Psionics Questions (3.5e)

[Flob]

I have two questions about 3.5 psionics.

1. What is the DC for autohypnosis to stabilize one's self? In the table it says 20, but in the text it says 15 (we use the latter, as we have decided the text is more trustworthy).

2. What powers scale with level? Most just require that I dump PP into it and than make it kill things, but are there any like what a caster would get?

If anybody else has burning questions, number them (starting at 3) and wait for an answer. Thanks guys.

[Lycanthromancer]

I have two questions about 3.5 psionics.

1. What is the DC for autohypnosis to stabilize one's self? In the table it says 20, but in the text it says 15 (we use the latter, as we have decided the text is more trustworthy).The standard rule is 'text trumps table' if there's any discrepancy between the two, though there have been cases where the opposite is true (when the text makes no sense or is wildly overpowered or useless, for instance - see the erudite's Unique Powers Per Day, for example). You're doing it wrong right.


2. What powers scale with level? Most just require that I dump PP into it and than make it kill things, but are there any like what a caster would get?Most powers don't autoscale. There are some that remain useful at their base manifestation (like psionic grease, psionic minor creation, time hop, and others), but unless it has an augmentation option it can't be upgraded.

There are a few that do, however, such as psionic moment of prescience, (specified) energy adaptation and energy conversion, but those are few and far between.

It's a case-by-case thing. Is there anything in specific you're looking for?

[Starbuck_II]

I have two questions about 3.5 psionics.

1. What is the DC for autohypnosis to stabilize one's self? In the table it says 20, but in the text it says 15 (we use the latter, as we have decided the text is more trustworthy).

2. What powers scale with level? Most just require that I dump PP into it and than make it kill things, but are there any like what a caster would get?

If anybody else has burning questions, number them (starting at 3) and wait for an answer. Thanks guys.

1. Text before table is official rule when there is disagreement.
Although, I'd check errata anyways.

2. Powers rarely scale unless you augment (add additional PP) them. But you still can't exceed manifester level in pp for each power (so 1 PP limit at manifester 1).

Psionic, Grease is exactly like the spell.

[Flob]

The standard rule is 'text trumps table' if there's any discrepancy between the two, though there have been cases where the opposite is true (when the text makes no sense or is wildly overpowered or useless, for instance - see the erudite's Unique Powers Per Day, for example). You're doing it wrong right.

Most powers don't autoscale. There are some that remain useful at their base manifestation (like psionic grease, psionic minor creation, time hop, and others), but unless it has an augmentation option it can't be upgraded.

There are a few that do, however, such as psionic moment of prescience, (specified) energy adaptation and energy conversion, but those are few and far between.

It's a case-by-case thing. Is there anything in specific you're looking for?

1. So, I use the 15 than, good to know that I'm just about invincable when I go to negatives...

2. I was looking for some type of damage power so I could take it and kill things whilst conserving PP, but other ones are fine too. Thanks.

[lord_khaine]

Well, your best bet is proberbly Telekinetic thrust then.

Its damage does scale when you use it to throw your opponents up in the air, or throw a handful of spears after someone.

Still, in a lot of situations its more or less worthless, so do make sure you have a propper backup.

[Optimystik]

1. So, I use the 15 than, good to know that I'm just about invincable when I go to negatives...

Actually, while the XPH says 15 in the text and 20 in the table to stabilize, the SRD uses 20 in both places. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm) So it would seem that the 15 is a typo.

You're also not invincible by a long shot. You won't bleed to death, but you're still unconscious and therefore vulnerable to being CDG'ed, captured etc. by the enemy.

[Lycanthromancer]

1. So, I use the 15 than, good to know that I'm just about invincable when I go to negatives...

2. I was looking for some type of damage power so I could take it and kill things whilst conserving PP, but other ones are fine too. Thanks.Anything with a duration works nicely at conserving pp. At higher levels, the absolute best blasting power is energy conversion (charge it up using energy wall and metapsionic to taste), but at lower levels, you're best off using Psionic Shot, low-pp energy rays, and items from the MIC that add d6s to your ranged touch attacks.

Also, crossbows (or longbows, if you're an elf).

I've got lots of ideas for conserving power, most of which work best for shapers, though other psion-types can use them as well.

