D&D psionics

[Anguirus]

LOL! I love that idea for a spell, it's funnier than anything in "Munchkin d20."

Granted, it's just that the "psionics are different somehow" rule appears to be more popular than most of your other half-baked rule tweaks.

Yeah, but it's hysterical to see people ask for advice on the WotC Psionics boards when they throw in "Oh, and I want to use Psionics Are Different." They get dogpiled faster than a creationist Trekkie who insults Darth Wong's wife.

[lance]

Actually even then they can't go beyond their manifester level.

Overchannel explicitly allows this.

No, it doesn't it raises the characters manifester level.

[SirNitram]

Actually even then they can't go beyond their manifester level.

Overchannel explicitly allows this.

No, it doesn't it raises the characters manifester level.

Except where it explicitly says 'Benefit: While manifesting a power, you can increase your effective manifester level...'

[Valk]

As of XPH psionics are, finally, balanced.

That said, many consider psionics lame and a misfit in typical fantasy. I'd ask your group, each player in private, what they think about psionics and why; and then decide to allow it or not.

If you are just starting with D&D I'd recommend you to not allow it until you are familiar with the rules. Open up one book at a time giving yourself enough time to familiarise yourself with it. You'll focus on the core initially and the psion will focus on psionics book, meaning he has an advantage over you in knowledge of powers.

[Oskuro]

I personally like Psionics (been playing with a Psi-Warrior lately), specially since 3.5Ed. My main complaint, and I think the reason why many people have a hard time accepting Psi.... is that it should be included in the Player's Handbook!

I've found, by experience, that players and DMs alike have trouble adapting to content from "new books", so even when the Psi classes are quite easy to understand and play, them being in a separate book makes them, well, separate. But that's how I feel, of course.


Now, for a more useful commentary, Psi classes, thanks to the powers, feats, and Power Point system, are more customizable (thus Munchkin-friendly), but still work pretty much as standard classes:

Psions: A middle point between Sorcerers and Wizards. They have more power selection than Sorcerers, but less than Wizards, and conversely have more "uses per day" than Wizards, but less than Sorcerers.

Psi-Warrior: Same as the Fighter, BUT, gains powers instead of the same amount of Bonus Feats. Since many of the Psi-Warrior powers do things feats can only dream of, this is usually a worthwhile option, and allows for more "flavored" characters (My latest character ended up being a sort of Wuxia fighter, like in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", wallwalking and all).

Wilders: To be honest, I'm not too sure about these, check the SRD.

Soulknives: The closest thing to a Jedi you'll get in D&D (using regular rules). Essentially, a fighter whose class features revolve around its MindBlade. With smart use of feats and a bit of multiclassing, it can be an interesting class, one that cannot be disarmed.
Worthy of note is that, unlike regular magic weapons, a Soulknife's Mindblade can exist within an antimagic field, or in null magic areas, so I bet Soulkinves will take the chance to gloat about it (I would).


Anyway, as everyone else has commented, read up the classes, run some tests, and make sure those pesky players do not abuse your ignorance of their abilities, or your trust (I've seen a Psion try and cast 8 disintegrate spells in a single round, by creative use of twin Power feat, Clone Power and Duplicate Mind power... Even if the rules seem to allow it, apply common sense!).

By the way, one of the reasons someone might choose a Psion is to get rid of the "Spells per Day" mechanic, and use the Power Point system, wich is similar to familiar Mana systems from other games... Of course, you could resort to the BOOK OF EVIL for that, but as I once read on a sig:


"Pardon me, I have a deeply seated hatred for my Dungeon Master, and wish to make his life impossible"
"Yes sir, one Unearthed Arcana coming right up!"

[Davey]

I, sir, do not like psionics.

They force me to change my style of play to avoid unbalancing them because if I run only one or two monsters a day, they go nova OMFGWTFPWN.

I hear ya! In "Starcraft Ghost," the book, by Keith Decandido, Nova was probably the biggest, baddest wish-fufilment Mary-Sue I've ever read. Lots of deus-ex machinas in that story, especially when she gets cornered. I can certainly see why many people wouldn't like psionics, especially if they're portrayed like that. Game balance would go straight to hell, followed shortly by everyone's ability to suspend disbelief. As always, to some it sounds like a good idea, although I doubt whether it'd serve much use in the long run unless it was very carefully balanced.

