How many FPs for my Psion?

Yorunkun · 01-18-2019, 02:48 PM

Is boosting FP a good investment for PSI-using characters?

Working from P.K. Levine's 4e series of booklets on PSI, I've noticed that none of his sample characters actually boost their FPs. They all just work off their HT base, which is between 10 and 12.

I'd always assumed that it would make sense to increase FP at +3 cp per point, up to the 30% threshold; so spend 3x3=9 cp for 13 FP if you leave HT at 10, or even go as high as 16, with HT 12 (for 20) plus 4 bonus FP (for 12). PSI powers cost FP after all.

Given a budget of 150 cp and the goal of making a character with up to half of his points on PSI-related traits, how many points would you spend on boosting FP?

Are 9 cp (for 13 FP) or 32 cp (for 16 FP) better spent on reducing the FP cost of powers (where applicable)?

Also, are there ways for psions to store FP, like with powerstones?

johndallman · 01-18-2019, 03:26 PM

From my experience of playing a psi campaign using the Psionic Powers book, and GMing a psionic PC in Infinite Cabal who uses the same rules, most routine use of psi doesn't involve burning FP. Certainly psis don't get through FP nearly as much as magicians.

Prince Charon · 01-18-2019, 08:10 PM

I would say it depends very much on how many Psi Techniques and FP-requiring Psionic abilities the character has, and how frequently they see use. Someone who uses about one or two per game session shouldn't need to worry, but someone who spends FP several times in an average session could really need the extra FP.

Phantasm · 01-18-2019, 08:27 PM

I would probably give a psi character an Energy Reserve (Psi) instead of more FP. The idea here is that the psi won't get physically exhausted during the first few pushes of psionic power, but once the ER is burned away then the FP kicks in.

It's been a while since I looked at the templates in GURPS Psis; do any of them list an Energy Reserve?

Yorunkun · 01-19-2019, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantasm

I would probably give a psi character an Energy Reserve (Psi) instead of more FP. The idea here is that the psi won't get physically exhausted during the first few pushes of psionic power, but once the ER is burned away then the FP kicks in.

It's been a while since I looked at the templates in GURPS Psis; do any of them list an Energy Reserve?

Energy Reserve is a DF (or maybe Powers?) thing afaik, it doesn't get mentioned in the original PSI series or the Basic Set.

Kelly Pedersen · 01-19-2019, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yorunkun

Energy Reserve is a DF (or maybe Powers?) thing afaik, it doesn't get mentioned in the original PSI series or the Basic Set.

Energy Reserve first appeared in Powers. While Psionic Powers itself doesn't mention ER, it does come up in Psi-Tech, in the form of the Psychotronic Battery (p. 14), and gets referenced later when talking about computers/AIs with psionics.

I also suggested allowing an Energy Reserve for psis in my "High Psi" article (Pyramid #3/97, pp. 4-11). I stand by what I said in that: Energy Reserve is a valid thing for psis to take, but it definitely gives them a lot of extra power, so capping the maximum level of Energy Reserve is a good idea. I suggested 5 levels of ER/level of Talent in the article.

01-18-2019, 02:48 PM	#1
Yorunkun Join Date: May 2010 Location: Japan	How many FPs for my Psion? Is boosting FP a good investment for PSI-using characters? Working from P.K. Levine's 4e series of booklets on PSI, I've noticed that none of his sample characters actually boost their FPs. They all just work off their HT base, which is between 10 and 12. I'd always assumed that it would make sense to increase FP at +3 cp per point, up to the 30% threshold; so spend 3x3=9 cp for 13 FP if you leave HT at 10, or even go as high as 16, with HT 12 (for 20) plus 4 bonus FP (for 12). PSI powers cost FP after all. Given a budget of 150 cp and the goal of making a character with up to half of his points on PSI-related traits, how many points would you spend on boosting FP? Are 9 cp (for 13 FP) or 32 cp (for 16 FP) better spent on reducing the FP cost of powers (where applicable)? Also, are there ways for psions to store FP, like with powerstones?

01-18-2019, 03:26 PM	#2
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	Re: How many FPs for my Psion? From my experience of playing a psi campaign using the *Psionic Powers* book, and GMing a psionic PC in Infinite Cabal who uses the same rules, most routine use of psi doesn't involve burning FP. Certainly psis don't get through FP nearly as much as magicians. __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.

01-18-2019, 08:27 PM	#4
Phantasm Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the road again...	Re: How many FPs for my Psion? I would probably give a psi character an Energy Reserve (Psi) instead of more FP. The idea here is that the psi won't get physically exhausted during the first few pushes of psionic power, but once the ER is burned away then the FP kicks in. It's been a while since I looked at the templates in *GURPS Psis*; do any of them list an Energy Reserve? __________________ "Life ... is an Oreo cookie." - J'onn J'onzz, 1991 "But mom, I don't wanna go back in the dungeon!" The GURPS Marvel Universe Reboot Project A-G, H-R, and S-Z, and its not-a-wiki-really web adaptation. Ranoc, a Muskets-and-Magery Renaissance Fantasy Setting

01-18-2019, 08:10 PM	#3
Prince Charon Join Date: Dec 2012	Re: How many FPs for my Psion? I would say it depends very much on how many Psi Techniques and FP-requiring Psionic abilities the character has, and how frequently they see use. Someone who uses about one or two per game session shouldn't need to worry, but someone who spends FP several times in an average session could really need the extra FP. __________________ Warning, I have the Distractible and Imaginative quirks in real life. "The more corrupt a government, the more it legislates." -- Tacitus Five Earths, All in a Row. Updated 12/17/2022: Apocrypha: Bridges out of Time, Part I has been posted.