[3.5] Psion Build Help

[Blind Orc]

I want to make a Psion (maybe Thrallherd?) for a new game. We start level 2.

I want to be able to start a cult, or an organization of some kind. Shady kind. I don't mind ppl betraying me, because I plan to make an example out of them. But having some trustable minions in important positions always helps :smallbiggrin: Also this means I can't be something that will be kicked out of most towns, so I was thinking Human or maybe a corrupted Kalashtar? Alignment is evil btw. Probably LE.

Everything is available (even leadership).

Stats are 18 18 18 10 10 10, i can take points from one ability and add them to an other if I want, I just added them that way because its easier to remember.

(Note:I am newb at psionics)
My thoughs so far
1 Telepath Elemental Envoy or Psicrystal Affinity
2 Telepath
3 Telepath Inquisitor
4 Telepath
5 Telepath
6 Thrallherd Extend Power
7 Thrallherd
8 Thrallherd
9 Thrallherd Psionic Meditation
10 Thrallherd
11 Thrallherd
12 Thrallherd
13 Thrallherd
14 Thrallherd
15 Thrallherd
16 Telepath
17 Telepath
18 Telepath
19 Telepath
20 Telepath
Ok its not much, I know :smallredface:

I have the feeling we won't play till level 10. So low and mid levels are priority.That said, the other players are new players, so I don't want to make life hard for them. Also for the DM. He is new to DMing. :smallbiggrin:

The rest of the party will be rogue, bard, barbarian.

So...any ideas for feats/classes/or how else I can be good at making a cult-guild-organization?

[The_Ditto]

I want to make a Psion (maybe Thrallherd?) for a new game. We start level 2.

<snip>

Just random thoughts: I'm by not means an expert, but I do enjoy 3.5 Psionics, so here's the ones I like that might apply to a Thrall-herd.

Feats:
- Burrowing Power - I like this one - it's fun, might allow you to Charm or Dominate somebody from the other side of a wall - that'd freak a few people out :)
- Craft Psionic Construct - probably not the most efficient use of a feat, however, if you are looking for "extra targets", this create them :)
- Power Penetration and Greater Power Penetration will probably be very useful for punching through SR/PR
- Psionic Endowment and Greater Psionic Endowment will be almost mandatory, since alot of your powers will have saves attached.
- Extend Power is useful - x2 length charms? sounds good.
- Psicrystal feats might be useful for that extra "thing" running around, as well as Psicrystal containment, for that extra psionic focus
- Psionic Meditation might be mandatory - especially if you take other meta-psionic feats.
- Quicken Power - for that emergency, extra power.
(I don't have complete psionics available, so can't recall most of those ones)

Powers:
Level 1:
Astral Construct - do damn handy.
Charm, Psionic - duh
Deja Vu - yes, take this, seriously, the applications are endless, and the results are humorously effective!!
Mind Thrust - simple dmg power.

Level 2:
Aversion - Fire Giant with huge sword harrassing you? Aversion - swords. Done :)
Bestow Power - not really for you - make sure some of your thralls are psions themselves, with this power. Nickname them "Double A", or "6v" :)
Clairvoyant Sense - this is needed if you want to effectively use Burrowing Power feat.
Empathic Transfer - again, this is more for your thralls, than you :)
Ego Whip - this is actually a very nice power, however, don't waste it on targets that are being targetted by hp dmg from your allies. It can, however, easily 1-shot Animal-style targets (ie low Cha), at higher levels.
Energy Adaptation, Specified - If you have room, this is a nice power, cheaper than the higher level one and can be used as immediate action in response to being attacked.
Feat Leech - handy for "gaining" extra feats. Borrow the feats from your Thralls, saves you using a slot on the ones you don't need all the time.
Id Insinuation - psionic confusion. Not really my fav, but some like it.
Recall Agony - another simple dmg power
Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions - I like this power - *Spoiler alert* :)
Suggestion, Psionic - another good option for a thrallherd

Level 3:
Crisis of Breath - this is a nice single target power that really bones somebody if you can get a failed save out of them.
False Sensory Input - Psionic Illusions, basically.
Fate Link - fun little power. Fate link 2 targets, then Death Urge one and watch the fun! (Quickened Fate Link + Death Urge works if you're in a hurry)
Time Hop - another fun power, very useful applications. (Time hop somebody's saddle and watch the ensuing fun :) )
Touchsight - another personal favourite - psionic see invisible.

