I am poised to choose between these two skills. One appeals to me more for roleplay purposes.

What do people think of one versus the other in terms of practicality and for what?

Psionics is much more versatile in offensive combat I think, while Acrobatics is more defensive. Personally I'd go Psionics. Because of the three different channels you have to play your cards right and use skills that will compliment each other.

Actually, you have it backwards. Hyperactive currently puts Acrobatics as the offensive king. All the psionic effects are fairly annoying, but very useful.

Annoying?

I've made some druids very mad with bloodboil and regen. They aren't as much a use unless they're stacking with something, save for suspended. Suspdended makes people cry.

Ah yes, I forgot about Hyperactive...

I am no longer so sure. The passive nature of Acrobatics and its chance to completely avoid damage, combined with Hyperactive, seems to outweigh Psychometabolism's little perks and tools.

Can Psionics be chained with Kata in any way?

You'll only start the kata when you get EVERY balance back. So, you'll have a 4 to 6 second recovery time.

You get very cool buffs though! I love Gliding. And Introspection.

Psychometabolism and Acrobatics are both solid skillsets. Acrobatics trumps Psychometabolism in combat (specifically elite tier) whereas Psychometabolism trumps Acrobatics in bashing (specifically high level bashing).

That being said, you can't really "go wrong" with either. If you are new to Lusternia and want a skillset that will be more useful at lower levels, I would suggest Psychometabolism.

Psionics alone has some cool buffs. Pychometabolism has the even cooler ones.

Reassuring. Thank you.

EDIT: I am still not convinced though. Acrobatics has significant damage reduction, the ability to quickly escape a room (even if it is filled with water?), the chance that an attack will miss you entirely, and a plethora of passive abilities which improve what appear to be fundamental for survival (i.e., contort).

Psychometabolism just has slightly better damage reduction and some neat (RP) features that I want, but it does not look like I would be getting as powerful of a skillset.

Is this a misconception?

Bottom line on this would be to listen to what Casi and Narsrim have said. They both know DAMN well what they're talking about.

Well, anyone and everyone is subject to doubt until I understand where they are coming from. I spoke to another player with fairly extensive knowledge who seems to think something along the lines of what I posted above. I just mean to compare and contrast the different opinions by setting them against one another.

Narsrim just knows alot about combat, also look at HELP TAHTETSO. I've been a monk for over a year now and have used both skillsets for fairly long periods of time. Acrobatics has alot of useful skills, and dodging is amazing, especially against warriors and other monks since it throws them off equilibrium and they can't attack.

With psymet, you just get alot of DMP against everything, regen, lifedrain is nice for extra health gain, and bloodboil. Good ole' bloodboil. However, tripleflash has probably saved me in group combat over and over again. Then again, suspendedanimation has too.

You are a Golden Saint. Thank you again, everyone.

quick, get a greater soulgem!

You need grand for them Ashteru. Fail.

Psychometabolism was just buffed, as well. You no longer need to lock a channel for Enhancement. So that means +1 channel or +2 dex/con for what it used to be.