[XPH] Confirmation on Wilders - Wild Surge Ability

[JDragon]

Ok, this is fairly simple I'm just wnating to make sure I understand the power point cost on augmented powers used during a wild surge.

So, Bob is a Wilder thats 5th level. His Wild Surge can add up to 2 levels making him effectivly 7th level when he surges. So if he uses Mind Thrust (a 1st level power) it would have the following costs depending on if and how he augmented it...

no augmentation - 1 pp

augmented to his level (without wild surge -5th level) - 5 pp

augmented to mis max (using wild surge - 7th level) - ?

I know its not 7, based on the example on page 31 it would be 5, but per the last paragraph of the description has me thingking it would be 1.

Last paragraph page 31 of Wild surge Description...
"In all cases, the wild surge effectively pays the extra power point cost that is normally required to augment the power; only the unaugmented power point cost is subtracted from the wilder's power point reserve."

So did I miss something or do you get suped up powers cheap for the chance to daze your self for a round?

Thanks

 

[Thanee]

You have to augment normally, only the points to augment for the additional manifester levels reached through wild surge are free.

The ability is extremely badly worded.

Bye
Thanee

 

[James McMurray]

Does the wording of the ability allow a 1st level Wilder to Wild Surge for +1 and manifest an unaugmented power for free? IDHTBWM and I was thinking it would be something that could greatly increase a Wilder's power at low levels. If they can Energy Ray all day with only a 5% chance of dazing themselves and no power point loss, they'll have a lot better staying power than a 1st through 3rd level psion or sorcerer.

 

[Thanee]

Nope, wilde surging has only an effect on powers that are already augmented to maximum, as I understand it.

The manifester level boost gives her the ability to augment her powers to a higher degree than she otherwise could...

I think that is exactly the effect of the wild surge. Not to be able to "save" PP during a manifestation, but to augment a power beyond its maximum.

Bye
Thanee

 

[DreamChaser]

No. This ability only gives you one or more levels of free augmentation which are only gained in you augment as much as you're capable otherwise.

A first level wilder manifests a mind thrust with a wild surge. She can 1 point of augmentation without paying for it.

A fifth level wilder manifests a mind thrust with a wild surge. If she spends 5 points on the power (augmenting it to 5 dice) then she gains 2 more dice for free. If she chooses to manifest it at 3 dice (thus 3 pp) she gains no benefit.

I think it is a silly way of working the ability. It would work better to just gain the listed number of "free augmentation" points. So a 5th level wilder could pay 1 point and (with a wild surge) manifest a 3 die mind thrust.

DC

 

[Thanee]

I think it is a silly way of working the ability. It would work better to just gain the listed number of "free augmentation" points. So a 5th level wilder could pay 1 point and (with a wild surge) manifest a 3 die mind thrust.

That wouldn't make it what it is intended to be, tho. Overchanneling!

I think it works pretty much as intended (if done as you and I have stated).

Bye
Thanee

 

[DreamChaser]

of course, that explains why wilders have so many PPs with so few powers. they can charged the frell out of their powers without too much worry.

DC

 

[Zhure]

Hmmm... I was pondering a Wilder using Wild Surge to pump up Bestow Power.

Smells almost like free power points if you have two of them doing it.

Greg

 

[James McMurray]

You'll have to be 18th level to get Wild Surge +6 so you can pay 3 power points to gain 4. If you are 20th level and have an 18th level Wilder Cohort you could achieve infinite power points that way.

Over at WotC someone pointed out that Bestow Power and Affinity Field combine to grant infinite power points. There have been several arguments against it, and I haven't followed the thread closely, so I don't know if it has been completely shot down or not.

In any case though, free power points just screams house rule, so I don't see the point in going to the trouble to find the combos that allow it. Its not like Magic where you can go infinite and win 5 tournaments before erratta gets written that bans the combo, the instant your DM sees it happen he just says "no."

 

[JDragon]

Thanks for the info everyone.