Re: D&D classic Psionics in TFT

[<drfaustus61@cox.net>]

I can see forcing a player to jump through all of these hoops if they're off by
themselves somewhere.

However, if Psionics is a known phenomena, practicioners are going to find
out how to use them sooner or later and that knowledge is going to be passed
down through some channel.  ( ie, Guilds, schools, etc ).   Also, the player 
should get some clue - ie, you spent x points on attributes - your Psionic
powers now seem weaker.

This seems unfair.  The only way to make it fair would be to force wizards and
the like to learn their abilities through trial and error as well - this would force
wizards to zealously guard the knowledge they've learned so far.  Scrolls
would be virtually non-existant.

After all, you're playing this game to have fun ... not to play some kind of 
weird freaking mind-game with your players.

Dan

---- David Michael Grouchy II <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> 
> > Hi David,
> >   I'm missing the Psionic rules, or are we supposed to
> > refer to the D&D rule book?
> 
> One of the strange things about D&D1e Psionics, is how rarely a character qualifies, and how much rarer it is that a character actually has them.  Just about as rare as a TFT character that does not cash in their exp for attribute points.  In D&D and original Traveller Psionics were at best a potential, and required testing and training.
> 
> In this vein the GM should never tell their players how to get them or what the mechanic is, i.e. unspent experience points.
> 
> In original Traveller there is no experience, only training and study.  In D&D1e experience points could not be cashed in until one returned to "town", or "spent the money".  With TFT it does not say, but by the year it was published, most GMs that I knew were granting instant, or near instant, experience cash ins and level gains.
> 
> When viewed in this way, a GM may play some NPCs as reluctant or slow to improve.  Baffling, sometimes even angering the players characters, yet getting stronger in Psychic presence.
> 
> So, yes.  Use the D&D1e rules as they are.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> >   One strange thing about these rules is that you can
> > have a psionic character, but if you spend your Exp,
> > you lose your psionic powers.  It also seems strange
> > that IQ is not used by them.
> >
> > Warm regards, Rick.
> 
> Well, some of the Psionic monsters in The Monster Manual 1977 are rather mindless themselves.  "Brain Mole", "Mind leech", "Shu Monster (a monkey)"
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> David Michael Grouchy II
>