...scratchscratchscratchscratchscratch... (Erudite Stuff)

[Captnq]

So I got that itchy feeling to work on another handbook.
I noticed there is no Erudite handbook.
If anyone says, "just smoosh the wizard and psion book together" I will beat you like a baby seal.

WARNING: This is where I try and twist the rules into non-euclidian shapes. The only way to find the limit, is to go past it.

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.

I've determined by RAW the Erudite is stuck with 11 powers per day. Thanks to the errata.
I can get around this with the following:

• Extra Unique Power Feat
• Metaconcert with my Wild Talent PsiCrystal
• Arcane Fusion (and it's cousins)

Any other ideas on how to expand the list of Unique Powers per day?

When you manifest a unique power, what is it? What is that unique power? Is it "learned"? Prepared? Can I prepare my unique powers in the morning without manifesting them?

RARY’S MNEMONIC ENHANCER
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK (3.0)
- PLAYER’S HANDBOOK 1 (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Spell Domain 4, Wizard 4
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting this spell allows you to prepare additional spells or retain spells recently cast. Pick one of these two versions when the spell is cast. In either event, the spell or spells prepared or retained fade after 24 hours (if not cast).
Prepare: You prepare up to three additional levels of spells (such as three 1st-level spells, a 2nd- and a 1st-level spell, or a 3rd-level spell). A cantrip counts as 1/2 level for this purpose. You prepare and cast these spells normally.
Retain: You retain any spell of 3rd level or lower that you had cast up to 1 round before you started casting the mnemonic enhancer. This restores the previously cast spell to your mind.

Since under the StP Erudite this becomes a power, all the places where it says Spells becomes Powers. Now, for a normal Psion, this spell would be useless. But it seems that if you look at this sideways, it should grant you extra unique powers for the day.

How can I twist the rules to say "YES!" How would you shut down such a twisted bending of the rules?

RARY’S ARCANE CONVERSION
- COMPLETE MAGE (3.5)
Universal
Level: Wizard 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
You feel slightly dizzy as the power of your spell rewrites the knowledge within your mind.
Rary’s arcane conversion allows you to exchange a prepared wizard spell for another spell of equal or lower level. For instance, upon casting this spell, you could choose to lose a prepared fly spell and have fireball prepared in its place. The replacement spell must be one already scribed in your spellbook. The new spell is now prepared and ready to cast as normal, just as though you had prepared it when you last studied your spells.

Again, once I manifest a power, is it "prepared"? I don't know what else to call it. Would Arcane Conversion change a manifested unique power and allow me to change it to something else for the rest of the day?

If you don't believe that powers can be prepared, well then...

SPELL MATRIX, LESSER
- ANAUROCH: THE EMPIRE OF SHADE (3.5)
- SPELL COMPENDIUM (3.5)
Transmutation
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Effect: Matrix that holds one of your spells
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)
Concentrating as you intone the arcane words, you envision your mind as a maze of paths and doors. You get a chill as the spell completes and some of the doors open.
You prepare a magical matrix that allows you to store one of your spells and use it later as a swift action. In the round after you cast lesser spell matrix, you can cast one spell of up to 3rd level to be stored in it. The matrix closes after 1 round, whether or not you have stored a spell in it. Only a spell that can be altered by the Quicken Spell feat can be placed in the matrix, and any spell stored there is treated as a prepared spell. Casting lesser spell matrix deals 1d6 points of damage to you, and this damage cannot be healed by any means while the matrix exists. While the matrix is active, you can cast the spell stored in it as a swift action. Once it is cast from the matrix, the spell is gone. A dispel magic spell that successfully dispels the matrix also dispels the spell held inside it. If you are affected by an antimagic field, the duration of the matrix is interrupted, but the spell does not activate. The matrix becomes active again when you emerge from the antimagic field. If you die while the spell is still held in the matrix, both the spell and the matrix dissipate harmlessly.
Focus: A piece of amber with a minimum value of 500 gp.

So, StP Spell Matrix, cast your power into the matrix, pay your 1d6 points of damage, now it's prepared power. Now would your power be subject to alteration by the previous spells?

You can do the same thing with Spellstaff.

You can cast a spell stored within a staff just as though it were among those you had prepared

About Arcane Fusion...

