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Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-02, 04:34 PM
I've had this idea kicking around for a feat that allows a character who can both cast spells and manifest powers to trade his power points for extra spell slots and vice versa.

Would this be overpowered? If not, what kind of prerequisites should there be?

I'll do a tentative writeup.

Nexus of Power [Psionic]
You can draw on your psionic ability to power your spells, and vice versa.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 8 ranks, Psicraft 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks, ability to cast 3rd-level spells, ability to manifest 3rd-level powers.
Benefit: As a move action, you can convert power points into spell slots and vice versa. To gain an extra spell slot, you must pay 2 x the level of the spell slot to be gained + 1 power points. To gain extra power points, one must expend a spell slot in order to gain 2 x the level of the spell slot expended - 2 power points.
Special: If you prepare your spells rather than casting them spontaneously, you may only convert power points to spell slots when you prepare the rest of your spells. The extra spell slots are treated as if resulting from a high abilitiy score.

Winged One
2006-12-03, 04:04 AM
Might want to word it to take cantrips into account. I'm not sure if it is balanced, but I direct you to the Dweomer of Transference (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/spells/dweomerOfTransference.htm).

Gyrfalcon
2006-12-03, 05:24 AM
Hm, so using Iames' method:

{table="head"]Spell Level|PP Gained
0|0
1|1
2|3
3|5
4|7
5|9
6|11
7|13
8|15
9|17
[/table]

So you end up a PP ahead per spell converted... not exactly game-breaking. It's pretty useful for a arcane/psioncist hybrid, since it dovetails nicely with the Cerebremancer PrC by allowing you to transfer unused spells into PP that you have been using.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-03, 11:03 AM
I know about the Dweomer of Transference; frankly, that's why I was concerned about this feat, because the dweomer doesn't allow a perfect conversion.

Gyrfalcon
2006-12-03, 06:41 PM
Hm... you could add similiar text about the PP being temporary for one hour, or the spells in exchange... but since it seems to be a free action to make such a transference (maybe put a standard action requirement for the conversion?) it doesn't make sense to convert a spell into PP or PP into a spell until you need to.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-03, 06:49 PM
Well, I'd make it a free action and have them last until your spells and pp reset. Maybe the requirements should be higher?

magic8BALL
2006-12-04, 03:00 AM
I like it as is. It's not very overpowering becouse a spells deal damage based on caster level, powers deal damage based on power points used. This feat lets a character to trade a Fire Ball for a 5d10 Mind Thrust (with +2 DC), even exchange really.

For the wizards (and clerics too, I supose), they should be able to sponateously swap out prepared spells for power points, but at a deminised rate similar too, but not as good as, the Dweomer of Transference (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/spells/dweomerOfTransference.htm), in addition to the swap at the start of the day at no cost.

If you take a feat, you want somthing out of it... I know my Warmage/Telepath/Cerebremancer is taking the feat at a drop of a hat!

fangthane
2006-12-04, 02:53 PM
The only problem I have with it is that it's not lossy. It should cost 1 PP more to 'buy' a spell slot than is gained by 'selling' that spell slot. Otherwise, it's just a free transfer from one to the other and that doesn't seem in line with D&D's typical requirement to trade off flexibility for power. If the conversion's lossy that's the balance point which is currently lacking. Bear in mind that casting the Dweomer is the loss component of any transfers done afterward, but that there's no such cost in your feat-based mechanism.

Cirnech
2006-12-05, 09:41 AM
Perhaps restricting it to Casting Level 2 Spells; Manifesting Level 2 Powers, and making it cost 1 Power point out of the exchange would be appropriate. The feat is a good idea, though. And if it ever comes to a finished form, I'll probablying add it to my personal repitoir of house rules (author approving, ofcourse).

AmberVael
2006-12-05, 11:26 AM
^: Well its not like he can stop you. :P

Hmmm...
First, I really like this feat. Its a good idea, and works well if you are using full magic/psionics transparency (which most people do, unless I'm mistaken).
There does need to be a penalty somewhere, however,

Thinking on Cirnech's post:
I agree with the one lost power point in exchange. It makes sense.
I don't like the idea of being so limited in which level powers/spells you can cast/manifest with it though.

Other Thoughts:
I do believe making it a move or standard action to convert would be a good idea, and I think wizard/clerics should be able to drop prepared spells at any time, perhaps at a lesser rate.

Lord Iames Osari
2006-12-05, 11:37 AM
Wizards and clerics can drop prepared spells at any time and turn them into power points. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in the description. The restriction on them is that they can only turn power points into spell slots during their preparation time.

Edit: I incorporated the power loss into the description. Also, converting from one to the other now requires a move action.