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View Full Version : Complete Psionics? Good or Bad?



tj_hammi
2007-03-25, 07:51 AM
What is the general consensus around the Complete Psionics? The added base classes the PrCls etc? and what do you think about a dwarven urgosh mindblade? ha ha:smallbiggrin:

Zincorium
2007-03-25, 08:01 AM
General consensus? Complete disappointment from people who like psionics, and the people who didn't like psionics probably didn't like it much either.

There are several threads on this subject if you care to look, but the biggest gripe is that there was very little that made the book worth using. Some stuff that was just barely worthwhile before got nerfed, like astral constructs. The Lurk is the only class I've heard anything good about, and there's a better alternative in the mind's eye section of WotC's website for free.

squishycube
2007-03-25, 08:08 AM
How did you get your hands on the complete psionics? I heard they did some marketing research and the target audience either feinted, laughed themselves to death or cried a lot, so they cancelled it.

tj_hammi
2007-03-25, 08:14 AM
haha you have a point there wasnt much added to the book. personally i love the entire notion of psionics and i felt hurt and ashamed by the content held within complete psionics. is there anyone who actually uses the stuff?

i believe the only thing i found appealing was the mindbow fellow who "shoots" his mental energy which seems a lot more practical and understandble that a psionic axe wielding soulknife

Zincorium
2007-03-25, 08:19 AM
haha you have a point there wasnt much added to the book. personally i love the entire notion of psionics and i felt hurt and ashamed by the content held within complete psionics. is there anyone who actually uses the stuff?

i believe the only thing i found appealing was the mindbow fellow who "shoots" his mental energy which seems a lot more practical and understandble that a psionic axe wielding soulknife

For someone who has the phrase 'no laughing' on the side of their profile you seem a rather jolly fellow. Yeah, psionics was dealt a really bad hand with the complete psionic, but between the mind's eye articles and the expanded psionics handbook I have yet to run dry of stuff to do.

As far as the mindbow, you can use it without buying the book, perfectly legally.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060403a&page=2

WotC put one of the best things in the book for free on the site. I guess they figured if they put some of the really weird stuff as a preview they'd scare off buyers.

tj_hammi
2007-03-25, 08:25 AM
haha very true. with reference to the NO LAUGHING its actually a knock towards people who live on my side of the country, kinda like the hillbillys. closest comparison that i can make.

um with regard to the complete psionics is there some sort of compiled works from the minds eye. i find that the articles are extremely informative but what a pain in the rear having to open each individual link?

i think that his works should have been published as the complete psionics as they are far more balanced and interesting. and infinitly more practical

The Vorpal Tribble
2007-03-25, 08:32 AM
What is the general consensus around the Complete Psionics?AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh.....


*pulls himself together*

Anyways, you guys do know of the Expanded Psionics Handbook, right? Just verifying because I know of one guy who hadn't heard of the XPH and thought Complete Psionic was the only 3.5 psionic book. Poor, poor man.

Here is my review on Complete Psionic:
Alas poor Ialdobode, I knew him well... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22165)

tj_hammi
2007-03-25, 08:37 AM
haha yes i am very aware of the Expanded Psionics Handbook and i personally love the book its a good addition to the DnD universe

Khantalas
2007-03-25, 10:25 AM
Complete Psionics is like Wizards saying "Well, we don't really like psionics, so here's a weapon for anti-psionics people to use against it, approved by us". There are only a few things I'd consider using from it:

- Ardent.

- Illumine Soul (though the flavor of "I channel positive energy through my mind" is stupid, I still would use it with a few changes).

- Soulbow.

- Zerth Cenobite.

- Elan Repletion, Enhanced (as a bonus feat to all elans with psionic classes).

- Two-Bladed Mind Blade.

- Tap Mantle (and other mantle related feats).

- A few powers here and there.

That's about it. Wizards really hates psionics very badly (compare Frostburn 's new powers list to its new spells list for another example).

It's not called Psions of the Coast, is it now?

lumberofdabeast
2007-03-25, 09:45 PM
@Topic: Bad. Very very bad. I can't believe Wizards would dare to attempt to push such crap on the psionics fans.

@Poll: Hardly. Since Wizards is completely useless, there's a ton of very, very good fan-made stuff out there.

tj_hammi
2007-03-30, 11:57 AM
well i do agree that the idea of the illumine soul is rather retarded with the "i channel good energy through my mind" is not the ardent soul exactly the same?

I channel my gods benevelence through my mind rather gay? i mean really it doesnt even make sense? what is everyones opinion on the ardent anyway?

ImperiousLeader
2007-03-30, 12:40 PM
Complete Psionic has many problems. First, it tries to be both a "Compete" book and a "Races of the Mind" book, and fufills neither role successfully. Secondly, it dilutes a lot of what made Psionics distinct from Magic, in that it introduces positive and negative energy elements and more "Psionic X's". Third, the book seems to have a lot of filler, by making redundant feats. Do we really need a separate write up for each Ectopic Form feat, or each Exotic Weapon Mind Blade shape Feat? And Finally, Illithid Heritage? Gah!

That said, there are a few things I like. I like the concept of Ectopic forms, even if I was incensed over the nerfbashing the Astral Construct got. The Lurk is neat, but I'd like it to have had trapfinding. Synads are nifty and there are a handful of new powers I'd consider using.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-30, 12:55 PM
If you get creative, even the Illithid Heritage feats are salvageable (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28187)... although I can't say the same about the Flayerspawn Psychic *retches*

While I agree that there was a lot of crap that went into Complete Psionic, I also think that there's good material there that can be extracted.