[PF/P6] The other psi classes?

[JusticeZero]

On the Pathfinder Psionic Classes page (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes), the text refers to the more common five psi classes, but the sidebar links to several that are unmentioned: the Aegis, Cryptic, Dread, Marksman, and Tactician. How do those tend to fit in/work in any given psi setting? Are they mostly just niche hybrid combatants, as they appear at first glance, or do they have some more distinct role? (out of combat stuff, backstory, whatever..) Do they work well, or are they trappy T5's?

[Psyren]

No, none of the PF psionics classes are T5. I would say off the cuff that Tactician is T2, Cryptic/Marksman are T3, and Aegis/Dread are T4. You also forgot one more (the Vitalist) which is T3.

Aegis is a fighter with options - it makes an astral suit that gives it various defensive and utility abilities, plus it has the ability to store and activate power stones reliably in combat for additional benefits.

Dread is a psionic gish that focuses around debuffing the enemy through fear-based attacks, but works out to be a worse fighter than the Psywar when fear is ineffective. It is however a high T4.

Marksman is a ranged combatant that focuses on archery and powers, dumping the nature fluff and animal companion of a standard ranger.

The Cryptic is a psychic rogue/warlock hybrid that capitalizes on the synergy between psionics and sneakiness.

The Vitalist is a psionic healer that links party members into a mental network, allowing it to distribute healing energy and bypass the personal-only range limits on many psionic buffs and restoratives.

Finally, Tactician is a psionic warlord/leader type that networks the party like a Vitalist, but is more martial/offensive. They have an edge due to possessing a more varied list than the Vitalist and greater powers known, putting them roughly on par with a Psion.

[JusticeZero]

I didn't forget the Vitalist; the Vitalist is listed in the text of the page and so was counted as a primary class on my first pass. I was only referring to the classes that were in the sidebar but not the text.
(One of many page glitches I assume, sigh. A lot of Vitalist spells are mislinked too... and why oh why cant the psi stuff get at least similar respect as the third party stuff? :p )
Any ideas how they would appear in non-player roles? Tactician and marksman are pretty obvious, the others not so much.

[Chained Birds]

Any ideas how they would appear in non-player roles? Tactician and marksman are pretty obvious, the others not so much.

Tactician = Buffer / High Level Powers!
Aegis = Tank / Mostly Melee DPS
Cryptic = Skill Monkey / Trap Removal
Dread = Debuffer (Fear Based) / Gish
Marksman = Ranged DPS

[Fouredged Sword]

With a little bending a Vitalist can also be a nasty controller.

At 11th level with Network power and Expanded Knowledge (mind control) you can keep up to your collective number of targets under permanent irresistible, not mind effecting, mind control, no save.

If it has a wisdom score you can jack it's mind.

[The Boz]

With a little bending a Vitalist can also be a nasty controller.

At 11th level with Network power and Expanded Knowledge (mind control) you can keep up to your collective number of targets under permanent irresistible, not mind effecting, mind control, no save.

If it has a wisdom score you can jack it's mind.

One-man party! Hell yeah!
But you can't do it in P6 unless the DM allows 4th level powers as epic feats.

[JusticeZero]

Alas i'm looking at it more like:
Tactician=squad warlords! yay!
Marksman=Sniper/scout/hunter guy
Aegis=...fighting guy who.. doesn't ask for armor, but bills me a whole lot because of his special training? Maybe i'd be better off just passing him over and issuing that farmer some armor instead?
Cryptic=Wierd guy with a Wall Full of Crazy and a bunch of tattoos babbling about conspiracy theories or something?
Dread=Creepy guy who... is all evil looking for some reason? Whyyy? Is he like a teenager or something?

Tactician = Buffer / High Level Powers!
Aegis = Tank / Mostly Melee DPS
Cryptic = Skill Monkey / Trap Removal
Dread = Debuffer (Fear Based) / Gish
Marksman = Ranged DPS

[Psyren]

I didn't forget the Vitalist; the Vitalist is listed in the text of the page and so was counted as a primary class on my first pass. I was only referring to the classes that were in the sidebar but not the text.
(One of many page glitches I assume, sigh. A lot of Vitalist spells are mislinked too... and why oh why cant the psi stuff get at least similar respect as the third party stuff? :p )

I wasn't blaming you, that page could indeed use some cleanup. All the classes I listed were created for Psionics Expanded rather than being conversions of 3.5 base classes; I simply included the Vitalist since it is part of that book rather than Psionics Unleashed.

It's listed differently on the page because it came out long before the others, and so was added to the PFSRD before they actually made space for the other Psionics Expanded stuff.



