SubtleMods: Will to Power, a 2E-inspired psionics mod

[subtledoctor]

Announcing the new incarnartion of my mod adding psionics to the BG games!  Skipping to the good stuff:

You can download the mod here.  Click "source code (zip)" and unzip the file into your game folder.

You can read about it here.

I built a version of this around ~2017, and got up to version 0.8; but then it languished.  Recently I've overcome a few technical hurdles and had some inspiration, and I have gotten the mod into a near-releasable state.  I think it's time for a real beta - everything seems to work in my testing, but I never have enough time to really play these games so the mod hasn't been taken all the way through.

The concept, in a nutshell, is this: psionics is completely, 100% non-magical in nature.  It is a technique you can learn - like picking locks or becoming skilled in a martial art - in which you can create extraordinary effects - moving things without touching them, communicating without talking, using biofeedback to enhance your strength or speed or durability, etc.  This is done not with an external energy source such as magic, but rather through sheer force of will.  Of course, lifting a rock with your arms costs energy, and lifting a rock with just your mind costs even more.  The source of this energy is entirely internal.  This idea is convenient because I found a point value that the game already tracks, which is conveniently displayed to the player at all times in numerous places in the UI, and which fits well with the idea that you are the fuel source for your powers:  your hit point total.  In early versions of the mod, using of powers reduces your maximum hit points by the point cost of the power; after using it - or in the case of abilities that can be maintained over time, after canceling it - your max hit point total slowly returns to its normal value.  (Again, this is your max HP - you cannot use healing potions to speed this recovery.)  If you use psionic powers fast enough, you can reduce yourself to 1 HP;  if you try to use psionic powers after that, you are knocked unconscious (with 1 HP! - so any enemy can kill you with a single blow).

As of version 0.9, I have implemented a blended system.  You have a store of Psionic Strength Points.  15 at 1st level, plus 5 per level through 20th, plus 2 per level after that.  Using abilities costs points.  There are several ways to recover PSPs in order to continue using abilities::

• You can recover half the PSP cost of recently-used single-use powers, by casting the "restorative meditation" ability out of combat.
• You will recover half the PSP cost of maintainable powers, when you cancel those powers.
• You will recover all of your PSPs when you get a good night's sleep.

If you spend most of your PSPs and then use a power with a point cost that exceeds your current PSP total, then things will revert to the former system and your psionic abilities will start feeding off your hit point total.  When you recover some PSPs, your powers will go back to using PSPs.

Psionicists, here, are all multiclassed.  This mod started out as a series of feats for thieves, with the idea that thieves are defined by mastering a lot of skills, and psionic abilities are more like skills than spells.  So psionics are a set of skills that can be learned by those in other classes.  At the moment, that means to be a psionic character, you start as a Thief, a Fighter, or a Ranger.  In-game, you will "activate" your psionic abilities, which means you will devote half of your advancement to learning and using psionics, and half to practicing your first career.  The psionic half of your advancement uses the same XP and thac0 tables as a cleric, so for technical reasons you will appear to be a multiclass cleric.  But you will not have any divine spellcasting and you will not be able to Turn undead.  Your "cast spell" button will be used for psionics.  Whenever you press that button, it will show you which powers you can use, and your current PSP total.  (You can also see all of the powers you have learned in the cleric "spellbook" screen.)  The psionic classes are:

• Psionicist - thief/psion
• Soulblade - fighter/psion
• Psypher - ranger/psion

With this mod installed, other characters will have a very small (~5%) chance of having a latent psionic "wild talent."  They will get an ability to check for this.  Wild talents will get one power chosen at random from all of the 5 psionic disciplines, but excluding HLA-level powers.

In the next post I'll describe the various psionic abilities you can learn.

Edited October 9, 2023 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

As mentioned earlier, some powers are single-use, meaning they generally have instantaneous effects (or effects that begin instantaneously and proceed for a set amount of time).  These are generally powers directed at enemies.  Single-use powers cost PSPs every time you cast them.  If fueled by hit points, they cost a set amount of hit points and then your health immediately begins to recover, at a rate of 1 HP per 2 rounds. 

