Campaign Guide

Psionics vs. Magic

Both magic and psionics will play prominent roles in the campaign, so it's probably a good idea to set out from the start how the two will interact. It's pretty important to game balance and can affect the decisions players make for their characters.

Characters who use magic are tapping into hidden, quasi-natural power sources and using them to affect the physical world. They don't entirely understand how their spells work, but they do know that if they hold the material component while speaking the specific words and making exactly the right gestures, the spell will happen as they intend. (Most of the time.)

Psionic characters -- and here I'm talking primarily about the ones who use psionic powers -- are also tapping into those same hidden, quasi-natural power sources. The major difference between a psion and a sorcerer is that the psion can channel those forces with his mind instead of relying on carefully learned words, gestures, and the odd drop of bat guano.

So, here are the house rules on psionics and magic for Marhaven:

1. Items, persons, and creatures that are under a psionic power's effect have a magical aura that is subject to detect magic. The school and strength of the psionic effect will be revealed as they would for a spell. Similarly, the detect psionics power can also be used as a detect magic equivalent.
2. Because the end result of a psionic power is the same as that of a spell, any affect that dispels, suppresses, or negates magic also dispels, suppresses, or negates psionic powers. The reverse also holds: anything that dispels, suppresses, or negates psionic power will be effective against magic.This includes tactics that reflect or redirect spell energy such as spell turning and the Rod of Absorbtion.
3. Any creature with spell resistance has equal resistance to psionic powers. The manifester will have to make a successful caster level check to manifest the power. Creatures with psionic power resistance are treated as having the same level of spell resistance. Creatures that are immune to classes of spells are also immune to psionic powers that duplicate the effects of those spells. (So no, you can't use psionic charm on an elf.)
4. A psionic item will be treated as a magic item for purposes of overcoming damage reduction, need for saving throws, and any other situation where it matters.
5. Because the means by which they achieve the desired result is different, a psionic character is not considered a spellcaster for purposes of feats and special abilities relating to spellcasters. A spellthief cannot steal a psionic power or power points, and an occult slayer's class features do not apply when facing a psionic enemy.
6. A psion and a spellcaster cannot counterspell each other. However, it is possible for a psionic power to negate a currently operating spell and vice versa. (Example: psionic deceleration and a haste spell on the same subject cancel each other out for as long as their durations overlap.)

Any situation not covered by these rulings (which are pretty much in line with the recommendations in the Expanded Psionics Handbook) will be handled as it happens. The guiding principle will be that magic and psionics are different means to the same end.

Psionics and the Spell Thief

Once a psionic power has been manifested, the effect is the same as that of a spell. Some of a spell thief's class abilities, therefore, can be used with psionic powers. Specifically:

• Steal spell effect can be used to steal the effect of a psionic power already manifested.
• Steal energy resistance can be used to steal resistance gained through a psionic power.
• Steal spell resistance can also steal psionic power resistance, since they are the same property.
• Absorb spell can be used to absorb the energy released by a psionic power as if it were a spell of the comparable level. The spellthief cannot manifest the power but can use the energy to cast his own spell of equal or lower level.

A spell thief cannot steal psionic powers or psi-like abilities because they are too different in nature from the potential to cast spells. For the Marhaven campaign the ability to steal psionic powers and psi-like abilities is given to a prestige class, the Psi Thief.