(3.5) Psionic's - psion

[Delanas]

Hello, i've just started a psion and wanted to try and clear a few things up.

Can i learn new powers from power stones like wizards can learn new spell from scrolls ?

Also i wanted to know how psonic tattoos work ive read the section on them but still dont really understand how to use them.

Also are there any items a psion should have to make his life easier?

[Godskook]

Can i learn new powers from power stones like wizards can learn new spell from scrolls ?

No. You learn like a Sorcerer, not a Wizard.


Also i wanted to know how psonic tattoos work ive read the section on them but still dont really understand how to use them.

There's at least 2, if not 3 different kinds of 'psionic tattoos', so its going to be a little confusing.


Also are there any items a psion should have to make his life easier?

Dorjes. Since powers scale really well with PP, dorjes(especially of damagining powers) are normally a good buy with a few PP invested in them. My favorite damaging ones are Energy Ray/Missle, although the second requires Kineticist or Expanded Knowledge. 6PP is probably a good breaking point for both(for 6d6 damage per shot).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Psionic Tattoos as per XPH are pretty much the Psionic version of potions. Just think of them as potions that can only be used on the person carrying them, and you should be good.

Get a Torc of Power Preservation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/universalItems.htm#torcofPowerPreservation) if you can. There's an 'updated' version in MIC that's 1/9 the cost and can only be used on five powers per day, but the huge price difference could be hand-waved as them being 'lesser' and 'greater' versions.

Psicrystal Affinity + Share Pain on it every day + Vigor and use the Share Powers ability built into the Psicrystal mechanics, and don't forget it has Hardness 8. I'd go for the Hero personality, but Nimble and Single-Minded are also useful.

[Ernir]

Can i learn new powers from power stones like wizards can learn new spell from scrolls ?

As Godskook said, you can't learn permanently learn powers from Power Stones.

You can, however, borrow the knowledge. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#manifestAnUnknownPowerFr omAnothersPowersKnown) This is an option that is often overlooked.

[Master Arminas]

You might find the Erudite option (Complete Psionic) to be what you are after. The Erudite can learn a virtually unlimited number of powers and he CAN learn powers from power stones. However, he is even more limited than a traditional Psion (or a Wilder!) in that once he uses a power (each day), that power becomes 'locked' in one of his Unique Power Slots. From 1st to 20th level, an Erudite only gains 11 slots, so he has to be careful of just using a power known that might be situational.

However, once 'locked', the Erudite follows all of the other Psion rules and can use that 'locked' power until he is out of power points. It gives the option of a very expansive power list of powers known, but is sharply curtailed based on the powers he uses each day.

Master Arminas

[Rubik]

Hello, i've just started a psion and wanted to try and clear a few things up.

Can i learn new powers from power stones like wizards can learn new spell from scrolls ?Not for the default psion, no. There is, however, a psion variant in Complete Psionic (Hssss!) that DOES learn powers from power stones and other psions. However, it's severely limited by the number of powers it can manifest in a day, especially in the beginning. Basically, you have a huge number of powers in your repertoire, but once you choose one it's locked in for the day, and you can't use any others. Once you get higher level, the number of powers you can use each day increases, but it stays low for quite a while (plus it's badly written, so it's not 100% clear how many you get exactly).

Generally it's better to stay 'normal' psion, so you don't have to worry about it.

Swordsage'd!


Also i wanted to know how psonic tattoos work ive read the section on them but still dont really understand how to use them.Like the others said, they're like self-only potions. However, they're always "in hand" so to speak (as they're painted on your body), so you don't have to draw them.


Also are there any items a psion should have to make his life easier?Power stones are usually used just like scrolls, with a set manifester level and such (although you can choose energy types and such on the fly). But according to CPsi, you can also use your own power points to manifest the power in the stone, and if you do, you can use it at your own manifester level as if it were a power known. It uses up the power stone, but it's basically like getting a bunch more powers known for cheap.

Also, orange ioun stones boost your manifester level just like they do with caster level, so grab one. In fact, anything that works for a caster should work for a manifester, so long as it doesn't specify spell slots or arcane/divine.

You can also stick the manifester weapon property (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/weapons.htm#manifesterWeapon) on ammunition, so it's 5 power points for 1/50 the cost of a +1 manifester weapon. This is considered cheesy by some, but it's still RAW.

It's expensive as all get-out, but the psychoactive skin of proteus (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/universalItems.htm#skinofProteus) is STILL a bargain. I consider it one of the most powerful pre-artifact items in the entire game, well worth the expense.

Also, wand bracers and wand chambers (from Dungeonscape) allow you to hold dorjes without having to drop your equipment.

The bracers hold 5 wands and/or dorjes, drawable as a swift action.

The chambers hold one wand or dorje, and they're part of a weapon or shield, so long as there's a 6" long part of the item to hold it. Stick one each on your: gauntlets, hand-held weapon, shield, and dastana bracers (from the Arms & Equipment Guide -- they count as shields but stack with shields).

There's a feat in CPsi that allows you to use a dorje as a weapon, so dorjes qualify for the weapon crystals in the Magic Item Compendium. Especially useful with the Crystal of Returning, to draw them as a free action.

[Ernir]

Also, orange ioun stones boost your manifester level just like they do with caster level, so grab one. In fact, anything that works for a caster should work for a manifester, so long as it doesn't specify spell slots or arcane/divine.

Caster level and manifester level are separate game terms. How do you draw this conclusion?

