Question for Psionic Players [Archive] - Wizards Community

Question for Psionic Players [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kaladon7779
07-23-07, 09:19 AM I have a player in my group that is a Psion and he explains to me that when you augment powerpoints into powers it increases the level of the power.

Like Example Psionic Blast.
Level 3 power
Costs 5 PP to use
for every 1 extra point augmented it adds 1 round to the stun.

Is this true? becouse I can't find anything that says things like this increase the DC save or level of the power.
Bacris
07-23-07, 09:35 AM The power level is always the same. The XPH actually states this, and it is a problem with effects such as (Lesser) Globe of Invulnerability. A 17pp energy ray is still blocked by a lesser globe.

Some powers augment the Save DC when augmented, but each power has specific rules on how its augmentation works. If the power's own entry doesn't say the DC is increased with the augmentation, then its not.

Edit - oh, but Psionic Blast, you have the numbers a bit wrong.

Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend, the duration of the stun effect increases by 1 round.

The save DC is not increased, the power level is not increased, only the duration of the stun. Still makes a save as a 3rd level power.
Amaril
07-23-07, 09:58 AM Yes, it's true (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psionicBlast.htm). It's the nature of psionics for powers to be augmentable, but the manifester cannot spend more powerpoints than his manifester level. The idea is to give more value to lower-level powers as options for new powers known at a character's higher levels.
AntiDjinn
07-23-07, 11:15 AM The level of a power never changes. The DC may or may not be augmentable; you have to look at the individual entry for each power instead of just taking the player's word for it that any power can be boosted by spending more points. He can't spend more points than his normal manifester level, unless he is willing to take some hurt for it (damage, risk of enervation, etc.).
InkBlot
07-23-07, 01:51 PM Those effects (the Overchannel feat and Wild Surge class feature) AntiDjinn mentioned do not allow you to spend more power points than you manifester level. They raise your manifester level. They also require you to spend feats, or take levels in Wilder.

The fact that you can never spend more power points than your manifester level is one the golden rules of psionics. There are no exceptions to it. If the character is a 5th level psion, he can only spend 5 power points on any one power. If he wanted to manifest energy ray, he could only produce five dice of damage in total. If he wanted to manifest energy missle, he could only produce five dice of damage in total. Et cetera.

The other golden rule of psionics is that you can only expend psionic focus for one thing at a time. If a character has Enlarge Power, Maximize Power, and Empower Power, then he can only use one at a time, because they each require expending focus. It's impossible to manifest a Maximized Empowered energy ray. There are ways to get around this, the easiest of which is to take the feats Psicrystal Affinity and Psicrystal Containment, so you can have your psicrystal expend it's psionic focus in place of your own.

Note that becoming focused again requires a full round action and provokes attacks of opportunities. There is another feat that lowers this to a move action. Effects that require you to be focused (e.g.; Speed Of Thought or Up The Walls) all function simultaneously so long as you are focused (they end when you expend focus).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kaladon7779 07-23-07, 09:19 AM	I have a player in my group that is a Psion and he explains to me that when you augment powerpoints into powers it increases the level of the power. Like Example Psionic Blast. Level 3 power Costs 5 PP to use for every 1 extra point augmented it adds 1 round to the stun. Is this true? becouse I can't find anything that says things like this increase the DC save or level of the power.
Bacris 07-23-07, 09:35 AM	The power level is always the same. The XPH actually states this, and it is a problem with effects such as (Lesser) Globe of Invulnerability. A 17pp energy ray is still blocked by a lesser globe. Some powers augment the Save DC when augmented, but each power has specific rules on how its augmentation works. If the power's own entry doesn't say the DC is increased with the augmentation, then its not. Edit - oh, but Psionic Blast, you have the numbers a bit wrong. Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend, the duration of the stun effect increases by 1 round. The save DC is not increased, the power level is not increased, only the duration of the stun. Still makes a save as a 3rd level power.
Amaril 07-23-07, 09:58 AM	Yes, it's true (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psionicBlast.htm). It's the nature of psionics for powers to be augmentable, but the manifester cannot spend more powerpoints than his manifester level. The idea is to give more value to lower-level powers as options for new powers known at a character's higher levels.
AntiDjinn 07-23-07, 11:15 AM	The level of a power never changes. The DC may or may not be augmentable; you have to look at the individual entry for each power instead of just taking the player's word for it that any power can be boosted by spending more points. He can't spend more points than his normal manifester level, unless he is willing to take some hurt for it (damage, risk of enervation, etc.).
InkBlot 07-23-07, 01:51 PM	Those effects (the Overchannel feat and Wild Surge class feature) AntiDjinn mentioned do not allow you to spend more power points than you manifester level. They raise your manifester level. They also require you to spend feats, or take levels in Wilder. The fact that you can never spend more power points than your manifester level is one the golden rules of psionics. There are no exceptions to it. If the character is a 5th level psion, he can only spend 5 power points on any one power. If he wanted to manifest energy ray, he could only produce five dice of damage in total. If he wanted to manifest energy missle, he could only produce five dice of damage in total. Et cetera. The other golden rule of psionics is that you can only expend psionic focus for one thing at a time. If a character has Enlarge Power, Maximize Power, and Empower Power, then he can only use one at a time, because they each require expending focus. It's impossible to manifest a Maximized Empowered energy ray. There are ways to get around this, the easiest of which is to take the feats Psicrystal Affinity and Psicrystal Containment, so you can have your psicrystal expend it's psionic focus in place of your own. Note that becoming focused again requires a full round action and provokes attacks of opportunities. There is another feat that lowers this to a move action. Effects that require you to be focused (e.g.; Speed Of Thought or Up The Walls) all function simultaneously so long as you are focused (they end when you expend focus).