Semi-Optimizing the Slayer

[NeoSeraphi]

So I'm playing a psionic game and I have this psychic warrior (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=376565) I made. I want to go into slayer for obvious reasons (Full BAB, lots of sweet class features including psionic mindblank, and 9/10 manifesting)

My questions are A) How to have fun with your claws without going King of Smack on people and B) Are there any good powers I'm missing here?

I also need to know if kalashtar are considered psionic creatures. If they are, I'm going to take them as my Favored Enemy, otherwise meh.

Unfortunately with my low rolls I wasn't able to get a single rank in Survival, so until I get into slayer my Track feat is pretty useless.

The DM has said that we get one trait and one flaw. To be honest...I don't have a clue what other feat is worth it for me at level 1 right now. I don't want to take Talented because I'm going to be using Overchannel to Quicken my 1st level powers. I don't want a psicrystal and I don't want any of that stupid split vigor nonsense.

If I could get a [Psionic] feat that doesn't suck and that I might actually use, it would give me another 2 hit points, so that's not too bad. However, the only one that really looks decent (since I'm going to be using my psionic focus for Quickening and I don't plan to waste move actions to recover it in combat) is Speed of Thought.

Oh, as an aside, my DM has waived the restriction on claws of the beast that prevent them from attacking in the same round as other natural weapons. So I can claw/claw/bite of the wolf with my psionic lion's charge.

So...any suggestions?

[eggs]

A Psychic Warrior without Link Power is a tragedy.
Why Metaphysical Weapon on a natural-weapon based build?

Extend Power can let you manifest Claws of the Beast and Metaphysical Claw before restoring PP for the day, which can help a bit with endurance. This strategy adds a bit to a character's rest time, but can effectively double their PP on dungeoneering day.

The MIC Torc of Power Preservation is nerfed compared to the original, but it's dirt cheap and can be used to either extend longevity (which PWars badly need) or directly increase power potential. It's worth the 4k, even if that bumps your armor enhancement down.

And if you have a feat to burn, you can hardly go wrong with Hidden Talent for something like Minor Creation, Astral Construct, Charm or Dimension Hop.

[NeoSeraphi]

A Psychic Warrior without Link Power is a tragedy.
Why Metaphysical Weapon on a natural-weapon based build?

That's a typo. Fixing now, thanks.



Extend Power can let you manifest Claws of the Beast and Metaphysical Claw before restoring PP for the day, which can help a bit with endurance. This strategy adds a bit to a character's rest time, but can effectively double their PP on dungeoneering day.


Extend Power may let me keep it up all day, but that's in exchange for dealing less damage per hit since I can't augment it all the way. I don't think that's worth it, I'd rather be able to maul someone hard for 6 hours then lovetap them for 12 (Especially since I had to eat 14 Strength, I need every bit of damage I can get).



The MIC Torc of Power Preservation is nerfed compared to the original, but it's dirt cheap and can be used to either extend longevity (which PWars badly need) or directly increase power potential. It's worth the 4k, even if that bumps your armor enhancement down.


Torc of Power Preservation does seem nice, but I'm already using my Throat slot for my Periapt of Wisdom.



And if you have a feat to burn, you can hardly go wrong with Hidden Talent for something like Minor Creation, Astral Construct, Charm or Synesthete

Hidden Talent, huh? That's certainly an idea.

[Cog]

Torc of Power Preservation does seem nice, but I'm already using my Throat slot for my Periapt of Wisdom.
According to MIC, generic +stat doesn't get the 1.5 price modifier when added to another item. Get a Torc of Power Preservation of Wisdom for simply the cost of each separately.

[NeoSeraphi]

According to MIC, generic +stat doesn't get the 1.5 price modifier when added to another item. Get a Torc of Power Preservation of Wisdom for simply the cost of each separately.

Nice! Can you tell me the page number please?

[eggs]

Extend Power may let me keep it up all day, but that's in exchange for dealing less damage per hit since I can't augment it all the way. I don't think that's worth it, I'd rather be able to maul someone hard for 6 hours then lovetap them for 12 (Especially since I had to eat 14 Strength, I need every bit of damage I can get).Extend saves a huge amount of PP. Even if losing the 1d8->2d6 augment doesn't look like it's worth it at level 6, that's not going to be a tradeoff you have to make at level 7. And getting Beast+Metaphysical claws up the day before they're needed will more than double the PP you have available.


Torc of Power Preservation does seem nice, but I'm already using my Throat slot for my Periapt of Wisdom.
If MIC is in play, you can stack the Wisdom bonus onto the Torc at no additional cost.

Getting back to some of the earlier questions, Kalashtar are psionic creatures, and useful power you're probably overlooking is Dimension Hop, a swift level 1 teleport power.

