[PF] Soulbolt Reshaping Question

[Kryx]

Once a soulbolt chooses a form for his mind blade, is he able to reshape the form as outlined in "Shape Mind Bolt"?


Relevant quotes:

A soulbolt must choose the form of her mind bolt at 1st level. She can either form it into a short range, medium range, or long range bolt which determines the weapon's range increment and base damage. Once chosen, her mind bolt stays in this form every time the soulknife forms her mind bolt.
This clearly states that the choice seems permanent.


The soulbolt's mind bolt retains the last chosen form every time it is formed until the soulbolt reshapes it. If the soulbolt chooses to reshape her bolt, it requires a full-round action to do so.
But upon reading this ability if you take the first 2 sentences it is imo applying to the form which is heavily discussed in "Form Mind Bolt"


She may also reassign the type of damage dealt as part of reshaping her mind bolt if she so chooses.
This part is clearly about the damage type.


If a soulbolt selects the Mind Daggers blade skill, she gains the option to form her mind bolt into dagger form
This blade skill is clearly relevant as it shows that the mind bolt can change form - at minimum between 1 mind bolt form and the dagger form (Though I'd argue for 3 mind bolt forms).

If anyone can provide a definitive answers I'd really appreciate it.


Soultbolt Achetype (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife/archetypes/dreamscarred-press/soulbolt)

[kkplx]

I'll chime in here and provide my perspective (I GM the session and it looks like we'll need 3rd party insights on the issue for an acceptable ruling)
Personally I've come to the conclusion that the range type of the mind bolt is set and permanent after it is chosen at level 1.

Relevant parts of the soulbolt page in order:

A soulbolt must choose the form of her mind bolt at 1st level. She can either form it into a short range, medium range, or long range bolt which determines the weapon's range increment and base damage. Once chosen, her mind bolt stays in this form every time the soulknife forms her mind bolt.


Regardless of the weapon form a soulbolt has chosen, her mind bolt does not have a set damage type. When shaping her weapon and assigning abilities to it, the soulbolt chooses whether it will deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. The soulbolt may change the damage type of an existing mind bolt, or may summon a new mind bolt with a different damage type, as a full-round action; otherwise, the mind bolt retains the last damage type chosen every time it is summoned.


The soulbolt chooses the appearance of her mind bolt, although its shape must reflect the selections the soulbolt has chosen: a bludgeoning mind bolt would be blunt, slashing would have an edge, etc. (no mention of the range type here, either)


The soulbolt's mind bolt retains the last chosen form every time it is formed until the soulbolt reshapes it. If the soulbolt chooses to reshape her bolt, it requires a full-round action to do so. She may also reassign the type of damage dealt as part of reshaping her mind bolt if she so chooses.
(this is the debated point btw, the simple "also")

My personal closing argument is provided by the blade skills section:

The soulbolt may additionally select blade skills from the list below.
Alter Mind Bolt: A soulbolt gains the ability to shape her mind bolt into different weapon forms. She may change her blade's form to the long range weapon, medium range weapon, or short range weapon forms any time she forms her mind bolt.
Since both the alter mind bolt blade skill and the mind daggers allow a change in forms, this would, if anything, support my ruling so far that the initial choice of range type is permanent unless changed with a blade skill.

[Svm420]

The form [short, med, long] is permenant at first level. You can only change that if you get the blade skill alter mind bolt.

Also I finder this site (http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/ForumsPro.html) to be much better for question related to Psionics :smallwink:

[Kryx]

FYI this isn't for my character.

Alter Mind Bolt does seem quite relevant to the question.

Arguably that blade skill could be changing the Shape Form from a full-round to a move action as a normal part of his shape mind blade.

[Irrian]

I'm undecided but with a little searching this came up and seems relevant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16943769&postcount=1834).

[Psyren]

It is permanent unless you use the Shape Mind Bolt ability, which you conveniently also get at first level. This ability allows you to spend a full-round action and get a new shape of bolt, just like a regular soulknife can spend a full-round action and get a new shape of blade (TWF, 1H or 2H.)


Shape Mind Bolt: The soulbolt’s mind bolt retains the last chosen form every time it is formed until the soulbolt reshapes it. If the soulbolt chooses to reshape her bolt, it requires a full-round action to do so.

The purpose of Alter Mind Bolt, like Alter Blade, is to let you choose a new form for your bolt without spending that full-round action (on top of whatever action you need to form the bolt in the first place.)

[Kryx]

I consider this officially answered as the DM asked the author. Shape mind bolt allows you to change forms.

See: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16948421&postcount=1835


Also: Thanks Psyren. I've seen your posts all over the place concerning psionics - your posts have been quite helpful. :)

[kkplx]

Since I've actually gotten an answer from Dramscarred Press, I thought it would be only fair to post it here as the 100% clear RAW ruling:


Hi Kkplx!

Here's the relevant text from the soulknife (and the text is comparable in the soulbolt):

"A soulknife must choose the form of his mind blade at 1st level. He can either form it into a light weapon, a one-handed weapon, or a two-handed weapon. Once chosen, his mind blade stays in this form every time the soulknife forms his mind blade. "

So, the short / medium / long is the "form" of the mind blade.

Then in Reshape Mind Blade: "The soulknife’s mind blade retains the last chosen form every time it is formed until the soulknife reshapes it. If the soulknife chooses to reshape his blade, it requires a full-round action to do so. She may also re-assign the type of damage dealt as part of reshaping his mind blade if he so chooses. "

So yes, right from level 1, you can change from short to medium to long range. However, it requires a full-round action to do so.

Alter Mind Bolt blade skill is to change the weapon anytime the bolt is formed (a free action beginning at level 5), instead of having to lose an entire round to do it.

Hope that helps!

Thanks!
Jeremy

[Svm420]

Wow well that is how I thought I worked but when you came and asked and I really read it I thought I had always been mistaken. I really think the wording on those 2 abiltiies is terrible. If it just said the words you can change form, or kept consitent language of either form or shape rather than retain last form used it would be 100% clear. I may see if we could get errata to make that clearer.