Author Topic: Erudite Handbook  (Read 38393 times)

Offline Captnq

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Erudite Handbook
« on: January 18, 2015, 11:49:20 PM »
DISCUSSION THREAD HERE.

I made a thread just for this in hopes that this will be picked up by Google and finally give Erudite fans a Webpage that isn't useless advice. For more help with your build, Check out the EVD. It's got OODLES more helpful stuff.
(Check back in a few days to see if I got around to uploading the latest EVD. 1/19/15)

ERUDITE
Editor: Hi Ho, Keeds! The is a Christmas gift for my wife. Merry X-mas, An erudite handbook just for you!
Abilities: The Erudite can be SAD or MAD, depending on your build. Alas, that's the problem with a class that has so many options is that it becomes increasingly more difficult to narrow things now.
  • Strength: Normally you'd make strength your dump stat, except for the fact that the selection of Spells and powers makes for a rather effective claw build. If you choose to go the melee route and stack up on a million different claw attacks, strength will help. However, if your focus leads you away from any sort of melee, you can safely make this your dump stat.
  • Dexterity: Again, what's your build? Are you going with Area of Effect spells, or ray attacks? If you are going with Ray, then you need lots of Dex. If for some reason you aren't focusing on maxing out your Int (let's say your build concept or DM limits your choices), then your attack powers/spells need to be ray based. Your DC will suffer for a low Int, but Ray spells often ignore saving throws. Dex adds to your initiative and to your AC, which is usually useful to have. For the default build, this should be your second highest stat.
  • Constitution: If you choose to go the undead Erudite route, this is dead last. Otherwise, this helps with Fortitude checks as well as hit points, something you'll be sucking at. That said, the class comes with a boat load of healing options, as well as Shield other, share pain, and a whole host of damage deflection/redirection/negation options. At low levels, you should get this, but in the long haul, you could give this a 10 or 12 and sleep just fine at night.
  • Intelligence: Your main stat that all your powers, spells, power points, and starting number of known powers is calculated from. More Int is a higher DC for all your powers. It also has many secondary benefits, such as makes your all important skill rolls to learn new powers better. Finally, if you are playing with the variant where your Int Modifier adds to your UPPD, then you absolutely HAVE TO max this out. Also remember that extra starting Int gives you more skill points to play with. If you're selecting Erudite more for buffing or a one level dip, you could get away with an Int of 14 and just avoid attack spells/powers that give your target a saving throw.
  • Wisdom: It adds to your will save, which is fairly good, but that's all it brings to the table. Most of your skills rely on Int as the base stat, so unless you are looking at some sort of multiclass build, you could safely leave this at a 10. After all, your Will save is already your one good saving throw, so you can afford to invest your points elsewhere.
  • Charisma: There are many spells and powers that can take the place of Charisma. You don't get any skills that require it as a base stat. Glibness is available to any CStP Erudite. Unless you are multiclassing into a build that needs it, resolve to take care of social interactions through power manifestation, and make this your primary dump stat.

Races: Those who choose the way of an erudite must adhere to a rigorous path of study and practice. Among the humanoid races, humans seem most apt to follow such a course. Among the savage and monstrous humanoids, erudites are rare due to the required physical study of psionic lore.
Editor: I'll make this easy. Elan. Otherwise, anything that gives you huge Int bonuses. I rather like the Primordial Half-Giant Spark, myself. And you get a high Charisma out of it so you can look into multiclassing. Now if there was only some way to make a Primordial Elan Spark. That said, you don't have to pick Elan, it's just one of the better choices.

Alignment: Studious erudites tend more toward law than chaos, but they are not required to follow any particular philosophical path to use their abilities. Erudites are both good and evil in equal measure.
Editor: And yet one of the best PrCs to use is the Anarchic Initiate. This is one of those situations where the fluff text doesn't lend itself well to the realities of the available rules. Take whatever alignment fits in the group best.

Religion: Erudites sometimes worship deities revered for their intelligence and wisdom. Erudites who revere a deity do not conform to any particular choice.
Editor: A one level dip into cloister cleric is not unheard of. Trade in the knowledge domain for the feat and use it to boost your damage. After all, you get all the knowledges you need to take advantage of it. Also it gives you simple weapons and light armor. This allows you to put a spear under your heavy crossbow for use if you get stuck in melee. It gives you the cleric spell list so you don't have to worry about UMD rolls for 90% of the divine spells out there. If your DM allows you to count all Arcane spell lists as being part of your spell lists, you won't have to bother with a UMD roll for 99% of the magic items out there. Ever. What god to pick? Pick a god that gives you the domains that grant you the bonuses to help your build. Time is always a good choice. Consider Divine Counterspell ACF. Using it will be a Hail Mary at higher levels, but chances of you turning undead will suck even more. You gain a version of Bardic Lore, which can also help out when all other sources of info fail you. It helps to round you out, but at the cost of a ML level. Again, what are your long term goals?

Erudite Class Features
Hit Die: d4.
Editor (Hit Dice): You are fragile. However, unlike wizards and other low HD casters, you have two options. Grim Psion will make you undead and give you really awesome HD. Option two is a combination of share pain, shield other, healing spells, and protection buffs. You might start out a class cannon, but you don't have to stay one. My advice is, keep track of everything that, as you play, wound up hurting you/kicking your ass. Research the spell/power lists for the means to become immune to said ass kicking. Learn it.
Editor (1/19/15): A new addition to making yourself a HP sponge. Glorytongue (The Minds Eye WotC Website). It's a 3.0 power, first level. It makes your tongue a Construct with half your hit points. In your mouth. That you can share pain with. In your mouth. Or it can shoot out 100 feet to lick people then retract as a free action. In your mouth. I cannot explain in depth exactly how disgusting this power is or what part of my brain begins to fry when I try to think about WHAT IN GYGAX'S NAME DOES TURNING YOUR TONGUE INTO A 100 FOOT LONG CONSTRUCT HAVE TO DO WITH PSIONICS??? ... Sorry. Any rate, despite how disgusting the very idea of a prehensile 100 foot long tongue that is a construct and thus gets its own actions. IN YOUR MOUTH. You must take this power if your DM will allow 3.0 powers. YOU MUST TAKE IT AND SHARE PAIN/SHIELD OTHERS. I'm sorry, but every single simulation I ran gave the Share Pain/Psicrystal/Vigor combined with Shield Others/Glorytongue made you a damn damage sponge. If you also take Anima Mage (psionic version) and use one of the Free Metapsionic per day to use Persistent Power with Glorytongue. You can have the tongue last much longer then one combat. It can deliver touch attacks

Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge (psionics), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Psicraft.
Editor (Craft Skills): If you take CStP, then look into mage craft and Bigby's Helping Hand. Between the two you gain a +7 to all craft skill checks. Craft skills are int based, so you should have at least a +4 to all Craft checks. Buy at least one level of Craft (Poison), Craft (Alchemy), Craft (Weaponsmith), Craft (Armorsmith), and Craft (Bowmaking). Take ten and you'll be able to outfit the party with any sort of normal weapon or suit of armor, given enough time and access to the right tools and equipment. When you kill something with a poisonous bite or claw attack, harvest that poison with Craft (Poison). Given your unlimited access to powers and spells, you also can whip up some cheap alchemy items for the party. Always be on the look out for exotic monsters that you can harvest for materials. Make your own alchemy items or sell the stuff.
Editor (Main Skills): If you are playing with Psionic/Magic transparency, Take Knowledge (Psionics, Dungeoneering, Nature, Religion, and The Planes) if you can't, ask your DM if he'll allow Knowledge (Hearth Wisdom). If so, you can fake it with that knowledge alone, most of the time. You have to take Concentration, Psicraft and if you take CStP, Spellcraft. If you are playing with transparency, take only Spellcraft. It'll cover everything you need. As for the following skills, they are recommended so that you can at least have a long shot in a tight situation, or so you can use Aid Another to help someone else get the job done.
Editor (Skills to get to 5 ranks): If you take another class that gives you the following skills, buy 5 ranks. Autohypnosis, Balance, Heal, Sleight of Hand and Tumble.
Editor (Cross Skills): If you can, pick up a half rank or a full rank in the following: Appraisal, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Handle Animal, Jump, Listen, Open Lock, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, and use magical/psionic device.
Editor (Skill Tricks): Collector of stories, Conceal Spellcasting, Ecstatic Fervor, Healing Hands, and Magical Appraisal.
Editor (Teamwork Benefits): If you are on a team, then consider pushing to have one of the skill monkeys in your ground lead the following, or pick it up yourself, if you multiclass and it becomes available. Awareness, Camp Routine, Door Procedures, Evade Incoming, Field Medic Training, and Snap out of it. However, I especially push the following: BEG the rest of the party to take Group Trance with you, since it will speed up your time for resetting your PPs from 8 hours to 4. Also it'll make it possible to reset your UPPD. So if you are an elf, half-elf, or there is one in the party. This is cheap and worth every crossclass skill point for everyone in the party from spellcasters to manifesters, to fatigued fighters. Combine with camp routine and a Rope trick Spell and you'll increase your party's treasure hunting time by 4 hours a day without ever having to worry about someone jumping you.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Erudites are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, quarterstaff, and shortspear. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor does not interfere with the manifestation of powers. Armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble.
Editor (BAB): Your BAB sucks. It's horrible. If you multiclass, it'll get even worse. Don't ever expect to ever become the party weapon guy. However, given the wide selection of Natural Attack buffs available as both powers and spells, what you lack in quality, you can make up for in quantity. But unless you are looking at being a ray specialist, or a whirling dervish of natural attacks, just accept your BAB is going to suck and resolve to improve your to hit chances with magic.
Editor (Weapons): Pick up a heavy crossbow, throwing daggers, normal daggers, and a quarterstaff to walk on. Be prepared to drop the heavy crossbow after shooting it because if you are using it, chances are you are screwed. Even if you can't use it, a crossbow bayonet isn't a bad thing to pick up. The penalty for not being proficient not withstanding, you never know when you might have to fall back to a last resort. Keep in mind the Sorcerer's hand crossbow allows you to add your WSAs from the crossbow to your ray attacks. Between Powers and Spells, you have a boatload of ray attacks available. That is not something you should abandon. Pick up deathwand and put two ray spell wands on it as well. That should cover you in most situations.
Editor (Armor): Armor does not interfere with the manifestation of powers. It shouldn't interfere with the manifestation of converted spells, either. The problem is, you aren't qualified to wear any armor. Getting the feats isn't worth it. So, either consider a 1 level dip into something that can wear armor, or do without. Alas, while a normal wizard would just use extend spell and mage armor, that's not really an option for you, because you can't afford to burn up your UPPD. Make sure that if you are using this, that you never learn Mage Armor and only manifest it by using a scroll. Still, if you can pick up armor, stock up on ASAs and armor crystals.

