Complete Psionic


Complete Psionic is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast and released in April 2006. It is the first 3.5 edition supplemental rulebook published by Wizards of the Coast which focuses on psionics since the Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Contents

It presents additional material relating to psionics, including three new classes and a variant of the psion, eight new prestige classes, a new psionic race and many feats and psionic powers. Complete Psionic also explores the concept of illithid heritage through new character options: nine illithid heritage feats and a prestige class, the Flayerspawn Psychic.
The 160-page book was notable for using a recent formatting style adopted by Wizards of the Coast which generally involves an increase in page count for a given amount of information, by including more background information. For example, classes and prestige classes include additional information on their role within the game, their organisation and lore. This formatting style resulted in eight prestige classes in Complete Psionic versus thirty-six in Complete Warrior.

Classes

Complete Psionic introduces three entirely new classes, and a fourth class, the erudite, which is described as a variant of the psion class. The ardent and divine mind classes were originally one and the same, but were separated before publication: the background and philosophical identity of the ardent was an original element, whilst this was originally to be combined with the psychic auras of the divine mind. The two were separated, and the more divinely influenced divine mind was created as a consequence.

New base classes

Ardent
derive their powers from a focus on primal truths or concepts ; different mantles offer different abilities to an Ardent. They possess a smaller selection of powers than the more versatile Psion, but enjoy greater martial abilities.
Divine Mind
The Divine Mind is a character who chooses to serve a deity using psionic powers; they are thus somewhat similar to Clerics. Like clerics, they may choose mantles a deity represents, similar to domains. They may also exude Attack, Defense, or Perception auras that grant bonuses to nearby allies.
Lurk
are similar to rogues who call upon psionic powers to aid them. They may perceive the weaknesses of enemies and make sneak attacks, as well as use psionic augments to their abilities.
Erudite
The Erudite is a variant of the psion contained near the end of Complete Psionic. Whilst considered a variant, it is not an optional class, but rather a specific type of psion. Erudites do not specialise in 'disciplines' as do psions, but they are capable of memorising a virtually unlimited number of psionic powers, at the limitation that they can only manifest a limited number of unique powers each day. Erudites also automatically gain a psicrystal, which are crystals infused with the power of the psionicist's mind. An earlier version of the erudite appeared in Dragon issue #319.

New prestige classes

In addition to the new standard classes, Complete Psionic also introduces eight new prestige classes, adding to the nine in the Expanded Psionics Handbook and the smaller number printed in other Wizards of the Coast supplemental books.
Synads are aberrations that appear human, but have three different minds working together inside their head.
Complete Psionic was written by Bruce R. Cordell, author of the Expanded Psionics Handbook, and Christopher Lindsay, and was published in April 2006. Cover art was by Raven Mimura, with interior art by Wayne England, David Griffith, Jon Hodgson, Ralph Horsley, Warren Mahy, William O'Connor, Ted Pendergraft, Richard Sardinha, and Ron Spencer.
Bruce R. Cordell explained what inspired his interest in psionics: "I checked every character I rolled for the small chance he might have psionics, according to the rules at the back of the 1st edition Player's Handbook. Every so often, I got lucky; my first psionic character could use mind blast and go ethereal; that is, until my DM, concerned with the havoc I was wreaking with his game, engineered an encounter between myself and Kulgar the Mind-Ripper. Good-bye going ethereal at will. Much later, I had the good fortune to write the Ilithiad for 2nd edition, as well as three supporting adventures. Because I had to delve so deeply into psionics, including suggesting the use of alternate rules, I came away with an even stronger appreciation for the possibilities psionics could offer a D&D game."

Reception

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