ARCANE FUSION
- COMPLETE MAGE (3.5)
Universal
Level: Sorcerer 5
Components: V, S; see text
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
You weave two spells together in your mind and release them in a single burst of magic.
When you cast this spell, choose any 1st-level sorcerer spell you know and any 4th-level or lower sorcerer spell you know. Neither spell chosen can have a casting time longer than 1 standard action. Both spells take effect in the order you choose, as if you had cast them one after the other using only one standard action, but you don’t expend any additional spell slots to cast those spells. Effectively, you cast two other spells using this spell’s 5th level spell slot. Each of the chosen spells has its normal effect, including range, target, area, duration, saving throw, and spell resistance as appropriate to the spell’s level. If either spell requires a material component, focus, XP cost, or other special cost, these must be used or paid as part of the casting of arcane fusion.

Most people argue that this converted to StP allows you to manifest other powers without them counting towards your limit. However, I point to the bold section and ask, "As if you had cast them" would imply that it's "As if you had manifested them", and therefore they would take up two unique manifestations for the day.

Agree? Disagree?

ARCANE SPELLSURGE
- DRAGON MAGIC (3.5)
Universal
Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7, Wu Jen 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Green and yellow sparks fly off your body as a light breeze picks up, lifting loose debris and swirling around with a faint howl.
This spell speeds the flow of magic through you, hastening your spellcasting ability. Casting times for arcane spells are reduced as follows: Arcane spellsurge has no effect on any spell with a casting time of greater than 1 minute or a casting time not listed on the table. You can’t choose to ignore this effect; that is, you can’t opt to cast a spell using its normal casting time. Thus, if all your spells normally have casting times of 1 standard action, they take 1 swift action instead, and because you can’t take more than one swift action in a round, you won’t be able to cast multiple spells per round while under the effect of arcane spellsurge. (If you have available spells with casting times of 1 full round, you are still able to cast more than one of those spells per round). However, a sorcerer or other spontaneous arcane caster could cast a metamagic spell (as a standard action) and a normal spell (as a swift action) in the same round. This spell doesn’t stack with any other effect that reduces a spell’s casting time.
New Casting Time: 1 Standard Action - 1 Swift, 1 Round - 1 Standard, 2-10 rounds - 1 round less than normal
Special: If you are of the dragonblood subtype, you can cast this spell as a swift action.
Editor (Buff): A wonderful spell for sorcerers, very difficult to properly use for a wizard. In the hands of a sorcerer, he can just add a metamagic feat to any spell (Invisible spell is recommended for the +0 level adjustment.) and thus one spell is swift, and the other is standard. Combined with arcane fusion, you can really start to let those spells fly.

How can I increase the manifesting time of my powers so that one might take advantage of Arcane Powersurge?

Any other thoughts?

[Garryl]

"Unique" powers per day uses the word in its English language meaning, rather than defining it as a game term. You don't pick them in advance or anything, it's just the first 11 different powers that you manifest in the day. Preparation is straight out. It's not at all involved in psionics. The manifesting ability specifically says that powers aren't prepared. Trying to apply anything that works with spell preparation to powers is as meaningless as trying to apply your bonus on initiative checks to the distance you travel with a Teleport spell.

Metaconcert should work to bypass the UPPD limit, as you aren't manifesting the powers, but rather a separate psionic entity created by the power does.

Rary's spells are useless for two reasons. First, because the Convert Spell to Power ACF specifically disallows learning spells that recall or recast other spells. Second, because preparation is meaningless to an Erudite. If you somehow get access to them, however, they should work to retain the spells cast through a Spell Matrix.

Unless you are also a Sorcerer, you don't know any Sorcerer spells, just Erudite powers, so Arcane Fusion is useless for you.

It won't work with just powers, but if you have any psi-like abilities, the Catapsi power turns them from standard to full-round actions, and thus usable alongside now-swift action powers with Arcane Spellsurge.

[Captnq]

I have to assume, having multiple examples, that when you convert a spell to power, you convert the word "Spell" to "Power" and "Caster" to "Manifester". Otherwise, it doesn't work. Trust me, I can find some damn shady abuse if the psion is manifesting a spell and not a power.

"convert an arcane spell into a power you can add to your repertoire"

In the end, it's a power and not a spell.


