Question: Pyramid of Force

[zurcon]

I've heard that this spell surpasses sanctuary in terms of "defense". Obviously, only psionics get it. With only parry and hand to hand at my disposal, I was hoping that this would be drastically better than sanctuary.

Turns out that I can't really detect any substantial difference between sanctuary and pyramid of force at my level (24). Does this spell get better with levels or something? I haven't seen any evidence of psionic skills which progressively get better.

[Seryie]

In my opinion it is just sanctuary, but I may well be wrong..the higher level you get the more hours the spell lasts, unsure about it getting stronger though.

[zurcon]

So it should probably be toned up.

[a ponderer]

One would think...

[Phostan]

You monkeys, I've tanked rangers at 28 with a psionicist before. Pyramid doesnt need toned up. Psionicists are a royal pain in the ass to kill considering how much they resist damage and avoid lag. I mean, I still managed back in the day, but if you get pked using a psionicist, you suck.

[Seryie]

Yea, it's a little to easy to get away you get in any trouble, just fle;foc 'phase shift'.. they are fine the way they are...

[zurcon]

[Mendek]

Psi get the best defense weapon in the game coupled with the highest AC boosting spells plus displacement which works like an extra defense. Psi are buff, they're just a pain in the ass to rank.

[Baer]

A level 22-ish ilithid psi, tanking in emerald...was getting grazed-maimed with bio feedback and pyramid of force up....Stop whining.

[Addreodyn]

As far as I can tell Pyramid of Force is no better than Sanctuary, and rightly so. Also, iron will is very different than pro shield...I guess I shouldn't reveal too much but it's better in some ways and worse in others. You are somewhat right, zurcon, psis do suck compared to other classes, especially at 50. They do have a few ranks where they are powerful offensively, and they are very powerful defensively as early as rank 22. It's all about how you like to play.
Some of the most annoying criminals for my Justice (also a psi) to hunt down were psionicists...
You can't do much but dispel each other and beat with your sticks. Plus, rank 50 special guard does about a graze or a hit to a psi.

-Addreodyn

PS. I'll send you my psi essay if you want.

[Davairus]

Displacement.

[jaran]

Oh god... yeah like Psi's need better pyramid... hahaha I could laugh my arse off at that one, but I wont.

Have you played one?

Jesus.

[zurcon]

Yea, please send your psi essay to
christopher_kozura@umit.maine.edu

[zurcon]

[jaran]

I have played one actually.

[Burzuk]

Mages are weak at lower levels? Shocking!

Playing a level 27 psi is very different from playing a level 50 psi. You're better off with a different class if you're going to be making comparisons at such low levels.

Mysteriously, there have been psis in the past who did well enough for themselves, and not play the class as though it were the complete exercise in futility that you depict.

[Sebryn]

[Cartman]

Yeah man. You just gotta take your time, patience is a BIG virtue with mages. If I'm thinkin right, Psi's get staves no? There are alot of staves/potions that cure crit, scrolls that do three cure lights, on top of that, you have psychic healing, which is 75 hp for two ticks wait, which may not sound like alot, but it is, I cannot count how many times I have come out of a fight with less than 100 hp, but yeah, like everyone said, play a Healer, perfectly noob friendly. Just keep protective shield and fly up, you'll live forever.

[b00mslang]

Though I disagree with some of Zurcon's details regarding to psis, it still seems that psis can't do shit at 50, or for that matter, 40, or 30.

By those ranks, everyone with have an ounce of a brain knows to use purples, and once they use purples and wear a couple pieces of red steel, the psi is just done.

Psis know shit for weapons and only have one defense, just like other mages. However, unlike other mages, they have no uber offense like three hasted dirting bashing tritons or 6 golems/zombies/mercs fighting alonside them.

Yes, while they also have the benefit of pyramid and biofeedback, other mages, if their smart, will be constantly sanced, and additionally protected against half their enemies with opposite alignments.

Furthermore, when fighting a psi, its only necessary to protect against one form of spells - mental. While maledictive saves can help against sleep, the sleep won't help the psi much since the only way he can win is with psionic blasts, a mental spell. Thus, unlike other mages, from which you have to protect against mal/aff/men(for necros), and aff/men(for invokers and illusionists), players fighting psis can get more total saves against psis while not having to drop as much equipment for the wide range of saves required against other mages. While you could argue that you only need mental for illusionists, getting -80 mental stil won't save you from three hasted lagging, dirting, dups.

So, let's see what we've got so far -
Psi's have defensive capabilities that are a little better than smart mages.
Psi's have shit for offense until they land psychic purge, after which the damage is still less than an invoker's hellstream/necro's or ill's charmies.
By the time the psi lands psychic purge, they are going to be much more hurt relative to their enemy than an invoker, or necro, or illusionist.

Also, in response to the last post, it doesn't do much to phase shift away, sleep a few ticks, and come back. 1 - Because even a lvl 50 purge doesn't last all that long(I won't specify how long), by the time they come back, its very possible that purge has worn off, and so they'll have to spend many rounds of combat being beaten down while trying to land purge and doing no damage whatsoever in the meantime. Furthermore, the idea of fleeing and initiating with purge is pretty damn stupid, since purge is a one round lag spell, it doesn't reduce the time spent in battle. Furthermore, since purge isn't an afflictive spell(or a spell that does damage), the enemy gets a couple of free whacks at your head upon trying to purge(a la Resatimm).

Basically, because at the higher levels, everyone is smart enough to use purples and scrolls and stuff, the psi's pyramid of force spell is only good in that the psi will not be caught off guard without it. But during battle, it's canceled out by the enemy's constant sanc. While the other defensive spells put the psionicist's defense above many other classes, its offense is nothing compared to another mage, warrior, or shaman.

Though I myself have never played a psi, I have fought many psis, both abyssal, illithid, elf, and drow. None of them have been able to really come out on top in any battle against a prepared me, and most of the time I'm purposefully running around without sanc, fleeing on wimpy to lure them to continue battle so I can kill them.

While I feel that psis are pretty horrible killers at the higher ranks, it still has some appeal for certain types of players.

1 - Its a largely independant class(no having to get dups, zombies, charmies(who turn on you and bash you to death while linkdead), no having to stock up on purples...etc)
2 - Its quite easy to stay alive as a psi(constant excellent defense, unlaggable, uncursable/unblindable/unstoppable/extremelyannoying phase shift)
3 - Clairvoyance(just a really cool spell)

While everything I said seems pretty logical to me, I'm still perplexed by assassins like Jerjectiga killing everyone at 50 - it just doesn't make sense!

Or maybe dav could make a psi...and show us how its done.

[Seryie]

I'll say it now, they are not unlaggable. Iron will has a chance to stop the lag attack. and if it fails your a goner. I know becuase well. bleh.