Comprehensive list of feats and features that require constant psionic focus

[classy one]

I am going to try and compile a list of all feats that need you to maintain focus to gain benefits from it. This is important because while they provide a perk they can become useless the instant you expend focus for something like linked power. In general, you either get all feats/features that require focus to be maintained or just take one or two so that the lose is less noticeable.

I will be including stuff from the Dreamscarred Press d20 psionics but not the pathfinder one. I honestly don't know it well enough and IMO the non-PF is a bit more straight forward. I also included DSP stuff because WotC really hasn't provided much incentive to maintain focus but a lot of reason to use it. DSP provides a multitude of novel reasons to keep it up as well as the feat permanent focus (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/permanent-focus) which can let you always enjoy it's benefits whether you have focus or not.

XPH:
Ghost attack, psionic dodge, speed of thought, up the walls

CPsi:
psionic sneak attack (lurk), deep vision, focused shield, focused shield user, gestalt anchor, psymbiot, strength of two, stygian archon, volatile escalation, volatile leech

Mantles: communication, corruption, destruction, elements, force, freedom, knowledge, repose.

DSP SRD:
All mantra feats (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/mantra-feats), Aggressive Combat Instinct, Cortical Resonance, Defensive Combat Instinct, Detect network, Duck and Weave, Elemental Spike, Harmonic Resonance, Luck Doesn't Stop Me, Mental Dampening, Mentally Inconspicuous, Out of Mind, Out of Sight, Primordial Surge, Psychic Bastion, Resonating Interference, Seething Psyche

I'll be back later to add and review this list but please let me know if I missed any. DSP has the most winners while CPsi has very little to offer. I tried looking in SoS, RoE and other somewhat psionic heavy places and this was all I could find. RoE had 2 but they were reprints from Cpsi.

[TuggyNE]

Hmm, I'd say the XPH feats are pretty lousy, with the possible exception of Up The Walls. Psionic Dodge, in particular, is noteworthy for being worse than Dodge, which is truly impressive.

[classy one]

Hmm, I'd say the XPH feats are pretty lousy, with the possible exception of Up The Walls. Psionic Dodge, in particular, is noteworthy for being worse than Dodge, which is truly impressive.
I take speed of thought quite often, but you're right they do generally suck. I am happy to say that DSP SRD, which includes hyperconsciousness offers alot better options, as I will show later on.

[Vaz]

This is tangentially relevant, but the Minds Eye article for Ardents using Dominant Mantle allows the Ardent to use Metapsionic Feats on powers of that particular mantle without expending the focus.

[Renen]

You know you can spend a psionic focus 3 times and still have one left over for the feats?

[classy one]

Keep in mind that all the feats here require your PC to MAINTAIN focus and is written with that understanding.

XPH:The most bare bone, probably not worth taking permanent focus on any of these with the exception of up the walls.

Ghost attack: reroll attacks that miss concealed targets. Not that bad but not that great either.

psionic dodge: as stated before, a worse version of dodge, which is a bad feat to start with.

Speed of thought: Decent boost in speed. Anyone can benefit from 33% more mobility (assuming you're medium sized) or an extra 20' on charge.

Up the walls: great for leaping power attack builds, especially when combined with leap of heavens and raptor school. Charge up the wall without a 20' lead, drop down for massive damage. Has some versatility as well as sneaky builds like transversing vertical walls that stand in the way of their prize. Perhaps the best "always focus" feat that isn't in DSP SRD.



CPsi: I almost don't want to review this since they all either suck or can't be made permanent. How,ever, a few feats did surprise me.

Psionic sneak attack: A class feature of the lurk. It is just like regular sneak attack but requires you to be focused. ****ty restriction on a sneak attack progression that is already pretty gimped in terms of progression. Since permanent focus only applies to feats this feature is excluded.

Deep vision: considering you can (and should) get psionic dark version, my light and elfsight incarnated makes this feat complete crap.

Focused shield: +1 to AC while using a shield and focused. The bonus is crap, and no one uses a shield anymore.

Focused skill user: It's an okay feat that gives +2 to 3 skills but I highly doubt you need to have it be permanent. Just focus up before you are going to use your skill.

