So I had an idea about rebalancing Psi Empath unlock, so not everyone can splash easily into psi and prevent build homogeneity (particularly Temporal Contraction).
Three different ways to become a psion now:
1. Prodigal Empath, requires 9 WIL, gives 100 Max Psi and Psi Empath perk, and pickable at character creation. You spend a feat, but you don't have the HP penalty (which is mostly irrelevant, since optimal gameplay for a psion is all about not getting hit).
2. Natural Empath, requires 6 WIL, gives 50 Max Psi and Psi Empath perk, pickable at, say, level 5. You spend a feat, don't get HP penalty, have way less WIL requirements, but only 50 max Psi, enough for a PTC but not LTI or Stasis on top of it, defintely not enough to stack a bunch of AP cheap control anymore (but still can use a few choice ones).
3. Artificial Empath, requires 6 WIL, gives 50 Max Psi, -20% HP, and Psi Empath perk. Obtainable from the Doctor at SGS as normal. Maybe attach a cost to the unlock, like 5000. You save a perk, but you lose health. Expensive, too, which should prevent you from getting it at level 1-3 unless you make major concessions.
Additionally, you cannot learn or improve Psionic skills unless you have Psi Empath (make it work at level 1 properly with Prodigal Empath).
This basically should prevent easy splashing of all LTI/PTC/Stasis/Control effects for free. You want Psi, you gotta invest into 6 WIL, and then pay either a perk or 20% of your max HP for only 50 Psionic points. For pure psi its mostly a nerf (-1 perk), but since pure psi often doesn't have a good 2nd level 1 perk to pick; feels okay. This can also enable better balancing of all the psi spells, allow more power for Cave Wizards maybe.
Context though, I started Underrail in 2023. So I haven't played with unlimited Psi, but I have played Mass Effect 1 as a pure adept, and I can see why unrestricted and unlimited abilities can be too op, even if CD and Psi-point limited.
However, I feel like the above nerf to Psi should enable a couple QOL buffs to pure Psi; like maybe enable Psi Regeneration to generate points from thin air at 50% efficiency if there's no reserve pool. This means if you rely on natural regeneration, you can only enter fights with your psi pool, but all other sources like boosters and natural regen is 50% effective. Similarly, buff natural regeneration a bit (WILL+INT? or maybe 1.5*WILL + 0.5*INT), because 15 psi per round is pathetic, and clashes with Psi's bursty playstyle, where you seek to do as much damage within the first few rounds as possible.
Also, wtf is the anti spam in this forum. Captcha plus 2 questions? The tallest tree actually didn't take my Redwood/Giant Redwood answers from google.
