Psychic Feats

[RndmNumGen]

I've been toying around with some Psychic Warrior builds recently, but I can never really figure out what feats to take with them. Originally I was going to go with the item creation feats, creating a lot of supplemental items to help make up for their low PP reserve, but then I realized that due to their limited spell selection they can't truly take advantage of these in the way that a Psion can. So instead I started looking at feats that utilize the psionic focus such as Speed of Thought, Psionic Charge and Up The Walls, looking to emphasize battlefield mobility. The Psychic Warrior's low skill points means it is tough to both get a high Concentration/Autohypnosis and mobility skills like Tumble and Jump though, and seem to severely restrict what the warrior would be able to do.

So what does the playground think? Is there anything I'm missing, such as some particularly good synergy between these?

[Zaq]

There are two big questions here.

1) Do you want to usually maintain your psionic focus, or do you want to frequently gain it and expend it?

2) How many Expanded Knowledges do you need/want? (After all, with every feat a psionic character takes, they have to ask themselves if it's truly better than Expanded Knowledge. This is doubly true for non-Psions, who really can't ever have too many powers.)

If you have a few things that require you to expend your psionic focus, you definitely need Psionic Meditation, and you may want to look into Psicrystal Affinity and Psicrystal Containment (expensive, yes, but at least you get bonus feats). Linked Power is famously great on PsyWars, and like all metapsionics, it requires you to expend your focus. A lot also hinges on how many EKs you need or want. If you've got some wacky combo set up that requires three off-list powers, that'll be your first priority, since your powers are your life. If you're pretty happy with just the PsyWar list, then you can look into the other things.

Depending on your build, you might also look into nonpsionic feats, like the charging line or the tripping line. PsyWars can be pretty good at damn near any fighting style they set their minds to. Just because you can take psionic feats doesn't mean that you can take nothing else.

[Psyren]

If you ever run out of feats you want to take, you can't go wrong with Psionic Talent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicTalent) (every time you take it it gets better.)

Personally, I would go with Mantled Warrior and grab a few more mantles with the bonus feats myself.

Up The Walls is a waste, just use Wall Walker (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/wallWalker.htm) imo.

[RndmNumGen]

I'm planning on a Monk 2/PsyWar 18 or Monk 2/PsyWar 16/Monk 2 Tashlatora build right now, so primarily combat-focused rather than manifesting-focused. I was thinking about picking up two or three EKs, one for Body Adjustment and one for Teleport, and possibly a third for Identify since my party doesn't have an arcane caster, only a lot of divine(Cleric, Druid, Paladin AND Ranger).

My planned powers:

Powers:
1) Inertial Armor
2) Expansion
3) Grip of Iron

4) Animal Affinity
EK) Body Adjustment
5) Hustle
6) Body Purification

7) Empathic Transfer, Hostile
EX) Identify, Psionic
8) Dimension Slide
9) Mental Barrier

10)Dimension Door, Psionic
11)Inertial Barrier
12)Energy Adaption

13)Adapt Body
14)Psychofeedback
15)Psionic Lion's Charge

16)Dispelling Buffer
EK) Teleport, Psionic
17)Mind Blank, Personal
18)Suspend Life


Which leaves quite a few feats open:

Lv 3)
Psy 1)
Psy 2)
Lv 6) Expanded Knowledge(Body Adjustment)
Psy 5)
Lv 9) Expanded Knowledge(Identify, Psionic)
Psy 8)
Lv 12)
Psy 11)
Lv 15)
Psy 14)
Lv 18) Expanded Knowledge(Teleport, Psionic)
Psy 17)


I was planning on making liberal use of Extend Power out-of-combat to make my buffs last longer and stretch my daily PP out as far as possible. Aside from that, I didn't have any particular plans on either holding a focus or gaining/expending them in combat. I was considering Psionic Fist at one point, but them I realized that I probably couldn't apply it in a grapple, which is my main combat method.

I do like the idea of getting a Psicrystal though. If I take both Psionic Meditation and Psicrystal Containment, can I focus my Psicrystal as a move action?

What is Linked Power? I can't find anything about that anywhere.

[Psyren]

RE: focusing your crystal as a move action:
it's a DM call, because these two lines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psicrystalContainment) are contradictory.


You can spend a full-round action attempting to psionically focus your psicrystal.



Psionically focusing your psicrystal works just like focusing yourself.

I always go with "it's a move action if you take PM for both yourself and your psicrystal." (Note that Pathfinder made PM explicitly apply to PC, removing this confusion.)

