Help with Magekiller: Psionics Edition

[Augment Tab]

I'm DMing a psionics campaign where everyone is high-level and everyone uses psionics. I'm trying to come up with a BBEG that specializes in killing psions, which will hopefully get the players looking outside just "I brain at it" and maybe more towards "I brain about it." The idea is to foster teamwork and, at least for a couple encounters, have them thinking of indirect ways to use psionics to beat this guy.

As for the BBEG himself, though, I have no clue. The only thing I could come up with would be to go TWF crit fisher and use things like weapon enchantments that activate on criticals to apply some bad stuff and possibly drain their power points. Dispelling is another idea that could work, though I don't exactly know how to go about any of this.

The campaign is starting out at 16 and hopefully will be going to 20, possibly beyond. What would you good folks recommend?

[Zombulian]

Well with Magic to Psionics transparency, which is the default, you could have him take the Mage Slayer line of feats. Or even just Mage Slayer by itself. Not being able to Manifest freely should give them a bit of a scare.

[Augment Tab]

Typically we play without transparency when we do psionics, but if nothing else comes up I can just put it into play or homebrew myself some equivalent feats.

[Drogorn]

These (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/psionKiller.htm) might mess with them a bit. Pretty much what they're for.

[Augment Tab]

Those are very nasty indeed. They're likely to find one somewhere along the way now.

I seem to recall somewhere seeing a weapon enchantment or something that was a burst ability, and would waste the victim's power points or dispel their powers or something to that effect. Anyone know what these might be, or if I'm just insane/fabricating memories?

[Vhaidara]

Well, Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) is a great start.

To add to that, Complete Mage contained an alternative Favored Enemy option that you could transplant (GM Law) Favored Enemy (Arcanists) into Favored Enemy (Psionics).

[Augment Tab]

Well, Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) is a great start.

To add to that, Complete Mage contained an alternative Favored Enemy option that you could transplant (GM Law) Favored Enemy (Arcanists) into Favored Enemy (Psionics).

I've honestly never seen that prestige class before, but it looks to be about perfect for what I'm going for.

[Zombulian]

I've honestly never seen that prestige class before, but it looks to be about perfect for what I'm going for.

You've probably never registered it before because in the book it's called an Illithid Slayer, but the srd couldn't put that up because Illithids aren't OGL.

[Augment Tab]

You've probably never registered it before because in the book it's called an Illithid Slayer, but the srd couldn't put that up because Illithids aren't OGL.

Ah, yeah, that'll do it. I distinctly remember the illithid slayer, but I've never read the entry for it so it never even crossed my mind. I'm at work now so I'll have to read my books over again once I get home.

[Zombulian]

Ah, yeah, that'll do it. I distinctly remember the illithid slayer, but I've never read the entry for it so it never even crossed my mind.

Yeah, the fact that it's entirely based around one enemy tends to drive people away, but the class itself is great.

[Werephilosopher]

How much do your players optimize? If your answer is even "a little," it's probably best to dispense with the melee and just make your BBEG a psion himself. A mage would be good if you used transparency, but since you don't, I wouldn't advise it. Maybe make him an erudite who hunts down psions to harvest their powers before killing them?

[Zombulian]

How much do your players optimize? If your answer is even "a little," it's probably best to dispense with the melee and just make your BBEG a psion himself. A mage would be good if you used transparency, but since you don't, I wouldn't advise it. Maybe make him an erudite who hunts down psions to harvest their powers before killing them?

That's a pretty cool idea. Also I'd just like the mention the Witch Slayer PrC. Now, most of it's abilities are tied to killing possessed/possessors, but it gets full BAB, Mettle, and a swift action targeted Antimagic field that it can use every 5 rounds.

[Augment Tab]

How much do your players optimize? If your answer is even "a little," it's probably best to dispense with the melee and just make your BBEG a psion himself. A mage would be good if you used transparency, but since you don't, I wouldn't advise it. Maybe make him an erudite who hunts down psions to harvest their powers before killing them?

Since the Slayer class mentioned above grants manifesting levels, I was considering making him an ardent or something similar that uses his own psionics to hunt down other psions, sort of like the countless sorts of stories where half-demon/devil/etc use their demonic/fiendish/etc powers to hunt down their evil kin sort of thing.