Go for duration powers, or powers you can stock up on outside of a fight and then use later. Go for the lowest manifestations you can make effective (1pp expansions for psychic warriors, followed by reach weapon + Combat Reflexes), use low-cost powers to lower saves (entangling ectoplasm + psionic grease, followed by a Reflex-based energy power), damage boosters such as Psionic Shot, and thinking outside the box for using your powers (don't time hop the BBEG; hit his weaker mount instead, or the links in the chain of the chandelier above his head, or a crossbeam holding the bridge together under his feat; create poisons or weaponry with psionic minor creation; these last 1 hour per level, and will do more potential damage than any blasting power ever could). Things with a guaranteed chance of working are better than potential failure; astral constructs and buffs are good for this, especially. Use items to their full potential; craft a psychoactive skin of proteus and power stones to fill in the gaps instead of manifesting from your own pool.

And such.

[Asheram]

Actually, while the XPH says 15 in the text and 20 in the table to stabilize, the SRD uses 20 in both places. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm) So it would seem that the 15 is a typo.

You're also not invincible by a long shot. You won't bleed to death, but you're still unconscious and therefore vulnerable to being CDG'ed, captured etc. by the enemy.

Agreed. The errata states that it should be 20.

[Ramza00]

What level are you playing, for that really determines what type of powers I would recommend.

Need to be 14th level to make this work

One of the best ways to conserve power is as follows. Energy Conversion+Energy Wall. Persist Energy Conversion (also share it with your psi crystal). Stand in a sonic, fire, whatever energy wall at the beginning of the day and damage yourself while you concentrate. Since Energy Conversion is in effect you really take no damage and charge up your internal batteries.

To persist powers you combine Illuminan Race+Naenhoon sigils allow you to persist two spells per day, Magic Mantle allows you to treat your psionic power as spells allowing you to use Naenhoon to persist spells.

Now since you shared the power with your psicrystal both you and your psicrystal can do your manifester level *3 damage per standard action.

But since you have two powers per day you can persist you also persisted schism. Though your manifester level is six lower for this seperated mind. Remeber to share the persisted schism with your psicrystal.

Throw in metamorphsis with metamorphic transfer or assume supernatural ability and suddenly you can become a choker and do an extra standard action per round.

Also psicrystal gets feats so they can take white raven tactics and repeat this once per round.

[Optimystik]

Persistent Power isn't in any WotC sourcebooks, but Hyperconscious has it. It's 3rd party, but written by Bruce Cordell (the guy who wrote the XPH and CPsi.)

[Claudius Maximus]

Magic-Psionics transparency only applies to magic items, spells, and SLAs. Feats like Persistent Spell and racial abilities don't cross it.

[Ramza00]

Now it gets broken with synchronicity and a psicrystal.

You manifest Synchronicity with 3 pp. When you manifest Synchronicity at 1 pp you can pick any standard action and both you and your psicrystal can do since you share your power with your psicrystal. Now when you spend 3 pp instead of 1 (augmenting it via 2) you don't have to choose the standard action you are going to perform until you actually do it.

So this is what happens
Cause 1) Manifest Synchronicity at 3 pp
Effect 2a) Synchronicity gives you a readied standard action which you can use immediately. You use your standard action to manifest another Synchronicity go to Cause 1)
Effect 2b) Synchronicity gives your psicrystal a readied standard action at the same time. The psicrystal uses his standard action to use the ability of energy conversion shooting a ray (which must make a ranged touch attack)< if the ray hits it does damage equal to 3*Your Manifester Level.

So you cast 13pp initially for Energy Conversion, and 5pp for Energy Wall. You must only cast those powers 1/day.

For each additional encounter you can then do damage equal to your manifester level*3 for 3pp. At the same time this damage does not cost you any standard actions. For you can always break the loop and still gain 1 free standard action, which you then use to manifest any other standard power.

(oh and if you use a rod of extend combine with your naenhoon sigils you can persist 2 powers per day with a duration of 48 hours, allowing you to have 4 continuous buffs up at once. Thus allowing you to persist sense danger, a power from magic of eberron, as another of those buffs, sense danger allows you to always go first when you are under the duration and you have the synchronicity power).

[Ramza00]

Persistent Power isn't in any WotC sourcebooks, but Hyperconscious has it. It's 3rd party, but written by Bruce Cordell (the guy who wrote the XPH and CPsi.)

Magic-Psionics transparency only applies to magic items, spells, and SLAs. Feats like Persistent Spell and racial abilities don't cross it.
I am using the magic mantle from complete psionics. Unlike traditional transparency the magic mantle is a stronger interaction treating the two as identical.

You then combine with the naenhoon sigils, which unlike divine metamagic works on all spells. Magic mantle treats psionics as magic, naenhoon allows you to use turn attempts to apply metamagic to spells in this case the persistent spell feat to these psionic powers (which are also treated as spells due to the magic mantle).