Homebrew Psionics....(or just another spellcasting type)

[Zetesofos]

So, spellbound isn't out yet, and I may need to convert another campaign (4E Darksun specifically) depending on circumstances.

In any case, one of things that may need to be converted is psionic classes.  Rather than make a seperate class like 4E, I have plans for 1 base class with several options to replicate several psionic options.   In any case, before I do anything else, I want to make sure that I get the spellcasting idea somewhat solid. 

So far, my original idea was to create something not 1/scene (priest), or spell points (mage).  The idea would giving the class a limited number of spells, and rather than spend points; the caster takes a proportionate amount of stress damage with each casting.  current ideas are either 1d6 per spell level stress damage, or 1d6 + twice spell level stress damage.   

Thoughts so far.

[pawsplay]

Why stress damage? Are psionics scary? Do orcs and Farstride Halflings make better psionicists? I think I might instead have the character save vs. fatigue or baffled each time a power is used.

[Foghorn]

You might want to consider removing the random part from your damage. Since every time you take stress damage, you need to make a Will save, you're guaranteeing 2 rolls per spell. Then, if you need to make some kind of d20 roll (similar to a Spellcasting roll), you're up to 3 rolls per psionic power. That would annoy me before too long if I was playing some kind of psion character.

[Desertpuma]

In SFA, you spend Vitality to use your Psionic abilities

[paddyfool]

So, fundamentally, you want casters (OK, manifesters) who actively suffer for using their power.  I'm not convinced that stress damage is the best way to make them suffer (for one thing, you're likely to end up with ogres chugging spirits and suchlike).  

How about taking temporary damage (which may not be removed except by some very specific and limiting mechanic) to their naturally lowest mental stat (and if it hits zero, they fall unconscious)?  I'm not thinking this should happen every time they manifest, but rather every time they want to push what a power can do.  Maybe each psionic power could come with a "basic" and an "upgraded" version, with a cost for the upgrade that could be 1 temporary damage, 1d4, or whatever.  The "basic" manifesting could just run off power points like a less-powerful mage, and the "upgraded" manifesting would allow them to temporarily break the curve and pull out more powerful effects (go nova, effectively).  And the range of powers they could have access to might vary based on starting options, a la the different flavours of D&D 3.5 psions.

[pawsplay]

In SFA, you spend Vitality to use your Psionic abilities

That makes a certain level of sense, and was used in Star Wars d20 Revised (and the Green Ronin skills-based psychic it inspired). If you do that, I would either be really stingy with refreshing Vitality, or not stingy at al; otherwise, tantalizing abilities like Take Heart will start to predominate.

For a one-roll system, I think some margin of failure, or an error, or a critical failure, could shut down your powers, or inflict a condition.

[Zetesofos]

so far, I picked stress because it would seem to be the least used....and made sense in that manifesting psychic powers was...straining.   As planned, there would be no spell crafting roll, just make a will save before you 'cast the spell'.  Yes, problems with chugging spirits did pose a problem, no solution to that yet.  However, the main idea I think stemmed from rather than pulling the power from a diminishing resource - rather your sources was more unlimited....but you suffered more the harder you used it; in this case, you eventually collapsed into unconsciousness.  I also liked stress because it was already an established system, where as developing a new one leaves it without as much support.

[Foghorn]

You might want to see how the baffled condition sits with you. If you're looking to have a Will save, you could have it give any condition or effect you want. Going around fatigued and shaken could avoid your alcoholic ogres being the most powerful psions in the universe

[Zetesofos]

I suppose, but it doesn't have the ability to stop the caster from casting.....the tension with shaken is that during a fight, you could end up taking your self out by casting too much.  Maybe just 5 grades of a new condition that doesn't effect to much else, but has the same effect of ending casting when limit is reached.

[pawsplay]

Psychic feedback: When activating a power, the psion must make a Will save with a DC of 10 + (3x the Circle of the Power). On a failure, he becomes desynergized.

Desynergized (I-IV): For each grade, you take a -2 on saves vs. psychic feedback. If you already have desynergized IV and become desynergized again, you fall unconscious instead.

[Foghorn]

Or something along the lines of, "You can't do psionical juju if you have baffled V"

[aegis]

You may want to take a look at this adaptation of SFA's psionics to Fantasy Craft :
http://www.le-scriptorium.com/uploads/file/Regles_optionnelles/Mastercraft/les_psioniques.pdf

I'm sorry it's in French, but with SFA's conversion document to Spycraft 2.0 in hand, this should be quite usable. I just adapted the necessary mechanics for FC, but the principles are the same. And I'm of course answering questions about translation issues.

[Sletchman]

It's like you've worked on everything I've thought about working on - I swear, you're going to make me learn french at this rate.

[aegis]

You'd learn faster than I can translate.

[Zetesofos]

I think I like this setup Aegis (a bit of a pain to translate with programs...and then decode some more).  The basic idea seems to be A: pick a psionic class, gain competances (schools of psychic power, each has it's own skill rank catagory.  You then gain powers associated with each competance, and when you use one, you spend the action, vitality, and make a psi check to cast it (like spell points and spell casting).  However, each power allows you to burn more vitality to up the anty of the power. 

The one crucial thing I don't get from the article is that how do you know if you fail a competance check - you crit fail is you spend the vitality, and nothing happens.  But is their failure inbetween - I didn't see a DC listed.  This is also confusing with their first feat tree that allows for eruption - I don't quite get how that feat works.  If you could clarify that bit, that would be extremely helpful.