Proposed Changes to Psionics [Archive] - Wizards Community

Proposed Changes to Psionics [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FatMonkey13
05-13-07, 08:56 PM Psionics Modification: This is an attempt to make it so psionic powers do not become obsolete as you progress due to low save DC or the new superior powers. Also this makes some minor fixes (such as +1 DC / PP). If you have any further suggestions please make them.

Modified Powers (if a power is modified to be as a power it is as that power in all ways including XP cost, augmentations unless stated otherwise. If this is done through augmentation than DC and power point cost are based on the points spent)

All powers DCs increase by 1 per 2 power points spent augmenting a power with any Augmentation option that does not do so already. If the power has no option to be augmented than it gain the ability to be augmented simply to increase the save DC. If the DC increased faster than 1 per 2 power points spent it no longer does so.
Cloud Mind This power my be augmented by spending 8 power points so that it effects 1 creature per level instead of just one creature.
Concealing Amorpha This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Greater Concealing Amorpha
Energy Adaption As the power Specified Energy Adaption.
This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Energy Adaption (in the SRD).
Fabricate, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points so that ten times as much material is affected by the power.
Fly, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Psionic Overland Flight
Mindlink This power may be augmented by spending 6 power point so it is as the power Correspond.
Missive This power may be augmented by spending 2 power point so it is as the power Mass Missive
Precognition This power may be augmented by spending 10 power points so it is as the power Greater Precognition.
Sense Link This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Forced Sense Link. It retains the latter's augmentations .
Teleport, Psionic This power may be augmented my spending 4 power points so that it functions as the spell Greater Teleport instead of the spell Teleport.

New Powers The following are new powers created, primarily, due to the names of the powers that were consolidated.

Creation, Psionic as the Minor Creation power except it is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power.
This power may be augmented by spending 6 power points so that it is as powerMajor Creation
This power may be augmented by spending 16 power points so that it is as the power True Creation instead of the spell Teleport

Removed Powers The following powers would be removed as they are no longer needed having been replaced by augmentations of other powers.

Concealing Amorpha, Greater see Concealing Amorpha
Correspond see Mindlink
Energy Adaption, Specified see Energy Adaption
Fabricate, Greater Psionic see Psionic Fabricate
Greater Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation
Mind Switch, True see Mind Switch
Minor Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation
Major Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation
Missive, Mass see Missive
Overland Flight, Psionic see Psionic Fly
Precognition, Greater see Precognition
Sense Link, Forced see Sense Link
Teleport, Greater Psionic see Psionic Teleport
True Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation

If Using Complete Psionics (this is from memory as I lent my copy to a friend for the weekend)
Astral Construct You can create more than one astral construct at a time
Erudite Unique spells is powers per day not unique powers per power level per day
Boondoggle
05-14-07, 07:18 PM Umm... the psion's limited number of powers known is a huge limitation on the class designed to help balance it. These changes break that... a lot.
Celsun
05-15-07, 12:39 PM All powers DCs increase by 1 per 2 power points spent augmenting a power with any Augmentation option that does not do so already.

I use that rule in my campaign as well.

Cloud Mind This power my be augmented by spending 8 power points so that it effects 1 creature per level instead of just one creature.

Why not just use a +2pp/1 additional creature within 15' augment seen on some other telepathic powers? I don't see a problem with a mid-level psion clouding the minds of multiple creature before mass cloud mind would normally appear.

Concealing Amorpha This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Greater Concealing Amorpha

I restricted concealing amorpha to shapers, psywars, and psyrogs, and then I put in a +4 pp augment (instead of your +2) that increases it to GCA but reduces the power's duration to 1/round level, effectively "overcharging" it.

Ectoplasmic Cocoon This power may be augmented by spending 8 + 2x power points so that it effects all creatures, regardless of size, in a 20 +5x ft radius burst. The duration increases to 1 hour per level.

Here's one that I didn't want to flatten. EC is, more or less, a save-or-die. I don't want entire groups taken out by EC at low levels, much like I don't want many mass save-or-dies on the psion lists. I rewrote mass ectoplasmic cocoon (now "ectoplasmic burst") to make it sufficiently different from ectoplasmic cocoon.

Energy Adaption As the power Specified Energy Adaption.
This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Energy Adaption (in the SRD).

I didn't flatten this one either, although I renamed the higher level versions of it (energy tolerance-2, energy adaptation-4, energy conversion-5, energy mastery-7) and gave them all +4pp/immediate action augments. Conversion and mastery allow psions to pre-charge themselves with energy by augmenting, so all the powers are somewhat different.

Fabricate, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points so that ten times as much material is affected by the power.

That's a good power for flattening.

Fly, Psionic This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 5th level power.

I didn't want all psions flying, so I kept fly on the nomad list. It has an augment to turn it into overland flight, though.

Metamorphosis This power may be augmented by spending 10 power points so it is as the power Greater Metamorphosis.