Gestalt Anchor: gives you and all allies +2 insight bonus on reflex saves and init checks as long as you both are kalashtar. This one isn't too bad, since kalashtar tend to go with classes that have poor reflex and/or have DEX as a dump stat. While kalashtar monks are common as NPCs, PC kalashtar would use Tashalatora rather than advancing in monk.

Psymbiot: if you are within 10 feet of another psionic being with at least 3HD or ML, you gain +2 on ability checks, skill checks, and all saving throws. The range is a bit too short for this to make it good.

Stygian Archon: +1 ML when using powers that use powers that use negative energy. This includes mindwipe for some reason. If your PC is planning on making heavy use of those powers then making this feat permanent gives you more room to apply metapsionic feats and still gain the benefit of the +1 ML. Mindwipe is IMO the best of the lot since it is rather low level, scaleable DC, and the negative levels last a while. Almost all the powers have Fort negate.

Volatile escalation and leech: both expand on volatile mind which is bad class feature that any sane wilder would trade for the EK instead (the educated ACF).

Mantles: Please see link for full details on mantles (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1319.0)

Dreamscarred Press: While most feats here are underpowered, there are some real gems here. It seems the guys at DSP really took Cordell's ideas to heart and greatly expanded on desirable options for Permanent Focus. I will cover mantra feats in another section.

Aggressive Combat Instinct: +1 Insight bonus to attack. That's it. Not worth two slots to make it permanent.

Cortical Resonance: Pick a power that isn't a touch or ray attack. As long as you maintain focus, you deal 2 points of damage every turn when target is hit with the chosen power. Not worth 2 slots IMO.

Defensive Combat Instinct: same as Aggressive Combat Instinct but for AC.

Detect network: detects mentally connected people. It is a great feat for ferreting out telepathic spies, and one that I use as a DM often for PCs that are too clever for their own good. However, there is little point in making it permanent.

Duck and Weave: Your natural speed and agility grants you a +2 dodge bonus to your AC during any round in which you move at least 10 ft. Marginal bonuses compared to Mobility but it applies to all types of attacks not just AoO. It can be used in place of Mobility to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability. Doesn't need to be made permanent though.

Elemental spike: power you designate is psionically spiked with your chosen energy type and so deals +1d6 points of the appropriate type of damage in addition to its normal effect. Not a great candidate for permanent focus since you could use those 2 slots to do much more than +1d6 damage.


Harmonic Resonance: this is a feat specifically for a dsp class called the society mind (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/society-mind) and requires a much longer and irrelevant discussion. Basically it lets you add a power to your list for 24 hours. In terms of this feat, you only need to be focus at the time you select your powers so no need to be made permanent.

Luck Doesn't Stop Me: ignore all luck and insight bonues to target's AC. It is very feat intensive and way too niche for PCs. Not worth it.

Mental Dampening: +6 bonus to your Move Silently skill checks. Oddly has WIS 13 as a requirement, since sneaky psyrogues and lurks benefit from this the most and are INT based. This isn't that great but it is a preq for another feat that is.

Mentally Inconspicuous: +6 bonus to your Hide skill checks. Again with the WIS 13 requirement.... Again it is okay but not great. This feat and Mental Dampening are however requirements for......

Out of Mind, Out of Sight: As long as you are focused, you have Hide in Plain sight. Doesn't work on things immune to mind-affecting though. Very much worth it to make permanent.

Primordial Surge: on a confirmed crit hit, your target is shaken. This shaken effect lasts all encounter and can't be removed by any means. It's a decent feat but you may need to make it permanent only if you use feats that require you to expend focus to confirm a crit.

Psychic Bastion: reduce ability damage by 3 from any source. Compared to Mental resistance this is much better since mental resistance only applied to psionic attacks. Should be a priorty to make this permanent.

Resonating Interference: your psionic focus disrupts other people's focus. Force an opponent within 30 feet of you to make an opposed WIS check. If they lose they automatically fail to gain focus or lose focus. This requires no action and is a great debuff on psionic enemies. If you have high enough WIS and plan on encountering lots of psionic enemies you really should make this permanent.

