How is my Tashalatora Monk2/Psychic Warrior 18 outline?

[killem2]

So, I'm going with a catfolk (in another thread about tripping I mentioned that i already bought a sweet looking Rakshasa mini), I got the ok to use a dragon magazine racial variant making it a wild version of catfolk, giving me another +2 str, -2 int - 2 cha. Also +5 to movement, minus to social stuff. We are allowed to use flaws. I did come up with a clever background to explain how I ended up with aberration blood to take that feat, and how I became lawful good after being wild for most of my childhood so that's all good from a fluff stand point.

My goal is to being a solid tripper/battlefield controller. I was trying to find a way to throw in healer because I know our group won't have much for a healer. It's going to be a Straight fighter/barb, another warrior thrikreen with crit build in mind, another barbarian, an elemental druid, and warlock.

I just wanted to know what the PG's overall input was on my choice of feats/powers/ability score increases.

Massorravec, Sentient Fist — Monk/Psychic Warrior Character Tree
• Character Level 1
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 12
o Monk 1(Passive Way)( Rage for Flurry)Whirling Frenzy Variant
o Feats : Monastic Training B Improved Unarmed Strike B, Combat Expertise B, Combat Reflexes, Aberration Blood, Inhuman Reach
o BAB + 0
o Unarmed Damage: 1d6 Medium – 1d8 Large
o Total Movement: 55 ft
• Character Level 2
o Monk 2(Passive Way)
o Feats: Improved Trip B
o BAB + 1
o Unarmed Damage: 1d6 Medium – 1d8 Large
o Total Movement: 55 ft
• Character Level 3
o Psychic Warrior 1
o Feats: Deft Opportunist, Tashalatora
o BAB + 1
o Unarmed Damage: 1d6 Medium – 1d8 Large
o Power Points: 1
o Powers Known: Expansion
o Total Movement: 65 ft
• Character Level 4
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 12
o Psychic Warrior 2
o Feats: Freedom Mantle
o BAB + 2
o Unarmed Damage: 1d8 Medium – 2d6 Large
o Power Points: 5
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertial Armor
o Total Movement: 75 ft
 
• Character Level 5
o Psychic Warrior 3
o Feats : None
o BAB + 3
o Unarmed Damage: 1d8 Medium – 2d6 Large – 3d6 Huge
o Power Points: 9
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer,
o Total Movement: 75 ft
• Character Level 6
o Psychic Warrior 4
o Feats : Improved Natural Attack (Swap with Stand Still once you get Fanged Ring)
o BAB + 4
o Unarmed Damage: 2d6 Medium – 3d6 Large — 4d6 Huge
o Power Points: 13
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy
o Total Movement: 85 ft
• Character Level 7
o Psychic Warrior 5
o Feats : Knock Down
o BAB + 5
o Unarmed Damage: 2d6 Medium – 3d6 Large — 4d6 Huge
o Power Points: 17
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item
o Total Movement: 85 ft
• Character Level 8
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 12
o Psychic Warrior 6
o Feats : None
o BAB + 6/+1
o Unarmed Damage: 2d8 Medium – 3d8 Large — 4d8 Huge
o Power Points: 26
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power
o Total Movement: 85 ft
 
• Character Level 9
o Psychic Warrior 7
o Feats : Snap Kick
o BAB + 7/+2
o Unarmed Damage: 2d8 Medium – 3d8 Large — 4d8 Huge
o Power Points: 32
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade
o Total Movement: 95 ft
• Character Level 10
o Psychic Warrior 8
o Feats : Practiced Manifester
o BAB + 8/+3
o Unarmed Damage: 2d8 Medium – 3d8 Large — 4d8 Huge
o Power Points: 39
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle
o Total Movement: 95 ft
• Character Level 11
o Psychic Warrior 9
o Feats : None
o BAB + 9/+4
o Unarmed Damage: 2d8 Medium – 3d8 Large — 4d8 Huge
o Power Points: 45
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide
o Total Movement: 95 ft
• Character Level 12
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 12
o Psychic Warrior 10
o Feats : Dirty Fighting
o BAB + 10/+5
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 52
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic
o Total Movement: 105 ft
 
