From: [j--a--n] at [nslsilus.org] (Aardy R. DeVarque)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: SUPPLEMENT: AD&D: CharPoints for Psionics
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: 20 Aug 1995 12:52:48 -0400
This article is intended for use with the new psionics system presented in
the Player's Option: Skills and Powers book. It is meant to allow psionicist
characters to be created using the new character point system introduced in
that book. Players and DMs need a copy Skills and Powers to use the material
below, since this article does not list the Psionicist experience point
table, THAC0 advancement chart, or any other material found in that book,
except where such information is listed differently using the system below
than as presented in Skills and Powers.
Comments, criticisms,
suggestions, etc. are welcome, and should be directed to:
Karl Garrison
[Karlos G] at [msn.com]
Disclaimer: Player's Option and DM are registered
trademarks of TSR, Inc., and have been used without permission. Any other
trademarks in the article below have been used unintentionally, and such use
should not be regarded as a challenge to such status.
---------------------------------------------------------
Psionicists
recieve 30 character points with which to
purchase class abilities. Any
unspent points may be used
to by nonweapon proficiencies and traits, or may
be saved
for use later during play.
A standard psionicist spends his
points to acquire the
following abilities: base PSPs (5), enchantment/charm
resistance (10), and followers (5).
---------------------------------------------------------
- Armored
psionicist (15): A psionicist may use his powers while wearing the armor of
his choice.
- Base PSPs (15/25): The psionicist begins play with 15 PSPs,
plus any bonuses points due to high ability scores (see Table 74 in Skills
and Powers). If this is purchased as a 25-point ability, this base amount
increases to 25.
- Combat bonus (10): A psionicist attacks using the
priest THAC0 chart.
- Enchantment/charm resistance (10): The psionicist
gains a +2 to all saving throws vs. enchantment/charm spells.
-
Discipline Focus (10): The psionicists gains a +2 bonus to his MTHAC0 rolls
when using powers in his primary discipline.
- Extra attack mode (10): A
psionicist may begin play with once extra attack mode. He will always have
one more than a psionicist of the same level would normally have (up to a
maximum of 5).
- Extra defense mode (5): A psionicist may begin play with
once extra defense mode. He will always have one more than a psionicist of
the same level would normally have (up to a maximum of 5).
- Followers
(5/10): The psionicist may gain followers at 9th-level, as described in
Skills and Powers. If this is chosen as a 10 point ability, he may gain
followers at any level, provided that he has build a sanctuary.
- Hit
point bonus (10): The psionicist rolls 1d8 to determine hit points rather
than 1d6.
- Psionicist generalist (15): The psionicist has no major
discipline, and may choose from two disciplines at first level. He will
always have access to one more discipline than a psionicist of equal level
(up to a maximim of five). Since he has no major discipline, he may gain
sciences and devotions in any discipline he knows without the usual
restrictions (see p. 154 in skills and Powers).
- Warrior hit point bonus
(5): The psionicist may gain the hit point benefits of an exceptional
Constitution/Fitness score as if he were a warrior (as opposed to a miximum
of +2 to his hit die rolls).
- Weapon specialization (15): The psionicist
may specialize in a particular weapon. The character point cost must be met
in addition.
Optional Restrictions:
- Discipline penalty (5/15): The
psionicist has a -1 penalty to his MTHAC0 roll when using powers that do not
belong to his primary discipline. If this is chosen as a 15-point
restriction, then he also may not learn any sciences outside of his major
discipline (devotions may be learned normally, however).
- Limited
magical item use (5+): The psionicist disdains and distrusts magical items,
preferring the powers of the mind, and refuses to use certain categories of
magical items. For each category that is barred to him he gains 5 character
points. The categories are: potions, oils, and scrolls; rings, rods, staves,
and wands; miscellaneous magical items; weapons and armor.
- No armor
(5): The psionicist may not wear armor. He still may use shields normally.
Psionicists and Subabilities:
Psionicists with high scores in
Wisdom, Constitution, and Intelligence gain certian benefits, such as bonuses
to their PSPs, better MAC and MTHAC0s, etc. If the optional subability
system is used, then use the Willpower subability in place of Wisdom, Health
in place of Constitution, and Reason in place of Intellegence. These three
substats may also be used to determine the chance that a chatacter of another
class is a wild talent.
Character Points and Wild Talents:
A
character may become a wild talent by spending racial character points to
gain a psionic wild talent. This means that characters develop their psionic
talents at the expense of other racial abilities. The base cost is listed on
Table 1 below:
Table 1: Character Point Costs for Wild Talents
Type
of Character Cost*
Human 10
Human Crossbreed**
15
Nonhuman 20
Wizard or Priest 20
* This
may be reduced if the character has a high percent chance to become a wild
talent. If this chance is 5% or more, then the character point cost drops by
5 points. The penalty for wizards, priests, and nonhumans does not apply
here. The cost may not be reduced below 10 character points.
** Half-elf,
half-orc or half-ogre
If more than one category applies, then use the
most expensive category. Note that certain race/class combinations (such as
a human mage) will not have enough points to purchase a wild talent, and may
only have them if they roll for them using the normal rules.
If a
character does not choose this ability, then he still is allowed to roll to
see if he is a wild talent, as per the normal rules. Note that players may
only make this roll *after* they decide not to buy a wild talent using
character points.
Character Points and Psionicist Nonweapon
Proficiencies
The psionicist gains 6 character points to spend on
nonweapon proficiencies, and he may choose these from the General and
Psionicist groups at normal cost. He may gain extra character points due to
a high reason score, or by selecting disadvantages like any other character.
The proficiencies below are unique to the psionics chapter in Skills and
Powers, and are presented here in standard Skills and Powers format. Refer
to the Skills and Powers book for descriptions.
Proficiency Cost
Initial Rating Ability
Contact 3 8
Wisdom/Willpower
Harness Subconscous 4 5
Wisdom/Willpower,
Constitution/Health
Meditative Focus 3 7
Wisdom/Willpower,
Intellegence/Reason
Rejuvenation 3 6
Wisdom/Willpower
Psionicists and Weapon Proficiencies
Psionicists
gain 6 character points with which to purchase weapon proficiencies. The
costs in character points for a psionicist are listed below:
- Psionicist
gaining proficiency in a psionicist weapon: 3
- Psionicist gaining
proficiency in a thief or priest weapon: 4
- Psionicist gaining
proficiency in a warrior weapon: 5
- Designating a weapon of choice: 2
- Gaining expertise with a weapon: 4*
- Gaining weapon specialization
with a weapon: 8**
* If the weapon is already a weapon of choice for the
psionicist, then the cost is one point less.
** This assumes that the
psionicist has chosen the "weapon specialization" ability, and is at least
7th level.
Psionicist fighting styles: one-handed weapon, weapon and
shield, mussle, and thrown-weapon.