Reconsider PSI slot count

[RewRatt]

Wanted to really ask how does having such a limited number of PSI slots improve or positively alter the PSI gameplay? 8 Slots max. Thought Control has 10 skills now. Metathermics - 10.
Someone has to realize that you gut both flexibility of a PSI build and enjoyment as you can't even utilize all the tools we get - we will use the most optimalOPTIMAL skills, not such flavour as Psi-cognitive Interruption, Neurovisual Disruption, Exothermic Aura, Cryo-Shield. And even those not mentioned, I have to rotate Bilocation out for example as I get Pseudo-spatial Projection and Stasis.

You effectively removed fun from the game. I know you wanted Intelligence investment to be needed, but what about INT granting 2 slots instead on even number after 6 and increasing the max slots accordingly?

I noticed my build and many other PSI builds devolving to 1 button spam - and it is not Burst fire fun spam with a bunch of enemies getting shredded and critted, etc., no, it is single target Neural Overload, after NO, after NO... I would like to be able to use the tools we PSI has, the choice PSI has. We PSI doesn't have a choice to skimp on WILL as build's damage depends on it. PSI is lowest dps of all builds after all.

Someone will say and correctly, that PSI can still finish the game on DOMINATING no problems - yes. But you must also agree to the fact, that we have a shit-ton of skills we don't use, but would like to. Having more choice during combat is fun and those skills are fun. Much more than a single button spam on single targets...

[ShoggothWhisperer]

Calling psi the lowest dps of all builds is a flat out lie, since crowbar exists. All jokes aside, Mania allows for huge burst damage with NO crits, and crit cryo orb, and proxy+ implosion+ crit TK Punch will kill every enemy in the game. Additionally, psi never misses, so these always work. There is nothing stopping you from swapping out psi skills since the vast majority of them are situational. For TC, most people mainly use NO, Bilocation, Projection, mental Breakdown, and enrage, since the other abilities are very situational. You will rarely ever use more than 6 psi abilities in a fight, since a lot of the abilities are ineffective against certain enemy types. This just sounds like you complaining that you can't fit TC and TM into your build without sacrificing some psi abilities.

[KnifegaF]

I get his point. There are certain spells that are never used in a playthrough because it essentially means 2 innervations for one situation or particular scenario. Unless your playing Ironman it’s usually best to just try something else that doesn’t require the two innervations.  Or the other thing is maybe an unpredicted opportunity arises mid fight where a niche spell could be used but no longer can be.

I don’t hate spell slots overall mind you but I do think there’s something to the complaint of how niche spells aren’t really given a chance to shine. That could also just be a problem with spell balance though. There’s no incentive to use those niche spells so if they were stronger or less situational than it would make the choice more meaningful. Who is taking rewind over contraction, stasis, or LTI? I mean in a serious way, not out of ignorance or for the memes.

[Turbodevil]

Exothermic aura is niche? This thing can cover massive area in environmental fire, forcing enemies to go around. It can cover your escape if things go awry too. Gives immunity to fire. Negates chills, environmental hazard included. Negates stealthed crawlers!

I wish more spells were as useful. It was one of the reasons of psi rework: to create environment where you can add/buff spells without worrying about giving too much power to wizards. There's long road ahead until this happens. But we got 6 new spells, so we are getting there.

[haze1103]

I agree with the last post, I'm pretty sure the only reason we're given new spells at all is because of the slot limit. Previously, adding new spells would have just made every psi build stronger each time. Now, it's just more build options.

I do think that either niche spells should be given more versatility, or slots should be split in "major" and "minor" slots to give players a reason to pick niche spells (then maybe we could split it in 6 major + 4 minor max)

[KnifegaF]

The major and minor idea was something I also had thought of. There’s meaningful choices between going NO, PK, distortion, or cryokin but less so for stuff like contraction and cryo shield. 999/1000 times you’ll take contraction over cryo shield when given a choice between the two and even then I’m probably giving cryo shield more credit than it deserves.

The other option is just getting rid of the psi reserve dump on innervations and make it so spells can only be changed out of combat. I get that having weight on your choices can add an interesting element to the game but the alternative at least allows for more use of the niche spells. You still can’t go into every fight with your full arsenal but now you won’t have to dump 2 inhalants for the one opportunity you find to use rewind or barrier

[RewRatt]

Calling psi the lowest dps of all builds is a flat out lie, since crowbar exists. All jokes aside, Mania allows for huge burst damage with NO crits, and crit cryo orb, and proxy+ implosion+ crit TK Punch will kill every enemy in the game. Additionally, psi never misses, so these always work. There is nothing stopping you from swapping out psi skills since the vast majority of them are situational. For TC, most people mainly use NO, Bilocation, Projection, mental Breakdown, and enrage, since the other abilities are very situational. You will rarely ever use more than 6 psi abilities in a fight, since a lot of the abilities are ineffective against certain enemy types. This just sounds like you complaining that you can't fit TC and TM into your build without sacrificing some psi abilities.

I am complaining, that I would like to use Psi-cognitive Interruption, but it is a soft-CC, so I take a hard-CC instead, such as Frighten or Mental Breakdown. Same for Neurovisual-Disruption.
What about Temporary Rewind, Entropic Recurrence? Over what would you take them? Just to meme - maybe. Otherwise you are stuck with 7 slots at 10INT. At the moment, investing into INT as a PSI user is the same as investing into STR as a Rifle user - it will reduce your damage overall as you are not investing into PER, but it might be situationally good to have more (such as when being crippled).

We have a ton of good spells already and a few niche ones - but they are fun and allow for more interesting tactical solutions, than herd them up, CC and burn them down.

[Barry]

Full PSI was crippled by the revamp, I don't really find myself using Temporal Manipulation anymore because most of the abilities have niche uses, with only 2-3 spells out of them being worthwhile in any capacity (Temporal Distortion but only against robots until you get Plasma Beam, Contraction - which was nerfed, and Stasis which is all-around decent, especially after Force Barrier was lobotomized). You need to take Flexibility just to not be fucked over as much while builds that partially use psi can enjoy Optimization. I'd say full PSI got severely knocked down from being S-tier to B-tier at best, you can still rock it but it's nowhere near as fun, even with the PSI abilities added nearly a year later to compensate.