Character Build help

[Valdor]

Hey so I am build a Psychic Warrior for the first time ever and really this is my first time ever even touching Psionics in general. He is starting at 2nd level (3 ECL since he is a Half-Giant and we do allow level by-off)

I have been looking around and can not seem to find any good prestige classes for the Psychic Warrior. So I turn to you fine Gents, and Ladies, to help me out with this character.

Some details about the campaign:

Party is a Telepath Psion that will go into Thrallherd and a Wilder that will go into Anarchic Initiate.
The game will take place mostly in the Underdark and around a specific Drow city. The other two players will be playing mostly Mid-OP

So Any prestige classes I should look to? What awesome powers should I look into? So far I only have Force Screen and Claws of the Beast since we are starting out as slaves that are forced to fight in a gladiator arena for the Drow society.

So guide me oh wise ones of the Playground, guide me

[skycycle blues]

This is probably the best PrC you'll be able to find: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm which is a slightly modified version of Ilithid Slayer because Ilithids aren't allowed into SRD.

It's one of only three PrCs that I know of that advance manifesting and have high BAB, which is really all you want out of a prestige for Psychic Warrior, right? The other two are in Lords of Madness: Topaz Guardian and Sanctified Mind.

[eggs]

There aren't a lot of great Prestige classes for Psychic Warriors. Almost all lose ML and/or BA, and few give class features as useful as the Psychic Warrior's feats.

But the Wizards of the Coast/Hyperconscious/Dreamscarred Press prestige classes that might be worth looking at:

General improvements on Psychic Warrior:
Psionic Abjurant Champion (CM) - Full BA, 5/5? manifesting, This is probably a really good option, but it's more a guideline for homebrew than an explicitly spelled-out class, so it's really going to depend on how the class is implemented.
Ghostbreaker (Hyper) - Full BA, 5/5 manifesting. Focused on Undead-hunting (gets turning, automatic retaliation against level drain). A bit more powerful than Psychic Warrior levels, but in the same league as Abjurant Champion and Sacred Exorcist for arcane gishes.

General-purpose balanced options with Psychic Warrior:
Slayer (EPH/SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm)) - Full BA, 9/10 manifesting. Abilities focused on hunting one psionic monster. Gets some really powerful anti-scrying abilities and a very nice mind blank (but the mind blank only works when psifocused, which introduces some serious tactical difficulties)
Sanctified Mind (LoM) - Full BA, 5/6 manifesting, Wisdom-based Smite, ability to ignore status effects like Daze and mind control
Meditant (ME (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827c))- Medium BA, 9/10 manifesting, generates a ton of PP and a couple other minor abilities (Etherealness is the big one)
Idealist (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/idealist))) - Medium BA, 9/10 manifesting. Doesn't lose ML until capstone (but needs a Halo Knight (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/halo-knight) dip). Trades bonus feats for useful numeric bonuses (temp HP, damage boosts, extra PP, etc.)
Chronorebel (Hyper) - Medium BA, 8/10 manifesting, time control abilities (extra actions, redoing a combat round, capstone loses a ML, but grants large-scale time traveling, a couple powers known)
Enlightened Protector (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/enlightened-protector)) - Full BA, 8/10 manifesting, bonus feats and along the way, capstone allows Swift restoration of psionic focus without blowing PP on Hustle.

Niche, but balanced options with Psychic Warrior:
Iron Mind (RoS) - Medium BA, 8/10 manifesting, strong boosts to will save, use it in place of other saves, will-specific mettle, DR 3/-, give allies big will boosts as immediate actions
Anarchic Initiate (CPsi) - Medium BA, 10/10 manifesting. Gets Wild Surge, which is useful for endurance, and a few abilities that don't matter all that much. Mostly noteworthy for being the one full manifesting PrC
Cerebral Rager (Hyper) - Medium BA, 8/10 manifesting, temporary PP bonuses and damage/intimidate boosts for Barbarian/Psychic Warrior builds.
Chakra Savant (Hyper) - Medium BA, 8/10 manifesting, class level^2 extra PP&HP per day, some free useful powers like True Seeing, capstone loses a ML, but gives Reality Revision 1/week (Exp cost can be delayed, but is not mitigated).
Primal Thought (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/primal-thought)) - Full BA, 8/10 manifesting, trade bonus feats for numeric increases when acting for other characters' benefits, or when beating up "unnatural" creatures.
Soul Manifester (ME (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a)) - Bad BA, 10/10 manifesting, stacks levels with a meldshaping class. Psionics and Incarnum get along very nicely together. This is mostly for Totemist/Psychic Warriors.

