Not so psionic focus

[Buufreak]

Psionic foci have always been an oddity to me. Why do they exist? What implication did it serve creating it as a mechanic? Did it replace or improve something compared to arcane/divine casters? If so, what? Generally perusing for opinions on the matter.

[MilleniaAntares]

Psionic focus acts as a renewable resource that allows martial mechanics that aren't just of the "spam all day" variety, but don't use the more limited power points.

In addition, it serves as a check on manifester abilities by placing a second limit on metapsionic feat usage.

Plus you get the choice of a smaller constant bonus and a larger and more limited bonus.

[Starbuck_II]

Psionic foci have always been an oddity to me. Why do they exist? What implication did it serve creating it as a mechanic? Did it replace or improve something compared to arcane/divine casters? If so, what? Generally perusing for opinions on the matter.

1. Metamagic limit
2. Extra slot for feat useage mechanic

[Darrin]

Psionic foci have always been an oddity to me. Why do they exist? What implication did it serve creating it as a mechanic? Did it replace or improve something compared to arcane/divine casters? If so, what? Generally perusing for opinions on the matter.

It was an attempt to reign in certain kinds of abuse that show up with Tier 1 casters: chain stacking metamagic feats on top of each other to create a single "I Win" uberspell. It was also a way to add more "once a round" or "once an encounter" effects on top of an action economy system that was already overburdened with the addition of swift and immediate actions. In fact, you might think of it as an early ancestor to the "Encounter Power" in 4E.

[Segev]

Historically, it also replaced a mechanic introduced in 3.0 psionics. In 3.0, there were feats you could take which worked as long as you had n or more power points in your pool. When you spent down your points below that level, the feat(s) shut down. (There were also feats which required expending pp to do stuff, which made them similar in some ways to powers.)

In 3.5, psionic focus was introduced. Both mechanics were replaced by "having a psionic focus" or "expending a psionic focus." It made it more binary, but also made the "floor" for pp you can spend down to "1," rather than a sliding scale of numbers based on what feats you had and their minimum requirements.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Note that, in exchange for limiting metapsionic feats, they make metapsionic effects cheaper than with metamagic. For instance, Extend Spell is +1 spell level adjustment to apply, while Extend Power costs +0 pp and psionic focus. It's the same way across the board, too; the cost of a given metapsionic feat is the equivalent metamagic cost x 2 - 2 pp + focus.

[Forrestfire]

Psionic focus mostly exists to put a soft "once per encounter" limit on things. Without Psionic Meditation (or Psicrystal Containment), you can have more than one focus per fight, but given the normal action cost on getting it back, it's not advised.

Psionic Meditation turns it from a soft 1/encounter limit to a 1/round limit (assuming you're not moving), but still keeps you from stacking things like metapsionic feats without some hoops.

[DrMartin]

It is also one of the very few caster mechanics that (in 3.5) are not sure-fire, since you need to hit that DC 20 to recover your focus and most likely you cannot take 10 on a concentration check during combat.

[Buufreak]

Alright, insight well received. I pose another question, however: There are a handful of prestige classes that have a certain transparency between caster and manifester, while others remain specific to one or the other. If there was one I wish to make more accessible to casters, but the class features revolved around psionic focus, what would be a recommended course of action in making a conversion?

[Forrestfire]

I'd just keep it as-is. It's "as a full-round action, get focus. Burn focus to activate thing. If you spend a feat on it, you can get focus as a move action." Nothing in the mechanic is actually psionic other than the name.

[Troacctid]

You could always adapt the Arcane Focus mechanic from Dragon Magazine.

[Buufreak]

You could always adapt the Arcane Focus mechanic from Dragon Magazine.

Got an issue #?

[Psyren]

It is also one of the very few caster mechanics that (in 3.5) are not sure-fire, since you need to hit that DC 20 to recover your focus and most likely you cannot take 10 on a concentration check during combat.

It might not be surefire early on, but getting a total of +19 to your check doesn't take long.


Alright, insight well received. I pose another question, however: There are a handful of prestige classes that have a certain transparency between caster and manifester, while others remain specific to one or the other. If there was one I wish to make more accessible to casters, but the class features revolved around psionic focus, what would be a recommended course of action in making a conversion?

Can you be specific? How I'd modify it would likely depend on the wording of the class in question.

[Troacctid]

Got an issue #?

Dragon #351 "Class Acts: Arcane Focus"

[Buufreak]

It might not be surefire early on, but getting a total of +19 to your check doesn't take long.



Can you be specific? How I'd modify it would likely depend on the wording of the class in question.

Absolutely! I was specifically looking at the Illithid Slayer, and how most of its class features required the constant maintaining of the PF, and how that could possibly translate over to non psionics.

[Flickerdart]

In terms of not-psionic focuses, there's also a combat focus mechanic in Player's Handbook II (page 87). It's a lot more harsh than the psionic focus - you must hit someone in combat to gain it, it lasts for 10-15 rounds max, and you can only gain it once per encounter. This is an interesting option for a class whose aesthetic is ramping up their power as the battle progresses - you can't cast grievous horrible death of extreme pain until you have already breached your target's mental defenses with benign irritation of mild discomfort in the previous round.

[Segev]

Absolutely! I was specifically looking at the Illithid Slayer, and how most of its class features required the constant maintaining of the PF, and how that could possibly translate over to non psionics.

Honestly, Illithid Slayer isn't that powerful a PrC, and the focus-requirement is mostly fluff that unfortunately has some painful crunch. I'd just waive it for an arcane version. It's not likely an arcane caster is going to be expending psionic focus on anything, anyway, so if they had it they'd just always keep it up for the Illithid Slayer class perks.

[Buufreak]

Honestly, Illithid Slayer isn't that powerful a PrC, and the focus-requirement is mostly fluff that unfortunately has some painful crunch. I'd just waive it for an arcane version. It's not likely an arcane caster is going to be expending psionic focus on anything, anyway, so if they had it they'd just always keep it up for the Illithid Slayer class perks.

Ya know, you raise a good point. I was looking for an analog for balance sake, but considering a handful of classes that provide above and beyond the few mental immunities without requiring it. I sometimes wonder why I am so intent on these anal retentive mechanics. Oh well, thank all for the insight and help, I'll mull over the efforts and options.

[Segev]

Ya know, you raise a good point. I was looking for an analog for balance sake, but considering a handful of classes that provide above and beyond the few mental immunities without requiring it. I sometimes wonder why I am so intent on these anal retentive mechanics. Oh well, thank all for the insight and help, I'll mull over the efforts and options.

It's easy to just assume you have to copy directly. The real point to consider here is whether it actually balances anything or not. The secondary one is the question of whether your "Arcane Illithid Slayer" would ever NOT have their Arcane Focus.

In this case, I think it's just easier to remove the requirement.

In any event, glad if I could help. Good luck!