[Starfinder] Dreamscarred Press Announces: the Psionics Guide Playtest

[TheRagi]

Glad to be of any help. I love psionics since AD&D, and was very impressed with Dreamscarred Press take on Pathfinder.

Looking forward to see this book ready.

--

This one I found when building the character - probably didn't catch it before due to reviewing in separate parts:

"Chassis Function [1st Level]: At 1st, 7th, and 15th level, you gain a chassis function unique to your selected chassis"

The Aegis table also has chassis functions at these levels, but on all the Chassis descriptions the functions come at 1st, 9th and 15th.

[drafghast]

"Chassis Function [1st Level]: At 1st, 7th, and 15th level, you gain a chassis function unique to your selected chassis"

The Aegis table also has chassis functions at these levels, but on all the Chassis descriptions the functions come at 1st, 9th and 15th.

Good find - this one was an artifact from a past version. The correct progression is 1st, 7th, and 15th level for the chassis functions.

[MythMage]

Glad to see psionics making its way to the land of science fantasy! At the request of some contributors, I've got some critiques.

Regarding the races:

The blue seems a little overpowered as a skill monkey; it's pretty generally better than an android or a lashunta.

The duergar's reaction seems like it would be good enough if it worked like normal (like the standard for reroll abilities described in the CRB on page 243, where you have to use it before the GM says whether the roll failed or succeeded), rather than this better version that you get to use after you know you failed.

The elan's resilience seems rather strong and easy to misread. It shouldn't stack with DR or energy resistance, and it should only let you spend 1 PP at a time just as the resistance trait does (although it might scale a little faster then).

The forgeborn's constructed line should be reworded to be in line with the pseudo-errata FAQ Paizo applied to the android.

As an editorial thing, the half-giant entry is really inconsistent about perspective and pluralization ("a half-giant"/"half-giants"/"you")

The half-giant's acclimation bonus against environments needs a type, and should be smaller if it's meant to stack with Toughness.

Size doesn't affect AC or combat maneuvers in Starfinder, so the mighty stature ability shouldn't affect them either. The half giants're getting an awful lot as it is even without it.

Maenad's outburst bonus should have a type. It also mentions a free action; I'd just say that it can continue without using an action.

The xeph looks a little over-strong compared to the bantrid and the dwarf, the two most similar published races.

In general, your races just seem a little better than what's in the core books. They have more features, and get lots of bonuses. Few races in Starfinder have more than four features, and most of these have six. They're mostly small, so it won't make a meaningful balance difference in most games, but it is something folks will quickly notice when there's just more things being handed out.

As a general design principle, I encourage you to remove some of those bonuses, and replace a few with more mechanically interesting features. As an example, you could remove Naturally Psionic as a feature and simply indicate that these races often take psionic classes or give them features activated or improved with PP or psionic focus. The elan would need to keep 1 or 2 free PP, so it wouldn't really help with that race, but the others I think would be improved that way.

[MythMage]

Aegis class thoughts:

The balance of the rest of the game revolves around a 1-3 point gap between KAC and EAC. The astral suit astral armor should grant a 1 higher bonus to KAC.

The astral juggernaut should also grant a 1 higher bonus to KAC and 1 lower bonus to EAC.

Astral shields is cool, but should probably require a move action to activate. (At the very least, you need to change the mention of "free action" to "swift action"—it might be okay not costing an action if you didn't upgrade it, but all of the improvements in the chasses make it do enough that it really needs to eat an action and prevent full attacking).

The skill check DC for customizations that call for an enemy to make a skill check should add your whole aegis level, but mind that a skill check will generally be failed if the enemy is untrained regardless of whether you make this change.

Invigorating Suit should be worded to avoid stacking with Toughness.

Air mode should list a speed, rather than scaling with base land speed. A high land speed is already one of the best features a race can have. The insight bonus to AC should not scale with level. Almost no bonuses to AC or attacks should ever scale, really. I recommend against even having an AC bonus here; consider an RP-free maneuverability improvement instead, at the least at a higher level, or a new non-numerical benefit.

Ground mode likewise really shouldn't be boosting your AC that high. Consider giving some RP-free terrain ignoring or a new, non-numerical benefit.

References to free actions pop up all over the aegis, mostly in the chasses, and need to be removed (since that's not a term in SF). If it doesn't cost an action, it's not an action at all, but most of these should be swift or move actions because they grant mechanical bonuses. The main exceptions could be things that don't grant bonuses that are spending RP or PP as part of another action, like Dance of Mischief's full attack upgrade.

Overcharge is a beautiful, crazy delight, but it's too strong to start and only gets worse over time. It should wear off before the next combat (probably 1 minute), and be capped at about three upgrades.

Absorb suit is also cool, but doesn't need to punish you so hard. I'd let them put on their other astral suit as soon as they spend the actions to do so, rather than forcing them to wait a minute.

I'd make Rapid Refit a move action at 13th level, so you can use the new thing in the current round. You're spending an RP, which should give you a benefit in the same round.

The chasses are giving an awful lot of abilities tightly clumped at a few levels. It's probably fine because they're mostly RP and PP sinks rather than always-on things, but it will look a bit busy and powerful to casual readers.

All of the chassis 1st-level abilities that grant bonuses need those bonuses to be insight of +1 or +2 and shouldn't scale or use an extra stat (compare to soldier fighting styles and gear boosts). This helps prevent stacking with other classes.

