From: scythe@stein.u.washington.edu (The Grim Reaper)
Subject: Re: Class' power (was Re: how to imprison a psionicist)
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 00:52:28 GMT

In article <1gr21hINNgqd@master.cs.rose-hulman.edu> operbwt@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu writes:
>In article <1992Dec17.023455.24956@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>  
>praxis@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Laura L Perkinson) writes:
>> 	Sheesh! Where did folks get the idea that psionicists are so
>> ungodly powerful? Sure they've got their strengths (one being: they're
>> tough to hold prisoner.) But they've got their weaknesses too.
>> 	One guy claimed they're more powerful than mages. Name 1 psi
>> power that compares to Wish. Or Power Word Kill. Or Prismatic Sphere.
>> Or...
>> 	I played a psionicist in a high level campaign with a great variety
>> of character classes. And I can safely say that a one on one slugfest
>> between any 2 PC's was an utter tossup. Either person might have won.
>> If my psionicist had been unfortunate enough to duke it out with the
>> party necromancer, and he wins on initiative... Well, it just takes a
>> teensy bit of slightly bad luck for Finger of Death or Prismatic Spray
>> to make any psionicist hate what little of his life he's got left.
>> 
>> 	A quick review of psionic power limitations:
>> 
>> 	1)Almost NO psionic powers inflict direct HP damage. Death
>> Field gives others a save to avoid, but always affects the psi.
True.  Very important to remember.

>> 	Disintegrate risks the power backfiring. Plus it falls victim
>> to the law of diminishing returns: against high-level opponents, it's less
>> likely to work (good saves). Against low-level types it's less likely to be
>> needed. Someone @ level 4 with 17 hp can probably be polished off by the
>> fighter in a round or two.
>> 	2)Psi powers are FAR more useful out of combat (gathering info,
>> avoiding traps and such) and assisting other characters (dimension door
>> helps mages aim spells like Lightning Bolt or Cone of Cold; Soften or
>> Molecular Manipulation weakens enemy fighter types for the PC fighters
>> to kill.)
>> 	3)The most fear-inspiring stuff is hard to do and deuced expensive
>> in PSP's. Check out the description of Domination again.
>> 	4)Spells go off when you cast them. Psionicists have to roll, and
>> can "miss" just like folks attacking with weapons.
>> 	5)HP can be magically healed. For PSP's, you just have to wait.
>> Unless you're lucky enough to have a cleric who can do the Nap spell.
>> And have a free hour to burn.
>> 	6)Psionicists still have Rogue HP, armor restrictions and THACO.
>> 	7)Stuff that drives a psionicist crazy: other psis (with
>> Synaptic Static or Psionic Inflation, Mindwipe); magic that zips psionic  
>powers
>> (Free Action, Otiluke's resilient Sphere, Iron Mind from the Wizard's
>> Handbook. Plus, if the DM has a world where psionics is even somewhat
>> common, it stands to reason that there will be magic items like Rings
>> of Mind Shielding around.) Stuff with minds so alien that telepathic
>> powers just will never work (demons, dragons and who knows what else
>> can fall into this category. A DM who lets a psionicist Dominate a dragon
>> deserves what he gets.)
>> 
>> 	In short, the psionicist has his plusses and minuses like
>> everyone else. IMNSHO, he's better suited than any class to being a
>> team player. Which is something no munchkin wants, right?
>> 
>> 		Think on it,
>> 		Praxis
>
>Yeah, but the Psionicist can do the following:
>
>	1.  Turn shadow form
>	2.  Disintegrate oponent until opponent dies
>		a.  Psionicist is in shadow form and cannot be disintegrated
>		b.  Oponent eventually fails his/her save
>
>Bingo, Psionicist wins.
Ouch. You're burning about 40 PSPs per try for that disintegrate, not to
mention the shadow form's cost.  And you get charged the full amount
of PSPs as long as the psi makes his power check, if the opponent saves.

>
>Or, the following:
>	1.  Turn shadow form
>	2.  Contact opponent
>	3.  Dominate opponent until success
>
>Bingo, Psionicist wins.
Another *huge* cost of PSPs.

>
>Or:
>	1.  Turn shadow form
>	2.  Contact opponent
>	3.  Use invinsible foes until opponent surrenders
>
>Bingo, Psionicist wins.

Hmm.  Kinda hard to hit the opponent if you're in shadow form.

>
>Basicly, the Psionicist is REAL tough!  All through the levels, psionicists  
>gain powers which are very helpful.
>
>Examples:
>	1.  Psionicists can fly or teleport at level 1
>	2.  Psionicists can make all mighty weaponry with psionic powers
>	3.  Psionicists have "Wrench" which is awesome against undead
>	4.  Psionicists can heal others
>	5.  Psionicists are the ultimate escape artists (shadow form,  
>ectoplasmic, teleport, dimension door, ...), all basicly at will
>	6.  Psionicists have the most diversified powers of any class(healing,  
>combat oriented such as bio-feedback, distance attacks such as mind blast or  
>invinsible foes, thief type sneaky abilities)  Psionicists are everything  
>rolled into one.
BUTBUTBUTBUT BUT!!!!!! They CAN'T DO IT ALL! Especially at first level,
they can maybe do one of those things.  Most of the best stuff
doesn't come until 10th level.  Remember, at first level they still
have 1d6 hp +maybe 2 at most, and a lousy AC and THAC0.  Psis are the ultimate 
jack-of-all-trades, but they can't do it all very well.

>
>Psionicists are certainly worthy of the "most-powerful class" title.  Although  
>I prefer Dark Sun Gladiators with about 10 psionic powers anyway (with about  
>500 PSP's to boot)!  (I don't prefer them to play, I just think that they are  
>all powerful.)
>
>----------
>Barry Trottier
>e-mail:  operbwt@nextwork.rose-hulman.edu

Naaah.  They have to be Thri-kreen gladiators of at least 5th level or
whatever, so they can paralyze.

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