Psionic versions of Arcane spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Psionic versions of Arcane spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lokathor
10-23-07, 06:51 AM In my game, I took out all the Arcane types (including duskblade/bard/etc) as a sort of "proof of concept" to my friend who thinks that Psionics makes a game too complicated compared to arcane spell users. I kept in Divine types and relabeled the Warlock as a psi-like ability user. The Warlock is just too cool to ever get rid of. Oh, and Hexblade also became an invocation user, among other changes to both keep them in and attempt to bring them up a notch.

Anyways, I was considering the different ability "gaps" that had been left by the replacement of Arcane magic and one that jumped out at me was Fear attacks. Demoralize is basically the only one. There's also Primal Fear in Races of Eberron, but that's more of a 1 round boost than a proper fear attack. Telepaths at least should be able to knock the pants off of someone with spooky energy of doom. So here's a stab at a psionic version of the Cause Fear, Scare, and Fear spells put into one. I was hoping someone with more psionics experience than myself would have some thoughts on an augment or something.

Fear Blast
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting, Fear]

Level: Telepath 1
Display: Olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Cone-shaped spread
Duration: 1 round/lvl or 1 round; see text
Saving Throw: Will partial
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 1

All creatures in the area must succeed on a Will save or become Frightened of you or another creature or object within sight of you. Creatures that succeed on the save are instead shaken for 1 round.

Augment
You can augment this power in one or more of the following ways:

If you spend 2 additional power points, this power's save DC increases by 1.
If you spend 6 additional power points, the target is panicked instead of frightened for the duration of the power, and the save DC increases by 3.

Also, any other thoughts/suggestions on the replacement of arcane with psionics are appreciated.
InkBlot
10-23-07, 08:44 AM The base power looks great, but the augments might need work. The first augment could easily part of the base power. The save-DC increaser should be an augment all on it's own, and the panic augment should include it's own DC increaser.

For example:

All creatures in the area must succeed on a Will save or become Frightened of you, or of another creature or object within sight. Creatures that succeed on the save are instead shaken for 1 round.

Augment: You can manifest this power in one or both of the following ways.
1. For every 2 additional power points you spend, the save DC of this power increases by +1.
2. If you spend 6 additional power points, the target is panicked instead of frightened, and the save DC of this power increases by +3.
Lokathor
10-23-07, 05:18 PM Ok cool. I did that and it looks good.

Any other spell suggestions for easy or important conversion?
Khatoblepas
10-23-07, 07:11 PM I can't find any of the Illusion spells at all as Psionic powers. It's depressing. The Foo Image spells could be reduced unto one psionic power. As well as the Shadow Illusion spells. They could easily be ephemeral ectoplasm instead of shadow.

Also, Necromancy doesn't get much love, but that's been done I think, on these boards.
Lokathor
10-23-07, 07:43 PM Cloud Mind lets you simulate invisibility, kinda. Invisibility (self only) should probably be a psycho-metabolic power under a more imaginative name (a high level augment to Chameleon, probably). The other images.... well, are they telepathy that affect minds out to a range of X, are they meta-creativity that can be disbelieved, or are they Psycho-kinetic effects that are manipulating the air/sound to generate "illusion" effects (like create sound already does)? I guess it'd be spread among the 3 maybe...

The shadow spells don't work so well as powers. They'd clearly be meta-creativity (since you're molding shadow-stuff), but they just let you just duplicate spells from other schools, which translates very poorly.

As for Necromancy, Cause Fear, Scare, and Fear were all Necromancy. Making undead doesn't really have a discipline. Negative energy use in general is a kineticist thing, but it's more of a general power if it were converted at all. Energy drain can be a kineticist effect. Mostly, arcane Necromancy focuses on save or die effects, which psionics seems to have covered in other ways.
Lycanthromancer
10-24-07, 02:09 PM If you wanted the shadow-type spells (shadow conjuration, etc), the best way to do it would be to make it a telepathy power, make it [mind affecting], Save: Will negates; see text, and PR: Yes. Then, for every 2 power points you spend, you can spend 1 virtual power point on any power in the book (meaning that you're essentially paying double the power points for any given effect), and the saves are tossed out as normal. However, you could only affect targets that are subject to mind-affecting effects and that fail their Will saves.

