Is the Dimension Hop power a valid choice for the Hidden Talent feat?

Question

The Hidden Talent feat (XPH, p. 67) allows a character to:

...choose one 1st-level power from any psionic class list. You know this power (it becomes one of your powers known). You can manifest this power with the power points provided by this feat if you have a Charisma score of 11 or higher.

Complete Psionic (p. 83) contains a 1st-level power called Dimension Hop that allows short-range swift action teleportation. However, the power only appears on the list for the Freedom mantle, available to Ardents. I'm uncertain whether the lists of powers associated with Ardent mantles count as being "any psionic class list."

Can you select Dimension Hop as your known power when you take Hidden Talent?

Answer 1

This reader would say that technically Hidden Talent (dimension hop) is probably a no-go, but game balance is unlikely to be disrupted by a DM saying yes anyway

Here's this reader's view: The feat Hidden Talent (Expanded Psionics Handbook 67), in part, says that the creature picks "one 1st-level power from any psionic class list." While the 1st-level Freedom mantle power dimension hop [psychoportation] (Complete Psionic 83) is, for example, added to the class list of powers for an individual ardent when that ardent picks the Freedom mantle, until that ardent picks the dimension hop power, the dimension hop power isn't on the class list of powers for that ardent's class and, instead, is only on the list of Freedom mantle powers. The list of Freedom mantle powers is not the same as a list of powers for a psionic class like wilder, telepath, or lurk, and that makes dimension hop—and other powers unique to mantles—ineligible as picks for the feat Hidden Talent.

That is, in the same way that some domain spells are unique to some domains, some psionic powers are unique to some psionic mantles. In the abstract, such a unique spell or power isn't on any class's list of spells or powers by default and is instead put on a class's list of spells or powers by an individual creature that picks that mantle or domain. (For example, a cleric without access to the domain Chaos (Player's Handbook 186) doesn't have on her class list of cleric spells the 4th-level Chaos domain spell chaos hammer [evoc] (PH 208), and an ability that said to pick a 4th-level spell from any divine class list couldn't pick the spell chaos hammer; the Chaos domain just isn't a class's list of spells.)

So, unless the DM rules that an individual creature's choices cascade throughout the campaign so that they affect what other individual creatures can pick—an interesting and potentially dangerous ruling!—, the power dimension hop probably shouldn't be available from the feat Hidden Talent. However, if this doesn't sit well, you're not alone: It doesn't sit very well with me, either. This whole bit is one reader's conjecture based on similar but still not identical rules. Seriously, it takes—ew!—the FAQ to come out and say that an individual cleric's class spell list includes spells from that individual cleric's domains:

To activate a spell completion or spell trigger item, the spell in the item must appear on your class spell list. How do you handle a cleric’s domain spells?…

If you’re a cleric, spells from the domains you have selected are part of your class spell list. Spells from domains you could have selected, but did not, are not part of your class spell list…. (48)

…And domains have been present from beginning of this edition! That the game says nothing—similar or different—about the powers listed on psionic mantles should come as no surprise.

In the end, though, all of the above is a technical reading, absent of context. Really, at this point in the game's life cycle, the individual DM should just decide whether or not it's appropriate for his campaign that a creature picks for the Hidden Talent feat the power dimension hop, and this fellow DM's advice would be to allow it, and, if necessary, tell the rules-focused players like himself, "Don't extrapolate from this decision." This DM can't imagine another DM's campaign falling to pieces solely because the DM allowed picking for the feat Hidden Talent the power dimension hop, especially if that campaign already allows the feat Hidden Talent! (That feat says that it's "an expanded version of the Wild Talent feat, intended for use in high-psionics campaigns" (XPH 67 and link mine).)

Further, the DM and players should be aware that if low-level combat teleportation is the goal, the creature could've picked for the similar-to-the-feat-Hiddent-Talent feat Precocious Apprentice (Complete Arcane 181) the unsurprisingly similar 2nd-level spell dimension hop [conj] (Player's Handbook II 210) and realized a similar benefit with slightly reduced efficacy. Alternatively or in addition, the creature could've taken, instead of a familiar, the conjuration specialist wizard immediate magic ability abrupt jaunt (70). And, if low-level exploration via teleportation is the goal, taking the feat Shape Soulmeld (blink shirt (Magic of Incarnum 60)) (40) is superior, it being usable as a standard action to make 10-ft. hops all day long and it mimicking the spell dimension door therefore not mandating line of sight or effect. Finally, by level 3 at the earliest and level 5 at the latest, each PC should be wearing an anklet of translocation (Magic Item Compendium 71) (1,400 gp; 0 lbs.), giving each party member swift action 10-ft. line-of-sight-and-effect-bound teleportation 2/day.

To this reader, it seems that the game just doesn't think that this particular ability is that big of a deal.

Answer 2

Yes, Dimension Hop is a valid choice for the Hidden Talent feat as I read it.

My reasoning: There is no defined distinction between a "class list" and "other psionic power lists". See the following under Adding Powers (XPH, p. 64):

ADDING POWERS

Psionic characters can learn new powers when they attain a new level. A psion can learn any power from the psion/wilder list and powers from his chosen discipline’s list. A wilder can learn any power from the psion/wilder list. A psychic warrior can learn any power from the psychic warrior list.

I have not found anything saying there is such a thing as an exclusive class power list. There are just lists, and certain classes select their powers from certain lists as defined in their class descriptions.

A "psionic class list" must just be a list of powers (available to a psionic class). The Freedom mantle has a power list (available to Ardents), so it must be valid.

This would be more convincing had it been spelled out explicitly as it is in Expanded Knowledge, but I see no other way to read it.

Answer 3

Ardents and divine minds create their list of potential powers by choosing specific mantles. While the resulting list is not viewable in a book as a "class list", most certainly they are effectively your class list once the mantles are chosen. Ultimately, it would be up to your DM, but Dimension Hop is certainly a power available on an ardent or divine mind's class list if they choose that mantle.