How to fix psionic blasting

[PotatoNinja]

I have a player wanting to play a psionic blaster type character, but i recall that psionic blasting is really inefficient on points spent. Is there a fix or solution to make psionic blasting more viable without making it over powered? I seem to recall this forum having formulated some sort of quick fix in some theory-mongering thread a while ago on how to bring psionic blasting into line. Specifically he wants to play a kineticist. Thanks in advance for the feedback and replies.:smalleek:

[Crake]

I have a player wanting to play a psionic blaster type character, but i recall that psionic blasting is really inefficient on points spent. Is there a fix or solution to make psionic blasting more viable without making it over powered? I seem to recall this forum having formulated some sort of quick fix in some theory-mongering thread a while ago on how to bring psionic blasting into line. Specifically he wants to play a kineticist. Thanks in advance for the feedback and replies.:smalleek:

I think the trick probably involves breaking the action economy to have the ability to recover power points, while at the same time spending them all on manifesting powers.

[Feint's End]

Psionic Blasting is fine as it is. More than fine. Maybe let him play a PF Psion for some more interesting options. If he really wants to go all out though than Wilder is probably better (less options but more raw power).

[Rubik]

Well, for one, you could have the effective level of the powers go up with augmentation, so that a 1st level power counts as a 2nd level one if 3 or 4 pp are spent on it (to avoid problems with Globes of Invulnerability and whatnot).

You could add an augmentation wherein you add, say, +2 damage per damage die. This would be a lot more efficient than +1 die of damage, once you hit certain benchmarks. Add in another (say, for +5 pp of augmentation) where the power gains +1 point of damage per damage die per manifester level. Also add status effects and area alterations once certain augmentation totals are reached. For instance, once you augment Energy Ray for a total of 10 pp, you can choose to unleash a 5' radius explosion that deals an additional half damage on a failed Ref save (including to the target of the initial ray), and maybe dazzle them, too. The exact costs and effects would have to be weighed carefully, but I think it might add some interest to the blasty-type powers.

[edit] This is the kind of stuff Lycanthromancer added to his Psionic Powers Revision. (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7XkmnK-DY9YNGFFaGd1MEFRWkk/edit?usp=sharing)

[shadow_archmagi]

While it's true that psionic blasting isn't particularly efficient, that's also true of blasting in general; hp damage isn't particularly efficient. Psionics is still a solid discipline.

Depending on what the rest of your party is, I'm not sure I'd bother tweaking it.

[Psyren]

What Feint said, coupled with Rubik's suggestion of creating some kind of "Heighten" effect to get around globes.

Note though that most effects that care about the power's level being higher are actually to the psion's detriment, e.g. concentration checks, or determining eligibility for affinity field, so globes are probably the only reason you'd want to heighten anyway.

[Feint's End]

In addition how about making the favored energy feat flat for all energy types and instead increase the damagebonus for 1 type of energy to +2 per die? Would be mechanically solid.

[ericgrau]

Psionic Blasting is fine as it is. More than fine. Maybe let him play a PF Psion for some more interesting options. If he really wants to go all out though than Wilder is probably better (less options but more raw power).
This. If there's one thing psions are good at it's blasting. High damage, efficient multi-targetting without hitting allies and the ability to switch energy types so energy resistance or immunity is almost never a problem. It does use a good amount of power points, but they tend to have plenty of those.

In high optimization enough damage to one shot kill isn't that special. In low optimization psion damage can get slightly OP. You can leave the class alone for anything up to moderately high optimization, and even if you were playing super high optimization then no amount of damage would be enough.

[Flickerdart]

Blasting sucks if blasting is all you do. Pick out powers like energy stun where you're getting more than just damage, and you should be golden. Additionally, various things that boost your ML (Overchannel) or reduce PP costs (Metapower, Torc of Power Preservation) are going to be your best friends, though given that there's usually a cost to be paid when activating them you might want to use them with non-Instantaneous powers such as energy current or energy conversion.

Metapsionics will be your best friend. Unfortunately, your best friend demands a cost - psionic focus has to be expended every time you use metapsionics, so you'll want as many focuses as you can get your hands on (Psicrystal Containment gives you an extra one), as well as means of recovering it quickly (Psionic Meditation makes it a move action, which can be gotten for a swift action with hustle) or not using it up at all (the Ardent's Dominant Ideal mantle is perfect for this).

