Psiconicist's, Ways to make them better Options

[Joker9125]

Psionic mages have to be one of the most underpowered character types in the game. However I am currently playing a psionic psycologist named Mesmer (that looks alot like Frasier Crane with hair) I like the character because he makes for some interesting role playing mostly because of his chosen profession and reason for being in the shadows "The Criminal Mind: An on-going case study by Franz Anton Mesmer".

Psiconicist caint bond foci and thought forms are pretty weak, while they stay around longer than nature spirits they only really have one power(magic fingers) and you can only have one of them out at a time. Ive been thinking of ways to make them more balanced yet unique I thought about allowing them to have a maximum number of spirits equal to their charasma like hermatic mages but that would be way to munchkin.

Any thoughts or comments on how to make this a more viable character type?

[Cray74]

[A Clockwork Lime]

Cray nailed it.

The Psionic rules were completely redundant, not to mention grossly underpowered compared to other options.

[Vision]

Well, i do play Shamans or psionics a lot. Tho i never played them as fullmage. I do dislike the idea of a psionic being able to summon something or even to summon an ally which is developing an mind of its own.

That kinda goes against me imagination of someone doing everything with their mind.

I am not sure if they should be stronger, even if i would like to have some of the mindspells a bit more more drainfriendly for Psionics. But i do not mind it that way.

[Kanada Ten]

Thought forms could be made more viable by giving them mental domains. The Psionic could only have one Form under direct control, but the former would follow the last command, just like shamans. The Mental Terrains would grant unique powers, too. The psionic should take on some aspects of the Mental state and maintain it while wishing to control the spirit.

Domains: Domination (Fear), Passion (Search), Regression (Poltergeist), Rational (Magic Fingers), Madness (Confusion).

[A Clockwork Lime]

I just don't see how "thought forms" fit in the concept to begin with.

It'd be easier to design it as a Priority B/25 Build Point concept that only has access to spells. In other words, an aspected Hermetic Sorcerer. Maybe giving a +2 die bonus on Control and Telekinetic Manipulation "spells" while suffering a -2 die penalty on "spells" that clearly don't fit into the theme.

[Kanada Ten]

I think that Though Forms make a great deal of sense. They work exactly how psiconics justify ghosts and spirits: mental imprinting. The idea that thought is so powerful it can survive without a body. Thought Forms are just a logical extension of that.

[booklord]

I never really viewed psionics as viable characters. They were introduced not really for playing but as an example of a person suffering from a form of psychological disfunction that is warping their magical abilities.

They brought it back in 3rd Edition mainly to be thorough. They're still heavily limited. Weak conjuring ability. No ability to use foci. Outcasts in the magical community. Finally they're a horrific role playing challenge because they simply do not believe in magic.

[Vision]

[A Clockwork Lime]

They'd have been fine if they "conjurered" (manifested) "nature spirits" and/or "ancestor spirits" (psychic constructs), especially if they all gained that cool diviniation spirit power I remember seeing in some book -- might even have been MitS. If they were bad-asses on the astral plane, as they should be, that would have even made them a cool option in lieu of other choices. Harry Keogh from the Necroscope series is a perfect example of a "conjuring" psychic.

I have no idea why they're forbidden from using foci or the artificial limits placed on their "spells" though. A mentalist who focuses on illusions are nearly impossible to create without going against the recommendations for the rules (such as one who "clouds mens minds" to make themselves invisible). The same goes for a psychic who augments his physical abilities, since Health spells outside of Heal are don't fit their model apparently.

But as they stand, all they have is limitations with no inherent benefits whatsoever. Yet they still cost a Priority slot of A or 30 Build Points. Awful, awful rules.

[Kanada Ten]

I agree that Shadowrun gimped them, but I don't think the concept is unsalvageable. For spells I allow anything so long as the metaphor is mental. They wouldn't throw a fireball because that's just flashy, but they can start fires and manaball. The idea of summoning Ancestor spirits (Mental Matrices) using items with high psychic impressions is a good one. I really like the idea of Mental Domains; I take it I'm the only one?

As to ally spirits, remember that 2060 psionics have the advantage of knowing other "deluded" psionics can make them, so it has to be possible. I would image that a psionic's ally is like the clones in Multiplicity with the added feeling that a piece of their life is gone, imbued in the ally. Once they take that part of their mind back, the ally dies.

[booklord]

[A Clockwork Lime]

So you're saying a pyrokinetic like the Firestarter wouldn't be hurling fireballs or flamethrower spells? :) I can't think of very many spells that can't be shoehorned into a psionic concept one way or the other.

[Frag-o Delux]

Kanada Ten, how would the Domains work? I don't see what you are getting at. How would fear determine what and where the spirit can do, or what ever it is you are trying to do.

[Kanada Ten]

I don't think a firestarter psionic would "hurl" spells. I think he or she would manifest the fire on the targets bodies with none of the flashy effects of an elementalist. I agree that most spells can be modled to the psionic view, but they just wouldn't view most traditional spells as anything but excessivly flashy.

[A Clockwork Lime]

So you never saw Firestarter with Drew Barrymore, then?

[Kanada Ten]

The Mental Domains are like "personalities" or "states of mind" of the summoner. While in the Domination state of mind, the psionic can summon and control a Domination Thought Form who's power is Fear. The Though Form is still limited to the (1000 X Magic?) in Meters of the summoner and can only be commanded while the psionic maintained the Domination mindset. Once the psionic switched domains from Domination to Passion, the Domination Form would finish it's last command (or 12/24 hours) and then dissipate.

Much of the domain limitation would be roleplaying aspects. While in Domination, one becomes demanding and self-righteous which can be dangerous in any given situation. While in Passion, the psionic may seem like a zealot or lust stricken. Madness mindset would defiantly have drawbacks, and Regression would be child like behavior. Rational is the neutral mindset of most psionics. Does that make sense?

Clockwork, yeah I saw it, but that doesn't mean I think psionics should work like that. The girl was more of an Elementalist; her dad was the Psionic.

[A Clockwork Lime]

...

[Kesh]

[Frag-o Delux]

It makes since, but that still lends the Psionist to roleplaying again, which I think the whole thing is. I have tried a psionist before the rules were published and we just made it basically a mage/shaman but with a distintive style (not the flaw just how it is role played). It has been about ten years since I played it so I don't remember the exact rules we had.

[Vision]

[Cray74]

[Eyeless Blond]

[Cain]

Nice, but very complex.

I prefer to make Psionicist full mages, removing the stupid foci and spell restrictions. They can summon thought forms, and banish anything. Thought Forms get the expanded-range Search power, and divination in their Great Form.

[TinkerGnome]

I might prefer to see psionicists a little more along the lines of the shamanic paths with possibly the use of the Concious Mind, Id, Ego, and Superego as the "totems".

As for foci, I'd also lift the ban to let psionicists use foci crafted by psionicists (but not other mages). That seems to be more of a happy medium than no foci, at least.