About Psionics... [Archive] - Wizards Community

About Psionics... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
queenfange
05-20-07, 08:28 PM I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules. Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs? Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)? I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them? Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions.
Tempest Stormwind
05-20-07, 08:42 PM I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules.Welcome to these boards, then.

Before we begin, I'd suggest looking at the FAQ at the top of the forum. Pay special attention to the important links and general questions.Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs?Don't metagame them -- "Oh, I'm not supposed to survive this encounter, so I'll pour everything I've got into every power I throw" is a recipe for disaster. It's like this with wizards as well, and more devastating there, but it's easier to do by accident in psionics.

EDIT: The rule of thumb InkBlot suggests below is probably the best way to go.Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)?Very Yes. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#combiningPsion icAndMagicalEffects)I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them?Look at the dromite. This is especially true if you have Untapped Potential (see the FAQ; in that book they were given a lot of very good options building on a former hivemind heritage).

That book also prints the Society Mind (available for free from the same source, with a long history on this board; it's extremely popular). It's a psionic support class based around a similar idea -- making each individual it is connected to function as part of a greater whole, as if the team were a single organism. You might find those interesting. (There are even some dromite society mind options in UTP...).Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions.No worries. Hope that helps.
JoshuaZ
05-20-07, 08:45 PM I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules. Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs? Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)? I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them? Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions.

In terms of spell protection and psionic protection, in general the answer is yes but this can be modified in other campaigns. The particular relevant issue is "magic-psionic transparency". I would also suggest that flavor-wise for group-centric society of psionic beings the Society Mind class would make a lot of sense. I think this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=506284) is the most recent version of this class, but it may have been further tweaked since then. Someone else may know more.
InkBlot
05-20-07, 08:58 PM Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs?
As a rule of thumb, psionic NPCs only have 1/2 of their normal power point pool available. This comes from assuming that they already used 1/4 of their power points earlier that day, and that they're saving another 1/4 of their power points for later.
Tempest Stormwind
05-20-07, 09:55 PM I would also suggest that flavor-wise for group-centric society of psionic beings the Society Mind class would make a lot of sense. I think this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=506284) is the most recent version of this class, but it may have been further tweaked since then. Someone else may know more.It has; the most recent version is a PDF download from DSP.

It's mostly subtle tweaks. The biggest one is that it by default doesn't allow fast healing through Cooperative Healing (although I don't think this ever was a problem.).
angellis_ater
05-21-07, 11:13 AM DSP being Dreamscarred Press and you can find the download for the PDF here: http://www.dreamscarredpress.com/download/DSP-UC-SM.zip
Celas Evriamytholin
05-22-07, 05:49 PM Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them?

We'd need a bit more information about whats going on to really answer that. Also what level would they be? In general, you might want to give them powers that can be useful in as many situations as possible.

In any case, vigor is one of my personal favorites if you want them to last :)

Description:
Vigor
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 1, psychic warrior 1
Display: Material and olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level
Power Points: 1

You suffuse yourself with power, gaining 5 temporary hit points. Using this power again when an earlier manifestation has not expired merely replaces the older temporary hit points (if any remain) with the newer ones.

Augment
For every additional power point you spend, the number of temporary hit points you gain increases by 5.

Also, be sure to read the descriptions of the powers very, very carefully. Some people find Psionics too powerful, only because their only experience of them is watching someone twisting the rules and mopping the floor with everything in their sight with a single manifestation.

The FAQ is a great place to start. Also, you might want to check out the Expanded Psionics Handbook Errata, that is linked in my signature, just for good measure. Its in the 3.5 Official Errata Link :)

A few pointers...
-You can only spend as many power points on one manifestation as your manifester level. So, a Psion 3/Cleric 1 has a manifester level of 3, and can spend no more than 3 power points on one power, even if he might have many more power points per day.

-Most buffs, like Darkvision, Energy Adaptation, Freedom of Movement, etc. has a range of Personal, meaning you can only cast them on yourself. I made the mistake of assuming that they were like the spells in the PHB by glancing quickly at the descriptions.

Thats pretty much all I can think about for now.

