Unbalanced Psionics (and characters) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Unbalanced Psionics (and characters) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
character_forge
03-08-07, 06:37 PM I'm not truly complaining about psionics but..., a character using psionics in 2 campaigns im in.
The first entry will be just one of his caracters.
:(
One of the characters in the campaign I'm in is a psion and i'm not sure if its really fair. Sure he is a great power player but it is just insane how powerful he has become. ok so here it is the first problem

he made his guy specialize in high DC's and Controlling people. he obtained a Cha bonus from the DM (somehow) of +4 making his modified CHA like 24 or something. but the rest of his stats are pretty low.

of course one of the first things he does is go to a magic/psionic item shop, take control of the shopkeeper and basiclly have him give him the items. then (b/c of another reason that i won't go into) decimate our way over powered barbarian while still being a low level.

after a couple sessions (of a DM giving buckets of expierience) we obtained sixth level, and the psion became a thrall controlling person (don't know the name but a class that is way overpowered) with a 20 something man force backing him, and just as a reminder each day this classe's people that died get replaced by other micellanious people that just kind of pop-up.

he became a one-man army in a way, with 20 first level human warriors with heavy crossbows, there wasn't something that was, within reason, for a sixth level party, that he couldn't most likely face on his own. (don't say sneak-attack, he uses his men as, basiclly, a giant mob of willing body-shields that he can use their eyes to get line of sight for his powers)

is their some type of psionic character regulator thing?

Next time I'll complain about his Soulknife and soon to come Wilder

P.S.: I don't have access to the psionic books because he owns them... how surprising....
Fargren
03-08-07, 06:58 PM I'm not truly complaining about psionics but..., a character using psionics in 2 campaigns im in.
The first entry will be just one of his caracters.
:(
One of the characters in the campaign I'm in is a psion and i'm not sure if its really fair. Sure he is a great power player but it is just insane how powerful he has become. ok so here it is the first problem

he made his guy specialize in high DC's and Controlling people. he obtained a Cha bonus from the DM (somehow) of +4 making his modified CHA like 24 or something. but the rest of his stats are pretty low.
If that' at level 1, he's cheating. It's not unussual that a character created through cheating comes out overpowered.

of course one of the first things he does is go to a magic/psionic item shop, take control of the shopkeeper and basiclly have him give him the items. then (b/c of another reason that i won't go into) decimate our way over powered barbarian while still being a low level.
If that was done with charm (and that's the only possibility I can think of, since you weren't even 6th level), then the DM made several mistakes. First, Charm will not make someone give you all his stuff; if your best friend would ask you to give him all your money and your house, you wouldn't accept, probably. Second, every shopkeeper is probably used to facing theft attemps. Therefore, he probably is equiped against common spells/powers that can control him. He's probably wearing a ring of mindblank or something of the sort.

after a couple sessions (of a DM giving buckets of expierience) we obtained sixth level, and the psion became a thrall controlling person (don't know the name but a class that is way overpowered) with a 20 something man force backing him, and just as a reminder each day this classe's people that died get replaced by other micellanious people that just kind of pop-up.
Thrall-herd. So, he controlls about 20 level 1 characters, big deal... Also, thrallherd doesn't remove the free will of thralls, much less believers. Unless he personally charmed/dominated each one of them, they won't act as meatshields. Your problem is clearly a DM unfamiliar to teh rules he allows, not a player who's too powerfull. A DM should never allow any rules he doesn't know.

Next time I'll complain about his Soulknife and soon to come WilderThose are two of the weakest classes in the game, but I guess they can be abused if the DM doesn't know the rules.

P.S.: I don't have access to the psionic books because he owns them... how surprising....
www.d20srd.org. There are the rules
Bacris
03-08-07, 07:02 PM First, all the psionic rules are available here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35

Next, any shopkeeper that has magical items and isn't capable of blocking mind-affecting effects is asking to get robbed, so that's really a snafu on your DM's part.

Next, this character is using CHA, but a psion uses INT - are you sure you don't have his stats confused? Or perhaps it's a wilder? Regardless, the fact that your DM is giving out a +4 CHA bonus at that low a level is another problem.

Really, it sounds like a problem player that the DM is not stepping up and fixing.
character_forge
03-08-07, 08:36 PM Thanks Guys I'll make sure i let the DM know, I'm not done but i got to study for Finals Tommorow so... Later..
Tempest Stormwind
03-08-07, 08:45 PM I'm surprised no one mentioned that at level 6 ANYONE could have an army like that by taking the Leadership feat. If they're particularly benevolent or heroic, they could even have MORE soldiers -- something the thrallherd could not do. Now imagine that with a character of a class based around making others better (something psionics is VERY bad at), like the bard or the marshal... both of which use Charisma as a primary stat, unlike the Int-based psion.