As for "Spells that allow a character to recall or recast a spell cannot be learned."

I did a key word search of all spells. There are no spells that recast. And only one spell that recalls. (MORDENKAINEN’S LUCUBRATION)

Rary's Arcane conversion for example is an exchange. Now, I'm going to have to use spell staff to cast my power into, thus making it a prepared power, but then I can exchange said power for any power in my spellbook. Of course I need to start keeping a spellbook, but as was recently pointed out to me, you don't actually have to be able to cast spells to own a spellbook.

Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer allows me to "prepare additional spells" or "retain" spells cast. One might argue that retaining a spell is the begining of recasting said spell, but nothing in the spell actually CASTS the retained magic, so you can't be said to be reCASTing.

For example, if someone had the spell-like ability to cast Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer, would he gain prepared spells? Does it matter if he's a commoner or an Erudite?

Oh course any sane DM will Nix this in a heartbeat, but I'm discussing RAW here, not sanity.

However, I believe by this same logic, one cannot use Spell Matrix, because you cast the spell into it, then you cast it FROM the matrix. Casting the same spell twice is recasting, no matter how you look at it.

However, a spellstaff stores your spell, then you cast it, so that would be okay. Now to figure out how to make a druid spell Arcane. And spellsong for that matter.


Thinking...

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Linked Power metapsi, is another work around.  And crafting powerstones.

The Psicrystal is a Bonus Feat, and can also be a target of the ACFs.  So you can ditch both the psicrystal and the other bonus feat, for 2 of the acfs.  I don't think the language for Discipline is loose enough to allow 2 Disciplines.

Uniques has been argued plenty (maybe '12 the last solid debate) about the Per Level Per Day trickiness/nonsense/goodstuff.  3.0e Erudite used effectively that too, just like the vance casters.  Obviously it's more powerful that way, by my estimation catching up to Wizards around level 13 with 7 7s per day (assume Wiz has bonus slots). 

Multiclassing and PrC-ing is hard limited, though some have argued PrCs were not supposed to be in there. 

I don't know if Nijineko's errata file from BRC, addresses anything specific about Erudite.  Perhaps Niji can send you a copy.  I never bothered (grumpy says they coulda done it the right way grumpy wtf)

"Original" is worth the feat early, but it's Learn list is duplicated by the Expanded Knowledge feat.  Level 7 is a good spot to get out of Original.
"Mantled" would allow 20 off list powers per level, on time.
"Discipline" would allow 1 discipline of powers per level, on time ... and transparency School Spells via a Chameleon Crafting feat (or two) from Dr#349. Needs a prereq feat which can be tricky.  Clearly weaker than the other options until the feats come on line, and there's enough Magic Mart access.
"Spell To Power" hei wats dat?  Ultra early qualifying spell point wizard, though still needs a Magic Mart.

Magic Mantle with a very T.O.-ish slant, gets Magic PrCs into play.  Probably not OK at most tables.
Retraining from one ACF into another and back, to pump up the repertoire even more.  Also probably not OK, even though technically legit.
Substitute Powers on the mantles "ought" to be OK, but the argument/reasoning chain might be lost by now.

Basic stupid proof build Orginal Erudite 7
1) ... Elemental Envoy, gets most mileage out of this
b) ... Powerstone
h or flaw) ... +1 Unique (wtf it's called)
flaw) ... open for prc qualifiers if necessary
3) ... Linked
5) ... Psi Meditation
6 and 7 get retraining either feats or 1 ACF, or prc prereqs.

7 is the PsyRef loop point, where you fill up powers yourself and give a very small  to Wizards that can't do this.  Erudite suffers the same problem as Archivists and Wizards up to level 7, in that a DM can gimp them willy nilly.

Magic Mantled Erudite 7 / Nar Demonbinder 1 / Cerebremancer 6 / Erudite +X and the specific Psiotheurgist feat from Dr#349 ... is the one standout multiclass/prc combo that an Erudite can do better than any other.

edit --- StP Erudite 7 / UrPriest 2 / Psychic Theurge 6 / then debate whether to go E 8 or PT 7 first, then the other / Erudite +X ... is a decently normal Triple 9s build.

