Psionics Question

[Telonius]

Hey folks! After (far too many) years, I'm finally trying to wrap my brain around Psionics, but I've run into a bit of a confusing point: power points per day, how they interact with multiclassing, and - in particular - how the Kalashtar bonus PP work with it.

So let's say we have a Kalashtar who's a level 5 Psion, level 5 Lurk, with an intelligence of 18. (Choosing Lurk, since both are keyed off of Intelligence). I think I'm right on how the PPs would add up here, but I want to check to make sure I haven't gone completely off the rails somewhere.

Psion5 gives him a base of 25 PP per day. Lurk gives him a base of 7 PP per day. Intelligence 18 gives him a bonus of 10 PP per day for Psion and 10 PP per day for Lurk. Kalashtar gives him a bonus of 10 PP (one bonus per level). Total PP per day would be 25+7+10+10+10=62. You could spend those 62 PP on any power you know from either Psion or Lurk, as long as you don't exceed 5 PP on each power (unless you can Overchannel).

Does that about cover it?

[Rubik]

You are entirely correct on all counts.

[Immabozo]

Does Lurk not increase manifester level?

[Rubik]

Does Lurk not increase manifester level?Lurk is another base class, and so it has its own manifester level progression.

[Immabozo]

Lurk is another base class, and so it has its own manifester level progression.

I did not know it worked like that. That kinda sucks, but makes sense. Are arcane casters the some? So Sorcerer and Wizard do not advance spellcaster lever for the other?

[Telonius]

Thanks! So far so good.

So then, if the character takes another level of Psion, the PP would go up by 10 (and another +1 from Kalashtar) to give 73 total, correct? And if he then put on a Headband of Intellect (or some other method of increasing Int) +2, the bonuses would go to 12 (Lurk) and 15 (Psion), for a total of 80?

I guess the thing that's making my brain want to check for errors is that it looks like I'd need to remember to recalculate the bonuses for each class, each time the ability changes, even if they're keyed off of the same ability. The totals don't always add up to the same number. Like for Int 16-17, a Psion9/Lurk11 would get 29 bonus PP, as opposed to a Psion20 who'd get 30; but for Int 18-19, a Psion9/Lurk11 would get 40 bonus, which is equal to a Psion20. I know it makes sense by the formula, but it just feels wrong.

[Rubik]

I did not know it worked like that. That kinda sucks, but makes sense. Are arcane casters the some? So Sorcerer and Wizard do not advance spellcaster lever for the other?Right.

Outside of PrCs, there are very few classes that advance others. Initiators and (in a way) incarnum users are about the only base classes that benefit directly from multiclassing with other base classes, unless you count things like how multiclassing mundane classes benefit due to being so front-loaded.


Thanks! So far so good.

So then, if the character takes another level of Psion, the PP would go up by 10 (and another +1 from Kalashtar) to give 73 total, correct? And if he then put on a Headband of Intellect (or some other method of increasing Int) +2, the bonuses would go to 12 (Lurk) and 15 (Psion), for a total of 80?Basically, treat them separately, as though you've only got X levels in each class. Then add the separate pools together.

Otherwise, just treat them as separate classes.


I guess the thing that's making my brain want to check for errors is that it looks like I'd need to remember to recalculate the bonuses for each class, each time the ability changes, even if they're keyed off of the same ability. The totals don't always add up to the same number. Like for Int 16-17, a Psion9/Lurk11 would get 29 bonus PP, as opposed to a Psion20 who'd get 30; but for Int 18-19, a Psion9/Lurk11 would get 40 bonus, which is equal to a Psion20. I know it makes sense by the formula, but it just feels wrong.I wouldn't sweat it too much. Things are how they are.