BrokenChord
2014-03-02, 11:00 PM
I need help. My friends and I are making a party in an effort to go from levels 1 to early Epic and we need to make sure we can handle CR-appropriate encounters or more likely a bit harder than CR-appropriate. Now nothing cheesy, please, even though I know everybody but me is using classes on the lower end of the tier spectrum. It's the first time for any of us except the DM using Psionics, but the game is 100% Magic-Psionic transparent, including skill-wise.
As a general rule, online supplements and Dragon/3rd party are allowed, though things may not be allowed case-by-case because we're generally trying to avoid cheese.
What I want to do: Preferably while avoiding things like Dragonborn because I don't like the flavor, I'd like to be a Fire Elf Psion. Preferably either a buffer or a blaster, since the whole thing is a pretty low-tier endeavor, though I do actually like the flavor of (Mantle) Erudite better for this character (he's that sort of arrogant-wizard archetype, but with more self-reflection). I have no idea what I'm doing in building this character, though.
TRC wants to play an Azurite Incarnum 2/Wilder 8/Soul Manifester 10 to get to level 20, then continue with something like Epic Soul Manifester or whatever (she wants to get 18th level Wilder power progression by 20th level so she can pursue Epic Manifesting ASAP, as the Incarnate's K: Arcana and Spellcraft will work towards Epic Manifesting's K:Psionics and Psicraft requirements). Her character will probably be Lawful Neutral, so she'll probably pick up a melee chassis for her Incarnate levels at first, with something like Expanded Soulmeld Capacity on an Incarnate Weapon, and pick up Azure Talent and Psycarnum Infusion-type feats later on to make the most of the dual progression. Other than that though, she doesn't know what she's doing any more than I do.
Zelstan (please tell me you've figured out I'm making these up as I go) wants to play a Cleric. He has some idea what he's doing in that regard, though he is used to healbot Clerics and is just now trying to do something more proactive. However, he still extremely dislikes being involved in direct confrontation in-character, so he was hoping to go the buffing route. Again, try to avoid cheese; let's not pull DMM: Persist shenanigans here. He also only plays humans or dwarves, for whatever reason, but those are both probably in the top 10 best races for players so I won't complain. He tried AfterCrescent's Cleric Handbook, but he said it wasn't a very good resource because the only roles it showed him ways to excel in were self-buffing roles, and he wants to avoid personal involvement in conflict.
Leimrey wants to play a Psychic Warrior as a ranged gish-type character, and will most likely be a Strongheart Halfling if the DM allows it. He's read several archery handbooks, but most of those are incomplete on how to do it with Psychic Warrior.
Meep wants to play as a Dragonborn Half-Ogre Warblade or Crusader.
... Yeah, that confuses me too. She actually doesn't know how Warblades work at all beyond what's written on the ToB pages, so if somebody could link me to a good play guide (rather than handbooks, which usually just discuss build) that would be great. She wants to be the BSF, basically, so she wants some ways to get in and destroy stuff or, whether alternatively or in addition to that, tank really well. She prefers things that don't require a lot of technical thought to be effective.
Kraken wants to play the stealth/skillmonkey character. Doesn't care about much other than that and, on the off chance it might actually conflict, he doesn't want anything that will keep him from being Lawful Good.
So, can anybody provide any help on this? We pretty much all need help on which feats and powers will be good for this. Kraken even needs a whole build. We need to be able to function from level 1 and preferably keep functioning into early Epic levels. Halp!
As a general rule, online supplements and Dragon/3rd party are allowed, though things may not be allowed case-by-case because we're generally trying to avoid cheese.
What I want to do: Preferably while avoiding things like Dragonborn because I don't like the flavor, I'd like to be a Fire Elf Psion. Preferably either a buffer or a blaster, since the whole thing is a pretty low-tier endeavor, though I do actually like the flavor of (Mantle) Erudite better for this character (he's that sort of arrogant-wizard archetype, but with more self-reflection). I have no idea what I'm doing in building this character, though.
TRC wants to play an Azurite Incarnum 2/Wilder 8/Soul Manifester 10 to get to level 20, then continue with something like Epic Soul Manifester or whatever (she wants to get 18th level Wilder power progression by 20th level so she can pursue Epic Manifesting ASAP, as the Incarnate's K: Arcana and Spellcraft will work towards Epic Manifesting's K:Psionics and Psicraft requirements). Her character will probably be Lawful Neutral, so she'll probably pick up a melee chassis for her Incarnate levels at first, with something like Expanded Soulmeld Capacity on an Incarnate Weapon, and pick up Azure Talent and Psycarnum Infusion-type feats later on to make the most of the dual progression. Other than that though, she doesn't know what she's doing any more than I do.
Zelstan (please tell me you've figured out I'm making these up as I go) wants to play a Cleric. He has some idea what he's doing in that regard, though he is used to healbot Clerics and is just now trying to do something more proactive. However, he still extremely dislikes being involved in direct confrontation in-character, so he was hoping to go the buffing route. Again, try to avoid cheese; let's not pull DMM: Persist shenanigans here. He also only plays humans or dwarves, for whatever reason, but those are both probably in the top 10 best races for players so I won't complain. He tried AfterCrescent's Cleric Handbook, but he said it wasn't a very good resource because the only roles it showed him ways to excel in were self-buffing roles, and he wants to avoid personal involvement in conflict.
Leimrey wants to play a Psychic Warrior as a ranged gish-type character, and will most likely be a Strongheart Halfling if the DM allows it. He's read several archery handbooks, but most of those are incomplete on how to do it with Psychic Warrior.
Meep wants to play as a Dragonborn Half-Ogre Warblade or Crusader.
... Yeah, that confuses me too. She actually doesn't know how Warblades work at all beyond what's written on the ToB pages, so if somebody could link me to a good play guide (rather than handbooks, which usually just discuss build) that would be great. She wants to be the BSF, basically, so she wants some ways to get in and destroy stuff or, whether alternatively or in addition to that, tank really well. She prefers things that don't require a lot of technical thought to be effective.
Kraken wants to play the stealth/skillmonkey character. Doesn't care about much other than that and, on the off chance it might actually conflict, he doesn't want anything that will keep him from being Lawful Good.
So, can anybody provide any help on this? We pretty much all need help on which feats and powers will be good for this. Kraken even needs a whole build. We need to be able to function from level 1 and preferably keep functioning into early Epic levels. Halp!