Use Psionic Device and Psicrowns

[Urklore]

If you have Use Psionic Device and no Psion class levels, what is the DC skill check to activate a Psicrown?

Is it DC 20 to emulate a class feature, since it is a power trigger device and a dojre is a power trigger device as well requiring the power to be on a class list?

Or it is higher? As the rules say the minimum manifester level for all Psicrowns is 8th. In this case the DC would be 28 (as your roll -20 is what your manifester level is when using Use Psionic Device).

 

[Hypersmurf]

Or it is higher? As the rules say the minimum manifester level for all Psicrowns is 8th. In this case the DC would be 28 (as your roll -20 is what your manifester level is when using Use Psionic Device).

There are two misapprehensions in here.

The minimum manifester level is not the minimum manifester level you must possess to activate the Psicrown.

Let's say we have a Psicrown that had a manifester level of 8. And let's say you're a Psion-3, with a manifester level of 3. When you activate the Psicrown, it uses either your manifester level, or the Psicrown's, whichever is higher; in this case, the power manifests with a manifester level of 8. Now let's say you're a Psion-13; activating the same Psicrown results in a power manifesting with a manifester level of 13.

What the 'minimum' rule means is that you cannot craft a Psicrown that possesses a manifester level lower than 8.

The other mistake? When using the 'Use a Dorje' aspect of Use Psionic Device, you don't have an emulated manifester level. You'll either use your own manifester level or the Psicrown's manifester level, but your check either succeeds or it fails. A check of 19 is a fail; a check of 20 or a check of 120 are both successes, and identical to each other.

You only have an emulated 'effective level' if you're using 'Emulate a Class Feature'... and that's an effective class level, not an effective manifester level. And it's not used for activating a Psicrown.

For a Psicrown, it's just the DC20 'Use a Dorje' check.

-Hyp.