psionics class questions

[arixe]

I'm farely new to psionics and was wondering if there was a paladin equivalent. one that specializes in slaying evil beasties

[Malimar]

Mechanically, the Psychic Warrior (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psychicWarrior.htm) is the base class most like a Paladin -- some beatstick, some manifesting

You might look at the (Illithid) Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) Prestige Class, which is more of a Ranger that specializes in slaying Illithids.

[Sagetim]

I'm farely new to psionics and was wondering if there was a paladin equivalent. one that specializes in slaying evil beasties

Yes and No.

There's a base class from complete psionics called the Divine Mind. It is paladin like (or, like a diablo 2 paladin) in that it has auras that benefit it's allies, a god that it follows, and some minor abilities in the form of truncated psychic warrior manifesting. But it's not a very good class...because it's got a 3/4th bab and even worse manifesting than the psychic warrior. The psychic warrior at least gets bonus feats and up to 6th level powers. The Divine Mind gets only up to 4th level powers (like a paladin only getting up to 4th level spells...) but it has a less than good BaB (while a paladin has a good BAB) and it has no direct smiting and less than a third of the power points per day of the psychic warrior. The reason I keep comparing it to the psychic warrior is because it looks like whoever made the Divine Mind took that class as it's basis and made it even crappier at psychic powers, not at all better at meleeing things, and gave it a really terrible class ability instead of bonus feats.

There's also a prestige class who specializes in killing psionic things (The SRD one is a bit different than the one printed in the books because of copywriting on the Illithid monster). It's a great prestige class because it has full base attack bonus progression and if not full manifesting, very close to full manifesting. If you wanted to make a 'psychic paladin' type character, I would aim for using that prestige class and either mixing in a full manifester like psion with maybe some fighter levels, or going psychic warrior/slayer.

As far as I recall, there aren't a lot of psionic things that deal with alignment type stuff. Not a lot of 'deals damage to evil' or 'deals damage to good' or defenses keyed off alignments like there is in magic. I think the only class that comes close to that is the Ardent, a manifesting class from Complete Psionic that chooses mantles to get it's power selections. I'm pretty sure some of the mantles include oddball stuff (well, oddball for psionics, not for magic) like negative energy damage and negative level inflicting powers, or positive energy damage inflicting powers and what not.

I would suggest just paging through the expanded psionics handbook and the complete psionics book to see what's around for psionics. That's pretty much the bulk of the material for psionics. There's some psionic stuff scattered around in other books (particularly in the ebberon campaign setting, where psionics is part of the setting).

Edit: talking about Ebberon reminds me that in the Magic of Ebberon book there is a psionic prestige class for guys who fight demons in their dreams. It's some pretty cool fluff and some decent abilities, so it might bear a good looking at for a psychic paladin type.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The Sanctified Mind prestige class in Lords of Madness would be the closest thing IMO, preferably gaining the Iron Will prerequisite via the Otyugh Hole in CS so you don't have to spend a feat on it.

If you want a full BAB warrior-type character, I would recommend something like a Crusader 4/ Sanctified Mind 1/ War Mind 10/ Sanctified Mind 5. You won't get additional powers known or powerpoints/day beyond War Mind 10, but your manifester level and bonus powerpoints for a high Wis will continue increasing, and your manifester level determines how many powerpoints you can spend on a power when augmenting it and/or using metapsionic feats.

Otherwise something like Paladin 2/ Ardent 3/ Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) 9/ Sanctified Mind 6 would be a strong choice, especially if you use Substitute Powers (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a). Be sure to take Practiced Manifester, since it actually contributes toward the highest level powers you can learn as an Ardent.

In any case, get a Psicrystal and keep Share Pain (via Expanded Knowledge if necessary) active on it so you take half damage from all sources. Its Hardness 8 reduces every instance of damage it takes from Share Pain by that much. Keep it in a compartment on your person so opponents never have line of sight or line of effect to it, and cannot target it directly or hit it with area effects. Give it a Healing Belt in MIC which it can use on you during combat when needed. You can share beneficial powers with it, such as Vigor for a nice hp cushion.

[frogglesmash]

Would personally suggest avoiding Divine mind. Ardent is sort of like the psionic Cleric equivalent, but because of the way it gains powers you can afford to multiclass and lose a few manifester levels without it hurting too much. There's also the Illumine Soul (complete psionic) which is a 5 level soulknife prc which focuses on positive energy and gives some healing abilities as well is some anti-undead stuff.

[Sagetim]

The Sanctified Mind prestige class in Lords of Madness would be the closest thing IMO, preferably gaining the Iron Will prerequisite via the Otyugh Hole in CS so you don't have to spend a feat on it.

