Looking for psionics clarification

[James McMurray]

Is there a rulebook, FAQ, or Sage answer that explains how reducing the cost of a power affects the power points spent? In other words, an official stance on whether lowering a power's cost means you can augment it more?

For example, given the feat Earth Power, how many dice can a psion get with Energy Missile?

 

[jefgorbach]

IMO, the psi-user is limited to their current psi-points unless the power(s) in question impose additional limits. Since energy missile is open-ended, an Earth Powered Energy Missile would be limited to the user's current psi-points +1; minimum 2pts for 3d6.

 

[Wyvernhand]

The official rule of psionics is that you can never spend more PP on a power than your Manifester Level. Period. If something increases your ML, you can spend more points. If something reduces the point cost of a power, you can effectively spend more points, as long as the total points after reductions is equal or lower than your ML.

If you were a Psion6, your ML would probably be 6. You could manifest an Energy Missile for 3 points base + 3 points augement = 6 points. If you had Earth Power, you could manifest an Energy Missile for 3 points base + 4 points augement -1 point Earth Power = 6 points. Both manifestations cost you 6 points, but the first does 6d6 damage, the second does 7d6.

 

[Dandu]

I am inclined to agree.

 

[James McMurray]

I agree as well, but there was a debate about it at the game last week. The DM ruled that Earth Power lowered the final number of power points spent, so it didn't grant the ability to get more augmentation. If there's something official I can point to that explains it, I will. But if it's just more people who share my opinion, I'll go along with his interpretation rather than argue about it (we've got too many rules arguments in our group already).

 

[Wyvernhand]

Sorry, I couldn't find any other evidence. I tried looking at similar times such as the Torc of Power Preservation, but couldn't find anything definative. Its pretty much a matter of when PP spent is checked, to use programming language. If PP <= ML is checked at every step in the process, then you would be stuck with a 6d6 Energy Missile for 5 PP. If PP <= ML is only checked at the end of the process, than you could effectively load more PP into the power since by the time reducers are applied, it does meet the conditions.

 

[James McMurray]

That's what I figured, but it didn't hurt to ask. Paying 1 less for powers is still nice, though I don't think it's worth the two feats I paid for it. That's what retraining is for.