I like the idea of a sub-class, though.

[Hotfoot]

I, sir, do not like psionics.

They force me to change my style of play to avoid unbalancing them because if I run only one or two monsters a day, they go nova OMFGWTFPWN.

I hear ya! In "Starcraft Ghost," the book, by Keith Decandido, Nova was probably the biggest, baddest wish-fufilment Mary-Sue I've ever read. Lots of deus-ex machinas in that story, especially when she gets cornered. I can certainly see why many people wouldn't like psionics, especially if they're portrayed like that. Game balance would go straight to hell, followed shortly by everyone's ability to suspend disbelief. As always, to some it sounds like a good idea, although I doubt whether it'd serve much use in the long run unless it was very carefully balanced.

I like the idea of a sub-class, though.

Um, I seriously doubt he was talking about the character "Nova" from Starcraft, but rather the ability to go "nova" by blowing their wad all at once.

[SirNitram]

'Nova' in D&D has predated said Starcraft wank-fiction for a long time. It also applies to any spellcaster who can create arbitrarily high damage/effect in one go.

[Kuja]

I personally like Psionics (been playing with a Psi-Warrior lately), specially since 3.5Ed. My main complaint, and I think the reason why many people have a hard time accepting Psi.... is that it should be included in the Player's Handbook!

I've found, by experience, that players and DMs alike have trouble adapting to content from "new books", so even when the Psi classes are quite easy to understand and play, them being in a separate book makes them, well, separate. But that's how I feel, of course.

Bullfuckshit. It's childishly easy to include the vast majority of D&D literature into a campaign. Psionics being in their own book has nothing to do with why people don't want to see them. Between thematics, application, and balance psionics have no business whatsoever in my fucking handbook.

Psykers just need to sit down, shut up, and roll a god-damned sorceror.

[Imperial Overlord]

I pretty much only allow psionics in Dark Sun games. Having seen some of the shit a psychic warrior can pull and the nova abilities of a pure psion, I'm not inclined to let them into a normal game.

[Darth Raptor]

Most of the rules for psionics are included in the SRD anyway, so I don't buy this "it's not in the core rulebooks, therefore it's not D&D" characterization. It'd be a more accurate paraphrasing of anti-psionic folks to say "it's spoon-bending psychokinesis, therefore it's not fantasy". I don't personally agree with this sentiment, but I can see where they're coming from. My biggest problem with psionics from a thematic perspective (nevermind game mechanics) is that we already have a class for people with an innate, intuitive grasp of magic. Psionics and sorcery render each other redundant in my opinion. Sure there are subtle differences and a good DM, psion and sorcerer can work together to emphasize these distinctions but this, unfortunately, doesn't always happen.

So-called "purists" don't resent psionics because they're in a separate book. They dislike psionics because they can seem like they belong in a separate book.

[SirNitram]

As I said, it's about balance. A 1st level Psionic Warrior can grant himself DR 2/-, for example. And it only got even more wildly unbalanced as time went on. Worse, their entire balancing mechanic is alien to even the rest of the splatclasses: A pool of points which can crank the powers up a few notches if you spend extra. As I said: This means a DM may have to suddenly alter his plans rather radically if there's few encounters in a day. Otherwise, Ka-boom.

[lance]

As I said, it's about balance. A 1st level Psionic Warrior can grant himself DR 2/-, for example.

Um DR 2/- for what a minute a day? How dreadfully overpowered. As opposed to 5d4 burning hands, Adamantine body, or Divine metamagic that seems kinda weak. Or 2/- for the entire day, fast healing 2, 2d6 flame aura. Hell wolfs come with a free 1st level druid.

And it only got even more wildly unbalanced as time went on. Worse, their entire balancing mechanic is alien to even the rest of the splatclasses: A pool of points which can crank the powers up a few notches if you spend extra. As I said: This means a DM may have to suddenly alter his plans rather radically if there's few encounters in a day. Otherwise, Ka-boom.

Which for most intents and purposes the Ka-BOOM is going to amount to the psion doing about as much as the wizard or Sorcerer is going to do any way.

[SirNitram]

As I said, it's about balance. A 1st level Psionic Warrior can grant himself DR 2/-, for example.

