Psionic Binder

[Yora]

For my homebrew setting, I want to create a new class similar to bards, but as a psionic manifester instead of an arcane caster. And to keep it in line with the theme of a person who can commune with spirits, I think binding vestiges would be a pretty neat ability in place of bardic music.

And to get things started, I would like to know if there's any stuff out there that combines psionic classes with binders? Anything like prestige classes or complete builds, which would help me to get a better understanding how psionics and binding interacts with each other.

[zagan]

Well I believe the Anima Mage (ToM p50) can be adapted to be psionic instead of arcane.
And you can find here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070119a) three Psionic vestiges.

I hope that help.

[Optimystik]

Well I believe the Anima Mage (ToM p50) can be adapted to be psionic instead of arcane.
And you can find here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070119a) three Psionic vestiges.

I hope that help.

Indeed it can, though you have to work out the method of doing so on your own:



Adaptation

...You could also relax the prerequisites to open this prestige class to any spellcaster - or even a psionic character.

[Yuki Akuma]

Er...

Alignment: Any nongood
Skills: Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks
Feat: Any metamagic metapsionic feat
Spellcasting Manifesting: Ability to cast manifest 2nd-level arcane spells psionic powers.
Special: Ability to bind a 2nd-level vestige.

Change Spellcasting to Manifesting, make Exploit Vestige grant power points equal to your manifester level, make Vestige Metamagic let you use metapsionic feats without paying extra PP, and change vestige casting to Vestige Manifesting.

Not hard, really. :smalltongue:

[Yora]

Yes, but I was more about looking into concepts that create a synergy effect between manifesting and binding. ^^

[Yuki Akuma]

Well, if you're making a new class, perhaps give abilities that allow you to expend psionic focus to make your vestige abilities recharge faster, or spend power points on enhancing your vestige abilities, and such.

There isn't anything official, so the "Anima Psion" hack I just posted is probably be the best you're gonna get. :P

[RagnaroksChosen]

Weren't there a bunch of psionic vistages?

[Yuki Akuma]

Yes, but that has nothing to do with being a psionic binder. Binders can bind psionic vestiges just fine, and it has no effect on their class abilities whatsoever.

There are vestiges with arcane and divine powers, too.

[Optimystik]

Change Spellcasting to Manifesting, make Exploit Vestige grant power points equal to your manifester level, make Vestige Metamagic let you use metapsionic feats without paying extra PP, and change vestige casting to Vestige Manifesting.

Not hard, really. :smalltongue:

Pedagoguery aside, this is the part that presents an issue, not the qualification part. Do you still have to expend your focus with Vestige Metamagic Metapsionics? When you get multiple uses/day, can you stack Metapsionic feats? What additional benefit does Vestige Casting Manifesting grant, since powers are already both Still and Silent? Does it just make them immediate? (seems like a gyp for a daily power.) Do you have to expend your focus for that? Since Psionics are all spontaneous, are you still restricted to using Exploit Vestige at the beginning of the day? How does it interact with Erudites and UPD?

It's not as clear-cut as you make it seem.


Yes, but I was more about looking into concepts that create a synergy effect between manifesting and binding. ^^

If you have Magic of Incarnum, take a look at some of the synergy feats between Incarnum and Psionics, and tweak a couple for Binding. Reducing cooldowns or raising your EBL for certain abilities by spending PP or your focus is a good place to start, like Yuki said.

[Yora]

This is not the answer that I hoped for, but lots of thanks for you trying anyway.
So it seems I have to start almost from scratch.

Right now, what comes to my mind is a character with the bards attack bonus, HD, and saves, the druids skills, and the psychic warriors power points and powers known.
In addition, he can call spirits to become possesed by them which slightly changes his physical appearance and abilities, and also adds additional powers to his powers known for the duration of the possession.


9th Level Spirit Binding
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa202/KylieGurl17/Avatar/koispirit.jpg

How do you get a thread moved to homebrew? Don't want to start a second one.

[Yuki Akuma]

PM Roland and ask him to move it.

I would suggest giving the class 4th level manifesting and 4th level binding. Alternatively, higher level binding but with less vestiges at once - say, maximum of 2 instead of 4.

Give him some Psychic Warrior powers and some Psion powers. Maybe a few mantle powers that suit the class. A psionic version of Vestigewrack (probably Metacreativity) would be useful too.

And yes I realise my "Anima Psion" needs a lot more work. And yes I am a pedant. ;)

[Optimystik]

I don't think you really need a brand new base class that combines Binding and Manifesting. Combining power sources is really the function Theurges were designed to fill, and their entry requirements + limited progression is what keeps them balanced (somewhat) vs. pure members of the individual classes.

If you must do this, take a leaf from the Incarnate's book - it is capable of some magic-ish techniques, but the soulmelds primarily form a defensive function or grant skill bonuses. So with psybinding, I would pick one source as the more defensive role and one as the offensive role - and psionics definitely has more offensive potential overall than vestiges, which tend to push towards the defensive or gish role.

Perhaps limit the disciplines available to this class in some way (no psychometabolism? no clairsentience? etc.) or, as Yuki said, limit the maximum power level available, while simultaneously limiting the vestiges in some way (defensive abilities only, select vestiges from a predefined list with feats to take more etc.) That will enable the two halves to work better together without overshadowing a pure binder or a pure psywar/psion.


And yes I realise my "Anima Psion" needs a lot more work. And yes I am a pedant. ;)

It's a little frustrating - that one throwaway clause opens a huge door for psionics, which is doubly irritating since an Anima Psion has the potential to beat the pants off the amazingly crappy PrCs they DID come up with.

A little guidance would've been helpful. They took the time to do it for Incarnum - converting the Soulcaster into the Soul Manifester (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a) AND giving it unique abilities - why not the Anima Psion? Instead, we're all left to homebrew our own disparate and wildly differing interpretations. Feh.