PsiWar Soulbound Weapon ACF advice

[GodGoblin]

Hey guys and gals, im just in the process of making a Psychic Warrior build simply for giggles but will probably use it once I stop being my groups DM.

I like the idea of the Soulbound Weapon ACF so thought id give it a go its my first time building a PsiWar and only my second Psionic character so any ways to improve this would be welcomed.

Here is the build so far-

Elan Psiwarrior
(Assuming 32 point buy)
Str: 17 (+1's going here)
Dex: 10
Con:14
Int: 10
Wis: 16
Cha: 7

Feats
F1-Obtain Psicrystal (Shaky)
F2-Power attack (Frail)
1-Earth Sense
1-Soulbound Weapon ACF, Weapon Focus (Falcion)
2-Earth Power
3-Psicrystal containment
5-Psionic meditation
6-Leap attack
8-Linked Power
9-Expanded knowledge: Share Pain
11-Extend Power
12-
14-Expanded knowledge: Psionic Fly
15-

Powers
1-Call weaponry
2-Expansion
3-Vigor
4-Hustle
5-Inertial Armour/Thicken Skin/Biofeedback (Need to check AC stacking rules)
6-Strength of My Enemy
7-Concealing Amorpha, Greater
8-Empathic Feedback
9-Dimension Hop
10-Freedom of Movement, Psionic
11-Dimension Door, Psionic


The main idea is to be a front line combatant using the Vigor/Share pain crystal trick and self buffing as well as using my dual Psionic Focus and move action recharge to throw as many Psionic Weapons or quickened buff around as possible :smallsmile:

So im asking you guys:
-I know its mainly down to personal taste but any recomendations as to what weapon to choose? Also say I choose a standard Scimitar am I able to bind to a new weapon if I find one made of Deep Crystal or something?

-Any glaring holes in the build?

-Any tweaks or switches to make it more effecive?

-General play advice on PsiWars as a whole or tips from level 10-20.

As always thanks in advance! :smallsmile:

[Psyren]

First off, Psywar Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1542.0). That should cover most of your general queries.

Ask your DM if Psychic Reformation can let you rechoose which weapon you have bound. (This would fall under the "decisions of these sorts" clause and it would take close to 1000 XP at higher levels to do.) If yes and there is a Psion in the party then just have him manifest on you. If not, then just choose as carefully as you can in the beginning and keep any deep crystal wep you find as a backup.

I wouldn't go with a Scimitar; get a 2-handed weapon instead. Shields are for chumps and especially unimportant for you. (Falchions have the same threat range for instance.)


For the specifics:
- Soulbound Weapon only replaces one of your bonus feats (2nd level) so you still have your 1st-level feat and need to correct your progression.

- Inattentive is a terrible flaw, you'll be rolling Listen and Spot more than practically any other skills at the table. you need to be able to see and hear while you're on the front line or else you might get surprised, and between your above-average Wis and your Psicrystal (with both Alertness and possibly Observant) you may often notice trouble before your party does. You don't want to hamper that ability; Shaky and Frail are much less harmful to your build.

- The Psionic Weapon line is a waste of feats unless you're going for something that requires it, because it only applies to individual attacks. Early on before you get iteratives you can use it (the first one at least), but once you get higher up reform it away for more EKs. Between dumping these two and the extra feat you didn't account for you may not even need a flaw (but if you still want one, go with one of the ones I listed.) Not to mention, you will want to stay focused anyway for Earth Power (and use your psicrystal's focus for Linked Power to cut down on buffing time or get free Hustles.) Dump this and GPW.

- I would honestly leave Quicken Power to the Psion. Either Link your buffs or use naturally-swift ones (Psywars get plenty), or both. You're too starved for PP and foci to get much use out of it.

- You need Power Attack, and possibly Cleave.

