psionicists

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Who would want to see psionicists in th game (both as a character class and as npc's)? I sure would. But then they would have to invent a whole new set of "spells" or mind-powers for them. I still think it would be cool though. What do you guys think?

 

I think it would be an interesting twist, I would definitely play one. But unless you are familiar with psionicists and have played them (D&D), it may be to confusing. But in my opinion, throw them in.

 

I would love to play a Psionic Warrior. I sure hope that they pass the cut.

 

that's it? nobody else would want to see psionicists? strange


Ok, another thing. I think they REALLY need to come up with some new classes. I know they have to stick to DnD and all, but for all the non-PnP DnD players out there (myself included) it's getting boring to see all the same classes in every game.

 

Never played Psionic classes in PnP (nobody I know has the Psionics handbook), but I remember the implementation of Psionics in the Dark Sun PC games. I'm not sure how accurate it was, but I thought some of the powers were really interesting, and having one psionicist (sp?) in the party added original strategies to combat, particularly when fighting enemies with psionic powers themselves.

As such, I would really love to see an in-depth implementation of psionics. Not to mention that this would add new classes (to answer your 2nd post, Black Raven) that are almost never seen in non-PnP D&D games.

@Tiberius: It may be confusing to non-PnP players, true, but I think that it will also provide them with an interesting class choice, since psionic powers work very differently from spells.

Besides, it would be SO cool to fight Illithid using your very own array of psionics

 

I reckon being a Psionic Warrior\Psyblade would be SO cool... If they think it would make the spell system too complicated then they should take a look at the thickness of the BG2 manual. It wouldn't be too great a difference IMO. As they say, a "drop in the ocean"....
Maybe they should make 2 versions - or maybe we'll have to rely on the modding community AGAIN. I hope they wont put the pressure on third - party people working free to make innovative modifications for the game.

 

Could someone please post a link about Psionic classes.

 

The only specific allusion to Psionics I can remember is in Servant of the Shard by Salvatore. It's "Towe of Iron Will" and it blocks attempts to dominate the subject iirc. I would definitely play one too, but wouldn't it be overpowered? After all, Psionicists don't need rest to use their innate abilities. IIRC Kimmuriel Oblodora, the Drow Psionicist, could even charge objects to make them explode and open portals at will.

 

It would be overpowering if they just let the Psionicists loose with full power. Maybe make the abilities similiar to clerical spell advancement. The more levels you attain the more powerful your powers are. I know at a high level. you could blow someones head apart at 50 paces but they would probably incorporate saving throws, immunities, and the such to counteract. But I would like to be able to walk right up to a mind flayer and blow the tentacles right off his face without moving a muscle.

 

@tiberius:
At high level a normal person has no chance against any class and more powerful people would be treated as being more mentaly strong, resultting in resistance.

I would suggest making psionicists not as fragile as magic classes, but far from being tanks, somewhat like bards.

 

How about just making them true to the new 3.5 Expanded Psionics Handbook? It's balanced for play, with power point allotment and power progression.

 

Perfect. Good idea Firestorm, but will the owners of D&D let them use this under the license or will they have to pay more? As "making them true to the new 3.5 Expanded Psionics Handbook" would mean that no P&P player would buy the Psionics Handbook 3.5., I guess the second, and the makers would have to balance this against any benefit to sales.
Since those people who would appreciate this (people like me) would buy it anyway, I would expect it to be an expansion pack.

 

Good point Firestorm and Yirimyah. In all honesty I haven't even looked at any 3rd or 3.5 edition books. My days of playing ended with 2nd edition. But I made the point similiar to Firestorms with power progression. Seems like a good idea.

 

How did they originally work, with P&P?

 

Let's just say there was an entire psionics book to describe how they functioned. It wasn't small enough to be conveniently bundled with the underdark guide.

 

And the it (the Psionics Handbook) was not exactly a pamphlet either..

 

I would have thought that in a 3rd ed game, psionics would work like sorcerors: you get additional abilities of varying levels as you advance. They are innate, but you have a limited access to them every day (which increases as you level up, representing greater mental fortitude). You can only pick a handful, and some require others to be chosen beforehand (much like some HLAs in ToB).

Which, on reflection, is pretty much a longer version of what Firestorm said...

 

The DC for them varies with the psionicist's stats too, right? I'm not sure it was that way with Wis, Int and Cha for spells in NWN.

 

What kind of spells do they have? Psionic blast would get boring if that's all they do. Mages have spells for sleep and stun and shapechange so I don't know why you would want one. Then again I'm only assuming your talking about Mindflayers as NPC's. Don't get me wrong. The more classes the better, but this just sounds like another way of saying weak fighter/mage. Never mind me I have no idea what I'm even talking about.

 

@Deathbringer: True you have no idea
(just kidding)

Seriously, Psionic powers have very little to do with spells. First, they work very differently (no memorization, no x/day castings), and the powers themselves are pretty varied. IIRC they're split into kinetic (mostly offensive stuff), metabolic (things that affect the body; I think there was one healing power in there as well), and telepathic (mind-effecting mostly). The interesting thing about psionics is that they are not magic, so things like magic resistance don't apply.

I'd suggest taking a look at the Psionics Handbook for more detailed (and accurate) information. Or play the Dark Sun computer games (if you can find them): they're the only CRPG to my knowledge to include psionics and psionicists.