EDIT:
On Feats:
These aren't feats that every Psychic Warrior should take (except Linked Power), but they're feats that should always be considered:
Linked Power (CPsi) is the single most important feat for any Psychic Warrior build. It allows PsyWars to cast a swift power, link it to another power, and have both go off within the first two rounds without interfering with movement or attack routines.
Hidden Talent (EPH) is like Wild Talent+Expanded Knowledge - basically a clinched feat option for most psionic characters, for giving extra PP and a first-level power from any list. Astral Construct, Dimension Hop (CPsi), Minor Creation, Synchronicity (CPsi) and Charm are all quite useful choices.
[Deeper] Psychic Meditation (ME (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827b)) is a massive source of PP. Most Psychic Warriors will benefit from sucking it up and blowing a few feat slots on them.
Psionic Meditation (EPH) - different than Psychic Meditation. Every character that uses Psionic Focus will want this feat at some point. Especially for Linked Power+Hustle quickens.
Extend Power (EPH) - kind of dry, but starting around level 6, it lets you manifest hour/level buffs the night before you enter a dungeon and then get their benefits without losing PP that could be spent for in-dungeon manifestation. The more clear-cut tactical use isn't bad either.

Beyond that, Psychic Warriors typically build like other melee characters in terms of feats, with the occasional Expanded Knowledge for things like Schism or Metamorphosis (or Metamorphic Transfer, for players who want to deserve to have the book thrown at them).

EDIT AGAIN:
And in terms of ACFs, the Mantled Warrior ACF (ME (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a)) is very useful for expanding the class powers list (Freedom and Time are both very good; Natural World can get Metamorphosis up 4 levels early, which is a pretty big deal). I'm less a fan of the more popular Soulbound Weapon from the same source, due to action economy/logistics issues.

Also, the Half-Giant Psychic Warrior sub levels (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/half-giant-psychic-warrior)) are pretty cool. They give some abilities to expel Psionic focus to tag targets with status effects, in exchange for some bonus feats. They're not a clear choice for any PsyWar, but they can be interesting options for battlefield control builds.

[Alabenson]

If you're considering a charger build and can stomach the high feat tax, then a one level Elocater dip might be worth considering. Their first level class ability essentially lets you ignore difficult terrain, which a) is one of the most common ways to stop a charger and b) you're likely to encounter frequently underground.

[eggs]

On Powers, the Psychic Warrior has the same issues as other melee characters, but unlike mundane classes, the PsyWar has ways of dealing with those issues.

In terms of choosing which powers, I'd recommend this process:

Choose a primary strategy (eg. Battlefield Control, Grappling, Natural Weapon DPS, Archery). You can branch out a bit (and probably should), but you're going to want to be sure to keep the abilities supporting this strategy level-appropriate.
Select combat ability-boosting powers to make numbers big enough to meaningfully contribute with that strategy (so powers like Expansion, Grip of Iron or Claws of the Beast). Select those first.
Once the character has the tools to be scary, select powers to help reliably deliver those numbers (the biggest obstacles being mobility and movement).
Once the character can reliably contribute through various routine obstacles, select powers to be good at delivering the numbers. (Generally powers that take charge of the action economy.)
Then fill in with the various protections to keep up in late-game immunity roulette. (At high levels, D&D becomes rocket tag - it's a question of who goes first and happens to choose an attack that the target hasn't obtained a blanket immunity to; most Fighters don't have either versatile attack strategies or immunities to counter them)


Then in terms of general combat ability boosters, most Psychic Warrior powers tie in there, so I'm going to go through with broad strokes, mostly pointing at the ones I think are most noteworthy:

