Psionic Feats and Psionic Races

Christian · Dec 8, 2004

OK, here's a rules question & my off-the-cuff ruling. All opinions welcome ...

In the XPH, it states that Psionic Feats are available for characters who can manifest powers, including (it says) psi-like abilities.

1) Am I correct in inferring that eg. a maenad or a kalashtar (from Eberron) qualifies to take Psionic Feats even if they have no psionic classes? (Both of them have racial abilities described as psi-like.)

2) Presuming so, is there any point? Most psionic feats either affect power usage, or require the character to have and/or expend their psionic focus; and a character needs a power point reserve to gain/maintain psionic focus ...

This looks to be the RAW, as I see it. My thought regarding the interaction of these rules, though, is that perhaps a character should be considered to have a power point reserve if she has a psi-like ability with uses left for the day. So, a maenad fighter (for example) would be able to maintain psionic focus until she used her energy ray sonic attack, at which point she would be considered to have an empty power point reserve until the ability was renewed the next day. Does this seem to be a reasonable interpretation to anybody?

Thanks!

Evilhalfling · Dec 8, 2004

All the innately psionic races have 1-2 psps at first level, regardless of class
Maeads 2 pts
Elan 2 pts
Dromidites 1 pt
they can all still use psionic focusing feats, for extra dmg, extra speed, or aligning a weapon -
although only Elan can spend these points without any Psi levels or feats.

Christian · Dec 8, 2004

Herm. Do we lean on the direct statement or the parenthetical explanation? The stated qualifier for psionic feats is 'able to manifest powers', which is then explained parenthetically as '(has a power point reserve or a psi-like ability)'. But a dromite without levels in a psionic class can't manifest powers, in spite of having a 'power point reserve'. I guess if we focus on the parenthetical statement, a member of a psionic race will qualify for psionic feats, and will be eligible to gain psionic focus whenever she's conscious (unless she takes a psionic class & burns her power points on something).

shadowlight · Dec 8, 2004

Christian said:
OK, here's a rules question & my off-the-cuff ruling. All opinions welcome ...

In the XPH, it states that Psionic Feats are available for characters who can manifest powers, including (it says) psi-like abilities.

1) Am I correct in inferring that eg. a maenad or a kalashtar (from Eberron) qualifies to take Psionic Feats even if they have no psionic classes? (Both of them have racial abilities described as psi-like.)

Yep. In fact, you don't even have to be able to manifest, you just have to be a psionic character (have power points or psi-like abilities). Here's the Wild Talent feat (from the SRD) that explains it:

WILD TALENT [GENERAL]
Your mind wakes to a previously unrealized talent for psionics.
Benefit: Your latent power of psionics flares to life, conferring upon you the designation of a psionic character. As a psionic character, you gain a reserve of 2 power points and can take psionic feats, metapsionic feats, and psionic item creation feats. You do not, however, gain the ability to manifest powers simply by virtue of having this feat.

Christian said:
2) Presuming so, is there any point? ...

Yep. I recently had a 1st level Kalashtar Rogue who took the Psionic Shot feat. He took a couple ranks in concentration, so he could easily take 20 outside of combat to regain his psionic focus. That meant that his first sneak attack (when he expended his psionic focus) would deal +3d6 pts of damage (+1d6 for the sneak attack and +2d6 for psionic shot). So that's a total of 4d6 point of damage (from a short bow) from a 1st level character...

Another reason to do this would be for a monk to take the Psionic Fist or Psionic Body feats.

Spatula · Dec 8, 2004

shadowlight said:
Yep. I recently had a 1st level Kalashtar Rogue who took the Psionic Shot feat. He took a couple ranks in concentration, so he could easily take 20 outside of combat to regain his psionic focus.

So, your rogue has a Con penalty?