Power Points/Day: An erudite’s ability to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Intelligence score. His race might also provide bonus power points per day, as might certain feats and items.
Unique Powers per Day: An erudite manifests psionic powers, paying for each manifestation with an expenditure of power points. Unlike a psion, an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows, according to his class level. Thus, a 1st-level erudite can manifest one unique power per day; however, the total number of powers he can manifest per day is limited only by his daily power points (that is, the erudite could manifest the unique power as many times per day as he has power points to pay for it). An erudite simply knows his powers; they are part of his repertoire. He does not need to prepare them, though he must get a good night’s sleep to regain all spent power points the next day. An erudite does not choose a primary discipline.
Editor: There are no less then four different ways to look at this passage, three official, one house rule. Personally, I like the house rule. As it stands, by the original documentation, BY RAW, you get X unique powers per day PER LEVEL OF POWERS. That means you have 1 available power at 1st level, 30 at 10th level, and 99 at 20th level. Compared to psion who has 3 at 1st level, 21 at 10th level, and 36 at 20th level. Some have complained this is unbalancing
Editor (Go with the book): The reasoning is that unlike a psion who just gets powers handed to them, a erudite has to claw (spend XPs) for every single power. So they SHOULD have a boat load of available powers when they advance. In practice, most erudites never use that many powers so the extra unique powers are wasted, thus negating their value. The claim is that limiting the number of powers per day is already done when you look at how you GET the powers, so why limit it twice? Claims that "XP is a river" and that you are never really that far behind depends on the type of game you play. In a long term game, an erudite might only lag a level or two behind the rest of the party, but in a short term game, lagging behind two levels could be a universe. On the other hand, 99 powers vs 36? That is a rather extreme difference.
Editor (Leaked Errata): p. 153, Variant Psion Erudite, Class Features, Unique Powers Per day, 2nd sentence: "[….] an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows […]" Fix: delete the words "of each level"
Editor (Errata): The is the (un)official RAW from WotC and it sucks. Unfortunately they wrote the errata, but never actually released it. Word from on high is this is how it was supposed to be corrected. This version gives Erudites the potential for infinite cosmic power, with only an itty bitty slice available at any moment. Favored by DMs who think for some reason Erudite is totally out of control. Not a big fan of it. This gives you 1, 6, then 11 unique powers per day at 1st, 10th, and 20th level. That’s actually rather crippling. It actually encourages players to Min/Max like HELL and have a reason to do so.
Editor (Why to stick with the errata): Unlike a psion who is required to spread out his powers per day, a 20th level erudite can have 11 9th level powers that he can use an unlimited number of times. At least that’s the reason. But to be fair, this advantage doesn’t really start to show itself in earnest until 8th level. Up until that point, chances are you don’t have enough higher level powers to truly take advantage of the situation. Considering that most powers are sub-optimal, finding 11 9th level powers would be sort of difficult. Four is usually enough for anyone. However, considering the fact that all a erudite needs is one round of physical contact from a willing psionic, or a power stone and he can manifest an unlimited number of powers per day (assuming the PPs don't run out. See: Mental Pinnacle Spell), it’s not hard to see why they nerfed it, either.
Editor (House rule): I found this on the internet and I rather like it. If you have extra power points and extra known powers based on intelligence, then why not extra unique powers per day? In that case you stick with the errata version then add 1 unique power per day per point of intelligence modifier. So an 18 Int gives you 5 starting unique powers at first, 10 at 10th, and 15 at 20th. Still rather limiting, but not crippling. You actually start off with more powers available than the psion and over time you fall behind. Also, it gives you the option to increase your unique powers per day by boosting your intelligence. Considering a 30 Intelligence isn’t unheard of (an extra 10 unique powers per day) I’d go with this one. It stops the Erudite from truly becoming disgusting (99 powers a day is a bit extreme), but doesn’t cripple them either. It keeps the spirit of the limitation, in my opinion.
Editor (Original House Rule): BTW, the original involved using Charisma as the ability for determining extra UPPD. Not sure why, doesn't make any sense. However, if you want to encourage your players to spread out the starting point buy, then pick Charisma. I guess the point is that if you are really hot, the universe is more likely to let things slide. Sort of like real life.
Editor (RAW vs RAI): Okay, the RAW is you get X UPPD per level. Period. That is the RAW, even if it might be a typo/misprint. If you look at the table, the sidebar, the examples, and the entry in the Epic Handbook, it's obvious that the Unreleased Errata is the RAI. My campaign? I'd use the house rule, but for Intelligence, not Charisma.

Powers Discovered (Repertoire): An erudite selects powers from the same power list that psions and wilders use. An erudite begins play knowing two 1st-level powers of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus your character possesses, he knows one additional 1st-level power when you begin play. Each time he achieves a new level, he unlocks the knowledge of two new powers of any level or levels that he can manifest (according to his new level) from the psion/wilder power list. An erudite cannot automatically learn powers from any of the discipline power lists. However, he can learn such powers later, as described below under Learning Discipline Powers. To learn or manifest a power, an erudite must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the power’s level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against erudite powers is 10 + the powers level + the erudite’s Int modifier. An erudite can later learn new powers from power stones, from the minds of other willing psionic characters, and from the minds of unwilling unconscious psionic characters.
Editor (Spell/Power Lists): This section is actually very important so I’m going to break it down for you. First of all, unfortunately, Erudites only have the Psion/Wilder power list. While they can learn any power off the discipline lists, they aren’t actually on your power list until you learn them. So that means if you take the CStP ACF, since all spells are treated as powers discovered, they too are not on your spell list. Why is this an issue? Originally it appeared that you could select them as part of your powers that you gain each level. This is not the case. You cannot select any power that is not on the psion/wilder list when you advance in level as your automatic powers learned. By extension, a CStP Erudite cannot automatically learn any spells. However, does that mean that they are on your Power/Spell list for the purpose of Use Magicial/Psionic Device? Honestly, I don't know and it's not clear. I think so, but I can't prove the RAW of the situation either way.

Psicrystal Affinity: At 1st level, an erudite gains Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat.
Editor: I wrote a handbook on psicrystals. Go Read It. NOW. Remember to look at giving your psicrystal Wild Talent so it is "psionic" and thus a valid target for Metaconcert. That allows your psicrystal to manifest powers for you and thus avoid the Unique Powers per Day limitation.
Editor: Psicrystal Containment and Psionic Meditation are good if you're planning on using Metapsionics. This is especially true with Psionic Meditation, as it's the only way you'll be able to use a Metapsionic feat every round. Empower Power, Maximize Power, Twin Power, and Linked Power (the last one from Complete Psionic) are all decent choices. Split Psionic Ray is a bit more specific, but cheaper than Twin Power.

Bonus Feats: An erudite gains a bonus feat at 1st level, 5th level, 10th level, 15th level, and 20th level. This feat must be a psionic feat, a metapsionic feat, or a psionic item creation feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gains every three levels An erudite is not limited to psionic feats, metapsionic feats, and psionic item creation feats when choosing these other feats.
Editor (Psionic Feats): A list of suggested psionic feats that might be of use are as follows: Earth Power gives you effectively a manifester level. All the Elan Feats are worth a look. Expanded Knowledge to get those powers and spells that your DM won't cough up. If you have focused on attacks that rely on saving throws or power resistance, consider Power Penetration and Psionic Endowment. Internal Armor gives you effectively permanent force armor. If you are looking at a one level dip into any of the Tome of Battle classes, Instant Clarity is worth it. Overchannel is good for when you need to Nova, especially if you also pick up Talented.
Editor (Metapsionic Feats): If you are going the route of a CStP Erudite, then you need to look at metapsionic feats. Ones to look at are Empower for attack powers, Extend for utility spells/powers, Paraelemental to change your energy spells/powers into new and interesting effects, Sculpt is fun when you mess with area of effect spells/powers, and Split Ray is great if you are a ray specialist.
Editor (Linked Power): Unfortunately, the way It reads, you cannot use this to get around UPPD. It specifically states that you manifest a power this round, and manifest a second power next round. The specific problem is this "The power that is manifested in this round is not altered in any way, nor is the linked power that goes off in the next round." Since it's not altered, it has to follow the same rules as any other power/spell you manifest. Specifically, it is limited by your unique powers per day limitation.

Learning Discipline Powers: An erudite can learn discipline powers only by directly learning a power from another’s repertoire, learning it from a power stone, or taking the Expanded Knowledge feat.
Editor: This is the part that most people over look. Unique powers per day does NOT limit the process by which an erudite can manifest a power he just "Understood". That’s important, because understanding is not the same as "Knowing". So if you have a bunch of power stones with psionic powers in them, you can take a round of physical contact, make your psicraft check, then manifest it next round. You can do this all day long, as long as you are willing to take one round to "understand" the power before you use it. So, needless to say, an Erudite is unlikely to ever take a non-combat power and commit it to his list of "known" powers when he can just keep a power stone in his pocket and use the power with a one round delay. It’s like having a cheap Eldritch Staff, except there’s no real limit. The only problem is making sure your skill check is high enough. Once you reach the ability to make DC 24 automatically, there’s no limit to the use of this class ability.
Editor (Take 10): Nothing says you can’t take 10, so that means a base Psicraft of 14 is all you need to never learn anything that you don’t mind a one round delay. And note, a 6 is all you need to affect level 1 powers. Now, the problem is you can't use this in combat. Out of combat you can take 10. In combat you have to roll and if you fail, you can't attempt to learn it again until you advance another level. Of course, if your DM wants to be harsh and prevent you from basically building up a handy haversack of scrolls and power stones, he could require you to roll each time, but that would be against the rules on taking 10.
Editor (What powers can you learn?): At first glance it would appear you can only learn Discipline Powers, however it does clarify that you fail the check if it’s not on the psion/wilder list OR discipline list. Therefore, we can assume you can learn powers both discipline and psion/wilder list.

Other Considerations: In most cases, psionic characters or creatures charge a fee to Erudites for the privilege of learning powers from their repertoires. This fee is usually equal to the power’s level x 50 gp, though many jealously guard their higher-level powers and charge much more (or deny access to them altogether). Erudites friendly to one another often trade access to equal level powers from their repertoires at no cost. If an erudite learns a power from a psionic character or creature, the process leaves the target’s repertoire unharmed. A power learned from a power stone disappears from the stone.
Editor: Okay, I don’t get this part. Why DOESN’T it leave the stone when I use it every other round, but if I touch the stone for a round, leave (remember, you don’t need to stay near the stone), go meditate for 8 hours, the stone loses it’s power? What happens if someone else uses the stone while I’m meditating? Check with your DM, because there is no RAW in this matter.
Editor (Chameleon PrC): The second level of the Chameleon PrC gives you the ability to learn and relearn any feat that you qualify for, every day. You can only pick one feat, but you can change it. Expanded Knowledge is a feat. That means you can relearn it every day and pick a new Discipline power (Or spell for you CStP Erudites) at the start of each morning. Is it worth the loss of two manifester levels? Depends on your build.