Hope that helps! :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
queenfange 05-20-07, 08:28 PM	I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules. Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs? Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)? I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them? Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions.
Tempest Stormwind 05-20-07, 08:42 PM	I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules.Welcome to these boards, then. Before we begin, I'd suggest looking at the FAQ at the top of the forum. Pay special attention to the important links and general questions.Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs?Don't metagame them -- "Oh, I'm not supposed to survive this encounter, so I'll pour everything I've got into every power I throw" is a recipe for disaster. It's like this with wizards as well, and more devastating there, but it's easier to do by accident in psionics. EDIT: The rule of thumb InkBlot suggests below is probably the best way to go.Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)?Very Yes. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#combiningPsion icAndMagicalEffects)I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them?Look at the dromite. This is especially true if you have Untapped Potential (see the FAQ; in that book they were given a lot of very good options building on a former hivemind heritage). That book also prints the Society Mind (available for free from the same source, with a long history on this board; it's extremely popular). It's a psionic support class based around a similar idea -- making each individual it is connected to function as part of a greater whole, as if the team were a single organism. You might find those interesting. (There are even some dromite society mind options in UTP...).Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions.No worries. Hope that helps.
JoshuaZ 05-20-07, 08:45 PM	I'm just starting to become familiar with psionic rules. Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs? Do effects that protect against spells protect against psionics (including SR)? I want to make a race of insect-like humanoids with the favored class of psion (the insectoids have +2 Int). Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them? Yeah, help is appreciated... Sorry for the really basic questions. In terms of spell protection and psionic protection, in general the answer is yes but this can be modified in other campaigns. The particular relevant issue is "magic-psionic transparency". I would also suggest that flavor-wise for group-centric society of psionic beings the Society Mind class would make a lot of sense. I think this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=506284) is the most recent version of this class, but it may have been further tweaked since then. Someone else may know more.
InkBlot 05-20-07, 08:58 PM	Any advice for what to do or not do with psionic NPCs? As a rule of thumb, psionic NPCs only have 1/2 of their normal power point pool available. This comes from assuming that they already used 1/4 of their power points earlier that day, and that they're saving another 1/4 of their power points for later.
Tempest Stormwind 05-20-07, 09:55 PM	I would also suggest that flavor-wise for group-centric society of psionic beings the Society Mind class would make a lot of sense. I think this (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=506284) is the most recent version of this class, but it may have been further tweaked since then. Someone else may know more.It has; the most recent version is a PDF download from DSP. It's mostly subtle tweaks. The biggest one is that it by default doesn't allow fast healing through Cooperative Healing (although I don't think this ever was a problem.).
angellis_ater 05-21-07, 11:13 AM	DSP being Dreamscarred Press and you can find the download for the PDF here: http://www.dreamscarredpress.com/download/DSP-UC-SM.zip
Celas Evriamytholin 05-22-07, 05:49 PM	Coming from a civilized, orderly, group-centric society, which powers might be appropriate for them? We'd need a bit more information about whats going on to really answer that. Also what level would they be? In general, you might want to give them powers that can be useful in as many situations as possible. In any case, vigor is one of my personal favorites if you want them to last :) Description: Vigor Psychometabolism Level: Psion/wilder 1, psychic warrior 1 Display: Material and olfactory Manifesting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 1 min./level Power Points: 1 You suffuse yourself with power, gaining 5 temporary hit points. Using this power again when an earlier manifestation has not expired merely replaces the older temporary hit points (if any remain) with the newer ones. Augment For every additional power point you spend, the number of temporary hit points you gain increases by 5. Also, be sure to read the descriptions of the powers very, very carefully. Some people find Psionics too powerful, only because their only experience of them is watching someone twisting the rules and mopping the floor with everything in their sight with a single manifestation. The FAQ is a great place to start. Also, you might want to check out the Expanded Psionics Handbook Errata, that is linked in my signature, just for good measure. Its in the 3.5 Official Errata Link :) A few pointers... -You can only spend as many power points on one manifestation as your manifester level. So, a Psion 3/Cleric 1 has a manifester level of 3, and can spend no more than 3 power points on one power, even if he might have many more power points per day. -Most buffs, like Darkvision, Energy Adaptation, Freedom of Movement, etc. has a range of Personal, meaning you can only cast them on yourself. I made the mistake of assuming that they were like the spells in the PHB by glancing quickly at the descriptions. Thats pretty much all I can think about for now. Hope that helps! :)