The Forward Battery astral turret should allow a save or require an attack roll. This is another reason why the shields need to take an action to activate: otherwise, this would basically be onslaught that's more accurate but ten levels early that stacks with onslaught.

Veil of bullets doesn't wow me for being 15th level. I'd increase the range.

Customizations: Again, bonuses should almost never scale with level in Starfinder and should generally be insight from a class unless it takes an action or unreliable circumstance to produce. They should improve in more interesting ways, like a situational bonus becoming more common or reducing the problems from unfavorable conditions and situations. Scaling damage or healing is reasonable, though.

Adhesive feet should take a reaction to keep you on your feet automatically.

Evasion is too good with the improvement. That should take a second customization or something.

Diehard is cool.

Hardy: SF doesn't do ability score bonuses from anything other than the specific items very intentionally. I'd think very carefully before including this, and including the level scaling is definitely over the line.

Retribution is probably too good. I'd move that to a later level.

Speed is probably scales too fast; I don't think I'd scale it at all, actually. I'd tone it down even if it didn't let you double it.

On the precedent of the feat, I'd give energy resistance at a rate equal to base attack bonus for friendlier multiclassing and less jerky progression.

I'd split Stubborn into two separate upgrades, one for each stat, but I know there's a lot of inertia on that. At the least I'd bump it to a higher level.

Deep vision is bonkers. It should cost PP or be a higher level or be an imprecise sense. Compare to the mystic's emotion sense.

Energy blast is a fantastic feel-good. So is Extra Armaments. I'd move them a little lower.

Reach could stand to be considerably lower. It's far less useful in this system.

Extra Passenger doesn't give creatures outside the same cover relative to the passenger?

Fortification is less exciting in a system where only 5% of hits can ever crit. I'd suggest making it protect against more things in this system and/or lower the level.

Archetype:

The psiblade doesn't really excite me when it's just a bonus feat package, but the feat is cool.

Mighty Mindblade is hard to balance (it should probably work like a heavy weapon with those dice) and pretty bland as a pinnacle of mindblade ability.

Feats:

Mind Blade!: a two-feat tree is smart, but a feat to not buy a weapon is pretty untrodden ground balance-wise.

Psionic Talent is the psionics equivalent of 3e Toughness: fine at 1st level and either useless or a tax shortly thereafter. I recommend taking a note from SF Toughness and combine it with another staple to make something worth having all of the time. However, once it's as useful as a real feat, you really need to bring the races that use it under control somehow (see above for a previous comment on that topic).

Maybe fold in gaining psionic focus as a standard action, and then combine Psionic Meditation with Battle Trance? A feat that only does something when you spend RP is pretty costly; in more than one place, you get a standard version of something and an option to do it even faster for RP in the same package.

[BRKNdevil]

My current questions are how do mindblades interact with fusions
How the Soulknife Archetype works with the Armor Solarian, and especially the Fusion that converts Cha bonus to damage

I mean, if your weapon can be declared as anything, you could declare that its a solarian weapon and then add the appropriate fusion for a more SAD or generally Less MAD Solarian which means more points in Int and less ******* around outside of combat

Also, how do you currently view balance in comparison the Mechanist, Soldier, Envoy, and Solarian in terms of combat in Space and in Person, and Skill usage for outside of combat?

I'm not including the Operative because its... sort of unbalanced for out of combat stuff

Side note: Charisma, the least useful stat outside of declaring I'm a Sexy Beast

[BRKNdevil]

Huh, never really considered that word a curse, but okay.

Also, Attachments, from Armory, how do they interact with those?

Edit: And Proficiency, Do they need to already have proficiency in the Weapon type with the Advanced Mind blade Longarms and such or does Mind Blade give Auto Prof?

[MythMage]

On the specialist:

Overall, this class is going to be more swingy to play than an operative, since it's getting better damage boosts but worse accuracy boosts. Should be cool and interesting to those who like operative, but it's also going to feel simply better once you start accumulating hobbyist proofs (you should probably get one or the other at the levels you're currently awarding one of each). In terms of flavor, I'm getting a vague sense of what you mean (these are like psychic chaos-theory-junky spies), but I need better introduction to what you mean by "pattern" and why these folks are using the terminology of dreams.

Pattern disruption is just so darn cool. It should probably specify the devastating fusion and similar effects don't apply to this fake crit, though. Doubly so when synergistic attunement rolls around.

Advanced synergy means you're just flatly better than an operative at these skills if you sink the feat. Undercutting another core class's main draw is a big, giant red flag. I strongly recommend bumping this up to about 7th but accelerate the improvement. Also, this class should really be granting some free Skill Synergy feats to use this feature, much as operative does.

Limited prescience sounds like you're manipulating time a lot more directly than just glimpsing the future. I like the mechanic! However, it's too easy to get your psionic focus back for that to be the only cost; else you come close to making it so your whole party effectively has +5 on the skill checks you're trained in, and you only need 1 rank! This is the sort of thing that should at the least cost RP.

Focused disruption has some wonky wording and maths out comparable to a solarian's flashing strikes without the attack type restriction. This is a rather sudden jump in damage; some sort of step toward it, such as a level at which you get a critical hit but lose out on the critical effect and/or weapon specialization would be good for the mid-level play. I also worry about a crit-optimized heavy weapon (just a couple feats away) with this class's other abilities to add damage critical effects. This also gives far better range than a solarian gets, which concerns me.

Disrupting echo is elegant, but swingy. Something more reliable but with a more sane damage potential might be prudent.