Erudite Musings
"Open a psion handbook in one window and a wizard handbook in the other. There, CStP Erudite handbook."
-Psyren
Rant: Normally I don't like to speak ill of people, but this is Psyren's advice for over five years about Erudite. His advice is often factually wrong, and most of the time, utterly, utterly useless. His sarcasm and condescending attitude offends me, even after this many years since his first post on the subject. The irony is, his posts are among the first to come up when you do a Google search. I blame Giant In The Playground's chat boards. The place deliberately weeds out anyone who disagrees with the Staff there about how the rules work. All the best posts with the most in depth information was from people who were banned from there. It's sad that the staff who run that site seem to care only about their world view and aren't open to new ideas. The truth of the matter is, very little from the Wizard handbook is useful and even less so the Psion handbook. Both depend on free access to whatever spell/power you need and useful feats to back up those up. Most Wizard feats are worthless to an Erudite, and the Erudites unique needs render most of the Psion's PrCs ineffective. That said, I'll try and address the various myths concerning the Erudite.

Myth 1: Unlimited access to arcane spells and powers.
The myth is that you have unlimited access to all arcane spells and most powers so you must be absolutely ungodly powerful. The theory is that you can cherry pick the best of both list and make for absolutely evil combinations that allow you to do whatever you want and thus become a god at second, maybe third level. In actuality, the Erudite has a number of limiting factors that severely curtail the unlimited access of the Erudite.
A) The Erudite is limited to a number of unique powers per day. When you use a power, you can keep using it, but it eats up the number of powers you have at your disposal for the rest of the day. Even though there is some confusion on the matter, it's fairly clear that the Nerfed rewrite of the Erudite was to limit the UPPD to a max of 11 at 20th level. There are ways around this, but you have to work at it. Because of this bottle neck, Erudites are forced to commit rather brutal Min/Maxing to get around this limit and remain effective. An CStP Erudite might have every spell and power at his disposal, but if he can only use 4 of them, he's rather limited.
B) The CStP Erudite can pick up discipline and spells, but one level lower then his max. So that means that an Erudite trying to be an Arcane caster is effectively 2 levels behind a wizard, with no where as many different spells available.
C) In order to commit those spells and discipline powers to memory, the Erudite needs to spend XP. Yes, XP is a river, but this river has a hole in the bottom. You will forever be one level behind everyone else as you spend XPs just to try to get what everyone else gets by stealing spellbooks, or praying to their gods.
D) Now, CStP Erudites do get the ability to "learn" Spells and Powers from Scrolls and Power Stones. When it's learned, they can spend the time and XP to commit it to memory, or they can immediately use the spell/power next round. This does get around the unique powers per day limitation because of the wording.
"an erudite is limited to manifesting a certain number of unique psionic powers of each level per day from the repertoire of powers he knows"
When you are "learning" a spell from a scroll or a power from a power stone, it isn't one of the spells you know. Ironically, if you learn a power/spell, you cannot use this loophole any more. This only works on powers you haven't yet memorized. So, clearly this is a good way to get around the Unique Powers per Day limitation. All your out of combat powers/spells should remain in scrolls and power stones, so you can whip them out when you need them and save your UPPD for combat. Problem solved.
Except for the fact that anything in a power stone/scroll still requires a skill check. No matter how high you get your skill check, If you fail, you can't attempt to use that scroll/stone again until next level. Furthermore, you have to watch that WBL, as having a small library of scrolls/stones at the ready costs a great deal of GP. Also, the way it reads, if you learn from a scroll chock full of metamagic, you only get access to the base spell. The metamagic is lost. So metamagic scrolls are a waste of WBL.
What does this mean? It means that if you are going to play an effective Erudite, your Spells and Power selection is forced to be rather narrow and tends to wind up looking an awful lot like every other Erudite. You simply don't have any space to waste. If you are a talented and experienced MinMaxer, then the Erudite has much to offer. However, it is a very unforgiving class that will screw you if you make the wrong choices. There is very little room for error when playing an Erudite.

Myth 2: Cherry picking Arcane Spells
The theoretical optimization is that the Erudite gets to cherry pick the very finest of Arcane spells. The reality is that this almost never happens.
A) The CStP Erudite must select his 2 powers per level from the psion list, so he does NOT automatically get access to any Arcane spell he wants. You can use the Expanded Knowledge feat, because you treat spells as Discipline powers, but that's one feat for one cherry picked spell. Choose very, very, very carefully.
B) As I have shown above, your average Erudite is 3 MLs/CLs behind a wizard, so even if he can use some obscure spell list to get an arcane spell a spell level lower, he's still lagging behind by a full Manifester Level. The number of Arcane spells that he can cherry pick from are at most 10% of the total selection available.
C) The CStP Erudite CANNOT learn any spell... "If the selected power is not on his class list or on any of the select discipline lists, he automatically fails this check."
Because the spell is treated as a Discipline power, any arcane spell you are trying to learn must be on an arcane spell list. That means if someone takes a Divine spell, converts it to Arcane, then puts it in a scroll, you cannot learn it, unless that spell is on some arcane spell list somewhere. So as much as one might like to allow someone to just get a friend with versatile spellcaster feat and have him feed you arcane versions of divine spells, it does not work, by RAW.

Myth 3: Unlimited Options
While the number of powers and spells is extensive, the limits are on what you can do elsewhere. There are a few feats that are truly useful, but in the end, when you look at the same combinations on a straight up psion, the psion gets more mileage for feats and PrCs.
A) When I actually looked into it, the number of psionic PrCs that allowed ANY progression of ML was limited to Fifteen. The number that allow you to get into them by level 6 without multi-classing, was five. Guess how many PrCs add to Arcane Spellcaster's spells per day? Two Hundred and Twelve.
B) The truth is that an Erudite has far too many options, any yet, not enough. You get a bazillion power/spell options, but are crippled when it comes to Multi-Classing and feat selection. If you become a generalist, you will flounder. If you specialize, you will discover that other classes can do the same thing you do, but better. There are very few things the Erudite can do that other classes can't. The nitch of the Erudite is Action Economy Breaking. Nobody does it better.

Conclusion
So Clearly Erudites suck, right?
Oh Hell no.
The Convert Spell to Power Erudite has so many exceptions that there is BOUND to be advantageous combinations. The problem is, you have to work at it and you need a sympathetic DM. If your DM wants to shut you down, all he needs to do is only hand out Wizard/Sorcerer Arcane scrolls and your life just got a whole lot harder.
The problem with the CStP Erudite is that it is all over the place. There are great combos, but the combos don't work very well together. You quickly become a grab bag of cool moves without any focus or direction. As I said before, it is very easy to make a mistake and wind up with a useless character. The solution is to embrace the chaos. More then any other PC, you have to be flexible. How you play and what opportunities the DM gives you can change the course of your level progression. Gain the opportunity to learn from a Chameleon? The ability to relearn a new Expanded Knowledge every day (and thus pick a new spell/power) is hard to pass up. Maybe you find yourself with access to Summon Monster, and want to go the Constructor/Ectopic Adept route. If you  manage to pick up shadow magic instruction, suddenly learning Subpsionics is looking rather tempting. So, that said, unlike other classes, you can't plan everything out as clearly as you could with your average wizard. You need to have an idea of what directions you can go, then take things in stride as opportunities present themselves.

Character Themes
Generalist: You consider yourself a generalist in psionics. To you, all psionic powers are learnable, and you plan to learn them all. You don't understand how someone could focus on just one discipline, on just one mantle, or on a select number of powers. You are the one to ask when anyone has a question about psionics, and you intend to one day be a metapsionic master. The generalist is the weakest of the choices. Basically you just pick up every power you can find when you can find it and simply hang loose. Why specialize when you can just be whatever you need to be? This is the default use for an Erudite. Like most classes, if you focus on one particular direction, you become more effective.
Blaster: You focus on offensive powers and are a master of the military use of psionics. To you, your powers are weapons and it is your job to wield them against the enemy. You have an array of powers to call upon. Rays are your favorite types of attacks, and you have created several new powers based off the many ray spells you have seen used in battle. You think in tactical terms and choose your actions carefully. The psi-spell feats will serve you well. The number and way to combine your powers for maximum Boom is almost impossible to comprehend.
Summoner: Combine Astral Construct with summon monster spells, add in the astral construct enhancement feats, maybe Ectopic Form Emerald Gyre and Boost Construct, and suddenly you are spamming armies of mutated custom critters to fufil your every whim. Alas, of all the choices, this is the most feat intensive, but very impressive when it gets rolling.
Battlefield Controller: Your access to area of effect spells as well as psi-spell feats that modify those AoEs to do horrible debuffs makes you a wonderful controller of the battlefield. Stop your enemies in their tracks and let your companions do the dirty work.
Mind Controller: You have access to all the best mind control powers for arcane spells and psionic powers. Why beat around the bush when you can just make everyone your slave?
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 10:59:32 AM by Captnq »
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Offline Captnq

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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2015, 12:02:28 AM »
One Level Dip
Have you considered the many advantages to taking a one level dip? The BAB and Saving throws suck, but you get an extra feat. You get to pick two powers plus your extra based on your intelligence. But more importantly, you get a psicrystal. For the right built, this could be worth it. Alas, you can‘t just pick two spells when you start, because all spells are treated as Disciplines and all disciplines must be learned with XPs. Still, some of the ACFs make it worth your while. If you take Convert Spell to Power, you’ll never cast higher level spells then cantrips, but you can learn and use them 3 + your int modifier times per day. If you’re trying to qualify for things, this has legs to it. Alas, you don’t get a spell list. If you were thinking about picking it up so you could use all devices that run off arcane spells, that doesn’t help you. Ask your DM to see if he thinks that an Erudite gets all Arcane Spell lists availible to him as it pertains to UMD. That alone could be worth it.

Be a (not) monk
You might consider being a Melee-Erudite. One of the strangest combos is becoming a monk, without taking monk levels. You need to take the following feats.

MONASTIC TRAINING
You are part of an order that combines the monastic discipline of the monk class with another form of training.
Benefit: Pick one class. Taking levels in this class does not prevent you from taking monk levels. If you take levels in any other class, you lose your ability to progress as a monk as usual. If the selected class also has restricted advancement, such as the paladin class, taking monk levels does not prevent you from advancing in that class.
Special: A monk can take this feat as his bonus feat at 1st, 2nd, or 6th level.
Editor: Don't forget that it's based off ONE class. So if you plan on multi-classing, don't take Erudite unless it's the class you plan on taking the highest. For example, if you plan on taking the Anima Erudite Combo detailed below, Anima Mage (psionic version) would be the PrC that you plan on taking to 10th level. Therefore, it would be the one to select for this feat.