Seething Psyche: Anyone attacking you while you are dazed must make a Will save or be dazed with you. You can also move at half your speed even while dazed. Clearly for wilders with easy requirements. You can consider making this permanent at low levels as it will help you immensely, but remember to reform it later as it becomes obsolete with unconditional power.

[classy one]

You know you can spend a psionic focus 3 times and still have one left over for the feats?
Are you asking a question or making a rhetorical question? I personally do not know to achieve that. If you know please enlighten me.

[Renen]

You have a focus, your psi-crystal has focus.
1) Expend each for w/e uses you might need them for
2) Both you and Psi-crystal should have psionic meditation
3) Both spend move action to re-focus
4) Make psi-crystal spend his focus (for whatever feats you might wanna use)
5) You have used 3 foci, and STILL have one to keep the "maintain focus" feats working.

And using move by wire trick, you can STILL be able to move around.

[Kuulvheysoon]

I'd argue that Psionic Dodge is better, as the bonus applies against everything (being a general dodge bonus rather than a specific one).

Of course, being as that it requires the base Dodge feat, I'd likely agree that it's worse.

[classy one]

You have a focus, your psi-crystal has focus.
1) Expend each for w/e uses you might need them for
2) Both you and Psi-crystal should have psionic meditation
3) Both spend move action to re-focus
4) Make psi-crystal spend his focus (for whatever feats you might wanna use)
5) You have used 3 foci, and STILL have one to keep the "maintain focus" feats working.

And using move by wire trick, you can STILL be able to move around.

I really should have reserved posts.... Yeah knew that trick but it's not really what this thread is talking about. It's about feats and class features that require focus to be maintained and if they are worth the effort. Nothing in your post has anything that is relavant.

[Renen]

My post is relevant as it simply shows how easy it is to maintain focus.
You are asking if the feats are worth the effort?
Im answering that they are, because the effort is so minimal.

[Vaz]

My post is relevant as it simply shows how easy it is to maintain focus.
You are asking if the feats are worth the effort?
Im answering that they are, because the effort is so minimal.

I hardly call 2 feats minimum effort.

[TuggyNE]

You have a focus, your psi-crystal has focus.
1) Expend each for w/e uses you might need them for
2) Both you and Psi-crystal should have psionic meditation
3) Both spend move action to re-focus
4) Make psi-crystal spend his focus (for whatever feats you might wanna use)
5) You have used 3 foci, and STILL have one to keep the "maintain focus" feats working.

And using move by wire trick, you can STILL be able to move around.

In 3.5, it's not possible for your psicrystal to regain focus on its own normally (either yours or its). I don't know about PF.

[Renen]

I hardly call 2 feats minimum effort.

Thats not what I mean. The effort is in maintaining focus.

If you are referring to psionic meditation, that is one of the best feats, that every psion should have. In 99% of the cases you will have it, as such, its still minimum effort.

[classy one]

It is specifically stated that a psicrystal cannot gain its own focus. But that isn't the point, I know I haven't gotten all the class features that need focus. Somehow I missed persistent power which is the odd balls out since it is metapsi feat that requires focus to be maintained rather than expended. I just skipped over any feat with [metapsionic] descriptor on it.

[classy one]

I think I'm gonna change the title since it seems no one knows any class features that required other than what I listed. I just found out I missed all of the mantles and no one pointed it out to me..... Mantles aren't exactly obscure.

[classy one]

Mantras:
As the psionic arts developed, different ways of meditating were discovered. Students of one master may learn completely different ways of centering their minds and bodies in a state of psionic focus than acolytes at a different school. Certain techniques of meditation, however, actively engage the psionic energy of becoming focused and apply it to the world around them. Students particularly adept at these "psionic mantras" may even manifest psionic effects when they focus themselves — effects reflected in Mantra feats.

Mantra feats are psionic feats that provide no bonus until you meditate to gain your psionic focus (which may require a more difficult concentration check than normal) at which point they engage a supernatural effect for a set duration. If you lose your psionic focus during a mantra's effect, the effect ends immediately. Every mantra has a secondary effect that requires you to expend your psionic focus to activate: using this effect always ends the mantra's passive benefit (even if you use the Psicrystal Containment feat). Characters may normally only benefit from a single mantra feat at a time. The Marksman's wind reader class feature is treated in all regards as a Mantra feat.