• Character Level 13
o Psychic Warrior 11
o Feats : Improved Initative
o BAB + 11/+6/+1
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 62
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis,
o Total Movement: 105 ft
• Character Level 14
o Psychic Warrior 12
o Feats : None
o BAB + 12/+7/+2
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 73
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception
o Total Movement: 105 ft
• Character Level 15
o Psychic Warrior 13
o Feats : Broken Mastery
o BAB + 13/+8/+3
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 83
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte,
o Total Movement: 115 ft
• Character Level 16
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 21, Cha 12
o Psychic Warrior 14
o Feats : Psychic Meditation
o BAB + 14/+9/+4
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 94
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte, Teleport Psionic,
o Total Movement: 115 ft
 
• Character Level 17
o Psychic Warrior 15
o Feats :
o BAB + 15/+10/+5
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 104
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte, Teleport Psionic, Dimension Hop
o Total Movement: 115 ft
• Character Level 18
o Psychic Warrior 16
o Feats : Extended Reach
o BAB +16/+11/+6/+1
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 119
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte, Teleport Psionic, Dimension Hop, Energy Adaptation
o Total Movement: 125 ft
• Character Level 19
o Psychic Warrior 17
o Feats : Expanded Knowledge (Metamorphosis)
o BAB + 17/+12/+7/+2
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 132
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte, Teleport Psionic, Dimension Hop, Energy Adaptation, Mind Blank Personal,
o Total Movement: 125 ft
• Character Level 20
o Abilities: Str 20, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 22, Cha 12
o Psychic Warrior 18
o Feats :
o BAB + 18/+13/+8/+3
o Unarmed Damage: 3d6 Medium – 4d6 Large — 6d6 Huge
o Power Points: 157
o Powers Known: Expansion, Inertia Armor, Empathic Transfer, Strength of My Enemy, Call Item, Damp Power, Vampiric Blade, Hustle, Dimension Slide, Fly Psionic, Dimension Door, Metamorphosis, Steadfast Perception, Perfect Riposte, Teleport Psionic, Dimension Hop, Energy Adaptation, Mind Blank Personal, Form of Doom
o Total Movement: 125 ft

[sonofzeal]

I played one very similar to this, and it worked very well. You might want to pick up Improved Grapple and Grip of Iron, as I found I was sub-par against things with high AC but that Grapple evened the score nicely.

You might also want to pick up a Scorpion Kama from MiC. It's a magic weapon that has the special property of using your unarmed strike for its damage dice, solving one of the key problems monks face.

Speaking of solving key Monk problems, why no Psionic Lion's Charge?

On the other hand, I found Metamorphosis on that combination was downright gamebreaking. I ended up limiting it to animals and Aberrations, but even then it was crazy-powerful and singlehandedly reshaped the campaign. I had to seriously reign myself back, and even so I was dominating the contribution of the entire rest of the party put together. Most of them were relatively new to the game of course, but still. Save it for emergencies, or just give it a pass, unless you're in a very high-power game.

[killem2]

I played one very similar to this, and it worked very well. You might want to pick up Improved Grapple and Grip of Iron, as I found I was sub-par against things with high AC but that Grapple evened the score nicely.



Thanks, I did look into grappling, the whole concept confused me a little on the aspect of moving into your opponents square, since after level 2 I'm going to be gaining sizes very easy. But if it isn't a big deal, I suppose I could trade some of those reach feats for grapple feats.


You might also want to pick up a Scorpion Kama from MiC. It's a magic weapon that has the special property of using your unarmed strike for its damage dice, solving one of the key problems monks face.

Pretty awesome, i was looking for a weapon that would do this. If you got this, would you bother with the necklace of natural attacks.



Speaking of solving key Monk problems, why no Psionic Lion's Charge? To be honest I'm new to the class, I was just looking at some handbooks.


On the other hand, I found Metamorphosis on that combination was downright gamebreaking. I ended up limiting it to animals and Aberrations, but even then it was crazy-powerful and singlehandedly reshaped the campaign. I had to seriously reign myself back, and even so I was dominating the contribution of the entire rest of the party put together. Most of them were relatively new to the game of course, but still. Save it for emergencies, or just give it a pass, unless you're in a very high-power game.

I don't know how high power this DM will go. I know he's a player in my current games, and is the most experienced than anyone, he even said he has the first session complete for us and is worried he may have already put our level 1s in danger of a clean TPK, but he'll go with it.

