Psionics - Sphere Affinity DCs

[samuelclark7]

I'm very new to the T20 arena (I got the book yesterday) and I'm a little frustrated about a few things.

With Psionics, aside from the fees to get in and assuming the characeter has the potential, it seems like it is highly likely that most psions will have at least 3 to 5 sphere's. Am I missing something or is it really that likely that a character could have all the abilities?

Thanks.

Samuel

 

[far-trader]

I think you may be missing something. Perhaps the -2 to the roll for the DC for each check after the first?

Even with that though it looks like T20 Psions will have more talents than CT (Classic Traveller) Psions. It looks to me that most T20 Psions will have 3 talents (and always 1 at least) as compared to CT where you were lucky to have 2 talents (and could have none).

Not that you asked, and you probably want to just run the game "by the book" but here's how I'd "fix" what I see as some problems...

If you wanted to better model the CT rarity of psionics for T20 I'd just change the DC penalty to work the way it did in CT and apply it to the first and subsequent rolls. So the first check is at -2, the second is at -4, and so on.

I'd also drop the T20 rule of "If the last sphere on the character's list is reached and no other spheres have yet to be gained, then this will be the one and only sphere the character has affinity with." Doing this would restore the risk vs reward game of deciding to go for easy talents first and be pretty much assured of getting them but having no chance at the harder ones, or going for the harder ones first to have a chance at them, but with the possibility of ending up with no talents.

I'd also be tempted to make it a 2d10 roll instead of a 1d20 roll just to put a bit of a curve on the odds.

 

[samuelclark7]

Thanks for the ideas. I did know about the cumulative -2 for rolls, but still didn't think it was enough. I will take your idea into consideration. I've also been thinking of some ideas of my own.

Thanks Again.

Samuel