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Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-30, 10:56 PM
I am going to join a campaing starting at level 1, and the DM let me use a slightly modified Daelkyr Half-blood

The modifications is exchanging the Unbalanced Mind ability (If someones tries to read the thoughs of the character they must save or be dazed for one round) for 2 bonus PP.

I am planning on making a psychic warrior and I want to know what do you think so far of my build

Daelkyr Half-blood
Stats: Str 15 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 12 Wis 18 Cha 11 (Rolled pretty well)
Psychic Warrior 1
Feats: Symbiont Mastery(B), Hidden Talent(B) (Either Inertial Armor or maybe Vigor) Track (for eventual entry into Slayer)
Powers Known: Claws of the Beast
PP: 3
Attack Bonus + 2
Saves: Fort +3 Ref +2 Will +2

My symbiont would be a Throwin¡g scarab which gives me a throwing weapond that deals 1d6 slashing damage and on the round after striking an additional 1d6 acid damage.
Eventually I will switch for a tentacle whip symbiont to (ab)use combat reflexes and maybe Karmic Strike or Robilar's Gambit
For the first few levels I am going to stick with using my throwing scarab every round, and only bring out the claws on the big battles.

So what do you think about my build? And do you think it would be worthwhile to ask for houseruling PsyWar into full bab?

Oh and the party is a cleric and a paladin if that matters.

Thanks in advance

Mongoose87
2010-04-30, 10:59 PM
I'd switch up the 18 in Strength and the 15 in Wisdom.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-30, 11:01 PM
I'd switch up the 18 in Strength and the 15 in Wisdom.

I suppose to maximize PP right? hmm not sure

Keld Denar
2010-04-30, 11:13 PM
Solicit PsyCrystal should be your 3rd level or so feat. Its really good. Get Vigor and Share Pain, and its a refillable battery of HP. Share Vigor with your crystal for fun and proffit!

If you like the tenticle theme, Aberrant Blood + Inhuman Reach + Deepspawn gives you 10' reach with your natural attacks, and 2 extra tenticles to love your foes up with. With Claws of the Beast and Bite of the Wolf, you could have a Claw/Claw/Bite/Tenticle/Tenticle/Tenticle attack routine, which would be fun.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-04-30, 11:17 PM
If you like the tenticle theme, Aberrant Blood + Inhuman Reach + Deepspawn gives you 10' reach with your natural attacks, and 2 extra tenticles to love your foes up with. With Claws of the Beast and Bite of the Wolf, you could have a Claw/Claw/Bite/Tenticle/Tenticle/Tenticle attack routine, which would be fun.

I won't be doing the deepspawn feat chain, because while I like the idea, it doesn't feat the concept I have in mind... (the society he lives in is far too mistrusting, so he will be hiding his aberrant features most of the time, actually I am going to refluff the claws of the beast power as a sort of rage, hence why I will only use it on big fights)

Thanks for the idea though... I might use for the Dragon of the BBEG of the campaing I am working in....

Mongoose87
2010-04-30, 11:46 PM
I suppose to maximize PP right? hmm not sure

PP and save DC, but mostly PP. Remember, Psychic Warriors don't get a whole lot of them.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-01, 12:02 AM
I second swapping Str and Wis. After all, you can use your power points to boost your Strength score (strength of my enemy, animal affinity, metamorphosis, form of doom), as well as your damage (take your pick), but you can't augment your power point pool with your Strength score.

I've got tons of advice for psychic warriors, and a lot of it involves using Linked Power and swift actions for buffing, cherry picking from other lists, and using your powers in such a way as to minimize wasteage and maximize efficiency.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-05-01, 09:31 AM
Ok since this build is gor a starting game I want your comments on the build so far please

And I switched Wis and STR scores

any more comments? another power instead of inertial armor or vigor that I should consider?

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-01, 06:20 PM
Ok since this build is gor a starting game I want your comments on the build so far please

And I switched Wis and STR scores

any more comments? another power instead of inertial armor or vigor that I should consider?Inertial armor and vigor are both awesome, though vigor is a bit limited at level 1 with your current pp total (wait to get it at level 3 or something).

