1st Edition Psionics Questions

[Library Ogre]

1) For a major or master psionicist (NOT a mind mage), when rolling to determine powers "picked up" at level three, does a player roll once for each evil eye type?

I would say yes. Not everyone's eyes are equally evil.

1a) For a mind mage, are all the evil eye versions picked up?

Yes.

2) A bit more complicated. I had a player, a dwarf druid who was a master psionicist (this was one tough character), and he wanted to dual-class into an illusionist. Now, the campaign fell apart before I had to rule on this. Would a dual-class still retain "pure" psionics powers, in addition to working up the illusionist levels? Or would they be somehow "converted" into the illusionist's abilities or something (I dunno) due to the similarity between how illusions and psionics work? I don't think this would happen, because it seems similar to diabolists/summoners relate to wizards (being specialists). But I want to know other thoughts.

Yes, he would. He still knows the powers, but I would rule that he doesn't grow in them any further.

2a) There's nothing canonical about dwarves being restricted from being illusionists, are there?

Not to my knowledge, as they are a psychic, not magical, class.

[Yisterwald]

Combining those two classes smacked so loudly of min/maxing I ran to the shelves to dust off my trusty Old Ones 1st Ed. for a re-read on Illusionists. Having done so I would rule differently from Nexxy on this issue. Keep in mind that I don't have Illusionists in my campaign, though, because I think they're a pain.

OK -- relevant passages. (any emphasis is Kevin's)

An Illusionist cannot ever become a Mind Mage! This is impossible because he has taken his raw psionic powers and and developed them in an entirely different way. The key word is developed; his psi-powers are developed to the ways of illusion and cannot be twisted to include the powers of the Mind Mage, or even those powers of the Minor or Major psionic individuals.

The possible outcome is no appreciable psionics (1-59%), minor psionics (60-79%, but insufficient for the art of illusion), major psionics (80-89%), and master psionics(90-100%). In the case of the latter two categories the character can be either a Mind Mage or Illusionist, but NEVER both.

My gut feel that the proposal would probably be too abusive seems to be upheld by the rules. Kevin also cautions that the class can be unbalancing, and reminds both player and GM to approach the Illusionist with thought and maturity. Attempting to combine the two classes seems out of step with that.

[Library Ogre]

Ok, Yisterwald, thanks. I never had the 1st edition Old Ones book.

Personally, though, I'm not a fan of Palladium illusionists. Too limited, IMO.

[Denaes]

Palladiums Illusionists are too limited!?

They're the most versitile class out there in terms of how their powers work. By far my favorite class just for the sheer volume of tricks you can pull to pwn enemies that far outnumber/outpower you.

Of course, they don't work if the GM is a jerk tries to nerf you left and right.

[lather]

Palladiums Illusionists are too limited!?

They're the most versitile class out there in terms of how their powers work. By far my favorite class just for the sheer volume of tricks you can pull to pwn enemies that far outnumber/outpower you.

Of course, they don't work if the GM is a jerk tries to nerf you left and right.

So true. So true.