Psionics for Novus - an Overview -- Opinions wanted...

[imported_Rasyr]

I like that idea... increase the activation TN based upon the number of abilities active (so the more you have active, the harder to activate another). The actual numbers will be more based upon how the abilities end up, but I am thinking +1 to the Will Save for each ability active (i.e. if you have none active, and activate 1, there is no minus, to activate a second, that is +1 to the TN, if you have 3 active, that is +3 to the TN, and so forth). This would allow for just requiring a simple Will Save (TN 15) as the basis for all psionic activations...

I was also thinking of putting in a negative modifier to physical actions while focused on concentrating... (say -2 if using half of your MC; -4 to all physical actions (including throwing that telekinetic bolt) if your using all your MC (perhaps I should simply call it "Psionic Focus" -- I do need a better name)

As for the Mental Capacity(/Psionic Focus), I was figuring the following
Phrenic (pure psionicist) = 10 + Will Stat
Adept (semi psionicist) = Will Stat
Wild Talent (non psionicist) = double Will Stat Bonus OR 5; whichever is higher

Psions would then have a BASE MC cost of 1-5 or 6(depending upon their basic strength). THe MC cost can go up based upon certain factors (i.e. number of targets, or increased range) These scaling options would not affect activation, but amount of MC required to activate/use them.

At least, that is my thinking at the moment... I am still going through my list of psions (I have over 150 possible psionic abilities at the moment).

[imported_Witchking20k]

Have you considered how boons will work in activating an ability?  They would be harder to achieve as they are not skill based.

[Fidoric]

I see two important improvements that boons may bring: decrease the MC cost and lower the cumulative penalty for maintaining multiple Psions.

[imported_Rasyr]

Good Point, and definitely something to consider.....

I am trying to work up some sort of increasable bonus for psion users, likely a talent-like bonus that is applied solely to psion activations (and since only 1 talent may be purchased per level, that provides a built in limitation, I would think)

[imported_Witchking20k]

So, to be devils advocate, wouldn't it make more sense to just make it skill based so that you don't introduce more "core" rules.

[Fidoric]

I will have to think about that further but I could second that. In fact not just magic but every other aspects of the game are skill-based.

[imported_Rasyr]

We already have such things like hits and bonuses to specific skills, that are talents, that can be purchased multiple times, allowing for increases in capability that are not "skill based". There is even a talent that allows for bonuses to Saves. What we would be doing is saying that the talent that improves saves, does not apply to psion activation.

Then we can have one that does apply to psion activation (think of it as a "conditional bonus" to the Saves (in fact, we could even have different psions use different Saves for activation (mostly the mental stats in the vast majority).

[imported_Rasyr]

Okay, so here is the current recap (so far -- as always, things may always change)

[li]Psionic Focus == the total amount of concentration available for using psionic abilities. This is expressed as a number of slots that may be filled each round.

[/li]
[li]A character's Psionic Focus (PF) is determined by his level of training overall (i.e. a full psion user has a PF equal to 10 + his Willpower Stat, a semi-psion user has a PF equal to his  Willpower Stat, and wild talent/non-psion user has a PF equal to 5 OR his Willpower Stat Bonus, whichever is higher).

[/li]
[li]Using half of those "slots" gives the character a -2 modifier to all physical rolls. Filling those slots gives the character a modifier of -4 to all physical rolls.

[/li]
[li]Activating a psionic ability requires an Activation Roll (essentially a Saving Throw for a specific stat, as determined by the specific psionic ability).

[/li]
[li]Characters may purchase a talent that gives a bonus to their activation rolls. This will be very similar to the Improved Save talent from the core rules. (sidenote: am thinking about limiting this to bonuses to specific Paths only - thus outlier abilities would not be covered).

[/li]
[li]Having more than a single psionic ability operating in a single round increases the TN of the Activation Roll,

[/li]
[li]The TN of the Activation Roll is increased by 1 for each psionic ability already active and/or used in the same round.

