If Thoughts Could Kill

Rating:
Summary: Must have accessory for D&D 3E psionics
Review: One thing I like about the 3E core rulebooks is it seems like WotC play tested the hell out of them. Nearly everything is fairly well balanced. Many aspects have been simplified from the 2nd addition in a good way (though sometimes too much.) Overall, I really like 3E and consider it worth buying.

Enter supplemental materials like If Thoughts Could Kill, by Bruce Cordell. Let's take a look:

VALUE: Under 10 bucks for the printed version, or 5 bucks for the PDF file (available from Monte Cook's website). After shelling out at least 20 for each of the class books, I find this very refreshing.

DESIGN: The art in the printed version is acceptable, and it's nice to have the printed bound version for easy access. However, I went with the PDF and had Kinko's print it out and spiral bind it. It's just as nice, if not nicer.

CONTENT: First off, Bruce Cordell is a superb game designer. He is the man behind the official D&D 3E Psionics Handbook. That's promising because If Thoughts Could Kill is a psionics supplement for 3E. Half the book is a psionics adventure -- module style, using the variant rules as presented in the second half of the book.

ADVENTURE: Bruce Cordell knows how to write cool adventures. He made Die Vecna Die, the Illithiad, and more recently, Heart of Nightfang Spire (among dozens of others). Ever wondered, "How should/could psionics fit into my campaign?" This adventure is a good place to start examining that question. It shows how psionics can be used, how it interacts with traditional (arcane) magic, hand to hand combat, etc. Beyond that, it is a cool adventure. Even if you don't use it verbatim, it will probably inspire a few neat ideas to add to your game.

NEW VARIANT RULES: Like many other gamers, I found the Psion (as presented in the Psionics Handbook) to be little on the weak side compared to the sorcerer. ITCK offers a viable/usable fix for that problem. It has a new power point system, power scaling (no more powers staying at 5d4 damage forever), new powers, etc. All these combine to make the Psion a very playable PC or NPC. Also, the printed version of ITCK includes Bruce's rewrites of the psionic prestige classes from the Psionics Handbook. The new versions are vastly superior. If you go with the PDF, download the variant PrCs from Monte Cook's website. If you are new to psionics, or are a veteran master of the mind, these variant rules are basically a must-have for balancing 3rd Edition psionics.

OVERALL: 5 Stars. One of the few accessories that I've opened up in its entirety to my game. You can download errata for this book, and all other Malhavok Press products at Monte Cook's website. (I can't post the URL or Amazon will edit it out, so just look on Yahoo.)