(Noob Question) My Kalashar cleric: What good are the psionic power points she gains? [Archive] - Wizards Community

(Noob Question) My Kalashar cleric: What good are the psionic power points she gains? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SnarlyBear
08-12-07, 07:14 PM I am playing a Kalashtar cleric. The race gets a psionic power point per level. As a non-psionic, are these good for anything? Thanks!
TorgSmackie
08-12-07, 07:33 PM If you have power points, you can gain psionic focus (see the Concentration skill in the XPH), letting you use feats like Psionic Weapon. With no psionic feats, you can still expend your psionic focus to take 15 on a Concentration check, say to cast on the defensive.

If you had a deep crystal weapon, you could spend power points to deal more damage.
TheKeyofE
08-12-07, 07:45 PM A deep crystal weapon would probably be a very good investment, since clerics are expected to melee at least occasionally. The only other use for power points I can think of would be to take Hidden Talent to learn a single 1st level power.

As for psionic focus, there are tons of useful feats that either require or expend your focus. Just remember that you can't hold a focus if you have no power points, so if you do get a deep crystal weapon, don't use your last power point on it.
Warforged Goblin
08-13-07, 08:40 AM Since you're playing a kalshtar, you're playing in Eberron I assume. Get a crysteel (ECS) version of your weapon; as long as you have PP, it deals extra damage. Also, as was mentioned already, take some psionic feats.
AntiDjinn
08-13-07, 11:32 AM If you don't have any other use for them (you only need 1 point to get focused) then you can always recharge Cognizance Crystals to be used by manifesters in the party.
PhaedrusXY
08-13-07, 06:48 PM If you can use things from the Mind's Eye articles, then the getting Re-wired article has expanded rules for psionic tatoos. Using those, you can get rechargable semi-permanent psionic tatoos of just about any power.

Here (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-330627) is Bacris' unofficial 3.5 update for it.
JulesCARV
08-14-07, 04:43 AM I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful. It costs almost as much as a +1 enhancement bonus to a weapon, and is rendered obsolete by a +1 weapon, since the bonus to damage for psionic characters is enhancement.
CrimsonDeath
08-14-07, 04:04 PM I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful. It costs almost as much as a +1 enhancement bonus to a weapon, and is rendered obsolete by a +1 weapon, since the bonus to damage for psionic characters is enhancement.
The main reason I can see for it would be so that it would still have an enhancement bonus in an antimagic field, or if its magical abilities are suppressed by a Dispel Magic spell.
AntiDjinn
08-14-07, 04:23 PM Crysteel doesn't offer major advantages to the character wielding it (an enchanted +1 weapon would give its bonus on to hit and damage rolls, without requiring the wielder to have at least 1 power point) but its cost offers major advantages to the Inspired lords of Riedra. It is cheaper than a magic or psionic weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus, not by much, but when you are looking at giving one to every officer in the Harmonious Shield and every agent of the Thousand Eyes, it will add up. The Inspired can crank crysteel weapons out: You only need to craft the weapon, you don't need to enchant it. It doesn't even need to be a masterwork, although most weapons made of special materials will be. If it falls into more mundane hands it is just a normal weapon.

I can see a number of reasons why the Inspired would want to mass produce crysteel weapons and distribute them to their agents, but from the standpoint of the person being handed the weapon the only real advantage vs. an enchanted blade will be that it is probably given free of charge in exchange for service.
CrimsonDeath
08-14-07, 06:21 PM You know, they're not only slightly cheaper to buy than magic weapons, but also significantly cheaper to produce (1/3 base cost rather than 1/2). They can also be made significantly faster, if a level 7 Shaper or level 9 Wizard is involved.
JulesCARV
08-14-07, 10:24 PM This is all true from an Inspired perspective, but SnarlyBear's cleric probably isn't being equipped by the Riedran military, and given that she isn't a wizard or shaper, and probably doesn't have the artifice domain (I'm guessing she worships the Path of Light, but I'm not sure), Riedran Crysteel is still, essentially, useless to her.
JLaurHughes
08-14-07, 11:17 PM The Mindlink power that the Kalashtar gains 1/day, treat your character as a wilder of half hitdice, it does last a good amount of time, and is a good ability to augment when you want to know who's in danger without them yelling out for help. Here's the SRD Link to the power --->http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm.