TASHALATORA
You have successfully integrated martial arts with psionic power under the tutelage of Tashalatora masters.
Prerequisites: Autohypnosis 5 ranks, Concentration 5 ranks, Monastic Training (psionic class), ability
to manifest 1st-level powers.
Benefit: Your levels in the psionic class you selected for Monastic Training stack with your monk levels to determine your AC bonus, flurry of blows attacks, and unarmed damage from the monk class.

Ironically, none of the above feats require you to be a monk. It helps to take a level (or two, might as well pick up evasion.), but you don’t need to. If you take these two feets, you get Monk AC bonus, Monk Flurry of blows, and monk Unarmed damage based on your Erudite levels. Combined with the sheer amount of buffing available, it’s a strange combo that makes for a great Melee-Erudite-Gish.

Erudite Only Feats
EXTRA UNIQUE POWER [Psionic]
- Dragon Magazine #319
If you take this feat, you can manifest one more unique power per day.
Prerequisite: Possess the unique powers per day class ability
Benefit: Choose a power level from which you can already manifest powers (1st through 9th), from now on, you can manifest one more unique power per day from among the powers you know of this level.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times, however, you can’t take it more than once per character level.
Editor: Note, this is from the original Dragon Magazine article, so while it’s still RAW, it was never updated to reflect the changes to the class. It’s suggested you don’t limit it to a specific power level, if you use it. Unlike the class feature that gives you powers when you advance in level, this allows you to select any power, and that includes any spell that qualifies to be converted to a power, or any discipline. If you could use it, this gives it to you. Justice allows you to AoO anyone who attacks an ally.

ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURES
CONVERT SPELL TO POWER
Your training has included basic magical theory as well as the usual psionic training.
Replaces: You lose your 1st-level bonus feat.
Benefit: You add Spellcraft to your class skill list, which allows you to attempt to convert an arcane spell into a power you can add to your repertoire. You treat the spell as a discipline power for the basis of learning it, and you must first succeed on a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell's level) and then a Psicraft check as per the normal rules of learning a discipline power. Each spell costs a certain number of power points to manifest. The higher the level of the spell, the more power points it costs. The table below describes each spell's cost.
Spell Level - Power Point Cost
0    0*
1    1
2    3
3    5
4    7
5    9
6    11
7    13
8    15
9    17
* 0-level spells cost no power points to manifest. Instead you may manifest a number of 0-level spells each day equal to three + the number of power points gained by that class at 1st level.
Effects: The erudite uses her manifester level for determining the effects of the spell being manifested, with one significant exception. Spells that deal a number of dice of damage based on caster level (such as magic missile,searing light, or lightning bolt) deal damage as if cast by a character of the minimum level of the class capable of casting the spell. Spells whose damage is partially based on caster level, but that don't deal a number of dice of damage based on caster level (such as produce flame or an inflict spell) use the erudite's normal manifester level to determine damage. Use the erudite's normal manifester level for all other effects, including range and duration.
Example: A fireball deals a number of dice of damage based on the erudite's manifester level, so when manifested it deals 5d6 points of damage (as if cast by a 5th-level wizard, which is the minimum level of wizard capable of casting fireball).
Editor (Arcane Spell Failure): You are manifesting spells, not casting spells. It isn't clear, but I have every reason to believe that because the spells are effectively powers, then they are immune to arcane spell failure.
Augment: An erudite can pay additional power points to augment the dice of damage dealt by a spell. Every 1 extra power point spent at the time of manifesting increases the spell's effective caster level by 1 for purposes of dealing damage. The damage-dealing spell's caster level cannot be increased above the erudite's manifester level, or above the normal maximum allowed by the spell.
Example: Even at 7th level, our erudite's lightning bolts deal only 5d6 points of damage (just like a 5th-level wizard) unless she spends extra power points. If she spends 1 extra power point (making the lightning bolt cost 6 points rather than 5), the spell deals 6d6 points of damage. A second extra power point would increase the damage to 7d6 points, but she can't spend more points than this, since her manifester level is only 7th. Were she 10th level or higher, she could spend a maximum of 5 extra power points on this spell, raising the damage up to 10d6, the maximum allowed for a lightning bolt spell.
Example: Similarly, her magic missile spell shoots only one missile unless she spends extra power points. An extra 2 power points increases the caster level from 1st to 3rd, granting her one additional missile. She can spend a maximum of 6 additional power points in this manner, increasing her effective caster level to 7th for damage purposes and granting her a total of four missiles. If she were 9th level or higher, she could spend a maximum of 8 extra power points, granting her five missiles (just like a 9th-level caster).

Banned Spells: Spells that allow a character to recall or recast a spell cannot be learned.
Editor: Here’s the sad thing, by RAW there is only one spell that actually is banned by this limitation. This part is really up to DM interpertation. Later I will go over some of the hot button spells that players will want to pick up and explain how they interact with this limitation.

Metamagic/Metapsionic Feats: Because the spells are now effectively psionic powers, they are no longer affected by metamagic feats. However, metapsionic feats can affect them as they would a psionic power.
Components: As with casting a spell, manifesting a spell may require certain components. Some of the components remain unchanged, such as verbal, somatic, and XP cost. Spells with expensive material components (non-negligible) require you to spend an additional 2 power points when manifesting the spell in lieu of the material components. If you happen to have the material components, no additional power point cost is assessed. Spells with a focus are treated the same as those with a material component. If the spell has an expensive material component or focus, the additional power point cost would be 4.
Editor: You are taking this ACF. Unless your DM bans it, TAKE IT. Don’t ask questions, TAKE IT. TAKE IT NOW. This is the whole POINT of playing an Erudite. If your DM does not allow it, I’m not sure I’d bother with playing one.
Editor (Magic-Psionics Transparency): "Though not explicitly called out in the spell descriptions or magic item descriptions, spells, spell-like abilities, and magic items that could potentially affect psionics do affect psionics."
Editor: If anyone gets on your case about how the word "spells" is not changed to "powers" and "caster" is not changed to "manifester" on converted spells, point out the above quote from magic-psionics transparency. The spells are still spells AND powers at the same time. Yes, it’s screwed up, but that’s the way it is.
Editor (Powers gained at a new level): There has been some conjecture as to if an Erudite can learn a spell as a power when he advances in level. After all, he gets two new powers automatically, why not a spell to power? The answer is a bit complicated. I believe by RAW you can do just that. Your two learned powers when you advance in level can be any power you could manifest. You are not the only Erudite. In theory, some erudite at some point has converted every available spell into a power, given the infinitely large multiverse. That means every arcane spell also exists as a power somewhere at some point in time. Therefore all arcane spells are a power, and you can learn said power, assuming you meet all other qualifications. So, no roll needed to convert. By RAW, you can do just that.
Editor (Reasons to Nerf Spells gained automatically): You will noticed I have a spell list of every Arcane spell that is at the lowest level you can learn it based on certain classes. This means that while you are unlikely to every bump into a Wu Jen who knows Body outside of Body, at 13th level, you can be assured that EVERY Erudite will choose that to be one of his auto-learned powers. Not to mention that Trapsmith makes spells like Haste available at 1st level. There are some REALLY choice spells out there, if you get to pick from any arcane spell list. So I can see why a DM might rule that you can’t auto-learn spells and how to pick actual powers. That said, I believe given the Unique Powers Per Day crippling limitation, that frankly you need something to make up for that. So unless you are allowing the Erudite to have more unique uses per day, let the erudite have his min/maxed spell list.

FAVORED DISCIPLINE
Unlike most erudites, you have a discipline that you favor above all others.
Replaces: You lose your 1st-level bonus feat.
Benefit: You choose a single discipline and all powers of that discipline, no matter what class list they are on, are considered general psion/wilder powers for purposes of learning.
Editor: Seriously? You already can learn any discipline power. Why would you ever limit yourself and give up the option to take Convert Spell to Power. I suppose if you were playing a one shot and absolutely needed to have a specific power two levels sooner, this could be of use.

MANTLED ERUDITE
You have learned to use a single psionic mantle.
Replaces: You lose your 1st-level bonus feat.
Benefit: You gain access to a single psionic mantle. You gain the granted ability of the mantle, and the powers of that mantle are considered general psion/wilder powers for the purpose of learning.
Editor: Assuming your DM will not allow Convert Spell to Power, then look at this one. It gives you a bunch of powers (lame), but it gives you the perks of a mantle, which normally isn’t that impressive, it might be of use in some very specific types of builds. Worth a look, but I’m not that impressed with the options. Worth a look if you are considering a 1 level dip.
Editor (Top Choices): Conflict gives you a free weapon proficency and weapon focus with it. Creation gives you an Ectopic Form feat. Death gives you unlimited use Death Knell. Deception gives you 50% miss chance as long as you psionic focus to burn. Fate gives you a massive bonus to ANY one d20 roll once a day. Knowledge gives you obscene access to knowledges. Light and Darkness gives you darkvision. Magic gives you UMD in class. Pain and suffering gives you a reflective damage aura. Time gives you a +2 on initiative checks.

Psion ACFs
The psion comes with a wide number of ACFs. The Erudite is not a class in and of itself, but a variant of the psion. Technically, by RAW, that means that any ACF that a psion can take can be used by a Erudite. Now, clearly the RAI is that the following ACFs were never intended for the Erudite. But none of the following ACFs have any limitations that keep you from using them with the Erudite. As long as you meet the requirements, you can take them. Check with your DM first.

CHANGE SHAPE
You gain the minor change shape ability, like that of a changeling.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: In comparison to Convert Spells to Power, it sucks, but if that isn’t an option, this could make for an awesome spy character. If you are doing a one level dip, this would be on my list of ACFs to look at for a spy character.

ENERGY SNAP
You can manifest a small burst of energy.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: A lousy amount of damage for the feat. So not worth it, unless you are a bartender and want to make cold drinks all the time. Now if you combined this with some of the energy based psi-spell feats, I can see how this might be of use. Or it might be worth looking at for a level one dip. After all, you get 4 different types of energy damage that has unlimited use, even if you must keep refocusing psionically.

FATE POINTS
You have the ability to change your fate due to your knowledge of the future.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: You lose the bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: For a one level dip, this ACF gives you two feats, which depends on the campaign you are playing it as to if it's useful.

GREATER ANIMATOR
You can animate much larger objects.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: Animate a wagon. Animate a wall shield. Animate any number of useful things, but check with your DM first. His willingness to allow you to get creative can really put a damper on things.