Other powers are maintainable, meaning that they cause a constant effect that lasts for as long as your character concentrates on it.  There is no limit to how many maintainable powers you can use at once (though, note to self, that would be interesting); but you can only maintain each one for up to 2 turns (20 rounds, or 120 seconds) before your concentrate breaks down and the power is canceled.  These cost a set amount of PSPs when you initiate them; when you cancel them, you will immediately recover half of the initiating cost.  If fueled by hit points, these will cause a reduction in your max health that will continue until you cancel the power; at that time, your health will begin to recover.

There are five six psionic disciplines in this system:

• Telepathy
• Telekinesis
• Pyrokinesis
• Biokinesis (neé Psychometabolism)
• Clairsentience
• Metapsionics

Metapsionics is not exactly a proper discipline; I'll explain in a second but let's set it aside for the moment.  Instead let's discuss the first five disciplines.  Each discipline has five Devotions (which are not very powerful), four Sciences (the equivalent of mid-level spells), and one High Science (the equivalent of high-level spells or HLAs).  You begin at 1st level with knowledge of one devotion in each of the five normal disciplines - the first power listed in each list below.  You must learn the other four devotions in a given discipline before you can learn that discipline's sciences; and you must learn all three sciences (and be 13th level) before you can learn the discipline's high science.

It costs 6 points (PSPs or health) to use or maintain a devotion.  It costs 10 points to use or maintain a science.  And it costs 20 points to use or maintain a high science.  High sciences (and a couple lesser powers) are so taxing that they also increase your fatigue when you use them.

Metapsionics is a group of powers that combine the effects of two different disciplines.  These are very powerful abilities; in essence, it is a 'discipline' with only high sciences.  There is one metapsionic power for each combination of disciplines, so ten in total.  In order to learn one, you must have learned all devotions and sciences in both of its underlying disciplines (and be 13th level).  Note that this makes them rare: you might only master three disciplines in the course of a game, which means you would only have access to three of the ten metapsionic powers.

That makes 60 psionic abilities in total.  Here is the current list:

Telepathy:

• Mind Ward (devotion - an extra saving throw to avoid mental attacks)
• Id Insinuation (devotion - like the Spook spell)
• Ego Whip (devotion - a single-target Malison, penalizing saves and increasing vulnerability to telepathic/enchantment attacks)
• Cerebral Repair (devotion - like the Exaltation priest spell, curing bad mental effects)
• Sensory Synchronization (devotion - like Defensive Harmony)
• Mental Domination (science - like Domination spell)
• Intellect Fortress (science - shield against all psionic/enchantment effects)
• Psychic Crush (science - damage and stun the target)
• Mass Hysteria (science - like the Confusion spell)
• Synaptic Static (high science - cause failure chance for ALL psionics and spellcasting in AoE)

Telekinesis:

• Project Force (devotion - cause damage and push target away)
• Unhindered Mobility (devotion - chance (% or save) to overcome spells/effects that hinder movement)
• Immobilize (devotion - single-target Hold Person)
• Psychic Knife (devotion - create a psionic light saber sword )
• Inertial Barrier (devotion - telekinetic armor:personal AC + damage resistance bonuses)
• Detonate (science - force damage in a small AoE, and knock all enemies away from that point, plus Zone of Sweet Air effect)
• Animate Material (science - animate a lesser earth elemental-esque thing)
• Mass Immobilize (science - all enemies near the caster are subject to being Held)
• Kinetic Control (science - block one physical attack each round)
• Seismic Vibration (high science - like the Earthquake spell, but party-friendly)

Pyrokinesis:

