Optimizing the Tibbit Information Broker

[AnimeTheCat]

Hi all,

I am getting started in a new campaign with friends and I have decided that I want to be a blend of finger wiggling and information brokering. Originally I wanted to be skill monkey extraordinaire (rogue style skills/skill points per level) BUT as I was recently a human bard in our previous campaign, DM said do something different. That brings me to this:

[insert non-terrible name here], the psion (Telepath discipline) kitten (Tibbit)

Str 11
Dex 17
Con 11
Int 15
Wis 15
Cha 14

Feats:
Wild Talent (1st Level)
Up the Walls (Psion Bonus)

those stats are still fluid and can be switched around (bearing in mind that Tibbits are like halflings and get +2 Dex, -2 Str). Also, since Tibbit is not a naturally psionic race, we have decided that to be a psion as a non-psionic race it is required that I take the wild talent feat as my level 1 feat.

I am looking at the Shadowmind PrC in CA and I feel as though straight Psion is the best way to go for powers. Skills are tight, as I'm only getting 4 points per level, but DM says with good rollplay, actual dice rolling may be less of a "thing".

Is there any way to better optimize what I have AND what is the most optimal route to go for attaining Shadowmind? (feats, 4th level stat increase, etc.) Any insight anyone can provide would be fantastic and appreciated.

Edit: removed the embarrassing name I used to have my character called.

[Gildedragon]

Why not psychic rogue? Or a psilike factotum adaptation? A dip for a skills-boost might be needed
Skills:
Handle Humanoid
Diplomacy
Bluff
Kn Local

Trading info prolly requires some ranks in appraise: knowledge is a commodity

You do need to max out Kn Psi until 5th level though

[AnimeTheCat]

Hmm, I'll for sure look in to Psychic Rogue. The big ticket with why I'm picking Psion over other classes is that it was like pulling teeth to get the DM to approve psionics in the first place. Psionic variant classes are probably a no go, but I'll ask. Any way I can get a book for reference on psychic rogue? As far as knowledge psionics is concerned, its not a prereq for shadowmind. All the prereqs are simply roguish types and the psionic prereq is a power known/manifester level. What would the benefit be of raising that knowledge skill so much? Appraise, very much so, and the other skills you listed I already have (except handle humanoid, not sure if joking). I have at least 1 point in all the necessary social skills but yes a skill boost dip would be amazing. DM is stingy on multiclassing. Mostly I would like to know if there's anything I can tweak at first level to make me a little more effective.

[AnachroNinja]

Psionics are already weaker then spell casting, your playing a race that gets not extra psionic benefits, so to balance that you got docked a feat for no reason? Rough DM buddy.

That said, psion is a very fun class, the primary advice I'd give you is be very careful in your power selection. Try to vary it up to cover as many areas as you can. As a psion you don't need a damage power of every level or anything like that, and you get very few powers known overall so plan ahead.

Also, your character is named after the thing women wear to cover their privates for nude scenes on game of thrones. Just felt like that should be noted.

[Gildedragon]

Hmm, I'll for sure look in to Psychic Rogue. The big ticket with why I'm picking Psion over other classes is that it was like pulling teeth to get the DM to approve psionics in the first place. Psionic variant classes are probably a no go, but I'll ask. Any way I can get a book for reference on psychic rogue?
Psychic Rogue (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20021025b)

As far as knowledge psionics is concerned, its not a prereq for shadowmind. All the prereqs are simply roguish types and the psionic prereq is a power known/manifester level. What would the benefit be of raising that knowledge skill so much? my bad. There are two shadowmind classes; the "shadowmind" and the "shadow mind"
Appraise, very much so, and the other skills you listed I already have (except handle humanoid, not sure if joking). not joking (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fools/20030401c)
I have at least 1 point in all the necessary social skills but yes a skill boost dip would be amazing. DM is stingy on multiclassing. Mostly I would like to know if there's anything I can tweak at first level to make me a little more effective. let me think about it

[AnimeTheCat]

Also, your character is named after the thing women wear to cover their privates for nude scenes on game of thrones. Just felt like that should be noted.

I had to google it just to see... I'm quite embarrassed... Incoming edit lol

on the note of power selection though, I've played a psion or two in other campaigns. I pretty much took energy ray at first level as my damage and then other powers that changed the shape or target of the damaging power. its all I've ever needed. This caster will not be overly blasty, as I've worn that out for myself. Currently I have Energy ray, Grease (psionic), and Conceal Thoughts as my 3 powers known for first level. Any thoughts on changing those?

