[3.5 Psionic] Control Body Questions

[Crow]

Can you use Control body to force the subject to make ranged attacks?

Do those ranged attacks receive the INT bonus to damage?

Does a two-weapon fighter under the effect of Control Body receive full INT bonus to damage with both weapons?

The character is planning to use this spell on himself.

[Necroticplague]

To my understanding, the answer to all of these questions is yes.

[Psyren]

Here's the spell:

You psychokinetically control the actions of any humanoid (including undead or outsiders with a humanoid physiology) that is within range and to which you have line of sight. Control body doesn’t require mental contact with the subject, since you are actually forcing limb movements independent of the target’s mind. You can force the subject to stand up, sit down, walk, turn around, and so on, but operating the vocal cords is too difficult. You can also hold the subject immobile, rendering it helpless. You cannot force the subject to manifest powers, cast spells, or use any special ability that is not a function of just its body movements. If you lose line of sight to the subject, the effect of this power ends.

If you force the subject to engage in combat, its attack bonus is equal to your base attack bonus + your Intelligence bonus, and its bonus on damage rolls is equal to your Intelligence bonus. A subject of this power cannot make attacks of opportunity. The subject gains no benefit to Armor Class from its Dexterity, but it does gain a bonus to its AC equal to your Intelligence bonus.

Although the subject’s body is under your control, the subject’s mind is not. Creatures capable of taking purely mental actions (such as manifesting powers) can do so.

Augment
For every 2 additional power points you spend, this power can affect a target one size category larger.

For your first question, I see nothing that would stop a creature from making a ranged attack.

For your second, it seems to me that the phrase "its bonus on damage rolls is equal to your intelligence bonus" means your Int bonus subs in for whatever ability bonus it would have normally had. In other words, he won't get Int to damage from firing a crossbow, because that wouldn't get any damage bonus from Dex. But he would get Int to damage with a Composite Bow, because the Int bonus can replace the Str bonus.

(Flavorwise it makes sense as well - his psychokinesis is pulling the bowstring taut, therefore more Int = more damage, up to the maximum bonus supported by the bow itself.)

Your third question is related to the response I gave above - whatever damage bonus he would have gotten from strength (or other relevant ability score) he gets from Int instead. This is true whether he's using one weapon or more than that.

[Fouredged Sword]

Could you use it on yourself as a psion gish to get int to your attacks? That could be useful.

[JonRG]

Looks like a "Yes to all," but you run the risk of losing Concentration if you take a lot of damage, so melee would be difficult.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I've got a couple of Control Body question of my own, if I may. First, if I target myself with this power, and am paralyzed, can I now move? Second, if I have the Swift Concentration skill trick, and I target myself with this power, do I get my Standard and Move actions (and an additional mental standard from Schism) and then another Standard and Move from my swift action (concentrating on the power)?

[Lateral]

For the first thing, I don't see why not. I dunno about the second.

[Crow]

Here's another question...since you are using the power on yourself, could you elect to power attack?

Using it on another, I would say not, as you only control the physical movements.

[Psyren]

It's not all roses just yet:

Concentrating to Maintain a Spell
Some spells require continued concentration to keep them going. Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Anything that could break your concentration when casting a spell can keep you from concentrating to maintain a spell. If your concentration breaks, the spell ends.

In other words, you can't attack. This is a fairly big hurdle, though not insurmountable.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Hence the addition of the Swift Concentration skill trick, which allows you to concentrate as a swift action, instead of a standard.

Edit: Even without the skill trick (which if it works nets you extra actions) you should be able to, as part of the concentration, force yourself to attack. That's how it would work with any other target, isn't it?

[Psyren]

Hence the addition of the Swift Concentration skill trick, which allows you to concentrate as a swift action, instead of a standard.

I haven't read that specific one, but aren't skill tricks 1/encounter? That would just delay the issue if so.

Edit: Even without the skill trick (which if it works nets you extra actions) you should be able to, as part of the concentration, force yourself to attack. That's how it would work with any other target, isn't it?

I would say so, but it doesn't say how many attacks you can get out of it for doing so. Can you full attack or charge?

[Kalaska'Agathas]

You're right, it is once per encounter (unless specifically called out as otherwise, which Swift Concentration is not).

I guess how many attacks and what actions you can take would be up to your DM, as I see nothing in the text of the power that delineates it.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

For even more fun, you could give your Psicrystal swift concentration and just let it do all the work attacking while you still blow things away with your mind.

[Psyren]

For even more fun, you could give your Psicrystal swift concentration and just let it do all the work attacking while you still blow things away with your mind.

I'm not sure if I'm misreading you, but you can't Control Body your psicrystal without first changing its shape (e.g. shared Metamorphosis):

Target: One Medium or smaller creature with humanoid physiology

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I think it would be more, have the Psicrystal be the source of the power, targeting yourself. I'm not sure this works, however. But if it does, I've got a great new tactic for my Dark Sun Erudite.

[Crow]

Actually, you can just have the Psicrystal maintain the concentration for you. Solicit Psicrystal handles it all for you.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Fantastic. I knew that I should be doing something with my psicrystals actions, and now I've found something.

[Fouredged Sword]

and psionics breaks the action economy even more. Thank you internet, just what we needed.

[Psyren]

Actually, you can just have the Psicrystal maintain the concentration for you. Solicit Psicrystal handles it all for you.

I always forgot that very nice catch!

and psionics breaks the action economy even more. Thank you internet, just what we needed.

Trust me when I say that familiars are open to just as much abuse if not more.