• Static Discharge (devotion - electrical damage and chance to stun on touch)
• Solar Flash (devotion - like the False Dawn spell)
• Molecular Agitation (devotion - cause fire damage on melee attacks (troll killer))
• Energy Containment (devotion - resistance to energy damage)
• Psychic Combustion (devotion - like the Produce Fire priest spell
• Energy Modulation (science - allies do more energy damage, enemies do less)
• Freezing Precipitation (science - like the Ice Storm spell)
• Generate Lightning (science - like Chain Lightning but less damage)
• Negative Energy Inversion (science - blocks level drain and extra damage when striking undead)
• Energy Storm (high science - like the Storm of Vengeance HLA but no acid)

Biokinesis:

• Adrenaline Rush (devotion - increase strength and HP for a few rounds)
• Metabolic Acceleration (devotion - increases sped and APR for a few rounds)
• Body Purification (devotion - cure self of poison/disease)
• Bioregeneration (devotion - slowly regenerate health)
• Chemical Simulation (devotion - apply contact poison to an enemy)
• Empathic Transference (science - cure ally of poison/disease and apply regeneration)
• Visual Camouflage (science - sort of like improved invisibility)
• Dermal Carapace (science - AC bonus and stoneskin-esque effect)
• Biofeedback (science - damage resistance vs. physical, acid, and poison attacks)
• Bestial Metamorphosis (high science - shapeshift to greater werewolf)

Clairsentience:

• Object Reading (devotion - like the Identify spell)
• Aura Evaluation (devotion - like the Know Opponent spell, penalize target's AC/saves/DR)
• Insightful Strike (devotion - next attack will be a crit)
• Instinctive Precognition (devotion - get the edge in dice rolls, like the Luck spell)
• Remote Observation (devotion - like Farsight spell)
• Fate Link (science - cause stunning damage to everyone who damages you)
• Life Detection (science - sense invisible enemies)
• Danger Sense (science - prevent crits & backstabs, chance to dodge missiles, change to Evade AoE spells)
• Avoid Death (science - blocks instant death effects and can save against going below 1 hit point)
• Project Mind (high science - like Projected Image)

Metapsionic High Sciences:

• Ultrablast (telepathy + telekinesis: damage + stun + push away all enemies)
• Energy Construct (telepathy + pyrokinesis: create a fire elemental)
• Fission (telepathy + biokinesis: like Simulacrum)
• Clairvoyant Channeling (telepathy + clairsentience: use psionic powers without range limitation, e.g. through remote Observation)
• Atomic Disruption (telekinesis + pyrokinesis: like the Implosion HLA)
• Exoskeleton (telekinesis + biokinesis: effectively, shapechange into an Iron Golem)
• Elemental Composition (pyrokinesis + biokinesis: shapechange into a fire/water/electrical elemental)
• Dimensional Anchor (telekinesis + clairsentience: super-Free Action, including immunity to Imprison and Time Stop)
• Temporal Stasis Field (pyrokinesis + clairsentience: like Time Stop)
• Body Control (biokinesis + clairsentience: be totally immune to one damage type, which you can change every round)

 

Edited June 9, 2022 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

Question unrelated to powers: if this is to be moved to a wizard kit instead of a thief kit, that changes some things.  Wizards advance much more slowly, so the rate of learning powers is different from what I originally envisioned. Further, I designed this around a kit with other skills and abilities besides psionics - better thac0, some other skills, etc.  You're not meant to use psionic abilities every round.  But with a wizard kit... what else are you supposed to do?  Actual wizards can use wand and scrolls when they aren't casting spells; what should a psionicist do? 

A few possibilities jump out at me:

- Allow multiclasses.  Double the rate of learning powers, and allow psionicist/thieves and psionicist/fighters.  Single-class psions would advance faster but have no other skills to fall back on.

- Mandate multiclasses.  Make it a multidisciplinary kit.  The "Psionicist" would be a mage/thief, and the "Soulblade" would be a mage/fighter.  There would be no pure-class psion.  You would learn 2 powers/level instead of 1/level, so you could learn all powers by ~level 27.  But as a multiclass wizard it would take you a while to reach level 27.  Frankly. from a balance perspective this is very good.  It is only a bit weird that you couldn't find the psionicist except in the multiclass menus.  (Though, actually, I would probably put them in the single-class thief and fighter menus, and do a class change in-game.  i think.)