Something else I want to mention, take one level of Psion with the Discipline of Psychometabolism becomming a first level Egotist. There are some powers that are useful, like the Power Skate(increase your land speed by 15ft. or one other willing subject, or even an object up to 100lb in weight).[I mention this because of the Kalashtar Favored class, and the usefulness of some psionics of your DM's allowing psionic classes in the campaign.]
CrimsonDeath
08-15-07, 03:45 AM The Mindlink power that the Kalashtar gains 1/day, treat your character as a wilder of half hitdice, it does last a good amount of time, and is a good ability to augment when you want to know who's in danger without them yelling out for help. Here's the SRD Link to the power --->http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm.
And since it's a psi-like ability, it's automatically fully augmented.

Something else I want to mention, take one level of Psion with the Discipline of Psychometabolism becomming a first level Egotist. There are some powers that are useful, like the Power Skate(increase your land speed by 15ft. or one other willing subject, or even an object up to 100lb in weight).[I mention this because of the Kalashtar Favored class, and the usefulness of some psionics of your DM's allowing psionic classes in the campaign.]
I'm not sure why you recommended being an Egoist, and then suggested Skate. It's a general Psion/Wilder power, and it's not even Psychometabolism. If you're only taking one level of Psion (and I'm not sure I'd recommend it for a Cleric), I'd probably go with Shaper since Psionic Minor Creation is probably the best level 1 Discipline power for a level 1 manifester.
AntiDjinn
08-15-07, 04:16 AM The only time you would mix levels of psion and cleric would be if you are planning to go Psychic Theurge.
The_Shaman
08-15-07, 08:23 AM I think they can be useful if you want to be a Sanctified mind with a cleric spellcasting, though. Other than that, psionic feats would be my best bet. Deep impact can be fun, if you can get to it.
TorgSmackie
08-15-07, 01:33 PM I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful.A masterwork Riedran crysteel weapon in the hands of a psionic character is functionally equivalent to a +1 weapon but costs 500 gp less. It's a low-level money-saver, especially if you fight with two weapons.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SnarlyBear 08-12-07, 07:14 PM	I am playing a Kalashtar cleric. The race gets a psionic power point per level. As a non-psionic, are these good for anything? Thanks!
TorgSmackie 08-12-07, 07:33 PM	If you have power points, you can gain psionic focus (see the Concentration skill in the XPH), letting you use feats like Psionic Weapon. With no psionic feats, you can still expend your psionic focus to take 15 on a Concentration check, say to cast on the defensive. If you had a deep crystal weapon, you could spend power points to deal more damage.
TheKeyofE 08-12-07, 07:45 PM	A deep crystal weapon would probably be a very good investment, since clerics are expected to melee at least occasionally. The only other use for power points I can think of would be to take Hidden Talent to learn a single 1st level power. As for psionic focus, there are tons of useful feats that either require or expend your focus. Just remember that you can't hold a focus if you have no power points, so if you do get a deep crystal weapon, don't use your last power point on it.
Warforged Goblin 08-13-07, 08:40 AM	Since you're playing a kalshtar, you're playing in Eberron I assume. Get a crysteel (ECS) version of your weapon; as long as you have PP, it deals extra damage. Also, as was mentioned already, take some psionic feats.
AntiDjinn 08-13-07, 11:32 AM	If you don't have any other use for them (you only need 1 point to get focused) then you can always recharge Cognizance Crystals to be used by manifesters in the party.
PhaedrusXY 08-13-07, 06:48 PM	If you can use things from the Mind's Eye articles, then the getting Re-wired article has expanded rules for psionic tatoos. Using those, you can get rechargable semi-permanent psionic tatoos of just about any power. Here (http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-330627) is Bacris' unofficial 3.5 update for it.
JulesCARV 08-14-07, 04:43 AM	I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful. It costs almost as much as a +1 enhancement bonus to a weapon, and is rendered obsolete by a +1 weapon, since the bonus to damage for psionic characters is enhancement.
