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For what it’s worth, here’s my take on what a Pathfinder Psion might look like. Please excuse the table formatting. I'm open to all kinds of feedback.
Psion
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d6
Class Skills
Seer (Clairsentience): Appraise (Int), Linguistics (Int), and Perception (Wis).
Shaper (Metacreativity): Deception (Cha), Disguise (Cha), and Use Psionic Device (Use Magic Device) (Cha).
Kineticist (Psychokinesis): Disable Device (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), and Thievery (Dex).
Egoist (Psychometabolism): Acrobatics, (Dex), Climb (Str), and Heal (Wis).
Nomad (Psychoportation): Climb (Str), Fly (Dex), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Telepath (Telepathy): Deception (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), and Perform (Cha).
1st Level Skill Choice: 2+Int
Table Part 1
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Bonus Feat, Domain Power, Talents
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Domain Power
3 +1 +1 +1 +3
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Domain Power
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Bonus Feat
6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Domain Power
7 +3 +2 +2 +5
8 +4 +2 +2 +6 Domain Power
9 +4 +3 +3 +6
10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Bonus Feat, Domain Power
11 +5 +3 +3 +7
12 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 Domain Power
13 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8
14 +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 Domain Power
15 +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 Bonus Feat
16 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 Domain Power
17 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10
18 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 Domain Power
19 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11
20 +10/+5 +6 +6 +12 Bonus Feat, Domain Power
Table Part 2
Level Points /Day Strain Known Level Known
1 2 1 3 1st
2 6 2 5 1st
3 11 3 7 2nd
4 17 5 9 2nd
5 25 7 11 3rd
6 35 9 13 3rd
7 46 12 15 4th
8 58 15 17 4th
9 72 18 19 5th
10 88 22 21 5th
11 106 27 22 6th
12 126 31 24 6th
13 147 37 25 7th
14 170 43 27 7th
15 195 49 28 8th
16 221 56 30 8th
17 250 63 31 9th
18 280 70 33 9th
19 311 78 34 9th
20 343 86 36 9th
Class Features
All the following are class features of the psion.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Power Points/Day
Maximum Strain
Every time a psion manifests a power, he gains an amount of strain equal to the power point cost of the power. Should the psion exceed his maximum strain as given on Table: The Psion, each additional power manifested deals 2 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage to the Psion. This damage cannot be prevented in any way.
At any time the psion “clear his head” to remove psionic strain by meditating for three consecutive rounds.
Powers Known
Choose the powers known from the psion power list, or from the list of powers of your chosen discipline. You cannot choose powers from restricted discipline lists other than your own discipline list. You can choose powers from disciplines other than your own if they are not on a restricted discipline list. (Exception: The feats Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge do allow a psion to learn powers from the lists of other disciplines or even other classes.) A psion can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.
The number of times a psion can manifest powers in a day is limited only by his daily power points.
A psion simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against psion powers is 10 + the power’s level + the psion’s Intelligence modifier. Maximum Power Level Known: A psion begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, a psion may gain the ability to master more complex powers.
To learn or manifest a power, a psion must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Discipline
Talents (Psi)
Bonus Feats
These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels. A psion is not limited to psionic feats, metapsionic feats, and psionic item creation feats when choosing these other feats.
Disciplines Powers
Egoist (Psychometabolism) Discipline
2nd Thicken Skin (Psi): You may manifest thicken skin 1/day per two caster levels.
4th Animal Affinity (Psi): You may manifest animal affinity 1/day.
6th Body Adjustment (Psi: You may manifest body adjustment 1/day.
8th Change Shape (Su): You can change your shape for a number of rounds per day equal to your caster level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions like polymorph.
10th Adapt Body (Psi): You may manifest adapt body 1/day.
12th Breath of the Black Dragon (Psi): You may manifest breath of the black dragon 1/day.
14th Fission (Psi): You may manifest fission 1/day.
16th Iron Body (Psi): You may manifest iron body 1/day.
18th Assimilate (Psi): You may manifest assimilate 1/day.
20th Fluid Form (Su): As a swift action, you can gain one of the following abilities: blindsense with a range of 30 feet, burrow with a speed of 30 feet, climb with a speed of 60 feet, darkvision with a range of 120 feet, fly with a speed of 120 feet, gaseous form, or swim with a speed of 60 feet. You can only have one of these abilities at any one time, but you can change the ability as often as you like.
Kineticist (Psychokinesis) Discipline
2nd Control Object (Psi): You may manifest control object 1/day per two caster levels.
4th Energy Missile (Psi): You may manifest energy missile 1/day.
6th Energy Cone (Psi: You may manifest energy cone 1/day.
