Handicapped by lack of Power Points?

[Ferrum]

I've been running a Psionics game, and last session, we came across two rules questions:

1. Can a soulknife manifest a mindblade when his power point reservoir is empty?
2. Can a character hold a psionic focus when his power point reservoir is empty?

I've looked, but could not find an answer to these two questions. Perhaps my research skill is abysmal, or the answers I seek may be hidden. I has hoping you fine folks could direct this DM and his players to a final truth...

 

[irdeggman]

I've been running a Psionics game, and last session, we came across two rules questions:

1. Can a soulknife manifest a mindblade when his power point reservoir is empty?

I would say noo becasue of the following text.

Wild Talent: A soulknife gains Wild Talent as a bonus feat. (This class feature provides the character with the psionic power he needs to materialize his mind blade, if he has no power points otherwise.)

2. Can a character hold a psionic focus when his power point reservoir is empty?

No, based on this under Concentration.

Gain Psionic Focus: Merely holding a reservoir of psionic power points in mind gives psionic characters a special energy. Psionic characters can put that energy to work without actually paying a power point cost—they can become psionically focused as a special use of the Concentration skill.

If you have 1 or more power points available, you can meditate to attempt to become psionically focused. The DC to become psionically focused is 20. Meditating is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. When you are psionically focused, you can expend your focus on any single Concentration check you make thereafter. When you expend your focus in this manner, your Concentration check is treated as if you rolled a 15. It’s like taking 10, except that the number you add to your Concentration modifier is 15. You can also expend your focus to gain the benefit of a psionic feat—many psionic feats are activated in this way.

Once you are psionically focused, you remain focused until you expend your focus, become unconscious, or go to sleep (or enter a meditative trance, in the case of elans), or until your power point reserve drops to 0.

 

[KarinsDad]

The answer to the first question is yes.

Wild Talent supplies him with the ability to manifest his mindblade. And, there are no explicit rules that disallow it at zero PP.

irdeggman is making an inference from the Wild Talent description, but it is not explicitly stated there.

Also, it is not fun nor balanced for a Soulknife to lose his mindblade completely, just because he used up his PP.

 

[irdeggman]

KD is correct on where I made my interence on soulknives and mindblades. The rules on whether or not they need any pp in order to manifest it or not are not clear.

However the only time they ever use pp is if they also manifest powers (and that is from multiclassing). So the "no fun" part is actually a pretty good restriction on a multiclass psion/SK to keep the character in check. Can an archer still shoot arrows when his quiver is empty?

Psionic races with psi-like abilities don't require expenditure of pp in order to "power up" their powers.

But the rules are not clear on this one though and you will have to come up with something on your own here.

 

[KarinsDad]

KD is correct on where I made my interence on soulknives and mindblades. The rules on whether or not they need any pp in order to manifest it or not are not clear.

However the only time they ever use pp is if they also manifest powers (and that is from multiclassing). So the "no fun" part is actually a pretty good restriction on a multiclass psion/SK to keep the character in check. Can an archer still shoot arrows when his quiver is empty?

Apples and Oranges. Soulknives do not expend PP when using the Mindblade, but an archer uses up arrows when he uses his bow.

Psionic races with psi-like abilities don't require expenditure of pp in order to "power up" their powers.

Psionic races with psi-like abilities also can use their psi-like abilities even if they are out of PP. Why would this be different for a Soulknife if it is not explicitly specified?

But the rules are not clear on this one though and you will have to come up with something on your own here.

Actually, I think the rules are fairly clear. PP are requierd for three stated purposes: 1) manifesting psionic powers that require PP, 2) holding a psionic focus, 3) powering certain types of psionic items.

For them to limit any other psi-like ability, it would have to be explicitly stated (the quote you listed is implicit and open to interpretation).

 

[Infiniti2000]

Apples and Oranges. Soulknives do not expend PP when using the Mindblade, but an archer uses up arrows when he uses his bow.

Soulknives cannot expend PP at all so it's more like Apples and Tables.

Actually, I think the rules are fairly clear. PP are requierd for three stated purposes: 1) manifesting psionic powers that require PP, 2) holding a psionic focus, 3) powering certain types of psionic items.

For them to limit any other psi-like ability, it would have to be explicitly stated (the quote you listed is implicit and open to interpretation).

I also think they're fairly clear and support irdeggman's initial response. How does a Soulknife power the mindblade? The answer is the Wild Talent class feature (bonus feat). Wild Talent provides two things: conferring the status of "psionic character" and granting a reserve of 2 power points. Which of these is necessary for the mindblade? Look at the remaining description of the class feature: "...if he has no power points otherwise." In other words, this clearly states (IMO) that if the character did have power points otherwise (multiclass), then the primary purpose of the class feature (i.e. to provide "the character with the psionic power he needs to materialize his mind blade") would be irrelevant.

 

[irdeggman]

Another related text to support my interpretation.

From Races of Eberron.


Kalashtar soulknife racial substitution levels from Races of Eberron.

1st level “Align Mindblade”.” . . . . This substitution feature replaces the standard soulknife’s free Wild talent feat. Since all Kalashtar gain power points for free, the character does not need this feat to materialize his mindblade.”

Are there other racial substituion levels for psionic races out there for the soulknife?

If so how does othe text compare?

 

[Nareau]

Soulknives cannot expend PP at all so it's more like Apples and Tables.

Sure they can:

While a weapon made of deep crystal is no different from a mundane crystal weapon for a nonpsionic character, a psionic wielder of a deep crystal weapon can focus psionic power through it, increasing the damage that weapon deals. As a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the wielder can channel psionic power into a melee weapon or ranged weapon made of deep crystal. For 2 power points, the deep crystal weapon deals an extra 2d6 points of damage.

Incidentally, I'm the player for whom this will matter.

Spider

 

[Pielorinho]

To clarify, the soulknife (who likes TWF, but who can't manifest two psiblades yet) found a sword that allows him to deal lots of extra damage if he expends 2 PP. (I think it's a certain type of crystal). He channeled his 2 PP into the sword during a difficult fight; the question became whether this prevented his manifestation of the psiblade for the rest of the day.

I can see an argument going either way. However, since multiclassing is usually a bad idea for soulknives, and since other circumstances for using these PP are so rare, I'm inclined to say that it's hunkydory.

Daniel

 

[Pielorinho]

:Shakes fist at Spider