[erikun]

Also, orange ioun stones boost your manifester level just like they do with caster level, so grab one. In fact, anything that works for a caster should work for a manifester, so long as it doesn't specify spell slots or arcane/divine.
The only magical Ioun stones that also work with psionics is the vibrant purple and pale lavender ones. (PsiHB, p. 160) The orange Ioun stone does have have any effect for psionic characters, although a DM may rule that it does.

[Godskook]

Caster level and manifester level are separate game terms. How do you draw this conclusion?

The history:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127103

[Big Fau]

The only magical Ioun stones that also work with psionics is the vibrant purple and pale lavender ones. (PsiHB, p. 160) The orange Ioun stone does have have any effect for psionic characters, although a DM may rule that it does.

Incorrect. Due to the Psionic/Magic Transparency, any magic item that interacts with spells or caster levels interacts with Psionic powers the same way.

[gomipile]

You might find the Erudite option (Complete Psionic) to be what you are after. The Erudite can learn a virtually unlimited number of powers and he CAN learn powers from power stones. However, he is even more limited than a traditional Psion (or a Wilder!) in that once he uses a power (each day), that power becomes 'locked' in one of his Unique Power Slots. From 1st to 20th level, an Erudite only gains 11 slots, so he has to be careful of just using a power known that might be situational.

"Unlike a psion, an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows, according to his class level. "

Source:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060406b

So, at level 20, the erudite may manifest 11 unique powers of each level, which is 99 unique powers in total.

[Rubik]

The orange ioun stone thing has been covered, so I won't bother. Thanks guys!


"Unlike a psion, an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows, according to his class level. "

Source:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060406b

So, at level 20, the erudite may manifest 11 unique powers of each level, which is 99 unique powers in total.Or possibly 220 powers, but...we won't go there.

[Delanas]

Thanks to everyone for your help, giving me a lot of insight the way psions get spells is like a wizard/sorc correct? so by level 9 i'd have like 4 level ones 4 level 2 4 level 3 and so on?

[Rubik]

Thanks to everyone for your help, giving me a lot of insight the way psions get spells is like a wizard/sorc correct? so by level 9 i'd have like 4 level ones 4 level 2 4 level 3 and so on?Yep. Except for the erudite, but that's the exception, not the rule.

There ARE additional ways to gain powers known (both real and effective), however. The Expanded Knowledge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#expandedKnowledge) feat gives you an additional power known from any list that's one level below the highest you can manifest. The Psychic Chirurgery (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicChirurgery.htm) power does too (though it costs a ton to have manifested for you, assuming you can even find someone to do it). Power stones (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/powerStones.htm) are just like scrolls, aside from the fact that (according to CPsi) you can use your own pp to manifest the power at your manifester level (along with everything else that implies, including augmentation). Psicrowns (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/psicrowns.htm) are basically psionic staves that take up a body slot (which just happens to be the same one that boosts your Int -- BOO!!!). There's also manifesting from another's powers known (explained here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#manifestanUnknownPowerfr omAnothersPowersKnown)). Also, dorjes, (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/dorjes.htm) which are psionic wands.

So, yeah.

[Particle_Man]

I would love it if someone came out with an OGL book that reflavoured everything psionic as "gem magic" since I am too lazy to do that myself. :smallcool:

[Autopsibiofeeder]

"Unlike a psion, an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows, according to his class level. "

Source:http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060406b

So, at level 20, the erudite may manifest 11 unique powers of each level, which is 99 unique powers in total.

I don't want to enter into a big discussion here. While you are right about the RAW-ness of your point, I just want to point out that this is subject to some controversy, so the OP might want to run this by his DM before going nuts with the idea. 99 unique powers (and spells in the case of the spell-to-power variant!) at lvl 20 per day is a lot, a focused specialist wizard with Int 40 at level 20 has at best 88 unique spells (and no access to powers) a day. Again, let's not go into that discussion again, but the OP has the right to know that many DM's read this differently, and for a good reason. Also, but that is just my opinion, these DM's might want to consider upping the amount of unique powers per day a little bit.

[sonofzeal]

I would love it if someone came out with an OGL book that reflavoured everything psionic as "gem magic" since I am too lazy to do that myself. :smallcool:
"Everything psionic is gem magic. Also, all Psions should carry around a piece of crystal somewhere on their possession to be able to use their abilities, even if the crystal itself is hidden."

Done. :P



(edit: Oooh! Add: "Many psions choose to embed a tiny crystal in their body. Telepaths embed it in their head, Kineticists in their arms, Shapers in their hands, Nomads in their feet or legs, and Egoists in their chest. Nomads usually keep the crystal external to their body. Embedding the crystal takes 10 minutes and a DC 15 Heal check, and deals 1d6 points of damage to the Psion. This damage heals normally."

[Particle_Man]

That's a good start, but could you also please rename every psionic power and psionic feat and also everything with the word psionic in it? Then publish the whole thing in a lovely hardcover book?

Thanks in advance! :smallcool:

[sonofzeal]

That's a good start, but could you also please rename every psionic power and psionic feat and also everything with the word psionic in it? Then publish the whole thing in a lovely hardcover book?

Thanks in advance! :smallcool:
Search->Replace. Done. You're making this harder than it is. Players are allowed to reflavour things, that's why so many books have "adaptation" sections, and the DMG covers the process of adapting things that don't. Just.... play a Psion, call yourself a Gem Mage. Take appropriate powers, ignore ones that don't seem to fit, and give gem-based descriptions to the ones in the middle.