D&D FAQ gets it wrong?

[Enforcer]

The latest official D&D FAQ has a the following question and answer:

Q: Can a soulknife (Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 26)
with the shape mind blade ability (page 28) create his mind
blade as one of the alternative forms, or must he first create
it as a short sword and then spend a full-round action to
shape it?

A: When the soulknife spends a move action to create his
mind blade, it appears as a short sword regardless of whether
he also has the shape mind blade ability. Once created, a
soulknife with shape mind blade can then use a full-round
action to change the mind blade’s shape. He can’t initially
create it in any other shape.

Sorry, no, in my opinion that's absolutely unreasonable. And it's not like the Soulknife needs a nerf, no one else has to spend this amount of time drawing their main weapon...

Thoughts? Comments? Flames?

 

[Rhun]

I'm not very "up" on psionics and such, but I hear often that the FAQ gets a lot of stuff wrong.

 

[Patlin]

You're not alone. LEW reached a consensus against that interpretation very quickly.

 

[szilard]

Hmmm...

I thought the mind blade always appeared in the same form it last had.

If that is the case, then the FAQ is correct insofar as the first time the mind blade is shaped it will have to first be a short sword.

-Stuart

 

[Enforcer]

Hmmm...

I thought the mind blade always appeared in the same form it last had.

If that is the case, then the FAQ is correct insofar as the first time the mind blade is shaped it will have to first be a short sword.

-Stuart

But the FAQ doesn't say what you did, it says, "He can’t initially create it in any other shape," meaning that regardless of what shape it was when you "put it away" the last time, you can only create it again as a shortsword.

 

[Thanee]

From the rules text, the FAQ is clearly correct.

Whether the rules text is reasonable, is another issue.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Artoomis]

But the FAQ doesn't say what you did, it says, "He can’t initially create it in any other shape," meaning that regardless of what shape it was when you "put it away" the last time, you can only create it again as a shortsword.

It appears that's what the rules say.

"As a move action, a soulknife can create a semisolid blade composed of psychic energy distilled from his own mind. The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword..."

"The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next move action..."

"... As a fullround action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a longsword...or a bastard sword ..."

It sure looks like the sequence is:

Create blade (short sword) as move action (free action at 5th level).

Change blade as fullround action.

Blade is destroyed (or dissipates if he lets it go).

Create blade (short sword) as move action (free action at 5th level).

Chaneg blade a fullround action.

Rinse and repeat.

If anyone can show how it works any other way using quotes from the class, that would be great.

This FAQ entry appears to be correct.

 

[Patlin]

Once a soulknife has prepared his blade for a psychic strike, it holds the extra energy until it is used. Even if the soulknife drops the mind blade (or it otherwise dissipates, such as when it is thrown and misses), it is still imbued with psychic energy when the soulknife next materializes it.

So it can maintain energy while dropped, but loses track of shape? That's silly. It shouldn't work that way, and interpreting it to do so even if semantically correct makes a weak class weaker. I don't know why I waste my time playing one!

 

[irdeggman]

So it can maintain energy while dropped, but loses track of shape? That's silly. It shouldn't work that way, and interpreting it to do so even if semantically correct makes a weak class weaker. I don't know why I waste my time playing one!

Well you can change its shape with a full round action but it takes 8 hrs of meditation to change the enhancements.

 

[Artoomis]

So it can maintain energy while dropped, but loses track of shape? That's silly. It shouldn't work that way, and interpreting it to do so even if semantically correct makes a weak class weaker. I don't know why I waste my time playing one!

I don't know either.