[Gildedragon]

I had to google it just to see... I'm quite embarrassed... Incoming edit lol


Oh don't change that. It is a great name for a kitten.

[AnimeTheCat]

not joking

Dear goodness... this game quite literally thinks of all things...

[AnimeTheCat]

Oh don't change that. It is a great name for a kitten.

For the purpose of keeping this place as clean as possible, I removed it. I will likely keep calling my character that in game though.

[Gildedragon]

Dear goodness... this game quite literally thinks of all things...
It pays to know one's possible skills


Also, since Tibbit is not a naturally psionic race, we have decided that to be a psion as a non-psionic race it is required that I take the wild talent feat as my level 1 feat.
that is extremely harsh; particularly as it is meant as a way to gain PP that one can spend on feats and grants no manifesting ability. In fact your first level of Psion wholly nullifies the feat's bonus... except for 2 pp
Hidden Talent is similar and actually remains sorta useful for a psionic character.

[AnimeTheCat]

that is extremely harsh; particularly as it is meant as a way to gain PP that one can spend on feats and grants no manifesting ability. In fact your first level of Psion wholly nullifies the feat's bonus... except for 2 pp
Hidden Talent is similar and actually remains sorta useful for a psionic character.

The reasoning is that since it is "Wild Talent" aka, not normal or something that is "common" in surfacing within the race, that I am an oddity among Tibbits. True, Hidden Talent is much more beneficial from a numbers standpoint, the flavor behind DM's reasoning isn't terrible. Granted, I'm not happy about it from a player perspective, but at least DM isn't just saying "no, because I said so".

EDIT: I forgot to mention that this is very far from a "High-Psionics" campaign. Hence another reason that DM said Wild Talent vs Hidden Talent. The book says its intended for use in high psionics campaigns.

[ATHATH]

Have you considered the Ebon Saint prestige class? The ability that forces a target to answer a question to the best of its ability has no saving throw, IIRC.

Investing some ranks in Truespeak and joining the Paragnostic Assembly might help you find out the truenames of some fiends, which you can then (with GM permission; I don't think there are rules for selling truenames, but I know that there are some for researching truenames) sell or blackmail with.

[AnimeTheCat]

Have you considered the Ebon Saint prestige class? The ability that forces a target to answer a question to the best of its ability has no saving throw, IIRC.

That is an interesting PrC. I may take that after Shadowmind. would be a very nice "icing on the cake" so to speak. That is to say, if my character gets that high in levels.

[ATHATH]

Also, remember that you can't use more than your ML in Power Points to manifest a single Power.

[Gildedragon]

The reasoning is that since it is "Wild Talent" aka, not normal or something that is "common" in surfacing within the race, that I am an oddity among Tibbits. True, Hidden Talent is much more beneficial from a numbers standpoint, the flavor behind DM's reasoning isn't terrible. Granted, I'm not happy about it from a player perspective, but at least DM isn't just saying "no, because I said so".

EDIT: I forgot to mention that this is very far from a "High-Psionics" campaign. Hence another reason that DM said Wild Talent vs Hidden Talent. The book says its intended for use in high psionics campaigns.
I figured it was a low psionics campaign, but in a low psionics campaign, by the book, a psion wouldn't take the feat at all.
if you're being coerced to take a feat that might work fluffwise but doesn't work with how you want to develop your character. Heck the Mercantile Background feat is more beneficial to you. You sell info 50% more expensively; or Wanderer's Diplomacy; or Silver Palm; or Gift of Tongues...
but -shrug- one does what one can.

4th level Bonus goes into Intelligence

Interesting gear you might want: lenses made of Clear-Black rock (und). The stone looks shiny and black and opaque like obsidian, but to darkvision folk (like the tibbit) it is perfectly transparent. it can add an air of allure if folk can't see your eyes during negotiations.

[AnimeTheCat]

Interesting gear you might want: lenses made of Clear-Black rock (und). The stone looks shiny and black and opaque like obsidian, but to darkvision folk (like the tibbit) it is perfectly transparent. it can add an air of allure if folk can't see your eyes during negotiations.

OOOOOH, I like that. I was planning on wearing a mask when I met with clients, but now I can have creepy black eyes for the mask and shmexy sunglasses during the day.