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I was thinking about psionics, and I had an idea that I posted before and got some positive feedback on.
I know the current methodology of having a certain number of “power points” used throughout the day is something TPTB find problematic. And I largely agree, as at times could make the psionics overpowered as they could really pour a ton of points into a single battle. Plus it just kind of feels like caster by another name rather than the completely different concept it really is.
So I was thinking about what psionics really is, that being controlling innate psychic powers through learning to focus them. Unlike casters, in my mind it isn’t so much pulling arcane magic from external as it is controlling internal wells of power and focusing them on techniques.
So what if rather than a large pool that could be used throughout a day, we went another way with psionics. What if instead of a pool you “spend” in the course of a day, it became a much smaller pool of “Focus” points that you have access to at all times, where the amount of “focus” you are able have at a given level is equal to the amount you would need to activate (and maintain) a spell.
What if, as a result of training their innate psionic abilities, they are able to learn specialized techniques (spells) which can be listed as you would in any spell list. However in order to use these techniques, they would need to focus on using the technique using focus points equal to the level of the spell both to activate it, maintain it, and determine the power of the spell.
When I say maintain, I mean the focus points required by the spell must continue to remain devoted for as long as you want the spell to stay active, replacing spell duration. For example a Level 1 Technique, such as endure elements, would require one point of focus be used to activate it. But, that one point of focus must keep being used each round for it to remain active.
Spell power/damage would be dictated not by caster level, but by amount of focus used while casting. So you can cast fireball, but if you want to have it do any real damage you'll be dropping all of your other defensive/wall/charm/etc...spells to increase the number of d6 involved This could nerf them similarly to the warlock in power, while still giving them the ability to cast as often as they wish.
So let us say that level one you only have one focus point. If you wanted to do use a level one technique like endure elements, you would have to use your one and only point every round in order to keep it active, and in order to cast anything else, would have to stop using that focus point on endure elements to have the point available for something else.
Level 0 cantrips could be just that, or they could be could be considered something like 1/2 a focus point. You could even add that in order to move normally, a psionic would have at least one focus point available. A psionic with only half a focus point available able could maybe complete a standard, but not a move action. Similar things could be done with completing more complicated move actions or provoking attacks of opportunity.
Level progression could be similar to a sorcerer, where you learning new techniques at each level, but are only being able to learn techniques up to a certain level following normal spell progression. Obviously available spells would have to be selected carefully, and some would need to be re-leveled given this style, but it would create a whole new style of player.
The psionic would gain the ability to not run out of spells as normal casters do, at the expense of not being able to have as many spells active at once. Battle psionics could focus on defensive and boosting spells they activate to charge into combat. Artillery could do serious damage from the back without burning spells as normal casters do, with the trade of being they will be far more vulnerable since they can’t have defensive spells active if all their points are spent on that blast.
I’m sure there are a ton of issues to work out, but I figured I would post this to start a discussion and get feedback on the idea.
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My idea for psionics is pretty similar to yours, the main diference is that instead of having "psionic spell level", you should get abilities that scale with level (also should be tree based). i don't like your extra focus idea, as it'll just end up being abused like the power point system in 3.5.
Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you about the 3.5 psion.
To be clear, it isn't really extra focus. I imagine getting a focus point every other level so that even at the highest level you would only have 10 focus points, meaning can either cast a high level spell while being completely vulnerable, have your fireball/etc do about half as much damage as a wizard sorcerer and again still be completely vulnerable, or have a bunch of low level spells going at once to buff yourself up.
You are absolutely right about the risk for abuse if the spell list isn't made carefully (obviously no healing spells for example), but again the spells will end up being significantly less powerful than a wizard or sorcerer with the trade off being use per day. The same concerns came up when the 3.5 warlock came out and could wear armor throw eldrich fire all day. But as you actually played it, it wasn't that powerful, because you were still doing so much less damage a round than a regular caster.
This would be similar, only I would say the psionic (or at least the ones who get full advancement) would't be able to wear armor.
I am personally not a fan of tree based systems, it is one of the things that bugs me most about 4e. I find it limiting when you are working on a character concept, not to mention very video gamey.
One of the things I like about the concept is you can make a psionic who in one battle allocates all his focus to his defense and attack bonuses to become a fairly decent melee fighter, and maybe in the next battle is completely vulnerable tossing fireballs from the back. I'm big on flexibility and individuality in my gaming.
How about something like the shadowrun way of casting spell?
ie: Character as 2 level into a magic missile like power.
If he decide to cast only for 1d6 of damage he suffer 1d4 of non-lethal damage as exhaustion for using this power. If in an other solution he desesperatly need to take down a powerful opponent, he can cast for 4d6 of damage and then take 4d4 of lethal damage as he had to drain into is own life force to empower the spell beyong his own ability.
Ok, I have, a bit more free time than yesterday...