- Put the Psionicist in the Bard class. That solves the rate-of-advancement issue, and gives us the 'cast spell' button just like a wizard kit.  BUT it means no multiclassing and no dual-classing, which means no access to any thief skills other than Pick Pockets.  Which would remove some of the point of e.g. Camouflage and Danger Sense.

[subtledoctor]

Brief update: I have successfully ported the points system from the Mana Sorcerer over to this mod, resulting in a blended system.  I've updated a grand total of three (3) psi powers to the new system, but in a quick test they seem to work well.  I start out with 12 Psionic Strength Points (PSPs) and 8 hit points; at 2nd level I have 14 PSPs and 13 HPs.  I start knowing Mind Ward, and at 2nd level I can pick Sensory Synchronization and Id Insinuation.  These are all devotions so they cost 6 points each.  (Sciences cost 12 points, and high sciences cost 20 points.) 

I use Mind Ward, a maintainable power; and my PSPs drop from 14 to 8.  I cancel the power, and I get half the cost back, so now I have 11. I use Sensory Synchronization, also a maintainable power, and leave it active (note to self, need to add the portrait icon for that).  Now I have 5 PSPs.  I walk up to the nearest guard and use Id Insinuation against him; that costs 6 PSPs and I only have 5, so the ability draws from my own vitality, dropping my HP from 13/13 to 7/7.  (Note: it reduces my maximum HP, so drinking a potion of healing will not let me spam psi powers.  As far as the potion knows, I am at full health.)  The guard makes his save and now I have an angry guard after me and only 7 HPs!  He hits me with his quarterstaff for 5 damage, so now I am at 2/7 HPs.  I run away, and after a while, my health slowly comes back, 1 hp returning every 12 seconds.  Eventually the process finishes, and I am at 8/13 HPs.  I use Id Insinuation on the guard again* which brings me to 2/7 once again.  But thankfully he misses his save, goes all yellow-circle, and runs away.  I am safe for the moment, and can find a place to hide while I recover again.

* If I tried to use the power again immediately, while I had 2/7 hit points, it would technically knock me down to -4/1.  Dead!  But the damage dealt is 'non-lethal' damage, so instead of dying the power would short-circuit and I would fall unconscious with 1 HP. 

We can play around with the ideal number of PSPs and what powers should cost, but this is more or less my vision for the mod: you have enough PSPs to use powers sparingly, similar to how a wizard has limited daily spell slots; but in a pinch you can sacrifice your own health and make yourself vulnerable in order to exceed the normal limits. 

Now that my brief test shows that this actually works, all I have to do is remake 52 more powers to work with this new two-tiered point-cost system. 

[subtledoctor]

EDIT - now the system is giving me trouble for some reason. I’ve tried with several different stats, and I seem to be getting unreliable results with opcode 326. Having a fiendishly difficult time getting to to work reliably. I changed the system to use stat 33/opcode 95, and for some reason it was subtracting 1 from every stat change?? Bizarre. 

Maybe I need to use effect target 9 when the 326 check is in a subspell...? Maybe the ability target matters? It’s really hard to pin down where the problem is. 

EDIT -

I think I know a bit of what the problem is. At least when using stat 33. The spells that give you your PSPs at level-up are applied with timing mode 1, so they alter the base stat in the .cre file. The adjustments to the stat that have to happen every time you use an ability - use a Devotion, spend 6 PSPs, etc. - must be cancelable by opcode 321 when you rest, in order to reset your PSPs each morning. So those are applied using timing mode 0 or 9. Those don’t change the base stat, they stick on the .cre files as ongoing effects. That is good, since it means they can be canceled; but I think opcode 326 is ignoring them, and only checking the base stat. 