(The advantage the thrallherd has is that his Leadership score increases very quickly (though it doesn't fluctuate) and that the minions are replacable quickly. In most other regards it's actually weaker than Leadership.)
Doomed_Penguin
03-08-07, 09:25 PM He might be using 3.0 psionics, that would explain the Cha. based psion (and the large amounts of general brokenness...)
Tsuul
03-09-07, 01:37 AM The problem player would have a similar effect on the game no matter what class he played. It's a combo between what he trys to do, and what the DM lets him get away with. Try to enjoy the game. Or find another.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
character_forge 03-08-07, 06:37 PM	I'm not truly complaining about psionics but..., a character using psionics in 2 campaigns im in. The first entry will be just one of his caracters. :( One of the characters in the campaign I'm in is a psion and i'm not sure if its really fair. Sure he is a great power player but it is just insane how powerful he has become. ok so here it is the first problem he made his guy specialize in high DC's and Controlling people. he obtained a Cha bonus from the DM (somehow) of +4 making his modified CHA like 24 or something. but the rest of his stats are pretty low. of course one of the first things he does is go to a magic/psionic item shop, take control of the shopkeeper and basiclly have him give him the items. then (b/c of another reason that i won't go into) decimate our way over powered barbarian while still being a low level. after a couple sessions (of a DM giving buckets of expierience) we obtained sixth level, and the psion became a thrall controlling person (don't know the name but a class that is way overpowered) with a 20 something man force backing him, and just as a reminder each day this classe's people that died get replaced by other micellanious people that just kind of pop-up. he became a one-man army in a way, with 20 first level human warriors with heavy crossbows, there wasn't something that was, within reason, for a sixth level party, that he couldn't most likely face on his own. (don't say sneak-attack, he uses his men as, basiclly, a giant mob of willing body-shields that he can use their eyes to get line of sight for his powers) is their some type of psionic character regulator thing? Next time I'll complain about his Soulknife and soon to come Wilder P.S.: I don't have access to the psionic books because he owns them... how surprising....
Fargren 03-08-07, 06:58 PM	I'm not truly complaining about psionics but..., a character using psionics in 2 campaigns im in. The first entry will be just one of his caracters. :( One of the characters in the campaign I'm in is a psion and i'm not sure if its really fair. Sure he is a great power player but it is just insane how powerful he has become. ok so here it is the first problem he made his guy specialize in high DC's and Controlling people. he obtained a Cha bonus from the DM (somehow) of +4 making his modified CHA like 24 or something. but the rest of his stats are pretty low. If that' at level 1, he's cheating. It's not unussual that a character created through cheating comes out overpowered. of course one of the first things he does is go to a magic/psionic item shop, take control of the shopkeeper and basiclly have him give him the items. then (b/c of another reason that i won't go into) decimate our way over powered barbarian while still being a low level. If that was done with charm (and that's the only possibility I can think of, since you weren't even 6th level), then the DM made several mistakes. First, Charm will not make someone give you all his stuff; if your best friend would ask you to give him all your money and your house, you wouldn't accept, probably. Second, every shopkeeper is probably used to facing theft attemps. Therefore, he probably is equiped against common spells/powers that can control him. He's probably wearing a ring of mindblank or something of the sort. after a couple sessions (of a DM giving buckets of expierience) we obtained sixth level, and the psion became a thrall controlling person (don't know the name but a class that is way overpowered) with a 20 something man force backing him, and just as a reminder each day this classe's people that died get replaced by other micellanious people that just kind of pop-up. Thrall-herd. So, he controlls about 20 level 1 characters, big deal... Also, thrallherd doesn't remove the free will of thralls, much less believers. Unless he personally charmed/dominated each one of them, they won't act as meatshields. Your problem is clearly a DM unfamiliar to teh rules he allows, not a player who's too powerfull. A DM should never allow any rules he doesn't know. Next time I'll complain about his Soulknife and soon to come WilderThose are two of the weakest classes in the game, but I guess they can be abused if the DM doesn't know the rules. P.S.: I don't have access to the psionic books because he owns them... how surprising.... www.d20srd.org. There are the rules
Bacris 03-08-07, 07:02 PM	First, all the psionic rules are available here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35 Next, any shopkeeper that has magical items and isn't capable of blocking mind-affecting effects is asking to get robbed, so that's really a snafu on your DM's part. Next, this character is using CHA, but a psion uses INT - are you sure you don't have his stats confused? Or perhaps it's a wilder? Regardless, the fact that your DM is giving out a +4 CHA bonus at that low a level is another problem. Really, it sounds like a problem player that the DM is not stepping up and fixing.
character_forge 03-08-07, 08:36 PM	Thanks Guys I'll make sure i let the DM know, I'm not done but i got to study for Finals Tommorow so... Later..
Tempest Stormwind 03-08-07, 08:45 PM	I'm surprised no one mentioned that at level 6 ANYONE could have an army like that by taking the Leadership feat. If they're particularly benevolent or heroic, they could even have MORE soldiers -- something the thrallherd could not do. Now imagine that with a character of a class based around making others better (something psionics is VERY bad at), like the bard or the marshal... both of which use Charisma as a primary stat, unlike the Int-based psion. (The advantage the thrallherd has is that his Leadership score increases very quickly (though it doesn't fluctuate) and that the minions are replacable quickly. In most other regards it's actually weaker than Leadership.)
Doomed_Penguin 03-08-07, 09:25 PM	He might be using 3.0 psionics, that would explain the Cha. based psion (and the large amounts of general brokenness...)
Tsuul 03-09-07, 01:37 AM	The problem player would have a similar effect on the game no matter what class he played. It's a combo between what he trys to do, and what the DM lets him get away with. Try to enjoy the game. Or find another.