Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 terendel Nov 08, 2003 18:52:03	Okay, call me slow, but I just discovered the wonders of "Trigger Power." And I was reading the very detailed example in DS 3.5 of how scaling, trigger and metapsionics all fit together. In the example, the maximized, scaled, triggered Whitefire cost 5 PP if successfully triggered and 16 if not. My question is this. Why do you only pay for the scaling cost (the 5 PP) instead of the scaling+maximized cost (which would be 13 in the example)? Don't get me wrong. The player in me likes it the way it's written, but the DM in me wants a reason so I don't feel like I'm getting away with something for practically nothing. Thanks! Juli
#2 zombiegleemax Nov 21, 2003 11:51:00	Curios.. I was to ask something like it too.... still didn't understand this mechanic...
#3 flip Nov 22, 2003 13:32:37	From the Psionic's Handbook FAQ Can you use the Trigger Power feat on a power that has been enhanced with a metapsionic feat? For instance, can you trigger a maximized version of ultrablast? Well, you can't use Trigger Power on ultrablast because it's a 7th-level power and you can use the feat only on a power of 3rd-level or less. Otherwise, yes, you can trigger a metapsionicly enhanced power. Your reserve has to match the enhanced power's increased cost. Note that there is a limit to how much you can enhance a power with a metapsionic feat; the total cost can't be higher than your psionic character level minus one (see page 23 of the Psionics Handbook). Note that Trigger Power's limit of 3rd-level powers or less applies only to a power's normal level and not to its higher metapsionic level (see page 23 of the Psionics Handbook), which is used for items that store powers. Now, the strict reading of this and the TP feat text is probably telling me that, provided I make the DC roll, I don't have to pay to metamagic a Triggered Power. That is, the FAQ doesn't discuss altering the DC, and the trigger power feat sets DC based on power level, not on power point cost. So, while I do have to have enough PP to manifest the power without TP, I can add (say) Maximize power to Inflict Pain and still only have to make a DC 15 roll. The metapsionic doesn't seem to actually influence the DC of the roll. Now, that's all by a strict reading of the FAQ and the Feat description. Personally, I think that adding metamagic to the triggered power should adjust the DC by the same amount as the metamagic feat adjusts the PP total ... but nothing actually says that. So, the entry on metamagic + scaling + trigger given in the core doc is somewhat ambiguous, because the official situation regarding metamagic + trigger is somewhat ambiguous. Thus, we only delt with adding the scaling to that cost. (Of course, I'm open to the argument that scaling a power should adjust a trigger DC, rather than being applied "after" the trigger check. Six of one, half-dozen of the other, I suppose) ... If somebody can point me to something official from wizards regarding the metamagic + trigger situation that I've missed, I would be greatful.
#4 flip Nov 22, 2003 13:32:50	[Double post killed]
#5 Pennarin Nov 22, 2003 15:18:14	Huck...fiendish double post.
#6 zombiegleemax Nov 24, 2003 5:06:02	hum...