Context erasure is super cool, but feels like a worse transcendence in too many ways. You need a little something more at 19th level, either in this feature or in the inclinations.

Morphean's rhythmic focus should probably require a reaction and that the effect come from a significant enemy.

Proofs:

Detect correlation doesn't give an action. That's a really big area and potentially trap-ruining levels of detail on connections.

Magical tolerance: You shouldn't generally have much in the way of scaling bonuses on saving throws, attack rolls, or AC in Starfinder.

Show the Work: Rather than increasing your bonus by an amount, this should increase the bonus you grant to +3 or +4 (so it doesn't stack with other increases). Based on the precedent of other bonuses, +4 is hard to justify but I think aid could use the love.

Write the book should probably only let you have one in existence. Otherwise this quickly means other characters' skill modifiers just don't matter most of the time.

Ad nauseum: Most bleed and burn just last until they are stopped. Does this mean you keep bleeding/burning after being healed/doused?

Autohypnotic Endurance: I'd just apply this to saves to end ongoing effects. If you want it this open-ended, I'd make it require a reaction and up the RP cost to 2.

High-yield explosives should probably specify they are a form of weapon specialization in case of the publication of similar abilities elsewhere.

Infer causation: 6th level is too low for blindsight, especially if it's bundled with good blindsense (and this is the best there is if this is meant to be some sort of pure matter-sight). Cleave off the blindsight for a separate proof and raise the level of the blindsense unless you specify a sense that can be foiled or limited in some meaningful way. You need to specify what kind of sense your are so good with in any case.

Technopathic hacking is cool, but I'd peg it as a minimum of move action unless you spend RP or PP to cut it down to a swift action.

Custom gear should clarify that it's only letting you exceed the item level limit of the fusion seal, not the fusion level limit of the weapon (you did say that, but due to how similar the terms are I think emphasis is vital for clarity). This can mean nearly free fusions at a certain point, so I suggest stress-testing this aggressively.

Establish Trend: Just the blindsight would be pushing it at 10th level; just the blindsense or just the auto-search would be solid. Compare to the mystic's greater emotionsense. You also need to specify what sense this is.

Life support failure is cool but really niche. A little more applicability would go a long way here.

I like obfuscate.

Rippling waltz is really cool, and could be 6th level without being too good (compare the force soles in the Armory).

Impossible arc needs to list the amount of the arc damage and should clarify if you mean it to trigger alongside its other critical effects. If it stacks, it very much needs to not be cumulative with any other means of getting a second crit effect. I'd stress-test this carefully even then; it smells too strong to me.

I don't like prophetic defiance because I don't like automatic success or failure period, but that's a matter of taste.

Ripple and sway should either do less or allow a save.

Bookworm: It's not normally possible to take 20 on a check to recall knowledge, and for good reason. Just letting you "take 15" would be a very solid ability. As written, the recall knowledge half doesn't do anything except in the vanishingly rare circumstance you're allowed to just retry a recall knowledge on a failure; on the research half, taking 20 in half the time is probably not enough without also making recall knowledge better.

Burn the evidence is kind of interesting. Does it also impair identifying a corpse? Since speed seems to be a major draw, I'd knock the action down to a standard. The increase should be flat, not scaling, so probably +4. To help it not be so niche, I recommend adding some sort of benefit when sundering and when attacking objects.

Eternity code is neat but niche. Again, scaling bonus (especially one based on an ability score) is unnecessarily hard to balance. Just make that +4 as well. It's pretty niche, so I recommend adding some little benefit that applies in other circumstances; perhaps to do with hacking or hybrid items, or adding flexibility to the functionality of the the item you modified?

Double tap is too good. Maybe it could count as harrying fire or knock the target flat-footed by expending psionic focus, but level-based bonus damage that stacks with weapon specialization is much too much.

Field fleshcrafting could use a little more pizzazz. Maybe spend PP to restore a little Stamina too?

I'm Holding the Detonator is an awful lot of damage to lay down as a swift action. It's also a lot to give without expending a real grenade; this should probably have a PP cost reflecting the potency of the grenade you make.

Cascade failure's penalty shouldn't grow beyond -4 and shouldn't stack with conditions like sickened and off-target (can it just be off-target that adds sickened on a failure?). Most importantly, it needs to require a move action each round to maintain such a severe penalty that effectively stacks with whatever bonuses you have going up against those penalized numbers.

Cold case should probably also have a flat bonus. I'm not a fan of the Stealth bonus when the class already has operative-quality bonus on Stealth if they want it; something cool like an interaction with blindsight or blindsense would feel more psionic as well as being more interesting and less difficult to balance.

Reality code is neat.

Augmentation enthusiast could probably be lower-level.

Flee the scene is fun. I'd like to see a lower-level version that only lets you Stealth while observed until the end of your next turn.

Go loud either needs to limit the sum of the grenade's levels to your level or it needs to be a standard action. In either case, it needs to cost PP if you're not going to make them spend real grenades.

IFF Override needs to keep you from targeting the same individual again for 24 hours.

Overwatch mastery is far too good for the action economy, given the damage will always be a huge deal. Maybe if you have to spend a move action on the previous turn "entering overwatch", or a swift action if you spend 1 RP?

I really like adaptive ammunition, but psionic focus isn't a resource that can ever properly pay for something that lasts for more than a few rounds. Either it also needs to cost PP or that should be a change that lasts for at most 1 minute.

Concealed weapons specialist is plenty without Quick Draw.