Epic?  No not really.
But the StP has a strong incentive to not go Epic Powers(Spells) and instead get 10th Level Power access, to open arcane 9s to the StP goodies.
Disciplines are obvious. 
Mantles aren't but a Substitute Powers Mantle could easily be entirely one subschool of a discipline.
Original can learn all psi 9s, if it goes to 10th level Powers.  Not nearly as strong as StP, but makes Epic Psi seeds easy.

R.A.I. Erudite can be throttled back more than a Psion.

_{scratch that itch CapQ}


more edits --- the 2 feats at the bottom of the mind's eye erudite stuff, the level 3 feat allows early qualifying trickery that the Erudite can't really use, but the repertoire feat is a good one, worth taking multiple times perhaps with the right build, which of course the glory days would have found ... oh they'll pass you by glory days in a wink of a Psion's eye glory days. 

Discipline Evocation/Psychokinesis can get spell point Divine Power on time, and similarly Miracles.  That's the Erudite Gish right there (such as it is).

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Just remember. If you do cool stuff, people will use it. If you do broken stuff, people won't. I'll record this in order of how I read it top to bottom.

I have considered making an erudite handbook, but found myself going in a different direction with how I felt Wilder was originally meant. Unfortunately the creator didn't have the system mastery to pull it off.

I've determined by RAW the Erudite is stuck with 11 powers per day

Correct

• Metaconcert with my Wild Talent PsiCrystal

Explain? You can PM.

Any other ideas on how to expand the list of Unique Powers per day?

The spell replication powers. Beware the flame wars about them & (greater) arcane fusion, though

When you manifest a unique power, what is it? What is that unique power? Is it "learned"? Prepared? Can I prepare my unique powers in the morning without manifesting them?

No psionics is prepared by RAW. I've adapted Wilder to do this if I ever release my C8 system though.

RARY’S MNEMONIC ENHANCER

Nope, you don't prepare. You can spit out another lower level already used power, but its a waste of pp. EDIT: ah so yes, after Spell Matrix, you could have a bunch of low level powers. However they would have some hefty PP limitations, so ... big whoop, usually.

RARY’S ARCANE CONVERSION

Nope. Again no prepared powers. EDIT: Ok, so after Spell Matrix, you'd blow 20pp per spell that you wanted to use in addition to your unique powers per day and you must know you want to do this ahead of time or take 2 rounds for a 1 round spell.

Would Arcane Conversion change a manifested unique power and allow me to change it to something else for the rest of the day?

Nope. I don't see where it does.

If you don't believe that powers can be prepared, well then...

SPELL MATRIX, LESSER

Hmm. I never thought about this. It's pretty clear. Have a pat on the back.

You can do the same thing with Spellstaff.
You can cast a spell stored within a staff just as though it were among those you had prepared

Yeah but you only get 1 a day or at a time. I forget which.

Most people argue that this converted to StP allows you to manifest other powers without them counting towards your limit. However, I point to the bold section and ask, "As if you had cast them" would imply that it's "As if you had manifested them", and therefore they would take up two unique manifestations for the day.

Agree? Disagree?

I warned earlier of the flame wars. However, as a DM (who's been nice enough to allow the pinnacle of tier 1 classes) I find this a very very reasonable interpretation.

How can I increase the manifesting time of my powers so that one might take advantage of Arcane Powersurge?

I don't know that you'd want to do that unless you had another way of using your standard action. Maybe I always read that spell wierdly but I don't think you can cast (or in this case manifest) as a standard action while under its effects. And since you only have 1 swift action (normally), you lose out on the action economy.

[Captnq]

• Metaconcert with my Wild Talent PsiCrystal

Explain? You can PM.

Oh, it's simple.

I think it's Wild talent or hidden talent? Not sure which, no where near my stuff. It's a feat, gives whatever takes it 1 PP, so they are now concidered psionic. PsiCrystals, due to poor wording, advance as critters with HD and thus get feats. However, a PsiCrystal is not psionic. So, you have to make them psionic (with the feat).

Add metaconcert

Now your PsiCrystal has all your powers and can do the manifesting while you just supply the PP and Powers. Therefore, you never actually manifest anything, and avoid the Unique Powers per day limitation.

