Improved Hidden Talent [Psionic]
You mind further wakes for the Will.
Prerequisite: Cha 12, Hidden Talent, character level 3rd.
Benefit: You gain 3 power points. Choose one 2nd-level power from any psionic class list and add to your powers known. You are considered a 3rd-level manifester when manifesting these powers. Use Charisma to determine how hard those powers are to resist.
Special: You cannot take or use this feat if you have levels in manifester classes.
Greater Hidden Talent [Psionic]
You mind reaches full potential for the Will.
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Improved Hidden Talent, character level 5th.
Benefit: You gain 5 power points. Choose one 3rd-level power from any psionic class list and add to your powers known. You are considered a 5th-level manifester when manifesting these powers. Use Charisma to determine how hard those powers are to resist.
Special: You cannot take or use this feat if you have levels in manifester classes.
Here's what I came up with if you want to compare and contrast:
IMPROVED HIDDEN TALENT [PSIONIC]
Your potential to manifest your psionic wild talent increases.
Prerequisite: Chr 13, Knowledge (psionic) 3 ranks, Hidden Talent.
Benefit: You can manifest your psionic talent as a manifester equal to half your character level (minimum of 1st level manifester). Additionally, your Charisma modifier now grants you bonus power points based on your new manifester level. See Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points for details.
Special: You cannot take or use this feat if you already have levels in a manifester class.
GREATER HIDDEN TALENT [PSIONIC]
You unlock another hidden talent of higher level.
Prerequisite: Effective manifester level 4th, Hidden Talent, Improved Hidden Talent.
Benefit: You can select and manifest a power of 2nd level. You can choose a 2nd level power from any discipline or class list. This feat may only be selected once.
I found the original links to those threads. Here they are if you're interested:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=627441
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=427876
I do like your "you cannot take or use this feat if you have levels in manifester classes" limit, since it would prevent abuse from psionic characters, specially wilders. However, I think the "manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st)" is a bit too strong to give as a feat.
I think that we could take some direction from the dragonmarks in Eberron for determining manifester level and for making a feat chain for psionic abilities.
However, I think the "manifester level is equal to 1/2 Hit Dice (minimum 1st)" is a bit too strong to give as a feat.
It's really not though. Compare it to your version of greater hidden talent which treats a character as a 5th-level manifester. You figure a character will on average take that feat as their 6th level feat. With my feat chain they would be effectively a 3rd-level manifester. Sure, the effective manifester level scales with the characters level, but thats to keep the hidden/wild psionic talent(s) useful through all levels and not become useless at higher levels.
I think that we could take some direction from the dragonmarks in Eberron for determining manifester level and for making a feat chain for psionic abilities.
Which would be?
Which would be?
Well - it is obvious, silly Sysane...you will need to read the Eberron Campaign book to find the answer.
...I...ummm, don't have the books here with me, or I would have offered up a full example - I am sure someone with access to the books right now would be kind enough to give us a preview of how the dragonmarks handle the caster levels of those with the dragonmark feats.
Why read the books when I can have someone do the work for me? :P
I'm not exactly sure why, but something about this statement makes me think you should form an Exploratory Commission to look into a possible presidential run in '08. Must be a subconscious reaction of some sort. *shrug*
It's really not though. Compare it to your version of greater hidden talent which treats a character as a 5th-level manifester. You figure a character will on average take that feat as their 6th level feat. With my feat chain they would be effectively a 3rd-level manifester. Sure, the effective manifester level scales with the characters level, but thats to keep the hidden/wild psionic talent(s) useful through all levels and not become useless at higher levels.
Yes, it is slightly stronger at the beginning, but quickly stops being stronger at higher levels, just as a wild talent would be compared to someone who studied the Way. Your version just keeps getting stronger and stronger as a psi-like ability would.
Perhaps your version makes more sense, but I'm concerned that it would become unbalanced and exploitable just as the 2ed rules were.
Yes, they may be equal in manifesting ability at first level, but the non manifesting classed character is going to have less power points and invested two feats in order to do so.
However, I could always up the prereqs for improved hidden talent to deter characters from being able to take it at 1st-level if there's a real concern.
The feat is suppose to allow a wild talent's power(s) to grow at a gradual rate, but not at the rate of a full manifester. That's the price for not taking levels in a manifester class but wanting to have some ability in the Way.
If you want your character to be a more powerful wild talent, just bite the bullet and take a few levels in Wilder.
Bruno's:
Power Points: 12 (2 from Hidden Talent + 3 from IHT + 5 GHT + 2 from Charisma)
Powers Known: one 1st-level, one 2nd-level, one 3rd-level
Manifester Level: 5th
Sysane's:
Power Points: 4 (2 from Hidden Talent + 2 from Charisma)
Powers Known: one 1st-level, one 2nd-level
Manifester Level: 4th
I'm sorry, but I would never use 3 feats for the later.
Bonus power points for high charisma grow with manifester level so a character with a charisma of 14 would have 5 power points by the time his manifester level reached 3 and 7 power points by the time his manifester level reached 5. With a charisma of 16 those numbers would be 6 and 9 respectively.
Exactly. If the character wants more power points than that they would need to spend a feat or two on psionic talent.
Also note, once a character takes greater talent as a feat they can now spend future feats on expanded knowledge on more 1st level powers.
Sysane's:
Power Points: 4 (2 from Hidden Talent + 2 from Charisma)
Powers Known: one 1st-level, one 2nd-level
Manifester Level: 4th
Your maths a little off here. If the wild talent is 9th level his power point total would be 6 not 4 (2 from hidden talent and 4 for being a 4th level manifester with a Cha score of 14 ).
Under your feat chain a 6th-level character would have 15 power points (2 hidden talent, 3 IHT, 5 GHT, and 5 for being a 5th-level manifester). Thats almost as many power points as a 6th-level Psy warrior (17 power points). Furthermore, a character under your feats has the ability to manifest a 3rd-level power at 6th-level. Psy Warriors can't manifest 3rd-level powers till 7th. Personally, I don't feel that a wild talent should be able to manifest higher level powers sooner or equal to an actual manifesting class.
I'm sorry, but I would never use 3 feats for the later.
If you had a choice between the two feat chains of course you wouldn't. Yours is the much better deal investment wise at lower levels. However, I also feel that your set of feats are a bit out of balance and offers too much too soon for a cost of 3 feats. Thats not meant to be a cut against you and please don't take it as such