Um DR 2/- for what a minute a day? How dreadfully overpowered. As opposed to 5d4 burning hands, Adamantine body, or Divine metamagic that seems kinda weak. Or 2/- for the entire day, fast healing 2, 2d6 flame aura. Hell wolfs come with a free 1st level druid.

And it only got even more wildly unbalanced as time went on. Worse, their entire balancing mechanic is alien to even the rest of the splatclasses: A pool of points which can crank the powers up a few notches if you spend extra. As I said: This means a DM may have to suddenly alter his plans rather radically if there's few encounters in a day. Otherwise, Ka-boom.

Which for most intents and purposes the Ka-BOOM is going to amount to the psion doing about as much as the wizard or Sorcerer is going to do any way.

Ah, here goes Lance again, trying to sound informed and intelligent, and failing miserably. And I love this 'Well dur wizard or sorc could do da same!' Except they can't. There's nothing like Overchannel, spending extra power points on a power, and of course, that insane wording of Practiced Manifester.

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out. This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

[Anguirus]

Psykers just need to sit down, shut up, and roll a god-damned sorceror.

What you allow in your game is your business, of course, but I'm inclined to respect my players' wishes if they prefer one magic system over another. Listening to players helps keep them, I find.

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out. This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

There is nothing in psionics that is as good at ending a low-level encounter as sleep or color spray. And wizards only get stronger in comparison to psions (not to mention non-casters) from there.

By the by, this is the power that specifically offends you:

Biofeedback
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 2, psychic warrior 1
Display: Material and visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Power Points: Psion/wilder 3, psychic warrior 1
You can toughen your body against wounds, lessening their impact. During the duration of this power, you gain damage reduction 2/–.
Augment: For every 3 additional power points you spend, your damage reduction increases by 1.

1) There is no way to increase the duration.
2) The earliest level at which one can enhance the power to give DR 3/- as a psychic warrior is at third level using Overchannel. You take 1d8 points of damage by doing so (or you can expend your psionic focus by using Talented...another feat).

A huge drawback that manifesters suffer from is that powers usually aren't free-scaling like spells are. Another is that it's very difficult to apply more than one metapsionic feat, or use them in rapid succession. ANOTHER more specific one is that psychic warriors never, EVER have enough power points (and get 3/4 base attack).

[SirNitram]

'No way to extend the duration?' Overchannel or Extend Power, which is.. One more way than spellcasters have!

Biofeedback isn't bad, in and of itself. At first level, it's inappropriate. Then again, so is the power to bamf yourself up to gaining a 10ft reach.

Applying multiple metamagics isn't terribly easy either, unless they're cheap or minor ones. But I love how no one addresses the concerns I brought up and hyperventilates that I object to Biofeedback as a 1st level power on a 3/4 BAB character. Amusing.

By the by. What other splat lets a 3/4 BABer get 4 attacks, each with Improved Grapple, by the 3rd level? Heck, his next psionic feat, he can start grabbing bonus PP and killing people via brainyank.

[Oskuro]

Heh, what I meant with the "people are scared of it because it is not in the core book" is based on my personal experience. More than once I've heard the line "you mean I have to actually read another book?!", but of course, your mileage may vary.

Also, I'm in Spain, where Roleplaying games in general are felt and understood differently. Here, the multi-book approach by WotC is generally resented (Not new to the genre *cough* Rolemaster *cough* but still).

Now, leaving that personal (and cultural) detail, and back on topic, I'd say that, what really matters, is what all the players (DM included) feel is fun to play. Settings can include Psionics, or even exclude Magic, its a matter of playstyles.
Understanding of the rules (the point of my previous post) is important to avoid abuses and make sure everyone is having fun, and should that be a problem, then do exclude said rules from your game, or alter them to fit your purposes.

[Turin]

And I love this 'Well dur wizard or sorc could do da same!' Except they can't. There's nothing like Overchannel, spending extra power points on a power, and of course, that insane wording of Practiced Manifester.

Nitram, Overchannel has its own balancing mechanism -- it inflicts damage on the user. And that damage is signficant at the lower-levels you're complaining about. Also, I don't have a feat called Practiced Manifester in my XPH (or anything equivalent to Practiced Spellcaster... where was that published?

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out. This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

Can you provide explanations of these last two problems? I'm fairly certain that the XPH (which is the 3.5E book) cleaned up all of the original PsiHB problems like this.