The underlined part is of note. If you use permanent focus on a mantra feat it will let you have the passive benefit even if you lose your focus to anything other than the secondary effect.
Example: You select permanent focus on Fang of the cobra. During combat you gain focus to get +2 on attack rolls to flanked opponents from Fang of the cobra and then expend it on psionic weapon. You continue to enjoy the +2 bonus even though you are not focused thanks to permanent focus. But if you expended your focus (from another source like your psicrystal) to maximize your sneak attack damage, then you immediately lose that bonus. Using permanent focus on mantra feats simply frees up your focus to do other things while still enjoying the benefits of the mantra.

Blade of the champion: gain focus and your psychic strike damage lingers onto the next attack but with 1d8 less damage. So if you had +3d8 psychic strike, your first attack will deal the full +3d8 damage, the next will deal 2d8 and so on. You can expend your focus as a swift action to instantly recharge your psychic strike to max. This is worth making permanent if your soulknife has other things to use their focus on. This is a must have feat for all soulknives, the expend benefit isn't worth it as there are other ways to recharge your psychic strike as a swift action that doesn't need focus (like deceptive mind blade (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/deceptive-mind-blade)), or fill it automatically like with mind blade cleave (CPsi)

Burst of the cheetah: gain focus to increase your speed by ten, expend it while charging to move at four times your base speed. Oddly your base speed still factors in speed of thought (a preq for this feat) and Burst of the cheetah even if you use the expend benefit (gaining 80 feet of mobility total). If mobility is your thing then this feat is for you. Since you still get the benefit of both feats even when expending focus there is little need to get permanent focus on this. Either you reached your target and don't need the mobility anymore or you are far enough away that you can regain focus safely.

Claws of the Tiger: for twf users (imp TWF is the preq). gain focus to apply full STR bonus to attacks with your off hand or expend focus to reduce the penalties to attack rolls from two weapon fighting by 2 for one round, or you may expend your psionic focus as part of a charge to make one attack with a weapon in each at the end of the charge (instead of one attack). I'm pretty sure this isn't worth it since the bonus from STR isn't that much to lose a move action over to gain focus (or a full round if you don't have psionic meditation). Psionic lion charge or pounce is much easier to get for most psionic classes as well making this a meh feat all around.

Conviction Of The Blessed: this feat requires you to venerate a godmind, in DnD term it is a psionic god-like enity that grants mantles. Mainly for divine minds and ardents. Gaining focus lets gain a morale bonus to your attack rolls equal to 1 + half of your Wisdom modifier. You may expend your psionic focus during this mantra to gain a morale bonus to one damage roll equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. Its okay i guess, both classes need the boost to attack rolls. An ardent with dominant matle usually doesn't worry losing focus anyways.

Dedication Of The Hunter: for soulknife/rangers, odd combo IMO. Focus to gain +2 on favored enemy bonuses and expend it to gain damage bonus instead. Considering who it is built for I don't see the need put PF on this since it is so niche and both don't have that much to expend focus on to begin with.

Discipline Of The Zealot: gain psionic focus. Focusing in this fashion requires a Concentration check 10 higher than normal. Once activated, this mantra lasts for 10 minutes as long as you maintain psionic focus. While active, you gain a +3 morale bonus to saving throws against mind-affecting and compulsion effects. You may expend your psionic focus during this mantra as an immediate action to automatically succeed on a single saving throw against a mindaffecting or compulsion effect. You must declare this use of Discipline of the Zealot before rolling the saving throw.

Another feat for mantle users. You need to to roll a 30 to get this to work, and it makes you more resistant to compulsions or expend it to auto succeed on check. This feat is bad for the same reason improved evasion is a bad class feature for rogue: you shouldn't be failing will saves (which is what most compulsions are). Especially if you are WIS based and have good will saves.

Expertise Of The Virtuoso: Requires combat expertise. When you gain focus, your conversion ratio for attack penalty to AC bonus is 1:2 rather than 1:1. You can expend your focus to gain one AoO against anyone who attacks you. Not a bad idea to permanent this one if you have other things to use focus on.

