Is there a psionic power that can cure the victim of decerebrate?

Question

There's a 7th level save-or-die psionic power called decerebrate that, in short, removes a part of the victim's brain stem, turning the victim into a limpy vegetable, and, if the victim's not cured in 1d4 days, the victim perishes.

Some effects can cure this condition (namely, the spell greater restoration or another similar 7th-level or higher curative effect), but I can't find a good psionic way to do so. There's the costly way of using bend reality or reality revision (i.e. psionic limited wish or wish, respectively) or decapitating the victim then manifesting restore extremity followed by psionic revivify, but is there a cheaper or less extreme psionic way to help a buddy who's been the victim of the power decerebrate?

Answer 1

Ooookay, so here's what I've got:

While there is no external non-exclusive psionic power of 7+ level that can cure the victim of Decerebrate, there is one internal power that does what we need: True Metabolism. The key is to make this power think that someone else is you. There are SEVERAL ways to make it work:

• If you're an Egoist with Life Mantle, your True Metabolism power can be augmented for 5 additional PP to affect a creature touched. With Torc of Power Preservation, Mantle special ablity and Earth Power, the lowest level you can do this trick is 17, which is not that bad
• The Mind Switch, 6th level power from Telepath class list is a little bit pricey (100 xp), but still much cheaper than Revivify (200 xp +100 xp per round of the victim being dead) or Bend Reality (300+ xp). Since manifesting powers is a purely mental action, the lack of any sensory feedback won't get in the way of manifesting. Doable from 15th level
• The Fusion, 8th level power from Egoist class list. This one is a little murky since it's not clear whenether the fusioned character HAS missing parts of his brain to regrow, so this one somewhat depends on DM. If manifesting True Metabolism after the Fusion lets you regrow the missing brain stem of the victim, it'll cost you just 50 xp for the Fusion power. Achieveable from 15th level

Or, if you're a Telepath (or an epic level Psion with Epic Manifesting and Expanded Knowledge):

• Your 9th level power Psychic Chirurgery can negate any instantaneous or permanent effect caused by a psychic power (including Decerebrate), which is nice... But isn't applicable to anyone else pre-epic. Still, Telepaths can do this from 17th level

Besides that... I'm not really sure there is anything else. Most of the time, it would be easier to just Bend Reality to achieve this.

Answer 2

The wizard spell Temporal Stasis can keep the person alive long enough for you to get to someone who has access to greater restoration, but reality revision or bend reality are probably your best bet at restoring someone who has been targeted by Decerebrate.

Your suggestion of restore extremity and psionic revivify isn't bad, if it can be attempted fast enough that the cost for revivify isn't too enormous. You can also circumvent decerebrate by using Time regression to replay the previous round, hoping that he makes the save in the second round, but that's a big if. (If he has a good modifier and he just rolled bad the first time, it may be worth a try)

The best power for removing a psionic effect without paying an EXP cost is Psychic Chirurgery though, if you have the power this one is a great boon, Removes the effects of Microcosm, decerebrate, any of the psionic domination effects, you name it.

Answer 3

Yes, but they are oddly specific methods...

There are other options not listed in any of the other answers for this question.

Option 1

• Use a method to remove the mind/soul from the body, say for example, the 5th level power Steal Steel, a dragon created power which allows one to possess metal edged weapons. (Wyrms of the North, Eldensar - WotC web article, also Dragon #237)
• Allow your body to die.
• Your body is now an object (no CHA and/or no WIS scores = object per SRD)‡‡.
• Use Psionic Make Whole (Secrets of Sarlona, p133.) Unlike the spell Mending which it otherwise resembles, the target is not limited by weight, but rather uses a cubic foot per level metric, which means it can target a corpse if you are high enough level, or bend the corpse into amusing pretzel shapes before the fix (highly effective for practical jokes or grudges). Note that it can restore multiple breaks, of which Decerebrate makes two.
• Use Psionic Revivify. Better yet, have two people time it so that both powers are manifested in the same round with different initiative... saves on effective cost of the revivify.

Option 2

• Have a very trusting and understanding friend kill you, precisely enough to bring you to exactly -10 hp. (This precision is to minimize the subsequently required saving throw.)

• Use Fiery Discorporation, a fifth level Kineticist power, to cheat death.

Both of these methods kicks in at lower level than any of the other answers provided at the time of this answer's posting.

‡‡: Please note, the interpretation that "corpse=object" is subject to much controversy, with strong arguments on both the 'yes' and 'no' sides. This subject tends to generate lots of comments and rules bickering. Check with your GM(s) for which ruling applies to you.