Result, at level 2 you have 15 PSPs. Use a devotion, it goes to 9. Use another devotion, it goes to 3. Now the next time you use a power it should see that you have < 6 PSPs, and deduct hit points instead. But it doesn’t. I surmise opcode 326 is reading the base stat and ignoring the recent adjustments, and so it thinks you still have 15 PSPs. 

EDIT 2 -

Nope, it was just a dumb typo.  Back on track!

EDIT 3 -

Aaaand, I think the Telepathy discipline is done.  From some testing around Candlekeep, it seems to be working great.  Next I'll move on to the Telekinesis discipline.

Edited February 3, 2020 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

Not getting much attention here... eh, I'll keep posting anyway.  I'm looking for specific feedback, about the Repulsion power.  The broad idea is, it's like an omnidirectional version of Project Force.  It can affect any enemy near the psion, instead of just one target.  It pushes enemies away quite forcefully, and can knock them down.  Can add a bit of damage or not, I'm agnostic about that.  The way I see it, there are three possible ways to implement this:

-- A single powerful, omnidirectional burst.  This is the most basic idea:  it would be very powerful, on par with dragons' breath, clearing everyone away from the psion and with a good chance to knock them down/do some damage. 

-- A focused, directed thrust.  This would use a cone-shaped projectile and thus allow the psion to control which enemies are effected and in which direction they are thrown.  This gives you the most control but also requires you to control it to use it effectively - not just the timing but the direction.  Given the more focused area of effect I would make this extremely strong and fairly damaging.

-- Repeated omnidirectional gusts.  This would be a maintainable power, with the Repulsion effect triggered every round in all directions.  This is the most hands-off version of the power; once you initiate it, it will keep happening with no further input from the player.  The idea here is, if you are surrounded then at least some of your enemies will get pushed away every 6 seconds, leaving fewer to damage you and giving you a bit of breathing room to handle the ones who make their saves. This would also be the cheapest way to use the ability, in terms of point cost: the same 10 points would get you theoretically unlimited gusts, versus just one for the former two possibilities.  Given these tactical benefits, I would make this the weakest version of the ability: move people a short distance away, but no damage and probably not even any knockdown chance.

So... what do you think?  Which tool would you rather have in your arsenal, if you were a telekinetic?

EDIT -

Second question, regarding Otiluke's Sphere: what about splitting the difference between Otiluke's and Maze?  I.e. by making the effect almost automatic.  Something like: give it a -10 penalty to the saving throw to avoid it.  Then from the third round onward, give another chance to save to escape the effect, with the penalty getting better each round - save at -8 to escape in the 4th round, save at -6 to escape in the 5th round, at -4 in the 6th round, -2 in the 7th round, no penalty in the 8th round, a +2 bonus in the 9th round, and a +4 bonus in the 10th round.  Then the effect would end after 10 rounds, regardless.

Like the SR and EE versions of Otiluke's, I would make it be purely protective for allies - no save at all, and maybe allow them to do things like drink potions and cast self-targeted spells (if I can work out how to implement that), and maybe even give them an innate ability to remove the sphere when they are ready to come out.

Thoughts?  This is an ability you can get as early as 5th level (with a multiclass wizard, so ~6th level for normal folks)... but it's also a mid-/high-power ability, meant to be used all the way through TOB. 

Edited February 4, 2020 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

The question is really for players: which of those three options sounds more fun to play?  I can balance it either way.

In any event, now that the hybrid system is actually working, this is looking more likely to actually be made.  I've created the Sensory Synchronization and Material Animation and Energy Modulation powers, and I've converted the Telepathy, Telekinesis, and Pyrokinesis disciplines to use the hybrid system.  I still need to make the mod's version of the Produce Flame spell, which for some reason I could never make work so far.  And figure out Repulsion and make the new Otilukes-analogue spell.  Then convert the Biokinesis and Clairsentience and Metapsionics powers, and make the Heightened Senses, Aura Evaluation, and Fate Link abilities.  Then... testing and fixing and playing.