- Put your 17 and associated stat boosts in Strength, not Wis. The only exception is if you're relying on Strength of My Enemy and Metamorphosis, neither of which you have, and even then you'll need to be able to frontline after being hit with a dispel and potentially losing your form. You don't need to max Wis; hitting things hard is your job, and powers you manifest should be to make it easier to hit things hard.

- Forget Psionic Keen Edge; Either put the Keen property on your soulbound weapon directly or get a Scabbard of Keen Edges for your backup weapon.

- Drop Vampiric Blade; it heals based on your weapon's base damage, and is not adjusted for strength or any of the enhancements on the weapon etc.

- You're using CPsi, so get Dimension Hop instead of Slide. (You move much further for the same PP and don't need Hustle to make it Swift.) You also need a way to fly.

- You need more defenses; get Damp Power, Energy Adaptation, Personal Mind Blank and/or Concealing Amorpha (or GCA).

- Dissolving Weapon is a nice way to alpha strike on your first encounter of the day but I think you have better choices for powers (see above.)

[GodGoblin]

Wow couldnt of asked for better feedback, ill have another browse through the Handbook and re-jig then.

Comments on your suggestions in no particuler order:

My plan for the psionic weapon tree was this-
First attack Greater psionic weapon, second attack expire psicrystals focus and use again, use hustle to regain focus (move action) as a swift, strike with third attack using Greater psionic weapon.

But ill check up on earth power and see what it gives me, will also open up space for PA and maybe leap attack.

It was either going to be innatentive or Shaky so thats fine too.

Im AFB at the mo and only using the SRD, I take it linked power is a Metapsi feat in there?

Dimention hop it is, once ive fiddled with the feats ill see if i have room for expanded knowledge:Fly

[Psyren]

My plan for the psionic weapon tree was this-
First attack Greater psionic weapon, second attack expire psicrystals focus and use again, use hustle to regain focus (move action) as a swift, strike with third attack using Greater psionic weapon.

This requires already being in the opponent's face, since you have to full attack to pull this off (i.e. can't use your swift or move to get up to the target or you lose a GPW.) That's unlikely to happen more than once per combat, and after you drop that guy you are now down two foci and need to get to the next target. And getting more than 3 attacks (e.g. Haste) actually hurts your output since you're out of foci to charge them with.

Meanwhile, Power Attack gets you comparable damage on all your iteratives (including any bonus attacks) without costing actions at all.

Yes, Leap Attack is a great idea.


For Earth Power, a nice trick is to pour dirt in your shoes, though your DM may frown at you.

[GodGoblin]

Ok havent modified powers yet but feats should be done, Managed to fit in PA & Leap attack as well as the Earth power tree by taking an extra flaw. Ill try the shoe dirt idea but may get DMG'd :smalltongue:

Ill check on powers a bit later but I think the feats now are better rounded and should be effective, thanks! :smallbiggrin:

[Rubik]

Here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11801.msg417846#msg417846) is an idea of how to do a well-rounded psychic warrior with a soulbound weapon and without using shapechanging shenanigans. It's really lethal, and has a great amount of versatility.

Also, I wouldn't bother with Power Weapon. You can easily have ghost touch on your soulbound weapon if you want, and you can grab weapon crystals out of the MIC for something similar as well (and they're cheap).

As for Linked Power, it's in Complete Psionic, and is one of the absolute best metapsionic feats a manifester can have. It's a bit complicated, but it lets you expand your place in the action economy like nobody's business and allows for a great many tactics that you couldn't do otherwise (such as creating poison via Psionic Minor Creation during battle).

Awesome for buffers.


I wouldn't go with a Scimitar; get a 2-handed weapon instead. Shields are for chumps and especially unimportant for you. (Falchions have the same threat range for instance.)Scimitars are 1-handed weapons, and thus you can choose to 2-hand them if you want. In a way they're better than falchions because you can't choose to 1-hand falchions if you need a hand free for some reason while you're attacking.

