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Let's say I am using the Mind Control power, and there is only one legal target I can use it on. Now, I believe I can augment it with the option that allows me to affect an aberration, dragon, elemental, or outsider regardless of the target's actual type. This augmentation costs four power points, meaning the power's DC will increase by two. I also believe you can't target the same creature with this power, so that may not be a viable option to increase the power's DC further in this case.

Can I use the same four power point augmentation again to increase the DC, though? Or is Mind Control simply stronger against multiple targets?

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2 Answers 2

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Augment: You can augment this power in one or more of the following ways.

  1. If you spend 2 additional power points, this power can also affect an animal, fey, magical beast, or monstrous humanoid.
  2. If you spend 4 additional power points, this power can also affect an aberration, dragon, elemental, or outsider in addition to the creature types mentioned above.
  3. For every 2 additional power points you spend, this power can affect an additional target. Any additional target cannot be more than 15 feet from another target of the power.

There is no limit on the amount of augmentations that you may select when manifesting a power, subject to the normal limit that you may only spend an amount of pp on a single power equal to your manifester level. These augmentations grant you additional options with the power, and you can select them any number of times - selecting option 1 twice and option 3 once allows you to attempt to control two animals, for example, which the power does not natively allow.

That said, I can't find anywhere in the PF psionics rules where augmenting a power increases it's saving throw DC. This is what I can find on DCs in PF Psionics -

Saving Throw Difficulty Class: A saving throw against your power has a DC 10 + the level of the power + your key ability modifier (Intelligence for a psion, Wisdom for a psychic warrior, or Charisma for a wilder). A power’s level can vary depending on your class. Always use the power level applicable to your class.

The augmentation section doesn't mention anything about extra power points being spent on the power changing the power level, neither does the power level section. A power's level is determined by what level it is listed as, not how many points you spend on it. While some powers do increase the save DC of the spell via augments, Mind Control does not appear to be among them.

This may also help you understand how augmentation works, given your confusion over how many could be selected or how many times -

Many powers can be augmented in more than one way. When the Augment section contains numbered paragraphs, you need to spend power points separately for each of the numbered options. When a paragraph in the Augment section begins with “In addition,” you gain the indicated benefit according to how many power points you have already decided to spend on manifesting the power.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Augment 1 once and 3 once would get him two animals. He doesn't need to apply the first augment once per animal, just once total, because it doesn't allow a particular target to be an animal, it allows the power to include animals in its list of legal target types. As for the augments improving save DCs, I suspect he's probably referring to the effects of the Mental Intrusion ability of psions with Telepathy as their chosen discipline, though there's also a feat that has a similar effect. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matthew Najmon
    Commented May 6, 2015 at 18:09
  • \$\begingroup\$ This seems like the answer to my question, but it seems you may have missed this text on the PF Mind Control page. From PFSRD: "In addition, for every 2 additional power points you spend to achieve any of these effects, this power’s save DC increases by 1". \$\endgroup\$
    – user3735278
    Commented May 6, 2015 at 19:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MatthewNajmon - That's not the way the wording is. 'An animal'. One. You could rule that the spell would then affect further animals, but by RAW, you would be incorrect. Option two says 'in addition to the above creature types', but in english, that doesn't necessarily imply that you can have multiple animal (or say, an animal AND a monstrous humanoid with a single use of option 1) targets with a single use of option 1, but could be referring to the multiple options in that list with the plural ending. \$\endgroup\$
    – user2754
    Commented May 7, 2015 at 19:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ @JackLesnie By that interpretation, it shouldn't matter how many times you apply augment 1, you still only get an animal. \$\endgroup\$
    – Matthew Najmon
    Commented May 8, 2015 at 19:37
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    \$\begingroup\$ I have worked with Dreamscarred Press, and can state unequivocally that @MatthewNajmon is correct, and personally I am kind of shocked that anyone read it differently. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Commented Oct 10, 2019 at 4:25
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The augmentations list additional creature types. The base version of the power Mind Control affects "One Humanoid".

The "One" is unambiguous, but can be augmented up to include more targets for a cost of 2 power points.

The other augmentations are to do with the target's creature type. If you chose the first augmentation you would now be able to affect "One" of the following creature types

  • humanoid
  • animal
  • fey
  • magical beast
  • monstrous humanoid

If you chose the second augment, that supersedes/replaces the first augment as it subsumes augmentation 1 when it says "in addition to the creature types mentioned above", you would be able to affect "One" of the following creature types

  • humanoid
  • animal
  • fey
  • magical beast
  • monstrous humanoid
  • aberration
  • dragon
  • elemental
  • outsider

If you wanted to affect two dragons then you'd need to spend 13 power points (and those dragons had better be pretty cosy with one another at just 15' apart!) and you'd get a +3 to the save's DC for spending 6 points on augmentation. Oh, and you'd have to be a 13th level Telepath!

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