Does Psionic Artificer count as psionic for Tashalatora?

[Buddy76]

I'm working on a build that goes Monk 1/Ardent 1/Monk 1/ Psionic Artificer 17. Since the character is human I'm taking able learner to keep my Autohypnosis skill high (for RP reasons). The question, per the title, is if I can use Tashalatora with Psionic Artificer to keep my Monk abilities advancing.

My table is kinda torn on the issue, seeing as there's so little official material about the PA. Some of them say that it does not count as psionic because it has no PP and no powers. Another faction says that, since the regular "magical" Artificer sometimes counts as a caster when it comes to qualifying to certain prcs and feats, the psionic version should count as psionic in this case.

I'm curious to see what the playgroung thinks about the issue.

Thanks!

[Nifft]

Psionic Artificer is a class, and has "psionic" right in the class name, so it's pretty blatantly a "psionic class" per normal word usage.

Psionic Artificer creates psionic items, so it's as "psionic" in mechanics as a regular Artificer is "magic". How "magic" are regular Artificers?

Psionic Artificer is a step down in power from a regular Artificer, so from a balance standpoint I would have no problem with this, if it were a game where I allowed regular Artificers to exist.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Psionic Artificer is a step down in power from a regular ArtificerIt's widely considered more powerful than the original, since there's nothing preventing it from making normal items (and according to the MIC, you can make psionic versions of regular magic items with no problems). Meanwhile, regular artificers can't typically make psionic items, leaving the power balance clearly lopsided.

[ExLibrisMortis]

I'd let it work. I mean, it's called 'psionic', and Tashalatora is nice, but not too strong. Martial artsificers are cool.

[Nifft]

It's widely considered more powerful than the original, since there's nothing preventing it from making normal items (and according to the MIC, you can make psionic versions of regular magic items with no problems). Meanwhile, regular artificers can't typically make psionic items, leaving the power balance clearly lopsided.

What, like a psionic wand of fireballs?

Or a psionic scroll of gate?

Can you show me how those would be legal?

[Buddy76]

Nifft, there's a table at page 232 of the Magic Item Compendium called "Psionics and Crafting Magic Items" that opens with "Many of the items in this book can also be created by a character with the appropriate psionic item creation feat" and goes on to say what psionic creation feats equate magic item creation feats and that spell requirements can be substituted by "powers of similar flavor". From what I've seem in several forums, most people take that table as a RAW way for the Psionic Artificer to create items that work exactly like magical items but are still psionic.

My DM does not rule that way, but I can create those "pseudomagical items" in a case to case basis (mostly when making gear for my party). But that is more of a houserule, and the consensus seems to be that the PA can, indeed, replicate magical items.

[Nifft]

Nifft, there's a table at page 232 of the Magic Item Compendium called "Psionics and Crafting Magic Items" that opens with "Many of the items in this book can also be created by a character with the appropriate psionic item creation feat" and goes on to say what psionic creation feats equate magic item creation feats and that spell requirements can be substituted by "powers of similar flavor". From what I've seem in several forums, most people take that table as a RAW way for the Psionic Artificer to create items that work exactly like magical items but are still psionic.

My DM does not rule that way, but I can create those "pseudomagical items" in a case to case basis (mostly when making gear for my party). But that is more of a houserule, and the consensus seems to be that the PA can, indeed, replicate magical items.

Ah, so some people read "many of the items in this book" as if it said every item in every book.

Still, what about creating spell-completion items like gate? The ability to emulate high-level spellcasters is why Artificer is so strong, and I think high-level Psions can't break the game in as many ways.

[Buddy76]

Ah, so some people read "many of the items in this book" as if it said every item in every book.

The table says that certain requirements for some items (such as eldritch blast) are not spells and can not be replicated by psionics. I figure that's why people think it says "many of the items" instead of all of them.

While the text is clear that things like teleport are equivalent to psionic teleport, the case for spells that don't have a direct psionic counterpart and can be substituted by "powers of similar flavor" is something that I personally think should be subjected to DM review, so no, Psionic Artificers shouldn't get unrestricted access to all the items with spell requirements (at least in my opinion, don't know if it's raw or not).


Still, what about creating spell-completion items like gate? The ability to emulate high-level spellcasters is why Artificer is so strong, and I think high-level Psions can't break the game in as many ways.
I don't have enough system mastery to be sure, but I agree with you there.