Question for Psionic rules experts Re: psionic monsters

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

IMO the difficulty arises because psionic powers are, for balance purposes, treated as spell-like abilities, but their feats work differently.

As for are psionics magic or not - in my campaign they are not. However, they are still (usually) a standard action to use, still draw an AoO, and power resistance applies to them.

 

[dkilgo]

You are correct.

Psionic abilities are not magical.

But, for the ease of use in the DnD game system they incur with the same system that applies to magic. Hence, the argument where it stands. I believe that just because the majority of the psionic system is similar to magic does not mean that the entire functionality of the system is like that of magic. I read the entries in the FAQ for the PsiHB petaining to spell-like abilities, and came to the conclusion that Skip (no offense) is treating psionics too much like magic. The feats for psionics work differently for the psionic monster races than magic feats do on nonpsionic monster races. That is apparent in how the two were written up. The psionic monsters have metapsionic feats that do apply to their psionic abilities without a power point cost. That does not mean that the nonpsionic creatures could then turn around to purchase a metamagic feat that effects spells, and use them on thier spell-like abilities. That is not what that is implying. Not at all.

I understand the confusion over the abiguity of it all, but Bruce Cordell (the guy who wrote the Psionics Handbook) stated that the creatures could use those feats without power point costs. And, no, it was not a nod in Skip Williams's direction. It was a plain explaination of how that works. The way that his explanation is written is as though he felt there was no more he had to say on the subject, end of story. Hence, the simple answer. Yet, some people think that the answer in abiguous and cryptic. They think that they need to read a novel behind those few short words. I am sorry, I feel, that is not the case with this one particular subject. To argue further beyond what Bruce stated would be mute.

It would be like Tommy getting the new GI Joe toy, and you didn't. So, you went ahead and nagged your parents to get you the same toy only because Tommy had one. Heck, that would just not be fair.

If this rant is too long for some, if not all, then I appologize, and ask for forgiveness. I think that I have had enough on this subject for a while. I will bow out here. Thank you for listening, and I will be paying attention to your posts. Have a wonderful day.

<--Slides out to the edge of the room with a humble look upon his face.-->


EDIT: spelling

 

[kreynolds]

I see that the entry for the Cerebrelith needs an up date in the errata just for a question like this.

The Cerebrilith's Psionics (Sp) doesn't need an update. There's nothing wrong with it.

Granted I missed a few things, but I still stand by my decision that they are different, and that they are not spell-like abilities.

You can house rule it if you don't like it, but they are in fact spell-like abilities.

So the feats work reguardless of the presence of power points or not.

Correct, and according to the FAQ, those feats only work that way if they have them in their original description. I can live with that.

Whether or not it makes sense to you is mute.

You misunderstand. That part I understand, now that I've seen it, and it makes sense.

Also, K stop glancing over everything, and actually read it.

I'm not just 'glancing over everything'. I thoroughly read your posts, but there were holes in your argument. Parts of your posts didn't make sense to me, so I left them alone so that you could explain. I did 'glance' over the FAQ though, and that was my bid.