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8 months ago  ::  Oct 04, 2012 - 7:12PM #1
aFrozenSoul
Date Joined: Sep 10, 2012
Posts: 28
I've been reading the threads on the psionics and the psion for d&d next and have come up with a basic system for its psionic powers. Haven't added powers known, how many power points you get or when they generate. I'm divided on whether them being daily or by encounter. It is only a rough draft of the system but how about you guys take a look at it and tell me what you think.


Psion


Intelligence is used for moving things with your mind, Wisdom is used for physical enhancement and psionic perception, and Charisma is used for mind to mind interactions.


Key Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.


Creating a Psion________________________________________


When you create a character whose first class is Psion, you gain these benefits. 


Ability Adjustment: +1 to your Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma or score.


Starting Hit Points: 4+ your Constitution modifier 


Armor and Shield Proficiencies: None


Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows.


 


You can make a psion quickly by following these suggestions.


Suggested Background: Sage


Suggested Specialty: Healer


Suggested Equipment: Travelers clothes, quarterstaff, adventurer’s kit, healer’s kit, healing potion, and 88 gp, 8 sp.


The Psion


              Hit   Psychic   Weapon                       Power Powers Psionic   Class
                                                                                    


Level    Dice Attack     Attack   Power DC       Points Known  Potency  Features


1           1d4     +3            +2      11+Int/Wis/Cha mod                0     Mental Force, Augmentation


2           2d4     +3             +2     11+Int/Wis/Cha mod                0                           -


3           3d4     +3             +2     11+Int/Wis/Cha mod                0                           -


4           4d4     +4             +2     12+Int/Wis/Cha mod                1                           -    


5           5d4     +4             +2     12+Int/Wis/Cha mod                1                           -


 


Class Features


A psion gains the following class features.


Hit Die: 1d4 per psion level


Hit Points: 1d4 (or 3) + your Contitution modifier per psion level gained.


Mental Force


Using a Power: Powers can be used for no cost, however you have only a limited number of power points in which can be used to strengthen these powers. These power points are regained after a long rest.


Psychic Attacks: When you make a psychic attack using a psion power, you use your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier for the attack roll depending on which power is used, and add a bonus to that roll based on the Psychic Attack column in the Psion table.


Saving Throw DCs: When a psion power that you use calls for a saving throw, the save DC equals 11 + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier depending on which power is used. As you gain levels, the DC increases, as noted on the Psion table.


Psionic Potency: Your psionic powers increase in strength as you gain levels as shown on the psion table. The damage or strength of a power is increased by one increment e.g. basic spell/0 = 1d8, 1 = 2d8, 2 = 3d8 or 0 = 30 pounds, 1 = 60 pounds.


Augmentation


Your powers can be strengthened and altered by spending power points. Each power has an augment list of effects that can be used for that power. Up to 3 power points can be spent on a single power.


Augments


Power: Increase the damage of a power/ base = 1d8, 1 = 2d8, 2 = 3d8, 3 = 4d8


Target: Target one more creature in range per power point.


Area: Change the area of effect of power or size of effect of power/ base = range 20, 1 = range 40


Push: Cause push effect, greater push per power point spent


Knockdown: Knock target/s prone


Distance: Increase range of power/ base = range 50, 1 = range 100


Duration: Increase length of power effect


Mulligan: Reroll / can only be done once


Stun: Target is stunned


Hold: Target creature becomes paralyzed


Fear: Target becomes frightened


Special: Unique effect special to that power / will be written on power discription


Psion Powers


Energy Missile


Launch a mass of psionic force at an enemy


Effect:  Make a psionic attack against an enemy within 50 feet.  On a hit the target takes 1d8 force damage. Augment: Power, Target, Push, Knockdown, Distance


Force Blast


Cause an explosion of psionic force


Effect: Choose a point within 50 feet of you. At point of origin you can create a 15 foot cone blast in which ever direction you want or a 10 foot sphere burst centered on the point of origin. Each creature hit blast/burst takes 1d8 force damage. Augment: Power, Area, Push, Knockdown, Distance


Telekinesis


With an unseen force you can control anything near yourself


Effect: Choose an object or creature (yourself included) within 25 feet of you and in line of sight. Target chosen can be manipulated, levitated, held, thrown, or crushed. Unwilling targets make a strength saving throw or be restrained for 1 minute. As an action, a creature effected by this power can make a strength check against your power save DC to end restrained. Target cannot weight more than 50 pounds. You can attack the target by crushing it doing 1d6 force damage or throw the target at something with1d6 physical damage and range 10/40. If creature is throw, than target must make a dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. Damage done, weight that can be held, and range distance increases for each power augmentation. Target can be moved 20 feet in any direction that’s not obstructed per round. User must make Intelligence check at the start of each turn to maintain control of object. Augment: Power, Distance, Hold, Mulligan


Telekinetic Defense


You shift attacks made against you out the way with an unseen force


Requirement: Telekinesis


Effect: You gain one defensive charge, you again additional defensive charges from your psionic potency. This point can be spent as reaction to can give a -4 penalty to any attack made to yourself or to a creature within 25 feet of you. You generate new charges at the start of each turn. Augment: Distance, Special


Special: create one extra defensive charge per power point

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8 months ago  ::  Oct 04, 2012 - 11:53PM #2
kadim
Date Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 2,766

I could see how the psion's power list could get really annoying with all the extra book keeping.


I'd prefer to make the augments function independently of the powers, like metamagic, so you don't have to remember what things apply to what powers. The mechanics each augment changes would make it pretty explicit in most cases I think.

