Can you scribe advanced Psionic Tattoos?

[Grant_Stoom]

I couldn't really find the answer for this in the rules. But could I scribe a tattoo of say Vigor that had been "advanced" with more powerpoints? Without the advancement option a lot of the psychic warrior powers will be silly for scribing, but then again it doesn't seem right that you could jack up the power essentially for free either.

(SRD) The text of the Scribe tattoo says that :

SCRIBE TATTOO [ITEM CREATION]
You can create psionic tattoos, which store powers within their designs.
Prerequisite: Manifester level 3rd.
Benefit: You can create a psionic tattoo of any power of 3rd level or lower that you know and that targets one or more creatures. Scribing a psionic tattoo takes one day. When you create a psionic tattoo, you set the manifester level. The manifester level must be sufficient to manifest the power in question and no higher than your own level. The base price of a psionic tattoo is its power level x its manifester level x 50 gp. To scribe a tattoo, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials (special inks, masterwork needles, and so on) costing one-half of this base price.
When you create a psionic tattoo, you make any choices that you would normally make when manifesting the power.
When its wearer physically activates the tattoo, the wearer is the target of the power.
Any psionic tattoo that stores a power with an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must pay the XP when creating the tattoo.
***************

So is one of those "choices that you would normally make when manifesting the power" how much extra you pump into it?

 

[Spatula]

The answer appears to be no. The Psionic Tattoo section of the XPH states that tattoos cannot be scribed with a higher-than-minimum manifester level, which would appear to be a requirement to placing an augmented power in an item (see Dorjes for example).

 

[Grant_Stoom]

I think you're right. Going to check with my DM if he'll allow augmenting the power up to the equivalent cost of a 3rd level power and pricing the tattoo that way.

So a 1st level power aug'ed twice would cost 750 rather than 50, and 2nd levels could be aug'ed once, 3rd cannot be aug'ed at all.

Of course, tattoos with range of personal cost DOUBLE so it's not like they'd be cheap...

Thanks for the help.

 

[Spatula]

Of course, tattoos with range of personal cost DOUBLE

They do? Since when?

 

[Starglim]

I'd probably allow scribing of tattoos up to a cost of 5 power points, the base cost of a 3rd level power. Augmenting a power doesn't increase its manifester level or power level, so it doesn't violate the rules for scribing a tattoo.


edit: spelling

 

[Spatula]

Augmentation doesn't increase the power level, but it does increase the manifester level because of the PP cap. A 5-pt Vigor is a 1st level power with a manifester level of at least 5. Since the psionic tattoo rules don't allow for increasing the manifester level beyond the minimum (set by the power level), augmentations aren't possible. That's easily changed by the DM, of course.

 

[Spatula]

They do? Since when?

Okay, so it's right there on page 182, but no mention of personal-range powers costing double is made on page 170 or in the chart on 171, nor in the feat description. Such a rule makes psi-tattoos pretty useless IMO, since just about every "buff" power for a psion is personal-range.

 

[reiella]

Okay, so it's right there on page 182, but no mention of personal-range powers costing double is made on page 170 or in the chart on 171, nor in the feat description. Such a rule makes psi-tattoos pretty useless IMO, since just about every "buff" power for a psion is personal-range.

Eh, it's part and parcel with parity with Brew Potion.

 

[Alzrius]

This is using 3E psionics, not 3.5E, but if you want expanded material on psionic tattoos, check out the feature WotC did on them a while back in The Mind's Eye.