Level 4:
Death Urge - A power that makes somebody suicidal? Kewl, only thing better is if you make them do it again. Oh wait, Deja Vu!
Dominate, Psionic - Uh, yes.
Energy Adaptation - Very nice power, however, if you plan on using in response, you're probably better off with the cheaper level 2 version. Use this one to pre-buff before fights. If you do that, you don't need the lower level one. Personal pref - YMMV.
Mindwipe - psionic enervation. Useful for helping to lower somebodies saves before hitting them with something harder.
Psychic Reformation - handy to "retrain", if you use the retrain rules, ignore this power.

Level 5:
Level 6:
Temporal Acceleration - psionic Time Stop.

Level 7:
Energy Conversion - Another upgrade to Energy Adaptation.
Insanity - upgrade to Id Ininuation.
Mind Blank, Personal - self defense is good.

Level 8:
Level 9:
Affinity Field - with enough henchmen, this is a nice effect to stack heals/effects on everyone in the area.
Assimilate - if you're evil, just nuke a nearby henchman, and gain a huge buff :)
Microcosm - nice high level no save nuke.
Mind Switch, True - 3 card monte with brains :)

[Daftendirekt]

1 Telepath Feats: Overchannel Talented. If I am human. If I am not, I have no idea.
2 Telepath
3 Telepath
4 Telepath
5 Telepath
6 Thrallherd
7 Thrallherd
8 Thrallherd
9 Thrallherd
10 Thrallherd
11 Thrallherd
12 Thrallherd
13 Thrallherd
14 Thrallherd
15 Thrallherd
16 Thrallherd
17 Thrallherd
18 Thrallherd
19 Thrallherd
20 Thrallherd


...

Thrallherd isn't a 15-level prestige class.

[eggs]

Elemental Envoy (CPsi) is hilarious at low levels. Especially if you can retrain it, on the off-chance it gets stale.

With 10 levels Thrallherd, you'll be taking Practiced Manifester (CPsi) sooner or later.

That's a ridiculous ability score system. Intelligence and Constitution are your friends; max them. The remaining stats should probably be mostly thrown into Dex, with a bit of Cha (Psionic Charm and skills).

If you're amenable to using Adaptation blurbs, this character seems like a perfect fit for a 1-level dip into Complete Arcane's Mindbender. That would give it 100ft Telepathy and a fort save boost at no manifester loss. The Telepathy's useful on its own, but it would also qualify the character for Mindsight from Lords of Madness, which basically means that nothing with a mind can sneak up on you, ever.

[Stegyre]

Just some edits:

Astral Construct - do damn handy.
Handy, but shaper-only, so it will cost an Expanded Knowledge or Hidden Talent feat.

Bestow Power - not really for you - make sure some of your thralls are psions themselves, with this power. Nickname them "Double A", or "6v" :) You would be better off giving your thralls cognizance crystals to recharge for you.
Also, left out Brain Lock: daze one target for concentration +1 round. Not something to use against mooks, but if you take out the enemy BBEG . . . .

Level 3:
Left out Dispel Psionics, which due to transparency is immensely useful as your undo-magic power.


Level 4:
From what I hear, Schism. Schism, Schism, Schism, Schism.

[Blind Orc]

...

Thrallherd isn't a 15-level prestige class.

oops. Fastness on ctrl-v. I really had no idea about those later levels anyway.



Feats:
- Burrowing Power - I like this one - it's fun, might allow you to Charm or Dominate somebody from the other side of a wall - that'd freak a few people out :)
I like this one, but I will have to find a way to use it, because I can't take seer spells. :smallsigh: I will check if it works with Mindsight, if I can get that...or if I can find an other non-seer spell.



