Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Magrus 03-28-07, 01:53 AM	I decided to build a NPC for a campaign of mine and ran into this ability. The ability states "you can take a standard action and expend your focus to radiate a burst". It does not state a per day limit or anything of the sort. Now, I control the NPC so it won't be a huge problem if this is unbalanced, as I can quickly switch anything around as the DM. However, it made me curious. Would others think that as a 10th level character that with the right feat setups I could regain my focus AND deal 10d6 in a 30 ft burst to undead every round, with a save for half, indefinately? It seems to me that it might be meant to be a limited use per day ability.
AntiDjinn 03-28-07, 02:05 AM	There is no per day limit, but the ability takes a standard action and he must expend his focus. Getting focused takes a full round action (or a move action and the right feat) and he has to make a concentration check (DC 20). Most of the time, after you do this once all the undead you don't kill outright (plus the necromancer controlling them, if any) are trying to pound on you (which makes it hard to get focused) or they are simply moving out of range. It only does damage to undead, so I am not seeing how this might cause a problem if you are the DM. Are your PC's undead? If so, this will kick them around. If not, then it is only harming creatures that are on your side of the board anyway. Exactly how powerful it is depends on what percentage of your encounters involve undead.
SlanderPanic 03-28-07, 09:47 AM	Also, it's a psi-like ability. Unless used defensively, it provokes an AoO. In addition, it's subject to PR/SR. Regaining psionic focus provokes an AoO, regardless of whether or not you have Psionic Meditation, and it cannot be done defensively. 10d6 is an average of 35 damage, which -while certainly capable of wiping out a mass of basic skeletons and zombies- isn't enough to take out any undead that pose a significant challenge to a 10th-level party. Positive energy flare is useful to give your party a bit of breathing room and to soften up tougher opponents when your DM mobs you with undead, but it's certainly not any more game-breaking than a fireball.
carnivore 03-28-07, 11:30 AM	the nice thing....it ONLY damages undead...thus it is great when undead are in melee with your entire party...it selectively damages All undead without hurting your party members......but as AntiDjinn and SlanderPanic said...it is not that strong lots of fun still especialy if you have a Cleric Turn them next after you act :D
InkBlot 03-28-07, 12:23 PM	Also, it's a psi-like ability. Unless used defensively, it provokes an AoO. In addition, it's subject to PR/SR. Regaining psionic focus provokes an AoO, regardless of whether or not you have Psionic Meditation, and it cannot be done defensively. Psionic focus can be "done defensively." Reread the Concentration skill rules on page 70 of the Player's Handbook. Any skill use which normaly provokes attacks of opportunity can be performed without provoking by succeeding on a DC 15 Concentration check.
AntiDjinn 03-28-07, 06:01 PM	Getting focused on the defensive requires two separate concentration checks: One at DC 15 to concentrate defensively, followed by another at DC 20 to see if you actually get focused. Both rolls count as a single action (move or full). This is in your favor; two separate rolls of reasonable DC are way easier than a single roll with the DC modifiers summed.