If you want a full BAB warrior-type character, I would recommend something like a Crusader 4/ Sanctified Mind 1/ War Mind 10/ Sanctified Mind 5. You won't get additional powers known or powerpoints/day beyond War Mind 10, but your manifester level and bonus powerpoints for a high Wis will continue increasing, and your manifester level determines how many powerpoints you can spend on a power when augmenting it and/or using metapsionic feats.

Otherwise something like Paladin 2/ Ardent 3/ Slayer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/slayer.htm) 9/ Sanctified Mind 6 would be a strong choice, especially if you use Substitute Powers (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a). Be sure to take Practiced Manifester, since it actually contributes toward the highest level powers you can learn as an Ardent.

In any case, get a Psicrystal and keep Share Pain (via Expanded Knowledge if necessary) active on it so you take half damage from all sources. Its Hardness 8 reduces every instance of damage it takes from Share Pain by that much. Keep it in a compartment on your person so opponents never have line of sight or line of effect to it, and cannot target it directly or hit it with area effects. Give it a Healing Belt in MIC which it can use on you during combat when needed. You can share beneficial powers with it, such as Vigor for a nice hp cushion.

If you went with actual paladin levels, you would probably need gm permission to not become an ex paladin when you stop taking paladin levels, and/or the paladin training feat from ebberon(?). I think that's the name of the feat. If I recall correctly, once you stop taking levels of either monk or paladin, you can't resume them unless the things you have multiclassed or prestige classed into specifically allow you to keep taking levels of the restricted class in question (so, for example, monk prestige classes generally have a clause in their description somewhere that says you can keep taking monk levels even after taking levels of that prestige class. And Paladin prestige classes generally have a similar clause, but for paladins).

[DrMotives]

Nah, even under RAW, if a paladin takes a non-paladin friendly class, they aren't an ex-paladin. They can never add more paladin levels (something I think most houserules get rid of), but they still aren't a fallen paladin unless they violate code or alignment. So the Paladin 2/ Ardent 3/ Slayer 9/ Sanctified Mind 6 won't cause anyone to lose abilities because they no longer qualify for the class, even if they can't add more paladin levels.

[Malimar]

If you went with actual paladin levels, you would probably need gm permission to not become an ex paladin when you stop taking paladin levels, and/or the paladin training feat from ebberon(?). I think that's the name of the feat. If I recall correctly, once you stop taking levels of either monk or paladin, you can't resume them unless the things you have multiclassed or prestige classed into specifically allow you to keep taking levels of the restricted class in question (so, for example, monk prestige classes generally have a clause in their description somewhere that says you can keep taking monk levels even after taking levels of that prestige class. And Paladin prestige classes generally have a similar clause, but for paladins).

Knight Training, from Eberron Campaign Setting. But DrMotives is right, you don't become an ex-Paladin by multiclassing, even though the clause is under the "Ex-Paladins" section of the Paladin page, you only lose the ability to take more Paladin levels.

[DrMartin]

If you can use Hyperconscious, you could mix and match Astral Dragoon (grants you a special mount) with Ghostbreaker (grants turn undead) getting either psychic warrior or ardent as a base class. Both prestige classes get d8s and full BAB plus some manifesting (ghostbreaker actually gets full manifesting).

[Sagetim]

Alright, thanks for clearing that up about paladins. I couldn't remember exactly if they became ex paladins, or just couldn't keep gaining paladin levels. Of course, this raises the question- if someone takes paladin levels, then maybe some fighter, then prestige classes into a paladin friendly prestige class...can they take paladin levels again afterwards? I would say no, because you already deviated off the path and the rules are jerks to paladins and monks like that. But I could see an argument for saying that the prestige class supersedes that and lets you resume paladin.

[DrMartin]

Alright, thanks for clearing that up about paladins. I couldn't remember exactly if they became ex paladins, or just couldn't keep gaining paladin levels. Of course, this raises the question- if someone takes paladin levels, then maybe some fighter, then prestige classes into a paladin friendly prestige class...can they take paladin levels again afterwards? I would say no, because you already deviated off the path and the rules are jerks to paladins and monks like that. But I could see an argument for saying that the prestige class supersedes that and lets you resume paladin.

I think that by the book you could not, since you have already forsaken your chance of gaining further paladin levels by switching to fighter. Kind of a silly rule, it doesn't even state that you could regain entry in the class by atonement or similar venues.

edit: didn't read the white text :D so yeah, I agree with you

[Troacctid]

It depends on the wording of the prestige class's ability, but generally, if it says you can continue advancing as a Paladin, then you can continue advancing as a Paladin.

[Nifft]

It'd be neat to adapt the Prestige Paladin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin) to a Wilder backbone.

(Natural entry would be Wilder 4 / Fighter 1.)