what your asking as well?
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
jimibones83 wrote:
Spiral_Ninja wrote:
OK, maybe wrong thread...
Is there a point cost listed anywhere for the half-giant and the other psionic races?
Ive been wondering if we will see a custom race chapter somewhere listing psionic abilities and traits with their rbp value so I can make my own psionic monsters using the rules in the ARG. Is this what your asking as well?
The ARG came out after most of Ultimate Psionics was written. A compilation product/PfRPG update of the 3.5 Races of the Mind series might be a good place to add in race builder point values.
Assuming Jeremy or Andreas ever get free time after completing the impossibly long list of psionics-related books they have now, along with Path of War and Magic of Incarna.
Is there a point cost listed anywhere for the half-giant and the other psionic races?
Ive been wondering if we will see a custom race chapter somewhere listing psionic abilities and traits with their rbp value so I can make my own psionic monsters using the rules in the ARG. Is this what your asking as well?
Pretty much, though I think Kvantum has a good point.
Sigh...
Of course, I will be getting both Path of War and Magic of Incarna...or whatever they're calling it now.
Kvantum has it right - the only races that used the ARG rules were the Forgeborn and the Noral/Dreamscarred. The races in Psionics Unleashed were developed more than a year before the Advanced Race Guide was released, so their racial abilities did not have RP values when created.
It's something we're considering doing as either a Psionics Augmented product or something else, it's just very low on the priority list right now unless someone feels like doing it as a freelance assignment. :)
I just received my "non-mint" copy of UP; I can't find a SINGLE FLAW with the book! This thing is in utterly pristine condition! I wanted to thank Paizo for their great, speedy shipping on this, and thank Jeremy and all in DSP who worked on this book... I can't WAIT to use it!
I just received my "non-mint" copy of UP; I can't find a SINGLE FLAW with the book! This thing is in utterly pristine condition! I wanted to thank Paizo for their great, speedy shipping on this, and thank Jeremy and all in DSP who worked on this book... I can't WAIT to use it!
I'm really glad that worked out for you. I gifted one of mine on Friday, hoping to spread the infection. <Grin>
@Jeremy I wish I had the understanding it took to do it as a freelance assignment. I've got the time and the desire, but don't think it would come out appropriately balanced lol
Jeremy, I worked out (what I think is fair) the RP values for the Half-Giant (due to wanting to have some variants in the game I'm GM'ing) a few weeks back and can PM you what I've calculated if you want?
It honestly has a little ding on the top back corner of the book on the spine, as if it was dropped once or something.
Very happy. Now I have something to look at while at work. (not that I don't have the pdf on my smartphone, but still, I like having a book in my hand)
Thanks guys. I'll let you know, this is like the first 3rd party anything I've ever really bought, besides an occasional adventure from Half Price Books. Thanks again!
Of course, I will be getting both Path of War and Magic of Incarna...or whatever they're calling it now.
Akashic Mysteries. First release featuring the Vizier class should be coming out in the very near future, followed by the Guru, then the Daevic (I've switched the release order on those because the Daevic needs more love), then an archetypes and PrC release, and then the final compiled product which will include all of the previous items plus 5 Akashic races, additional feat and alternate racial trait support for core and UP races, additional spells designed to interact with the subsystem, magic items, and a limited Bestiary for GMs to use creatures that are heavily talked about in the other materials, like the daeva.
Any word on these replacements? I thought they were suppose to have been to paizo by now.
Sorry, I was waiting for confirmation and then Tuesday and Wednesday were extremely hectic.
The replacements arrived and a bunch of backorders are shipping. I coordinated with Liz to find out how many additional are needed beyond the replacements so I can get more sent.