Incarnate debate

[Dross Swordra]

Need a bit of help with this one......
I play a 15th level Psion. I want to use the incarnate power to make Danger Sense permanent. Is there any reason I can't first augment the danger sense and then use incarnate to make it permanent? I can't find any specific ruling on using incarnate on augmented powers. My DM thinks that using incarnate in this fashion might be overpowered (since it would effectively give my character uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge). But my counter is that using incarnate on danger sense costs 1500 XP (the second most expensive use of the power). I feel that giving up 1500 XP would be way too much in exchange for a +4 bonus versus traps.
Anyways, if someone could point me to a source book (or SRD entry) that tackles the subject I would be very appreciative.

Thanks,
-Dross

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Need a bit of help with this one......
I play a 15th level Psion. I want to use the incarnate power to make Danger Sense permanent. Is there any reason I can't first augment the danger sense and then use incarnate to make it permanent? I can't find any specific ruling on using incarnate on augmented powers. My DM thinks that using incarnate in this fashion might be overpowered (since it would effectively give my character uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge). But my counter is that using incarnate on danger sense costs 1500 XP (the second most expensive use of the power). I feel that giving up 1500 XP would be way too much in exchange for a +4 bonus versus traps.
Anyways, if someone could point me to a source book (or SRD entry) that tackles the subject I would be very appreciative.

Thanks,
-Dross

I am assuming you're talking about the 3.5 Psionics Handbook. Not only is the 3.0 Danger Sense power lame and 3.0 Incarnate broken, but the whole system was broken.

So, assuming 3.5...

Yes, there's a reason not to do it. The Incarnate power has a specific lists of powers it applies to, that have been playtested for balance. If the power is not on the list, it has either not been playtested, or has been playtested and foudn broken.

The GM should think carefully about this. Now, personally, I don't think the power is useful for avoiding traps. +4 save ... wooh. Useless. Use it to maintain your Dex bonus to AC, however, which is great for when a rogue jumps you and sneak attacks your d4 hp/level self. That might cost extra XP (augmenting), and it might not be balanced, but at least you won't be wasting XP on a completely useless power.

 

[thorian]

I think incarnating an augmented power is just fine as long as the power is on the list for incarnate, which Danger Sense is. I think of it like this -- augmenting a power is a part of manifesting the power, and it is not really much different to allow incarnating augmented powers as it would be to allow an arcane caster to permanacy a spell cast at his caster level, since they, in essence, get augmenting for free (since the typical arcane spell scales with caster level, whereas the psion's power necessitates the expenditure of additional power points via augmenting).

 

[Solarious]

Don't forget that Incarnated/Permanencied spells are subject to dispelling! It becomes a distinct liability to your XP totals if you begin to regularly encounter spellcasters that keep on dispelling them.

Besides that cavet, it's not that big a deal. You're spending XP and you used up a power to make an effect permanent. There would be no point if you didn't use it. As said before, if it does become a problem, it can always be dispelled.