Elude surveillance doesn't need a bonus. A better idea is to riff off of one of the earlier ablities here: instead, let them automatically know when they are being digitally observed, and an automatic check without an action to notice surveillance tech within, say, 60 feet.

Get out alive feels weird when it tempts you to trigger your defensive ability to sneak through a trap. I'd have that aspect require the other specialist ability that lets you avoid triggering traps.

Gun Down: Again, adding your level in damage on top of weapon specialization is really hard to afford. This should at least require expending psionic focus.

Keep it down is neat!

Assassin's refusal is really good. I'd make the specialist staggered and/or off-target until the end of their next turn, to compensate for the standard action they never spent.

Improved ectoplasmic ammunition shouldn't last long enough to be used after an 8-hour rest.

Killer instinct is really, really good. This should probably have a prerequisite or cost RP.

Clone system just lets you automatically disregard countermeasures like a shock grid? I'd like this better as a lower-level ability that only copied info you had access to. Again, psionic focus doesn't really pay for a benefit that lasts more than a few rounds. A day-long copy should probably cost 1 RP.

Disengage could probably be a lower level. It should specify you can't use it to move farther than your speed.

Psychoportive shot could either be lower level or take no penalty.

Diva lifestyle needs a type for its bonuses and seems like too much for its level. Also, the flavor text could help set up the name better.

Empathic coordination should at least require you to also expend your psionic focus and spend the same action(s) required for the skill check. If they're getting your bonus, they should merely count as being a conduit for you doing the work. Otherwise this needs to cost RP for at least one of you and be higher level, because it will very often mean the rest of the party's skill modifiers are simply irrelevant.

Fatalistic verve should require a significant enemy and should grant a specific (not big) amount of Stamina that scales with level, not scale with the damage dealt. I'd also consider the option to amp it up by spending a move or standard action on your turn.

I like hypnotic hum.

Telepathy is too low of level. Compare to mindlink circlet. If you cut the improvement with limited telepathy, it'd be a strong 6th; as written, I'd peg it at 10th.

Waking sleep: Standing from prone doesn't provoke in SF. That last sentence should say you're giving Kip Up as a bonus feat. With all it does, this should be a 6th-level ability.

Intrusive thoughts is pretty vague on how influential it is supposed to be. I suggest making this a reroll ability (letting you roll twice and take the better result) or else wording it like a mind-affecting power weaker than suggestion that doesn't require a skill check.

Malicious intent: similar to previous comments on +level damage proofs. By the way, these proofs seems to be pretty varied in how much assistance you give the specialist in setting up the damage. Maybe you should be pairing them with the option to add these conditions as critical effects?

Waking dream could be lower level and cost 1 PP, comparing it to command.

Consuming daydreams should grant an insight bonus to reduce stacking.

Hypnotic concert's bonuses should be insight bonuses and the triggered bonuses should only apply against the creature that missed.

I'd let advanced empathy affect mindless creatures (they still have Wis and Cha, after all). I'd also lower the level to 6th.

Paranoia could be lower-level and/or not require an RP.

Cloak of whispers: Adding multiple stats to a save is incredibly potent; I strongly recommend making this a reroll ability that costs RP and your reaction, instead of a bonus.

Gates of horn and bone should at least cost PP to use. It also needs to clarify whether you have any ability to detect or locate viable targets, or what happens if you try to go somewhere that's not a valid destination. It should probably not locate creatures you aren't already aware of location for, but blindsense (thought) or blindsense (emotion) is certainly in keeping with the class.

Shell game is really strong and needs to cost a reaction to redirect. I would break this up into a chain of at least two abilities.

Waking nightmare should cost an action and allow a save at the end of the first effect.

Archetypes:

A power known seems a petty cost for an archetype feature.

Skills:

Autohypnosis's snapshot should probably use the skill check result to determine the maximum result you can get through a snapshot (so a 20 would mean a Perception check you make on the snapshot is capped at 20). That would help the skill remain relevant at higher levels.

An extra psionic focus should probably cost more than a low-level feat. I'd make it require a swift action to "surface" it or otherwise make it a little harder to use than a conscious psionic focus.

[MythMage]

Powers:

The golden rule (PP expenditure limited to your ML) needs a heading all to itself to make it stand out.

A specialist can comfortably max-augment four powers starting at about 6th level, and that grows quickly from there. That feels like too much to me, for a class that is not meant to rely on its powers, especially given that some powers augment so potently. If not for power level limits, a specialist could manifest more equal-level powers than a technomancer of the same class level could cast spells (assuming similar key ability mods) until about 10th, after which the technomancer has only a slight edge. You might want to reconsider universal bonus PP table, given that the specialist doesn't take a manifester level hit.

I'm not a fan of the base PP cost being below minimum manifester level for these powers, but I don't see any powers where that's undermining the balance of the powers.

Why is power resistance a thing? It's mechanically identical to spell resistance and not even a mention of why it isn't just called spell resistance.

When there's direct equivalency between disciplines and schools, it seems like it would be clearer to just use the name of the school that readers are already familiar with.

In the power descriptions, it's hard to read the augment costs at a glance; I recommend something bolded with the number of extra PP required in numerals (not words) at the start of the entry. The augments that cost your psionic focus seem really strong, given they're essentially gravy in action economy for anyone who's not primarily in melee, and I recommend giving an extra PP cost to all of them (varying according to how useful they are as reactions, of course). Probably should cost RP, given the precedent of Quicken Spell for technomancer.

The PP rule for talents being free if you're psionically focused could be stated more prominently; I totally missed that on my first read. Maybe restate it in the class's Psionics feature too?

