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View Full Version : Psion. Do I HAVE to specialize?



Mystic Muse
2009-09-28, 01:19 AM
Is there any way to prevent myself from specializing in a single school in Psion? I'd be happy with just two even. I can easily get approval from the DM to get more (being that I am the DM:smallbiggrin:) but I want this to be a legitimate character.

Is there something I'm not seeing?

sonofzeal
2009-09-28, 01:25 AM
You.... uh.... why?

Psions, unlike Wizards, don't lose anything by specializing. Instead, they gain access to a unique list, and add a couple class skills. For a "Generalist" Psion, take any specialty and don't use any of their specialist options. Hey presto!


Alternatively, use "Expanded Knowledge" to grab signature powers from ever discipline, and be a generalist that way too.

Mystic Muse
2009-09-28, 01:28 AM
You.... uh.... why?

Psions, unlike Wizards, don't lose anything by specializing. Instead, they gain access to a unique list, and add a couple class skills. For a "Generalist" Psion, take any specialty and don't use any of their specialist options. Hey presto!
.

I was reading them wrong.:smallsigh:

I feel bad for wasting your time.:smallfrown:

Sophismata
2009-09-28, 02:22 AM
I feel bad for wasting your time.:smallfrown:

Time is an illusion. Lunchtime, doubly so. - Douglas Adams

sonofzeal
2009-09-28, 02:26 AM
I was reading them wrong.:smallsigh:

I feel bad for wasting your time.:smallfrown:
Hey, no problem. It's better to catch stuff like that before making the character, y'know?

I'm rather curious what you thought the rule was though. Maybe that specialists had to choose all of their powers from the specialist list? Man, that would suck....

daggaz
2009-09-28, 02:32 AM
Hey, no problem. It's better to catch stuff like that before making the character, y'know?

I'm rather curious what you thought the rule was though. Maybe that specialists had to choose all of their powers from the specialist list? Man, that would suck....

Curiously enough, thats what I thought the first time I read the class thru..

Kaiyanwang
2009-09-28, 02:49 AM
I was reading them wrong.:smallsigh:

I feel bad for wasting your time.:smallfrown:

Never say things like this. These board has as a secondary purpose* that of making easier the gameplay of people. Ask when you are in need (but see the rapid Q/A first).



* the primary is to flame about monk UP, Wizard OP, and edition war, of course :smallbiggrin:

lord_khaine
2009-09-28, 02:55 AM
* the primary is to flame about monk UP, Wizard OP, and edition war, of course

And the only thing that stops us from doing all 3 at once is that monks are missing in 4th

JaxGaret
2009-09-28, 02:57 AM
And the only thing that stops us from doing all 3 at once is that monks are missing in 4th

There's the Monk playtest. Or hadn't you heard about that?

sonofzeal
2009-09-28, 03:30 AM
There's the Monk playtest. Or hadn't you heard about that?
Please elaborate!

Mystic Muse
2009-09-28, 03:40 AM
Hey, no problem. It's better to catch stuff like that before making the character, y'know?

I'm rather curious what you thought the rule was though. Maybe that specialists had to choose all of their powers from the specialist list? Man, that would suck....

I thought the general abilities each belonged to a different school. If that were the case I just cared about a damage like school and a control or teleport one but only one school? man that'd suck if that were the case.

Eventually I decided on telepath. I enjoy the thought of mind control. I'm wondering why a protection from evil spell dispels most mind control effects though when the spell doesn't have the evil alignment descriptor. ah well. Gives the character another weakness.


There's the Monk playtest. Or hadn't you heard about that?

so now we can kill three birds with one stone.:smalltongue:

Totally Guy
2009-09-28, 03:44 AM
This is like that time I wanted to make a cleric with no domains so that I'd get... that thing that clerics that get domains lose... nothing.

Cyclocone
2009-09-28, 03:48 AM
This is like that time I wanted to make a cleric with no domains so that I'd get... that thing that clerics that get domains lose... nothing.

Wildshape?:smalltongue:

Foryn Gilnith
2009-09-28, 06:16 AM
Clerics with Domains lose Divine Magician. :P

You can be an Erudite (CPsi 153) and not specialize.

Primal Fury
2009-09-28, 08:10 AM
Erudite? Ew. :smallyuk: Can't they only use like... 12 powers per day at level 20?

Starbuck_II
2009-09-28, 08:13 AM
Erudite? Ew. :smallyuk: Can't they only use like... 12 powers per day at level 20?

No, its 12 per level per day (yes, possibly a typo).

taltamir
2009-09-28, 08:18 AM
I thought the general abilities each belonged to a different school. If that were the case I just cared about a damage like school and a control or teleport one but only one school? man that'd suck if that were the case.

Eventually I decided on telepath. I enjoy the thought of mind control. I'm wondering why a protection from evil spell dispels most mind control effects though when the spell doesn't have the evil alignment descriptor. ah well. Gives the character another weakness.

I am not too familiar wit psionics, but I heard that the telepaths are somewhat a misnomer. They aren't really all that in terms of mind control. Like how a "necromancer" specialist wizard is a damage dealer, not a good "raise the dead" guy (that is a cleric).