This power I don't use in my campaign--I haven't found a good way to balance it yet.

Mind Switch This power may be augmented by spending 6 power points so it is as the power True Mind Switch

I do much the same. My version has augments to keep the manifester's original body comatose and to perform a full possesion (the manifester stores his body in the target's mind). I don't use arcane and divine in my campaign, so the mind-switch-as-possession trick explains how demonic creatures possess people.

Mindlink This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power.

I left this on the telepath list. I slapped range increments on this, so that it absorbed correspond's functionality. The further away a target is, the longer it takes to "find" them telepathically (picture the scene from the X-Men movies when Professor X was checking through people using Cerebro), and the more mental effort is required. Other augments allow the transmission of sensory information, so that a telepath and his target can create a mental "chat room" with avatars.

Teleport, Psionic This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 6th level power.

I kept this on the nomad list, but I did flatten greater psionic teleport into it. I didn't want every manifester popping around.

Creation, Psionic as the Minor Creation power except it is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power.

I flattened Creation in a similar manner. My version has sudden augments, and "true creation" is a lot cheaper.

I flattened a lot of powers, but it didn't really increase the power of psions. Instead of backing into powers like teleport, fly, creation, suggestion, etc., through the higher-level versions (greater teleport, overland flight, major creation, implanted suggestion, etc.), psions now need to burn EK feats to pick up the powers.
FatMonkey13
05-15-07, 12:46 PM Powers (I see that underlined could be overpowered)
Concealing Amorpha Greater Concealing Amorpha
Mindlink Mass Mind Link
Ectoplasmic Cocoon Mass Ectoplasmic Cocoon
Energy Adaption Specified Energy Adaption
Psionic Fabricate Greater Psionic Fabricate
Psionic Creation Minor Creation, Major Creation, True Creation
Metamorphosis Greater Metamorphosis
Mind Switch True Mind Switch
Missive Mass Missive
Psionic Fly Psionic Overland Flight
Precognition Greater Precognition
Sense Link Forced Sense Link
Share Pain Forced Share Pain
Teleport Greater Teleport, Teleport Circle

So 12 powers have the option of 2 powers each, and 2 powers have the options of 3 powers each (numbers change to 10,2,1,3 with changes). I see that Teleport Circle, Forced Share Pain, Greater Metamorphosis, and True Metamorphosis may deserve to stay their own powers but otherwise this only allow Psions more options in utility areas.