I'd suggest expansion and a reach weapon. Grants +5 (size + Strength) to so many battlefield maneuvers that it's not even funny, and the reach means you probably won't take any attacks of opportunity and can make more of your own (Combat Reflexes!).

TheYoungKing
2010-05-01, 06:23 PM
Remember- you can have more than one symbiont. In fact, your racial symbiont mastery rewards you with HP for it.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-01, 06:55 PM
For the first few levels I am going to stick with using my throwing scarab every round, and only bring out the claws on the big battles.Those claws last for a long time, and they can be hidden as a free action. Might want to consider having them up when things are about to be hairy.

Although, you may want to eschew claws of the beast for bite of the wolf (stacks with hand-held weapons, and scales very nicely) and get metamorphosis later on (flavor it as your daelkyr side taking over; become a writhing mass of eyes, maws, and spiked tentacles, even if the abilities in question don't change).


So what do you think about my build? And do you think it would be worthwhile to ask for houseruling PsyWar into full babPsychic warriors don't need full BAB; they're awesometastic as-is.

Samb
2010-05-01, 10:57 PM
What are your long term plans? Uber charger? King of smack? What PrC are you looking into? Any dips into ToB that may interest you?

You need a theme to build on before I can give you any real tips.

That being said, a psywar will need the following feats: EK: schism, EK: metamorphosis, metamorphic transfer, linked power, and lots of psionic talent.

Two key weaknesses of psywar are lower level powers and severe lack of PP. You can somewhat compensate for the former problem by taking a mantle ACF and/or tap mantle feat and use better powers for items. Lack of PP will require at least an investment of 4-7 psionic talents. You can never go wrong with moar PP.

Changing psywar's BAB to +1 won't make too much difference IMO but may help you qualify for feats like Improved rapid strike. It is my honest opinion that a PrC like slayer would be considered crap if it wasn't for the rarity of near full ML and full BAB.

Have you considered going fighter5/War Mind instead? They are perfect for people who like to melée and only need a few buffs. Sweeping strike is almost brokenly good when combined with deep impact, full power attack and leap attack. If you can houserule warmind to give ML progression instead that would be even better.

ErrantX
2010-05-01, 11:07 PM
Have you considered going fighter5/War Mind instead? They are perfect for people who like to melée and only need a few buffs. Sweeping strike is almost brokenly good when combined with deep impact, full power attack and leap attack. If you can houserule warmind to give ML progression instead that would be even better.

This.

I have played a psychic warrior / warmind with a house rule that allowed War Mind to improve manifester level and it was quite awesome. If not, I will agree with Lycanthromancer when it comes to psiwarrior needs no improvement in BAB. Improving it won't hurt it, but not doing so won't hurt it either.

-X

Greenish
2010-05-01, 11:07 PM
It is my honest opinion that a PrC like slayer would be considered crap if it wasn't for the rarity of near full ML and full BAB.The class abilities are actually pretty decent.

Have you considered going fighter5/War Mind instead?Fighter 6 gets you Dungeon Crasher, which definitely is worth it if you're going 2+. Not that you could qualify for Warmind with that build, due to harsh requirements (mainly know:psionics 8 ranks).

I for one could see the requirements for War Mind eased considerably, so that non-psionic characters could gain access to it, since it seems to be meant for people wanting to get into psionics quick.

Lycanthromancer
2010-05-01, 11:20 PM
That being said, a psywar will need the following feats: EK: schism, EK: metamorphosis, metamorphic transfer, linked power, and lots of psionic talent.I'll agree with everything but the schism; it eats up way too many power points.

If you can spare a feat for Psicrystal Containment (since everyone in their right minds gets a psicrystal) or Psionic Meditation, it's much cheaper just to have a swift action power or two and Linked Power.

However, if you're using lots of Expanded Knowledges, just go mantled psywar instead; saves you lots of feats. That, and you should do lots of research.