[GodGoblin]

But with Power attack a Falcion gets more mileage, definatly picked up Linked power now too. Just realised I cant get Fly until level 14 so I have my 12th feat slot free, no other feats are really screaming out at me to be fit in, you guys know of any that would tuck in nicley? Maybe a Mantle or Soulmeld? Or is there another PA feat that would help with damage output?

Edit: Also just changed some powers around, only using the SRD at the moment so will change once I get home and open up Complete Psi.

[Psyren]

You're welcome!

If flaws aren't allowed when you finally play, you can drop Earth Sense and Earth Power - the reduction is great, but you can do fine without it.

Consider getting flight from items, e.g. a graft. Alternatively, get Metamorphosis and change into something with a fly speed with that, you'll get a lot more use out of that power than merely flitting around. Alterna-alternatively, get Astral Construct instead (via EK or HT), make one with a fly speed, and ride it up. Not saying Psionic Fly is bad but you need to make the most of your PP and PK.

Also, toss Inertial Barrier, it doesn't scale or augment. With the V/SP combo you can live without DR, get miss chances and resists instead.

Mental Barrier is only useful until you have another source for deflection to AC. Once you do, reform it away.

[Rubik]

Shock Trooper is always good, since you can dump your AC rather than your attack bonus.

Also, I'd do my best to figure out how to use as few pp as possible for any given task. Use consumables and repeat-use items (such as a psychoactive skin of proteus or the phylactery of change from the A&EG (Polymorph for 24 hours into a single form for ~11k, CL 7). Research Psychic Reformation when you get 4th level powers, and keep it on hand for everything from pulling in a power or feat when you need it to using it for item crafting. Use duration powers that will last through multiple encounters. Make use of a standard weapon, using your soulbound one whenever odd problems arise (since a good weapon should be good enough for many encounters).

Also, what about Wild Cohort for a mount? Add in a few animal-specific templates (such as magebred and warbeast) and spend 50 gp to retrain each of its feats into something useful, and you can do some neat tricks.

I'd also consider making your soulbound weapon the most versatile one you can manage. Something with reach, capable of tripping and disarming, or one that deals multiple damage types so you don't have to worry about pulling in one that specifically deals with whatever DR you're trying to overcome.


Alterna-alternatively, get Astral Construct instead (via EK or HT), make one with a fly speed, and ride it up.I find Astral Construct to be a rather expensive power for a psywar. I think he'd be better off getting a wild cohort, or becoming dragonborn with wings, or finding a graft, or making himself a psychoactive skin of proteus (or the phylactery of change, as mentioned earlier).

Also, manifesting AC during most combats and taking the time to mount it is really time-consuming, and you really won't want to take up a round and a half in doing so.

[edit] Oh, and how about some +1 manifesting arrows (or shurikens)? 5pp each, and they're cheap.

[GodGoblin]

Ok switched up the Powers again, as for PP saving thats my next step, the Wild Cohort is a good idea though espiecally if it can fly. Saves on PP that way too!

Thanks again guys, will come back to this tonight or tmorrow with some updates! :smallsmile:

[Tokuhara]

Question: Does Soulbound Weapon have to be a melee weapon? Because a Psionic Zen Archer could be very powerful

[Rubik]

Question: Does Soulbound Weapon have to be a melee weapon? Because a Psionic Zen Archer could be very powerfulNope! Can easily be a ranged weapon!

Also: See elvencraft longbow.

[Psyren]

It can be a ranged weapon, but note that the ammunition it comes with is explicitly nonmagical and generic, so you'll have to buy or craft your own arrows (particularly if you want special materials.)

[GodGoblin]

Here is the text:

Soulbound Weapon

You can summon a specific weapon to your hand that is bound to your very soul.
Level: 1st and 2nd.
Replaces: You lose your 2nd-level bonus feat.
Benefit: You must choose a soulbound weapon at 1st level and you gain the Weapon Focus feat with this weapon. Also, the first power you learn must be call weaponry. You can summon your chosen soulbound weapon to your hand using call weaponry.