Combined with Link Power, Dimension Hop practically replicates Quicken, but for 5 fewer PP per use and with some swift-action movement tacked on.

EDIT:

Nice! Can you tell me the page number please?
pp233-234

[Dusk Eclipse]

Personally I prefer Hidden Talent (Dimension Hop) to get a bit more mobility early one, before hustle and Psionic's Lion charge come online and in my opinion swift action movement is never bad.

As for how to deal damage with claws, without going into full KoS, augmenting it to the maximum gives a decent base damage, and as natural weapons you can still power attack with them (at 1:1 ratio; but you have two claw attacks so in end it is almost like a 1:2 ration of a two-handed weapon).

Despite your lowish strength, Psy-wars have a huge amount of options to bypass that, like Strength of my enemy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/strengthofMyEnemy.htm) which is a pretty decent buff and debuff at the same time, also at higher levels Form of Doom (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/formofDoom.htm)is is simply awesome.

As for feats, assuming you are going the natural attack routine Multiattack is a must to reduce the penalties of your secondary attacks (bite and possibly tentacles due FoD) and Improved Multiattack might not be a bad option. Darkstalker is also pretty neat if you plan to use some stealth, plus with the personal mindblank you will be undetectable even to Mindsight!

IIRC any creature with a Power point reserve (from race, class, feats, etc) gains the Psionic subtype, so yes Kalashtar do qualify as targets for the Favoured Enemy ability, personally I would ask the DM to see if I could instead take Psionics in a similar way to the Arcanist FE from the ranger's ACF, it is much more limited and Psionics creatures are pretty already pretty rare.

[NeoSeraphi]

Extend saves a huge amount of PP. Even if losing the 1d8->2d6 augment doesn't look like it's worth it at level 6, that's not going to be a tradeoff you have to make at level 7. And getting Beast+Metaphysical claws up the day before they're needed will more than double the PP you have available.

I can see your point. I'll pick Extend Power up as my 9th level feat.



Getting back to some of the earlier questions, Kalashtar are psionic creatures, and useful power you're probably overlooking is Dimension Hop, a swift level 1 teleport power.

Combined with Link Power, Dimension Hop practically replicates Quicken, but for 5 fewer PP per use and with some swift-action movement tacked on.

How would that replace Quicken? I'm using Quicken to manifest bite of the wolf and charge in the same round.

[eggs]

How would that replace Quicken? I'm using Quicken to manifest bite of the wolf and charge in the same round.
Quicken Power:
Spend 7 PP manifesting BotW as a Swift action.
Use remaining round to charge into melee. (Probably make a single attack with Claws of the Beast, as they're your biggest damage power.)
Subsequent round, full attack with Claw/Claw/Bite.

Link Power:
Spend 2 PP manifesting Dimension Hop with a Linked BotW as a Swift action. Teleport 10 feet.
Use remaining round to either full Claw/Claw attack (if 15 feet is enough to bring you into melee), or charge for the same Claw damage (with 10 ft teleportation that can add distance, or maneuver around charging obstacles).
Subesequent round, BotW activates, full attack with Claw/Claw/Bite.

Alternatively, you could spend the same 6 PP on Dimension Hop that you would on Quicken and cover the same distance you would on a charge, leaving you free to Claw/Claw full attack on the first round.

[NeoSeraphi]

Quicken Power:
Spend 7 PP manifesting BotW as a Swift action.
Use remaining round to charge into melee. (Probably make a single attack with Claws of the Beast, as they're your biggest damage power.)
Subsequent round, full attack with Claw/Claw/Bite.

Link Power:
Spend 2 PP manifesting Dimension Hop with a Linked BotW as a Swift action. Teleport 10 feet.
Use remaining round to either full Claw/Claw attack (if 15 feet is enough to bring you into melee), or charge for the same Claw damage (with 10 ft teleportation that can add distance, or maneuver around charging obstacles).
Subesequent round, BotW activates, full attack with Claw/Claw/Bite.

Alternatively, you could spend the same 6 PP on Dimension Hop that you would on Quicken and cover the same distance you would on a charge, leaving you free to Claw/Claw full attack on the first round.

Hmmm...so Link Power is some kind of Metapsionic Feat? I haven't seen it. Is it in Hyperconsciousness?

[Dusk Eclipse]

It is a metapsionic feat from Complete Psionic, it is a god send for buffers and it doesn't cost extra PP, you just add the PP of the powers linked and expend psionic focus, so for say CotB linked to BotW without augmentation would cost you only 2 PP and you get both of them at the same time.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hmm...I don't know what I'd use it on though. I'm not taking Hidden Power because I need to spend that feat on Multiattack, so I don't have dimension hop, and I wasn't really planning on using metaphysical claw until I got enough power points to safely augment it for 1 hour/level.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, but I think I'll wait on Linked Power a while.