I have downloaded the playtest document and although I have only managed to get a relatively brief look at it thus far I really like what I am seeing.
Anyway, it has occured to me that the Words of Power would make for a wonderful mechanic for Psionics. Sure, it might require some mechanical tweaks (hence the playtest ahead of us) and perhaps a few flavor tweaks specific to Psionics, but ultimately it appears to solve many of the dilemnas posed by Psionics in Pathfinder. It allows for great flexibility at the cost of some power relative to standard arcane casters, which is what Psionics should be about mechanically-speaking. It also remains ultimately slot-based, so the stat block issues in Adventure Paths (the Psionic characters in stat blocks/APs could have pre-prepared spells with the words of power, so there would be no need to learn a new casting/manifesting system for those who don't want to do so), as well as the potential imbalances of nova-like effects compared to arcane casters that worried many about a point-based system would not be present. It strikes me as a superb compromise between those of us wanting a novel system for Psionics and those worried about how such a system would fit in with the existing rules/statblocks/etc.
Sure, I like this as an alternate arcane system too, but it just seems like such an elegant solution to the Psionics dilemna!
I'll echo that. It almost felt like a generalized Psionics, if you stripped all the fancy power names and unique entries off and then chopped them up. Still reading through but I wonder if one could convert the slots componet into a direct point system....
Although I imagine the page-count/reprint harpies will still come squawking about having to reprint the details of pre-gen Word of Power/Psionic builds.
*edit*
After putting the Dreamscarred Press Psionics rebuild up next to this, they are actually opposite sides of the coin. Psionics are typically hyperfocused but very fine tuned output, sometimes dramatically outstripping more general spellcasters. Words of Power seems, based on the "spells" being made right now, that I comes in under a normal caster for directed power.
I'll be alerting my 2 1/2 main Psionic loving players to these rules and get thier reaction. See if they reach the same conclusions.
Hmm. I don't see this being stolen for the Psionics, as the book is too set for this. Makes me wonder what they are going to do for Psionics...
Sorry was editing, see above.
I would not say stolen, no more then it steals from other point based casting that has be tried in the game for the past 14 or so years. Although it's easy enough to push Psionic powers back into a primarly Slot based system the way Words of Power does.
Words of Power still uses segregated "Level" pools. If one was inclined you could exploded those pools and just total available Word points. This is what all spell point systems have basically done. For example a 5th level sorcerer would have a base pool of 58 Word Points (not counting Bonus). That's just a rough point, things like cantrips and Word Burning (over channel) would need some regiggering if done that way.
You can also reverse and lock up Psionics into level pools. Check out the OGL 3e Spell Point rules in from Unearthed Arcane. Although if you use Words of Power as guide it could really hurt Psionics general lack of Scaling. Let's take the great offender Energy Missile at 3 Power Points (2nd level Slot). Assuming a 17th level manifester kicking it up to 14 extra PP to 17 (9th level slot) for 17d6 (and a +7 DC under it's normal conditions)
This is all quick hackjobing but you can see possible interplay that isn't to farfetched. Some of the core word of power effects could be writen up almost like Poweres effectively smash several spell levels together. Take Acid Burn through Wave and compress making higher level options Augmentations to make their priced match. (Note the spell slot table caps at 17 points for a 9th level slot)
The best comparisons to run will be between the Psion and Sorcerer (although Wilder may be better the Psion), not with the Wizard.