[PF] [P.o.W] In Unity of Mind and Body: The Awakened Blade

[Sayt]

So, I've finally got it to a place where I feel comfortable posting it, so here is my guide to the Awakened Blade (https://docs.google.com/document/d/14uwbVFdlUrlB7FDWLpOuwVaxsMdislqTXFMn68uK67Q/edit?usp=sharing).

Feel free to critique, debate, or submit builds!

[stack]

Soulknife with focused offense/defense combines well with stalker for a WIS-sad build.

[PsyBomb]

Reading through right now, will type up suggested edits as I go:

Prereqs: I disagree with Acrobatics being Green (should be Blue, IMHO), and you didn't rate Autohypnosis (which is an awesome skill).

Situational Awareness: You mention in the description that it's Purple, but you labeled it 4* (colorblind, can't tell if it's Blue)

Deep Focus: This benefit is HUGE if you're leaning more Psionic than Martial in the class. Also, may want to mention it also gives a couple of HP from Psionic Body.

You forgot to mention that you get two bonus feats in the class, which are important.

I like that you included possible entry methods, especially the Awakened Champion Zealot.

I can review builds later.

[Turion]

Quick note on the sample build: you can't actually have all three foci up at once; Deep Focus has a note on it that your subconscious and your psycrystal cannot both be focused at the same time.

[Elricaltovilla]

A Warder/Tactician has potential as an entry, as both run off of INT. As long as you don't completely dump CHA (you can afford to dump WIS instead) you can make good use of the Tactician's Strategies and Collective to become a lot like an INT based Warlord or Zealot.

Zealot can pull a solo entry if they take the Awakened Champion Archetype, which gives them Manifesting and Initiating.

Looks really good so far. I may have to try and build one of these at some point.

[Sayt]

Reading through right now, will type up suggested edits as I go:

Prereqs: I disagree with Acrobatics being Green (should be Blue, IMHO), and you didn't rate Autohypnosis (which is an awesome skill).

Situational Awareness: You mention in the description that it's Purple, but you labeled it 4* (colorblind, can't tell if it's Blue)

Deep Focus: This benefit is HUGE if you're leaning more Psionic than Martial in the class. Also, may want to mention it also gives a couple of HP from Psionic Body.

You forgot to mention that you get two bonus feats in the class, which are important.

I like that you included possible entry methods, especially the Awakened Champion Zealot.

I can review builds later.
Acrobatics is helpful quite often, but the DCs at higher levels can just get way to intensive without Broken Blade Stance (Which is the only boost to acro of that intensity.) The balance/jumping use is also not that useful after lvl 5~+, when the party gains access to flight and teleportation (if they do, not all parties do)

I did indeed forget to mention the Bonus feats. As does the text of the class itself.


Quick note on the sample build: you can't actually have all three foci up at once; Deep Focus has a note on it that your subconscious and your psycrystal cannot both be focused at the same time.

Excellent catch. I didn't notice that stipulation on Deep Focus. Sample build swaps out Psicrystal containment and Affinity for Tactical Rush and Extra Readied.


A Warder/Tactician has potential as an entry, as both run off of INT. As long as you don't completely dump CHA (you can afford to dump WIS instead) you can make good use of the Tactician's Strategies and Collective to become a lot like an INT based Warlord or Zealot.

Zealot can pull a solo entry if they take the Awakened Champion Archetype, which gives them Manifesting and Initiating.

Looks really good so far. I may have to try and build one of these at some point.

Warden/Tactician is possible, but you need to spend a feat to get Offensive Precog ition, meaning you need three psionic feats, and only get 1 bonus feat fom Warden which you can spend on any other kind of feat.

I did in fact mention the Awakened Champion.

Thanks all for kind and helpful comments!

[deuxhero]

A Warder/Tactician has potential as an entry, as both run off of INT. As long as you don't completely dump CHA (you can afford to dump WIS instead) you can make good use of the Tactician's Strategies and Collective to become a lot like an INT based Warlord or Zealot.

Does a Tactician have some way to get around the 13 wisdom for Psionic Meditation? I know Zealot does.

Bushi 6/Manifester 1 is an entry option if you'll be reaching higher levels. It regains a maneuver effectively for free once a turn as long as it can move, which at level 13 will regain you focus automaticly.

A guide for a martial manifester that doesn't mention the Share Pain/Vigor Psycrystal trick? For shame!

Using a Martial Tradition for Sleeping Goddess can make you [psionic] early, helping for feats.

I did an Awakened Blade build a bit ago (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18708314&postcount=863). Note that only Offensive/Defensive Precognition and Vigor/Share Pain are the only powers that I'm set on.

[GhorrinRedblade]

Love the guide so far. You say the class doesn't tell you what the bonus feats are, but the text lists them as combat or psionic, at the bottom of p. 138 (right above the table with the class info on it).

EDIT: I think I see at least one situation when you might not just launch into Stance of the Inner Eye. A pathwalker's Trance wants you to be in one of your discipline's stances, and unless i missed it there's no language saying Inner Eye counts as part of your discipline.

