Frankly, I like it ... I just wish I knew the significance of why some characters have more rings and some fewer. Is one more powerful? What of the colors? The tiefling has a red one, is he using "evil" psionics or something? Can a Psion hide these rings? They might just be the residual "circlets" mentioned in the article ... but I doubt that since they are all wielding staffs or orbs as well.
Basically, is it purely asthetic, or will I get some story reason for it? I don't ask because I dislike it ... I ask because I want to try the class out and I want fluff for my character regarding this feature.
Thanks!
Yours,
Lord Dreadman
Just a guess, though.
Early in design, they were going to introduce a new implement that was a headband ('circlet' or somesuch), then changed their minds. This is probably an early pic of a psion wearing a circlet.
Seems unlikely, actually; in the "main" Psion picture (of that constipated-looking Southeast Asian woman) she's got the rings around her (ugly) head, but she's also wielding an orb in her left hand. Thus, I don't believe the "rings" are meant to represent circlets at all. (FWIW, I really don't like that picture.)
Personally, I think the head-rings are just meant to make Psions (or Psionics) differ artistically from Wizards and other casters.
Seems unlikely, actually; in the "main" Psion picture (of that constipated-looking Southeast Asian woman) she's got the rings around her (ugly) head, but she's also wielding an orb in her left hand. Thus, I don't believe the "rings" are meant to represent circlets at all. (FWIW, I really don't like that picture.)
Personally, I think the head-rings are just meant to make Psions (or Psionics) differ artistically from Wizards and other casters.
The presence of alternate implements in the artwork certainly indicates that it was commissioned after the decision to drop circlets was made, however, it is quite likely that the rings were kept because the folks at WotC liked the way they looked in concept art that was made while circlets were still on the table. In the final artwork, the rings might only be artistic license for representing the psion's powers manifestation, but they are still likely to have been directly inspired by older design thoughts.
Also as others have mentioned, just because circlets are no longer implements does not mean they won't still be a new type of magic item. The inclusion of circlets in most psion artwork might be equivalent to how many wizards have often been depicted with Ioun stones in the past.
Like mood rings.
Bel
Even simple minded creatures are going to realize that the dude/gal with the "shiny magic" rings around his/her head is going to be dangerous enough to make them want to kill him/her first.
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
I wanted to make a LotR reference too... to late. But yeah
Psions are the Lords of the Rings !!!
I wanted to make a LotR reference too... to late. But yeah
Psions are the Lords of the Rings !!!
The powers granted by the rings really did seem more Psionic than Arcane to me. Especially for Galadriel and Denathor. o.o
Early in design, they were going to introduce a new implement that was a headband ('circlet' or somesuch), then changed their minds. This is probably an early pic of a psion wearing a circlet.
They could have just dropped it for PHB3, but might bring it back for Psionic Power, in much the same way they dropped Tomes for Wizards in PHB1, but brought them back in Arcane Power.
I like them art-wise but if they are more than just "poetic license" and actually can be seen they they are going to act like giant "kill me first" targets in my campaign.
This isn't any more true for Psions than it is for Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerers, or Invokers though, who all look obviously magical, given the equipment they carry.
PS: You can use the phrase "artistic license". "Poetic license" is a form of that, but more specific, usually only referring to descriptions.
Don't know what other people have posted only read op's, but the image of a rainbow shooting out of a psion's belly button istantly comes to mind.
All we need is more anthropomorphic races, and then we can do a whole Care-Bear-Stare!
All we need is more anthropomorphic races, and then we can do a whole Care-Bear-Stare!
That's it thanks to the docter my pc's are getting mauled by care bears.
That's it thanks to the docter my pc's are getting mauled by care bears.
You know that Care Bears are totalitarian extremists who force people to only feel positive feeling with their mind altering beams :P
When everybody is happy they don't fight oppression.
You know that Care Bears are totalitarian extremists who force people to only feel positive feeling with their mind altering beams :P
When everybody is happy they don't fight oppression.
lol When everyone is happy, do they need to? I guess so, if they're being starved or forced into slave labour...
