Bladelock/Immortal Mystic: Viable?

[Steampunkette]

As the thread title asks, I am wondering about the viability of a bladelock mystic. The loss of Psionic focus for them for hex could be terrible, but on the other hand you could rely on the mystic temp hp rather than spending slots on hp granting spells. Using celerity would start combat off well, and throwing on iron durability could help offset armor issues.

Further, you could use heavy armor and go with a strong lock build. And if you went mystic 8 warlock 12 you'd get piles of damage, especially with 3 great sword attacks a round by throwing off 5pp. Throw them in the dark with your charisma mod to the damage... not like you need Int to be a mystic, after all, if you're using mystic to self buff!

Could make for an awesome build, with he as a concentration option during high damage fights.

2d6+str mod +cha mod +1d8 cutting resonance +5d10 lethal strike +1d6 hex

Avg from 1 swing of 42 damage plus mods, 3 swings per round with celerity. Big darn monster with constant temp hp when below half and heavy armor. Heck, make the weapon +3 for added damage...

[Spiritchaser]

I think the competition between GWM and +3 weapon on one hand and hex on the other needs to be evaluated. I think at most AC levels +3 then -5 to hit, +13 damage is going to win out over hex... Though I have not looked at the math. Losing hex also eliminates the need to shift hex around... Which opens up polearm master or more surge of action. (Or alternatively shield master... Maybe...)



I'm pretty sure that cutting resonance only works once per turn...

Potent Psionics from awakened does not, and could do more damage per round with multiple attacks, but you'd need int for that, and without another MC your need dex as well since your lose the heavy armor... so probably too mad to be possible.

That's too bad because awakened expertise on athletics plus hex plus a strength lock with shield mastery could push almost anything around. The wording of next turn on borrow expertise may even allow that to stack as well (next turn bonus action shove would seem valid, of course that's three bonus actions in... So you'd probably never have time for that anyway)

[Steampunkette]

You're right about cutting resonance being once per round.

Though Potent Psionics only works on Psionic Talents, not attacks.

[Spiritchaser]

You're right about cutting resonance being once per round.

Though Potent Psionics only works on Psionic Talents, not attacks.

Good point... When I read it, I was thinking of talent as a psionic ability. Clearly talent means... Well... Talent... So it won't stack on psionic weapon... In not sure why I'd thought it did...

[Ferrin33]

The loss of Psionic focus for them for hex could be terrible


Psionic Focus does not take concentration to mantain. ;)

[Steampunkette]

Psionic Focus does not take concentration to mantain. ;)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

*rubs hands together, maliciously*

[Spiritchaser]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

*rubs hands together, maliciously*

Now... Can the psionic weapon focus coexist with augmented weapon?

I can see that both ways

[Ferrin33]

To get the most out of this you need a 20 in Cha and Str/Dex, as well as a decent con for concentration mod, and a 13 Int(presumably) for multiclassing into/out of Mystic. I'd consider not needing that high of a charisma either, and picking no save/buff spells for warlock, also foregoes the need for Lifedrinker. You're likely better off using your spells and powers to buff yourself, which means you need a higher Con score. (You will be able to get Con proficiency with Strength of Mind regardless of which class you pick first, so that's good.)

I'd go for Strength, as that means you can use Heavy Armor Mastery which synergizes nicely with Armor of Agathys.

The 5 PP for an extra attack as a bonus action seems like a terrible ability, you get to deal at most Wep+1d6+11 damage with it if you hit if you go with high cha, saving the PP for it for an extra 5d10 guaranteed any time you hit seems much stronger. Although it's there if you need to burst, or miss with both other attacks and want to get the free 1d8 in, but you don't have that many PP.

You'd have 44 PP total, and won't be able to use 7 PP powers from your disciplines which means no Energy Immunity, Misty Form, Borrow Lore, or Restore Vigor.(from the no-save options)

The main problem with this combination is the MAD and concentration requirement for many of the powerful effects while being in melee range. You do have a lot of damage potential and burst, but it looks pretty risky.

(Also; Hex is a concentration spell, so can't use that alongside Augmented Weapon, the psychic focus does work though)

[Steampunkette]

I feel like the biggest benefits from Mystic for this combination are:

Heavy Armor to shore up survivability for non-dex builds
Free Temp HP when under 50% HP to increase survivability further, offsetting HD size for a melee character.
Free Healing when under 50% HP whenever you use disciplines tied to your order.
Maybe getting a free third save, dependent on GM decision and future UA clarifications, or the ability to swap Wisdom for Con/Dex saves.
Half Damage from an attack as a reaction at the cost of Focus until a short rest.
1d8 extra damage per turn on a hit.
Increased Burst damage through both Lethal Strike and Surge of Action.
More survivability from Iron Durability, including self healing and a +2-6 AC shield spell.

But this is all on top of a level 12 Warlock.
2 attacks per round.
Charisma to weapon damage.
Advantage on melee attacks with Magical Darkness.
Temp HP when you down an enemy. (Fiend)
3 5th level spells on a short rest and 1 6th level spell on a long one.
All the other goodies.

Though you would need at least an 13 int and a 14 might be better, in the long run...

Luckily, the build is feat lite. Heavy Armor Mastery would be good. Great Weapon Mastery would be great. But you don't -need- either of them, and you don't need others, either. Crossbow expert is cool, but you don't really need to throw ranged spells while in melee, since the Mystic shores up the Bladelock pretty strongly.

All in all, it's a pretty neat blend, I feel.

[Ferrin33]

You get the temporary HP every turn regardless of your HP total as long as it's at least 1. So even better! Problem is it's based off of your Int modifier, as is the healing when below 50%, which you will have a 14 in at most.

You won't get a third save, Strength of Mind replaces your Wis save which is one of your saves regardless of which class you start with. I don't see any interpretation of the rules that would let you get it through that without the Resilient feat with this class combination. (Also; starting as Mystic gives you more choices for Strength of Mind as you can't choose Int, but can choose Cha saves with it.)

Hex, Darkness, and Augmented Weapon are all Concentration spells/powers, of which I don't think it's worth it to use Augmented Weapon on yourself, better used on your martial friends. (On a side-note, Psionic Weapon Psychic Focus and Augmented Weapon, would they stack? I don't assume they do because of the nonmagical weapon clause of Psychic Focus, and Augmented Weapon turning it magical.)

Just some things I felt I needed to adress. Overall I agree that it's a really neat build, but would caution against going high charisma due to the MAD and concentration requirements of your abilities. You still get full Int bonus of self-healing even if you only spend 1 PP on a power, so you can spend 4 power per turn on Ethereal Weapon, Iron Hide, Lethal Strike, and Wind Step to restore 4*int modifier per round while below half health while still contributing to combat. Granted, that's the only major benefit going high Int gives, but I recommend boosting it to a 14 at least because of it. Depending on the spells you choose you could get away with a 14 Cha as well as Lifedrinker only comes in very late in the build anyway, and I don't think enemies you want to use fireball on have too high saves.

Edit: You could consider going Mystic9/Warlock11 if you go with 14 Cha; 13 extra PP, another discipline, and gives a Psi limit of 7 to let you use the powers that cost 7 PP. It would cost you an ASI which you then don't need, and an invocation. But letting you deal 13d10 more damage per day in bursts, another discipline, and using the 7 costing powers is well worth it. (Only if you go with low Cha, as otherwise thirsting blade wins out, very MAD though.)