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PrGo
2009-02-11, 03:30 PM
The Pyro (from the Expanded Psionic Handbook) has been an interesting PrC that I wanted to try for quite some time now. But it looks so badass that I don't want to ruin my image of it by building a weak character.

Thats why I'm asking here for help. I don't want to have an overpowered character, just to have him optimized so he does good in the game.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance :smallbiggrin:

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-02-11, 03:33 PM
The Pyro (from the Expanded Psionic Handbook) has been an interesting PrC that I wanted to try for quite some time now. But it looks so badass that I don't want to ruin my image of it by building a weak character.

Thats why I'm asking here for help. I don't want to have an overpowered character, just to have him optimized so he does good in the game.

Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance :smallbiggrin:

Umm... don't worry about being overpowered, if you're going heavy into Pyrokeneticist. It's really not all that powerful. Fire is the most commonly resisted and immune flavor in the game. If your GM finds you annoying, every encounter from ECL12 and on can be immune to every single class ability from this PrC.

PrGo
2009-02-11, 03:53 PM
Fire is the most commonly resisted and immune flavor in the game. If your GM finds you annoying, every encounter from ECL12 and on can be immune to every single class ability from this PrC.

Well thats true. So is there a feat or some feature that allows to turn elemental class abilities into another element? Like the Elemental Supstitution feat (or whatever its called)?

NEO|Phyte
2009-02-11, 04:41 PM
Don't know about feats for such a thing, but there are Wizards-sanctioned variant pyrokineticists (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e) for the various elements.

PrGo
2009-02-11, 05:44 PM
Don't know about feats for such a thing, but there are Wizards-sanctioned variant pyrokineticists (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e) for the various elements.

Omg, thank you! This is just what I was looking for :smallbiggrin:

Starbuck_II
2009-02-11, 06:28 PM
Due note in Complete Psionics: you can get +1 manifester bonus when using fire powers (only cost 2000) for 1 year.

Near the back at the location treasure section.

Flickerdart
2009-02-11, 07:51 PM
The fire whip is a touch attack, meaning you might be able to hang some effects onto it and have no fear of that attack missing. Similarly, you don't need to be a heavy-duty psionic character to get in, so a handful of levels in Lurk might be a nice touch.

shadow_archmagi
2009-02-11, 08:02 PM
The fire whip is a touch attack, meaning you might be able to hang some effects onto it and have no fear of that attack missing. Similarly, you don't need to be a heavy-duty psionic character to get in, so a handful of levels in Lurk might be a nice touch.

Heck, last time I checked the requirement was "must have a power point." which means there's a lot of races and I believe a feat that allow you to qualify with no wasted levels.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-02-11, 08:09 PM
Yea, probably the best use out of Pyro is a four-level dip for a melee build. You loose one BAB, but you get +2d6 Fire damage to weapons (better than Flaming, which is only 1d6), you also get a 4d6 Bolt of Fire (see also: Scorching Ray) at will, and the Flame Lash for touch attacks.

Grab sonic. The d4's don't hurt too bad compared to the d6's, and almost nothing is resistant to sonic.

Person_Man
2009-02-11, 09:13 PM
Flaming Homer, the Bowling Ball of DOOM!!!


Half Ogre (best option, but 3.0) or Goliath or Half-Giant

Fighter 6/Pyrokineticist 1/War Mind 5+

Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Knockback, Leap Attack, Shock Trooper, Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip. You'll also need to take the Education feat or 1 level of any other psionic class or prestige class so that you can get the 8 ranks of Knowledge (Psionics) needed for entry into War Mind. And you'll need at least one power point to qualify for either Pyro or War Mind, which you can get by being a Half-Giant or taking the Wild Talent feat or any psionic base class. I suggest a level or two of Psychic Warrior, as this will give you everything you need plus bonus feats.

Other Feats for consideration: Practiced Manifester, Robilar's Gambit, Improved Unarmed Strike, Battle Jump, Cleave, Hold the Line, Karmic Strike, Inhuman Reach, Deformity (Tall).

Handy Feat Index (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/datafind/feats.shtml)

Before combat, use the Expansion (www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/expansion.htm) power on yourself to increase your reach as much as possible. Note that all whips, including fire lashes, don’t threaten the area into which you can make an attack. So you'll need Improved Unarmed Strike, armor spikes, or a natural weapon to make AoO. My preference is the Claws of the Beast (www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/clawsofthebeast.htm) power, which can be improved by using Claws of the Vampire (www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/clawsoftheVampire.htm) for a King of Smack redux. Note that the FAQ (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20030221a) specifically clarifies that you can switch between a two handed weapon and a natural weapon in the same round. If your DM doesn't agree with the FAQ, you can use Bite of the Wolf or dip into a one level of Monk instead. There are also a variety of spells, feats, items, and special abilities that improve your natural reach, and I suggest you use whatever you can.

Charge exactly 10 feet into your enemy. Make a touch attack with your Fire Lash as a two-handed weapon (as it explicitly says you can in the FAQ). Transfer your full BAB to Leap Attack to increase your damage.