[faeryn]

I've seen a lot of posts about the Erudite's Unique Powers per day that quite frankly make me believe a lot of people haven't actually read the class abilities... The majority of posts on nearly every DnD forum I've seen when it comes to the Erudite's Unique Powers per day make a claim that the listed unique powers in the chart is total, which is incorrect. The class feature description spells it out pretty clearly... I honestly don't know where any of the confusion about this feature comes from at all.

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.

The erudite is not limited to 11 unique powers per day. No, a 20th level Erudite gets 99 unique powers per day, parsed out as 11 per level. Right there in the text, "unique psionic powers of each level per day". By RAW and RAI you get at 20th level 11 unique powers per level per day, totaling 99 unique powers per day. This "limitation" is not a real limitation at all, infact it allows an Erudite to be far more versatile than a Wizard with their power selection per day, plus the fact that they don't have to choose those 99 powers at the start of the day but instead may pick them as they go. Plus they can repeat a power without counting against their unique power limit.

Compared to a Wizard, the Erudite gets a minimum of 3 extra powers per level per day, and can repeat cast any power they have previously cast that day without counting against their limit. Whereas a Wizard gets at most 9 spells per day at a few levels and 8 at the rest provided they have enough a high enough Int, and each repeat casting counts against the limit unless another spell or feat is used to retain the spell for another casting later. This is actually the very reason why all spells that allow you to cast, recast, retain, or otherwise (regardless of exact wording) cast a spell that was not or is no longer prepared, are not eligible for StP Erudites.

Also, this talk about the "Errata" for complete psionics... I've done some searching, and throughout all of it I cannot for the life of me find the "Errata" for complete psionics, only a few unofficial erratas all of which actually point to a topic on this forum which in turn points to a torrent file that cannot currently be accessed as the "source file". This honestly throws suspicion on it's authenticity. So, quite honestly I have to say that there is no Errata for complete psionics. Which means the line "of each level" should not be deleted. Until someone can provide an official source for this errata I will firmly believe this. Additionally, the errata, like the source books themselves stand as a guideline, any changes imposed by them that a DM does not agree with can and should be ignored.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Faeryn, I'm not touching that with a stick

Add metaconcert

Now your PsiCrystal has all your powers and can do the manifesting while you just supply the PP and Powers. Therefore, you never actually manifest anything, and avoid the Unique Powers per day limitation.

The entity is what manifests. And the entity only has the actions of 1 individual. So really, every participant is using their standard action to manifest whatever the conductor says. I don't think it is likely to fly by a normal DM. But this is a clever attempt.

[Captnq]

Actually, that would be better. If the entity is manifesting, then the only thing the participants are doing is watching it. They are free to manifest whatever they wish. Once the entity "dies" at the end of metaconcert, you could create a new one. The movement limit is a bit of a pain, but not that limiting.

Frankly, between arcane fusion, metaconcert, borrowing powers from other players and tapping power stones, that Unique powers per day is a bit of a joke. It's a limit at low levels, but hardly a speed bump once you hit double digits.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

the only thing the participants are doing is watching

No they are part of the entity. They are using their actions as directed by the conductor. When you agree to that power, you have no other actions besides mimicing what the group is doing. If you stop mimicing it, you fall out of the group. You can't say you're playing in an orchestra if you just sit and watch. You have to be using your full attention to play in it.

[Captnq]

As a DM, I hate Metaconcert. That said...

(click to show/hide)