[/li]
[li]Some psionic abilities may require skill rolls once they have been activated (this is most common with psions that create physical/energy attacks, but may apply to some others).[/li]
[/list][/list]

[Fidoric]

That's a good start I think. 

What we would be doing is saying that the talent that improves saves, does not apply to psion activation

I think it would be easier to use the improved save as activation bonus lest a character have to track which save he has improved in the past or not. You can still have a activation bonus for a lesser cost.

[imported_Rasyr]

Well, the activation roll uses the same mechanic as a Save, but it is not a Save (not an attempt to resist something).

And I was thinking -- the activation rolls, I could even set them up to use multiple stats (up to 3, if need be), which gives me more flexibility in some ways

The activation roll would be setup like so:

1 stat == 5 + stat bonus
2 stats == 3 + stat bonus 1 + stat bonus 2
3 stats == stat bonus 1 + stat bonus 2 + stat bonus 3

Base TN of activation roll is 15. Increased by 1 for each psion active (or activated in the same round).

Then we have the Imrpoved Path talent, which allows a character a +1 to ativation rolls for a single Psionic Path. This means that if you have Telepath, and also know the Telekinetic Bolt psion, the Improved Path talent could increase the activation roll for any psion that is part of the TelePath, but not the Telekinetic Bolt...

[Fidoric]

Understood. You don't use saves at all.
Using multiple stats makes sense. That way, psions can be seen as "natural" abilities.

[imported_Rasyr]

Okay, so we have the basics of using psions worked out, now it is the time to take a closer look at gaining them.

I do believe that I may need help in deciding some of the terminology involved..

To start off with, there will  be 3 new Talents, two of which will be used for making new Classes (costs will be comparable to Major & Minor Adept talents). They are as follows (remember, just rough draft, may be subject to change).

• Psionic Potential - This is the most basic ability. Allows player to purchase Psionic Abilities using CP Costs (yes, this means that all Psionic abilities, even though they are like other talents, have a built in requirement of one of these three talents).
  
  
• Minor Psionic - used for creating semi-psion users. Players selects 8 psi-slots (Minor Disciplines fill 1 slot, Major disciplines fill 2 slots, Paths fill 5 slots) worth of abilities (these are selected at chargen and can never be changed, even if they are not gained right away), and he can gain these by paying 4 points per each Minor Discipline, and 6 points for each Major Discipline. May purchase additional psions using CP costs.
  
  
• Major Psionic - used for full psion users. Player selects 12 psi-slots worth of abilities (Minor Disciplines fill 1 slot, Major disciplines fill 2 slots, Paths fill 5 slots) . These are selected at chargen, and cannot be changed, may be gained whenever the player spends the CP to learn them (2 CP per Minor Discipline, 4 CP per each Major Discipline). May purchase additional Psions using CP costs
  
  

Note: Paths cost 5 psi-slots. However, they contain 10 psi-slots of related psi-abilities. Each psi-ability within a Path is treated as a Minor Discipline for learning, regardless of whether ir is a Minor or Major Discipline.[/list]

[Fidoric]

That seems a very promising way to go. I especially like the potential / unlocked twist.
The terms you use are very clear. Additionnally, if you are still unhappy with your "Psionic Focus", I would suggest "Inner Strength", "Inner Pool" or "Mens" (the latter being the latine world for mind.

[imported_Rasyr]

And if you look at the way I set them up (8 psi-slots for Semi, 12 Psi-slots for Full), that allows the semi to have 1 Path of related psions, and the full to have 2 Paths.

Additionally, the psi-slots basically are used to create the equivalent of base lists of abilities (those gained at a less expensive cost, but which much still be paid for).

[Fidoric]

That way, Full Psionicists are both more versatile (likely to develop more Psions) and more powerful (having a higher Mental Focus).
The difference between full and semi is very coherent IMO.
We will have to pay attention to wilders though. Being limited to 5 active slots at any time, they will suffer a minus 2 penalty to all their physical activities as soon as they use 2 or 3 of them at the same time. Psions which give small boost to stats or skills for example would have a limited interest.