D&D 3.5 Psionics Question

[ibstudent220]

I'm playing a psion in our campaign, and I found an odd interaction that seems absurdly good. It requires the Linked Power and Psionic Meditation feats, and Synchronicity. For the sake of discussion, I'm assuming that my psion is lvl. 6 and knows Energy Burst as well as the other prerequisites. During my psion's turn, he manifests Synchronicity linked to Energy Burst, so that Energy Burst will release during the next round. I select "manifesting Energy Burst" as the action prepared by Synchronicity, and will use this action before my next turn. My psion then spends a move action regaining psionic focus (Psionic Meditation feat). Does repeating this process allow my psion to 'dualcast' Energy Burst? Or am I missing something?

Along similar lines, would using Twin Power on Synchronicity also allow a 7th level psion to 'dualcast' Energy Burst?

[Urpriest]

This all looks correct. Synchronicity is known for this sort of cheese, really. It's a cornerstone of many of the most broken psionic tricks.

[Psyren]

I don't see it as cheese. Any round where you dual-cast the EB resets the combo, because you're using your standard on the second EB instead of re-manifesting the Linked Synchronicity.

It plays out thusly:

Round 1
Standard: Synchronicity (Link EB)
Move: Regain Focus
Swift: Any

Round 2 option 1 - Dualcast EB
EB goes off
Standard: Manifest EB (two EBs fire in one round)
Move: Any
Swift: Any

Round 3 option 1 - Dualcast EB
Repeat Round 1

Or

Round 2 option 2 - continue combo
EB goes off
Standard: Manifest Synchronicity linked to EB (one EB fires in the round)
Move: Regain Focus
Swift: Any

Repeat

This combo is functionally identical to just linking EB to itself. It costs less PP per manifestation (useful if you're e.g. in a Catapsi field), but more PP in the long run.

[KillianHawkeye]

I think you are misunderstanding the combo, Psyren. He is using the Linked Power feat to cast Synchronicity this round and Energy Burst the next round, then using his Synchronicity action to get a second Energy Burst. He can continue this every round to effectively get two Energy Bursts a round. Costs a lot of PPs, though.

I think I did find a problem with this, actually. Linked Power says the two powers have to have the same target or area. Synchronicity's target is You, so you are also going to be centering that Energy Burst on your own location. You might be able to convince your DM that you can move out of the area before it goes off and it won't follow you, but that breaks the combo since you need your move actions to re-focus.

[Psyren]

I think you are misunderstanding the combo, Psyren. He is using the Linked Power feat to cast Synchronicity this round and Energy Burst the next round, then using his Synchronicity action to get a second Energy Burst. He can continue this every round to effectively get two Energy Bursts a round. Costs a lot of PPs, though.

I get what you're saying - it depends on how you rule the "manifesting EB" condition. Technically it should not trigger on a linked EB because you already manifested it when you manifested Synchronicity, it's just coming into effect in the next round.

But even if you read that it triggers right away (giving you back your standard) it's still not cheese in my estimation, because what you end up with is no cheaper than just Twinning EB. And again, it costs less PP per manifestation - but no more total PP than Twinning, and also provokes twice: once when you manifest Synch and once when you use it to manifest EB.

Round 1
Standard: Synchronicity (Link EB) - condition, manifesting EB
Synchronicity fires - manifest EB
Move: Regain Focus
Swift: Any
(Total EBs: 1. Total PP cost = 11)

Round 2
EB goes off
Repeat from Round 1
(Total subsequent EBs: 2. Total PP cost = 11)

So it's a nice trick but hardly broken in my estimation.
It's interactions like this though that make me wish D&D had a "stack" like Magic does.


I think I did find a problem with this, actually. Linked Power says the two powers have to have the same target or area. Synchronicity's target is You, so you are also going to be centering that Energy Burst on your own location. You might be able to convince your DM that you can move out of the area before it goes off and it won't follow you, but that breaks the combo since you need your move actions to re-focus.

Actually, EB is always centered on your location (it's a nova that does not affect you.) So that wouldn't be a problem.

[Draz74]

Syncronicity is a standard action manifesting time, right? If so, I agree with Psyren -- this particular Syncronicity trick isn't exactly broken or cheesy.

On the other hand, manifesting Syncronicity as a swift action by Linking it to a swift-manifesting-time power (like Dimension Hop, Grip of Iron, Adrenaline Boost, or Hustle) can get crazy and cheesy, assuming combat lasts for more than two rounds.

[KillianHawkeye]

Actually, EB is always centered on your location (it's a nova that does not affect you.) So that wouldn't be a problem.

Oops, I confused it with Energy Ball. Carry on.

EDIT: I really don't know what you mean by conditions and triggering. Linked Power simply manifests the second power on your next turn, and Synchronicity simply gives you another action which you can use any time before your next turn. It's really not the same as a normal readied action, since you can simply choose to activate it whenever you want.