D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] What Tier would a Psion who *only* had metacreativity powers be?

[Particle_Man]

I am assuming a psion who only has metacreativity powers, doesn't Use Psionic Device (or other means) to get around that, one who simply (for whatever reason, including social reasons) does not learn or use other powers.

Would such a character be Tier 1? Tier 2? Other?

Assume Complete Psionic and Expanded Psionic Handbook as rules (so only 1 Astral Construct can be around/turn). Assume Psion from level 1 to 20 (no prestige classes).

 

[Nezkrul]

first of all, there aren't really enough metacreativity powers to only have metacreativity powers for some levels, or rather enough diversity of powers; is he going to have general psion/wilder powers in addition?

compiling a quick list of all metacreativity powers...

1st- astral construct, psionic minor creation, deaden blow, bolt, create sound, crystal shard, ecto protection, entangling ectoplasm, psionic grease, metaphysical weapon
2nd- psionic repair damage, crystalstorm, concealing amorpha, swarm of crystals
3rd- greater concealing amorpha, ectoplasmic cocoon, psionic glyph of warding, dismiss ectoplasm, energy wall
4th- burrowing bonds, psionic fabricate, quintessence, ectoplasmic swarm, wall of ectoplasm
5th- hail of crystals, detain ectoplasm, living arrow, ectoplasmic shambler, incarnate, psionic major creation
6th- crystallize, greater psionic fabricate
7th- mass ectoplasmic cocoon, energy claw
8th- astral seed, psionic iron body, matter manipulation
9th- genesis, true creation
This list is not all-inclusive, I left out Lurk powers and most, if not all, mantle powers

 

[Particle_Man]

36 powers are on the psion/wilder and shaper lists in the two books - the numbered lists are as if the psion were taking the higher level powers as soon as possible, but at high levels this becomes a problem as one runs out of higher level powers and has to dip down into the lower level powers that were not yet taken (represented by a + rather than a number):

1st
1 Ecto Protection
2 Entangling Ectoplasm
3 Grease, Psionic
4 Bolt
5 Crystal Shard
+Astral Construct
+Minor Creation, Psionic
+Create Sound

2nd
1 Concealing Amorpha
2 Swarm of Crystals
3 Psionic Repair Damage
4 [Crystal Storm]

3rd
1 Concealing Amorpha, Greater
2 Ectoplasmic Cocoon
3 Dismiss Ectoplasm
4 Keen Edge, Psionic
+[Glyph of Warding]

4th
1 Fabricate, Psionic
2 Quintessence
3 Wall of Ectoplasm
4 [Burrowing Bonds]
+[Ectoplasmic Swarm]

5th
1 Hail of Crystals
2 Ectoplasmic Shambler
3 Incarnate
4 Major Creation, Psionic
+[Detain Ectoplasm]

6th
1 Crystalize
2 Fabricate, Greater Psionic
3

7th
1 Ectoplasmic Cocoon, Mass
2 [Energy Claw]
3

8th
1 Astral Seed
2 Matter Manipulation
3 Iron Body, Psionic

9th
1 Genesis
2 True Creation
3
4
5
6

The gaps are matched by the plusses at lower levels for a total of 36 powers for the 20th level psion. That said, it would be strange to take the incarnate power, since they wouldn't have the other powers that incarnate makes permanent. So I will modify it slightly and exclude incarnate (and one other power, let's say ectoplasmic swarm, for aesthetic reasons) by having the psion take a prestige class after all (in this case ectopic adept, which reduces manifester level by one and thus the 15th psion/5th ectopic adept has only 34 powers). Thus they will have 34 powers, all metacreativity powers.

There are three metacreativity powers not on the psion/wilder or shaper lists. They could be gotten with three uses of the expanded knowledge feat, I suppose.

The question remains: What tier would this character be?

 

[Nezkrul]

with ectopic adept taken as soon as possible, I'd say he's upper tier 3 almost tier 2, until he gets 8th level and higher powers, then he's tier 2

 

[Particle_Man]

Merci!

 

[WaroftheSendros]

Definitely agree with Nezkrul, I've not really looked into Psion's too much though can they not add to their metacreativity with skills? If so that would be my personal option.

War of the Sendros

 

[Particle_Man]

Well, the craft skills help. Craft (sculpting) not only makes the astral constructs look more defined, it is a requirement for using the Ectoplasmic Adept prestige class's powers. Some of the other craft skills can be used when using the creation or fabricate powers, assuming one is making something complex, although the extent to which this is needed is more of a DM's call.

I am not sure about the other skills as they relate to Metacreativity. I suppose Bluff helps with Create Sound? And of course Concentration is always useful for manifesting powers in general.