Psionics... not just another spell caster

[illandrius]

sorry if this has been said already, but psionics in 2nd edition were way overpowered. with 1 skill/spell, you were almost invincible.

kinetic control, usually obtained by around lvl 7 or 8 made you completely immune to all physical damage, you just absorbed all of it then released all that absorbed kinetic energy in one attack.

*spoiler*

this was shown in the silent blade when the drow psionicist, Kimmuriel?, gave Entreri the skill and Entreri killed Drizzt, albeit by accident.

[Neb]

Originally posted by illandrius: sorry if this has been said already, but psionics in 2nd edition were way overpowered. with 1 skill/spell, you were almost invincible. kinetic control, usually obtained by around lvl 7 or 8 made you completely immune to all physical damage, you just absorbed all of it then released all that absorbed kinetic energy in one attack.

But you can fail at using the power. It could backfire. And that's only kinetic energy, no protection from magic whatsoever.

Oh, and you need to know some other powers first before you can learn it at all.

And you can't just be "taught" or "given" a psionic power by someone unless they're at least a god or demi-god.

[ 07-11-2002, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: Neb ]

[Morgeruat]

also it can't be used to halt your own kinetic energy, ie a giant picking up said psionicist and using him as a club against his friends(psionicist takes damage from his moentum, and his friends take damage from the blow (how I dealt with the power whenever the players went uber-munchkin with it) and you as a DM have a duty to LOOK at the powers being chosen by the players, and either interpret them, or ban the power completely if you can't figure out how to keep the character from abusing his powers. Besides Kinetic control is no more dangerous than a mage casting fireshield and stoneskin on himself, and he actually takes longer to be able to do any damage

[ 07-11-2002, 04:48 PM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

[A1C_Dark-Void]

Ok, while we are on the subject again that psionic abilities are to powerfull... let me mention a previously described POCKED FRICKEN NUKE SPELL.... witha bit of creative thinking on a high level mage... or even a low level thief with good threats and coning of a high level mage (always possible in DND) one can create a fireball contraption that is invisible, will do anywhere from 10-10000 points of damage, and will fill an area with enough smoke to completely black out the tag mahal, BUT YET there's more! Its invisible for traveling short distance, and it is a trap, so it doesnt go off all at once, and the only way to trigger it is to open the box, if the box is opened or broken BOOM, if its simply left alone, your fine. (We all know how the thief detect traps work... "Alright I search for traps"..."Ok... you detect no traps..." that means a lot, it means there are traps there that you didnt detect, or you actually didnt detect any). So by using two delayed blast fireballs, and contingency pyrotechnics and unseen servent, a mage can kick the crap out of large armys. And furthermore, less creative, Melfs Minute Meteors, ok, a hail of fricken fireballs railing into a whole bunch of people. Ok but wait there is more, magic missle, 1d4+1 Right? NO Its not just that, its a fricken magic machine gun, 1d4+1 with an extra bullet every odd level, it hits all creatures no matter what it is required, the only thing saving you from this cursed spell is the counter spell shield, or a high magic resistance, cause I know the 2nd addition drow has a 30% but will it work every damn time?

Some one said that kenetic energy made the psionic invincible, no it doesnt, there is a limit on how much energy you can absorb. Now as for the reference to Artemes and Drizzt... HOLLY PISS PEOPLE THEY WERE NEAR 13th LEVEL AND ARTEMES HAD THE BACKING OF AN ENTIRE DROW HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats all I have to say about that book, but anyway, the monk is also pretty much invincible at high levels as well, dimond body resistance to poison and desiese... so on so forth. Also the fighter, by 2nd additions rules with his bare hands at level 6 striked as a +0 multipurpose weapon, therfore that pesky demon requiring a +5 weapon to hit would get hurt with 1d3 dmg + whatever ungodly strength a fighter has every round... TWICE if the fighter is multi talented, god save that demon if the fighter decided to take the ninja class. If you have any beef with any class you monk lovers it should be fighter, you guys are getting RIPPED OFF! A fighter strikes as +1 at level 6 +2 8 so on so forth, so what if a monk does more damage, you guys dont get your plusses till later on!

And who the devil said that every object in a game couldnt be mvoed by telekenisis, I think they are full of it, look how far games have come in just 20 years???? We have gone from the all to well known, yet never found origonal PONG! To Never Winter Nights! Who would have thought back then that you could even imagine a fake 3d interface? Let alone any sort of multi screen interface? OR 256 COLORS????? You people need to put more faith in your programers, they will come up with a way if we supply the need.

Well thats all my ranting and raving for now,
Remember this is just my opionion, I could be wrong.

[Neb]

Ummmm..... It's not just ONE power, telekinesis, that can affect EVERY single thing in the world, it's also: Detonate, molecular agitation, cryokinesis and at least 10 other powers. That's going to be ■■■■■■■ hard to assure, and unless it can be done psionicists are just going to be compensated with other things and going to end up as another mage.