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Midnight Augmentation + Bestow Power = spend 3+X powerpoints to recover 2+2X powerpoints. For example, if X=2, you spend 5 to recover 6, and it only goes up from there, but the amount recovered each time you use it cannot exceed your manifester level.

[Rubik]

There are two excellent ways to blast psionically, but they require some build resources to really use super-effectively. The Gemstone Breath power in Dragon Magic gives you a duration breath weapon that can be used with psi-like ability feats, metabreath feats and metapsionic feats alike, all of which stack. Similarly, using Energy Conversion with Chain Power, Split Psionic Ray, Aligned Attack (Chaos or Evil) and a (greater) chasuble of fell power, as well as (Greater) Psionic Shot (and charging it up with Energy Wall) could be nice. Both benefit from having a Metamorphed psicrystal with Schism, Overchannel, other ML boosters, and cost reduction schemes.

However, they require you to build around them a bit, in order to reach their full potentials. They do allow you to blast repeatedly for a duration, though.

[A_S]

Midnight Augmentation + Bestow Power = spend 3+X powerpoints to recover 2+2X powerpoints. For example, if X=2, you spend 5 to recover 6, and it only goes up from there, but the amount recovered each time you use it cannot exceed your manifester level.
I believe this lets two psions recharge each other, but can't be used on yourself...the wording of Bestow Power unfortunately says "another psionic creature" rather than using the term "ally."

[Feint's End]

There are two excellent ways to blast psionically, but they require some build resources to really use super-effectively. The Gemstone Breath power in Dragon Magic gives you a duration breath weapon that can be used with psi-like ability feats, metabreath feats and metapsionic feats alike, all of which stack. Similarly, using Energy Conversion with Chain Power, Split Psionic Ray, Aligned Attack (Chaos or Evil) and a (greater) chasuble of fell power, as well as (Greater) Psionic Shot (and charging it up with Energy Wall) could be nice. Both benefit from having a Metamorphed psicrystal with Schism, Overchannel, other ML boosters, and cost reduction schemes.

However, they require you to build around them a bit, in order to reach their full potentials. They do allow you to blast repeatedly for a duration, though.

If OP is comfortable using Pathfinder how about a x-blooded Sorceror 1 (primal elemental, draconic) / Wilder 19 (educated) with Wildblood Mage and Favoured Energy (Frost). +4 damage per die. Other than that you just have to find a way to apply the best metpsionic feats.
At level 4 you are already looking at 6d6+24 energy rays for the meager cost of 4 pp.

Anoter way woul of course be to use Ardent 10/Metamind 10 and abuse Dominant Mantle in combination with unlimited Powerpoints.

[Rubik]

If OP is comfortable using Pathfinder how about a x-blooded Sorceror 1 (primal elemental, draconic) / Wilder 19 (educated) with Wildblood Mage and Favoured Energy (Frost). +4 damage per die. Other than that you just have to find a way to apply the best metapsionic feats.
At level 4 you are already looking at 6d6+24 energy rays for the meager cost of 4 pp.Don't forget wild surge for another free +2 pp (and an extra +2d6+8).


Another way would of course be to use Ardent 10/Metamind 10 and abuse Dominant Mantle in combination with unlimited Powerpoints.That's just a bit cheesy. And by "just a bit" I mean "you will be hit by a Dewey Decimal System shower."

[Feint's End]

Don't forget wild surge for another free +2 pp (and an extra +2d6+8).

That's just a bit cheesy. And by "just a bit" I mean "you will be hit by a Dewey Decimal System shower."

Oh I already calculated wild surge 4d6+16 from pp (level 4 = 3 level wilder + wild blood mage) + 2d6+8 from wild surge.


It is pretty cheesy and not very viable till level 20 but depending on optimization level it might just be what op is looking for. On the other hand I think it falls into TO because dominant mantle and metamind > infinite actions shenanigans.

Well even without shenanigans ardent with dominant ideal has some nice options for blasters.

[Rubik]

It is pretty cheesy and not very viable till level 20 but depending on optimization level it might just be what op is looking for. On the other hand I think it falls into TO because dominant mantle and metamind > infinite actions shenanigans.

Well even without shenanigans ardent with dominant ideal has some nice options for blasters.Don't forget to add Metapower (Empower + Blasty Spell) for infinite damage.