HARBINGER
Your mental attacks have a specific symbolism to them that aids you in your mental combat.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: Such a minor boost for the cost. There are far better choices.

PERSONAL CONSTRUCT
You have a favored astral construct form that you can summon at a moment's notice.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: Speed Kills. If you are specializing in astral constructs, this can be awesome. I recommend looking at Ectopic Form feat as well as Boost Construct. The combination should make the best combo. If I'm taking Ectopic Adept or Constructor PrCs, I would totally give up my fifth level feat for this.

PERSONAL SPACE
You have an extradimensional storage pocket available.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: Still not as good as CStP, but a great second choice. A bag of holding you can never lose? Awesome. Nobody can get to it, ever. An excellent choice for a one level dip. Switch out rings as you need them and never worry about them being stolen. Transport secret messages. And as it reads, I believe it scales up no matter what class you take levels in. Now that's worth a one level dip.

PSYCHIC KNOWLEDGE
You gain bits and pieces of knowledge from all the divinations you do.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: You lose the bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: You gain the equivalent of bardic knowledge, which means that you now qualify for any class that requires bardic knowledge. Might be useful in certain builds, especially if you took the first level of Erudite as a Dip. Now, if your DM allows CStP ACF, do not take this. Let’s compare. Ultimate cosmic power, jogging your memory by playing on a harmonica. You do the math. As far as one level dips go, however, I would look at Cloister Cleric before taking Erudite just to pick up this.

TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION
You gain the supernatural ability to communicate with any creature with your telepathy.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: If I need to explain this one, you need to stop playing. Just get it. Free silent inter-party communication. Just plain awesome. The best over all choice for your 5th level bonus feat, assuming you aren't specializing.

TEMPORAL GRACE
You can resist effects that use extra dimensional, temporal, or movement spells or powers.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: I understand the need to avoid save-or-suck at higher levels, but this is so limited as to what it affects, I’m not sure if it’s worth it.

TRINKETS
You can create little items by sacrificing your psionic focus.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 1st level.
Editor: It’s cute, but not much use since you can’t even use it for spell components. Frankly, given the limitations, I can't even recommend it for a one level dip.

TRUE HEALER
You gain access to the Life mantle.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Editor: It expands your available healing powers, but you have so many more powers available to you as a CStP Erudite that I can't imagine needing this. It also has room for two other powers, so if you can think of something useful that your DM will allow you to tack onto it, it might be worth it.

Spells to look at
You have a boatload of spells to choose from. The main consideration here is, how to get the most bang for your buck. Here are some guidelines:
Action Economy: Celerity, Haste, Arcane fusion, anything that lets you take more actions, go faster, act out of turn, or adds to initiative is awesome. You should take full advantage of the spells that break action economy, and they are legion.
Area of Effect: Psionic powers have a real lack of battlefield control. Fogs and walls are really lacking. Take advantage of the strength of the arcane spell list to majorly expand your list of AoEs with a duration. Remember, duration does not cost extra PPs, but extra damage does.
Avoid Direct Damage: Psion direct damage powers are superior in most aspects to damage spells. So your direct damage should be psion.
Buffing/Natural Attacks: The select of buff spells is not only must better from the spell list, but they stack far more with each other as well as psion powers. The best buff is stacking multiple different natural attack sources so you can become a little whirlwind of death.
Costs GP/Avoid XP: Anything that costs XP had better be worth it, because you Erudites are designed to spam a limited number of powers per day. So it’s best to avoid anything with an XP cost. However, for a mere 2 to 4 extra PP, you can avoid any GP cost, either as a focus or material component. That makes any spell that costs GP to use as something to look very close at.
Damage Over Time: Normally I rag on damage over time, but when it comes to spells to powers, DoT gives you the most bang for your buck. You have to pay extra PP to increase the damage of direct damage spells, but you do NOT need to pay extra PP to increase the duration of your converted spells. Thus DoT gives you a much better return as a psion. Oddly enough, erudites really lack psionic DoT options.
Healing: Ironically, there is a whole mess of healing spells available that are superior to the healing psionic powers, except for the one spell we really want, Heal. Pick up cure light wounds (the cheapest PP/HP ratio you can find.)
Low Level: There are a whole bunch of spells that take advantage of obscure spell lists to be cheaper then the Sorcerer/Wizard version. Haste is first level for Trapsmith, for example. The bard list has some excellent choices as well, especially cure spells. These are excellent Spell choices.
Summon Things: You need to summon creatures with spells. Summon undead I is the ideal spam monster spell for you. Druids got NOTHING on you with a few summon spells converted. It's a force multiplier. Use it.
Undead: Erudites make great undead masters because you can spam animate dead without the GP cost, and unlike Heal, Harm is on the Arcane list. Become undead yourself and now you can heal (harm) yourself and your minions quite effectively, on top of the boatload of undead buffs available. Not a great option for good PCs, but great choice for Evil NPCs.
Multiple Use Spells: Arcane Fusion and Shadow Evocation/Conjuration. These spells give you the option to use other powers and spells and thus get around the maximum UPPD issue. Metaconcert is a good power to use as well.
Speed: Celerity, Nerveskitter, hate, Spell Matrix, anything that lets you cast spells fast or take more actions is VERY good.

Feats
Metapsionic: Can’t go wrong with metapsionic. There are many choices and quite a few work very well when applied to spells. And you come with a psicrystal that you can use to maintain focus with and thus stack multiple metapsionics on a spell. Can get nasty, fast.
Psi-Spell: Wonderful choices almost one and all. They are better then metapsionics as they work with metapsionic feats as well as give you awesome perks. They are mostly blaster enhancing feats, but Boy can you get some damage going. I'll be putting a file on it in the EVD
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 11:07:59 AM by Captnq »
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2015, 12:08:12 AM »
Specific Spells
"Banned Spells: Spells that allow a character to recall or recast a spell cannot be learned."
That's it. One line. One poorly thought out and unexplained line. By RAW, there is only one spell it bans. However, by intent, it has far reaching implications. That's what this section is. It's an exploration into various spells and how they interact with this line. Here you will find the spells that are banned under that one line, and you will also find a few choice selections. Note, there are many spells of use to you. I suggest looking at the EVD's Spell handbook for specific details. This is the cream of the crop.


ABSORPTION
Editor: Allows you to recast spells, so Erudite can't learn it.

ADEPT SPIRIT
- MAGIC OF INCARNUM (3.5)
Divination [Incarnum]
Level: Cleric 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Editor: It’s a pre-loaded boost to your ML. Something worth looking at as an Erudite.

ARCANE FUSION
- COMPLETE MAGE (3.5)
Universal
Level: Sorcerer 5
Editor: See greater Arcane fusion.

ARCANE FUSION, GREATER
- COMPLETE MAGE (3.5)
Universal
Level: Sorcerer 8
Editor: Major weirdness when you apply this as an erudite. First of all, Erudites manifest spells, they don't cast them. The spells act as powers, but also remain spells. As it says, you cast two spells using the same slot. Does that mean they count against the UPPD? Sort of. Yes, those spells are being cast, and as UPPD reads, they take up UPPD daily uses. However, you are casting these spells without actually using any spell slots to cast the spells. So while they count against your Max UPPD, Arcane Fusion is not restricted by it. So as long as Arcane Fusion itself is one of your unique powers per day, you can keep using it over and over, even though you have exceeded your UPPD maximum. Furthermore, since the spells "cast" with arcane fusion count against your UPPD, you can manifest them, even if they took you over your limit.
Editor (example): You have 5 UPPD. You use up four then use Arcane Fusion to manifest two totally different spells. Since you manifested them, they now are available for the rest of the day without using Arcane fusion. However, if you use it before maxing out your UPPD, it eats up your UPPD very quickly.

ARCANE SPELLSURGE
- DRAGON MAGIC (3.5)
Universal
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7, Wu Jen 7
Editor: MUST HAVE. For the Erudite, this is perfect. All your spells become swift actions. All your normal psionic powers have normal durations. Manifest this then go to town.

BODY OUTSIDE BODY
- COMPLETE ARCANE (3.5)
- ORIENTAL ADVENTURES (3.0)
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Wu Jen 7
Editor: The moment you can learn this, learn this. Multiple you. When does that get old. The ultimate in extra actions.

CELERITY
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 2 (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Bard 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Editor (Buff): So awesome it’s almost broken. Combine it with some sort of magic item that renders you immune to being dazed and it is definitely broken. As a DM, I recommend against allowing it. As a player, this is one you MUST take. Even if you can’t negate being dazed, it dove tails nicely with other spells, like time stop. Or just go straight to teleport or dimension door to put distance between you and whatever might be about to poke you with a sharp stick.

CELERITY, GREATER
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 2 (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 8
Editor (Buff): Ironically, the greater version isn’t as cost effective as the normal version. As far as 8th level spells go, it still is a good spell and in line with the power level. Frankly, I’d move the normal version up to 6th and the lesser to 4th, but that’s just me. That aside, sometimes you just need to shake a tail feather and you need to be able to cast a spell and take a move, RIGHT NOW. Regardless, Unless you have some sort of reason to use a Full Round Action, such as Uncanny Forethought or a Full Round Action spell, I really don't see how this is worth 4 (!) spell levels above Celerity. Even so, I can't discount it totally, since it has SOME use. For the Erudite, you should look into getting it, eventually. Just get Anticipatory Strike instead.

CELERITY, LESSER
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 2 (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Bard 2, Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Editor: Can you ever go too fast?

COMBAT READINESS
- DROW OF THE UNDERDARK (3.5)
Divination
Level: Assassin 1, Bard 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Editor: Speed kills.

DWEOMER OF TRANSFERENCE
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Evocation
Level: Cleric 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4
Editor: An erudite could stand to pick this up, especially with mental pinnacle. It'll let you transfer points around between psionic users with ease.

ENERGY TRANSFORMATION FIELD
Editor: Since it lets you cast other spells, you can't get it.

HASTE
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK (3.0)
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Bard 3, Beguiler 3, Celerity Domain 4, Corrupt Avenger 3, Emissary of Barachiel 3, Fatemaker 3, Initiate of Amaunator 3, Runescarred Berserker 3, Shugenja 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3, Telflammar Shadowlord 2, Time Domain 3, Transmutation Wizard Domain 3, Trapsmith 1, Vigilante 3, Wu Jen 3
Editor: Speed kills and you can pick this up as a 1st level spell. Get it. Heck, get all the Trapsmith spells.

LIMITED WISH
Editor: Limited wish imitates other spells and allows you to recall spells, so an erudite can't learn it.