Eye Of The Storm: Gain focus to deflect a number of projectiles equal to 1+ the number of AoO you have. You can expend your focus to gain +4 deflection bonus on thing you normally cant deflect like spells, rays and massive boulders. I think the passive benefit is better TBH, since +4 bonus isn't that much against a touch attack. As a side note, you will want to have combat reflexes to get the most out of this feat.

Fangs of the cobra: focus to gain another +2 on attacks against a flanked enemy. Expend to maximize damage of sneak attack. The expend benefit is just too nice to make permanent. Indeed most rogues and psyrogues would take this just for the expended benefit. Lurks would have a harder time since psionic sneak attack requires focus to be maintained.

Final Strike of the Executioner: gain focus to increase your crit multiplier by by one step. Expend focus to automatically confirm the hit. This is worth putting PF on since there is another feat, instinctive communsator, that does the same thing. For crit hit builds and weapon master the PF, Final strike of the executioner and instinctive communsator combo is a must

Finesse Of The Monkey: focus to gain 10 minutes of being able to move rough terrain at normal speed. Expend it to move through rough terrain at double speed for one round. Okay for getting to someplace on foot in a timely fashion, but seems tiresome in a world were you can teleport. Still it is a feat that you could get at level 1. Not worth it to PF as this isn't a combat feat.

Focused stun: gain focus to get +1 on your damage and DC for your stunning fists. Expend it to have all attacks for the next round not count against your daily allotment of stunning fists. Stunning fist is meh, this feat dosn't give enough to un-meh it.

Fury Of The Storm: gain focus get another attack during your full attack but with a -2 penalty. Or expend it and get 2 additional attacks but at -5 penalty. Both are good and I could see myself using the expend version often. Permanent focus may be worth considering

Patience of the Hunter gain focus to get +2 bonus on hide and move silently checks and take no penalty for both checks while moving at full speed. It also lasts for 10 minutes rather than the usual 1 minute. Expend focus as part of ranged attack and it will cut the target's movement in half for 5 turns. Seems like it would be great for marksmen except that marksmen don't have move silently as a class skill.

Presence of the Master gain focus to be able to use intimidate as a free action 1/round, or expend it and make demoralize all within 20' of you for 1d6 rounds. It's a decent mantra that you can use as soon as you get focus, and -2 to saving throws is nice for save or die/suck powers/spells. Not sure if you need to make it permanent since it is a free action and shaken isn't the most debilitating debuff. Still fighters have fewer options so it might be good for them.

Rage Of The Fallen very interesting tank mantra feat. When you gain focus, for one minute if anyone of your allies take damage within 50 feet you gain temporary HP that is equal to half of the damage they received. If any ally drops or dies you can expend focus to gain a full turn action immediately to attack whoever killed your friend. Since it gives you a full turn out of order I'm sure this can abused somehow. It is up to the build on either or not to put PF on this. IMO the expended version is much better but both depend on your party not doing well.

Reflexes Of The Cat gain focus and you get combat reflexes but using your WIS modifier instead of DEX. If you have both this feat and combat reflexes you get AoO the benefit of both. When combined with something like Robilar’s Gambit (PHII, AoO on anyone attacking you), Karmic Strike (CWar), Eye of the Storm (UT, AoO on missiles aimed at you) or evasive reflexes (ToB 5' step for every AoO), this could get very interesting. Guessing marksmen would like this since they are DEX and WIS based.

Retort Of The Prepared Mind gain focus to allow you to counter powers with an immediate action rather than a readied action. The check is 20+power level rather than the usual 15+ power level. So the highest DC would be Psicraft 29 which should be easy considering psionic affinity is a preq for this feat. You can expend it to to gain a +5 bonus on your opposed check to counter a power being manifested. If you are a psion/wilder or any primary manifester you will want to put PF on this. The main reason people don't like counterspelling is because it is reactive. They have to sit and wait for the enemy to cast something. With this feat no readied actions needed. While the expended version isn't that great, any primary caster will need their focus freed up to do other things hence the need to make this permanent.

Riding the Waves gain focus to apply your WIS modifier to your attack rolls instead of STR. Expend it to add it to your damage roll instead. Good for Ardents and psywars and can make you less MAD. Marksmen already have this in their wind reader class feature but they have better expend benefits.

