Manifester level troubles

[ElectricDragon]

IMC I have a player with a Githzerai monk 4/Psychic Warrior 6/Zerth Cenobite 4. In trying to figure out his manifester level I ran into a problem. The Zerth Cenobite does not say that zerth cenobite level is manifester level or half zerth cenobite level is manifester level or anything like that. Paladin and Ranger do deal with caster level in this regard. I thought it was an oversight.

My research lead me to two conclusions.
1.Manifester levels stack for all purposes.
2.Manifester levels are separate for each class and prestige class.

While you maintain a single reserve of power points from your class, race, and feat selections, you are still limited by the manifester level you have achieved with each power you know. For example, a 10th level psion/2nd level psychic warrior can spend up to 10 points when manifesting a psion power, but only up to 2 points when manifesting a psychic warrior power.

Psion

A psion can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

Psychic Warrior

A psychic warrior can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level.

Zerth Cenobite

You can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than your manifester level.

Overchannel feat

Normal: Your manifester level is equal to your total levels in classes that manifest powers.

So what is the character's manifester level?
6 Psychic Warrior and 4 Zerth Cenobite
or
10 Psychic Warrior/Zerth Cenobite.

Is there some Errata, Rules of the Game, etc. that clears this up, am I just misreading it, or did I miss something important that helps this make sense?

Ciao
Dave

 

[Thanee]

Is the Zerth Cenobite a PrC that advances an existing class (i.e. like the typical spellcaster PrC, like Archmage); or does it have its own progression (i.e. similar to Assassin)?

If it's the first, then the levels should stack with the class it is based upon (PW here).

Bye
Thanee

 

[ElectricDragon]

It gets powers from the Psychic Warrior list. It mentions nothing about how its manifester level advances. It has its own progression though.
Powers known: up to 5.
Max Power Level: up to 4th.

Max Power Level is exactly like Psychic Warrior; but powers come slower (instead of 1/level as Ps War, 1 at 1st, 2 at 2nd, 3 at 4th, 4 at 7th, and 5 at 10th.

Ciao
Dave

 

[Thanee]

Then it (most likely) does not stack. It's like a different class (i.e. as if you have a Spellthief/Assassin both with their own caster level).

Bye
Thanee

 

[irdeggman]

Thanee has it right.

The Prestige Class doesn't say +1 manifester level. It gives a list of powers known, etc just like other classes do. It can choose it's powers using the Psychic Warrior list - but they are still a different class.

Like a sorcerer/wizard.

2 spell lists (one for each class) drawn from the same choices.

 

[ElectricDragon]

But what does the Normal statement under the Overchannel feat mean then?

Ciao
Dave

 

[starwed]

It means an editor let one slip: it's an error. The first rule you quote is the primary one, and the rules for errata state that it takes precedence.

I'm not convinced that it would necessarily be broken to allow otherwise; you still lose out on high level powers, and a lot of pp.

 

[ElectricDragon]

I was afraid that was the case. When I looked for info I only found the statement on pg. 18 yesterday. The Overchannel feat Normal statement was what I initially found and ruled by. He has now been Ps War/Zerth Cenobite combined manifester level for four levels now. I think I will just let my original call stand as it doesn't seem to be overpowering to the rest of the party.

Ciao
Dave