Dominant Ideal ACF

[mootoall]

Question: regarding the Ardent's Dominant Ideal ACF, one can reduce the power points required for augmentation from a specific mantle by 2, to a minimum of 0. My question: What the hell??? Doesn't this completely violate the balancing principle of psionics, in that you can then augment a power for essentially an extra two points above your manifester level? Given easily augmentable powers like the energy line, isn't this ACF fairly ... overpowered?

[Kylarra]

Yes, dominant ideal is a ridiculously powerful ACF.

[mootoall]

Given that, what is the ideal mantle to pick for a dominant ideal, just from optimization purposes? From what I see, it'd have to be something easily augmentable, such as the energy line, or a mantle that provides a ridiculously good ability given a spent psionic focus. Is there any mantle that fills both of those criteria?

[Psyren]

Any of the good ones, really.


...Okay, I'll be a bit more helpful. You want one that you'll be using most of the powers from, so that the ACF will apply to as much of your repertoire as possible. It also helps if the powers augment well.

The thing is, the good mantles already meet both these criteria, so my first statement remains valid. Conflict, Consumption, Creation, Deception, Energy, Fate, Force, Freedom, Guardian, Justice, Mental Power, Physical Power, and (my personal favorite) Time: any of these are good choices.

[mootoall]

And do any of those grant good abilities via expenditure of psionic focus?

[Psyren]

And do any of those grant good abilities via expenditure of psionic focus?

Yes, several. (There's other things you can do with your focus besides your mantles anyway.)

...You do have CPsi, right? I already narrowed the mantle list down for you, I'm not going to do everything :smalltongue:

[mootoall]

Well I was AFB for a while, but now that I'm back ... I'd still prefer if you'd do everything for me :smalltongue: But in all seriousness, yeah, I've got the book, and yeah, looking through it, there are a lot of pretty cool things going on with this ... So yeah. Any tips or tricks you'd recommend above and beyond these?

[Psyren]

Well I was AFB for a while, but now that I'm back ... I'd still prefer if you'd do everything for me :smalltongue: But in all seriousness, yeah, I've got the book, and yeah, looking through it, there are a lot of pretty cool things going on with this ... So yeah. Any tips or tricks you'd recommend above and beyond these?

Ardents are effectively a cross between Psions and Psywars. Read both of their handbooks for ideas.

The key with Dominant Ideal is to figure out your main focus. Do you want to blast? You'll want Energy or Force. Summon? Creation of course. Tank? Guardian, Freedom or Physical Power. And so on. Your Dominant Mantle, since it is the one you can pile metapsionics onto and augment to hell and back, will be the one you use the most; your playstyle will revolve around it.

It gets even more complicated (but better) once you add in Mantle Substitution. You effectively get to choose your power list, with your only limitation being your real-life Diplomacy modifier with your DM. Anything you can convince him of, you can take. Want Greater Metamorphosis at the top of Natural World instead of Earthquake? regular Metamorphosis is in there, so you have a pretty good shot. Synchronicity is a great fit for Time or Fate. Vigor really should have been in Life (Touch of Health sucks.) Mix and match whatever you feel you can justify, and always ask for a mile when you're trying to get a yard. Above all, be sure you fill out the gaps in each mantle with more powers, as Mind's Eye itself advises you to do.

Finally, milk your chosen rmantle for all it's worth. PP cost reduction, Metapower on your favorite power in it, Earth Power (protip: put dirt in your shoes!), Overchannel + Talented - there's no way you'll have feats left over by the time you're done pimping, but it won't matter. The Ardent's strength relative to psions and Psywars is not needing Expanded Knowledge as much as they do. Get the powers you need from your mantles instead, and all your feats can go to enhancing your effectiveness.

That enough advice for you? :smalltongue:

[mootoall]

That's plenty of advice! Thank you very much, and may your life be long and happy. :smalltongue: