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Min/Max 3.x / Psionic Tricks questions: E6 Lvl 5 Gestalt Shaper optimisation + other
« on: April 22, 2013, 11:25:39 AM »
The top part was adressing my first question in the thread, the new questions are further down.
After having deserted these boards for a while now, my obligations as a GM (and an opportune sick-leave) made me return: I'm trying to create a lvl 5 psion NPC with some staying power, hence, a recharge mechanic. Now this is E6, which makes things tricky. Luckily, Gestalt is there to save the day. He should be a shaper on one side and something on the other - for bonus feats I'm favouring two levels of Psychic Warrior and then I'm not sure. Incarnate, whatever. I only gave one bonus feat to everyone and no flaws! Race would be Elan.
As far as Psionic tricks go, there are some questions I have. First of all, those that interest me most don't seem to actually work - or do they?
The MOI recharge method
This trick revolves around reducing the cost of casting linked Bestow power by 3 points, hence granting a net gain of one. It uses Metapower and Midnight Augmentation. Except, and anyone with the patience to read the rules will find this immediately, it's Midnight Augmentation, not metapsionics.
Here's what's in the handbook:
Even with Midnight Augment working on metapsionics cost this trick only works once every other round, because you absolutely need TWO Foci: To trigger Midnight, and to apply Linked Power. While you still have one full-round action after the first cycle, you can't refocus yourself and the crystal. Only with Psionic meditation can you use it every round.
Without Midnight Augment, there is now a 0 point net gain in PPs. We are now stuck NEEDING earth power, which costs two more feats, or a questionable magic item. In this case, it's not even available in E6. Also, the NPC is only level 5, so no infinite feats.
I'm currently thinking that this method doesn't work, so only Wilder is left for affordable recharge (feat-cost wise). Or have I missed anything?
The MOI infinicasting (or recharge) method
This method relies on two thing: Azure Talent and Psicarnum infusion.
Now even though I used to argue that this method actually works, well, it doesn't, at least not the way I used to say it does.
HOWEVER, I believe this has also not entirely been discussed. The key question here is what happens with BONUS power points, or rather, what happens when you lose them. I have been trying to look around at what happens to them when you incur ability damage, and I haven't managed to find anything conclusive. I have tried to find the same for spell slots, but apparently my search-fu also deserted me, there. I believe what happens with spell slots, for instance for prepared casters, is that you lose the bonus slots, which is why you should mark which slots were bonus. However, your base spell slots are not affected. This is actually critical: If you can't lose a base slot when you lose bonus slots, then the game would only check at every moment in time: How many bonus slots do I get? How many spell slots are there, currently? It would not make me lose regular spell slots after I have used up a number equal to my bonus slots.
So there is the kicker:
Azure Talent grants bonus PPs. Now even though unlike temporary points these are not used first by default, in analogy with the spell slot handling the game would nevertheless check only how many points you have when you lose them. So, let's say you activate Psicarnum Infusion, and gain 6 PPs as bonus PPs. Then you manifest for 6PPs. At the beginning of the next round, the game checks how many bonus points you get - which at that point is only ability bonus and no others. Then it would check how many PPs you have - which is now however many you had before. And then nothing changes. Only if you had not used up the PPs from Psycarnum infusion then you would lose points.
So, my question here is: What am I missing? Is there a mention anywhere of what happens with bonus PPs (or bonus spells) and ability score loss?
If this does not work, then the only other option I can think of is using the "temporary" powerpoints to manifest linked (augmented) Bestow power, so that the loss of PPs is circumvented by adding some again next round. This would likely as not leave you with very few PPs to use once your regular supply ran out, but it's better than nothing, I guess. And you could refill all your Cog crystals for higher level powers.
After having deserted these boards for a while now, my obligations as a GM (and an opportune sick-leave) made me return: I'm trying to create a lvl 5 psion NPC with some staying power, hence, a recharge mechanic. Now this is E6, which makes things tricky. Luckily, Gestalt is there to save the day. He should be a shaper on one side and something on the other - for bonus feats I'm favouring two levels of Psychic Warrior and then I'm not sure. Incarnate, whatever. I only gave one bonus feat to everyone and no flaws! Race would be Elan.
As far as Psionic tricks go, there are some questions I have. First of all, those that interest me most don't seem to actually work - or do they?
The MOI recharge method
This trick revolves around reducing the cost of casting linked Bestow power by 3 points, hence granting a net gain of one. It uses Metapower and Midnight Augmentation. Except, and anyone with the patience to read the rules will find this immediately, it's Midnight Augmentation, not metapsionics.
Here's what's in the handbook:
(click to show/hide)
Even with Midnight Augment working on metapsionics cost this trick only works once every other round, because you absolutely need TWO Foci: To trigger Midnight, and to apply Linked Power. While you still have one full-round action after the first cycle, you can't refocus yourself and the crystal. Only with Psionic meditation can you use it every round.
Without Midnight Augment, there is now a 0 point net gain in PPs. We are now stuck NEEDING earth power, which costs two more feats, or a questionable magic item. In this case, it's not even available in E6. Also, the NPC is only level 5, so no infinite feats.
I'm currently thinking that this method doesn't work, so only Wilder is left for affordable recharge (feat-cost wise). Or have I missed anything?
The MOI infinicasting (or recharge) method
This method relies on two thing: Azure Talent and Psicarnum infusion.
(click to show/hide)
Now even though I used to argue that this method actually works, well, it doesn't, at least not the way I used to say it does.
HOWEVER, I believe this has also not entirely been discussed. The key question here is what happens with BONUS power points, or rather, what happens when you lose them. I have been trying to look around at what happens to them when you incur ability damage, and I haven't managed to find anything conclusive. I have tried to find the same for spell slots, but apparently my search-fu also deserted me, there. I believe what happens with spell slots, for instance for prepared casters, is that you lose the bonus slots, which is why you should mark which slots were bonus. However, your base spell slots are not affected. This is actually critical: If you can't lose a base slot when you lose bonus slots, then the game would only check at every moment in time: How many bonus slots do I get? How many spell slots are there, currently? It would not make me lose regular spell slots after I have used up a number equal to my bonus slots.
So there is the kicker:
Azure Talent grants bonus PPs. Now even though unlike temporary points these are not used first by default, in analogy with the spell slot handling the game would nevertheless check only how many points you have when you lose them. So, let's say you activate Psicarnum Infusion, and gain 6 PPs as bonus PPs. Then you manifest for 6PPs. At the beginning of the next round, the game checks how many bonus points you get - which at that point is only ability bonus and no others. Then it would check how many PPs you have - which is now however many you had before. And then nothing changes. Only if you had not used up the PPs from Psycarnum infusion then you would lose points.
So, my question here is: What am I missing? Is there a mention anywhere of what happens with bonus PPs (or bonus spells) and ability score loss?
If this does not work, then the only other option I can think of is using the "temporary" powerpoints to manifest linked (augmented) Bestow power, so that the loss of PPs is circumvented by adding some again next round. This would likely as not leave you with very few PPs to use once your regular supply ran out, but it's better than nothing, I guess. And you could refill all your Cog crystals for higher level powers.