Two key weaknesses of psywar are lower level powers and severe lack of PP. You can somewhat compensate for the former problem by taking a mantle ACF and/or tap mantle feat and use better powers for items. Lack of PP will require at least an investment of 4-7 psionic talents. You can never go wrong with moar PP.4-7 Psionic Talents? Eww. I much prefer to play in a way that conserves power points.

Long-term buffs coupled with Extend Power. Using lower level powers efficiently (expansion and bite of the wolf are awesome for this). Crafting psionic items (power stones and a psychoactive skin of proteus, especially). Using Linked Power instead of schism and Quicken Power. Making good use of psionic feats. And so on.


Changing psywar's BAB to +1 won't make too much difference IMO but may help you qualify for feats like Improved rapid strike. It is my honest opinion that a PrC like slayer would be considered crap if it wasn't for the rarity of near full ML and full BAB.I actually find slayer to be an excellent prestige class; trading 1 manifester level for full BAB is quite nice, AND you get a number of decent abilities (after all, that t-rex that just tried to swallow you whole? it tried to eat your brain, too).


Have you considered going fighter5/War Mind instead? They are perfect for people who like to melée and only need a few buffs. Sweeping strike is almost brokenly good when combined with deep impact, full power attack and leap attack. If you can houserule warmind to give ML progression instead that would be even better.War mind is okay, but if you're going fighter, make sure to take lots of ACFs, because fighter 5 is otherwise a waste of perfectly good class features (dead levels are teh suxxors).

Samb
2010-05-01, 11:25 PM
The class abilities are actually pretty decent. like I have all these people wanting to eat my brain.... If killing illithid is your thing slayer is beat by sancified mind.


Fighter 6 gets you Dungeon Crasher, which definitely is worth it if you're going 2+. Not that you could qualify for Warmind with that build, due to harsh requirements (mainly know:psionics 8 ranks).

I for one could see the requirements for War Mind eased considerably, so that non-psionic characters could gain access to it, since it seems to be meant for people wanting to get into psionics quick. oh forgot about know:psi. Too bad since war mind seems perfect for a psionic race using a non psi class. Can you PC qualify for able learner?

Greenish
2010-05-01, 11:32 PM
like I have all these people wanting to eat my brain.... If killing illithid is your thing slayer is beat by sancified mind.As Lycan pointed out above, it'll work for things with Swallow Whole.

Though you make it sound like that's their only class ability, ignoring permament mind blank and nondetection and the ability to lower enemy's power resistance (and thus spell resistance using default rules) with melee attacks.

Mongoose87
2010-05-01, 11:49 PM
As Lycan pointed out above, it'll work for things with Swallow Whole.

Though you make it sound like that's their only class ability, ignoring permament mind blank and nondetection and the ability to lower enemy's power resistance (and thus spell resistance using default rules) with melee attacks.

Not to mention a boost to Will saves and better skill points.

Samb
2010-05-02, 11:49 AM
Slayer's non detection is more for NPCs. Think about it, a DM always has meta knowledge of your PC's actions and location.

Breach power resistance is nice for real gishes, which psywar is not. I suppose it's decent for supporting the casters in your group, but psywar's powers generally are buffs, and since they are low level (max level six) the check and DC for them aren't that impressive to begin with.

Brain nausea affecting swallow whole is rule lawyering. The text specifically says "a creature that fails this save may take any action it desires except extracting the slayer's brain". So they can still swallow you whole and after it has digested you skull and digested your brain you might give an upset tummy. I am underwhelmed.

Cerebral immunity is the one class feature I really do like. Immune to mind affecting effects is great. This is usually not what people take slayer for but IMO it is really the only thing (other than full BAB) that slayer has going for it.

Think about it, if slayer had only 3/4 BAB progression would you pick it over anarchic initiate? What if psywar had full BAB? Would slayer even be worth looking at? I say not as much.

War mind gives good boost to offense, defense, sweeping strike, full BAB, and up 5th level psywar powers. It's main drawback is that it doesn't advance ML at all(other than it's own). If it did slayer would not even be worth mentioning.