[subtledoctor]

On 2/4/2020 at 10:10 AM, subtledoctor said:

the Repulsion power.  ...  there are three possible ways to implement this:

-- A single powerful, omnidirectional burst.  This is the most basic idea:  it would be very powerful, on par with dragons' breath, clearing everyone away from the psion and with a good chance to knock them down/do some damage. 

-- A focused, directed thrust.  This would use a cone-shaped projectile and thus allow the psion to control which enemies are effected and in which direction they are thrown.  This gives you the most control but also requires you to control it to use it effectively - not just the timing but the direction.  Given the more focused area of effect I would make this extremely strong and fairly damaging.

-- Repeated omnidirectional gusts.  This would be a maintainable power, with the Repulsion effect triggered every round in all directions.  This is the most hands-off version of the power; once you initiate it, it will keep happening with no further input from the player.  The idea here is, if you are surrounded then at least some of your enemies will get pushed away every 6 seconds, leaving fewer to damage you and giving you a bit of breathing room to handle the ones who make their saves. This would also be the cheapest way to use the ability, in terms of point cost: the same 10 points would get you theoretically unlimited gusts, versus just one for the former two possibilities.  Given these tactical benefits, I would make this the weakest version of the ability: move people a short distance away, but no damage and probably not even any knockdown chance.

Just thought of a 4th option: make it omnidirectional from a targeted point... in other words, basically make it into the DnD 'Detonate' power.  Something like, at a given point:

• 2d6 damage to all within 15 feet
• wing buffet/knockdown effect knocking people away from the chosen point
• zone of sweet air centered on the target point
• golems, earth elementals, and corporeal undead take double damage (or something)
• noncorporeal beings are immune to the effects

Technically, the PnP power has to be targeted at an object or construct or corporeal undead - not just at a point on the floor, like you can do in BG.  I'm not sure if that's possible, but even if it was, it would severely limit the usefulness of this power.

Of course, that is basically just a modified Fireball spell.  It would not be party friendly, so the point of it would just be to bomb enemies - you would lose the ability to clear the local vicinity of enemies to give your party some breathing room.

[subtledoctor]

Well, I jimmied up a playtestable version, and... golly gee, there are a lot of things to fix.  Like, everything needs fixing. 

[subtledoctor]

13 hours ago, Arthas said:

I read about the forth power option you put up, but when you just said it was a modified fireball, it kinda crushed my expectations. o.o

I mean, as far as tactics, right?  You pick a spot on the ground at visual distance, and it does quick damage/effects to everyone within an AoE.

I actually think I might go with that option, though.  Just because it is a classic PnP power.  Either that or the directed cone. I need to see if I can execute a 'Zone of Sweet Air" effect with a cone-shaped projectile.  (I need to see if there is a cone-shaped projectile that works with this concept.)  Right now the mod still has Mass Immobilize for the "Oh poop, we're surrounded, disable everyone near me!" ability.  Then that may or may not be replaced with the Otiluke's variant, which would mean your 'oh crap, I need to disable an attacker, quick!" power would need to be targeted instead of AoE.  Which I think I'm okay with.

Now I'm having a bit of trouble with the PSPs system.  The kit needs four variants of every ranged power: 1 that uses PSPs, 1 that uses hit points, 1 that uses PSPs and has unlimited range, and 1 that uses hit points and has unlimited range.  And every time you use a power it needs to deduct the proper number of PSPs (if any), then calculate your remaining PSPs, then give you the appropriate number of instances of the appropriate version of each ability.  Lots of opcode 318/326 gates.  For some reason it isn't being done in a uniform fashion.

Also I don't understand why I can never, ever, in like three years of trying, get the Produce Fire spell to work in this system.  It's driving me batty.  EDIT - holy crap it’s working! I can’t believe it! 

Edited February 7, 2020 by subtledoctor

[subtledoctor]

Regarding how this will look in-game: right now it is a mage/thief kit, where the mage side of things encompasses your development as a psionicist.  I'll make a fighter/mage version, too.  You have no actual wizardly abilities; it just needs to use a caster class, with access to the "cast spell" UI button.

