This applies to the Stage Magic feat line as well
The way that the Psychic Power feat line was designed is a bit mind-boggling to me when it exists in the same game as Technomantic Dabbler and Connection Inkling. It almost feels like they were designed for two different editions of the game, and the developers just forgot to update one pair.
Am I missing something important? Is the lower ability score requirement on Minor Psychic Power really that valuable?
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Some thoughts:
1) The feats Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler are based on gaining limited casting of existing (Starfinder) classes that use Wis and Int (respectively), while Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power are not based off an existing (Starfinder) casting class and use Cha (which currently is not a casting stat, outside of this feat)
2) Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power explicitly function as spell-like abilities, while Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler are actual spells
3) The Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power feat chain requires more investment, but a character can gain benefits at level 1 and can "cast" a 2nd-level spell with Major Psychic Power
4) Minor Psychic Power and Psychic Power can be taken multiple time to gain access to more spells
The required feat investment is probably more steep than most would like, but the Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power feat chain is based on a different paradigm than Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler.
Wow, I had no idea there were that many differences.
Some thoughts:
1) The feats Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler are based on gaining limited casting of existing (Starfinder) classes that use Wis and Int (respectively), while Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power are not based off an existing (Starfinder) casting class and use Cha (which currently is not a casting stat, outside of this feat)
2) Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power explicitly function as spell-like abilities, while Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler are actual spells
3) The Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power feat chain requires more investment, but a character can gain benefits at level 1 and can "cast" a 2nd-level spell with Major Psychic Power
4) Minor Psychic Power and Psychic Power can be taken multiple time to gain access to more spells
The required feat investment is probably more steep than most would like, but the Minor Psychic Power/Psychic Power/Major Psychic Power feat chain is based on a different paradigm than Connection Inkling and Technomantic Dabbler.
You make some good points, and I do think being able to use Psychic Power while still be eligable for Spellbane (maybe the best feat in the game) is worth noting for many characters.
Still... it feels like a weird, delayed gratification scenario where you offer a kid one piece of chocolate now, or two pieces of any candy they want tomorrow.
Spell bane precludes SPAs as well as spells so you can't do both if I remember correctly.
Spell bane precludes SPAs as well as spells so you can't do both if I remember correctly.
You are right! I misread that!
So using psychic powers are less observable, but that seems to be the only remaining positive when it comes to having either or both feats. In a game where we get to increase our ability scores so much, minimum requirements are a non-issue unless you're playing in a game where you know you won't be reaching 5th for ages, which I do not think is standard.