MENTAL PINNACLE
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 6
Editor: What a wonderful spell for a Erudite! Effectively unlimited power points! Sort of. First of all, while you are under this spell you only have the above five powers. Period. You have no other spells or powers. So I hope you like them, because they are all you got. Second of all, I am uncertain if you can learn it. Unfortunately psionic-spell transparency goes both ways. That means that if your spell allows you to recall or recast a power, then it's banned. Does this allow you to recall or recast a power? By RAW, no. However, by RAI, it gives you powers. The intent of the Banned Spells for CStP is to stop infinite loops. If you cast this spell more then once, you'll be able to "recast" them. So, frankly, just because it breaks Power Point Economy, and because I believe the Intent of the Banned Spells covers this, an Erudite should not be able to learn this.
Editor (Screw that noise): That paragraph above is for the DMs. If you are a player, you need to argue HARD to get this power. You need to spend a FEAT to get this spell. Then whenever you are low on power, get a PP storage magic item, or Metaconcert with your friends, use this, then transfer the PP to whoever needs it. They transfer it back when you need it, repeat process. Unlimited PPs. This spell alone can take you from tier 2 to tier 1.

MORDENKAINEN’S LUCUBRATION
Editor: Specifically this spell recalls spells, so by RAW an Erudite cannot learn it.

NERVESKITTER
- SPELL COMPENDIUM (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Editor: Speed Kills.

RARY’S ARCANE CONVERSION
Editor: Because it lets you cast other spells, you can't learn this one.

RARY’S MNEMONIC ENHANCER
Editor: Because it lets you cast other spells, you can't learn this one.

SHADOW CONJURATION
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK (3.0)
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Bard 4, Shadow Domain 4, Sorcerer/Wizard 4, Vigilante 4
Editor (Utility): This gives you the ability to mimic spells, not cast them, so as a Erudite, you can use this without using up your UPPD.

SHADOW CONJURATION, GREATER
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow Domain 7, Sorcerer/Wizard 7
Editor: Same as Shadow Conjuration.

SHADOW EVOCATION
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK (3.0)
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Bard 5, Illusion Wizard Domain 5, Shadow Domain 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Editor: Same as Shadow Conjuration.

SHADOW EVOCATION, GREATER
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Illusion (Shadow)
Level: Shadow Domain 8, Sorcerer/Wizard 8
Editor: Same as Shadow Conjuration.

SIPHON
Editor: You burn charges to replace spells, so this is on the banned list.

SPELL MATRIX
- SPELL COMPENDIUM (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7
Editor: It's sort of like a delayed arcane fusion, except far more painful. Unlike Arcane fusion, these count against your UPPD and don't allow you to exceed your UPPD max. Since manifested powers can be 3rd level but augmented to heck and gone, this becomes very useful for breaking action economy.

SPELL MATRIX, LESSER
- ANAUROCH: THE EMPIRE OF SHADE (3.5)
- SPELL COMPENDIUM (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Editor: See Spell Matrix.

WISH
Editor: Alas, this spell can imitate other spells, so it's on the banned list.


USEFUL POWERS
There are a number of Powers that are useful that we think an erudite should pay especial attention to.

ALTER SELF, PSIONIC
- DARK SUN CAMPAIGN SETTING (3.5)
Psychometabolism
Level: Psion/wilder 2
Editor: Superior to the spell version, this allows you to gain the powers of the various humanoids you can shape change into, which in some cases is like getting extra actions. For example, if you change into something with claws and a bite attack, that's three attacks right there.

ANTICIPATORY STRIKE
- COMPLETE PSIONICS (3.5)
- RACES OF DESTINY (3.5)
Psychoportation
Level: Psion/wilder 5, Time 5
Editor: It's a lot like celerity but better and without the drawbacks. You can make your turn as an immediate action (with detect hostile intent this can really let you automatically go first, regardless of initiative or surprise). Yes, turn. Not one action. Your whole turn. And you are not dazed next round. Use this with extreme caution. This power can ruin encounters and cause a very upset DM. A 5th-level power for an 8th-level spell seems like a sweet trade to me, especially if you add on metapsionics. Always go first. Then act again. Speed Kills.

ASTRAL CONSTRUCT
- COMPLETE PSIONICS (3.5)
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Metacreativity (Creation)
Level: Creation 1, shaper 1
Editor: There is an entire handbook just about this one power. If you are going this route, look into the Psi-Spell Dual-Plane Summons Feat.

CONTINGENCY, PSIONIC
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Clairsentience
Level: Psion/wilder 6
Editor: Must have. Way too many possibilities, but basically you can have buffs come up with a free action word.

FISSION
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Psychometabolism
Level: Egoist 7
Editor: Combine this with Body Outside Body and Persistent Power. Become an Army of Me.

FORCED DREAM
- MAGIC OF EBERRON (3.5)
Telepathy (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/wilder 3
Editor: Broken. Just broken. There is a combo which basically allows this to become a game “save point”. Here’s the basic idea. I cast forced dream. I then mass time hop into the future (or send a psicrystal, whatever) and then check on myself in the future. If I happen to be dead, the psicrystal uses a swift action “since the power is still working” and return to the start of my turn back in the past and mention, “Yeah, that plan to storm the castle? Didn’t work. Let’s use a holocaust cloak this time. Wait here, I’ll go check. *tweedle* Yup. That worked. Lets do this.” It get’s more complicated as you can do various things like contingencies and what not. But that’s what it boils down to. As a player, YOU MUST GET THIS. As a DM, YOU MUST BAN THIS, or be prepared for your campaign to take off in really strange directions. This is a possible game breaker.

HUSTLE
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Psychometabolism
Level: Egoist 3, psychic warrior 2
Editor: Good for getting out of danger. Better for regaining your Psionic Focus when combined with Psionic Meditation. Move and refocus in the same round! Arguably the best level 2 power. Use it to full-attack every round, regain your psionic focus with psionic meditation, or manifest psionic dimension door as a move swift action. To recap: More Actions, Good! Slow, Bad!

METACONCERT
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psychic warrior 5, telepath 5
Editor: By the rules your Psicrystal should get feats. Give it the feat that gives your psicrystal a PP. Now it's psionic. Now you can Metaconcert with it. Metaconcert creates an "entity" that does all the manifesting. So it can manifest and end run your UPPD. For an erudite, you need to learn this one when you get to be 11th. (Remember the fact you can't pick up powers on discipline lists until you can use a power one level higher.)

MOMENT OF PRESCIENCE, PSIONIC
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Clairsentience
Level: Psion/wilder 7
Editor (Buff): At very high levels, when he who wins initiative wins the fight, I have this spell up solely for an initiative check (An opposed roll, after all). Sometimes, you wish you could just make that saving throw, win that opposed check, land that touch attack. Well, now you can. This is a simply wonderful must have buff. Need a True strike but can't squeeze it in and still deal enough damage? Drop the MoP. Ugly Beastie Banshee Wails? Drop the MoP. Freaky tree thing returns some unknown Fort Save to sender as you kill it with Fire Orbs? You BETTER be dropping that MoP. The best part? It's a FREE action. The difference between a free action defensive maneuver and an immediate one is HUGE. I love this for making difficult binding checks. For those times when you MUST succeed on a check. Pair with Call to Mind to succeed on most Knowledge checks with a single rank in the skill.

PSYCHIC REFORMATION
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/wilder 4
Editor: Being able to rebuild yourself is just too useful an ability to pass up.

QUINTESSENCE
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Metacreativity (Creation)
Level: Shaper 4
Editor: Quintessence is one of the most misunderstood powers in psionics today. Having plumbed the length and breath of the internet, I have determined what I believe is the RAW of the situation. First of all one use of this power creates 1 oz of quintessence. One ounce can contain one object of tiny size. If you need to contain a larger object, we apply the rules that apply to all objects of larger size, we double it.
Tiny - 1 oz
Diminutive - 2 oz
Tiny - 4 oz
Small - 8 oz
Medium - 16 oz
Large - 32 oz
Huge - 64 oz
Gargantuan - 128 oz
Colossal - 256 oz
You do not “over pay”. If you have a vat of quintessence and dip something in, the excess flows off. However, that batch of quintessence coating the object or person is subject to certain rules:
1. You can only coat physical, solid objects. Liquid, Air, and Energy cannot be contained. If you can somehow freeze the liquid, air, or energy.
2. Incorporeal objects can be frozen, but are subject to the standard 50% miss chance. If frozen, they are considered to be on the same plane as the quintessence.
3. Only the original creator can safely handle a coated object. Any one else disturbing the object in any significant fashion (ie, causing one point of damage. Trying to move the object. Attempting to activate the object.) is considered “scraping”. The exact nature of what is considered “scraping” is left up to the individual DM, but should be rather liberal.
4. Once scraped, each individual ounce of quintessence is subject to a 75% chance of vaporizing once “scraped”. You can either have 25% survive, or roll for each ounce separately.
5. An instantaneous Spell Effect, even if it creates an object for a moment, cannot be frozen. However, any delayed, or continuous effect can be delayed if the object it is placed on is coated with quintessence. This means you can cast several spells on a sword then coat it, put it in a sack for protection, then unwrap it later. All buff spells will be halted at the time it was placed into the sack.
6. You can cast spells/powers onto an object in stasis without that being considered “scraping” The object is protected from time and therefore can be the target of spells, but not a single spell will take effect until it resumes traveling through time. The exception is, you cannot use touch spells/powers on the object, since this will result in “scraping”. Also, instantaneous powers are instants, therefore do not travel through time since they take no time at all, under the D&D rules. Therefore, instantaneous spells cast on, a suspended object will take effect. If this causes damage, the object will resume moving through time, check to see how much quintessence survives. If this causes any physical changes to the object, consider the object “scraped”.
7. Contact with quintessence can cause damage if left alone. But scratching at it will cause a 75% chance of it vaporizing. Eating quintessence causes digestion, which is as close to “scraping” as you can get. So each round there is a 75% chance it vaporizes.
8. It is assumed that if you are using a container to hold the quintessence, none will be lost to the container itself. The material beads up at the behest of the creator. However, if someone else tries to remove or apply it, a DM is well within his rights to have it vaporize.
9. It cannot be applied to an unwilling subject, since all the subject has to do is shake a whole lot to cause “scraping” and thus vaporizing. However, as an alternate rule, if you have four times the amount of quintessence needed to coat someone, that can be applied as a touch attack. It is assumed the resisting target causes 75% of the quintessence to evaporate, but enough remains behind to coat them. That means you need 64 oz, or four pounds to coat one medium sized target against their will.
10. You cannot coat a sphere of annihilation with quintessence.
11. You can preserve a corpse or wounded person to heal them later. But only the creator of the original quintessence can safely move him.
12. If someone crates something like a heroes’ feast, you can preserve the feast for later. One meal should take about 4 ounces, to be on the safe side.
13. Putting quintessence on an extra-dimensional space does not affect it’s contents and renders the extra-dimensional storage in stasis and therefore inoperative.
14. If you have a large container of quintessence and any part of the quintessence takes damage, all quintessence must immediately check to see if it vaporizes. It is suggested to you keep quintessence in separate containers as a “firewall”.
15. Summoned critters kept in quintessence are in effect in stasis, thus they resume their countdown from the point when they were coated.
16. If you have a large bag of quintessence and stick a sword in, the whole sword must be in it. The sword will retain any spells cast on it. If you pull it out, only the quintessence needed to keep it suspended in time is at risk for vaporization.
17. You can toss someone in a portable hole of quintessence, cast a whole bunch of ranged buffs on them, then pick the hole. They will be suspended in time until you pull them out, fully buffed. If you forget about them, you might have a “Once and Future King” situation going on.
18. If you are astrally projecting and your body is coated in quintessence, you immediately are brought back to your body. If you cannot, your silver cord is severed.
19. By RAW, a lich’s phylactery is just as effective in quintessence as it is lying around.
20. Since a forced dream is in fact a “dream” about the future, if you use forced dream, the use quintessence to wait a thousand years, then activate forced dream in the far future, it does indeed bring you back to the present. However, since it was all a dream about the future anyways, it doesn’t matter and the entire universe isn’t destroyed.
Editor: This is a rare power that creates a permanent “charge” for no XP. That item is ostensibly the world’s greatest preservative: anything that is completely covered in Quintessence is treated as being outside of the time stream and thus is preserved in the state in which it was in at the time it was covered. The power description says that you can accumulate large amounts of Quintessence, enough to cover an object of any size. There are drawbacks: it takes a long time to accumulate enough to cover anything other than a small object, any accumulated quintessence greater than one pound generates a catapsi effect, and anyone other than the manifester takes damage if they are in contact with Quintessence for more than 1 minute (unless that person is completely covered in it). In a typical campaign, this will limit the usefulness of this power. True, you might be able to cover a dying king with the stuff to “stop the clock” while you adventure for the cure, but building up enough to cover him would take awhile. He might die while you manifest. You might also contemplate selling the stuff, but expect angry customers when one of their kids dies from eating a Quintessence-covered object. Additionally, you could try applying this to objects created with Minor Creation, or get a Wizard friend to drop a few Delayed Blast Fireballs into it for the ultimate bomb. Whether or not the power halts the countdown on the duration of a spell or power, however, is an open question. Therefore, just what kind of effect the Quintessence has, is subject to the whims of the DM. More than any other power, your mileage may vary. The rules on this are a bit fuzzy, but with a bit of ingenuity, this is widely considered one of the most useful powers out there. It's an instantaneous creation effect, so you don't have to worry about it being dispelled.