- Craft Psionic Construct - probably not the most efficient use of a feat, however, if you are looking for "extra targets", this create them :)

Needs many feats...I wouldn't mind taking, them but I can't find any "cheap" construct (to make an army of them :D) Maybe if I persuade my DM to homebrew something...


Psionic Meditation might be mandatory - especially if you take other meta-psionic feats.
- Quicken Power - for that emergency, extra power.
(I don't have complete psionics available, so can't recall most of those ones)

I will probably get the first one, yes. Quicken too, once I have enough power points to use it.


Elemental Envoy (CPsi) is hilarious at low levels. Especially if you can retrain it, on the off-chance it gets stale.
Hmmm mwuahaha, I am getting one once I find a way to hide/disguise it! Only thing that worries me, is that I can't find where is says that their hps go up. I would hate it if it died.



If you're amenable to using Adaptation blurbs, this character seems like a perfect fit for a 1-level dip into Complete Arcane's Mindbender. That would give it 100ft Telepathy and a fort save boost at no manifester loss. The Telepathy's useful on its own, but it would also qualify the character for Mindsight from Lords of Madness, which basically means that nothing with a mind can sneak up on you, ever.

Sadly I don't think I can persuade my DM to allow that. YET :smallbiggrin:


Thanks guys, you are great help! To tell the truth I couldn't even imagine that there were so many options. Don't judge a feat by its name is the moral here. I will update/correct the first post. I will check all those spells shortly after.

[Spuddles]

Go human for the bonus feat, unless you want int from gray elf or something. I recommend picking up both the psionic penetrations and the psionic endowment feats, since telepathy powers to be both SR yes and will negatEs

[The_Ditto]

I like this one, but I will have to find a way to use it, because I can't take seer spells. :smallsigh: I will check if it works with Mindsight, if I can get that...or if I can find an other non-seer spell.


as mentioned by a previous poster above, re: Astral construct:

take the Feat: Expanded Knowledge. Done :smalltongue:
And yes, you can take it multiple times.
(you might not want to take to too many, but oh well ) :smallbiggrin:

[Psyren]

Both the DM and your other players are new... so your first instinct is a Leadership build on an evil character?

I would reconsider, personally.

[Rubik]

Personally I think shaper goes better with thrallherd. That way you can get the freebie powers from the PrC, the SR/mind-affecting: no and utility powers, and minions both (un)living and constructy.

[Lapak]

That said, the other players are new players, so I don't want to make life hard for them. Also for the DM. He is new to DMing. :smallbiggrin:

The rest of the party will be rogue, bard, barbarian.


Both the DM and your other players are new... so your first instinct is a Leadership build on an evil character?

I would reconsider, personally.I missed the end of your post until Psyren pointed it out. The suggestions so far are great, but I would REALLY recommend going with a different concept if you actually want to make life easier for the rest of the group.

At the moment:
- you'll probably be the most powerful, baseline, as a caster-class in a party with a rogue, barbarian and bard.
- then you're also planning to add a secondary character (main thrall) and a herd of minions.
- and you're planning to run an evil cult, to boot.

You're going to be stealing focus during the game from moment one and then adding a huge pile of side-work for the DM in terms of tracking your evil organization, its goals, its enemies, and so on. It's a good concept for an evil "We're all working together until we don't" game with experienced players and a DM who can juggle regular gameplay plus side-actions in secret, but it's not a good fit for your group.

[Wavelab]

Well I'd suggest taking utility powers and let your party handle the fighting. Battlefield Control, Debuffing, Buffing, etc. these are the things that would be nice for you to have. To make the game fun for the other characters I would suggest not to take that many damaging or save-or-die powers.

If you're going Thrallbred you don't have to worry about them betraying you, it won't happen.

An army of constructs probably isn't a good idea, so if you're going to get the craft construct feat maybe just get one big one. I doubt you'll need it though, since you'll already have thralls.