Not a bad idea, I guess, though it does lack some utility. Especially useful for wilders.
InkBlot
10-24-07, 02:36 PM I really don't think you need psionic illusions, psionic necromancy*, or psionic shadow evocation/conjuration. They're not a vital part of what a caster-type brings to the table, most of them don't fit with the flavor of psionics, and many of them are still accessible by clerics (whom you left in). The basics, such as dispelling, scrying, flight, teleportation, summoning and blasting, are already covered by the XPH. A psion can fill the role of primary caster just fine without turning him into a "sorcerer with power points."

If you really want shambling hordes of skeletons, then I suggest a power which creates permanent independent ectoplasmic constructs with minimal intelligence. Give it an XP cost. Call it beget tulpa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa#Tulpa). Or just leave that up to Craft Psionic Construct.
Lokathor
10-24-07, 09:47 PM Well, I don't really want any of those things anyway.

I'll probably make a psycho-metabolic version of invisibility that's self only, and mostly leave it at that.
CrimsonDeath
10-25-07, 01:10 AM Well, I don't really want any of those things anyway.

I'll probably make a psycho-metabolic version of invisibility that's self only, and mostly leave it at that.

You could flavor it similar to Chameleon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/chameleon.htm). Maybe call it "Adaptive Camouflage". It could be mechanically identical to Invisibility (except self-only), and then for a 4PP augment it becomes mechanically identical to Greater Invisibility. You'd probably still want Chameleon to be a viable power choice, though, so you may need to do a bit of fiddling somewhere or another.
Lokathor
10-25-07, 02:15 AM Why not use Chameleon itself?

Chameleon
Psychometabolism

Level: Egoist 1, psychic warrior 1
Display: Olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Power Points: 1

Your skin and equipment take on the color and texture of nearby objects, including floors and walls. You receive a +10 enhancement bonus on Hide checks.

Augment

If you spend 2 additional power points, this power makes you invisible instead, but the duration is reduced to "1 min/level (D)". If you make any kind of attack while using this augment, the power ends immediately after the attack is resolved.
If you spend 6 additional power points, this power makes you invisible instead, but the duration is reduced to "1 round/level (D)". You can make attacks while using this augment.