Roots of the Mountain gain focus to get a +4 bonus to oppose trip and bullrush attempts. Or you can expend it to make an AoO to make them stop in their tracks. It is like a reverse stand still, where stand still activates when they try to leave a square you threaten while this activates when they enter. Having both Roots of the Mountain and Stand still can make for some good battlefield control. No real reason to put PF on this since the expend version is what you want to use (it works on anyone entering your space, not just tripper and bullrushers).

Spirit of the Attuned a defensive mantra that gives you +4 on your saves to one element or expend it to gain resistance to it (resistance = to CL).

Spirit Of The Faithful another mantra for mantle users. While active all mantle powers are treated as 2 ML higher than for duration, range, and bypassing power resistance, but not for augmenting them. Expend focus to give your power +2 ML (including for metapsionic feats) "for real". Like wild surge and overchannel with the exception that you can stack them. This is key for a metapsionic feat like persistent power. No need to put PF on this since the expended version is what you want this feat for. Could be extremely good for persistent powered ardents and mantled wilders. Mantled psywar most likely won't have enough PP to make good use of this.

Student of the Mind gain focus to reduce all your power costs by 1. Only lasts for 5 turns making it a poor choice for PF. It's real use is to reduce costs so that metapsionic feats can be applied. Expend it to gain resistance to one power targeting you. Wilders and psions will like this feat to help pay for persistent power out of combat.

Swift as the Shadows gain focus to get +4 on reflex saves or expend it to get evasion (or imp evasion). It requires dodge and mobility, IMO not worth it but seems to be for classes like psywar or fighter.

Way of the Empty Palm gain focus to increase the DC of your stunning fist by 2. Expend it to increase the duration of stunned victim to 1d4+1 rounds. No need to PF this IMO, but it is certainly better than focused stun.

Way of the Warrior gain focus for a +4 bonus on checks to resists disarming and to resist or escape a grapple. During this mantra, you may expend your psionic focus as an opportunity against a foe that attempted a melee attack against you and missed. This attack's threat range is doubled, but it counts against your allowed attacks of opportunity this round.
Like Roots of the Mountain, the expended version is what you want this feat. Inferior to R.Gambit but much easier to get. If you wanted to combine this with Reflexes of the Cat you would need the Master of Mantras to have both active.

Wrath of the Dragon gain focus to get +4 to confirm a crit or expend it to get one extra attack at full attack bonus. I personally see myself using the expended version more. The preq are fairly easy to meet, power attack and BAB +6.

Even if you are making a crit centered build, Final Strike of the Executioner maybe better than this feat's passive but it requirement for improved crit leaves a bit to be desired. [/spoiler]

[classy one]

I suppose I should have added this earlier, but I plan on reformatting this anyway.

The most important feat that requires focus to always be one is persistent power. This is a feat found in Hyperconscious. It is the only metapsionic feat that has this requirement. But with permanent focus this is not a problem.

Persistent Power


You make one of your powers last all day.

Prerequisite: Extend Power

Benefit: To use this feat, you must maintain a psionic focus, which allows you to manifest a persistent power. A persistent power has a duration of up to 24 hours, as long as you do not expend your psionic focus for some other reason. If you do expend your psionic focus, the persistent power immediately ends, even if the 24-hour duration has yet to elapse.

The persistent power must have a personal or a fixed range. This feat cannot affect powers of instantaneous duration, and it cannot affect a power whose effect is discharged.

For powers that require concentration to learn extra information (such as detect psionics), you still must concentrate. Concentration on such a power is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Using this feat increases the power point cost of the power by 12. The power’s cost cannot exceed your manifester level.

The effect of this feat does not stack with the effect of the Extend Power feat
At a hefty +12 PP making this feat work will take a lot of effort as psi users don't have turn undeads to burn. Lots of ways to either decrease costs and/or raise ML.
New methods found in DSP include
Ardents with dominant mantle and Spirit Of The Faithful have 4 less PP to worry about.
Student of the mind reduces costs by 1 for 5 turn.

I believe there was a post that detailed all the other ways of reducing costs and raising ML. Not sure where it is. If anyone can refer me I'd be grateful.