But the more I think about it, the more I think I'll make it a cleric kit instead.  That way you could have a thief/psionicist, a fighter/psionicist, or a ranger/psionicist.  Even, perhaps, a mage/psionicist.  No cleric/psionicist because, well, like I say it has to be a caster class so we have to give up either cleric/psionicist or mage/psionicist.  Can add some hand-wavy fluff about how psionicist are skeptics and tend toward being atheistic; getting power from within precludes relying on a deity for it. Yadda yadda.  I think it works. 

That also make for better thac0 and HP progression, which should be middle-of-the-road for a psionicist.  You need to be able to be effective while not using psionic powers;  the current version, a mage/thief, just isn't.  On the cleric XP table, you could learn 3 powers every 2 levels, so it would take you to about level 35 to master all five disciplines. 

I still have some hope I can allow you to take the kit from the single-class thief or fighter menus, instead of wading through the multiclass menus.  Fingers crossed!

Edited February 7, 2020 by subtledoctor

[Lauriel]

This sounds really interesting.  My first online RP game I played a 'Psion' - or whatever they were called.  Bunches of years ago.  I always liked the concept.  It would be something that I think would lend itself to RP very easily with a Bhaal-spawn.  We get all sorts of other powers that we're not sure where they come from, why not a whole class of them?  Love it! 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Lauriel
Fixed typos

[subtledoctor]

On 2/7/2020 at 4:14 PM, subtledoctor said:

Regarding how this will look in-game: right now it is a mage/thief kit, where the mage side of things encompasses your development as a psionicist.  I'll make a fighter/mage version, too.  You have no actual wizardly abilities; it just needs to use a caster class, with access to the "cast spell" UI button.

But the more I think about it, the more I think I'll make it a cleric kit instead.  That way you could have a thief/psionicist, a fighter/psionicist, or a ranger/psionicist.  Even, perhaps, a mage/psionicist.  No cleric/psionicist because, well, like I say it has to be a caster class so we have to give up either cleric/psionicist or mage/psionicist.  Can add some hand-wavy fluff about how psionicist are skeptics and tend toward being atheistic; getting power from within precludes relying on a deity for it. Yadda yadda.  I think it works. 

That also make for better thac0 and HP progression, which should be middle-of-the-road for a psionicist.  You need to be able to be effective while not using psionic powers;  the current version, a mage/thief, just isn't.

Except, I just remembered that this would mean subjecting psionicists to the dumb cleric weapon restrictions.  Damn.  At least mage/thief and fighter/mage don't pick up the single-class mage restrictions.  So my options are:

1. Make the Psionicist a multiclass wizard kit, making for slow progression, few hit points, and crappy thac0
2. Make the Psionicist a multiclass cleric kit, and have dumb weapon restrictions for... reasons
3. Make the Psionicist a multiclass cleric kit, and attempt to mess with the item restriction flags for multiclass clerics to allow psions to use edged weapon while other multiclass clerics retain the normal restrictions.

#3 can be done... but it would be a bit dangerous, compatibility-wise. 

EDIT -

Maybe just tack on an optional component: "allow multiclass clerics to use edged weapons?" so the player can make the universal change if they want to.

Edited February 9, 2020 by subtledoctor

[Lauriel]

Are base classes hard coded?  But I can see the brainiacs being peaceniks.  I think cleric would fit.  Someone who's more cerebral wouldn't be all into sharp pointy objects.

EDIT: My goodness I messed up that sentence.  I really should wait until I'm fully awake before posting.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Lauriel
Fixed typos

[subtledoctor]

18 hours ago, Arthas said:

Maybe that's not feasible or the concept won't match your expectations, but I don't expect the psion I "envision" able to use weapons and armors. He should only rely on his own abilities to survive out there - it should be really really tough when you start at level 1 and become easier as you level up (e.g monk).

