Soulknife and Power Attack?

[Bront]

From the SRD...

The blade is identical in all ways (except visually) to a short sword of a size appropriate for its wielder.

A soulknife can use feats such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise in conjunction with the mind blade just as if it were a normal weapon.

Doesn't that mean that he can't use Power Attack with it since it is a light weapon (Short sword?)

Just seems odd...

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Doesn't that mean that he can't use Power Attack with it since it is a light weapon (Short sword?)

Yep.

At least, he can't use it until:

Shape Mind Blade (Su): At 5th level, a soulknife gains the ability to change the form of his mind blade. As a full-round action, he can change his mind blade to replicate a longsword (damage 1d8 for a Medium weapon wielded as a one-handed weapon) or a bastard sword (damage 1d10 for a Medium weapon, but he must wield it as a two-handed weapon unless he knows the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) feat). If a soulknife shapes his mind blade into the form of a bastard sword and wields it two-handed, he adds 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus to his damage rolls, just like when using any other two-handed weapon.
Alternatively, a soulknife can split his mind blade into two identical short swords, suitable for fighting with a weapon in each hand. (The normal penalties for fighting with two weapons apply.) However, both mind blades have an enhancement bonus 1 lower than the soulknife would otherwise create with a single mind blade.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The quote from the SRD sounds as if it was intended to allow power attack and combat expertise to be used normally (and didn't take into account the change in power attack made in 3.5 to boost 2H use and reduce the effectiveness of light weapons further).

The soulknife is so underpowered as it stands that I wouldn't have any hesitation in allowing them to power attack with it (just as I'd allow someone with a sunblade to powerattack even though "However, a sun blade is wielded as if it were a short sword with respect to weight and ease of use.")

Cheers

 

[Bront]

I stumbled on the grow the blade thing afterwards, so it made a bit more sense.

Thanks.