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

[aegis]

The one crucial thing I don't get from the article is that how do you know if you fail a competance check

You can't. Your skill check gives you psi bonus, and a low results grants a low bonus, but that's all. As you noticed, there is a bit of an inconsistency since I'm talking about critical failure just a little later. I guess I missed that when I wrote it. I'll come up with something.

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.

Well, whenever you use a power, you may spend (starting AD) more vitality than the usual (your Psion Level) to enhance the power. However, you also roll (if you don't want to lose time, with a different die), d20+the additional vitality you spent. If the results exceeds 20, you spend twice the normal vitality and are stunned for a number of rounds equal to the additional vitality. Yes, it's nasty, but the ability to boost your Psion Level like that is quite powerful as well.   Besides, Eruption Supremacy soften these effects.

[Zetesofos]

Ah, ok.  I didn't see where you were limited to spending vitality equal to your psion level.  Thanks for clarifying that. 

[Morgenstern]

The one crucial thing I don't get from the article is that how do you know if you fail a competance check

You can't. Your skill check gives you psi bonus, and a low results grants a low bonus, but that's all. As you noticed, there is a bit of an inconsistency since I'm talking about critical failure just a little later. I guess I missed that when I wrote it. I'll come up with something.

You could have those consequences trigger on an error, instead of a crit failure (which never happens). It'll make it come up more often... which could be a good thing .

[aegis]

That's an excellent idea! But errors are indeed quite frequent, so maybe when it happens the power could work normally but the user loses twice as much vitality? That's a less dramatic consequence, for a more frequent risk ... I prefer that to a power that just fails without any other effect, and the two together seem a little bit too much in this condition, no?

Changing the subject, I have thought about it and the psionics document is something like 4 times smaller than my IK conversion guide. It should also be easy to translate since the SFA's conversion document was my base for development. So I'll most probably start translating the whole stuff soon. It shouldn't take very long.

[aegis]

Plop plop plop ...

Specialties done, base classes done, basic mechanics done. I'm left with the skills and the powers themselves -- which are the biggest part of the work --, the feats, and the campaign qualities. I'll post something as soon as I can.

[aegis]

As promised, my take on Mastercraft psionics, based on SFA's Worldbook and conversion guidebook for Spycraft 2.0:
http://www.le-scriptorium.com/uploads/file/Regles_optionnelles/Mastercraft/psionics.pdf

There are most certainly balance issues and many things can be made more ... fun. So I'd really like to have feedback on this.

[Zetesofos]

This is awesome, thank you very much.


The one thing I was considering though, perhaps to keep things more...symmetrical, was to convert and have one base psionic class, and a couple expert classes that build on them.   Thoughts?

[aegis]

To be fairly honest, I feel the three base classes are rather ... dull, comparing to other Fantasy Craft classes. So I see two ways to go there:

• Either we can merge them together in a generic psion class which will have to choose between one of three directions, and maybe complete it with expert classes (what you suggest);
• Or we can keep them separate and rework their abilities to make them more specific, more tuned toward their ultimate goal, i.e. mental prowess, physical prowess, and mind control respectively (a la Spellbound).

That's indeed one of the main questions -- if not the main -- I'm asking right now. What do you people think?

[Zetesofos]

Merging into one seems like it meshes well with the rest of the system (the wizard sorcerer and perhaps even cleric all are under 'Mage' the arcane caster.   The Mage, Priest, and in this possible case, Psion, would be one class that each uses magic differently.  

And yeah, by merging, you would remove some of the dullness.

The biggest thing I consider about meging these classes is making just one general Psionic skill, rather than one skill for each subdiscipline (It's skill unique in that you spend Vitality, and roll to detirmine the power, unlike a static caster level.

The biggest thing a class like this needs is a variable feature similar to Bag of Tricks, Mask of Gods, etc.  At 6, 9,12, 15, and 18.

[Zetesofos]

As a follow up, here is my redone version. (Decided to keep the skills separate for now).