[Draz74]

Pretty awesome, i was looking for a weapon that would do this. If you got this, would you bother with the necklace of natural attacks.

Eventually, yes. (I don't know which of them I'd go for first. The Kama has some advantages, but it also has a slightly steeper initial cost.)

But at high levels, I find it very worthwhile to have two magic weapons, so that you can easily switch between various situational weapon enhancements. Things like Swarmstrike (Dungeonscape), Transmuting (MIC), Magebane (MIC or CA) are awesome, but only against certain foes. Things like Parrying (XPH or MIC) or Eager (MIC) are good partially because they buff, not your attacks, but your overall character. (You can wield your Kama and still make your Unarmed Strikes, after all.)

[killem2]

Eventually, yes. (I don't know which of them I'd go for first. The Kama has some advantages, but it also has a slightly steeper initial cost.)

But at high levels, I find it very worthwhile to have two magic weapons, so that you can easily switch between various situational weapon enhancements. Things like Swarmstrike (Dungeonscape), Transmuting (MIC), Magebane (MIC or CA) are awesome, but only against certain foes. Things like Parrying (XPH or MIC) or Eager (MIC) are good partially because they buff, not your attacks, but your overall character. (You can wield your Kama and still make your Unarmed Strikes, after all.)

Sounds good, as far as tripping vs grappling, which is the better field controller when you have pretty much a field of melee on yourside? (or does it actually matter?) :smallconfused:

[Snowbluff]

You took levels in Monk.

I can not condone this.

[killem2]

You took levels in Monk.

I can not condone this.

Isn't that the point of the tashalatora build? :smallconfused::smallconfused:

[Snowbluff]

Isn't that the point of the tashalatora build? :smallconfused::smallconfused:

You don't need Monk levels to be Tashalatora. Sure, it could be useful, but I prefer straight up PSI Warrior.

[sonofzeal]

You don't need Monk levels to be Tashalatora. Sure, it could be useful, but I prefer straight up PSI Warrior.
Well, it's not in the requirements, but the wording gets awkward if you you don't have any. It "stack with your monk levels", and you could consider your Monk level as zero (in which case it would work), but you could also consider it as null (in which case it wouldn't). And I find D&D generally errs on the side of the latter interpretation and often adds caveats specifically allowing you to treat a null value as zero the few times it's appropriate. Tashalatora has no such caveat.

Also, without Monk levels you never actually get the Monk's "Unarmed Strike" class feature. This means you have to pay for IUS yourself, and your strikes will never count "both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon". Your base damage still goes up, but that's a significant limitation.

[Hiro Protagonest]

You don't need Monk levels to be Tashalatora. Sure, it could be useful, but I prefer straight up PSI Warrior.

Monastic Tradition has no effect if you're not a monk. Tashalatora requires Monastic Tradition. I know claiming RAI is a bad thing, since we're not the devs, but in this case, I feel it works.

[Psyren]

You took levels in Monk.

I can not condone this.

If it saves you hours of RAW shouting match with your DM while still achieving your character goals then it's honestly worth it.

[killem2]

If it saves you hours of RAW shouting match with your DM while still achieving your character goals then it's honestly worth it.

yeah that's not worth it to me lol. The dm is a good friend and allows us to have free access to dungeon/dragon/wotc material.

He even let me change the catfolk to a wild variant from 306/dragon. Then for my goliath, I have an arctic build, and he's going to be a dungeon crasher build.
Overall, going to be fun times with these two characters.

I also learned we will have a dragonborn halfling druid in the group, a thri-kreen warrior, and standard barbarian.

Should make for a fun group.

[Essence_of_War]

You took levels in Monk.

I can not condone this.

Nonsense.

The first two levels of monk are often perfectly acceptable, and are downright dandy when they go into fueling tashalatora builds. Feats and unarmed progressions don't grow on trees, even for psychic warriors, and no DM i know would allow the reading of 'monastic training' and 'tashalatora' that would be necessary for a straight psywar.

The monk may be a travesty of design, but the travesty doesn't take place in levels 1 or 2 :smallsmile:

[killem2]

The monk may be a travesty of design, but the travesty doesn't take place in levels 1 or 2 :smallsmile:


Yup :smallfrown:, class looks so awesome in those first few levels.