I do not see much increase in power

I wrote this before the post above

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FatMonkey13 05-13-07, 08:56 PM	Psionics Modification: This is an attempt to make it so psionic powers do not become obsolete as you progress due to low save DC or the new superior powers. Also this makes some minor fixes (such as +1 DC / PP). If you have any further suggestions please make them. Modified Powers (if a power is modified to be as a power it is as that power in all ways including XP cost, augmentations unless stated otherwise. If this is done through augmentation than DC and power point cost are based on the points spent) All powers DCs increase by 1 per 2 power points spent augmenting a power with any Augmentation option that does not do so already. If the power has no option to be augmented than it gain the ability to be augmented simply to increase the save DC. If the DC increased faster than 1 per 2 power points spent it no longer does so. Cloud Mind This power my be augmented by spending 8 power points so that it effects 1 creature per level instead of just one creature. Concealing Amorpha This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Greater Concealing Amorpha Energy Adaption As the power Specified Energy Adaption. This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Energy Adaption (in the SRD). Fabricate, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points so that ten times as much material is affected by the power. Fly, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Psionic Overland Flight Mindlink This power may be augmented by spending 6 power point so it is as the power Correspond. Missive This power may be augmented by spending 2 power point so it is as the power Mass Missive Precognition This power may be augmented by spending 10 power points so it is as the power Greater Precognition. Sense Link This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Forced Sense Link. It retains the latter's augmentations . Teleport, Psionic This power may be augmented my spending 4 power points so that it functions as the spell Greater Teleport instead of the spell Teleport. New Powers The following are new powers created, primarily, due to the names of the powers that were consolidated. Creation, Psionic as the Minor Creation power except it is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power. This power may be augmented by spending 6 power points so that it is as powerMajor Creation This power may be augmented by spending 16 power points so that it is as the power True Creation instead of the spell Teleport Removed Powers The following powers would be removed as they are no longer needed having been replaced by augmentations of other powers. Concealing Amorpha, Greater see Concealing Amorpha Correspond see Mindlink Energy Adaption, Specified see Energy Adaption Fabricate, Greater Psionic see Psionic Fabricate Greater Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation Mind Switch, True see Mind Switch Minor Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation Major Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation Missive, Mass see Missive Overland Flight, Psionic see Psionic Fly Precognition, Greater see Precognition Sense Link, Forced see Sense Link Teleport, Greater Psionic see Psionic Teleport True Creation, Psionic see Psionic Creation If Using Complete Psionics (this is from memory as I lent my copy to a friend for the weekend) Astral Construct You can create more than one astral construct at a time Erudite Unique spells is powers per day not unique powers per power level per day
Boondoggle 05-14-07, 07:18 PM	Umm... the psion's limited number of powers known is a huge limitation on the class designed to help balance it. These changes break that... a lot.
Celsun 05-15-07, 12:39 PM	All powers DCs increase by 1 per 2 power points spent augmenting a power with any Augmentation option that does not do so already. I use that rule in my campaign as well. Cloud Mind This power my be augmented by spending 8 power points so that it effects 1 creature per level instead of just one creature. Why not just use a +2pp/1 additional creature within 15' augment seen on some other telepathic powers? I don't see a problem with a mid-level psion clouding the minds of multiple creature before mass cloud mind would normally appear. Concealing Amorpha This power may be augmented by spending 2 power points so it is as the power Greater Concealing Amorpha I restricted concealing amorpha to shapers, psywars, and psyrogs, and then I put in a +4 pp augment (instead of your +2) that increases it to GCA but reduces the power's duration to 1/round level, effectively "overcharging" it. Ectoplasmic Cocoon This power may be augmented by spending 8 + 2x power points so that it effects all creatures, regardless of size, in a 20 +5x ft radius burst. The duration increases to 1 hour per level. Here's one that I didn't want to flatten. EC is, more or less, a save-or-die. I don't want entire groups taken out by EC at low levels, much like I don't want many mass save-or-dies on the psion lists. I rewrote mass ectoplasmic cocoon (now "ectoplasmic burst") to make it sufficiently different from ectoplasmic cocoon. Energy Adaption As the power Specified Energy Adaption. This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points to be as the power Energy Adaption (in the SRD). I didn't flatten this one either, although I renamed the higher level versions of it (energy tolerance-2, energy adaptation-4, energy conversion-5, energy mastery-7) and gave them all +4pp/immediate action augments. Conversion and mastery allow psions to pre-charge themselves with energy by augmenting, so all the powers are somewhat different. Fabricate, Psionic This power may be augmented by spending 4 power points so that ten times as much material is affected by the power. That's a good power for flattening. Fly, Psionic This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 5th level power. I didn't want all psions flying, so I kept fly on the nomad list. It has an augment to turn it into overland flight, though. Metamorphosis This power may be augmented by spending 10 power points so it is as the power Greater Metamorphosis. This power I don't use in my campaign--I haven't found a good way to balance it yet. Mind Switch This power may be augmented by spending 6 power points so it is as the power True Mind Switch I do much the same. My version has augments to keep the manifester's original body comatose and to perform a full possesion (the manifester stores his body in the target's mind). I don't use arcane and divine in my campaign, so the mind-switch-as-possession trick explains how demonic creatures possess people. Mindlink This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power. I left this on the telepath list. I slapped range increments on this, so that it absorbed correspond's functionality. The further away a target is, the longer it takes to "find" them telepathically (picture the scene from the X-Men movies when Professor X was checking through people using Cerebro), and the more mental effort is required. Other augments allow the transmission of sensory information, so that a telepath and his target can create a mental "chat room" with avatars. Teleport, Psionic This power is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 6th level power. I kept this on the nomad list, but I did flatten greater psionic teleport into it. I didn't want every manifester popping around. Creation, Psionic as the Minor Creation power except it is added to the Psion/Wilder list as a 2nd level power. I flattened Creation in a similar manner. My version has sudden augments, and "true creation" is a lot cheaper. I flattened a lot of powers, but it didn't really increase the power of psions. Instead of backing into powers like teleport, fly, creation, suggestion, etc., through the higher-level versions (greater teleport, overland flight, major creation, implanted suggestion, etc.), psions now need to burn EK feats to pick up the powers.
FatMonkey13 05-15-07, 12:46 PM	Powers (I see that underlined could be overpowered) Concealing Amorpha Greater Concealing Amorpha Mindlink Mass Mind Link Ectoplasmic Cocoon Mass Ectoplasmic Cocoon Energy Adaption Specified Energy Adaption Psionic Fabricate Greater Psionic Fabricate Psionic Creation Minor Creation, Major Creation, True Creation Metamorphosis Greater Metamorphosis Mind Switch True Mind Switch Missive Mass Missive Psionic Fly Psionic Overland Flight Precognition Greater Precognition Sense Link Forced Sense Link Share Pain Forced Share Pain Teleport Greater Teleport, Teleport Circle So 12 powers have the option of 2 powers each, and 2 powers have the options of 3 powers each (numbers change to 10,2,1,3 with changes). I see that Teleport Circle, Forced Share Pain, Greater Metamorphosis, and True Metamorphosis may deserve to stay their own powers but otherwise this only allow Psions more options in utility areas. I do not see much increase in power I wrote this before the post above