Let me explain how I see the mechanics; their sould be a very limited list of power (10-12 max). I'm not familiar with psionic, so what I present is the kind of power that could be interesting to have:
Blast (an area of effect damage spell like fireball)
Missile (a single target damage spell like magic missile)
Shield (a defensive spell that can a affect different target)
Armor (a defensive spell that target only the caster)
Blade (a offensive spell that give natural weapon to the caster)
Invisibility (no need to explain)
Summon
Telekinesys
+ any other interesting effect needed
Caster receive a finit number of spell point every level
Caster can put as much points into any spell as long as he keep to the caster level/3+1 rounded down limit or any other similar mechanic.
Caster can cast any spell even if he has no point into it.
When casting spell, caster decide power level of the spell; spell cast with power level under or equal to rank into it deal non-lethal damage, spell cast with power level above deal lethal damage.
The spell power level = multiplicator for all numerical parameter of a spell (number of hit die for damage, number of target that can be affected, range increment, damage reduction, etc.)
Level 1: damage = 1d4
Level 2:
Level 3:
Level 4:
Level 5: Choose one energy type, can switch spell from force to energy type
Level 6: damage = 1d6
Level 7:
Level 8:
Level 9:
Level 10:Choose one energy type, can switch spell from force to energy type
Level 11: damage = 1d8
Level 12:
Level 13:
Level 14:
Level 15:Choose one energy type, can switch spell from force to energy type
Level 16: damage = 1d10,
Level 17:
Level 18:
Level 19:
Level 20:Choose one energy type, can switch spell from force to energy type
What do you think? How can we fill the dead level?
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What do you think? How can we fill the dead level?
I have always kind of liked the idea of having a stripped down caster/blaster, and I think it could definitely be fun as one of the psionic variant options.
It would work well with the focus limitation I described above. The between levels could be filled with gaining different energy type options (start with one and expand from there) as well as gaining focus points on alternate levels to increase power, and mixing in the variants beyond blaster at increasing levels rather than having them off the top.
Basically, in part I'm proposing making Psionics trade power for availability by having them use focus rather than caster level and duration. That would work very well with what you described above, for one version.
If you are making a psionic handbook, the above could be made into a workable blaster class, with other options for more utility casting, or even psionic warrior melee types.
I was thinking about psionics, and I had an idea that I posted before and got some positive feedback on.
I know the current methodology of having a certain number of “power points” used throughout the day is something TPTB find problematic. And I largely agree, as at times could make the psionics overpowered as they could really pour a ton of points into a single battle.
This problem solves itself eventually. You burn power points like that and you end up in a battle with nothing but your crossbow eventually, more likely sooner than later. Then the party stares(with anger) at you since they are doing all the work because you were wasteful, assuming they live.
Now if you have a really nice DM who will just let you rest as you want then there is no reason a spellcaster can't blow their high level spells whenever they want for a similar affect.I would just add a optional rule that limits PP's spent per round, and I would make sure feats like overchannel dont allow anyone to bypass the rule so everyone is not held back because a few people can't/won't manage resources.
Myself and another poster were working on a similar thing a while back. I will try to find the thread. It is close to what you are doing now.
I have always kind of liked the idea of having a stripped down caster/blaster, and I think it could definitely be fun as one of the psionic variant options.
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If you are making a psionic handbook, the above could be made into a workable blaster class, with other options for more utility casting, or even psionic warrior melee types.
Like I said, I'm not familiar with psionics at all, except from the Darksun computer game, and even then I didn't understand much how they worked :S
The caster build that I gave in example, is based from what I remember of the Shadowrun mage. There was some good utility spells as well as different offensive/defensive spells. Actualy my mage was using 90% of the time the improved invilibility spell which allowed complete invisibility from even camera. Most of the mission were done under that spell. I had to put alot of points into it to prevent failing my drain too often and to let me sustain the spell while performing other actions. My character was some kind of one trick pney, but that trick was pretty useful for the team. :D
Back to the caster build, I was thinking also of some specialisation feats that gave you +2 to your spell power level when determining the damage/number of target etc. and that don't count on the drain. But I wouldn't see any feat that lessen the effect of the drain unless that feat is really expensive to get otherwise, we remove all penalities from an "at will" caster
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Myself and another poster were working on a similar thing a while back. I will try to find the thread. It is close to what you are doing now.
That would be great. I am hoping TPTB focus on diversity when bringing in Psionics rather than just adding another variant of the existing caster.
It isn't that I disliked the point system, personally. It's that I would like options. I've played Psionic characters and liked them, and I would even argue a point based regular caster along the "sorcerer with mana" concept could be a lot of fun. But I also think making psionic spells weaker than magicians with the trade off of not running out of spells would be a fun way to do it, and would be how I hope TPTB go with it.
The idea of having to focus to use abilities, and gaining more focus as you gain levels feels psionic to me. And I think there could be a lot of specialized concepts you can create within that framework. And being able to make specialized concept within a framework is what I love about 3.5/Pathfinder.