Alienation should specify whether "unable to distinguish friend from foe" means it always takes attacks of opportunity (a la paranoia) or never (a la confusion). Flanking doesn't check whether the attacker is allied with the other flanker; it checks whether the other flanker is threatening the defender. Thus, you should rephrase the line about not counting as an ally for flanking. It also needs to clarify how much the target can recall about goals or the past actions of individuals. I assume the target's typically going to avoid all other creatures and attack those that have attacked it, but it doesn't say enough for me to decide.

Battlesense is awesome (and very cool) just using Aid Another as a reaction. The bonuses are unnecessary and far too easy to combine with other bonuses unless they have some kind of situation attached to them (such as the attack bonus only applying when you flank with someone in the spell). I suggest having the augmentation be the way you get extra targets, rather than having that scale with manifester level, to keep large groups from stacking very nasty aid bundles from summoned creatures. If you keep the option to get extra bonuses, they need to cost more than 2 PP per augment.

Brain Lock needs to remove its reference to "daze" in favor saying the target can't act except as described here, since dazed is a condition that doesn't combine in the intended fashion with the spell's discussed movement or full action (not full-round action) to save.

Breach seems too weak, given the typical DCs it'll be going up against. Comparing it to knock, I'd add a +5 bonus.

Clairvoyant sense would be pushing it at Close range and 3rd level, much less Medium and 1st. Missing out on special senses doesn't pay for a 2-spell-level discount and 10-min-to-1-action casting time improvement (relative to clairvoyance). Maybe it could be 1st if it required line of sight.

Combat precognition should really do something more interesting than bonuses. What about roll-twice on your next attack of opportunity? If you must do bonuses, don't let them make the same bonus bigger multiple times.

Concealing amorpha's stealth mode is too strong. I suggest you should borrow some wording from the invisibility condition and its discussion in the Stealth skill. Note that bonuses in general are smaller in SF, and enhancement bonuses are very rare (and unheard of for skills, so I think you should say half the bonus for invisibility instead. It should only be helping you avoid becoming observed; it should not be helping you at all to avoid enemies locating you with Perception checks. For example, it might say that an additional Perception check is required to observe you after you are located by a Perception check. I recommend a +6 augment that simply makes you invisible.

Danger sense shouldn't scale its bonus. The Reaction augment won't work against traps outside of combat without additional verbiage because you can't take Reactions before acting in an encounter. I'd charge more for the initiative augment (or reduce its bonus to match the spell's baseline) and less for the flat-footed augment. That augment should cost PP as well as your psionic focus, since it's usually going to come up outside of combat, where the cost of expending focus is trivial.

Defy gravity is just 2nd-level flight with sorta-worse attack penalties and longer duration. This seems much too good for a 1st-level power.

Detect Hazard's Hostile Intent option just feels like whole extra power for no Power Known slot. I'd split that off. It's already comparable to detect magic for appeal and versatility.

Dimension swap seems more like a 3rd-level power, comparing it to PF precedents like jester's jaunt and king's castle.

Dispel psionics should cost more like +5ish PP for the area dispel, comparing to greater dispel magic.

Ectoplasmic creation seems way more broadly useful compared to the spell creation than it should be, given the 9-level-early access. Of especial concern is the theoretical option to create a single-use chemical item. I suggest dramatically narrowing what it can make below 10 PP, not only to hedge out weird corner cases but more importantly to offer some guidance on what a good use for such a vague power might be.

Ectoplasmic grapnel is really cool, but should probably have a Bulk limit given the existence of ultra-dense small objects in a sci-fi setting. The bracing bonus should be a circumstance bonus. Given the precedent in attack spells, perhaps you could use your key ability modifier on the grapnel combat maneuver check if it's better than the usual modifier. Fast-scaling bonuses like the one in the first augment seem to go against the style of SF, where numbers never ramp up wildly out of scale with each other, but on a combat maneuver in particular that might not be a big deal. The retract/extend augment is confusing and needs its logic clarified. Moving as a reaction is a big deal and should cost way more than just your psionic focus.

Ectoplasmic trinket is stronger than recharge, a 2nd-level spell, even assuming making it temporary removes the RP cost. 100 credits is way more than a trinket. I'd say charge 1 PP per 10 credits, minimum 0, and prohibit single-use items or batteries. Just as a tangible illusion, it might still be worth being a 1st-level power.

Elfsight should probably cost extra PP to manifest as a reaction.

Empathy seems like is should be at least 1st-level, comparing it to detect thoughts and keen senses (+2 insight bonus on multiple skills).

Energy adaptation needs to clarify how bright the light is and probably shouldn't be such a good substitute for daylight given it's also protecting you from energy. The scaling resistance with ML is out of line with the way SF spells get stronger, comparing it to lesser resistant armor. Translating to powers, that should really cost augment PP (note resistant armor requires a higher spell level for more resistance). Manifesting it as a reaction seems like it should cost additional PP. The redirect is super nifty.

Far hand's augment for complex actions seems like it should allow Engineering checks, but I recommend clarifying (which is fine for 3 PP).

Float probably should either not stack with a swim speed or cost more than 1/5 ft. I'd also consider giving this a function in zero-g to help make it more broadly applicable.

Gravitational Anchor: What does it mean to increase gravity from zero to light? Can you pick whatever direction you want? You also need to specify how much damage the extreme gravity deals. Cool power.

Gravity well is novel.

