Damp power: WTF?

[Samb]

For a measely 3 power points this power makes and power/spell or PLA/SLA do its minimal amount of damage, as an immediate action.

That impressive 15d10 of damage just turned into 15 points of damage.  And I didn't even have to prepare for it beforehand, just use it when I see it coming.  CPsi nerfed psionics?  With a power like this I find it hard to believe.

   What was WotC thinking when they made this power?

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Multiple spells/round

[rubberduck]

maximized spells /powers still do full damage as there is no more random variables...

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ask/20070618a

Q: Dear Sage
Does the damp power psionic power (Complete Psionic, 82) trump an effect that empowers or maximizes a spell or power?
A:

[Sinfire Titan]

For a measely 3 power points this power makes and power/spell or PLA/SLA do its minimal amount of damage, as an immediate action.

That impressive 15d10 of damage just turned into 15 points of damage.  And I didn't even have to prepare for it beforehand, just use it when I see it coming.  CPsi nerfed psionics?  With a power like this I find it hard to believe.

   What was WotC thinking when they made this power?

Got news for you: it doesn't stop Petrification. Or a Barbarian's charge. Or Death Effects. Or Solid Fog. There's so many ways around that power that it isn't funny. At best, it replaces a single Reflex save/round. Think of it like spending 3 power points on a gimped version of the Elan's racial save bonuses+Evasion. You still need to make a save for half, and no matter what a normal Psion (assuming no equipment or multiclassing) is going to take 7 damage.

This is also one of the reasons why Blasting isn't viable: Too many effects negate it or nerf it to the point that a single enemy relying on pure blasting isn't going to do anything unless the blast has side-effects. Defenstrating Sphere, Entangling Exhalation (which I just implemented against a DFA who uses it), the 4th level versions of the Orb of X spells, anything with secondary side effects not keyed to the target taking damage from the attack is always better than pure blasting.

This also explains why Explosive Spell is a trap. The target has to fail their save against the original spell's Reflex save (one of the easiest saves to boost and Evasion is incredibly common for a class feature), and then fail a second save. The results? They get knocked prone, flung back, and take a little damage.

[Bozwevial]

This also explains why Explosive Spell is a trap. The target has to fail their save against the original spell's Reflex save (one of the easiest saves to boost and Evasion is incredibly common for a class feature), and then fail a second save. The results? They get knocked prone, flung back, and take a little damage.

The exception being when you're using it to lay waste to the surrounding countryside.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

This also explains why Explosive Spell is a trap. The target has to fail their save against the original spell's Reflex save (one of the easiest saves to boost and Evasion is incredibly common for a class feature), and then fail a second save. The results? They get knocked prone, flung back, and take a little damage.

The exception being when you're using it to lay waste to the surrounding countryside.

Or dropping nukes on cities.

[Bozwevial]

This also explains why Explosive Spell is a trap. The target has to fail their save against the original spell's Reflex save (one of the easiest saves to boost and Evasion is incredibly common for a class feature), and then fail a second save. The results? They get knocked prone, flung back, and take a little damage.

The exception being when you're using it to lay waste to the surrounding countryside.

Or dropping nukes on cities.

Who says you can't do both at once?

[JaronK]

Now I'm wondering if there's a middle ground, a way to use Explosive Spell in an effective yet campaign appropriate way.  Tough to do, and would DEFINITELY require boosting save DCs up to where it's unlikely they'd ever pass.  Shadowcraft Mage, perhaps?

JaronK

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Now I'm wondering if there's a middle ground, a way to use Explosive Spell in an effective yet campaign appropriate way.  Tough to do, and would DEFINITELY require boosting save DCs up to where it's unlikely they'd ever pass.  Shadowcraft Mage, perhaps?

JaronK

Explosive sculpted spells are decent in corridors, but the level increase makes them far less useful.

[SorO_Lost]

A Frostcaster can pull it off. Along with a dozen other things.

Changling Wizard 5 / Stormcaster 5 / Frost Mage 4 / Recaster 2 / Stormcaster +1 (for filler) / Recaster +3
Flaw: Snowcasting
Flaw: Draconic Heritage
1st: Frozen Magic
3rd: Draconic Aura
Bonus: Enlarge Spell
6th: Cold Spell Specialization
9th: Energy Substitution(electricity)
12th: Explosive Spell
Bonus: Piercing Cold
Bonus: [virtual] Eschew Materials & Silent/Still Spell X/day
15th: Born of Three Thunders
18th: Reserves of Strength
Learn Cold Snap at the second level of Recaster then Greater Arcane Fusion at the 4th level of Recaster and buy Icemail armor.
All spells have +6 to their save DCs and Control Temperature followed by Cold Snap will trigger your deadly cold bonuses. If you go by the poor wording of Reserves of Strength you simply ignore the cap of a spell by using the feat, rather than the probably RAI version of only ignoring cap based on how much RoS boosts your cl by. And Explosive Spell states creatures take an additional damage implying the damage type is based off the original spell.

Snowcast Enlarged Explosive Three Thunders Shockball (DC 19+mod) 24d6+72 damage split evenly in two energy types (electricity & sonic) +24 sonic reflex halves damage, fort save vs stunning (twice), stunned creatures must make a reflex or be knocked prone. And finally, all creatures damaged by the spell must make an additional reflex save or be knocked out of the area taking 1d6+3 electric/sonic +1 sonic damage per 10 feet moved which also knocks them prone.

Your foe should fail a save or two and you can use Piercing Cold smack creatures immune to cold as well (just not the ones with the cold subtype). It needs more feat slots though, or maybe a Binder/Hexblade cohort.

[RobbyPants]

Got news for you: it doesn't stop Petrification. Or a Barbarian's charge. Or Death Effects. Or Solid Fog. There's so many ways around that power that it isn't funny.

+1

It looks attractive on paper, but it only works against a few things, only works once per round, and sucks up your swift action from your next round.

It's nice, but it's not that nice.

[PhaedrusXY]

I think it is very nice, and I have used it to good effect. You can save your whole party with this, if you use the augment. One of the main drawbacks I've noticed (on top of those already mentioned) is that it doesn't work against supernatural effects, like breath weapons. It is a good choice for a 2nd level power known, but hardly the only choice. There are lots of very good 2nd level psionic powers. I wouldn't pick this over Share Pain, for example.

[Amechra]

Wait, about explosive spell:
Does it push them out of the effect the shortest possible way, or would it get funneled. Because if it got funneled, you could use the line version of shape spell to push them back for 25d6 damage.
That has got to hurt.