8th Telekinetic Powers (Su): You can manipulate object telekinetically for number of rounds per day equal to your manifester level. These rounds need not be consecutive. This power can mimic telekinetic force, telekinetic thrust, or telekinetic maneuver, and functions in all other ways as those powers.
10th Energy Current (Psi): You may manifest energy current 1/day.
12th Null Psionics Field (Psi): You may manifest null psionics field 1/day.
14th Energy Wave (Psi): You may manifest energy wave 1/day.
16th Psionic Telekinetic Sphere (Psi): You may manifest telekinetic sphere, psionic 1/day.
18th Tornado Blast (Psi): You may manifest tornado blast 1/day.
20th (Su): Elemental Power (Su): Creatures affected by your spells only receive 1/2 their energy resistance. Creatures with energy immunity are instead treated as if they have resistance 20 against that energy.
Nomad (Psychoportation) Discipline
2nd Dissipating touch (Psi): You may manifest dissipating touch 1/day per two caster levels.
4th Psionic levitate (Psi): You may manifest levitate, psionic1/day.
6th Time Hop (Psi): You may manifest time hop 1/day.
8th Dimensional Steps (Su): You can teleport up to 30 feet per caster level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each creature brought with you.
10th Psionic Plane Shift (Psi): You may manifest plane shift, psionic 1/day.
12th Psionic Overland Flight (Psi): You may psionic overland flight 1/day.
14th Temporal Acceleration (Psi): You may manifest temporal acceleration 1/day.
16th Psionic Greater Teleport (Psi): You may manifest teleport, psionic greater 1/day.
18th Time Regression (Psi): You may manifest time regression1/day.
20th Go Anywhere (Su): Once per day you may teleport yourself and up to twenty companions to any place on any plane of existence. You do not even need to know your precise destination, and could teleport to “the evil overlord’s secret lair” even if you do not know where it is. Only 9th level powers or greater have a chance of blocking this ability.
Seer (Clairsentience) Discipline
2nd Defensive Precognition (Psi): You may manifest precognition, defensice1/day per two caster levels.
4th Clairvoyant Sense (Psi): You may manifest clairvoyant sense 1/day.
6th Escape Detection (Psi): You may manifest escape detection 1/day.
8th Remote Viewing Adept (Su): You are always aware when you are being observed via magic, as if you had a permanent detect remote viewing. In addition, whenever you remote view a subject, treat the subject as one step more familiar to you. Very familiar subjects get a –10 penalty on their save to avoid your remote viewing attempts.
10th Psionic True Seeing (Psi): You may manifest true seeing, psionic 1/day.
12th Greater Precognition (Psi): You may manifest precognition, greater 1/day.
14th Fate of One (Psi): You may manifest fate of one 1/day.
16th Hypercognition (Psi): You may manifest hypercognition 1/day.
18th Metafaculty (Psi): You may manifest metafaculty 1/day.
20th Near Omniscience (Su): You are never surprised and cannot be caught flat-footed. You manifest remote viewing at will and subjects get a –10 penalty on their save, regardless of how familiar they are to you. You can even use this ability to remote view on areas protected from remote viewing, although the subjects get a +5 bonus on their save to resist.
Shaper (Metacreativity) Discipline
2nd Entangling Ectoplasm (Psi): You may manifest entangling ectoplasm 1/day per two caster levels.
4th Astral Construct (Psi): You may manifest astral construct 1/day.
6th Greater Concealing Amorpha (Psi: You may manifest greater concealing amorpha 1/day.
8th Master Fabricator (Su): Each day, you may change up to 10 cubic feet of material (or 1 cubic foot of mineral) into other products of the same material. You split your total among several uses of this power, but must always spend a least a 10 cubic feet (or 1 cubic foot mineral) increment. This ability otherwise functions as fabricate, psionic.
10th Psionic Major Creation (Psi): You may manifest major creation, psionic 1/day.
12th Crystallize (Psi): You may manifest crystallize 1/day.
14th Mass Ectoplasmic Cocoon (Psi): You may manifest ectoplasmioc cocoon, mass 1/day.
16th Matter manipulation (Psi): You may manifest matter manipulation 1/day.
18th True Creation (Psi): You may manifest true creation 1/day.
20th Astral Construct Master (Su): Once per day you may enhance a single manifesting of astral construct, extending its duration to 1 day. Construct created in this way have maximum hit points and gain a +2 insight bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks
Telepath (Telepathy) Discipline
2nd Psionic Charm (Psi): You may manifest charm, psionic 1/day per two caster levels.
4th Read Thoughts (Psi): You may manifest read thoughts 1/day.
6th Psionic Blast (Psi: You may manifest psionic blast 1/day.
8th Aura of Pain (Su): You can emit a 30-foot aura of pain for a number of rounds per day equal to your manifester level. Enemies within this aura take a –2 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
10th Mind Probe (Psi): You may manifest mind probe 1/day.