CrimsonDeath 08-14-07, 04:04 PM	I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful. It costs almost as much as a +1 enhancement bonus to a weapon, and is rendered obsolete by a +1 weapon, since the bonus to damage for psionic characters is enhancement. The main reason I can see for it would be so that it would still have an enhancement bonus in an antimagic field, or if its magical abilities are suppressed by a Dispel Magic spell.
AntiDjinn 08-14-07, 04:23 PM	Crysteel doesn't offer major advantages to the character wielding it (an enchanted +1 weapon would give its bonus on to hit and damage rolls, without requiring the wielder to have at least 1 power point) but its cost offers major advantages to the Inspired lords of Riedra. It is cheaper than a magic or psionic weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus, not by much, but when you are looking at giving one to every officer in the Harmonious Shield and every agent of the Thousand Eyes, it will add up. The Inspired can crank crysteel weapons out: You only need to craft the weapon, you don't need to enchant it. It doesn't even need to be a masterwork, although most weapons made of special materials will be. If it falls into more mundane hands it is just a normal weapon. I can see a number of reasons why the Inspired would want to mass produce crysteel weapons and distribute them to their agents, but from the standpoint of the person being handed the weapon the only real advantage vs. an enchanted blade will be that it is probably given free of charge in exchange for service.
CrimsonDeath 08-14-07, 06:21 PM	You know, they're not only slightly cheaper to buy than magic weapons, but also significantly cheaper to produce (1/3 base cost rather than 1/2). They can also be made significantly faster, if a level 7 Shaper or level 9 Wizard is involved.
JulesCARV 08-14-07, 10:24 PM	This is all true from an Inspired perspective, but SnarlyBear's cleric probably isn't being equipped by the Riedran military, and given that she isn't a wizard or shaper, and probably doesn't have the artifice domain (I'm guessing she worships the Path of Light, but I'm not sure), Riedran Crysteel is still, essentially, useless to her.
JLaurHughes 08-14-07, 11:17 PM	The Mindlink power that the Kalashtar gains 1/day, treat your character as a wilder of half hitdice, it does last a good amount of time, and is a good ability to augment when you want to know who's in danger without them yelling out for help. Here's the SRD Link to the power --->http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm. Something else I want to mention, take one level of Psion with the Discipline of Psychometabolism becomming a first level Egotist. There are some powers that are useful, like the Power Skate(increase your land speed by 15ft. or one other willing subject, or even an object up to 100lb in weight).[I mention this because of the Kalashtar Favored class, and the usefulness of some psionics of your DM's allowing psionic classes in the campaign.]
CrimsonDeath 08-15-07, 03:45 AM	The Mindlink power that the Kalashtar gains 1/day, treat your character as a wilder of half hitdice, it does last a good amount of time, and is a good ability to augment when you want to know who's in danger without them yelling out for help. Here's the SRD Link to the power --->http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindlink.htm. And since it's a psi-like ability, it's automatically fully augmented. Something else I want to mention, take one level of Psion with the Discipline of Psychometabolism becomming a first level Egotist. There are some powers that are useful, like the Power Skate(increase your land speed by 15ft. or one other willing subject, or even an object up to 100lb in weight).[I mention this because of the Kalashtar Favored class, and the usefulness of some psionics of your DM's allowing psionic classes in the campaign.] I'm not sure why you recommended being an Egoist, and then suggested Skate. It's a general Psion/Wilder power, and it's not even Psychometabolism. If you're only taking one level of Psion (and I'm not sure I'd recommend it for a Cleric), I'd probably go with Shaper since Psionic Minor Creation is probably the best level 1 Discipline power for a level 1 manifester.
AntiDjinn 08-15-07, 04:16 AM	The only time you would mix levels of psion and cleric would be if you are planning to go Psychic Theurge.
The_Shaman 08-15-07, 08:23 AM	I think they can be useful if you want to be a Sanctified mind with a cleric spellcasting, though. Other than that, psionic feats would be my best bet. Deep impact can be fun, if you can get to it.
TorgSmackie 08-15-07, 01:33 PM	I have a hard time conceiving of how Riedran crysteel is useful.A masterwork Riedran crysteel weapon in the hands of a psionic character is functionally equivalent to a +1 weapon but costs 500 gp less. It's a low-level money-saver, especially if you fight with two weapons.