Odd Realization: True Metabolism is WORSE for reattaching limbs the higher its ML

[Segev]

True metabolism (https://libraryofmetzofitz.fandom.com/wiki/True_Metabolism) is a regeneration spell. 10 hp per round for a minute per level. Or, you can do nothing but concentrate on reattaching or regrowing a limb for the duration to, well, reattach or regrow that limb. Since you have to concentrate for the duration of the power, the fact that it takes more time to regenerate the higher your ML is likely not intentional, but is interesting.

[Psyren]

"You can manifest a power at a lower manifester level than normal, but the manifester level must be high enough for you to manifest the power in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same manifester level." (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/#Manifester_Level)

[Segev]

"You can manifest a power at a lower manifester level than normal, but the manifester level must be high enough for you to manifest the power in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same manifester level." (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/#Manifester_Level)

Fair enough, but the minimum duration is still fifteen minutes, and it remains weird that you want to manifest it at the weakest you can to regain a lost limb as fast as possible.

It isn't necessarily bad design for it to take a minimum of fifteen minutes to regrow a limb with this power. It is just odd.

[Psyren]

Fair enough, but the minimum duration is still fifteen minutes, and it remains weird that you want to manifest it at the weakest you can to regain a lost limb as fast as possible.

It isn't necessarily bad design for it to take a minimum of fifteen minutes to regrow a limb with this power. It is just odd.

Yeah, it will take longer to regrow a limb with this than with Regenerate. But then, psionics is just worse at healing in general.

If you need this done much faster, Restore Extremity (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/r/restore-extremity/) has you covered.

[Segev]

Yeah, it will take longer to regrow a limb with this than with Regenerate. But then, psionics is just worse at healing in general.

If you need this done much faster, Restore Extremity (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-powers/r/restore-extremity/) has you covered.

Oh, hey, I didn't know about that one. Thanks! Though I wasn't actually looking for the application. I was just amazed that the rules said "for the duration" while forgetting that the duration gets longer the "better" you are at the power.

It's probably not that big of a deal in most cases. Though I still, despite the speed of this, think the Egoist power is probably a non-taker. True Metabolism will actually do something in a majority of sessions, while Restore Extremity may come up a handful of times at most in any game. I guess it's a good thing Psychic Reformation is a psion/wilder power, but that does mean the effective manifestation time and power point cost climbs significantly.

Again, this isn't a complaint so much as an amused (and perhaps slightly bemused) observation. I actually appreciate that True Metabolism has this secondary use; it makes the usage available in the rare cases it's needed without making you have to plan for shuffling your powers known around or spend a power known on a very niche feature.


Though knowing how abilities to regrow limbs that fast are portrayed in various shows (DBZ and Piccolo come to mind prominently, here), I wonder if a second Egoist power that let you sacrifice a limb to negate all damage from a hit would be a viable option. Use that in combination with Restore Extremity to deal with otherwise-lethal blows.

[Psyren]

Yeah it's a cute observation but again, higher ML doesn't have to mean higher duration so it's possible they simply assumed people would know/remember that.

Restore Extremity has actually been around since 3.5, but I don't blame anyone for not thinking about it, it's as niche as niche gets.

DSP came up with True Metabolism themselves, as part of their "lets create psionic versions of some of the nonexistent divine effects," clearly aimed at Regenerate. I don't know why they didn't copy the 2 minute clause from that spell though.

[AmberVael]

DSP came up with True Metabolism themselves...

Nope. (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/trueMetabolism.htm) They didn't even make any changes.

[Psyren]

Nope. (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/trueMetabolism.htm) They didn't even make any changes.

Derp :smalltongue: I don't know why I didn't see it when I looked.

That does explain how much worse it is than Regenerate though. Bruce was very cautious about psions, even egoists, overtaking or even equalling clerics it seemed.

[AmberVael]

That does explain how much worse it is than Regenerate though. Bruce was very cautious about psions, even egoists, overtaking or even equalling clerics it seemed.

"You know what happens all the time and needs nerfing? Limb loss. Egoists need to be worst at dealing with all the many, many limb loss mechanics that exist." :smalltongue:

For my part, I didn't know that Restore Extremity existed until this thread. Or maybe I just forgot.
Why does this game have so many limb reattachment mechanics but no ways to remove limbs? It's so weird.

[Segev]

"You know what happens all the time and needs nerfing? Limb loss. Egoists need to be worst at dealing with all the many, many limb loss mechanics that exist." :smalltongue:

For my part, I didn't know that Restore Extremity existed until this thread. Or maybe I just forgot.
Why does this game have so many limb reattachment mechanics but no ways to remove limbs? It's so weird.

It does have Sharpness as a weapon property, but that's almost it. I think it was more common in 1e, with monsters that could do it. But I could be mistaken.

If there were ways for PCs to voluntarily lose limbs (like my thought earlier about a psi power that lets you lose a limb instead of taking hp damage), it would justify things like this because you could MAKE them relevant.

[Psyren]

In PF, Called Shots can cause limb loss if you achieve a Debilitating result, so there's at least a way to make it more common in that game (and attainable without magic.) You can also try for a more "meaty" damage system like Wound Points.

[Prime32]

A high-level psion has inherently more powerful limbs than a low-level one, obviously.