Joystealer Wilder

[Dreadgrim]

I'm designing a villan for my campaign's next quest.
It will have something to do with a crazed child and a Joystealer coming to the Material Plane from the plane of fae (I don't care if MM IV says that Joystealer reside in the Ethereal Plane). Attracted by the child's rage and sadness the Joystealer now roams the city, but the party druid must stop him!

For those that don't know that creature, it is an incorporeal fairy that has a 1d4 Charisma melee damage attack. When target gets to 0 Charisma, the creature semi-permanently drains his or her emotions, at least until the Joystealer is destroyed or a Remove Curse is cast on the victim while in a Hallowed area. (This last option seems too easy, gotta admit.. maybe I'll get rid of it :D)

I wanted him to have some levels of Psion (for Ego Whip, that complements nicely Joystealer's abilities) but then I started considering the Wilder as it has more fluff about emotions. I think Wilder 5.

The questions are about Wild Surge and Surging Euphoria.

Wild Surge gives +2 to manifester level at Wilder level 5. This allows the user to augment the power as if 2 extra power points were used, even if this goes over the normal augment limitations (You can't normally spend a number of PP that is greater than your class level. Wild surge +2 would bring that to class level +2). Fine. But can you stack this augmentation with normal augmentation? Like, say you are normally level 5 and can manifest a 2nd level power, Ego Whip, for 3 PP. Could you have a Wild Surge AND augment normally for 2 more PP, thus manifesting as 7th level Wilder, which is still in Wild Surge's limits? I am asking this because by doing this I would be treated as having spent 4 more PP on Ego whip, thus dealing 2d4 Charisma damage and increasing DC by 2 :smallamused:

When you do this, Surging euphoria gives a bonus to attack, damage and saving throw rolls for some rounds. If the bonus is +2, would it also affect the Joystealer's normal melee attack, for a total of 1d4+2 Charisma damage? Or bonus to damage should be always intended only to hit point damage?

[Urpriest]

You definitely can Wild Surge for some of the augment and augment up the rest of the way with your normal power points, so yes you can manifest Ego Whip with 7pp (2 paid for by the surge, 5 from your pool) if you Wild Surge.

As for the damage bonus, technically it would indeed increase the ability damage. However, I feel that it's generally more balanced to use the Complete Arcane rules for spells that deal extra damage, and have the bonus damage be negative energy rather than bonus ability damage. Since there are quite a few ways to get large amounts of bonus damage, this approach keeps ability damage relatively balanced.

[HunterOfJello]

When you do this, Surging euphoria gives a bonus to attack, damage and saving throw rolls for some rounds. If the bonus is +2, would it also affect the Joystealer's normal melee attack, for a total of 1d4+2 Charisma damage? Or bonus to damage should be always intended only to hit point damage?

Bonuses to damage are intended to boost hit point damage only. I don't know if this is ever stated explicitly for all bonuses, but it's mentioned in a number of cases and obviously intended to be the general rule. If someone crits, then they apply double ability damage (and this is stated explicitly in the Rules Compendium), but sources that increase damage for whatever reason (like Power Attack and Sneak Attack) aren't supposed to be boosting ability damage.

[Dreadgrim]

Cool, thanks guys.

[Dreadgrim]

Sorry if I bring this up again, but I have another question related to the subject and I think it's better than opening a new topic.

When does the dazing from Ego Whip end (assuming the target fails the saving throw) ?

After target's next initiative count (case A) or before manifester's next round (case B)?

I'm asking this because I wanted to know if, by giving the Joystealer Flyby Attack, would it be possible to daze the target, and then next turn quickly follow up with a melee flyby attack, and moving away without causing AoO (rinse, repeat). I think it's not possible in both cases A and B but I wanted to be sure. And if you know a way to do it, don't esitate to point it out! :)

Thanks

[Urpriest]

Sorry if I bring this up again, but I have another question related to the subject and I think it's better than opening a new topic.

When does the dazing from Ego Whip end (assuming the target fails the saving throw) ?

After target's next initiative count (case A) or before manifester's next round (case B)?

I'm asking this because I wanted to know if, by giving the Joystealer Flyby Attack, would it be possible to daze the target, and then next turn quickly follow up with a melee flyby attack, and moving away without causing AoO (rinse, repeat). I think it's not possible in both cases A and B but I wanted to be sure. And if you know a way to do it, don't esitate to point it out! :)

Thanks

3.5 is a bit fast-and-loose when it comes to durations like that. The RAW-est answer would be that since it lasts a full round it would continue to before the manifester's next round, and possibly within the manifester's next turn up until exactly one round after the power was first manifested. The latter interpretation might allow for your trick if the timing is right.

That said, I think there are upgrades to Flyby Attack (Greater Flyby Attack etc.) that remove the AoO. Probably in Draconomicon.