SCHISM
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Telepath 4
Editor: Another power that breaks the action economy. Do more in a round than you could otherwise. It's similar to arcane spellsurge, only that it's fourth level. You get an additional standard action every round which you can only use for mental actions such as manifesting. But keep in mind, everything that messes up action economy is problematic. This power can up your available firepower excessively. You can use it to take over your Concentration (via Co-opt Concentration), fire rays via Energy Conversion, or even make. It's also a decent defensive power, as it helps you with Will saves and would also be able to take Listen, Spot, and Search checks in addition to your own.
Editor (House Rule): If this scares you, simply declare that it won’t work with fission. It’s borderline game breaking, but not QUITE, game breaking. Those two working together would be. Especially if they were persistent. By RAW, the two work together, but I would seriously look at my game to see if I can handle that level of firepower.
Editor (Persistent Power): Technically a 3.0 feat, but it is consistent with the conversion rules in the ELH. For a +8 (or +6 with metapower), this will last 24 hours (48 with Extend Power). The soonest you can get this power is at 15th/13th ML. This is REALLY breaking the action economy. However, it’s still right on the line, considering the minimum level to manifest it at is 13th.

SOUL CRYSTAL
- MAGIC OF INCARNUM (3.5)
Metacreativity
Level: Psion/wilder 7
Editor: High level, so it'll take a while (13th ML) before you can learn it, but at 13th level, learn it. It allows you to create a crystal that you use to manifest your powers/spells through. Ergo, doing an end run around the UPPD limitation.

TEMPORAL ACCELERATION
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Psychoportation
Level: Psion/wilder 6
Editor: Time Stop at 11th level, instead of 17th. You cannot beat that with a stick. So you'd just stopped time. That's quite a feat, right there! While the only power you can damage with while accelerated is usually a delayed effect, there are some other useful things for you to do in there. Specifically, you can reload any weapons or power effects. Manifest any long term buffs. Heal. Make sure to pick up a magic item that nullifies being shaken, like a third eye or something. Great for maneuvering and surprising someone. Oh, the FAQ made it clear, you can’t persistent this.

TIME HOP
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
- PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.0)
Psychoportation
Level: Psion/wilder 3
Editor: Time hop is not dismissible and cannot be ended early. The target can resist, but it is not automatic. Quite possibly the most useful power ever, along with Quintessence. Intelligent use of this power can have far-reaching consequences for your survivability-rate. When used offensively, it's much better to target something that can't make a save, and allow that to do the damage. Time hopping the supports of something dangerous may be more effective then targeting your enemies directly. And do not forget the weight doubles for every 2 points.
1) Make yourself completely disappear for a while. Need to be gone? Be gone!
2) Move stuff out of the way. Got a trapped/locked door? Poof. It's gone. And it appears back in place with all of its parts intact and untouched, which is all the more amusing to play around with.
3) Get rid of an enemy. It isn't exactly the best, but it can be a sort of low power save or lose effect. Getting kicked out of combat for several turns is not great- and with augmentation, you can hit several people. Not bad for a 3rd level power. Since you can't time stop yourself yet, time stop your enemies. Remember it's one of the few non-mind affecting will saves, so undead are not immune.
4) Delay something bad on an ally or object. Is someone diseased/poisoned/bleeding out or what not, but you're all busy battling off Fire Breathing Chihuahua’s? Time Hop them to safety while you sort out a solution! Do not forget the very narrow window of opportunity for revivify. This can buy you the time. And in d20, speed kills.
5) The roof collapsing? No problem. Time hop, reappear, pop out in the nearest open space, be it feet or miles. Hell, survive a moon impacting with the planet.
6) Mass Hide: The party's about to be discovered by that patrol! There's no place to hide and the cleric sucks at stealth anyway! No time to climb everyone into a rope trick either! Well, how about we all just come back to the time stream later when they've walked by. Nothing at all can detect you because you're literally not there.
7) Fool your enemies. Yell out, Order of the Stick-Style, "Mass Dimension Door to the Entrance!" then time hop everyone. The BBEG might even blow a Trace Teleport (or True Seeing) trying to find you, before angrily going out to command the search party. Then you reappear right where you left and rifle through his underwear drawer for the Magoffin. May want to suppress your displays with this one.
8) Target equipment. Yes, the target gets a save, but maybe you want the barbarian here, you just want his two-handed psionic slayer somewhere else. Got a held action? Time Hop an incoming missile up to 300 lbs covers most siege weapons. The scroll someone is reading? The wand they are waving? The gem the thief is stealing? Overcome the will save and it's all doable.
9) All of this, plus it's good for knocking out things like mounts, which tend to have worse saves (and arguably much worse Wisdom scores) than their riders. A fighter designed as a mounted charger loses a good chunk of his viability once his mount is gone.
10) Plus, you can't Dispel something that doesn't exist in the time stream, so that's a whole new layer of potential interesting.

TIME HOP, MASS
- EXPANDED PSIONICS HANDBOOK (3.5)
Psychoportation
Level: Nomad 8
Editor: If you are doing the forced dream reset, this is how you look into the future to return a few rounds later. Don’t worry about the cost, it will reset when you activate the forced dream.
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Offline Captnq

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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2015, 12:08:39 AM »
Erudite Builds

I'm not a big fan of doing the level-by-level 20 level breakdown. I'll just give you the general combinations, point out the highlights, then let you figure it out. However, one thing that confuses people is the whole "Nothing Else can be higher level then Erudite" limitation. That only applies to psionic classes. Since all the PrCs in the below examples add to the base class of Erudite, you don't have to worry about your PrC being a higher level then the base class.

Anima Erudite (EDITORS CHOICE)
Classes: Erudite 3/Binder 1/Anima Mage (Psion Variant) 10/Arch Psion 5/Other 1
Feats: Improved Binder, Any metapsionic feat (Linked recommended), Skill Focus (psicraft), Psionic Focus in any two disciplines, Then as many metapsionic feats as you can choke on (PERSISTANT, Quicken, Twin, Unconditional)
Originally I hated this one, but someone pointed out an early entry option for Binder and suddenly this became my favorite. Take one level of binder, then the Improved Binding feat that gives you +2 EBL and suddenly you qualify for the Anima Mage (Psionic version). Once you get to 14th level, you'll be an 11th level binder, 13th level Erudite, and qualify for 5 levels of Arch Psion. Then one more level of whatever floats your boat. The loss of one level for the Metapsionic perks of Anima Mage as well as the extra UPPD more then makes up for the one manifester Level lost. You'll reach ML 17th at 18th level, but a small price to pay for the ability to Exploid Vestige for an extra UPPD. Or the ability to add a metapsionic feat to a power without expending focus OR adding to the PP cost up to 3 times a day, or the ability to manifest any power as a quickened power once a day at 10th level. Then you combine the psionic enhancing madness of the Arch Psion and you have my all time favorite. When it comes to metapsionic feats, I recommend Linked, the old standbys Empower and Maximize are good as well, but the Add any metapsionic at no cost means you want to look at the high end MPs. That means Quicken is a good choice, and so is twin. Unconditional normally is a lousy MP, but if you don't have to pay the full +8 PP cost, suddenly it becomes a whole pile of useful. Master Dorje isn't a standard metapsionic, but it's still listed as one, so if you want to expand your access to powers, it's worth a look for your entry metapsionic. Finally, widen power is a dead last option, but the free sculpting of the Arch Psion makes this a viable choice.

Energizer Bunny
Classes: Erudite 5/Sangehirn 10/Abjuration Champion (Psionic) 5
This combination uses the psionic version of the Abjurant Champion's AC boosting combined with the Fast Heal and Damage reduction of Sangehirn to create a combination with him the ability to really take a whooping. Combine this with the Shield Other/Share Pain/Bigby's Helping Hand and the various healing spells available to bard and you have a tank. A favorite of any player who simply wants to be a damage sponge.