You link your psychic might with other psionic creatures, creating an entity more powerful than the sum of its parts. When you manifest this power, a number of power points you designate flows from each participant into a collective pool. Thus, if ten psionic characters each contribute 10 power points, the initial total of the pooled power points is 100. One individual is chosen as the metaconcert conductor by mutual consent of the other participants (this is usually the manifester, but doesn’t have to be). Until the power ends, this conductor directs the efforts of the group. Misty strands of glowing power link the brows of all the participants in a complex and shifting pattern. All the powers of each participant are known to the mental entity created with metaconcert (which is under the conductor’s command). This entity can’t take any more actions than a normal individual, but it manifests all its powers more effectively. Each participant contributing to the entity provides a cumulative +1 bonus to save DCs that apply when manifesting a power or using a psi-like ability. Likewise, each individual provides a cumulative +1 bonus when the entity makes its own saving throws in response to powers or psi-like abilities. If the psionic entity takes ability damage from a psionic attack, such as mind thrust, the total is divided among all the members as determined by the conductor (so, if a ten person group took 3 points of ability damage, the conductor could select three different participants to each take 1 point of damage). If the entity manifests a power that has an XP cost, all the participants pay an equal share (the conductor pays the remainder if the cost can’t be divided evenly). Once linked, the participants must remain within a 20-footradius area, and as a group can move at a speed of 10 feet. If a participant moves outside the 20-foot-radius area occupied by the others (whether willingly or involuntarily), that individual drops out of the group, and the power point pool of the metaconcert is instantly recalculated. All participants who leave before a metaconcert ends or is dismissed reclaim a number of power points equal to the current power point pool divided by the number of members. If the conductor drops out, the power ends. For example, if a participant left a metaconcert composed of eight individuals, he would reclaim 1/8 of the power points currently in the pool (round down). That same number of points is removed from the power point pool. When a metaconcert ends normally or is dismissed, remaining power points in the pool are divided among all the participants (the conductor receives the remainder if the points can’t be divided evenly).

Nothing in this power states that the participants are doing anything. You create an "entity". The Entity does whatever it does. None of the participants do anything except for hang out. The conductor commands the Entity, but doesn't do anything else.

So it's like creating a new member of the party. It does it's thang, has Move, Standard, and Swift actions. Just sort of floats there as a construct of pure mental energy. There are limits on what participants can do, but they are free to manifest their own powers, fire crossbows, make apple pie, whatever. Directing the Entity doesn't even take up an action apparently.

Please explain in what section it states that the participants are the ones manfesting any powers the "Entity" is using.
I do not see the words "mimic" anywhere. I don't see any rules for "falling out of the group" except walking more then 20 feet away.

In fact, the way it reads, I could knock out a bunch of psionics (the unconscious is always willing) and hook them all up to a metaconcert. I couldn't force any PP out of them, but I could use their powers. I'd have to stay within 20 feet of them lying on the ground, but the entity could use their powers to do what the conductor (me) wants.

Like I said, I hate this power.

[nijineko]

it is 11 unique powers per day, not power per level per day, despite the wording, the errata might help you with that.

also, not sure if it will fly, but my DM ruled that linked power was still a power being manfiested, even if it was piggy backing on another. seriously lame in my opinion, but oh well.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

this conductor directs the efforts of the group.

It is badly written, but there it is. Of course, they have to be willing to follow the conductor's directions, otherwise they aren't in the group that the director is leading.

[faeryn]

it is 11 unique powers per day, not power per level per day, despite the wording, the errata might help you with that.

also, not sure if it will fly, but my DM ruled that linked power was still a power being manfiested, even if it was piggy backing on another. seriously lame in my opinion, but oh well.

As I mentioned, I've searched for the errata, and all I've found is a dozen forum posts linking to a forum post on here that links to an inaccessible torrent file... I seriously question the legitimacy of the supposed errata for Complete Psionics. And, the errata still acts as a guide-line not a defined rule, you are free to ignore any part of the errata that you do not agree with if you are a DM, of course as a player you must adhere to your DMs decision as to if a portion of the errata is applied or not.

Now, I can understand why they might change it from powers per level per day to just powers per day. However, it's a case of going from one extreme to another, and ultimately is unnecessary. The reason I say it's unnecessary is because the extreme it starts at isn't actually all that far from where it should have been. A proper errata might have adjusted the table to cap out at 6~8 per level bringing it down in-line with prepared spell-casters rather than dropping it all the way down to 11 total per day at 20 making the class near impossible to play effectively at any level.

Simply removing the line "per level" from the ability takes the class from having to much versatility down to having no versatility.

Honestly, I've looked at the forum posts about the Complete Psionics errata, and the sheer level of nerf on most of it is another thing that throws question on the legitimacy of the errata. (Which might I add I have only seen via "copy-paste" forum posts. I have yet to be able to see a legitimate document).

[Jackinthegreen]

There isn't a "legitimate" document for it, as far as I know, because it was never officially released.  I think most people blame its lack of release on WotC's sporadic incompetence.  ToB's screwed up errata ought to give some indication on how they've done things.