Later on,
Ghorrin Redblade

[Sayt]

Does a Tactician have some way to get around the 13 wisdom for Psionic Meditation? I know Zealot does.

Bushi 6/Manifester 1 is an entry option if you'll be reaching higher levels. It regains a maneuver effectively for free once a turn as long as it can move, which at level 13 will regain you focus automaticly.

A guide for a martial manifester that doesn't mention the Share Pain/Vigor Psycrystal trick? For shame!

Using a Martial Tradition for Sleeping Goddess can make you [psionic] early, helping for feats.

I did an Awakened Blade build a bit ago (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=18708314&postcount=863). Note that only Offensive/Defensive Precognition and Vigor/Share Pain are the only powers that I'm set on.

Tacticians need to actually have Wis for feats, int for manifesting/collective, and Cha for other class features. It's hella MAD.

I don't know the Share Pain/Vigor trick, but I'm guessing you manifest share pain on your psicrystal and then vigor on both to halve damage and then absorb it? Crafty, I'll note it when I'm putting together the powers section.

I didn't go into Bushi, mostly because its yet another choice permutation, but that trick is pretty damn good, I'll see about slotting it in.


Love the guide so far. You say the class doesn't tell you what the bonus feats are, but the text lists them as combat or psionic, at the bottom of p. 138 (right above the table with the class info on it).

EDIT: I think I see at least one situation when you might not just launch into Stance of the Inner Eye. A pathwalker's Trance wants you to be in one of your discipline's stances, and unless i missed it there's no language saying Inner Eye counts as part of your discipline.

Later on,
Ghorrin Redblade
I have eyes, I swear!

And generally speaking, Stance of the Inner Eye looks much, much better than any of the given Pathwalker Trances?

[GhorrinRedblade]

And generally speaking, Stance of the Inner Eye looks much, much better than any of the given Pathwalker Trances?

Probably, yeah. I was just figuring there might be some edge cases where (Stance + Trance) > (Inner Eye). Less likely the more I look at that sentence out loud, but worth double-checking if you're a pathwalker.

Ghorrin

[GhorrinRedblade]

Hey, follow-up question: before Pretercognitive Focus comes online at level 10, there's no "direct route" to Stance Of The Inner Eye, right? You have to activate a different stance in turn 1, then go Inner Eye turn 2, if I'm reading this right.

Ghorrin

[deuxhero]

Aren't stance active till you are unconscious or choose to dismiss it, unlike PF's style feats? It hurts if you attacked when sleeping or hit with a sleep effect/reduced to zero HP and brought back again I guess.



I don't know the Share Pain/Vigor trick, but I'm guessing you manifest share pain on your psicrystal and then vigor on both to halve damage and then absorb it? Crafty, I'll note it when I'm putting together the powers section.

Correct. Note that share powers is "also affect" unlike a familiar's Share Spells working "instead of on himself". You essentially double vigor's temp HP for a separate 3PP manifestation.

[Sayt]

Hey, follow-up question: before Pretercognitive Focus comes online at level 10, there's no "direct route" to Stance Of The Inner Eye, right? You have to activate a different stance in turn 1, then go Inner Eye turn 2, if I'm reading this right.

Ghorrin


Aren't stance active till you are unconscious or choose to dismiss it, unlike PF's style feats? It hurts if you attacked when sleeping or hit with a sleep effect/reduced to zero HP and brought back again I guess.

Correct. Note that share powers is "also affect" unlike a familiar's Share Spells working "instead of on himself". You essentially double vigor's temp HP for a separate 3PP manifestation.

Stances last until they're left or you're placed in a position in which you're not able to reasonably maintain it, such as paralysis or posessing the grappled/pinned position. (Path of War pg. 26)

As for entry without leaving another stance, Stance of the Inner Eye says you have to abandon another stance. This is only an issue if you are ambushed during a sleep cycle and are launched immediately into combat.


And damn, the Psicrystal+Share pain+Vigor is... almost rude

[GhorrinRedblade]

Ah, yes. I'm still getting my legs under my with this material, so I didn't quite make make that connection. So if you are actually starting from zero, it would be two turns, but in practice, you will rarely be in that position when it's time to throw down.

Sayt, any thoughts on a section detailing disciplines and maneuvers that work well (or less so) as an AB? I don't know if there's enough there to warrant such a section, but I bring it up because I was looking over Scarlet Throne maneuvers last night with an eye toward this class, and it seemed (warning: late-night recollection in effect) that the Strikes were all great, but the Boosts were giving lots of insight bonuses, which might blunt their usefulness.

Just something to consider. Thanks again for this excellent guide.

Ghorrin Redblade

[shawshank]

Is there any reason why you can not just go Warder1/Psion4 then Awakened blade 6-15? Even without the practiced initiator trait you will have access to 2nd level maneuvers if you wait and take Warder at char level 5. If you DO take practiced initiator then you can take it at 1.

Am I missing something?

Sorry. I just realized this is really old. Apologies.