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question deals specifically with spells, psionic powers with these effects are treated exactly the same.
Area: Some powers affect an area. You select where the power originates, but otherwise you don't control which creatures or objects the power affects. Sometimes a power describes a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the following categories: burst, cone, creatures, cylinder, emanation, objects, spread, and other. These areas are described in Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook under Aiming a Spell. While the text in question deals specifically with spells, psionic powers with areas are exactly the same.
Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER‘s Guide also provides helpful diagrams of each area.
Discipline
All powers are grouped according to their discipline. Each of the six disciplines is associated with a key ability score (See the Disciplines sidebar in Chapter 1: Psionic Classes). The key ability score is important when manifesting a power, because it modifies the DC of your opponent's saving throw to resist a power, as described in
Saving Throw, below. The power's name line gives both the discipline the power belongs to and the appropriate key ability score.
Saving Throw Most harmful powers allow an affected creature to
make a
saving throw to avoid some or all of the effect.
The Saving Throw line in the power description defines
which type of saving throw (if any) the power allows, with additional terms to describe how saving throws against the power work.
Negates: This term means that the power has no effect on an affected creature that makes a successful saving throw.
Half: The power deals damage, and a successful saving throw halves the damage taken (round down).
Partial: The power causes an effect on its subject, such as death. A successful saving throw means that some lesser effect occurs (such as being dealt damage rather than being killed) as detailed in the descriptive text.
None: No saving throw is allowed.
(Object): The power can be manifested on objects, which receive saving throws only if they are magical or psionic, or if they are attended (held, worn, grasped, and so on) by a creature resisting the power, in which case the object gets the
creatures saving throw bonus unless its own bonus is greater.
(This notation does not mean that a power can only be manifested on objects. Some powers with this notation can be manifested on creatures or objects.) A psionic item's save bonuses are each equal to 2 + one-half its manifester level
(Harmless): The power is usually beneficial, not harmful, but a targeted creature can attempt a saving throw if it wishes.
Saving Throw Difficulty Class: Each time you manifest a power, you set the DC of an opponent's saving throw: 1d20 + the level of the power + your ability score modifier for the key ability.
Succeeding at a Saving Throw: A creature that successfully saves against a power without obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but it cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. You do not sense when creatures succeed at saving throws against effect and area powers.
Voluntarily Giving up a Saving Throw: A creature can voluntarily forgo a saving throw and willingly accept a power's result. Even a character with a special resistance to
psionics or magic can suppress this if he or she wants to.
Items Surviving after a Saving Throw: Unless the descriptive text for the power specifies otherwise, all items carried and worn are assumed to survive a psionic arrack. If a character rolls a natural 1 for his saving throw, however, an exposed item is harmed (provided the attack can harm objects). Determine which four significant objects are most likely to be struck and roll randomly among them. See Table 10-1 in Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook; the top four items listed there are most likely to be struck in a psionic attack: shield, armor, helmet (or circlet/headband/third eye), or item in hand. Substitute “psionic power” for “magical attack,”
and “psionic item” for “magic item,” as appropriate. The randomly determined item must make a saving throw against the attack form and suffer whatever damage the arrack
deals.
If an item is not carried or worn and is not psionic, it does not get a saving throw. It simply is dealt the appropriate damage.
Power%Resistance
Power resistance is a special defensive ability. If your power is being resisted by a creature with power resistance, you must make a manifester level check (1d20 + your manifester level) at least equal to the
VARIANT: SAVING THROW DIFFICULTY CLASS AGAINST PSIONIC POWERS
A statistically similar method of determining a victim's saving throw DC against a psionic power is to, quite simply, use the same method used by arcane and divine spells. Using this variant, a saving throw against a power has a DC of 10 + the level of the power + the key ability score modifier of the manifester. This has the advantage of saving time, and the disadvantage of removing a bit of the unique flavor of using a psionic power Instead of a spell.
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creature's power resistance (PR) for the power to affect that creature. The defender's power resistance is like an “Armor Class” against psionic attacks.
Unless you are using the Psionics Are Different option (see later in this chapter), a defender's spell resistance functions just like power resistance
in its ability to resist psionic powers. Likewise, power resistance grants psionic creatures an equal chance to resist spells, using the same mechanism: The total of 1d2o + caster level must be at least equal to the creature's power resistance for the spell to affect the creature.
A psionic power's Power Resistance line and descriptive text tell you whether power resistance protects creatures from it. In many cases, power resistance applies only when a resistant creature is targeted by the power, not when a resistant creature encounters a power that is already in place.
The terms “object” and “harmless” mean the same as for saving throws. A creature with power resistance must voluntarily drop the resistance in order to receive the effects of a power noted as harmless without the manifester level check described above.
The DUNGEON MASTER‘s Guide has more details on spell resistance. Even if the Psionics Are Different option is used, psionic powers map directly to spells for purposes of this discussion.
The Power's Result
Once you know which creatures (or Objects or areas) are affected, and whether those creatures have made successful saving throws (if any), you can apply whatever results a power entails, as defined in the descriptive text.
