Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Fromost the Grimm 05-08-05, 06:19 PM	Okay, currently have an idea for a new homebrew campaign formulating in my head, and am thinking of making the move to use psionics instead of arcane magic in the campaign. However, I'm not yet fluent on the 3.5 Psi Handbook, so I thought it prudent to plumb popular opinion before making a stab in the dark - could 3.5 Psions/psionics fill the gap left by having no Wizardry in a campaign? I could go through the arcane spell lists, and re-attribute important spells like identify to the divine lists, but I really can't be bothered, especially with then needing to re-balance clerics out with respect to having done this. But could it be that I won't need to do this, because a 3.5 Psion can do everything that was a Wizard's role . . ? Thanks for any help . . . :)
Jaid 05-08-05, 07:31 PM	hmmm... the main problems i see are: 1) item creation. mainly because wizards have access to all spells. 2) random, very specialised spell effects. i don't see very many psions having powers that they will not use a whole awful lot. otherwise, i think they are fine... they probably *can* do anything that a wizard can do... they just aren't necessarily going to have those powers known. kinda like a sorceror... but in a different sort of way.
Nephlite 05-08-05, 07:37 PM	Okay, currently have an idea for a new homebrew campaign formulating in my head, and am thinking of making the move to use psionics instead of arcane magic in the campaign. However, I'm not yet fluent on the 3.5 Psi Handbook, so I thought it prudent to plumb popular opinion before making a stab in the dark - could 3.5 Psions/psionics fill the gap left by having no Wizardry in a campaign? I could go through the arcane spell lists, and re-attribute important spells like identify to the divine lists, but I really can't be bothered, especially with then needing to re-balance clerics out with respect to having done this. But could it be that I won't need to do this, because a 3.5 Psion can do everything that was a Wizard's role . . ? Thanks for any help . . . :) If you read the SRD you could see what Psions can cast: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35 Identify as shown is a 2nd level power. Itis moved up one level because it has no material components, but it takes 24 hours to work. (Wizards waste money tobe faster lol) Psions can blast better than Wizards because 3.5 D&D reduced blasting power of Wizards. Psionics ois like Divine magixc because no Arcane Spell Failure. Though, Psions have no proficiency in armor. Psions must specialize at level 1 (well you don't give up any general list powers, but you do give up the other spwcialized disciplines like Egoist, Shaper, etc) Magic missile is a second level power called Concussion blast (although concussion blast can also harm objects unlike MM). All cantrips have become level 1 powers. But augmentable so it is cool. Daze is augmentable so it stays useful though campaing possible if augmented. Force Screen is Shield spell. Inertial armor is Mage Armor spell. I can't find a psionic sleep power, but you could always research it. Oh big change: Researching a new power uses up not gold, but Xp. But than again Psionic powers are almost always augmentable so they stay good throughout adventures.
Jell_Moo 05-08-05, 07:49 PM	They can certainly cover the same role. For the most part, there are Psionic equivalents to most Arcane spells. Obviously there are differences, but the two are quite similar. The biggest difference is that many Psionic powers affect the psion only, while Wizards have a larger variety of spells that work on their party mates as well. Also, the Psion is just a much better built class than the Wizard is. Much more flexible, easier to make work, and harder to cripple. The ability to use powers spontaneously trumps prepared casting, and not having to rely 100% on a spellbook is pure gold. The Psion is just plain better. Not in an overpowered sort of way (because it is wonderfully balanced) but it fills the role of "arcane" caster better than the Wizard ever did.
Fuzzy_Logic 05-08-05, 10:33 PM	within a party, psion is fine as a wizard replacement. however, the psion class is much better with access to magic itmes that would be made by wizards. is there are no wizards, how does your psion buy his headband of intellect? other utility spellcasting like legend lore may be needed for the campaign world to function smoothly. generally, remeber that psionics was designed assuming magic exists.
Arterion 05-08-05, 11:10 PM	I can't find a psionic sleep power, but you could always research it. It's called Disable. And to answer the main question, no, Psions cannot fill the shoes of a Wizard. They can fill the shoes of a Sorcerer. :-)
Quietus_Silivren 05-08-05, 11:34 PM	It's called Disable. And to answer the main question, no, Psions cannot fill the shoes of a Wizard. They can fill the shoes of a Sorcerer. :-) No, they can't do that, either. When people complain that psionics is too sci-fi, they are correct, not necessarily to complain, but to say that it is sci-fi. Arcane magic, in many cases, does things that are simply inexplicable and off-the-wall. Psionics never goes that far, being much more mundane in nature, and thus, there are some things that psionicists just can't do that arcane casters are famous for. That's my opinion, anyway. Invisibility, scaling spells (augmenting actually makes it effectively a higher level power, which I find distasteful...), and metamagical effects (and by that I mean spells that affect other spells, not the use of metamagic feats) are just a few examples of things that psionics just doesn't pull off nearly as well. Don't get me wrong. I love psionics. When I was introduced to 3rd Ed. psionics, as far as D&D was concerned, I was obsessed with the concept as they presented it, always wanting to try my next new idea for a psionic character. But no, in my opinion, psionics is not, and will never be, a viable substitute for arcane magic. If psionics is made to be the only non-divine source of supernatural abilities (read: spells), I think you will find that your campaign will be drastically different, not only flavor-wise, but in terms of what people are capable of.