That being said, I wonder whether you've actually run campaigns with psionic PCs in them, specifically ones where the psionic PC had to actually come up from lower levels. I've run a lot and never had the kinds of wildly unbalanced problems you seem to be claiming. Yes, a well-designed psion character can nova... and then they're sitting there like a dumb shit for the rest of the session. If a psion or psywar gets the crap beat out of them a couple times because they've blown all their PP on an earlier encounter, they learn pretty fast not to do that, in my experience.

You're major complaint seems to be centered around the encounter-timing balancing mechanism used in 3rd edition -- that there's an assumption of a certain number of encounters per day. All the spellcasting classes suffer from this same balancing mechanism, it's just that the psion is a particularly bad example of it. You're probably already tweaking your encounters somewhat to account for this facet of the game, and the psion requires it more than any other spellcaster, and this is what bothers you, it seems.

[Anguirus]

'No way to extend the duration?' Overchannel or Extend Power, which is.. One more way than spellcasters have!

Um...you could use Overchannel AND Extend Power at first level, but then you've used both your feats (a human gets one more, which I suppose could be Talented) and take 1d8 damage that ignores your new DR. Witness the spellcaster laughing his fucking head off.

Of course if we're talking third level and up, the spellcaster can extend any low level spell he wants and he won't even take damage from it.

Then again, so is the power to bamf yourself up to gaining a 10ft reach.

I suppose you think glaives are unbalanced?

But I love how no one addresses the concerns I brought up and hyperventilates that I object to Biofeedback as a 1st level power on a 3/4 BAB character.

Um...hyperventilating? That was one of your concerns, no? I don't disagree that there are crazy power loops possible from psionics, though they pretty much go away if you ban synchronicity OR Link Power, neither of which are even in the XPH.

I also agree that psions are a lot more powerful if they can nova. Still not as good as casters, but hey, no one can be as good as them considering a) the sheer volume of splatbook material on them and b) they have all the broken stuff in core.

What other splat lets a 3/4 BABer get 4 attacks, each with Improved Grapple, by the 3rd level? Heck, his next psionic feat, he can start grabbing bonus PP and killing people via brainyank.

How did you accomplish this?

[lance]

'No way to extend the duration?' Overchannel or Extend Power, which is.. One more way than spellcasters have!

And? So Psionics having an option that arcane does not is broken? There is Arcane thesis that works for 1 spell that also reduces the cost for metemagics added to the spell by 1 per metamagic added.

Biofeedback isn't bad, in and of itself. At first level, it's inappropriate. Then again, so is the power to bamf yourself up to gaining a 10ft reach.

So how do you feel about Enlarge Person? Or a feat that gives you a suit of fullplate welded to a character with 2/adamantine DR? Or a feat that gives 2/-Dr?

Applying multiple metamagics isn't terribly easy either, unless they're cheap or minor ones.

No they are not. You need to blow your focus when using those feats. You normally can only have 1 focus at a time. With a pair of feats you can have you psicrystal store 1. With another you can recover your focus as a swift action 1 a day. So you can use 3 metapsionics a round for the cost of 3 feats and 3 feats for the metapsionics themselves.

By the by. What other splat lets a 3/4 BABer get 4 attacks, each with Improved Grapple, by the 3rd level? Heck, his next psionic feat, he can start grabbing bonus PP and killing people via brainyank.

Magic of incarnum, Complete warrior, Unearthed arcana, Tome of battle. Ebberon Campain setting. Most of them have flaws like they may need flaws or they won't have Improved Grapple, but I imagine yours only lasts a couple minutes a day.

[lance]

As I said, it's about balance. A 1st level Psionic Warrior can grant himself DR 2/-, for example.

Um DR 2/- for what a minute a day? How dreadfully overpowered. As opposed to 5d4 burning hands, Adamantine body, or Divine metamagic that seems kinda weak. Or 2/- for the entire day, fast healing 2, 2d6 flame aura. Hell wolfs come with a free 1st level druid.

And it only got even more wildly unbalanced as time went on. Worse, their entire balancing mechanic is alien to even the rest of the splatclasses: A pool of points which can crank the powers up a few notches if you spend extra. As I said: This means a DM may have to suddenly alter his plans rather radically if there's few encounters in a day. Otherwise, Ka-boom.

