Explain Energy Missile to me

[Al'Kelhar]

From the SRD:

Energy Missile
Psychokinesis [see text]
Level: Kineticist 2
Display: Auditory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./ level)
Targets: Up to five creatures or objects; no two targets can be more than 15 ft. apart.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half or Fortitude half; see text
Power Resistance: Yes
Power Points: 3

Upon manifesting this power, you choose cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. You release a powerful missile of energy of the chosen type at your foe. The missile deals 3d6 points of damage to each creature or object you target, to the maximum of five targets. You cannot hit the same target multiple times with the same manifestation of this power.
Cold: A missile of this energy type deals +1 point of damage per die. The saving throw to reduce damage from a cold missile is a Fortitude save instead of a Reflex save.
Electricity: Manifesting a missile of this energy type provides a +2 bonus to the save DC and a +2 bonus on manifester level checks for the purpose of overcoming power resistance.
Fire: A missile of this energy type deals +1 point of damage per die.
Sonic: A missile of this energy type deals –1 point of damage per die and ignores an object’s hardness.
This power’s subtype is the same as the type of energy you manifest.
Augment: For every additional power point you spend, this power’s damage increases by one die (d6) and its save DC increases by 1.(save DC errata'd to +1 per 2 PPs)

For 3 PPs, how many energy missiles do I manifest, and how much damage does each do? Can I manifest up to 5 missiles, each doing 3d6 damage? Or do I manifest 1 missile only with each manifestation, but it "bounces" between up to 5 targets (within 15 ft), doing 3d6 points of damage to each target. In either case, this seems like a very, very powerful power (save for half damage notwithstanding).

Cheers, Al'Kelhar

 

[Christian]

For 3 PPs, how many energy missiles do I manifest, and how much damage does each do? Can I manifest up to 5 missiles, each doing 3d6 damage? Or do I manifest 1 missile only with each manifestation, but it "bounces" between up to 5 targets (within 15 ft), doing 3d6 points of damage to each target. In either case, this seems like a very, very powerful power (save for half damage notwithstanding).

You could describe it either way. But the essence is correct--you will do 3d6 (plus or minus) damage to each of up to five targets, all of which must be within 15 feet of each other. The balancing allegedly comes in the fact that, to learn this power, you must either be a kineticist (giving up some other nice available specialty powers) or spend a feat slot on Expanded Knowledge. This power is basically the kineticist's 'special trick'.

That said, I rarely see a powergamer Psion build that doesn't spend the feat to grab this power. Even after the errata ...

 

[Nifft]

I'm a powergamer and I never use it. Much prefer energy stun. I can usually find two enemies next to each other, more often than I can find three to five enemies in a 15 ft. diameter circle. And the stun effect rules. And no feat wasted.

Energy missile is not a weak effect, though. Think of it as a very small fireball that allows you to exclude your friends. The targeting pays for the small area. (The low level + exclusive list pays for the lame range.)

Cheers, -- N

 

[KarinsDad]

That said, I rarely see a powergamer Psion build that doesn't spend the feat to grab this power. Even after the errata ...

We have had 5 Psion builds (all but one a hardcore powergamer) and none of them took it as a feat. One took it as a power because he had a Kineticist, but the rest did not.

It's potent, but not the be all end all of psionics. Many builds do not use it.

 

[wildstarsreach]

My Shaper at 9th level used his feat to take this. Though the problem that I find is rarely will you have 5 enemies together in a 15 ft corcle like that. The PC's usually fight 1 ro 2 larger more powerfule creatures. Though if there are a lot of mooks, this is a great power.