What's been circulating around is the unreleased (and likely not finalized/playtested, but playtesting at WotC is often a joke here anyway) copy of CPsi's errata which, if I recall correctly, some enterprising people managed to somehow get from WotC.  So yeah, it's screwed up, but it's the best we can get.

As for the erudite's unique powers per day, 11 per power level and 11 per day are indeed both extreme.  5 per power level would work alright probably. 

[Kethrian]

11 unique powers per day is not too restrictive or extreme.  Consider that the wilder only gets 11 powers known by level 20, and that the erudite has every single power available to choose from until the 11 have been picked each day, that's pretty damn versatile.  And then you add StP on top of that, and the erudite has such a massive variety to choose from that he's potentially the most OP class ever made.  11 uniques per day is not that much of a limit, and barely begins to offset its superiority.

[Captnq]

Ah, you forget that an Erudite can pick up any power stone or scroll. Roll a pathetically easy Spellcraft/psicraft roll, and then manifest the power/spell without using up the power stone or scroll, AS MUCH AS HE WANTS. assuming he has enough PP or is high enough level to manifest said power, of course.

True, one round delay, but seriously. Unlimited use Rune Staff. Hard to beat that.

The 11 powers you use per day are only combat ones. The rest you use off power stones or scrolls.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

If you assume an Erudite StP is in the same game-world environment as a Wizard, it's the solid 1 level behind the Wizard.  The trick with EK + PsyRef looping, ensures the solid 1 level down but Full list powers.

Erudite 9 / Slayer 8 doesn't have access to 9s yet.
Erudite 9 / Slayer 9 wouldn't have access to 9s yet, because of the Psi levels in other classes clause, knocking out the 2 picks at this level normally.

It's like the 2 Caelic's Commandments, but with bigger bad effects.
I do get the use of going Sorc-y on the progression, especially if decent kickbacks like Thrallherd.  It's just a larger penalty for the Erudite.

[SorO_Lost]

There isn't a "legitimate" document for it, as far as I know, because it was never officially released.

Depends on what you define as legitimate. If you mean the Sidebar, example, intent, and Epic entry you have that.

It also technically states "level" which is a weak assignment that doesn't directly support the concept of "psionic power level", it merely can be misconshewed as such. Prior to mentioning and after mention that it's also talking classes. In otherwords, there is just as much evidence that the sentence can be read as unlike a Psion an Erudite manifests a certain number of UPDs for each of his levels according to his class levels.

There is also the second technicality.
An Erudite has 10 UPDs for each level per day.
An Erudite has 10 UPDs of each level per day.

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You translate the sentence to mean the first one, but the wording used is the second one.

"of each" uses the word each as a pronoun. I'm going to go ahead and for the exact Oxford example here, "Derek had money from each of his five uncles". That sentence is not describing the value of Derek's money based on a number multiplied by his uncles, it's describing he has an amount of money from five different contributions.

But we know what RAW means, and it has nothing to do with rules or what's written.

[Captnq]

Okay, here's what I got so far:

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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 (Dragon 319): The original Erudite had a table which is reproduced for you. It had 1 power at 1st level, 16 at 10th level, and 36 at 20th level. Not quite as awesome as the psion, but not nearly as crippling as the revision. I like it better then the other two because it flows better.
Level   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9
1st   1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
2nd   2   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
3rd   2   1   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
4th   3   2   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
5th   3   2   1   -   -   -   -   -   -
6th   3   3   2   -   -   -   -   -   -
7th   4   3   2   1   -   -   -   -   -
8th   4   3   3   2   -   -   -   -   -
9th   4   4   3   2   1   -   -   -   -
10th   4   4   3   3   2   -   -   -   -
11th   4   4   4   3   2   1   -   -   -
12th   4   4   4   3   3   2   -   -   -
13th   4   4   4   4   3   2   1   -   -
14th   4   4   4   4   3   3   2   -   -
15th   4   4   4   4   4   3   2   1   -
16th   4   4   4   4   4   3   3   2   -
17th   4   4   4   4   4   4   3   3   1
18th   4   4   4   4   4   4   3   3   2
19th   4   4   4   4   4   4   4   3   3
20th   4   4   4   4   4   4   4   4   4
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 initial point buy a little, then pick Charisma. I guess the point is that if you are really hot, the universe is more likely to look the other way, or something.


Comments/suggestions/rewrites welcome.