Hustle trading up actions in general sounds like something that should cost multiple RP (see quicken spell). An extra standard action seems like something it's almost impossible to balance, given how there's always going to print new ways to use it, but those restrictions do catch all the obvious problems.

Id insinuation's description and duration lines don't quite agree, but otherwise it seems good.

Metamorphosis needs a type for its bonuses. It is also strictly better than disguise self (alters type, no Will save to disbelieve, bigger Disguise bonus, and a combat ability that's easily worth a 1st-level power without the disguise). This would be a rather strong 2nd-level power as written. It seems like it might be intended to not affect equipment, which would definitely help, but it's not clear that it has such a restriction. More specifics:

• Shouldn't the climb/swim speed be "or", not "and"? Why scale new speeds with land speed? A flat speed is much easier to balance. Just the climb speed 30 ft. or just the swim speed 30 ft. would be worth a 1st-level spell.
• SF very intentionally doesn't give temporary bonuses to AC; such a large one as that in the later menus is unreasonably easy to stack. For your toughness concept, you already have temp hp and DR; focus on those.
• The augments should each give only one extra choice, not two, even with 2nd level as the starting point, ballparking their total effects with comparable buffs (such as lesser resistant armor and the resistances). Giving a better rate after first reaching a level makes sense, but again this power is already absurdly versatile. It really seems like it should be occupying at least two powers known slots. I'd break these into two powers so you can make the abilities augment more cleanly and so it's not just better than most powers.
• Manifesting this radically open-ended combat buff as a reaction needs to cost significant RP and/or PP.

Mind link is a spell that works significantly differently from your power mind link; since the former is already in print, I suggest renaming yours. Yours is pretty close in utility to telepathic bond, a 4th-level spell; once you augment it, yours is dramatically better even at a lower manifester level than the minimum CL for telepathic bond, so I recommend upping at least the augment cost for extra targets. Sharing powers is neat! I think I'd scale the augment cost with the maximum level of the power borrowed.

Mind pierce should either scale a little slower (such as 2d10 per 3 PP) or have 1d10 base damage. Given mind thrust is already game-warping amounts of damage, there should probably not be any manifester levels where mind pierce deals more damage than mind thrust. 2 PP to convert a single-target spell into area damage is absurdly cheap. It might be okay for two targets, but not a cluster of melee combatants. Compare to overheat, which is a widely-resisted damage type.

Modify matter saves a ton of in-game time. Based on the precedent of recharge, I strongly recommend an RP cost. You should explicitly say whether this can make technological items, but based on the wording I'm guessing yes. If so, it sort of cracks the logic of the in-universe economy (which I assume is why the core rules chose not to port fabricate) that you just don't have to spend time crafting at all once you pick this one power. I'd limit the item level to half what you can make the old-fashioned way and add a stiff RP cost (maybe 1 + half item level).

Object reading is neat. However, expending psionic focus is a trivial cost if you're not in combat, and it's not a combat power, so this should really cost PP. I wouldn't charge quite so much for the additional information.

Personal gravity: I like it, but I recommend a fixed speed. It's less likely to produce weird interactions, and why should a faster land speed help you with manipulating gravity? I think this is the sole use of faster casting augmentation that doesn't need to cost PP.

Physical acceleration should clarify it counts as a haste effect.

Recall agony: SF doesn't do insta-kills at all except as 20th-level capstones or against truly trivial foes (snuff life isn't available until 16th level and just does a lot of damage to creatures above CR 5), and I encourage you to reconsider reintroducing them before 20th level. They're simply anticlimactic, and 15th level is too early for them if you do keep this one.

Remote viewing is far, far stronger than clairvoyance. This should easily be 5th level as written. I recommend cutting out the remote power usage as an augment that adds that power's cost onto this one's. Combining it with the augment that lets you cast the spell on a location would make this comparable in utility to the 19th-level mystic transcendence feature (and should be priced so you can't do it until around 16th to 19th level).

Skate takes 1 hour to manifest? Admittedly, it does render one of the major uses of Strength irrelevant in SF and/or grant the benefit of three feats (which makes its raw effect more potent than any 1st-level spell). As a talent, I'd err toward the side of a faster manifestation and a less extreme effect.

Sustenance is flavorful. Based on the precedent of goodberry, I think you could safely lower the level and/or tack on some minor mechanical benefit to make it more interesting.

Time hop is delightful.

Touchsight should should clarify that it's giving you blindsight (touch). The rules are already there; use them. Based on the emotion sight precedent in the mystic, 70-foot blindsight seems like it should be the equivalent of a 4th-level spell (although the limited duration and personal range make me not 100% on that).

Unearthly Terror is a solid 0-level power. Its frightened effect should probably have a CR cap much as other frightening effects in SF do; this is a condition that comes close to insta-ending fights, and it's best if it won't work against boss fights.

Wall of ectoplasm also seems good.

[MythMage]

Themes!

Test subject is extremely flexible, but probably small enough that it's no big deal. I'd expected the 6th-level ability to be something more to do with tinkering with/tweaking the effects of augmentations. Overall fine and sure to be a theme many will happily riff off of, although I'm not seeing why it's in this book. Maybe it could use Autohypnosis instead of Life Science as its Theme Knowledge skill?

Conspirator's 12th-level ability could use some clarification. I'm not sure what it's a discount on. The flavor again inspires good flavorful fun, but doesn't quite feel psionic.

Sleepwalker is overall cool and definitely the best fit, but needs more flavor text anchoring what it's meant to look like in play and in the universe—especially the Mysticism substitution.

