Surge of Passion: The Wilder

[Angeal976]

So I am workin on a Wilder character, who mostly uses the energy spells, like nergy ray, energy push, energy ball, just for flavor really. His favorite is fire, but all types have their benefits. Anyway I was wondering about the future of this build. Are there really good prestige classes a Wilder would be good for, or should I just go full Wilder?

[Elric VIII]

CPsi has Anarchic Initiate which advances Wild Surge and gives it some additional extra abilities.

Also, look into Energy Barrage, since it is PR:no.

[Angeal976]

CPsi has Anarchic Initiate which advances Wild Surge and gives it some additional extra abilities.

Also, look into Energy Barrage, since it is PR:no.

Oh, cool. There is a complete psionics handbook. I probably should have kniwn that, but thanks!

[The Glyphstone]

Note that most of it is awful, and thus we don't like to talk about it. The Anarchic Initiate is one of the few bright spots.

[sreservoir]

anarchic initiate is yet another broken piece. it's just broken good compared to most other psionic prcs, if only because it has full progression. violating unwritten design principles, really.

ardent is good, though. mostly.

[HappyBlanket]

Yeeeeeeees! Wilders are awesome.

...Okay, I typed a bunch of stuff in a euphoric blur surge before realizing that you only wanted Prestige class help. I'll just mention quickly that Pyrokinecticist is a trap. You'll be better off going full Wilder or Wilder/Anarchic Initiate.

Look up the online supplement; Mind's Eye or something like that. Use the Educated Wilder variant! It trades away your Volatile Mind class feature in exchange for free Expanded Knowledge at every level your Volatile Mind would have advanced <33333 You know what that means? It means you can get Astral Construct! It means you can get Schism! It means you can get Hustle! Takeittakeittakeit! Or if it's too late, get Expanded Knowledge feats anyway, because those powers are definitely worth it.

As for any other Psionic character, get Psionic Meditation to regain Psionic Focus as a Move Action. Very useful.

Also, see if you can find a way to bypass a failed Wild Surge's daze... As written, there comes a point where attempting to Wild Surge has a 65% (working on memory here. Might be as high as 95%) of dazing you until the end of your following turn. I recommend the Quick Recovery feat; you'll still lose half a turn, but that's not nearly as bad.

Did I mention I love Wilders? Mostly because it's what I happen to be playing at the moment, but whatever.

Also: The Wilder handbook. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4368.0)

[Angeal976]

Awesome! Thanks for all that. Yeah quick recovery seems good, I plannned on bein a little reckless and usin Wild Surge a lot.

[Amphetryon]

Please read the prereqs for Anarchic Initiate carefully. For a PrC that would seem to be custom-made for a Wilder, it's stupidly hard to get into on time, RAW.

[Angry Bob]

Note that Anarchic Initiate requires 8 ranks of Know(planes), which is not a class skill for wilders. Talk to your DM about reducing it to 4 ranks, otherwise, you could be waiting a while for it.

Also, if you're blasting, remember to cover all of your bases. You're a caster, so there's no reason not to be able to apply your specialty.

Have every energy type available in case you encounter something immune or resistant(trivial, you're a wilder and your energy powers can be adjusted as they're used)
Have something that ignores SR/PR(Crystal X powers tend to work well for this, though they're subject to DR instead)
Have something that targets reflex, something that targets will, and something that targets fort, for creatures with a weak save. You have plenty of choices here, especially since higher-level energy X powers give you a choice of reflex or fort targeted.
Have something that hits automatically(Concussion Missile works).
Have something that has uses outside of combat. Like psionic disintegrate.

Most importantly, since you have a short list of powers known, make sure there's as little overlap as possible. You only need so many different ways of dealing damage.

To bypass the daze effect of the wild surge, you could score a mark of the dauntless, but that's in an obscure eberron source and you have to already have a dragonmark and be in the appropriate house and it takes feats and...

[Elric VIII]

Please read the prereqs for Anarchic Initiate carefully. For a PrC that would seem to be custom-made for a Wilder, it's stupidly hard to get into on time, RAW.

You don't need to take overchannel, so in its place you can take a feat to gain the skill.

Here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6832.0) are some ways to get Know(planes).

[HappyBlanket]

Erk. Crossclass skill prereqs.

Maybe Retraining shenanigans? Combined with a well timed level in Psion?

[Amphetryon]

You don't need to take overchannel, so in its place you can take a feat to gain the skill.

Here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6832.0) are some ways to get Know(planes).
The extra feat tax is exactly what I was referencing. It smacks of poor design, IMO, that the base class that is the best thematic fit for Anarchic Initiate needs to go supplement diving in order to qualify, while a Psion can waltz right in.

[Elric VIII]

The extra feat tax is exactly what I was referencing. It smacks of poor design, IMO, that the base class that is the best thematic fit for Anarchic Initiate needs to go supplement diving in order to qualify, while a Psion can waltz right in.

Both Psion and Wilder reqire exactly one feat and 8 skill points in order to enter. The Wilder can, technically, enter without spending any feats (although this is not really a smart idea).

[Amphetryon]

Both Psion and Wilder reqire exactly one feat and 8 skill points in order to enter. The Wilder can, technically, enter without spending any feats (although this is not really a smart idea).

The Wilder cannot enter without spending any feats and expect to reach the capstone of the PrC before Epic levels, which was part of my initial point. Again, the number of feats is not the point. The fact that it requires more system mastery to know the right source books, and more access to additional source books, for a Wilder - the better thematic fit - than for a Psion, is the point.

Yes, I know this is the age of the internet and the "Lists of Stuff" thread exists as an aid in finding these things out. I also know several D&D groups without any knowledge of that resource, and no desire to go dredging through the internet in the pursuit of more power or the perfect thematic fit for their concept. The design of the Anarchic Initiate requires greater system mastery or greater source book access - or both - to enter with Wilder than it does with Psion, which is poor design, in my opinion.

[Zaq]

I like Wilders, as long as your group doesn't have too many better casters (I put them at the rock bottom of T2). Just remember, with every single feat you get, ask yourself, "is this better than Expanded Knowledge?"

Of course, the fact that by RAW, you can't take Expanded Knowledge until level 6 (technically, level 4, but you don't get a feat then . . . but yes, I know about Educated Wilder) really kinda blows. At least you can (and probably should) take Hidden Talent at 1st.

[Psyren]

I recommend the Pathfinder Wilder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/wilder) - particularly the Student, Warrior and Artificer archetypes. While the low powers known are still there, these three get sufficient bonuses to make up for it (and of course, Pathfinder's higher number of feats help you shore up your repetoire.)


Both Psion and Wilder reqire exactly one feat and 8 skill points in order to enter. The Wilder can, technically, enter without spending any feats (although this is not really a smart idea).

While this is true, consider that (a) the one feat is one that Psions would generally be taking anyway, and (b) Psions also have more feats to spend - thanks to not only their bonus feats, but due to needing less EK. So this class is still easier for Psions to enter. It also grants more benefits to Psions because they don't give up any powers known (like an Educated Wilder would.)