Any ideas how they would appear in non-player roles? Tactician and marksman are pretty obvious, the others not so much.

Non-player? Not sure what you mean there, do you mean how would they be as enemies in a campaign? A Cryptic could be the BBEG's Dragon, i.e. their assassin or agent. An evil Vitalist is an absolute terror (e.g. a Soulthief) since they are probably the most powerful healer in the game that can be any alignment. An enemy Dread could also be a BBEG's enforcer or right-hand man, though I'm not sure how they'd do as the BBEG themselves. An Aegis would make a good bodyguard or soldier type.

[JusticeZero]

Well, with druids, you know "If I go walking into the woods, one of these guys might be living there". Wizards, "I go to town and look for the funky house where they're selling potions or items or something like that." Fighters, go check the army. Rogues if you walk to the bad side of town. But these guys? I don't know where you would seed them into the campaign setting.

[Psyren]

Psionic classes don't really have that kind of "set location." Flavor-wise, Psionics is about actualizing the individual, so the power can be found anywhere - a hermit on a mountaintop, a formal school, a disciplined warrior, an inquisitive child, anywhere. You can justify them popping up in all kinds of places.

The Vitalist, Cryptic and Dread are very specialized manifesters - I would envision their powers either being formally instructed (whether a school or a master/apprentice situation), or if self-taught, arising in some field related to the function of these classes. A self-taught Vitalist could be a doctor or combat medic of some kind who discovers a connection to and facility with their patients deeper than regular training should account for. A Cryptic could be a burglar, assassin or treasure hunter who has one too many close calls, then wakes up with strange symbols on her skin and starts to realize there is more to her success than mere luck. A Dread could be a young warrior plagued with nightmares that suddenly find himself able to share his horrifying visions with his foes.

Placing classes like these in a campaign is more about using your imagination than looking up demographics on a chart.

[JusticeZero]

Vitalist is already easy to place; they are the only people in the known world with any healing abilities worthy of note that aren't high level. Aegis, Cryptic, and Dread sound from your description like wildcard types, and i'm not sure if they do anything in downtime. I suppose they're no worse than the Psiwar or Soulknife though.

[Psyren]

A Cryptic would do what any rogue-ish class does in downtime. An Aegis and possibly also a Dread would do the typical regimen that martial classes do.

Both the XPH and PsU suggest that psionic classes meditate between adventures to unlock greater knowledge of their powers, so I'd expect a lot of that. Just remember that meditating doesn't have to mean sitting with your legs crossed by a lake with your eyes closed; it can also mean a kata of some kind, or solving puzzles (like a blacksmith's interlocking rings), or writing poetry, or indeed any relaxing activity that engages the mind in some way.

[Chained Birds]

As Psyren said, Psionics are about anyone unlocking their hidden potential anywhere. It is not like a cleric's or paladin's devotion being rewarded with divine powers, or a wizard's thirst for knowledge granting him untold arcane mysteries. The best way to find these Psionic people is not by location, it is usually by following events or learning an individuals character.

A Vitalist could have been a doctor or nurse who realized her current ways of healing were ineffective, thus unlocking some deep and wonderful power. Or a Vitalist is a torturous and malevolent being who was frustrated at the unbelievable resolve of some of his captives, so he unlocked a terrifying and dangerous mental power to abuse them beyond physical means.

Tacticians can be a soldier who lost his will to fight with others after a tragic event involving his former platoon, though he was rewarded with the powers to make others better and make sure he would never lose another comrade again. Or she could be a ruthless warlord who got frustrated with how her minions responded to orders and constantly failed her, so she forces them to be better and replaces the weak with new unwilling "allies".

A Cryptic can be a person who had a near death experience some time ago, they now see a world of patterns and designs that he/she can manipulate either for good or evil. They could also be an artist, gifted with a unique eye for detail and able to redesign the world the way he or she wants.

Dreads can be psychologists studying the nature of fear and how it can be a blessing and a curse. They could also be punks who realized that if all their foes turn tail, then no one would be able to obstruct their path to the top.

Marksmen are dedicated individuals who not only rely on their ranged skills, but also devote themselves body and (literally) soul to their craft. They could also be cowards who found that fighting with sword and shield was never a good idea, and that never getting close to a single battle would allow you to survive many more.

Aegis are craftsmen. They virtualize themselves surrounded in personas and capable of doing amazing things. These people are those strange kids that always wanted to dress the part of the hero and wanted to look cool doing it. Or they could be that bizarre child, whose machinations were finally given form.

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These are some of my interpretations of the classes.