Erudead
Classes: Erudite 5/Shadow Mind 4/Grim Psion 10/Mindbender 1
Okay, there isn't much point here except for, you turn undead and you are f'n Evil. That's it. You have telepathy, you turn undead, you got shadow mind subpsionics. It's basically as evil as it comes. Get your brood on.

Erudunant
Classes: Erudite: 5/Wizard: 1/Mind Mage 10/Cerebremancer 4
Feats: Psi-Spells, Metapsionics
I call this the Erudundant because it's redundant. The problem is, you manifest spells, you don't cast them, but the transparency rules indicate it's the same thing. So depending on your DM's view point (honestly, I'm not sure what's the right way), a 5th level Erudite is casting 3rd level spells, thus qualifying for Mind Mage. Mind mage adds +8 to Erudite and +8 to Wizard, which Cerebremancer 4 adds +4 to both. Making for a 17th level Erudite manifester and a 13th level wizard who, in theory, should be a force to be feared. Lets look at that closely.

It suffers from the same problem of the Mystic Theurge. Spread out way too much. If your DM has totally Nerfed UPPD, then this should help a whole lot, but the Erudite doesn't bring a whole lot to the table when you combine it with Wizard. Mind Mage has some cool stuff, but it’s not the end all be all. It looks great on paper, but the loss of Reflex, Fortitude, and BAB makes this combo somewhat crippling. If you are going to do this, you need to focus on your strengths. Erudite for breaking action economy. Wizard for Utility and Save-or-Suck. Trade in that Familiar and Scribe scroll for a spellbook in your head, then carry around a spellbook anyways. Are you a psionist pretending to be a wizard? A wizard pretending to be a psionist? Keep people guessing and hang back.

If your DM doesn't view a 5th level Erudite as casting 3rd level spells, then you change the build to Erudite: 3/Wizard: 5/Mind Mage 10/Cerebremancer 2. That makes you a 13th level Erudite and a 15th level wizard. I wouldn't even bother. You could go Erudite 3/Wizard 5/Cerebremancer 10/Mind Mage 2, and be Erudite: 14th ML and Wizard 16th CL, but it's still not worth it. I don't think the original is worth it, because multi-classing into two different caster classes usually is crippling. I've seen it from level 1 to level 26. It was painful the first 14 levels. PAINFUL.

Glaivedite or Claw Not-Monk
Classes: Erudite 3/Warlock 1/Cerebremancer 10/Other 6
Feats (Claw Not-Monk): Eldritch Claws, Monastic Training, Tashalatora
Feats (Glaivedite): Power attack, Great Cleave, Quicken Spell-like ability
I didn't break these up into two different builds because it's possible to do both in the same character, or just specialize into one or the other. Basically, you take your standard Glaivelock/Clawlock build and using Cerebremancer, advance in both erudite and warlock at the same time. The Warlock dishes out the round to round damage, while the Erudite part of you pumps out the buffs and the occasional nova. The Glaivedite has a reach-weapon touch attack. NASTY if you can use it with various Erudite spells/power combos.

The Claw Not-Monk uses the Monastic Training combined with the Tashalatora feat to advance as a monk, even if you aren't a monk. Thus your unarmed damage increases with your psionic level (get that monk belt) and is added to your Eldritch Claws damage, which also increases with Cerebremancer. At 14th level you are doing base 2d6 unarmed + 6d6 Claw damage. Tack on the various Claw enhancing Powers and Spells and you'll be the best at what you do, and what you do best is claw the every living hit points out of people.

And if you have the feats to blow, combine the two. Many of the feats you can take for one can boost the other. Mortalbane works with both builds just fine, and you have an additional 6 levels to play with. Hellfire warlock comes to mind, if you have the Con to blow. Note, this assumes that your DM allows for a 3rd level erudite to count as casting 2nd level Arcane spells. You may have to buy 3 levels or warlock to get past your DM. In that case, look at taking Warlock 4. Deceive Item is just an awesome power to have.

Power Plant
Classes: Erudite 5/Magical trickster (psionic) 3/Metamind 10/Other 2
Feats: Metapsionics. Anything that lets you gain Psionic Focus.
The power plant is focused on the metamind prestige class that, theoretically, has an unlimited number of power points. This is only applicable if the DM won't allow the Mental Pinnacle spell, which is possibly a banned spell, depending on your interpretation of the restrictions on CStP. If the DM allows Mental Pinnacle, don't bother with this combo. One of the perks of this build is the Magical trickster allows you a strange metapsionic combos. Applying a metapsionic feat once a day without psionic focus is very useful, especially when combined with other . It also allows you to spend 2 PP to reuse any skill trick, every round. Now, I don't know if there are any skill tricks you'd want to use every round, but Swift Concentration looks like a good one to me. Timely Misdirection combined with Tumble could render you completely immune to attack from one specific enemy.

Finally, unlimited PP means focus on SPEED. Arcane Spellsurge, Arcane Fusion, Metaconcert with your psicrystal and a whole lot of celerity will turn you into a Spell Slinging/Manifesting Machine. Sure, you'll never have anything really high level (Max ML is 14th), but you'll be casting 2 spells a round while manifesting a power as your Metaconcert Entity does the same thing, AND you'll have the PP to keep it up for as long as Font of Power does. Burn some ML boosting spells before hand, manifest a power with 4 different Metapsionic feats on it.

"How?", you might ask. You can, in theory, expend your psionic focus up to three times in one round. Magical trickster lets you manifest with a fourth Metapsionic feat with a value of up to 4 PP for free. Metamind 9 lets you manifest a 5th level power at no cost. That's like saying you get 9 more PP to manifest as part of the metamagic or augment. So even without boosting your ML, you can manifest a power with an ML of 28 for only 14 PP, once a day. Going Nova, indeed

Spammer
Classes: Erudite 5/Constructor 10/Ectopic Adept 5
Feats: Augment Summoning, Dual-Plane Summons, Ectopic Form, Advanced Construction, Boost Construct, Ecto Manipulation, Enhanced Construction
I'm not the biggest fan of summon builds, but if you are, the spammer is the way to go. An important step is to talk to your DM to make sure he understands exactly how this works. Spell Focus (conjuration) still applies to your spells, and you need it to get Augment Summoning. With Augment summoning, all your summon monster spells have +4 Str/+4 Con. Dual-Plane Summons allows you to give your summoned monsters your Astral Construct Menu Choices. Enhanced Construction gives you multiple Astral Constructs that don't have to have the same powers. Boost Construct gives each AC an extra Menu choice. Ecto Manipulation allows you to trade in lower menu choices for higher ones. Ectopic Form gives you base creates with more Menu Items then you'd have without the feat. Those extra menu choices can be traded in for higher ones.

Combine all this together can you can spam low level critters with monster summons, but give them upwards of 20+ extra powers. EACH. Imagine 6 critters that all can whirlwind attack for 2d6 damage and 5d4 fire damage EACH ROUND and have a reach of 10 feet with Great Cleave to boot?. Maybe you'd just want them to have 6 claw attacks with rend. Damage shield constrictor? Energy Bolts? Permanent Invisibility? How about making them Power storing critters that can release up to 6th level spells/powers at will? Or just go for the hat trick and take 'em all!

The combinations are a multitude of disgusting awesome. Stack all this on top of the already intimidating selection of critters available from summon monster and you become a spammer that all will fear and DMs will loath. Brings lots o' miniatures and invest in an auto-roll program to keep everyone from getting ticked off when your turn eats up 40 minutes of real life.

Subanarchist
Classes: Erudite 5/Anarchic Initiate 10/Shadow Mind 4/Other 1
Feats: Conjunctive Mind, Any Metapsionic, Fortify, Overchange
Alas, there are no good classes for anarchic Initiate, so I combined it with Shadowmind, which you should get the first oportunity. This build simply says, "F-it!" and embraces the chaos that is the Anarchic Initiate. It gives you some perks, while at the same time giving you all the same benefits of a wild mage, which is to say, makes things really random and screws you while sometimes helping out. It's like being in an abusive relationship. You never know when your SO is going to come home drunk and pissed off, or bring you a box of chocolates. But if you can get past the need to blow yourself up and like the idea of being able to send people to Limbo, just run with it and enjoy the ride. On the upside, you advance your ML at every level, and can pick up an ACF at 5th level, so it's not bad.

Subspammer
Classes: Erudite 5/Ectopic Adept 5/Shadow Mind 10
This version of the spammer focus on the fact that Subpsionics gives you creepy options when summoning critters, so you don't focus on the summon monster as much as the astral construct. The capstone of Shadow Mind is the ability to make a copy of yourself. Combined with the many spells/powers available to make duplicates of yourself (Body Outside Body/Fission), you basically not only spam monsters, you spam yourself. Frankly, the number of you that could be running around is fairly high, once you get going. Frankly, you can do quite a bit without spending 10 levels on Shadow Mind, but hey, if you absolutely need ONE MORE version of yourself running around, this is how you do it.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2015, 11:30:30 AM by Captnq »
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2015, 09:00:30 AM »
Erudite Power List

ERUDITE POWERS
1ST-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

2ND-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

3RD-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

4TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

5TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

6TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

7TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

8TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
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9TH-LEVEL ERUDITE POWERS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2015, 09:01:48 AM »
DISCIPLINE POWERS

Remember:
An erudite can learn a discipline-only power only if it is up to 1 level lower than the highest level power he can manifest.

So while you can learn a 8th level power in an 8th level slot. Until you can manifest 10th level powers, you will never be able to learn a 9th level power.

1ST-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

2ND-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

3RD-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

4TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

5TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

6TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

7TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

8TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)

NOTE: 9th level discipline powers are not available to an Erudite until Epic Levels.

9TH-LEVEL DISCIPLINE POWERS
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: March 03, 2015, 09:20:35 AM by Captnq »
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2015, 09:02:08 AM »
Hey! Wanted to know what spells an Erudite gets at the lowest level possible? HERE YOU GO!

Not only is it broken down by level, but it tells you the source of said arcane spell list so you can go look it up yourself!

Also, if you should have a need to find an arcane spell by the class that casts it at the lowest possible level, this works for that purpose as well.


0-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
(click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: March 03, 2015, 09:14:21 AM by Captnq »
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2015, 09:02:56 AM »
1ST-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
(click to show/hide)
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2015, 09:03:37 AM »
2ND-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2015, 09:05:18 AM »
3RD-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2015, 09:06:02 AM »
4TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2015, 09:07:09 AM »
5TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
(click to show/hide)

6TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2015, 09:08:25 AM »
7TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
(click to show/hide)

8TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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Re: Erudite Handbook
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2015, 09:09:44 AM »
It needs to be pointed out, that by the rules, 9th level spells are NOT available to a Erudite until he's epic. That said, I have included this list for your enjoyment and dreams.

9TH-LEVEL ERUDITE SPELLS
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