Erudite from Dragon 319 and Discipline powers

[Kyamsil]

I was reading that article last night and there is something wrong on its wording, an errata or just something I didn't understand right.

On the section "Learning Discipline Powers" of how the erudite can add powers to their repertorie apart from the free ones they get by level, it first says:

"An erudite can only learn discipline powers by directly learning them from another's repertorie, learning it from a power stone, or by taking the Expanded Knowledge or the Epic Expanded Knowledge feat [...]"

Then it goes on explaining the process of how to learn the power. And all goes well until they get to the Psicraft check to understand the power:

"[...]Next, the erudite may make a Psicraft check (DC15+ power's level) to see if he understands one of the powers. If the power is not on his class list or is a discipline power, he automatically fails this check."

So, what's going on? I suppose this last part should be some sort of errata, as the focus of the class is in learning powers, from any sort of class list or discipline by accessing power stones, other manifesters' repertories and so on. How is it that when you get to make the check to learn the power it automatically fails when on the rest of the class description they talk about their capability of learning those powers in this way?

I must be missing something, but I don't get it... You can try to learn it but automatically fail the check?

 

[DreamChaser]

I must be missing something, but I don't get it... You can try to learn it but automatically fail the check?

They can take the Expanded Knowledge feat to automatically learn a power just like any other psionic character can. This is a different mechanic from learning a new power through Psicraft.

DC

 

[DreamChaser]

Of course, that is not even approaching the issue of the fact that an erudite gains the same # of PP as a psion, has (over the long run) the same number of unique powers per day as a psion has powers known and can conceivably (sp) learn every power in the universe. Add onto this, an effective bonus feat (they gain a bonus feat and the Psycrystal Affinity feat for free at first level). Add in the same BAB (poor), saves (Will good), and a slight reduction in weaponry (I think they have wizard weapons, IIRC) and you have a class the outclasses the psion completely and has the same base stat (Int).

Not my idea of a good class. Maybe instead of the psion but they would still outclass psychic warriors and wilders.

DC

 

[Kyamsil]

They can take the Expanded Knowledge feat to automatically learn a power just like any other psionic character can. This is a different mechanic from learning a new power through Psicraft.

DC

Yes, I know they can do that, but that's not the point.

I was asking specifically about the process of adding discipline powers by getting them from power stones or other psionic beings repertories. You start reading the process and seems like it works fine but then they say that if it is a discipline power or one out of your class list you fail the attempt automatically. What is right?Can they do it or not?Any errata?

 

[DreamChaser]

Yes, I know they can do that, but that's not the point.

I was asking specifically about the process of adding discipline powers by getting them from power stones or other psionic beings repertories. You start reading the process and seems like it works fine but then they say that if it is a discipline power or one out of your class list you fail the attempt automatically. What is right?Can they do it or not?Any errata?

I see what you mean. I tend to think that discipline powers can only be learned through Expanded Knowledge. The other method is for other powers. The description is misleading and confusing but the precident set by other classes, the feat, and other aspects of the class description.

DC

 

[Kyamsil]

If the method is not intended to learn discipline powers how is it that the tittle of it specifically says: "Learning Discipline Powers"?

 

[DreamChaser]

If the method is not intended to learn discipline powers how is it that the tittle of it specifically says: "Learning Discipline Powers"?

After re-reading the class, I'm inclined to reverse my previous thought. The sentences
"[...]Next, the erudite may make a Psicraft check (DC15+ power's level) to see if he understands one of the powers. If the power is not on his class list or is a discipline power, he automatically fails this check."

are nearly a cut and paste from the XPH on "manifesting powers from another's repertoire" and I think they forgot to edit it out. I would errata this by editing the second sentence out.

Of course, this makes the class even more out of proportion from the psion.

DC

 

[Michael Tree]

It's a screw-up. At one point Bruce Cordell said as such, and wrote an answer for what to do, but that didn't make much sense either. Personally, I just cross out the "or is a discipline power" part.