At 2nd level, you gain the soulbound weaponclass ability, and the weapon you summon using call weaponry is of the same type as you chose at 1st level. Its physical appearance slowly changes, growing in power as you do. You must manifest the power call weaponry to obtain your soulbound weapon; you retain the weapon for the duration of the power. You may still use the call weaponry power as normal if you wish. This is a specific weapon every time you summon it, and it automatically gains a weapon enhancement at the following levels:

4th +1 weapon
8th +2 weapon
12th +3 weapon
16th +4 weapon
20th +5 weapon
Also, add the following augmentation to your call weaponry power:

Augmentation: When you manifest your soulbound weapon, for each additional 5 power points you spend, you may add a weapon enhancement of +1 value to the weapon. For example, if you spend an additional 10 power points, you could add two +1 weapon enhancements or a single +2 weapon enhancement.

And call weapon text about ranged:

If you call a projectile weapon, it comes with 3d6 nonmagical bolts, arrows, or sling bullets, as appropriate.

A ranged one would be cool, I considered it but had recently played an archer cleric so thought id mix it up a bit.

Edit: I just had a thought, would it be worth taking levels in Kensai later on or just stick to PsiWar for the manifesting?

[Tokuhara]

It can be a ranged weapon, but note that the ammunition it comes with is explicitly nonmagical and generic, so you'll have to buy or craft your own arrows (particularly if you want special materials.)

However, An Enchanted Bow bestows the enchantments on the ammunition.

Since a soulbound weapon can be enchanted, the ammo becomes magical. That, and my DM doesn't care about ammo

[Rubik]

Edit: I just had a thought, would it be worth taking levels in Kensai later on or just stick to PsiWar for the manifesting?You'd get a lot more mileage out of sticking with either psywar or using a psywar PrC, since you can still have normal weapons, and Call Weaponry is a lot more versatile with the ACF, since you can change it up every single time you manifest it.

[Psyren]

Since a soulbound weapon can be enchanted, the ammo becomes magical. That, and my DM doesn't care about ammo

Fair enough, though the materials issue remains.



Edit: I just had a thought, would it be worth taking levels in Kensai later on or just stick to PsiWar for the manifesting?

Better idea if you're thinking of that route - Psychic Weapon Master. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d) Similar benefit, you keep 5 ML, and you get a 3rd focus (in your weapon) for even more psy-nanigans.

(Hell on your feats though)

[Rubik]

Better idea if you're thinking of that route - Psychic Weapon Master. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d) Similar benefit, you keep 5 ML, and you get a 3rd focus (in your weapon) for even more psy-nanigans.

(Hell on your feats though)PWM is awful. If you're going to do something like that, just go Ancestral Relic instead, and start sacrificing stuff in junk yards for the price of the materials, or evil temples, or something.

[zugschef]

soulbound weapon made the psychic weapon master superfluous...

[Rubik]

soulbound weapon made the psychic weapon master superfluous...It made itself superfluous with being awful.

[Lateral]

PWM is awful. If you're going to do something like that, just go Ancestral Relic instead, and start sacrificing stuff in junk yards for the price of the materials, or evil temples, or something.

Better than Kensai, though, which I think was his point.

[Psyren]

Better than Kensai, though, which I think was his point.

Yeah, that was the idea. Given the choice between losing 5 ML and losing 10 for similar benefits... yep.

Not to mention, a 3rd focus is hard to come by and means more juicy feats.

I agree it's not optimal though, it should purely be a flavor choice.

[Rubik]

Yeah, that was the idea. Given the choice between losing 5 ML and losing 10 for similar benefits... yep.

Not to mention, a 3rd focus is hard to come by and means more juicy feats.

I agree it's not optimal though, it should purely be a flavor choice.I might try it if I ever want a beatstick in a low-optimization (yeah right) gestalt campaign, if only to get the third focus. Though I'm more likely to play a ghost, if it's allowed. But if it's not...