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Now available!
If you previously purchased Psionics Unleashed, you will be able to receive this PDF at a discount.
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Thanks, Liz!
Review Continued:
The Thrallherd on the other hand, probably tops the power scale on prestige classes in this book. They gain 8/10 manifesting, pitiful skill points, but also get an ability similar to leadership, with the exception that these followers are totally under your control. Additionally, you get a thrall (similar to a cohort) under your control. They get discounts, and eventually free augments to the Mind Control power, and as a capstone (active at level 15) gain a second thrall. Both thralls are essentially cohort level in power, and all for the cost of losing 2 manifester levels. This is very strong, discounting that you also gain a small army of 1st-6th level followers loyal completely to you. As a GM, I would never allow this class to show up at my table.
The War Mind is a mighty martial gish, and mostly a prestige class for Psionic Warriors. They grant full BAB, and strong melee buffs including temporary increases to strength, constitution, and armor class. They gain a little bit of manifesting on their own, that does not stack with any manifesting from any other class. If they had prior Psionic Warrior Manifesting, then they can advance that instead of gaining their own separate manifesting.
Chapter 8 – Psionic Items: Here in the psionic items, many wonders are stored. First, the basics are covered with Psionic Armors and Weapons. Included are rules for creating psionic armor and weapons, which function as magic weapons and armor. There are also a few new enhancements, such as the Floating armor property, reducing the armor check penalty of a piece of armor to 0 for swimming and granting a +4 swim bonus on top of that. This enhancement was especially nifty for being a flat cost, instead of taking up a +1. Meanwhile, Heartening armor adds 720 gold to the cost of armor, but it can grant +5 temporary hit points once a day.
Cognizance crystals, which can be used to store power points. Stored points stay inside the crystal until used. You can’t use the stored points to augment a power that you are using your own power points for. Powers can only be used from one source at a time. Still, this is very nifty and highly balanced.
Dorjes, Powerstones, Psicrowns, and Psionic Tattoos which function as the psionic versions of wands, scrolls, staves, and potions, in that order.
There are a variety of magical items that allow the wearer to use a psionic power once a day, such as the Boots of Stomping, which allow the wearer to manifest the stomp power once per day. There are also items with more mundane powers, such as the Boots of Landing, which reduce your falling damage by 2d6 once per day.
Crawling Tattoos are similar to the psionic tattoos, but can be used offensively! When activated, instead of providing you with the benefits of a power, the tattoos crawls towards an enemy and effects them. These cannot be created with psyhcometabolism (Healing) or telepathy (Compulsion) powers. To be honest, these are really cool. They are basically offensive drone potions!
Of course, this book also contains psionic artifacts. The artifacts included all have interesting stories, and could easily be used as key plot elements. My favorite of these artifacts is Annulus, which is basically an ancient psionic nullifier that has the potential to cause great upheaval in any psionic setting.
The crafting rules for creating all of the items covered in this section, as well as 2 new materials for weapons and armor. Deep crystal and mundane crystal. Deep crystal costs 1000 extra gold when used to craft a weapon, but allows melee weapons to be charged with psionic power as a free action. For 2 power points, the weapon’s next hit within the next minute deals an extra 2d6 damage. Meanwhile, mundane crystal weapons and armor are automatically masterwork and cost as much as normal masterwork equipment. They provide no benefit, but look and sound very cool!
Chapter 9 – Psionic Monsters: The final chapter contains a variety of beasties ready to be thrown into any game. Here the psionic subtype, psi-like abilities, undead psionic creatures, and creatures with psionic powers are explained as well. The most interesting and dangerous creatures contained in this bestiary are the Phrenic Hegemony. These otherworldly (otherplanar?) invaders come to conquer, destroy, and collect breeding stock from whatever planet they come across. They multiply by implanting larvae in creatures that make their way into the brain of their victim, eating it and killing them. These vile creatures also have mind-controlling slug minions called puppeteers to gather bodies and brains for their masters. Truly a horror to think of, and truly a great foe for any group of players.
Of course, there is more to this chapter than the Phrenic Hegemony. In fact, there are creatures of most CRs available in this book that provide a variety of challenges. The monsters in this bestiary are creative, and unlike any monster I’ve seen in a Pathfinder book.
Glossary: The last few pages of this book are a glossary, defining the many terms found in this book one more time. This is a very nice addition, and is rarely done.
Overall:Psionics Unleashed is a fantastic book. It was great before it was remade, but with all of these new additions, it has become complete. Despite having 2 less than stellar prestige classes, this book manages to be one of the most fun products I have ever read. As both a GM and a player, I give this book a 4.5 out of 5.
So, what exactly has changed?