Personally though, I'd be more worried about the potential racial conflicts between the majority Care Bears and the minority Care Bear Cousins.
It is the source of the halo you find in some art.
To me it comes off as a aura of power following that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_(paranormal)
All we need is more anthropomorphic races, and then we can do a whole Care-Bear-Stare!
Wouldn't we just need an antropomorphic bear race to pull that off? A larger number of other antropomorphic races would just be neccesary for the care bear cousins.
Wouldn't we just need an antropomorphic bear race to pull that off? A larger number of other antropomorphic races would just be neccesary for the care bear cousins.
Technically, I suppose you're correct. However, when one refers to "the Care Bear effect" in some roleplaying games and game worlds, it traditionally refers to a variety of common anthropomorphic races (especially ones with few significant differences), and not just bear-people.
Go figure.
I like them art-wise but if they are more than just "poetic license" and actually can be seen they they are going to act like giant "kill me first" targets in my campaign.
Even simple minded creatures are going to realize that the dude/gal with the "shiny magic" rings around his/her head is going to be dangerous enough to make them want to kill him/her first.
That's silly. Rings around the head is more frightening than the guy in the robes who's throwing balls of fire, or the dude waving a holy symbol and shooting death rays? I don't think so.
That's silly. Rings around the head is more frightening than the guy in the robes who's throwing balls of fire, or the dude waving a holy symbol and shooting death rays? I don't think so.
Let's not forget the guy swing around a sword longer than he is tall.
Truth be told, most PC look rather imposing unless they go out of their way not to. Furthermore, such "dead give aways" as it were are likely only going to be relevant at low heroic tier play. After that the PCs have likely earned a reputation more significant than any visual cues.
Let's not forget the guy swing around a sword longer than he is tall.
Truth be told, most PC look rather imposing unless they go out of their way not to. Furthermore, such "dead give aways" as it were are likely only going to be relevant at low heroic tier play. After that the PCs have likely earned a reputation more significant than any visual cues.
Not to mention that they'll all be decked out in fancy magical gear, and that the majority of classes use supernatural abilities.
Personally I think the rings are just artistic license or requires to make them stand out visually as psionic. Personally I'd not have them appear in my game world unless the player wanted to do it. I alway saw psionics as being the least flashy of 'magic' types with little visual effects. The rings strike me as the comic book feel of psychic powers akin to Invisible woman having a dotted outline so you know where she is in the panels.
That's silly. Rings around the head is more frightening than the guy in the robes who's throwing balls of fire, or the dude waving a holy symbol and shooting death rays? I don't think so.
Let's not forget all those folks with the tattoo fettish...
Personally I think the rings are just artistic license or requires to make them stand out visually as psionic. Personally I'd not have them appear in my game world unless the player wanted to do it. I alway saw psionics as being the least flashy of 'magic' types with little visual effects. The rings strike me as the comic book feel of psychic powers akin to Invisible woman having a dotted outline so you know where she is in the panels.
I agree. With so many different cloth-y classes, it's important to distinguish them.
you know the Care Bear stare is like a narcotic drug! Its like in Brave New World with the government giving away drugs for free!! When everybody is happy NOW they don't question the establishment and how much they could be better off.
One of the things I like about this edition, however, is that so many of these issues are left to the DM and the group. Wizards, for example, no longer have somatic and verbal components required for every spell (just rituals). They can even cast without implements. If a DM, however, wants to say that captors can render a wizard spell less by blindfolding and gagging him, then that is left up to that DM. On the same note, it will probably be left up to the players to decide if psionic powers leave glowing rings around the minds of those that manifest them all the time, only when being used, when not suppressed, or not at all.
An interesting way to run the mechanic would be to only make the rings visible to other psionic power users. This would make psionic use become an elite club where members could recognize each other at first glance, but not be recognized by outsiders. Although unbalanced in many settings, this could be fun under the right circumstances.