Duration
Once you've determined who is affected and how, you need to know for how long. A power's Duration line tells you how long the energy of the power lasts. Possible durations
include the following categories: timed duration;
instantaneous; permanent; concentration; subjects, effects, and areas; touch powers and holding the charge; discharge;
and dismissible (D). Each of these duration types is described in Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook under Duration. While the text in question deals specifically with spells, psionic powers with durations work exactly the same way.
XP Cost
Some high-level powers (such as emulate power or true creation) entail an experience point (XP) cost to you. No power can restore the lost XP. You cannot spend so much XP you lose a level, so you cannot manifest the power unless you have enough XP to spare. However, you may, on gaining enough XP to achieve a new level, immediately spend the XP on manifesting the power rather than keeping it to
advance a level.
The Power Points line for a power includes a notation when an XP cost must be paid.
Display
When psionic powers are manifested, secondary displays usually accompany the primary effect. The psionic display may be auditory, material, mental, olfactory, or visual. No power's secondary display is significant enough to create consequences for the psionic creatures, allies, or opponents during combat. The secondary effects for a power only occur if the power’s
description indicates it.
If multiple powers with similar displays are in effect simultaneously, the displays do not necessarily become more intense. Instead, the general display remains much the same, though with minute spikes in intensity. A Psicraft check (DC 10 + 1 per additional power in use) reveals the exact number of simultaneous powers in play.
Auditory (Au): From the manifester’s vicinity or in the vicinity of the power’s subject (manifester's choice), a bass-pitched hum issues, eerily akin to many deep-pitched voices. The sound grows in a heartbeat from hardly noticeable to as loud as a shout, which can be heard within 100 feet. At the manifester's option, the instantaneous sound can be so soft that it can only be heard within 15 feet with a successful Listen check (DC 10). Some powers describe
unique auditory displays.
Material (Ma): The subject or the area is briefly slicked with ephemeral translucent goo. The slime evaporates after 1 round regardless of the power's duration. Sophisticated psions recognize the slime as ectoplasmic seepage from the Astral Plane; this substance is utterly inert.
Mental (Me): A subtle chime rings in the minds of creatures within 15 feet of the manifester, or the subject (at the manifester's option) for the space of a second (or for the duration, at the manifester's option). Some powers describe unique mental displays.
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Olfactory (Ol): An odd but familiar odor brings to mind a brief mental flash of a memory long buried. The scent is difficult to pin down, and no two individuals ever describe it the same way (to one creature the odor may be akin to burning metal, while to her companion, honeysuckle). The odor originates from the manifester and spreads to a distance of 20 feet, then fading in less than a second (or for the duration, at the manifester's option).
Visual (Vi): The manifester's eyes bum like points of silver fire while the power remains in effect, and an instantaneous rainbow-flash of light sweeps away from the manifester to a distance of 5 feet, unless a unique visual secondary effect is described.
Customizing Displays: The DM may substitute a given display effect for another specific effect appropriate to his or her campaign, or even to an individual psionic character. For instance, powers with a material (Ma) display might produce
“fairy dust” instead of an ectoplasmic sheen. Once a given display is customized, though, its effects should not vary for that campaign or character.
CONCENTRATION
To manifest a power, you must concentrate. If something interrupts your concentration while you're manifesting a power, you must make a Concentration check or lose the power points, with the power unmanifested. The more distracting the interruption and the higher the level of the power that you are trying to manifest, the higher the DC is.
(The DC depends partly on the power level because higher level powers require more mental effort.) If you fail the check, you lose the power points just as if you had manifested the power to no effect.
Psionics are spell-like abilities. In most cases, a spell-like ability (and manifesting a power) works just like a spell, and casting a spell works much like manifesting a power for the purposes of the restrictions that apply. Those restrictions are the same as those on casting a spell, except for one important difference: Armor does not hinder the manifestation of a power. In all other cases, manifesting a power follows the rules for casting a spell (for instance, if you manifest a power within an opponent's threatened area, you draw an attack of opportunity from that opponent).
Situations (other than armor) that interrupt a spell also interrupt the manifestation of a psionic power. When a power manifestation is interrupted, you lose the power points you would have spent to successfully manifest the power. If you were using a free 0-level power, the power fails, but you do not use up a free manifestation. The situations that might interrupt the manifestation of a power include a sudden injury, another spell or power affecting you, being grappled or pinned, or vigorous or violent motion. The descriptions for each of these interruptions are presented in Chapter 3: Skills under Concentration.
Manifesting Defensively: If you want to manifest a power without provoking any attacks of opportunity, you need to dodge and weave. To manifest the power, you must succeed at a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the power you're manifesting). You still lose the power points if you fail.
MANIFESTER LEVEL
A power's effect and duration often depend on its manifester
level, which is equal to your psionic class level For example, an astral construct power lasts 1 round per manifester level so the astral construct it creates lasts 11 rounds if manifested by an 11th-level psion.