Psion

Class Features
Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.
Requirements: Psionic campaign quality
Psion: Each level in this class increases your Psion Level by 1.
Class Skills: Bluff, Crafting, Impress, Intimidate, Medicine, Notice, Resolve, Search, Sense Motive, Tactics
Skill Points: 6 + Int modifier per level
Vitality: 9 + Con modifier per level
Starting Proficiencies: 4

Base Attack: Low   
Fortitude:Medium   
Reflex: Medium   
Will: Medium
Defense: Medium      
Initiative: High   
Lifestyle:Medium
Legend: Medium

Core Ability
Insightful: Each time you spend 1 action die to boost a Psionic skill check, you roll and add the results of 2 dice (e.g. at Career Level 1, 1d4 becomes 2d4).

Class Abilities
Psionic Powers: At Level 1, you may select up to three psionic skills of your choice to become class skills, and may purchase ranks in them. You may also learn up to three powers from either of these skills.
At Levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19, you may either gain a +1 bonus to all your checks of one of these skills, or learn a new power.

Force of Will I: At Level 2, once per scene with a free action, you gain a psionic bonus to any one attribute score equal to your starting action dice. This bonus lasts 10 rounds and can be ended with a free action. When the bonus ends, you are fatigued I for every 3 full rounds the bonus lasted.
Force of Will II: At Level 11, the bonus applies to two attributes instead of one.
Force of Will III: At Level 19, the bonus applies to three attributes.
Bonus Feat: At Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, you gain an additional Skill or Psionic feat.

Psychic Mantle: At Levels 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18, you may choose 1 of the following abilities. Each of these abilities may be chosen only once.

Captivating: Your Charisma score rises by 1

Adaptive Consciousness: Choose any 1 skill.  That skill becomes a Psion class skill, and you gain 5 ranks in that skill. (You may choose another Psionic Skill)

Masterpiece: At the beginning of an adventure, you may instantly create one magic item, without spending silver or reputation, that lasts until the end of the adventure. This item's value cannot exceed 30 Reputation or 300 Silver, can­not be sold nor exchanged, and work only you.

Clarity of Mind: Your error range with Psionic skill checks decreases by 2 (minimum 0)

Always Ready: You always act during surprise rounds

Beguiling: When you success-fully Taunt a standard character,you may decline the standard result to have your target become fixated on you for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma score. If you gain this benefit from multiple sources you may also damage the target once without interrupting his fixation (you may do this only once, no matter how many times you gain the benefit).

Mental Bastion: You gain stress resistance 4.

Invisible Hand: You gain a minor form of telekinesis and may handle un-attendend items within close quarters.

Complete Focus: At Level 10, once per scene, you may decrease the vitality cost of one of your power checks to 0.
At Level 20, you may use this ability up to twice per scene.

Bioadaptation: At Level 14, the vitality cost of each of your power checks decreases by 2 (mini­mum 1).  

[Krensky]

Leave them seperate, and perhaps make a 'generalist' version.

If you're making a whole new system for psionics rather then just re-skinning arcane spell casting, do it properly.

The game has nine arcane magic base classes, it can stand three or four psionic ones.

[Zetesofos]

Where are those base arcane classes that you mentioned.  I thought spellbound wasn't released yet?

[Morgenstern]

To be fairly honest, I feel the three base classes are rather ... dull, comparing to other Fantasy Craft classes.

*chuckle* Sure, they're old and not as pretty as the newer crop of specialist casters... but I always thought the Mage was the single dullest class I've ever writen . I kinda think a universal psionics class would suffer the saem fate - a whole lot of gneric abiites because you simply cannot tell in advance which way the player is going to want to jump with it .

[Krensky]

Where are those base arcane classes that you mentioned.  I thought spellbound wasn't released yet?

The SC2.0 versions of the Channeler and Seer were released, and there is (was?) a preview of the Enchanter.

But more importantly, we know they're coming in a few months, so my argument is still valid.

[Zetesofos]

Oh, those ones (don't have books, just saw them for sale).   *Wonders how more specific they are,

Anyways, I have newer players, so right now, a single caster class might be good for them.  Maybe later I'll get them.