Yes, I did intend to also change the Egoist level down to first. There wasn't any reason to make it 2nd, since it didn't even cost the egoist extra PP like hustle does.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lokathor 10-23-07, 06:51 AM	In my game, I took out all the Arcane types (including duskblade/bard/etc) as a sort of "proof of concept" to my friend who thinks that Psionics makes a game too complicated compared to arcane spell users. I kept in Divine types and relabeled the Warlock as a psi-like ability user. The Warlock is just too cool to ever get rid of. Oh, and Hexblade also became an invocation user, among other changes to both keep them in and attempt to bring them up a notch. Anyways, I was considering the different ability "gaps" that had been left by the replacement of Arcane magic and one that jumped out at me was Fear attacks. Demoralize is basically the only one. There's also Primal Fear in Races of Eberron, but that's more of a 1 round boost than a proper fear attack. Telepaths at least should be able to knock the pants off of someone with spooky energy of doom. So here's a stab at a psionic version of the Cause Fear, Scare, and Fear spells put into one. I was hoping someone with more psionics experience than myself would have some thoughts on an augment or something. Fear Blast Telepathy [Mind-Affecting, Fear] Level: Telepath 1 Display: Olfactory Manifesting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Area: Cone-shaped spread Duration: 1 round/lvl or 1 round; see text Saving Throw: Will partial Power Resistance: Yes Power Points: 1 All creatures in the area must succeed on a Will save or become Frightened of you or another creature or object within sight of you. Creatures that succeed on the save are instead shaken for 1 round. Augment You can augment this power in one or more of the following ways: If you spend 2 additional power points, this power's save DC increases by 1. If you spend 6 additional power points, the target is panicked instead of frightened for the duration of the power, and the save DC increases by 3. Also, any other thoughts/suggestions on the replacement of arcane with psionics are appreciated.
InkBlot 10-23-07, 08:44 AM	The base power looks great, but the augments might need work. The first augment could easily part of the base power. The save-DC increaser should be an augment all on it's own, and the panic augment should include it's own DC increaser. For example: All creatures in the area must succeed on a Will save or become Frightened of you, or of another creature or object within sight. Creatures that succeed on the save are instead shaken for 1 round. Augment: You can manifest this power in one or both of the following ways. 1. For every 2 additional power points you spend, the save DC of this power increases by +1. 2. If you spend 6 additional power points, the target is panicked instead of frightened, and the save DC of this power increases by +3.
Lokathor 10-23-07, 05:18 PM	Ok cool. I did that and it looks good. Any other spell suggestions for easy or important conversion?
Khatoblepas 10-23-07, 07:11 PM	I can't find any of the Illusion spells at all as Psionic powers. It's depressing. The Foo Image spells could be reduced unto one psionic power. As well as the Shadow Illusion spells. They could easily be ephemeral ectoplasm instead of shadow. Also, Necromancy doesn't get much love, but that's been done I think, on these boards.
Lokathor 10-23-07, 07:43 PM	Cloud Mind lets you simulate invisibility, kinda. Invisibility (self only) should probably be a psycho-metabolic power under a more imaginative name (a high level augment to Chameleon, probably). The other images.... well, are they telepathy that affect minds out to a range of X, are they meta-creativity that can be disbelieved, or are they Psycho-kinetic effects that are manipulating the air/sound to generate "illusion" effects (like create sound already does)? I guess it'd be spread among the 3 maybe... The shadow spells don't work so well as powers. They'd clearly be meta-creativity (since you're molding shadow-stuff), but they just let you just duplicate spells from other schools, which translates very poorly. As for Necromancy, Cause Fear, Scare, and Fear were all Necromancy. Making undead doesn't really have a discipline. Negative energy use in general is a kineticist thing, but it's more of a general power if it were converted at all. Energy drain can be a kineticist effect. Mostly, arcane Necromancy focuses on save or die effects, which psionics seems to have covered in other ways.
Lycanthromancer 10-24-07, 02:09 PM	If you wanted the shadow-type spells (shadow conjuration, etc), the best way to do it would be to make it a telepathy power, make it [mind affecting], Save: Will negates; see text, and PR: Yes. Then, for every 2 power points you spend, you can spend 1 virtual power point on any power in the book (meaning that you're essentially paying double the power points for any given effect), and the saves are tossed out as normal. However, you could only affect targets that are subject to mind-affecting effects and that fail their Will saves. Not a bad idea, I guess, though it does lack some utility. Especially useful for wilders.
InkBlot 10-24-07, 02:36 PM	I really don't think you need psionic illusions, psionic necromancy*, or psionic shadow evocation/conjuration. They're not a vital part of what a caster-type brings to the table, most of them don't fit with the flavor of psionics, and many of them are still accessible by clerics (whom you left in). The basics, such as dispelling, scrying, flight, teleportation, summoning and blasting, are already covered by the XPH. A psion can fill the role of primary caster just fine without turning him into a "sorcerer with power points." If you really want shambling hordes of skeletons, then I suggest a power which creates permanent independent ectoplasmic constructs with minimal intelligence. Give it an XP cost. Call it beget tulpa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa#Tulpa). Or just leave that up to Craft Psionic Construct.
Lokathor 10-24-07, 09:47 PM	Well, I don't really want any of those things anyway. I'll probably make a psycho-metabolic version of invisibility that's self only, and mostly leave it at that.
CrimsonDeath 10-25-07, 01:10 AM	Well, I don't really want any of those things anyway. I'll probably make a psycho-metabolic version of invisibility that's self only, and mostly leave it at that. You could flavor it similar to Chameleon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/chameleon.htm). Maybe call it "Adaptive Camouflage". It could be mechanically identical to Invisibility (except self-only), and then for a 4PP augment it becomes mechanically identical to Greater Invisibility. You'd probably still want Chameleon to be a viable power choice, though, so you may need to do a bit of fiddling somewhere or another.
Lokathor 10-25-07, 02:15 AM	Why not use Chameleon itself? Chameleon Psychometabolism Level: Egoist 1, psychic warrior 1 Display: Olfactory Manifesting Time: 1 standard action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: 10 min./level (D) Power Points: 1 Your skin and equipment take on the color and texture of nearby objects, including floors and walls. You receive a +10 enhancement bonus on Hide checks. Augment If you spend 2 additional power points, this power makes you invisible instead, but the duration is reduced to "1 min/level (D)". If you make any kind of attack while using this augment, the power ends immediately after the attack is resolved. If you spend 6 additional power points, this power makes you invisible instead, but the duration is reduced to "1 round/level (D)". You can make attacks while using this augment. Yes, I did intend to also change the Egoist level down to first. There wasn't any reason to make it 2nd, since it didn't even cost the egoist extra PP like hustle does.