Question for Psionic rules experts Re: psionic monsters

[DizzyKungFu]

I have a question regarding psionic creatures. Some creatures have feats (such as Mind Trap, Deep Impact, Psychic Bastion, etc.) that are activated by using power points, but the creatures themselves don't have any power points, just a number of psionic powers/attacks/defenses "at will". Does this mean that the feats are always on?

If that is the case, then that seems a little powerful and unbalanced, if you ask me. Let's take the Cerebelith for example. It has no PPs, but it has the Quicken Power feat. I know that you can only use one quickened power in a round, but does this mean that the Cerebelith can always use any one of its powers in Quickened mode FOR FREE, in addition to anything else it does in the round? Holy crap!

 

[dkilgo]

That is correct. That is why the cerebrelith is so darn nasty.

I also think that the cerebrelith's CR might be off. I havent quite played one in game before.

 

[DizzyKungFu]

So does that mean a Blue that gained character levels to take Quicken Power could use it for free on any of his "at will" powers? Holy crap again!

 

[Stalker0]

So does that mean a Blue that gained character levels to take Quicken Power could use it for free on any of his "at will" powers? Holy crap again!

I would force the blue to spend the pp he got from his character levels, and wouldn't get to use quicken power after they were exhausted.

Basically treat it like a wizard/sorc. Keep his blue stuff seperate from his character stuff.

 

[kreynolds]

So does that mean a Blue that gained character levels to take Quicken Power could use it for free on any of his "at will" powers?

No. Psionics for the Blue is a spell-like ability. It could select the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat (MMII, page 18). This would let it use each of it's spell-like ability as a free action only once per day.

 

[DizzyKungFu]

No. Psionics for the Blue is a spell-like ability. It could select the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat (MMII, page 18). This would let it use each of it's spell-like ability as a free action only once per day.

Then why wouldn't the Cerebelith have that instead of Quicken Power?

 

[IceBear]

Probably because it didn't exist when they wrote those monsters (just guessing )

IceBear

 

[DizzyKungFu]

OK, but if the Cerebelith's powers were limited to one Quickened use each per day, that would be a lot less powerful. So which is it/should it be?

 

[kreynolds]

So which is it/should it be?

It should have Quicken Spell-Like Ability. Quicken Power is completely inappropriate, and unuseable anyways, because it doesn't even posses any true powers. It only possesses psionics as a spell-like ability.

 

[dkilgo]

It should have Quicken Spell-Like Ability. Quicken Power is completely inappropriate, and unuseable anyways, because it doesn't even posses any true powers. It only possesses psionics as a spell-like ability.

I agree. It is quite possible that they placed Quicken Power in the text for effect. Only because Quicken Spell-like Ability wasn't out yet.