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Errata, Talents, the two psionic races from Psionics Augmented: Volume I are the only changes to the actual rules.
The primary change is the artwork and layout was overhauled.
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The book is quite gorgeous now actually. I really love it.
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One EPIC review, Adam B. 135! Truly excellent work - couldn't have done it better myself! Kudos!
Also: Posted my review on endzeitgeist.com, then submitted it to Nerdtrek and GMS magazine and posted hit here, on OBS and d20pfsrd.com's shop.
Cheers!
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I'd feel dishonest if I don't give credit where it is due. I style my reviews very similarly to yours Endzeitgeist because I find your reviewing style most effective. As a buyer, I know that I want information deeper than "4.5 this is a good book. Check it out guys."
For example, your review of Heroes of the Jade Oath is entirely the reason I bought it. If not for it, I'd have just thought "Oh its just a campaign setting book with some new races." Thats why I figure I should try to go into the mechanics of things with my reviews, because I realize that as a customer, that's what I want to read in reviews.
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Suffice to say, you achieved this goal! You write analytical, informative reviews, with this one being particularly good. Kudos! And thanks for the props!
Now HotJO - oh boy, that one was WORK; I think the doc was 14 pages long and I reviewed it thrice: Once for AE, once for PFRPG and then again for the revised PFRPG-version. Glad the work paid off for you! :D
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Thank you Endzeitgeist! I appreciate the kind words.
I had no idea it put you through that much. It really was jam packed with way more crunch than its page count could ever allude to. Having to review it thrice must have been quite arduous.
I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?
I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?
Nothing in Ultimate Psionics changed, so no.
I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?Nothing in Ultimate Psionics changed, so no.
How about Psionics Expanded? Anything to update there?
I have an idea already, but how different is this product and Ultimate Psionics?
Im guessing ultimate psionics has everything this book has and a bunch more, is that it?
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I have an idea already, but how different is this product and Ultimate Psionics?
Im guessing ultimate psionics has everything this book has and a bunch more, is that it?
Yes, this book is a rerelease of the original Pathfinder Psionics book, but with all of its errata, the psionic talent system, new art, and more races (that are in Ultimate Psionics).
How about Psionics Expanded? Anything to update there?I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?Nothing in Ultimate Psionics changed, so no.
Nothing mechanically, no, likely just errata incorporation.
That'd be a tough one to sell, though - most folks at this point are going to go one of two ways: go for the lower-cost entry point - Psionics Unleashed Revised - or go all in with Ultimate Psionics.
A big part of the reason we did this particular revision was my personal experience at conventions where people loved the presentation in Ultimate Psionics but couldn't afford it, loved the price of Psionics Unleashed but didn't like the presentation.
In other news - the proof copy for the full-color hardcover arrived - there are a few tweaks to be made before the final approval is given.
How about Psionics Expanded? Anything to update there?I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?Nothing in Ultimate Psionics changed, so no.Nothing mechanically, no, likely just errata incorporation.
That'd be a tough one to sell, though - most folks at this point are going to go one of two ways: go for the lower-cost entry point - Psionics Unleashed Revised - or go all in with Ultimate Psionics.
A big part of the reason we did this particular revision was my personal experience at conventions where people loved the presentation in Ultimate Psionics but couldn't afford it, loved the price of Psionics Unleashed but didn't like the presentation.
In other news - the proof copy for the full-color hardcover arrived - there are a few tweaks to be made before the final approval is given.
Ah, that kind of explains things...
I just hope that any errata Psionics Unleashed received in the revision will in some time be updated in the Ultimate book.(Or is that errata already in Ultimate? IDK...)
Thanks, Liz!
Jeremy I seem to have trouble getting on your site, and my only two possible emails are not working to reset the password. I could not find a contact page otherwise I would have sent you an email.
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How about Psionics Expanded? Anything to update there?I purchased Ultimate Psionics, is that going to get an update with this changed content?Nothing in Ultimate Psionics changed, so no.Nothing mechanically, no, likely just errata incorporation.
That'd be a tough one to sell, though - most folks at this point are going to go one of two ways: go for the lower-cost entry point - Psionics Unleashed Revised - or go all in with Ultimate Psionics.
A big part of the reason we did this particular revision was my personal experience at conventions where people loved the presentation in Ultimate Psionics but couldn't afford it, loved the price of Psionics Unleashed but didn't like the presentation.
In other news - the proof copy for the full-color hardcover arrived - there are a few tweaks to be made before the final approval is given.
Ah, that kind of explains things...
I just hope that any errata Psionics Unleashed received in the revision will in some time be updated in the Ultimate book.(Or is that errata already in Ultimate? IDK...)
Ultimate Psionics contains the errata already. It's meant to be the be all end all of psionic books.