Dreaming wide awake should probably require that the telepathic conversation be using a language you know (rather than you simply sharing a language with one of the participants) unless you are at least 12th level (when language-free telepathy comes on line). Mysticism in place of any skill check seems inordinately open-ended.

Somnambulent power is really underwhelming. At 12th level, a 2nd-level spell 1/day is fine (see the operative and mechanic tricks that copy spells). Although since theme abilities aren't usually meant for combat and open-ended power choices are rife for abuse, I'd make a long list they can pick from instead, and suggest the GM add more from later sources that are similarly apt.

[drafghast]

Good morning, all!

I know it's been awhile, but I promise you, we've been hard at work making this the very best that we can. For my part, and in light of what folks like theragi and mythmage have discovered in their in-depth (and truly appreciated) reviews, I have made many small changes to the aegis. Overall, it relies less on secondary stats, has (many) less free actions, and has bonuses that start stronger, but do not scale, or scale less. A more comprehensive list of the changes can be found below.

• As it always should have been, aegis now only has one key ability score (Str or Dex). This has been reflected throughout the class.
• While is has been noted that the "incredibly expensive objects" aspect of Astral Repair may be unclear, while we work on a more clear definer, I suggest that players work with their GM's to determine what will and won't be considered a part of this category.
• Some small clarifications for the astral suit. Note that upgrades placed within the suit are put back into your inventory when the suit is removed or destroyed.
• Astral skin now counts as light armor for the purpose of upgrades. Also, some clarifications.
• Astral armor and astral juggernaut now have differing KAC and EAC values to better reflect real armor discrepancies. Astral juggernaut now no longer scales into power armor - rest assured that we think the idea is still very cool, and are looking for the best way to represent the "Full Mech" option.
• A single word is going to make all the difference, here. Astral shield is now a swift action. While I love the idea of reactive shielding, not only is this version more balanced within the system, it also vastly reduces the number of free actions taken by all aegis players.
• Customizations, overall, saw a number of changes - first and foremost was the removal of nearly all of the stat boosting options. While this may be a sad change for those of us holding to the 3.5 version, it was a necessary fix for the system. The main customization entry saw a few small tweaks, and increased the DC of skill checks required by your enemies to better scale with progression.
• Invigorating Suit is pretty darn similar to Toughness. So, we just let it be Toughness. This _may_ change later.
• The modes see some serious change in this update. There are much fewer numerical bonuses, and more overall cool stuff (TM). As is the increasing trend, their activation has been changed to a swift action, which represents a physical change in the structure of your suit.
• Overcharge was a little insane. Made some changes to fix that.
• To paraphrase mythmage, Absorb Suit didn't need to be quite so punishing - it no longer locks out all suits after being used.
• Rapid Refit is now a move action, and includes your upgrades. Makes it much more viable in combat, and overall a better use of a RP.
• Astral Perfection didn't need that line about your suit functioning in antimagic, and the bit about Rapid Refit becoming a move is now a bit redundant. We are looking into a few choices to possibly make this a bit stronger, but for now, this will work just fine.

As before, I hope that you like what you see, and continue to stay hyped for what else is to come!

(Customizations and chasses fixes to follow)

[drafghast]

And now for chasses!

• Artillery saw some clarifications, some reduction in numerical scaling, and some changes in the type of the bonuses provided. Astral shields becoming a swift action have cut way down on the rampant silliness that was this chassis' damage output, and represent (in this case) forming armored turrets on one's astral suit. Scorched Earth also got a little bit better.
• Bulwark sees some similar fixes in less scaling, different bonus types, and clarifications. Under Lockdown now looks and feels more like a free shield bash, while Astral Blockade now does more than just provide cover, helping to differentiate it further (and allow it to stack with) the titan shield upgrade.
• Guerilla got some too. It also became significantly stronger - Scattering Steps is now both cheaper to use and feels better when you do, triggering on successful hits. Veil of Bullets is MUCH more like the capstone that it should be. A standard action activation, combined with much more attack range, makes this well worth the Power Points when faced with a group of enemies.
• Skirmisher had the same issues as the rest of the chasses, but was overall better placed after the fix. Outright AoO immunity has been pushed back to the higher levels, with the ability to duck the first one each round coming in early instead. This should make them feel safe getting out of tight places, but not allow them to dance about with impunity until they're more powerful.
• While the least in need of it, the Versatile chassis got the same treatment (but needed little else). Most of that chassis will still play the same, barring actions that have either been rolled into their triggering action, or changed outright (usually to swift).

Next up, customizations!

[drafghast]

Alright - we are on to the last bit of the aegis fixes. Thanks for bearing with it.