Ardent is mostly because I've never run one before and they seem interesting. If anyone has a better suggestion, though, I'm all ears.


That's a pretty cool idea. Also I'd just like the mention the Witch Slayer PrC. Now, most of it's abilities are tied to killing possessed/possessors, but it gets full BAB, Mettle, and a swift action targeted Antimagic field that it can use every 5 rounds.

This also seems like an interesting suggestion.

[Zombulian]

Ardent is awesome. You could go Ardent 6/Witch Slayer 5/Slayer 9 and with Practiced Manifester you still get 9th level powers.

[Augment Tab]

Ardent is awesome. You could go Ardent 6/Witch Slayer 5/Slayer 9 and with Practiced Manifester you still get 9th level powers.

Sold. That sounds excellent.

[Flickerdart]

Well with Magic to Psionics transparency, which is the default, you could have him take the Mage Slayer line of feats. Or even just Mage Slayer by itself. Not being able to Manifest freely should give them a bit of a scare.
Transparency doesn't cover feats, and never has.

[Zombulian]

Transparency doesn't cover feats.

Oh really? Huh. Either way I'm pretty sure it's a reasonable thing for a DM to allow.

Btw see how I took out that snark that didn't need to be there? Don't ya feel better?

[J-H]

If nobody has taken the Transdimensional Power metapsionic feat, they can't target an Ethereal creature with any powers except Force effects, and there are not very many Force-based powers. A Psion Uncarnate (or Unbodied, the NPC/creature version) from the SRD achieves that, although there are also Psionic powers that grant Etherealness for a time.

Most of the Force-based powers can be stopped cold by a simple Reddopsi:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/reddopsi.htm

If you go for a non-psionic character (the BBEG or sidekick), have one them pick up Psionic Hole.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicFeats.htm#psionicHole

[(Un)Inspired]

If you're gonna make an ardent then I would dodge the slayer prc altogether. The bab and kinda sorta not that bad class features don't make up for the access to multiple new mantles.

Additionally, theirs a minds eye article that lets an ardent trade away hit 10th level mantle to supercharge one of his primary mantles. He no longer has to lose psionic focus when he meta psionics powers from that mantle. This makes it ridiculously easy to spam linked power and quicken power for a brutal number of powers per round.

As I'm sure you know avoid using linked power with syncronicity for that way lies only madness but feel free to cast a linked grip of iron ---> telekinetic maneuver to massively grapple to pants off your PCs.

In fact, I would make you BBEG a necropolitan so hes immune to stun then taking the magic mantle followed by overchannel and reserves of strength. That'll let him manifest a spell at his caster level +6 without any downside other than minuscule self harm.

with than high of a manifester level and twin power, quicken power and linked power you could telekinetically grapple and crush an entire party in one turn.

[Zombulian]

If you're gonna make an ardent then I would dodge the slayer prc altogether. The bab and kinda sorta not that bad class features don't make up for the access to multiple new mantles.

Additionally, theirs a minds eye article that lets an ardent trade away hit 10th level mantle to supercharge one of his primary mantles. He no longer has to lose psionic focus when he meta psionics powers from that mantle. This makes it ridiculously easy to spam linked power and quicken power for a brutal number of powers per round.

As I'm sure you know avoid using linked power with syncronicity for that way lies only madness but feel free to cast a linked grip of iron ---> telekinetic maneuver to massively grapple to pants off your PCs.

In fact, I would make you BBEG a necropolitan so hes immune to stun then taking the magic mantle followed by overchannel and reserves of strength. That'll let him manifest a spell at his caster level +6 without any downside other than minuscule self harm.

with than high of a manifester level and twin power, quicken power and linked power you could telekinetically grapple and crush an entire party in one turn.

With the difficulty of finding Wizards Articles as of late I figured recommending that was a weird option. Though Focused Mantle is awesome even when not used for cheese.

[(Un)Inspired]

With the difficulty of finding Wizards Articles as of late I figured recommending that was a weird option. Though Focused Mantle is awesome even when not used for cheese.

Yeahs its's a bummer but i was just looking at that particular article a few days ago

[Zombulian]

Yeahs its's a bummer but i was just looking at that particular article a few days ago

Yeah you can download them off of the Archives, they're just a little work to get these days :/