Yeah, I can see the archetype of a psionicist as super intellectual (even more than mages, maybe) and being limited to club/staff/sling or whatever.  However, there is the fact that one of the signature psionic powers lets you summon a super-sharp glowing psionic scimitar.  And in the old PnP sourcebooks, psionicists could use more or less any weapon, because why not?  This version of psionicists is not going to be blasting away with psionic powers every round; you won't have enough PSPs.  So you'll be doing other things a lot of the time - probably using missile weapons with a thief/psion, simply fighting with a fighter/psion, etc.  Arbitrarily limiting those activities to cleric weapons is just annoying, to me.  I will probably do one of two things:

1) Make psions a multiclass wizard kit.  This will mean you can be a thief/psion or a fighter/psion.  Your psion levels will advance slowly, you will learn 2 powers per level, and your thac0 and HP will be pretty crappy.

2) Make psions a multiclass cleric kit.  You can have a thief/psion, a fighter/psions, or a ranger/psion (and maaaaybe a mage/psion).  Your psion levels will advance pretty quickly, and you will learn 3 powers every 2 levels.  Your thec0 and HP will be pretty decent.  You will be limited to cleric weapons BUT I'll add a very simple and broad component that lets all multiclass clerics use any weapons that their other class can use.

Notwithstanding all of that, I think they will be limited to leather armor (and maybe elven chain), based on the idea that you cannot effectively use mind powers when encased within steel mail.

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Also, maybe it's a bit premature request, but there should be some rings\amulet\helms-headgem artifact to be found inside the mind flayer area.

I don't have any plans (currently) for gear with while-equipped effects.  And the nature of this system makes that kind of difficult.  (Although... I just got a really interesting idea... ). I'm adding a few minor effects to potions though: the Potion of Clarity and Potion of Power will give you some extra PSPs to spend, and the Illithid Brine Potion will give you a major bonus.  The other big thing, item-wise, is adding immunity to telepathy to Psion's Blade.  And that's important because...

Psionic enemies will be changed to use these psionic powers instead of their existing pseudo-wannabe-fake-psionic magical powers.  This basically means, mind flayers and the halflings in the Planar Sphere.  Bioware actually did a pretty good job of making the Athasian halfling psionicist play like a psionicist... but this will adapt him even more and make his psionics work within this system.  Mind flayer psionics are kind of dumb in BG2, with basically a single wannabe 'Symbol: Stun' power; now they will use these abilities.  These abilities are weaker than the generic BG2 "Psionic Blast," but they are more variable.  You won't be able to lean on Chaotic Commands anymore, because that won't protect you when the illithid hits you with Immobilize or Detonate or Psychic Combustion.  And when they do use Psychic Crush (the stun power) against you, it has a chance to dispel your Chaotic Commands.    (EDIT - I think I might also have illithids use some psionic defenses as well, like Inertial Barrier and Carapace.  Just so that the "hit 'em in the head 'til he's dead!" tactic won't work quite as well.)

Hopefully the result will move mind flayers out of the category of being either impossible or a cakewalk, and into the sweet spot of enemies you can really strive against.  But I'm not particularly doing any encounter redesign; I'm just inserting a few of my psionic powers into SPIN974 and SPIN959 etc.

As far as progress: I've fixed all the early problems I found with psionic powers, and I have the basic PSP system working and the thief/psion class working.  (I think it would be weird to have to go to the cleric/thief menu to play this kit, because while it uses the cleric class and XP table, it is not a cleric.  So I have it working where you choose the kit from the single-class thief menu, and then convert it to a thief/psion in-game.)  I have the item changes done.  So what's left to do is:

1. Make the changes described above to the enemy psionic abilities
2. Add the fighter/psion and ranger/psion kits
3. Add the 'liberalize multiclass cleric weapons" component
4. Test some of the higher-level abilities.
5. EDIT - maybe, eventually, add wild talents to the game.

So there should be a playable version pretty soon. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by subtledoctor