If desired, you can manifest a power at a lower manifester level than normal, but the manifester level must be high enough for you to manifest the power in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same manifester level.
POWER FAILURE
If you try to manifest a power in conditions where the characteristics of the power (range, area, etc.) cannot be made to conform, the manifestation fails and power points are wasted. For instance, if you manifest charm person on a dog, the power fails because a dog is the wrong sort of target for the power.
Powers also fail if your concentration is broken (see Concentration, above).
SPECIAL POWER EFFECTS
Certain special power features apply to all powers.
Attacks: Some powers refer to attacking. All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, such as disarm and bull rush, are attacks. All powers that opponents resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are attacks. Astral construct I and similar powers are not attacks because such powers bring combatants to you, but the powers themselves don't harm anyone.
Bonus Types: Many powers give creatures bonuses to ability scores, Armor Class, attacks, and so on. Each bonus has a type that indicates bow the power grants the bonus. For example, ectoplasmic armor grants an armor bonus to AC, indicating that the power creates tangible armor to protect you. Combat precognition, on the other hand, grants an insight bonus to AC, because you know when your opponent is planning to attack you. The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack.
With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and bonuses granted by a suit of armor and a shield used in conjunction by a creature, only the better bonus works. The same principle applies to penalties—a character suffering two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one.
Bonus types include armor, competence, deflection, enhancement, enlargement, haste, inherent, insight, luck, morale, natural armor, profane, resistance, sacred, and synergy. (Bonus types are covered in detail in Chapter 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER‘s Guide.)
Descriptors: Some powers have descriptors indicating something about how the power functions. For example, many psionic powers are mind-affecting (as noted in the power's name line). Most of these descriptors have no game effect by themselves, but they govern how the power interacts with other powers, with spells, with special abilities, with unusual creatures, with alignment, and so on.
The descriptors are acid, chaotic, cold, darkness, death, electricity, evil, fear, fire, force, good, language-dependent, lawful, light, mind-affecting, sonic, and teleportation.
For instance, the power whitefire has the descriptor [Fire].
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When a psion manifests whitefire on creatures with, say, fire immunity or fire resistance, the descriptor provides the immediate answer to the question of whether or not whitefire can hurt that creature.
PSIONICS%MAGIC TRANSPARENCY
The default rule for psionics and magic is simple: Psionic powers interact with spells and spells interact with psionic powers in the same way a spell or normal spell-like ability interacts with another spell or spell-like ability. This is known as transparency.
Psionics-Magic Transparency: Though not explicitly called out in the spell descriptions in the Player's Handbook or the magic item descriptions in the DUNGEON MASTER‘s Guide, always follow this rule (unless your DM is using the Psionics Are Different option): Spells, spell-like abilities, and magic items that could potentially affect psionics do affect psionics.
A series of examples follow.
Spell resistance is effective against psionic powers of the same level, using the same mechanics. Likewise, power resistance is effective against spells of the same level using the same mechanics as spell resistance. If a creature has one, it is assumed to have the other. (Another way to look at it is that they are the same quality with two different names, depending on your worldview.
Allow all spells that negate or dispel magic equal effect against psionic powers of the same level using the same mechanics, and vice versa. The spell dispel magic also “dispels”
psionics of the appropriate power level, while negate psionics similarly negates spells.
The spell detect magic detects psionic powers, their number, and their strength and location within 3 rounds (though a Psicraft check is necessary to peg the discipline of the psionic aura).
“Dead magic” areas are also “dead psionics” areas.
Enchantment Resistance: Elves are resistant to spells of the Enchantment school, as are monks and rogues with still mind and slippery mind, respectively. This translates into the same bonus to resist all psionic powers with the compulsion descriptor (aversion, domination, and so on). If your DM uses the Psionics Are Different option, then no special bonus against compulsion effects exist.
Multiple Effects: Powers or psionic effects usually work as described in Chapter 5: Powers no matter how many other powers, psionic effects, spells, or magical effects happen to be operating in the same area or on the same recipient. Except in special cases, a power does not affect the way another power or spell operates. Special cases exist, though. For example, dispel magic removes other magical effects and psionic effects (unless the Psionics Are Different option is in use).
Whenever a power has a specific effect on other powers or spells, the power description explains the effect (and vice versa for spells affecting powers). Several other general rules apply when powers, spells, magical effects, or psionic effects operate in the same place.
Stacking Effects: Powers that give bonuses or penalties to attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and so on, usually do not stack with themselves. For example, two ectoplasmic armor powers don't give the recipient twice the benefits of one.
More generally, two bonuses of the same type don't stack even if they come from different powers, or one from a power
and one from a spell. For example, the armor bonus from a mage armor spell and the armor bonus from an ectoplasmic armor power don't stack. You use whichever bonus gives you the better Armor Class. In the same way, a shield prudence power gives you an insight bonus to AC, which does not stack with the insight bonus you get from a combat precognition power.
Different Bonus Types: The bonuses or penalties from two
Different Bonus Types: The bonuses or penalties from two