Just curious, what bonuses does the tashalatora gain you from monk?

Unarmed damage, ac bonus, movement bonus, ?

[Zjordan85]

Unarmed damage, Flurry of Blows attack modifier, AC Bonus

[Keld Denar]

Yea, it doesn't advance movement speed, which it looks like the OP advanced.

Also, I don't see Link Power. Awesome feat from Complete Psionic.

[killem2]

Yea, it doesn't advance movement speed, which it looks like the OP advanced.

Also, I don't see Link Power. Awesome feat from Complete Psionic.

Yup, I will have to change the movement :(, but that's ok :D.

Link Power I did see, I was having trouble seeing the benefits, but I am kind of a noob to psionic classes.

[Snowbluff]

The monk may be a travesty of design, but the travesty doesn't take place in levels 1 or 2 :smallsmile:

Yeah, I recognize it as a (illegitimately eastern) choice.


If it saves you hours of RAW shouting match with your DM while still achieving your character goals then it's honestly worth it.

Dammit! The class is so bad it starts argument even when you don't take it!

[eggs]

Link Power I did see, I was having trouble seeing the benefits, but I am kind of a noob to psionic classes.

Without Linked Power: Spend the first standard action in the fight manifesting Expansion and either walk up to the target (eating an attack) or wait for the next round and hope the enemies don't either move away or drop any battlefield control effects between you. If all goes well, you can use the second round to engage with your size boost.

With Linked Power: Manifest a swift or immediate action power (dimension hop, hustle, grip of iron, lion's charge, whatever) linked to Expansion and immediately engage the target in melee, possibly grappling, tripping, stunning or otherwise limiting/disabling its options. The second round, you still get to engage with your size boost. The difference is that for 1-3 PP, Linked Power essentially gives you an extra standard action.

Basically, it's like Quicken Power, but cheaper and more powerful (in two rounds, without interfering with a character's move or standard actions, it can use two swift action powers and get the Linked power out), but stuck with a 1-round delay. It's a locked-in feat in almost any psionic build - especially in gishes.

[Essence_of_War]

Yup, I will have to change the movement :(, but that's ok :D.

Link Power I did see, I was having trouble seeing the benefits, but I am kind of a noob to psionic classes.

Eggs gave you some good ideas.

I like to use it with the Sun School feat from CW. Link Power Dimension Hop w/ Dimension Hop. You need to either take Exp Knowledge to get Dimension Hop, or use the PsyWar mantled ACF to get access to the Freedom Mantle.

It allows you to turn 2 pp into 2 attacks at your highest attack bonus. It's fun :smalltongue:

[Draz74]

I like to take Hustle, Linked Power, and Metapower (Linked Hustle), and Psionic Meditation. Then I can effectively Quicken self-buffs by adding 1 PP and delaying them 1 round, because I can use the action granted by Hustle to recover Psionic Focus.

[killem2]

I like to take Hustle, Linked Power, and Metapower (Linked Hustle), and Psionic Meditation. Then I can effectively Quicken self-buffs by adding 1 PP and delaying them 1 round, because I can use the action granted by Hustle to recover Psionic Focus.

Oh lord. I'm lost. lol.

Is this so you can become focused as a swift action? (I think that's right)

[Draz74]

Oh lord. I'm lost. lol.

Is this so you can become focused as a swift action? (I think that's right)

Psionic Meditation lets you become focused as a move action.

Hustle lets you spend 3 PP and a swift action to gain a move action.

Linked Power lets you manifest Hustle (as a swift action) and expend your focus in order to manifest a self-buff power, which will take effect one round later.

Metapower is a feat from Complete Psionic that saves you 2 PP every time you manifest a specific power with a specific metapsionic feat.

So, for example, if I want to grow to Huge size, I can spend 8 PP to manifest Hustle with a 7-PP version of Expansion attached. (It would be 10 PP without Metapower.) The Expansion buff is delayed one round, but it only required a swift action, which is awesome -- and it only required one additional PP. I do have to expend my Focus to use this combo ... but with Psionic Meditation, the move action that is granted to me by Hustle can conveniently be used to regain it.

[killem2]

that's awesome. lol how early should I attempt to obtain that? I'm sure at some point being a battlefield tripper will start to lose steam.