12th Aura Alteration: (Psi): You may manifest aura alteration 1/day.
14th Insanity (Psi): You may manifest insanity 1/day.
16th Psionic Mind Blank (Psi): You may manifest mind blank 1/day.
18th Microcosm (Psi): You may manifest, microcosm 1/day.
20th Thrall (Su): You can manifest dominate, psionic 1/day with a duration of permanent. You can only have one such creature in your service at a time. If you manifest this power again, the first creature is immediately released.
Design Notes
On the down side it involves more math (tracking power points and strain). This got me thinking about making a class with no daily limit, and only strain, though this affects many other areas of play (as the class would have effectively unlimited power out of combat).
Talents (0 Level Powers) don’t exist in 3.5, so those would need to be added, though several “1st level” powers are really 0s (detect psionics, far hand).
I made the discipline powers quickly, and copied quite a few from school powers. If I had more time I might be more original. (I might also take this another direction, as I’m not too excited about the “use this spell 1/day” set up.)
not sure i like the strain but a fast once over looks pretty good need to look at in more in detail
Does every class get bonus feats now under Pathfinder RPG alpha?
I'm not sure you really need the strain. If the psion wishes to expend all his PP in one battle, he has to live with his choice... He'll be ineffective the rest of the day.
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I'm not sure you really need the strain. If the psion wishes to expend all his PP in one battle, he has to live with his choice... He'll be ineffective the rest of the day.
My worry is that he'll stop the rest of the party so he can rest and regain his power.
I'll take the point about not needing strain though. On second thought it's probably better to provide carrots like unlimited talents.
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I'll take the point about not needing strain though. On second thought it's probably better to provide carrots like unlimited talents.
Agreed on making the free talents considering you can end up using most of your power on just manifesting (not casting) those. A side note I would like to add is that they use manifester level to explain the psionic classes since that leaves then out of the 'spellcaster' boosting PrCs.
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My worry is that he'll stop the rest of the party so he can rest and regain his power.
That kind of concern is something that should be handled by an angry mob/party not by rules constraints.
However I do see how it might be helpful with NPC enemy Psions and stopping them from spending all their points in the single battle versus the PCs. But the XPH already has recommendations for handling that.
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Interesting write up, though the pyschoportative and seer 20th level powers might be a bit much, but then my initial reactions almost unfailingly fall on the side of conservatism with these things.
You might want to consider looking at the Mind's Eye official alt class abilities for the different schools. Some of those might work well instead of just some of these power/day type things.
I just upgraded the psion (telepath) in the campaign I'm running to something like these rules. We'll see how it goes. He already considers the 1st level at-will ability totally worthless though.
I was considering requesting that Psychic Warriors get back the 3.0 versions ability to weapon specialize (since Fighters are now getting Weapon Training and Weapon Mastery now as class features on top of W.S.) but then I remembered the Psionic Weapon and Greater Psionic Weapon Feats (as well as its Archery and bare-handed equivalents, Psionic Shot and Psionic Fist,) and I've changed my mind.
Just adjust the Hit Points/Hit Dice to match the Pathfinder rules, and the Psychic Warrior will fit in right proper with the fighters and Barbarians! After all, what's the difference between Power Points and Rage Points, anyway?
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Just adjust the Hit Points/Hit Dice to match the Pathfinder rules, and the Psychic Warrior will fit in right proper with the fighters and Barbarians! After all, what's the difference between Power Points and Rage Points, anyway?
The Psychic Warrior Hit Dice already follow the Pathfinder rules 1d8 and cleric BAB. Did you increase it to 1d10/fighter BAB? I think that would easily overpower the fighter.
The difference between Power Points and Rage points, is that Power Points are much more versatile and powerful. For 18 rage points a barbarian can gain DR 3/-- for one round. For 7 power points, a psychic warrior can gain DR 5/-- for 10 minutes/level. Admittedly the barbarian's is a free action, but with the longer duration PW can probably buff before combat.
Just adjust the Hit Points/Hit Dice to match the Pathfinder rules, and the Psychic Warrior will fit in right proper with the fighters and Barbarians! After all, what's the difference between Power Points and Rage Points, anyway?The Psychic Warrior Hit Dice already follow the Pathfinder rules 1d8 and cleric BAB. Did you increase it to 1d10/fighter BAB? I think that would easily overpower the fighter.
I hadn't remembered that, thanks
The difference between Power Points and Rage points, is that Power Points are much more versatile and powerful. For 18 rage points a barbarian can gain DR 3/-- for one round. For 7 power points, a psychic warrior can gain DR 5/-- for 10 minutes/level. Admittedly the barbarian's is a free action, but with the longer duration PW can probably buff before combat.
That part was said tongue-in-cheek, sorry that I hadn't made that clear.