Expansion (EPH) - Extra size is amazing. It means reach (necessary for battlefield control), combat bonuses (necessary for anyone who might engage in a grapple or trip), strength (useful for any meleer) and base damage increases (awesome once you get damage dice like Claws of the Beast's). And going up TWO size categories, regardless of base creature type, is just amazing. Level 1.
Claws of the Beast (EPH) - Great duration means they can be cast ahead of time, good base damage means Claws of the Vampire. Level 1.
Call Weaponry (EPH) - I hear loads of recommendations for the Soulbound Weapon ACF. But Call Weaponry is a short-duration power that has to be manifested in the beginning of every fight. So even with Linked power, it leaves the Psychic Warrior in the first round of combat following one of several strategies - hemorrhaging PP in the first round to pretend to be a psion, twiddling its thumbs, or attacking with a secondary weapon, which will still demand the resources that Soulbound weapon was intended to save in the first place. The damage buff from a custom-Baned weapon isn't bad, but I'd rather do other things with the PP and action, even without considering the Power Known/Feat slot invested. Level 1.
Grip of Iron (EPH) - this can be a giant grapple bonus, and as an immediate-action power, it gives a lot of freedom with Linked Power. Level 1.
Bite of the Wolf (EPH) - nice base damage, and unlike Claws of the Beast, works for crazy multiattack builds. Level 1.
Metaphysical Claw/Weapon (EPH) - Not the most exciting bonuses, and replicated with wealth, but long enough durations to eventually manifest the day before a dungeon dive without competing with in-dungeon manifestations for PP. Level 1.
Vigor (EPH) - Even without Share Pain + Psicrystal Affinity tricks, it works with Linked power to mean a lot of extra HP. Level 1.
Offensive Prescience (EPH) - This is a consistent damage source for Psychic Warrior archers. Otherwise, it has enough competition for damage-generating actions and PP that it becomes pretty minor. Level 1.
Offensive Precognition (EPH) - At higher levels, this power's numeric increases are a pretty big deal and the PP cost isn't so prohibitive. At lower levels, it's a bit of a dud. Level 1.
Defensive Precognition (EPH) - Lots of numeric bonuses that stack really nicely. But in my experience, its expense and the metagame aspect of short-duration single-target defensive buffs (attacks that would be shut down by the defense are just redirected to someone else) make it much less useful than the awesome numbers indicate. Level 1.
Extend Range (CPsi) - Psychic Warriors make good archers. This helps. Level 1.
Prevenom (Weapon) (EPH) - I am in love with the scaling DC, so I take these powers more often than I should. To be honest, they haven't done me any good, ever. Level 1.
Force Screen (EPH) - Good AC boost for cheap; augments are rather expensive. Probably amazing with Psionic Abjurant Champion (depending on implementation). Level 1.
Inertial Armor (EPH) - High enough PP cost, slow enough scaling that full plate's generally preferable for PsyWars without a specific Dexterity focus. Useful at very high levels, though. Also probably amazing with Psionic AbjChamp. Level 1.
Animal Affinity (EPH) - Generic ability enhancement that can buff multiple abilities at once. Though it can eventually be replaced by WBL, it's very useful in dealing with the Psychic Warrior's multiple ability requirements. Level 2.
Strength of My Enemy (EPH) - Buff/Debuff at once. Counterintuitively plays best with volley casters, rather than strength-based meleers. Level 2.
Flourish (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/flourish)) - Give allies a morale bonus to attack and damage with every successful opposed combat maneuver and impose that on enemies as a penalty. Augments well and can be cheesed a bit, but doesn't exceed IC-focused Bard. Fun to use. Level 2.
Extend Reach (CPsi) - Gain +5ft reach as a Swift action. Augmentation for a decent duration can get expensive, but it's a very useful power for battlefield control builds (or any melee PsyWar who doesn't want to provoke from a larger enemy while engaging). Level 2.
Power Weapon/Claws (CPsi) - deal Force damage with weapons. This means ignoring DR and Incorporeality. Expensive to maintain over many extra attacks. Level 2.
Ethereal Volley (CPsi) - Ghost Touch arrows solve more archery problems. Level 2.
Perfect Archery (CPsi) - Makes archery easier in melee, but archers shouldn't be in melee. Useful ability, but taking it means giving up your tactics cred. Level 2.
Endorphin Surge (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/endorphin-surge)) - Barbarian rage for rounds/level.
Claws of the Vampire (EPH) - Gain half the base weapon damage of your claw attacks back in hit points. With size increases and Claw of the Beast Augments, that adds up pretty quickly. Level 3.
Vampiric Blade (EPH) - With Greater Mighty Wallop, this can be even better than the Claw version. Otherwise, it's useful, but not quite so sweet. Level 3.
Metamorphosis (EPH) - The things this power does to the Psychic Warrior's numbers are just silly. You can get it with the natural world mantle at ECL 10 or with Expanded Knowledge at ECL 14. Level 4.
The Arrow Knows the Way (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/the-arrow-knows-the-way)) - Ignore cover, miss chances and range penalties on arrow attacks, extend range. Level 4.
Mirror Shot (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/mirror-shot)) - Multiply an arrow in flight (duplicates get no precision, no enhancements). Augments to share the original's enhancements. Very strong archer power, but expensive to use often. Level 4.
Living Arrow (CPsi) - For archers, means that walls and just moving behind stuff isn't enough to counter a volley. Kind of useless without augmentation. Level 5.
Barrage (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/barrage)) - Fire an arrow at every target within one range increment as a full round action. Level 5.
Psychofeedback (EPH) - Gain one ability boost at the cost of others. The ability can really be cranked up (+ML to the stat), but the ability burn is nasty enough that this is basically for boss fights, period. Level 5.
Form of Doom (EPH) - A bunch of strong melee combat abilities like extra attacks, untyped strength boosts, NA, DR. But doesn't work with Metamorphosis, so it's only going to be useful to Psychic Warriors who are holding back. Level 6.
Unleash Idbeast (Hyper) - gain a template with some PLAs, smites and natural ability boosts. Have to pay PP for the PLAs when the duration expires.


