Change focus and amps

[Verzen]

So here's an idea.

Rather than the current iteration of psychic, why not allow psychic to start with 3 focus points and have an ability that costs >, >>, or >>> depending on how many focus points are missing.

If you're missing one focus point, it costs >, 2 for >>, or 3 for >>> and you regain your entire focus pool.

Each focus point spent in a turn can empower an ability or cantrip for the psychic.

So if I am using some telekenetic toss that deals 1d6+cha in damage, I can use one focus to make it deal 2d6 + cha, or 2 focus to make it a 10 foot burst, or 3 focus to make it 3d6+cha or int and 15 foot burst. Yeah it seems like a lot of damage for level 1, but in order for me to do that again, I would need to use >>> or a full turn to recover to be able to use that same ability again.

So it takes two turns to deal 3d6+cha or int in a 15 foot burst. So over two turns, it's really 7.25 damage in an aoe per turn which is pretty good, but definitely not game breaking.

This will give psychics a new concept of being a focuser and spender.

[Dragonstriker]

Is this a complicated way of saying regain one focus per action?
This is completely at odds with all other focus pool mechanics.
Nobody can refocus in combat, for a reason.
There are no focus spells or powers that cost more than 1 fp.
How would this interact with MC dedications that have focus pools & focus spells? Either into or out of psychic, this is game breaking.
I don’t see how your proposal aligns with the playtest class concept for the psychic; it seems to instead rewrite the focus pool mechanics and how a class interacts with the core rules.

[Temperans]

Dragonstriker wrote:

Is this a complicated way of saying regain one focus per action?

This is completely at odds with all other focus pool mechanics.
Nobody can refocus in combat, for a reason.
There are no focus spells or powers that cost more than 1 fp.
How would this interact with MC dedications that have focus pools & focus spells? Either into or out of psychic, this is game breaking.
I don’t see how your proposal aligns with the playtest class concept for the psychic; it seems to instead rewrite the focus pool mechanics and how a class interacts with the core rules.

It's not really changing much of the core rules. It's also does follow the concept of the playtest of spending focus to empower cantrips. That system just takes up to 11 by letting you spend up to 3 focus points to do a really big blast.

Now whether it's a good idea it's a different thing. That probably wont be playtested.

[xNellynelx]

I do like potentially starting with 3 focus, if amps are going to be tied to focus. Though not sure how I feel about its power being tied to how many focus points I'm missing. Might make it a tad bit complicated for some?

Here's a thought that crossed my mind, not to hijack your thread but rather to add to the conversation of potential alterations to Amps.

Rather than tie Amps to Focus, make them Metamagics (Which is essentially what they are, but cost a focus instead of +1 Action).

Each Branch of Psychic gets a unique 1 to 2 action Cantrip (So at early levels they don't have to tie themselves up with a 3 action spell when amping, but could also spam that 1 action cantrip if desired) and a unique Metamagic feat with the Amp trait. Amp Metamagic feats can only be applied to Cantrips, but wouldn't be limited to the 3 cantrips each branch is currently limited to. They would just list a restriction like the current Amp Feats do. (A Cantrip that targets, A cantrip with an area, etc)

When they enter that mode (whose name I forget) that lets them amp without spending focus they instead can apply a meta magic for free. Maybe a late level boost that lets them apply two meta magics for free. Essentially play around with your action economy rather than your Focus pool.

While I'm at it and neglecting my lunch break, they could also get feats that play around with how the class uses these metamagic feats. Similar to how Gunslinger has a bunch of feats that play with reloading. Like a feat that lets you Stride + Apply a Meta Magic.

This all sounds cool in my head, not sure how it would actually playout