Psionics resources

[Andry]

I am currently ready to start a planescape campaign in which every player seems to want to make a psionic character. I already have Expanded Psionics, Complete Psionics and most of all the other WOTC books. I am wondering if there are any more balanced sources I can draw upon.

[KillianHawkeye]

That's pretty much it as far as official WotC products are concerned. I've heard that there are some very nice 3rd party psionics books out there. I'm sure someone will be around to tell you about them straight away.

[erikun]

Expanded Psionics Handbook / SRD

Complete Psionics

Lords of Madness has some info on psionics, but I'm not sure how much given that it is primarily a book on monsters.

Hyperconscious is a 3rd party book from one of the people who designed 3.5e Psionics.

The Mind's Eye Archive (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/psi)

[kamikasei]

*waggles fingers at KillianHawkeye mystically*

You're thinking of... Hyperconscious by Bruce Cordell, the author of the XPH... and... of Untapped Potential which I believe was put out by the old WotC psionics board collectively (or a subset of the regulars from there). Also, your childhood pet says hello.

[KillianHawkeye]

See, I told you! :smallbiggrin:

[Analytica]

Dreamscarred has an SRD:

http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/

[Claudius Maximus]

There's a decent amount of psionics in Eberron books. I can't remember anything particularly awesome (that's also balanced, at least), but if you have them it can't hurt to check them out.

[PId6]

I can't remember anything particularly awesome
Forced Dream

:smallcool:

[Claudius Maximus]

Forced Dream

:smallcool:


(that's also balanced, at least)
:smalltongue:

[Optimystik]

There's a decent amount of psionics in Eberron books. I can't remember anything particularly awesome (that's also balanced, at least), but if you have them it can't hurt to check them out.

Is Prestidigitation awesome enough for your Psion? :smallcool:

You can find it and other common spells turned into powers in the Eberron book Secrets of Sarlona.

[Steveotep]

Magic of Eberron has Psiforged and the Psionic Artificer, among other goodies. Siberys Dragonshards can be implanted in psionic characters for interesting bonuses.

Use Complete Psionic with caution. While it has good stuff (the Ardent), it also has major suck (the Erudite).

[Optimystik]

Use Complete Psionic with caution. While it has good stuff (the Ardent), it also has major suck (the Erudite).

lolwut? :smallconfused:

I'm sure you meant Divine Mind there.

[Iferus]

Dreamscarred Press has specialised in Psionics. I recommend Untapped Potential - the Society Mind is a very cool base class!

[Person_Man]

Races of Eberron has the Kalashtar, a naturally psionic race that gets 1 power point per HD and other psionic goodies. They're especially useful for Psychic Warrior and Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) builds, which tend to be starved for power points.

[Melayl]

Dreamscarred has an SRD:

http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/

Ah! Wonderful! Thanks for pointing this out.

[Starbuck_II]

Magic of Eberron has Psiforged and the Psionic Artificer, among other goodies. Siberys Dragonshards can be implanted in psionic characters for interesting bonuses.

Use Complete Psionic with caution. While it has good stuff (the Ardent), it also has major suck (the Erudite).

I think you read Erudite wrong: there are 4 ways to read it.
#1 unique power/day
#2 Unique power/level/day
#3 unique power/level/character level
#4 unique power/character level

#4 is suck, but #3 is pretty strong.

Example, at level 5,
#1 means you have each day: This is weak as only 3 each day.

#2 means each day: 3 1st, 3 2nd, and 3 3rd that day. This isn't weak as this is about equal with Psion in uses.
#3 means each level: 3 1st, 3 2nd, and 3 3rd that day (but also till you level). This has extra weakness that you need to level or you'll only have 9 ever.

Now, the book strongly supports as RAW #2, but RAI is likely #1 (but unclear).
Why? The book says, " Unlike a Psion, an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from his repertroire of powers he knows, according to class level"

The number is each level according to text. So that limit is only per power level. A 3rd level power isn't affected by using a 1st: each has its own daily unique limit.

[Lycanthromancer]

The best balanced options generally are the XPH itself, Hyperconscious (though there are a few issues with it, but not many), Dreamscarred Press's work (Untapped Potential and its other sourcebooks; the whole company is obsessed with awesome and balance and flavor), and The Mind's Eye articles (sans the erudite options, which turn the class into the most brokenly overpowered tier 1 class in the entire game).

There's some stuff in CPsi that's nice (Linked Power is potentially abusable if the DM allows a few loopholes, though it's indispensable for gish characters, the ardent is great, the soulbow is very much needed, and some of the powers are fun), but there's a lot of stuff in the book that's outright horrible (everything having to do with astral constructs, a lot of redundant feats, some of the worst editing out of any book in 3.5, broken powers, lots of wasted space, unneeded errata for problems that never actually existed and don't fix the purported problems in the first place, completely horrible "flavor" and rules that run completely counter to established canon, etc). So be careful with that book.

[Steveotep]

I stand corrected. The Divine Mind sucks, while the Erudite blows. If someone wants to play a Spells-to-Powers Erudite, just drop asteroids on them.

[Starbuck_II]

I stand corrected. The Divine Mind sucks, while the Erudite blows. If someone wants to play a Spells-to-Powers Erudite, just drop asteroids on them.

If by blows you mean is awesome... sure.
Jedis blows.
Winning a million dollars blows.
Pun-Pun blows.

[Lycanthromancer]

If by blows you mean is awesome... sure.
Jedis blows.
Winning a million dollars blows.
Pun-Pun blows.It blows...in a good way?

But I'd avoid the erudite regardless, without a complete overhaul of the class. Losing class abilities for multiclassing, or for jumping into erudite after level 1? The wonky XP cost for adding powers? The nobody-knows-how-to-read-the-UPPD-entry?

It needs scrapped and rewritten.

Pretty much like 80% of the rest of the book.

[Optimystik]

#1 means you have each day: This is weak as only 3 each day.


Even if you go with this wording (and I do), that's the same amount a Wilder gets. But you still have the advantages of unlimited powers known to choose from (including from the discipline lists), faster power progression, and a free psicrystal + 2 bonus feats (at 5.)

There are some powers you can always safely have in your UPD, like Astral Construct and Vigor. Unlike Wilders and non-Shapers, you can learn the former without a feat. And even if you fill up your UPD and do need a different power for the situation at hand, you can still use power stones, dorjes etc - or even manifest them straight from the head of another psionic character using your PP, effectively doubling their actions.

RAW they get a truly ridiculous amount of UPD, but I don't even see the need to use the RAW reading - they're playable RAI.


I stand corrected. The Divine Mind sucks, while the Erudite blows. If someone wants to play a Spells-to-Powers Erudite, just drop asteroids on them.

You're still doing it wrong. Erudites are Tier 2 at a minimum. You don't need to play the StP variant.