If your enemy is standing next to another enemy, each attack also applies to them (Warmind Sweeping Strike ability). Since Sweeping Strike requires that you move no more then 10 feet during your turn, you can use Hustle+Psionic Dimension Door to teleport around the battlefield without actually moving as needed. But your reach is pretty huge, so you shouldn't have to do that very often. You can also just wait for your enemies to come to you, and ready an action to smack them when they come near you.

Each enemy that you hit gets a free Bull Rush attempt (Knockback) on each attack, applying your damage and Leap Attack bonus to the opposed Str check.

This should allow you to push your enemy several spaces backwards. For each space you move your enemy backwards, you may also shift him one hex to the left or the right (Shock Trooper). If this pushes your enemy into the same hex as another enemy, you get a free Trip Attempt on each of them (Shock Trooper, again).

Assuming you still threaten their spaces, each successful Trip gets a free follow up attack (Improved Trip), and each successful melee attack gets a free Bull Rush, which can start another Shock Trooper+Improved Trip combo. And every melee attack can also apply to someone standing next to your enemy using Sweeping Strike.

And at any time you can Bull Rush an enemy into a wall or other inanimate object, you can use the Dungeon Crasher ability (Dungeonscape, Fighter alternate class levels) to deal an extra 8d6 + (3 x Str mod) damage, in addition to your insane Leap Attack damage. This is really easy to pull off, since with Shock Trooper and your uber Bull Rush multiplier, you should be able to fling enemies pretty far. Alternatively, you can have a friend summon a wall in the middle of the battlefield, forcing your enemies to walk around it, and giving you something to Bull Rush them into. Also note that dead bodies are considered objects, and not allies or enemies. So once you kill something, you should be able to fling enemies into their dead comrades (though your DM will probably rule that they need to be size Large or bigger in order for this to work).

In addition, a whip provokes an AoO from your enemy whenever you use it while adjacent to it. This is actually a great opportunity for you, because with Robilar's Gambit it essentially gives you another chance to start up your chain of attacks if by some odd chance you miss on your first touch attack. Though obviously if you're more defense oriented, you'll want to keep your enemies 10 feet away from you when you hit them with the lash.

Also, be sure to pick up Pounce somehow (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103358). And be sure to buy a backup reach weapon that doesn't deal fire damage. Your DM is most definitely going to throw fire immune enemies at you.

Flickerdart
2009-02-11, 10:19 PM
Heck, last time I checked the requirement was "must have a power point." which means there's a lot of races and I believe a feat that allow you to qualify with no wasted levels.
Yes, but the Fire Walk thing needs Power Points to use, and it's such a cool-flavoured ability that you might as well use it.

PrGo
2009-02-12, 02:47 AM
Yeah, I thought about going sonic too. Maybe play a Dromite or a Maenad. Dromite's got a bonus to Cha which is required for the Pyro's DCs but Maenad's got no LA and 2 extra power points, which allows me to play a completely non-psionic class and still be able do do pyro's stuff (except for fire walk maybe).
What base class should I play? I prefer something stealthy but constant humming around my fists (since I'll be a Sonokineticist) might give me a penalty on Move silently. Your thoughts?

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-02-12, 09:23 AM
Yeah, I thought about going sonic too. Maybe play a Dromite or a Maenad. Dromite's got a bonus to Cha which is required for the Pyro's DCs but Maenad's got no LA and 2 extra power points, which allows me to play a completely non-psionic class and still be able do do pyro's stuff (except for fire walk maybe).
What base class should I play? I prefer something stealthy but constant humming around my fists (since I'll be a Sonokineticist) might give me a penalty on Move silently. Your thoughts?

Why bother with Fire Walk? Seriously, the class is near-useless after level 4. It's good to augment a melee build, but to take all ten levels... well, I suppose you DO have a reputation to maintain as a non-optimist...

PrGo
2009-02-12, 10:42 AM
Why bother with Fire Walk? Seriously, the class is near-useless after level 4. It's good to augment a melee build, but to take all ten levels... well, I suppose you DO have a reputation to maintain as a non-optimist...

Well I'm planning to make a fun-to-play character which I'll enjoy playing. Not just combat-wise but RPing as well.

ShneekeyTheLost
2009-02-12, 01:30 PM
Well I'm planning to make a fun-to-play character which I'll enjoy playing. Not just combat-wise but RPing as well.

Okay. So, what else besides being a Keneticist do you want to do? What roles do you want to fill?

The problem with Firewalk, is that it requires heavy PP investment, but it doesn't grant any PP. So, if you take all 10 levels, you're, at MOST, going to have 10 levels in a psionic class.

A PsiWar level 10 only has (base) 27 PP to play with. With Wis bonus of 20, you'd have an extra 25, wiht a 14, you'd only have an extra 10.

That's not a whole lot...

Now, a Psion has 88 PP at level 10, but has little to no physical combat ability, which makes it exceptionally poor to use.

So let's say you're wanting to go PsiWar to feed into Pyro. You can do this after level 5 (concentration 8 ranks being the limiting factor). Now you only have 7pp, with between 5 and 12 PP bonus, depending on your Wis. So you've got less than 20pp to play with, unless you wish to delay entry into 'keneticist further.

If you're not wanting to do a lot of Firewalking, then you shouldn't have a problem. But if you're going to pull an Iceman and use the ability frequently, then you've got a much bigger issue.