DragoonWraith
2009-09-28, 08:40 AM
Telepaths get a fair bit of mind control (like Psionic Charm, which is so much better than the spell version), but yeah, they do a lot of other things, too.

Which is a good thing. Just look at Enchantment if you doubt this.

AmberVael
2009-09-28, 08:49 AM
Eventually I decided on telepath. I enjoy the thought of mind control. I'm wondering why a protection from evil spell dispels most mind control effects though when the spell doesn't have the evil alignment descriptor. ah well. Gives the character another weakness.

Yay, Telepath!
They do have the difficulty of relying a lot on Mind Affecting stuff, but with wise power selection, you can deal with such enemies anyways (Crystal shard, go!)
Definitely get Schism. Every Telepath should get Schism.

Lycanthromancer
2009-09-28, 08:54 AM
Yay, Telepath!
They do have the difficulty of relying a lot on Mind Affecting stuff, but with wise power selection, you can deal with such enemies anyways (Crystal shard, go!)
Definitely get Schism. Every Telepath manifester EVER should get Schism.Fixed.

Insert obligatory "too little text for a post" text here.

PhoenixRivers
2009-09-28, 09:01 AM
If you wanna see a "Specialist" in the more traditional sense, look at Ardent.

If you wanna not specialize, go Wilder.

Sinfire Titan
2009-09-28, 09:01 AM
Clerics with Domains lose Divine Magician. :P

You can be an Erudite (CPsi 153) and not specialize.

And create a paradox by playing by RAW.

Yeah, that's right. The rules governing their Unique Powers/day create a paradox.

Lycanthromancer
2009-09-28, 09:07 AM
And create a paradox by playing by RAW.

Yeah, that's right. The rules governing their Unique Powers/day create a paradox.I assume you mean that they gain more UPPD than they can have powers known, since there aren't that many powers in existence without going outside official sources?

Flickerdart
2009-09-28, 09:23 AM
so now we can kill three birds with one stone.:smalltongue:
Killing three targets with one attack? So OP. :smalltongue:

Don't play Wilder, they suck. Erudites, as I recall, are on the weaker side without Spell to Power, which instantly rockets them up to Tier 1.

Mongoose87
2009-09-28, 09:29 AM
Killing three targets with one attack? So OP. :smalltongue:

Nah, blasters are underpowered.

flare'90
2009-09-28, 09:41 AM
Erudites, as I recall, are on the weaker side without Spell to Power, which instantly rockets them up to Tier 1

Wait, what is (and where is) this "Spell to Power" thing?

And how this can bring a calls to Tier 1?

Lycanthromancer
2009-09-28, 09:48 AM
Wait, what is (and where is) this "Spell to Power" thing?

And how this can bring a calls to Tier 1?The spell-to-power erudite (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a) gives arcane spells to erudites, which blows their power levels out of the water. They can use things like arcane spellsurge, and get access to the most brokenly overpowered abilities in the entire game. They can spontaneously cast every spell they know, and can bypass their UPPD completely by doing so.

If anything, the spell-to-power erudite is the top tier-1 class in existence because they can do everything the other tier-1s do, but better.

Sinfire Titan
2009-09-28, 10:08 AM
I assume you mean that they gain more UPPD than they can have powers known, since there aren't that many powers in existence without going outside official sources?

More like the portion of text directly below it that says they only have 11 Unique Powers/day at 20th level, despite the text directly above it saying they have 11 unique powers/level/day.

Though you're right, under two interpretations, the Erudite has more unique powers than there are Psionic powers.

For those who don't know: One interpretation has the Erudite at 99 unique powers/day (11 of each power level), another has them at a flat 11, and the third has them at 11/class level (220 powers). The most commonly used interpretation is the flat 11, but the 11/power level was the intent behind the original class (the one printed in Dragon magazine).

Draz74
2009-09-28, 11:34 AM
Is there something I'm not seeing?

I'm glad your main confusion has been cleared up, but just to make sure: Don't miss the Expanded Knowledge feat. It lets you pick out the best powers from other disciplines and learn them. It's a key part of any well-built Psionic character. :smallbiggrin:

Mando Knight
2009-09-28, 11:40 AM
Please elaborate!

Psionic Striker. Kills things with fists or other "monk weapons," is crazy-awesome. Perfect Striker class for Githzerai, though Elves, Razorclaw Shifters, and Half-Orcs do well with one discipline or the other (only one available right now is the one for Githzerai, Elves, & Razorclaw Shifters).

Haven
2009-09-28, 12:13 PM
Psionic Striker. Kills things with fists or other "monk weapons," is crazy-awesome. Perfect Striker class for Githzerai, though Elves, Razorclaw Shifters, and Half-Orcs do well with one discipline or the other (only one available right now is the one for Githzerai, Elves, & Razorclaw Shifters).

I played a Razorclaw Monk in a one-shot the other day. Flurry of Blows is amazing, especially when you remember that all your damage bonuses apply to it. Also, an at-will that targets a non-armor defense while still getting your proficiency bonus...and letting you move your speed+2? Awesome.