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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 12:40AM #3
aFrozenSoul
Date Joined: Sep 10, 2012
Posts: 28
With this system the psion power list gets a lot smaller because many skills can be rolled into one, and you don't have to remember all the mess with with 3.5 when each power had a different power point cost for augmentation. Or having to cards just to remember each unique augment in 4e.

I don't think that metamagic is the right way to go for psionics
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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 12:44AM #4
kadim
Date Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 2,766

I like that your powers here have a broad range of applications, yeah. I just think there's more scope in keeping augments discrete. Modularity and all that, it means we could use the power list elsewhere in a different magic system and the augment list could dovetail into a spell point module nicely as well.


Seems to be the word of the hour but here I think it's a bonus.

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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 12:56AM #5
aFrozenSoul
Date Joined: Sep 10, 2012
Posts: 28
I don't understand how keeping augmentations different for each power would make it more modular. Or do you want to say be able to put one of the powers into the spellcaster spell list.



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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 2:03AM #6
Haldrik
Date Joined: Jan 2, 2004
Posts: 9,395
With atwills, nonmagical proficiencies are unnecessary.



Armor and Shield Proficiencies: None

Weapon Proficiencies: None
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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 3:10AM #7
kadim
Date Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 2,766

I see no reason why it couldn't be used with any spell list, really. As long as the character in question picks a magic system that allows for some kind of augmentation for their spells (I suspect all of them will), then the augmentation list you've got here is freely convertable.



The most important point I'm seeing in all the discussions on psionics is that the system, while important, isn't really what makes psionics different from the rest. It's the powers.


Divine spells are different from arcane spells, and primal spells sing to their own tune as well. We need a psionic power list that is as distinct as the various spell lists for other power sources.


Don't get me wrong, the system is important too 'cause some systems feel more psionic than others, but if the systems are all going to be divorced from character class then really the psion will be defined as a full caster progression class with a power point magic system that uses the psionic power list.

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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 8:21AM #8
Monsieur_Moustache
Date Joined: Aug 13, 2004
Posts: 1,465

Oct 5, 2012 -- 3:10AM, kadim wrote:


I see no reason why it couldn't be used with any spell list, really. As long as the character in question picks a magic system that allows for some kind of augmentation for their spells (I suspect all of them will), then the augmentation list you've got here is freely convertable.



The most important point I'm seeing in all the discussions on psionics is that the system, while important, isn't really what makes psionics different from the rest. It's the powers.


Divine spells are different from arcane spells, and primal spells sing to their own tune as well. We need a psionic power list that is as distinct as the various spell lists for other power sources.


Don't get me wrong, the system is important too 'cause some systems feel more psionic than others, but if the systems are all going to be divorced from character class then really the psion will be defined as a full caster progression class with a power point magic system that uses the psionic power list.


I agree, arcane and divine magic are characterized by how they handle the D&D cosmology, but psionics abilities have never been clearly characterized.

Clerics must strictly conform to a way of life determined by others (gods, clergy, philosophers, local culture) to find the understanding necessary to access divine effects.
Wizards have to study the "tangible" aspects of the entire cosmology to be able to warp it, finding and using specific "laws" from this cosmology.

Psionics in 3rd and 4th editions are just wizards rip offs from characterization point of view. In 4th, it's just Feywild related for one, far realm related for the other, and we all know how well far realms nature is clear for everyone (something lovecraft-like). In 3rd, it's just spell points wizards with crystals and modern science knowledge (never exploited outside powers, of course).

2nd edition is not really better, just because the old editions are the basic mess we loved so much. Psionics were based on some asian supernatural traditions (Ki and others), exploiting modern science knowledge (but just when powers were concerned, of course), some schools of psychology, but also exploiting any interesting neo-pagan concept popping during this period, or sometimes totally changing the concept to make clairsentients able to totally ignore the rules of reality.
In clear, not something that can seriously inspire the next edition psionic from a characterization point of view, except if we need concepts to choose from Tongue Out 

I think like you that the first work on psionics is to give them a clear identity. They at least need a clear relation to D&D cosmology in how they relate to all its parts.

IMO, Psionicist should be about abstraction vs. the materialist wizard and the communing cleric.
Psionics could represent the missing link between arcane and divine.

"They are making it clear that when modern design and common sense come into conflict with tradition, tradition wins." - thecasualoblivion
"Vancian isn't broken, you just have to set your game to the wizard's clock!" - Oxybe
"In many ways, making a new edition of D&D is alot like trying to sell a car to the Amish." - Dwarfslayer
"Encounters are the heart of the AD&D game" - PHB AD&D 2nd edition.
"you shouldn't even bother trying to become like me." - Gary Gygax (Elfcrusher confirmed)

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- Gary Gygax
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8 months ago  ::  Oct 05, 2012 - 3:34PM #9
DemoMonkey
Date Joined: Feb 19, 2009
Posts: 904
Is it a concern that you need a good stat in 3 different characteristics, none of which also enhance survivability?

Wouldn't it be more practical (if less thematic) to choose one?
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8 months ago  ::  Oct 06, 2012 - 12:12AM #10
aFrozenSoul
Date Joined: Sep 10, 2012
Posts: 28
Int would be used for psions who use telekinesis or metacreativy/shaper, Wis for psychometabolism, clairsentience and forsight and Cha for telepathy. You would want to focus on one or two of these stats than have the rest in con or dex.

I'm thinking that discipline's would give you bonuses to powers of that type. For example a telekinetic psion could have at later levels all of his telekinesis powers gain fire effects and bonuses making a pyrokinetic.
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