Psionic talents have to be bought?

[Spinward Scout]

Hi Everybody!

I just reread the Psionics section and at the bottom of page 188, it states: "Each talent must be selected as if it were a normal feat". So not only do you have to have appropriate skill ranks in the Sphere of Influence for that talent, but you also have to buy the talent as a feat? That is one pricey talent. As an example: I want to have a mind shield. Let's assume I have the Telepathy Sphere of influence and have put 1 rank in that Sphere. I can't use mind shield until I buy it as a feat?

Help?

Scout

 

[Flynn]

That's exactly right, Scout. The Psionicist prestige class found in TA5: Mind Over Matter gives the psionicist free feats as he meets the rank requirements, as a benefit for being a full-fledged psionicist, if that helps, but otherwise, your interpretation is correct.

For an alternative approach, you might wish to consider something like the following MT-inspired version of Psionics in T20:
http://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/rules/t20psionics.html

Hope this helps,
Flynn

 

[Spinward Scout]

Wow, that's a big cost considering that you only get free feats once every 3 levels. If you have Telepathy and either Clairvoyance or Awareness, you'll never get to the last talents unless you go into Epic Levels and T20 doesn't cover that. And even if you got Trained at 1st level, you'll never get to the last level in Telepathy at all - you have to take Trained as a feat. Again, unless you go into Epic levels. Ouch.

Those alternate rules look very nice. Going to give them a try.

Scout

 

[Flynn]

Thanks. As the author of that article, I appreciate such comments.

Let's me know that I got something at least partially okay.

Please let me know how they play out in your game. I'm considering revising some of the skill check DCs, but would like others opinions on the current state of things in others campaigns besides my own before I do.

Enjoy,
Flynn