For your build: at absolute most, I would go with Monk 3/Psywar 17. Monk 3 gives you a 10ft. speed boost, which Tashalatora does not advance. Monk 4 gives you nothing worthwhile (Slow fall, woo! Ki strike [magic], woo! :smallyuk:). Really though, you're best off with Monk 2/PW 18 for that third 6th-level power and 12 more base PP.

I'll look at your power selection in greater detail later, but dump Suspend Life. Inconstant Location or Form of Doom are much better 6th-level choices, or you can even go back and pick up some lower-level goodies.

You'll want at least three more EKs with your feats:
1) Metamorphosis - you simply cannot get this much utility out of any other power. Become a Hydra. Become a Pixie. Become a Troglodyte. Become a crate.
2) Psychic Reformation - Every manifesting class should have this, end of story.
3) Schism - More actions = yes please.

Linked Power is in Complete Psionic; so is Inconstant Location. You'll want Metapower also. Link both Metapower and Linked Power to Hustle, and get an extra move action the round after every linked manifestation.

[RndmNumGen]

Hmm... asking my DM for stuff in Complete Psionics might be going a little too far, as I had to really push it with my DM to even get Tashlatora. Most of the campaign is restricted to core, so that I'm playing a Psionic Warrior in the first place is something of a blessing(and why I already have 2 levels of Monk, because that is the class I started out as).

Form of Doom is powerful, certainly, but it doesn't quite match the feel I'm going for. I'm playing a LG character, so transforming into a horrible tentacled monstrosity that is the stuff on nightmares just seems... wrong. Don't see Psychic Reformation anywhere in the SRD, is that in Complete Psionics too? I like Schism though, and I really like Metamorphosis, I wonder how I missed that earlier...

[Psyren]

Psychic Reformation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicReformation.htm) is in the SRD.

No CPsi means no Linked Power, Metapower or Inconstant Location, but okay. Still, Suspend Life sucks. How about you grab Freedom of Movement, Ectoplasmic Form or Steadfast Perception instead? They're lower level, but much more useful than "I gave up all my actions, but I don't have to eat and nobody can find me! Take that, telemarketers!"

No CPsi also means no Practiced Manifester, which makes you easier to dispel, your powers won't last as long etc. Dispelling Buffer will help but doesn't come online until very late-game. Not a dealbreaker but something to be aware of. It also means no mantles, so Mantled Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a) is out; Soulbound Weapon from the same link is worthwhile however if you're allowed that. You give up a feat to get it, but you get that same feat back with free Weapon Focus anyway, so it costs you nothing and has great benefits (especially if you pick a monk weapon you can flurry with, like a Soulbound Kama or Siangham, that can also be used in a grapple.)

For powers, another gem you're overlooking is Strength of my Enemy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/strengthofMyEnemy.htm). This is especially useful to a grappling build - +8 Str is nothing to sneeze at, and stacks with Expansion.

Have you considered boosting your BAB? Slayer will do that, at the cost of one more ML, but you'll get to the coveted +16 BAB and 4 attacks that way. One more Tashalatora will keep your monk levels stacking. If you're allowed Lords of Madness (unlikely, I know) you can use Sanctified Mind instead for better class features and fewer levels.

Finally, if you run out of good feats to take (there aren't many in just the SRD), don't forget Psionic Talent.

[RndmNumGen]

Ohh, Psychic Reformation does look nice. That would be extremely useful...

Soulbound Weapon... Hrm. Maybe. Seems like you're giving up versatility for a small boost in power, since the weapon is roughly the same power level as a normal enchanted weapon... you just don't have to pay for it.

I had looked at Strength of my Enemy, but it seemed to have too many qualifiers to really bring much to the table. Since the strength damage/bonus needs to come from the same creature, and most creatures will only be alive for 3-4 rounds, it seems difficult to get more than a +1 or +2 bonus from that. What's more, it only has a duration of 1 round/level, so it would only last a single encounter.

Slayer seems interesting. It would mean taking another Monastic Training and another Tashlatora though, and if anything it would be more of an end-game dip. I'll see how the campaign unfolds, I guess.

So then for feats... I guess something like this:

Lv 3) Imprint Stone
Psy 1) Psicrystal Affinity
Psy 2) Speed of Thought
Lv 6) Tashlatora(Psychic Warrior)
Psy 5) Expanded Knowledge(Body Adjustment)
Lv 9) Extend Power
Psy 8) Expanded Knowledge(Identify, Psionic)
Lv 12) Psionic Meditation
Psy 11) Psionic Charge
Lv 15) Expanded Knowledge(Psychic Reformation)
Psy 14) Expanded Knowledge(Metamorphosis)
Lv 18) Expanded Knowledge(Teleport, Psionic)
Psy 17) Expended Knowledge(Schism)

And if I use Reformation to swap out Lightning Reflexes which I took at first level... maybe Psionic Body for an extra 20 HP.