• Overall, this sees many of the same fixes as the other sections. Numerical bonuses will be less scalar in most cases, many things will be clarified, and things that previously used free actions typically won't anymore. Unless these changes are especially harsh or change how the customization functions, I won't specifically call it out.
• With the exception of Hardy, the customizations that previously boosted ability scores have been cut outright.
• Adhesive Feet: No longer includes the bit about magnetic boots, as that is a feature in nearly all armor already, and was a bit redundant. The boot clamp option is now a Reaction.
• Diehard: Now requires that you have at least one RP remaining. Yes, we're looking for a new name.
• Evasion: In the interest of balance, the upgraded version has been cut. This may return once we run a few tests with it.
• Hardy: With the scaling removed, this one may still be OK. Time (and more testing) will tell.
• Powerful Build: This one _may_ get cut or dramatically changed at a later point, if just due to how size works in Starfinder. For now, it will remain.
• Reach: Moved to a much lower level, as it's a less important mechanic in Starfinder than it was in Pathfinder. Also works well with Powerful Build at this level.
• Energy Resistance: Increasing it to your base attack bonus both feels better and is a smoother progression.
• Stubborn: Similar to Evasion, the upgraded version of this has been cut. Additionally, since this is roughly twice as strong (covering two saves), it will require a Power Point to activate.
• Deep Vision: Due to the power of sense through, this now requires a Power Point to activate, and remains active for a reasonable length of time (but definitely not all day).
• Energy Blast/Extra Armaments: This one seems to be a fan favorite, so we made it triggerable more often - and after seeing the attack roll. So it will feel better to use, and won't be wasted if you hit every time. We are considering moving this to a lower level as well, but will need to generate a few new customizations first.
• Extra Passenger: Most of the changes here were designed to both protect and isolate your passenger. While they are fairly hard to affect or harm, it works both ways.
• Retribution: Swapped with Reach, as this customization is quite powerful, and was far too strong for its level.

And that's it from me! Definitely look forward to some of the tweaks and changes occurring all over the place, and get hyped for what is to come!

[MythMage]

Another note: the bulwark's unyielding ability mentions a shield bonus, which doesn't exist in SF. Similar effects are untyped, and I recommend making sure you word it so it doesn't stack with them.

[NeumonicBlue]

A question for the developers, will psicrystals be returning? Also the Guerilla's Scattering Steps ability in the playtest is listed as 9th level shouldn't it be 7th?

[Powerdork]

The golden rule (PP expenditure limited to your ML) needs a heading all to itself to make it stand out.

Might as well lay it out in the book's sub-title, as "Psionics Guide: How You Can Spend Power Points Up To Your Class Level But Never More", so it's repeated on the trim of every page.

(I joke, but doing this would probably only double the number of printed statements of the Golden Rule in the Dreamscarred canon.)

[Ilorin Lorati]

Another note: the bulwark's unyielding ability mentions a shield bonus, which doesn't exist in SF.

I'm poking through the new playtest rules for Starfinder and, amusingly, they have rules for physical shields and shield bonuses to AC.

[Lord_Gareth]

A question for the developers, will psicrystals be returning? Also the Guerilla's Scattering Steps ability in the playtest is listed as 9th level shouldn't it be 7th?

Noted. And it's our intention to get psicrystals up and running, yes!

Sorry for the relative quiet, we're trying to beat Psion into shape but this time of year is busy for, well...everyone. I started a new job, Jeremy's of course full of real life troubles, our numbers guy got kidnapped by extradimensional demons that want him to do the tax returns on human souls...

Y'know.

Things.

[Lord_Gareth]

We're back at last! Presenting:

Contents Verified (Psion) & Contents Verified (Powers)

[TheRagi]

Some initial thoughts on the Psion:

Class skills: for a INT based class (alongside the Technomancer and Mechanic), the Psion has the most class skills (11, while the other two have 8).

Affinity [1st]: "you learn an additional 2nd level power known, at 8th level" this should be "at 7th level" - the table is correct though.

Affinity Skills [2nd]: "skill checks with your devotion’s associated skills". I'm guessing "devotion" was the previous name for "affinity".

Weapon specialization: the table has it, but the entry is missing.

Really glad to see disciplines having such an impact in the class - Starfinder kept schools of magic, but they are pretty much fluff in the system. With the psion, they actually matter.

Affinities: Clairsentience, Psychokinesis, Psychoportation lack the classical psion "moniker"; Shapers, egoists and telepaths are mentioned, though.

Psychoportation: "Spatial Fluidity (Su) [1st]: You emanate a constant, low-level distortion of local space-time. You are treated as 30 feet further away from hostile creatures than you actually are for the purposes of determining the range of their ranged attacks, abilities, powers, psi-like abilities, spells, and spell-like abilities." Doesn't this make the psion immune to cones and any attacks with the explode special property that have 25 feet or less of range? Or even area of effect powers and spells? This probably should be nerfed to 15 feet, or restricted to only regular ranged attacks (meaning a slight range penalty to attacks with short ranged weapons). And if a creature targets the area 30 feet behind the psion (with a grenade, for instance), does he get it?

[Thealtruistorc]

Will get a full writeup together eventually, but for now I just want to comment on some inconsistent terminology. I’ve spotted “hit dice” and “immediate action” mentioned in the powers document a few times (most notably the metafaculty power).

[TheRagi]

Isn't the Psion damage output at level 1 a little too weak?

His best damage power, Mind Pierce, is on pair with the Mystic's only attack spell, Mind Thrust, but the other two, Energy Ray and Recall Agony are way weaker, and laughable if compared to the Technomancer.

Is the idea that the augment options make up for it on the long run (that still is one lonely and miserable level 1 journey)?

Was the Psion built to be more similar to the Mystic, considering all his utility powers and few damage options? Or at least to start out similar to one - the augmented damage powers might bring him closer to the Technomancer at higher levels...

[TheRagi]

The good old days of digging through a psionics playtest!

Could any of the developers involved post a link to the google docs of the Integrator? It's the one class we never got a chance to take a good look at, other than a tiny sample posted on the kickstarter page.

The Vitalist was my favorite class in Ultimate Psionics, and I'm very keen to see what was planned for network powers in SF.

Thanks!

[Peelee]

The Mod on the Silver Mountain: Psionocs tend to be be poor necromancers.