Which for most intents and purposes the Ka-BOOM is going to amount to the psion doing about as much as the wizard or Sorcerer is going to do any way.

Ah, here goes Lance again, trying to sound informed and intelligent, and failing miserably. And I love this 'Well dur wizard or sorc could do da same!' Except they can't. There's nothing like Overchannel, spending extra power points on a power

I said they could do about as much. Not that they would be doing the same thing or that they would necessarily do the same.
How about Arcane Thesis, Sudden Metamagic, Practical Metamagic, Easy metamagic,

and of course, that insane wording of Practiced Manifester.

What is so bad about it?

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out.

How is this more unbalanced than the sorceror spamming his top 2 spell slots on each encounter?

This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

Which Magic has had access to since the beginning.

[Imperial Overlord]

'No way to extend the duration?' Overchannel or Extend Power, which is.. One more way than spellcasters have!

And? So Psionics having an option that arcane does not is broken? There is Arcane thesis that works for 1 spell that also reduces the cost for metemagics added to the spell by 1 per metamagic added.

Yeah, one spell as opposed to every single power.

Biofeedback isn't bad, in and of itself. At first level, it's inappropriate. Then again, so is the power to bamf yourself up to gaining a 10ft reach.

So how do you feel about Enlarge Person? Or a feat that gives you a suit of fullplate welded to a character with 2/adamantine DR? Or a feat that gives 2/-Dr?

Inappropriate for a 1st level character. Thanks for totally failing to address the point.

Applying multiple metamagics isn't terribly easy either, unless they're cheap or minor ones.

No they are not. You need to blow your focus when using those feats. You normally can only have 1 focus at a time. With a pair of feats you can have you psicrystal store 1. With another you can recover your focus as a swift action 1 a day. So you can use 3 metapsionics a round for the cost of 3 feats and 3 feats for the metapsionics themselves.

Focus is easy to get back. Compared to the actual cost of apply metamagics to spells metapsionics are cheap and easy.

A casters highest level spells are the cream of his arsenal. A psionicist can use only their most potent abilities until they run out of power points. Their lower level powers scale up with increased power point expenditure, allowing 1st and 2nd level powers be as potent as high level spells as long as the psionicist has points to feed them. This grants a psion or a psionic warrior far more flexibility than a conventional caster in addition to their nova abilities. Add in stuff like the torc of power and sucking power points out of depleted ioun stones is just adding insult to injury.

Psychic Warriors have extremely brutal cheese at their dispossal. Psionic Lion's Charge makes the Epic Feat Dire Charge look anemic and its available at a far lower level.

[SirNitram]

And I love this 'Well dur wizard or sorc could do da same!' Except they can't. There's nothing like Overchannel, spending extra power points on a power, and of course, that insane wording of Practiced Manifester.

Nitram, Overchannel has its own balancing mechanism -- it inflicts damage on the user. And that damage is signficant at the lower-levels you're complaining about. Also, I don't have a feat called Practiced Manifester in my XPH (or anything equivalent to Practiced Spellcaster... where was that published?

It's from 'Complete Psionic'. While I won't say Overchannel is completely broken and game-breaking, it is there and it is like nothing a sorc or wiz can do.. WHich was the point I was rebutting. So please stay attentive.

Practiced Manifester is broken because it allows further channeling of PP, and thus more nova.

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out. This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

Can you provide explanations of these last two problems? I'm fairly certain that the XPH (which is the 3.5E book) cleaned up all of the original PsiHB problems like this.

Nope; XPH didn't fix the obvious Bestow Power loop(Wilder and Torc Of Power Preservation; spend 3, get 4!), and then they came back with the release of Earth Power(Races of Stone) and Midnight Augmentation(Magic Of Incarnum).

That being said, I wonder whether you've actually run campaigns with psionic PCs in them, specifically ones where the psionic PC had to actually come up from lower levels. I've run a lot and never had the kinds of wildly unbalanced problems you seem to be claiming. Yes, a well-designed psion character can nova... and then they're sitting there like a dumb shit for the rest of the session. If a psion or psywar gets the crap beat out of them a couple times because they've blown all their PP on an earlier encounter, they learn pretty fast not to do that, in my experience.

They've generally abused Psionic Focus-feats until the Big Bad, then nova'd him out of existance. However, most of my ire was at the Bestow Power loops.