[Psyren]

Soulbound Weapon... Hrm. Maybe. Seems like you're giving up versatility for a small boost in power, since the weapon is roughly the same power level as a normal enchanted weapon... you just don't have to pay for it.

It has several advantages over a normal enchanted weapon:

1) It counts as magic at first level (even without enhancements) and scales with level automatically.
2) It frees up your WBL for other goodies (jewelry, consumables)
3) You can reselect the enhancements on it whenever you summon it (the list is not restricted btw, so go nuts - DMG, MiC, XPH, the works)
4) It benefits from both Overchannel and Talented (two more useful feats for your build btw, because they also benefit Expansion, Grip of Iron etc.)


I had looked at Strength of my Enemy, but it seemed to have too many qualifiers to really bring much to the table. Since the strength damage/bonus needs to come from the same creature, and most creatures will only be alive for 3-4 rounds, it seems difficult to get more than a +1 or +2 bonus from that. What's more, it only has a duration of 1 round/level, so it would only last a single encounter.

Against multiple enemies, deal nonlethal damage against the first enemy (Unarmed Strike, your speciality, can do this at your option without losing any attack bonus.) Wail on him with multiple attacks till he keels over and your strength is boosted. Switch to lethal, take everyone else out, then go back to the unconscious sap and CDG him if the other party members haven't done so yet.


So then for feats... I guess something like this:

Lv 3) Imprint Stone
Psy 1) Psicrystal Affinity
Psy 2) Speed of Thought
Lv 6) Tashlatora(Psychic Warrior)
Psy 5) Expanded Knowledge(Body Adjustment)
Lv 9) Extend Power
Psy 8) Expanded Knowledge(Identify, Psionic)
Lv 12) Psionic Meditation
Psy 11) Psionic Charge
Lv 15) Expanded Knowledge(Psychic Reformation)
Psy 14) Expanded Knowledge(Metamorphosis)
Lv 18) Expanded Knowledge(Teleport, Psionic)
Psy 17) Expended Knowledge(Schism)

Leave Imprint Stone and Identify to the psions. Crafting is the egghead's job, not the bruiser's.
Vigor >>>> Body Adjustment, especially if you share it with your psicrystal and combine it with Share Pain.
Never waste EK on a power you can learn yourself - tweak your list instead.
Psionic Charge is meh, I would skip it. Too many conditions for it to be worthwhile, when you can just manifest Hustle, move action Dim Door and full attack instead, as early as level 11 with Overchannel.


And if I use Reformation to swap out Lightning Reflexes which I took at first level... maybe Psionic Body for an extra 20 HP.


Psionic Body seems attractive with all the other Psionic Feats you have, but take Vigor and you won't need it. A mere two augments of Vigor with Shared Pain (or 4 without) will match that whole feat.

[RndmNumGen]

Imprint Stone was more for my own use, so I could use the stones to manifest powers for when my PP is low or depleted, which I think will be a problem for the first three levels. It should even be useful later on, when I can create fully augmented, extended stones.

You're right that Identify should typically be left to the psions, but we don't have a psion, or a wizard, or a sorcerer, or even a bard. I'm literally the only person who could cast it.

Good point about Hustle->Dimension Door, though... Hmm... Same with Vigor.

[Stegyre]

If you ever run out of feats you want to take, you can't go wrong with Psionic Talent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicTalent) (every time you take it it gets better.)
In an E6 game, where your maximum pp from levels are only 35, and you're more likely to mutliclass (making the ceiling even lower), I'd unequivocally agree.

On the other hand, when considering a 20-level build, you may have over 300 pp. (EDIT: that's for a psion -- I was assuming a "best case" scenario; a PW will have 127 -- not as much, but still enough that the boost from multiple iterations of PT is nominal.) In that regard, PT's benefit of 2 pp, +1pp on each additional iteration (so +2, +3, +4, etc.) seems trivial even after five iterations: a total of only +20 pp for five feats??

[Draz74]

If you're worried about having enough PP, you shouldn't give up on Item Creation feats -- specifically, just one Item Creation feat. Craft Psionic Arms and Armor. With that, for a mere 183 gp and 8 XP, you can craft a +1 Manifester Arrow (or Sling Stone ... looks less weird fluff-wise), for an extra 5 PP per day.

Note, using this strategy excessively is likely to get you smacked with the DMG. :smallamused:

[RndmNumGen]

Don't you need to make a whole stock of 50 arrows to do that anyway? Either way... yeah, I don't think so.