To deal with mobility (which I'm totally arbitrarily using to refer to the ability to move and contribute meaningfully), the Psychic Warrior has a few options beside quickening the various teleports:

Dimension Hop (CPsi) - available through Freedom Mantle, Expanded Knowledge or Hidden Talent; swift teleportation from a level 1 power; short, but augmentable movement.
Psionic Lion's Charge (EPH) - Full attack on a charge. Augmentable for bonus damage. Don't look at the rules too closely or you'll start getting funny ideas - just treat it as pounce, for everyone's sake. Level 2 power.
Hustle (EPH) - Spend a swift action, get a move action. You'll want this to combo with Linked Power+Psionic Meditation, to solve your action economy woes. Level 2 power.
Metamorphosis (EPH) - Available through Expanded Knowledge at ECL 14 or off the Natural World mantle at ECL 10. Turn into something with pounce or a variant (eg. Hydras). Level 4 power.
Inconstant Location (CPsi) - Teleport to land speed as a swift action for 10 rounds. Make further actions normally. Level 6.


There really aren't many great movement powers on the Psychic Warrior's class list. That's what Mantled Warrior + the Freedom Mantle is for.

Dimension Hop (CPsi) - get this through Hidden Talent, Freedom Mantle or Expanded Knowledge. Swift action teleportation that doesn't restrict subsequent actions in a round. Level 1 power.
Dimension Swap (EPH) - Trade places with an ally. I'm sure you can think of some tactical uses. Also, you can always trade places with the wizard's raven or the psion's psicrystal to get out of webs, or into hard-to-reach locations. Level 2 power.
Wall Walker (EPH) - Lets you get around many dungeon obstacles. Niche, but cheap and easy to obtain. Level 2 power.
Dimension Slide (EPH) - Short-range teleport. Doesn't restrict other actions in the round like dimension door. Augments into a move action, which is fairly unique. Level 3 power.
Dimension Door (EPH) - mid-range teleport. Doesn't let you do anything else in a round, which is pretty ****ty for incorporating into attack routines or integrating into battlefield control tactics. Level 4 power.
Metamorphosis (EPH) - Leaving aside Metamorphic Transfer shenanigans, this lets you turn into something that can fly, and generally move around obstacles. Available through or the Natural World Mantle.
Fly (EPH) - It's flight. Available through expanded Knowledge or the Freedom Mantle. Level 4 power.
Freedom of Movement (EPH) - Ignore terrain-based obstacles like webs, solid fogs, entangling roots or grapples. Immunity to a lot of otherwise scary effects. Level 4 power.
Teleport (EPH) - Long-range teleportation, doesn't restrict subsequent actions in a round. Available through Expanded Knowledge or Freedom Mantle. Level 5 power.
Inconstant Location (CPsi) - Teleport up to land speed as a swift action for 10 rounds, make further actions normally. Level 6 power.


