From: quintar@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Shawn Huston)
Subject: Re: Psionicists and non-psi.
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Distribution: rec.games.frp.dnd
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 01:01:53 GMT

In article <MAREK.92Oct15141347@freedom.nmsu.edu> marek@nmsu.edu (Marek) writes:
>Hiya
> I have a little problem with the Psionicist rules; no doubt this has been
>discussed but I missed it (if it actually was posted). But anyway... I dont 
>like the fact that in a normal AD&D world (NOT darksun), psionicist is a 
>very weak class (IMHO). If you can only attack non-psionicists with one
>actual mental attack (mind blast) then what good are you in a fight? True, 

From what you are saying, it's obvious to me that you are playing a
  "Head Messer", a psion with mainly telepathic powers.  That right there
  is your first problem.

The telepathy 'school' looks pretty neat and powerful at first, but in
  reality, you have to go through so much crap in order to do anything
  that a fight is usually over and everything is dead before you can
  get anything done.  This happened all year to a friend of mine who
  had a telepath in the same party with a paladin, a really nasty
  fighter, a wu jen alterer, and a pretty kickin' bard.
  He would get set up, contact whatever, do other stupid things, and get
  ready to mindrape the thing, and it would be dead.  He was handy to have
  around when the party got split up, or when we were interrogating
  something, or for recon(he had an owl), but that was about it.

On the other hand, I played a Psychometabolist in a comparativly powered
  party.  This character was the ultimate 'Swiss Army Character', even
  more so than a bard.  He could do ANYTHING, and do it well.

>a psionicist has lots of things to do outside of combat, but gaining only 
>two devotions and one science per level.. it hardly compares to the billions
>of spells you can get as a mage.. plus, the mage's spells work on most normal
>creatures! What the hell can a psionicist do when creatures charge at him? 

Most of my character's abilities were in the P.Metabolic school, because
  except for a couple useful things like TK and Receptacle (for the PSP's),
  he didn't need anything else.  OK, I'll list the things my 9th level
  psion could do about something charging at him--
    Use TK on his +2 short sword from a distance
    Use Animate object on anything(rock, tree, helmet) and do something
      funny and/or damaging
    If it's small, Inertial Barrier and watch it bounce
    Molecular Agitation if you're out of the fight
    Animal Affinity--I rolled the Grizzly Bear, this can get really nasty
    Life Draining, this speaks for itself
    Metamorphosis--This probably has the most potential of any ability
      in the whole book.  A couple of my favorites were:  Changing into
      a puddle of mercury in front of a whole bunch of monsters, then 
      using life draining when they stepped in me;  changing into a
      metal bar, Animate Object-ing myself, wrapping around a frost giants
      legs, then life draining him while he's helpless;  and gaining the 
      ability to cross any hole in any dungeon in the world by sprouting
      wings.
    Adrenalin Control can give you massive bonuses to damage or AC
    Ectoplasmic Form--usea this and whatever's charging will go right
      through you.  If your DM allows this, here's a really nasty thing
      to do--walk up to an enemy while 'ghosty', stick something, 
      anything at all, into him, and let go.  Bang, it materializes
      'Nuff said.
    Wrench, if it's undead
That's not the complete list of nasties I can throw out, just the most
  often used.  Body equilibrium is pretty worthless in combat, but it
  was probably the one I used the most often.  Chemical simulation
  can get you through any lock around.

>I am playing a psionicist in a campaign, and I have to admit, it does get 
>kind of stupid when combat rolls around. I only wish I could affect creatures
>with my psionic powers. Has anyone thought up a way to make psionicists a 
>little more psionic when it comes to combat? Being a psionicist and using
>a blade is kinda generic... but I guess there is not much you can do at
>2nd level. :)

Actually, you called it pretty straight with that last line.  There's not
  really a whole lot to do at the low levels, but that's because of lack
  of PSP's, not lack of abilities available.  The way to get around that
  is to get Receptacle at the soonest time possible.

The main suggestion I have to anyone looking to play a psion is to 
  specialize in P.Metabolism with a good number of the P.Kinesis skills,
  or vise versa.  You will end up having the best thief in the world, who,
  given a couple rounds, can tank along with any fighter, then heal
  the party afterwards 


>
>Marek
>
>send flames to /dev/nul
>I would appreciate some discussion as to the power of psionics....
>thanks 


I'm on a friend's account right now, so if you, Marek, or anyone wants
  to talk to me about this, my address is---

                    griffin@sage.cc.purdue.edu

Organization: Junior, Math/Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA