Creating Skillful Shady Psion Agents.. (build advice request)

[JW86]

Hello!

I'm looking to make a psionic thief character. I would appreciate some ideas and input! I'd prefer to look at using a full manifesting class (Psion or Ardent), over Psychic/Psionic Rogue or Lurk for now...

3.5, most/all books allowed (Dragon magazine, potential cheese must be run past DM), LA Buyoff allowed, beginning at Level 3.

Rolled some great stats - 18, 17, 17, 15, 14, 13.

I want a character that can sneak around and be as skillful as a rogue (well, something near to that), whilst being a skilled Psion.

Things I'm looking at include the Dark Template, the Whisper Gnome race (for sneak bonus) or Lesser Tiefling (Good Int/Dex, flavoursome), Kalashtar or heck maybe even Lesser Fey'Ri if I can pull it off with the DM.. having most levels in Psion, but also considering dips in Rogue, Swordsage or Factotum for skills and possible maneuvers.

Rogue 1/Psion (Telepath) 5/Swordsage 1 (pick up Shadowhand) and then go Psion the rest of the way, or something.

Perhaps Ranger 1 / Psion 4 / Swordsage 2 / Slayer X? The Mind-blank, HP and BAB would be useful and suit the character.

Thinking of picking up powers like:
1. Dimension Hop (from Wild Talent, perhaps), Ectangling Ectoplasm, Inertial Armor, Energy Ray, Mind Thrust, Telempathic Projection, Charm
2. Concealing Amorpha, Control Light, Ego Whip, Mental Disruption, Suggestion
3. Telekinetic Thrust, Telekinetic Force, Time Hop, Hostile Empathic Transfer
4. Telekinetic Maneuver, Dominate, Schism
5.
6. Distintegrate, Retrieve, Temporal Acceleration
7. Decerebrate, Energy Wave,

.. Early days.

Would I be spreading too thin to try and work some Sneak Attack, Craven, Darkstalker etc in there?
I should probably decide between Rogue-like melee combat, or going with more BFC/Damage/Debuff/Save-or-X effects.. I'd think the Powers would be the go-to here.

Open to any and all suggestions :)

TL;DR - Please, help me minmax a manifester-heavy Psion sneak character (avoiding Lurk/Psychic Rogue), with perhaps a couple of levels in Rogue,Ranger,Swordsage or Factotum.

[bootzin]

While I'm not too much familiar with sneaky characters, I guess I have some advices to give you...

Although the dark template is really awesome, you can get it for 10,800gp with an item from Tome of Magic (forgot the name of it, it's right after the spidersilk special material). You only get it 10min a day, using a minimum of 1 min each use, but I guess it fits most of your needs, and you can always buy a couple as they aren't that much expensive either

This allows you to get another template, as you are now rid of the dark LA+1

I'd suggest shadow creature (la+2) or shadow walker (la+1), as they could get you some nice buffs and a bonus to DEX, which I think it is your main stat.

If you are willing to dip factotum, go for Iaijutsu Focus, even a little bit, if your opponent is FF, you deal extra damage if you just draw your weapon. As FF also triggers Sneak Attack, I think it would be good for you

Craven is magical. Seriously. I mean, you can get up to +20 in any attack you deal sneak attack damage and the best thing: it is not extra damage dice, so it gets multiplied on critical
Dark stalker can get you some nice abilities too. Specially if you want to go sneaky. You wouldn't want to get behind the king to kill him, only to find out that his loyal dog is now biting your leg.

If you manage to get Heavy Armor Proficiency, you could go for Clockwork Armor (Web enhancement). It gets you +4 circumstance (yes, it stacks with inherent and competence) bonus to DEX AND STR, plus, and addition 5' speed to your land speed. It has an armor bonus of +8, no ACP, ASP and max DEX, as long as you are proficient with it. Although it has quite some disadvantages, make it out of riverine and you've dealt with most of them.

Go for rogue 2 (?) and exchange trap sense for the ability to deal half your sneak attack dice to normally immune creatures (say hello to craven again, as it's damage is not reduced here). Also keep in mind that Iaijutsu Focus isn't precision damage, so it fully applies to undeads and the kind.

The drow fighter variant is also a good option for you. For a one level dip you exchange heavy armor and shield proficiency for +2 on Initiative and the ability to deal your DEX in addition to your STR as bonus damage against flat footed foes. If you manage to get the agile enhancement from pathfinder, you add your DEX twice provided you have the weapon finesse with the weapon.

Now, regarding swordsage I don't think it would have much to add to your build.. Of course you could go for child of the shadow and assassins stance, but that wouldn't get you that much

Now, I know this isn't exactly what you asked for as it has no psionics, but it definitely gets you the sneaky type you've been wanting, and all with a few level dips.

Regarding psionics, I really don't have much of a knowledge to give you, but one thing I know: it's not wild talent but hidden talent that gives you a level 1 power.

[JW86]

Thanks for the reply!

Some time has passed since I posted this, and I'm going to go Ranger 1/Psion 6/Slayer X, with a focus on Telepathy and Sneaking powers.

Whisper Gnome gives nice bonuses to hide/move silently, Telepath discipline gives bluff, diplomacy etc.

The item is the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis. There is a 22k one that gives the 'dark' template all day. I'll be hopefully picking one up at a later level :)

If my DM feels open to more multiclassing later, I will take a one level dip in Rogue and take Craven, perhaps a Martial Stance for Assassin's Stance also (3d6+level SA damage would be a nice boon for Crystal Shards, Energy Rays etc)

My DM is restricting the multiclass a bit. Otherwise having Factotum 1 for the Iajutsu Focus, and Rogue 1 for the Craven/SA, would be entirely on the cards. As it is, I'll be doing most of my damage through psionic powers and perhaps a magic crossbow. :)

[bootzin]

Yeah, a few minutes later I saw your thread in another forum :P

But good to know there is a full day long Collar (:

Just keep in mind: You can use Iaijutsu even without Factotum. It is not a "trained only" skill, and even untrained and without ability bonuses, you can get up to +3d6 on damage whenever a foe is flat footed and you draw your weapon in the same round (Some people think it must be before every attack). It may be useful to slip in that extra damage on, say, the first combat round (I believe you have a high DEX, so you should probably be acting before your enemies).