Linked Power is the real key to the psychic warrior's action economy. It allows a swift power to link to a longer-manifesting power to cast 2 powers with one swift action. The rest of the psychic warrior's tricks fall in from there. The Time Mantle is very useful for this element. (This is also where the game can break; try not to take this further than your group already goes with its other casters.)

Synchronicity (CPsi) gives an extra standard action outside the Psychic Warrior's turn. With any trick to reduce its casting time, it straight up adds a standard action per turn. Available through Hidden Talent and Expanded Knowledge. Level 1 power.
Hustle (EPH) - gain a move action. Move actions are normally the least interesting, but it can still be useful.
Schism (EPH) - An extra standard action per round for mental activities, like manifesting. It plays nicely with Practiced Manifester (but I wouldn't use the feat unless the build already loses manifester levels elsewhere). Available through Expanded Knowledge. Level 4.
Metamorphosis (EPH) - Specifically with Metamorphic Transfer for a Cloaker, or something along those lines. Then feel very very ashamed. Level 4.
Anticipatory Strike (CPsi) - Take your turn as an immediate action, but give up your real turn afterward. Like a slightly less broken Greater Celerity.
Temporal Acceleration - Psionic Time Stop. Available from the Time mantle. Level 6.



Immunities are also a BFD, especially at high levels. I'm just going to look at the ways to get them. Just grabbing a variety of offensive options should be enough to let the Psychic Warrior get around them. These immunities aren't all required, but they're all useful power selections - especially in the higher-level game.

Synesthete (EPH) - not the flashiest power, but it defends against pretty much any sensory-based attack that you could worry about. Level 1 power.
Detect Hostile Intent (EPH) - Don't be surprise/caught flatfooted by creatures without mind immunity, ever. Definitely a nerf compared to Foresight, but it's a level 2 power.
Concealing Amorpha (EPH) - nix sneak attack, and 20% miss chance for everything else. Level 2 power.
Specified Energy Adaptation (EPH) - Immediate action energy resistance that scales with level; doesn't totally protect against an element, but greatly reduces damage from energy barrages (such as Scorching Ray or Split/Twinned powers). Level 2 power.
Danger Sense (EPH) - augments to (Improved) Uncanny Dodge. Long enough duration to manifest the day before a dungeon dive. Level 3 power.
Ectoplasmic Form (EPH) - Gaseous Form, psionic.
Touchsight (EPH) - negate any sort of hiding, invisibility or concealment. Available through Expanded Knowledge and Knowledge mantle (but that mantle kind of sucks). Level 3.
Metamorphosis (EPH) - just look at the Undead, Plant and Ooze type descriptions. This is a defense against just about everything. Available through Expanded Knowledge or Natural World Mantle. Level 4 power.
Steadfast Perception (EPH) - Ignore Invisibility, Displacement, Mirror Image... pretty much the entire line of wizardly illusion defenses. Level 4 power.
Stygian Ward (CPsi) - Psionic Death Ward. Available through Expanded Knowledge or the Life Mantle. Level 4.
Freedom of Movement (EPH) - Ignore grapples, battlefield control, movement-inhibiting status effects.
Oak Body (EPH) - A bunch of immunities, plus AC and DR; the speed penalty is annoying, but countered with Dimension Hop. Level 5 power.
True Seeing (EPH) - Ignore illusions, see through transmutations, see ethereal stuff, no material component. Available through Expanded Knowledge or Justice Mantle. Level 5 power.
Adapt Body (EPH) - Immunity to environmental dangers. This is pretty niche, but the long duration makes it something you can cast the day before, just so a wayward Plane Shift doesn't mean a positive energy explosion.
Personal Mind Blank (EPH) - Shield your middling Will against mind effects. Level 6 power.
Dispelling Buffer (EPH) - Not immunity to dispels, but it at least can give dispellers a bit of a headache.
Defer Fatality (DSP (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/defer-fatality)) - a last-ditch attempt to stay alive. Immediate manifesting power, only usable immediately before death. Keeps the Psychic Warrior alive (but immobile/unable to manifest) as long as its head is attached to its torso.