Erudite Handbook?

[Tvtyrant]

Does anyone know where there is such a thing? It seems odd that I can't find a handbook for one of the tier 1 classes.

[Psyren]

Does anyone know where there is such a thing? It seems odd that I can't find a handbook for one of the tier 1 classes.

It's hard because it's so unclear on how its UPD are supposed to work. But pretty much everything in the Psion Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10238.0) applies to them anyway; what's good, what's situational,what gear and feats to use etc.

[Tvtyrant]

I was asking because they seem perfect for avoiding paying material costs. Free force cage, symbols, etc

For the spell-to-power expansion.

[Psyren]

I was asking because they seem perfect for avoiding paying material costs. Free force cage, symbols, etc

For the spell-to-power expansion.

For that part, check a wizard handbook and look for any spells along the lines of "this would be awesome if the material component cost less." Then, have at it.

Note that they ignore also improbable material components, even the ones your DM might be leery about having in your pouch. e.g. Mystra's toenail for your Ice Assassin.

[FMArthur]

Most handbooks try to offer practical advice for being powerful in a real game. The 'ignore material components' shenanigans are plentiful and easy, but also just so rigged that it's a show-stopper at a normal table. It would be a footnote to be used in "anything goes, do your worst" campaigns and little else.

Anyway, while it would be nice to see all the best powers and spells cherry-picked into sets for erudite use, the fact that you can know an unlimited amount and that an erudite can do virtually anything a psion or wizard can means that any power or spell that merits notice on either a psion or wizard guide merits notice for an erudite, because it is always an option for an erudite with UPD left, at any moment.

So a 'useful powers/spells' list is just the sum of a psion's and a wizard's unless it requires a particular class feature or feat to be worthwhile. As an erudite you'll be best off taking the most 'generic' feats that you can from a list of psions' feats so that they're most consistently useful in whatever you do.

There are a bunch of well-known tricks useful only to erudites, but many fall under the 'abuse' category, like manifesting Mental Pinnacle as a power for free PP or using Linked Power to completely circumvent UPD. The only one I can think of that isn't abusive is crafting power stones of the powers you know, manifesting Psychic Reformation to change the powers you know and then learning the old powers from the stones. You would do this in a campaign that doesn't support psionics too well (the XP cost accumulates pretty rapidly though).

[Psyren]

There are a bunch of well-known tricks useful only to erudites, but many fall under the 'abuse' category, like manifesting Mental Pinnacle as a power for free PP or using Linked Power to completely circumvent UPD.

Actually, Linked Power bypassing UPD doesn't work. You still manifest both powers, so they both count against your UPD; You merely don't have to spend any additional actions or PP on the second one.

There are other ways to bypass UPD though; two of my favorites are Metaconcert (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/metaconcert.htm) (the entity manifests the powers, not you, and it knows every power you know) and Soul Crystal (whoever you give the crystal to is treated as the manifester, they just use your ML and ability score to do it.)

[FMArthur]

Oh. That's nice to know. I mean, about Linked Power. That feat raises enough eyebrows as it is.