Can 3.5e Psions Summon above CR10 before Epic Level?

Question

I think my title narrowed down the question, but I would like to further qualify the question by asking if there are ways for Psions and their variant classes (using powers and power points) to summon a wider variety of creatures, instead of the handful of stock creatures listed in the powers section?

I noticed Bend Reality has a sentence that says:

When bend reality duplicates a power that has an XP cost, you must pay the XP cost or 300 XP, whichever is more. When bend reality duplicates a spell with a material component, you must pay additional XP equal to the value of the material component divided by 5.

I was unable to figure out what level of spell Bend Reality could imitate, but I thought it might be useful to figuring this out. powers like Astral Construct (1st level) and Planar Champion (7th level) summon up to CR 10 creatures.

I was inspired by this section of Complete Arcane, Elemental Monolith, p.156:

They are so powerful that only the mightiest of summoning spells can draw them to the material plane and compel their service, and even then the caster dare not take his attention from the monolith's control for even a moment.

These are CR 17 monsters, with 36 hit dice.

The 9th level Greater Metamorphosis power allows a psion to assume the form of a creature up to 50 hit dice, and 34+ hit dice when you first receive it. (A Psion with permission to take it would be 17th level x 2 = 34 hit dice, a class taking it at 21st level would otherwise be 21 x 2 = 42 hit dice; and a wilder using their surge could clear the 50 hit dice cap, because of manifester level 21+6 = 27 x 2 = 54, but the cap is 50 hit dice). In other words, turning into a CR 17-30+ for 200+ rounds is easy, but can a Psion summon something CR 11-17+ for at least 1 round?

So I'm asking. a) How does a Psion summon something beyond CR 10, and b) can they summon something CR 17+ without resorting to Epic Manifester seeds?

Answer 1

Well, Bend Reality is pretty upfront about not being able to imitate spells of any kind, but if we wanted to pretend it could for a second, its powers are roughly analogous to a casting of limited wish. If you focus on the following section of the power and spell, respectively:

Produce any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects, such as a single creature automatically hitting on its next attack or taking a –8 penalty on its next saving throw.

And

Have any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects, such as a single creature automatically hitting on its next attack or suffering a –7 penalty on its next saving throw.

are pretty similar. You could make the argument that you could produce the psionic equivalent of any summoning spell limited wish could. A limited wish, in turn, could replicate up to a summon monster VI.

Following that same logic, reality revision, which looks an awful lot like wish, could be used to effectively summon monster VIII. That can get you up to CR 11, with some stretching.

But if you'd like to use reality revision as a psychic power instead of a makeshift wish, you'll have even better luck than that:

This power can lift one creature per manifester level from anywhere on any plane and place those creatures anywhere else on any plane regardless of local conditions. An unwilling target gets a Will save to negate the effect, and power resistance (if any) applies.

So long as you are okay with your summoned creatures not necessarily liking you, the vague wording of reality revision should be right up your alley. It means that as long as said critters fail the Will save, you could summon a herd of tarrasques (CR 20), dropping them directly on top of your enemy from about 2000 feet up to serve as makeshift artillery while you're at it. Does that work for you?