You're major complaint seems to be centered around the encounter-timing balancing mechanism used in 3rd edition -- that there's an assumption of a certain number of encounters per day. All the spellcasting classes suffer from this same balancing mechanism, it's just that the psion is a particularly bad example of it. You're probably already tweaking your encounters somewhat to account for this facet of the game, and the psion requires it more than any other spellcaster, and this is what bothers you, it seems.

Pretty much nailed it. Spellcasters can get ugly in few encounters/day, but Psions get fucking obscene. Far beyond any specific power, Psions lock you into a set encounter/day mechanism to retain balance. Stack this on top of the other complaints.. Illithid Grapple, Affinity Field stupidity(You can get rather nasty recursive loops from it, and even without, a Psion and Cleric coordinating can heal the entire party in battle with this), Bestow Power Loops.. And you shouldn't be surprised I dislike psionics.

That said, at least there's no longer the option to take Psionic Blast at first level as your 'Psi Combat style'.

[SirNitram]

I said they could do about as much. Not that they would be doing the same thing or that they would necessarily do the same.
How about Arcane Thesis, Sudden Metamagic, Practical Metamagic, Easy metamagic,

How about Bestow Power loops for infinite PP?

and of course, that insane wording of Practiced Manifester.

What is so bad about it?

If you don't have the brainpower to work it out, your DM is lucky.

Psionics is balanced.. Under a pre-determined number of encounters per day. If you don't use that many, it will not balance out.

How is this more unbalanced than the sorceror spamming his top 2 spell slots on each encounter?

He can't channel the rest of his slots into ramping those two spells even higher.

This is without, of course, the insane shit: The time control power loops, the infinite power point recursions, and other shit. This is with the normal stuff.

Which Magic has had access to since the beginning.

Really? Show me the spell that lets you create a respawn point with your familiar. Because it can be done with a psicrystal.

[lance]

'No way to extend the duration?' Overchannel or Extend Power, which is.. One more way than spellcasters have!

And? So Psionics having an option that arcane does not is broken? There is Arcane thesis that works for 1 spell that also reduces the cost for metamagics added to the spell by 1 per metamagic added.

Yeah, one spell as opposed to every single power.

It also does more for that one spell.

Biofeedback isn't bad, in and of itself. At first level, it's inappropriate. Then again, so is the power to bamf yourself up to gaining a 10ft reach.

So how do you feel about Enlarge Person? Or a feat that gives you a suit of fullplate welded to a character with 2/adamantine DR? Or a feat that gives 2/-Dr?

Inappropriate for a 1st level character. Thanks for totally failing to address the point.

And why is it inappropriate for a 1st level character? What is so game breaking about it? Other than that you feel its inappropriate for a 1st level character.

Applying multiple metamagics isn't terribly easy either, unless they're cheap or minor ones.

No they are not. You need to blow your focus when using those feats. You normally can only have 1 focus at a time. With a pair of feats you can have you psicrystal store 1. With another you can recover your focus as a swift action 1 a day. So you can use 3 metapsionics a round for the cost of 3 feats and 3 feats for the metapsionics themselves.

Focus is easy to get back. Compared to the actual cost of apply metamagics to spells metapsionics are cheap and easy.

They still have an additional cost that metamagics don't have. Also Magic has ways of smashing the cap and applying persistant or twin to their highest level spells.

A casters highest level spells are the cream of his arsenal. A psionicist can use only their most potent abilities until they run out of power points. Their lower level powers scale up with increased power point expenditure, allowing 1st and 2nd level powers be as potent as high level spells as long as the psionicist has points to feed them.

No they are not. They will be doing something more like a 23d10 touch spell that has a fortitude save to negate. As opposed to a ranged death spell that does 10d6 on the save.

This grants a psion or a psionic warrior far more flexibility than a conventional caster in addition to their nova abilities. Add in stuff like the torc of power and sucking power points out of depleted ioun stones is just adding insult to injury.

Unfortunately many of the key psionic abilities are divided among the 6 disciplines. The wizards have access to pearls of power which will be more cost effective than draining the ion stones in the long run.

Psychic Warriors have extremely brutal cheese at their dispossal. Psionic Lion's Charge makes the Epic Feat Dire Charge look anemic and its available at a far lower level.

You are aware that Dire Charge just plain sucks right? In fact Barbarians can get a better ability in exchange for their fast movement.