pyro

[ZiggenTheLord]

Whatis the best class/prestige class for a fire based blaster character ?

[Venger]

Whatis the best class/prestige class for a fire based blaster character ?

there are a lot of different directions to go in here. what level of bookkeeping are you comfortable with? if you don't mind doing some research, an out of the box mailman will probably work.

if you want more of the choices made for you, warmage is probably fine.

if you're comfortable looking at a lot of splats, you might consider wizard into silver pyromancer

[Someguy231]

If you're not too worried about making a super specific build, and just want to light **** on fire, my first guess would be a fire shugenja. They mainly focus on blowing **** up, and nothing else.

[ZiggenTheLord]

How does a savant psion do for this role ?

[Venger]

How does a savant psion do for this role ?

a kineticist is a capable enough blaster. the energy powers will cover your bases if you prefer that as a system.

are you playing 3.0?

[SangoProduction]

Wilder 20. It's one of the best blaster classes out there. Although it lacks the capacity for immense metamagic that late game wizards/etc do, because you typically don't have more than 2 or 3 psionic foci to spend on them...and those take investment.

But, if you just care about fire-blasting, you mitigate the largest drawback of the wilder -their lack of powers known- since you only really need 1 or 2 powers for that purpose throughout your entire career.

[ZiggenTheLord]

are you playing 3.0?
maybe ? my dm says its 3.5 but he lets us use anything from 3.0 and 3.5

[daremetoidareyo]

It's expensive, but flask rogue is crazy fun.

[Inevitability]

It's expensive, but flask rogue is crazy fun.

Make sure to be a halfling and take that substitution level that ups your sneak attack by another die if you use it with thrown weapons.

[EndocrineBandit]

Why not the Pyrokineticist from the psionics book?

[etrpgb]

Shugenja (Water)/Warmage/Mystic Theurge

Pledge your master to join the Mystic Theurge just being able to cast both divine and arcane spells with 2 level spells only in one side (to make it usable without tricks) or... just use the tricks (eg, Alternate Source Spell + Praticed Spellcaster).

If you can play an Elf, you can maybe slot a level of Wildrunner and continue as Arcane Hierophant.

Edit: as pure blaster you can also replace Water with Fire! But it becomes a bit redundant with the Warmage.

[Inevitability]

Why not the Pyrokineticist from the psionics book?

Using it as part of a build is kind of hard; there's little synergy between entry requirements, class features, and eventual progression.

[frogglesmash]

Elemental savant is an obvious option, Hellfire Warlock could also work if you want to go for an edgy pyromancer. If you're not married to blasting specifically you could make an initiator who focuses on Desert Wind maneuvers. If you're open to using pathfinder content, there's the kineticist who, iirc, is basically a [insert element] bender.

[weckar]

Why not the Pyrokineticist from the psionics book?

Seconding this. It's a burninator in a can. Playing one right now, in fact. You can even mostly dip it onto a Sneak Attack build without much issue.

[frogglesmash]

Seconding this. It's a burninator in a can. Playing one right now, in fact. You can even mostly dip it onto a Sneak Attack build without much issue.

The problem with Pyrokoineticist is that it's just not very effective. From what I remember of the PrC, it basically plays like a sub par warlock with zero splatbook support, and undesirable entry requirements. However, if OP's playing in a low OP game then this is suddenly a much better choice in my eyes, simply due to the cool factor.

[SangoProduction]

I was going to suggest pyrokineticist, but not even the Pathfinder version makes any sense.

[weckar]

The problem with Pyrokoineticist is that it's just not very effective. From what I remember of the PrC, it basically plays like a sub par warlock with zero splatbook support, and undesirable entry requirements. However, if OP's playing in a low OP game then this is suddenly a much better choice in my eyes, simply due to the cool factor.I found it remarkably easy to qualify for, comparatively. And, for the most part, the class is heavily frontloaded. And the versatility of the Lash with the right feats is really something special as it allows most melee and ranged feats to work with it. It's much as if you would take DFA JUST for the breath weapon but you get your results quicker.

[KillianHawkeye]

Yeah, the 3.5 pyrokineticist suffers from being in an early splat book when the designers were still over-valuing at-will abilities.

[Venger]

don't take pyrokineticist. it's a terrible class. in addition to the reasons already mentioned, it requires (or at least strongly suggests) entering as a manifester and proceeds to give you no advancement on your manifestation

[Inevitability]

don't take pyrokineticist. it's a terrible class. in addition to the reasons already mentioned, it requires (or at least strongly suggests) entering as a manifester and proceeds to give you no advancement on your manifestation

Well, technically Wild/Hidden Talent qualifies too.

[Venger]

Well, technically Wild/Hidden Talent qualifies too.

right, or playing a naturally psionic race, which is why I said suggests rather than outright requires.

[Afgncaap5]

I'm gonna assume that 3rd party stuff and Pathfinder stuff isn't an option, so...

Wilder is really nice. A straightforward Wizard or Sorcerer who goes into Elemental Savant is really nice even if it can leave you scratching your head sometimes (Wizards, in particular, have a weird kind of "Why don't you also learn Fly and Acid Splash?" problem that sort of hurts the theme immersion, but if you're willing to willfully ignore sometimes better options it's not bad).

Also: I saw one person build a really nice pyromancer using the Silver Pyromancer prestige class. Trouble with that one is that it's Eberron specific and has a definite holy-magic vibe that, while not *wrong* for a Pyromancer, might not fit your particular mental image. (Still, being able to set anything on fire with not just fire but fire from the gods can be epic sometimes.)

*Cough* And if I'm wrong about 3rd Party and Pathfinder not being an option, there's a set of powerful spheres that a lot of people like to talk about. I still have fun with the mostly at-will ability to just step through any fireplace or campfire I want to get to another one.

[ZiggenTheLord]

my character theme is a water gensai pyromancer as for theme

[mabriss lethe]

Weighing in on the pyrokineticist:

Given the right kind of support chassis, it can pretty much wreck house. You'll need to decide early on though if you just want a one level dip or to take it to level 9. If you optimize your feat selection with the lash, you can consistently dish out a nice chunk of damage. Power attack is the bread-n-butter feat, since you can go whole hog with it and still hit via touch attack. Sneak attack/craven stacks well with it and is easy to snag. Later abilities give you close range damage buffs and long range support. You even get a spamable save or die effect at 9. I love the class. It's simple gishy destruction with no book keeping.

Given the option, though, I'd play a sonokineticist variant from the Mind's Eye articles.

[Venger]

Weighing in on the pyrokineticist:

Given the right kind of support chassis, it can pretty much wreck house. You'll need to decide early on though if you just want a one level dip or to take it to level 9. If you optimize your feat selection with the lash, you can consistently dish out a nice chunk of damage. Power attack is the bread-n-butter feat, since you can go whole hog with it and still hit via touch attack. Sneak attack/craven stacks well with it and is easy to snag. Later abilities give you close range damage buffs and long range support. You even get a spamable save or die effect at 9. I love the class. It's simple gishy destruction with no book keeping.

Given the option, though, I'd play a sonokineticist variant from the Mind's Eye articles.

solid suggestion. a link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e) for convenience.

[EndocrineBandit]

There's also a skill trick that lets you use a whip as sort of a hand. I really don't think it's a bad choice for what they are looking for. It's simple, straight forward, useful enough, and gives them some options. Take improved trip along with it, and work on a semi-lockdown build along with it.

[ZiggenTheLord]

under psion it says 1+d and i cant quite find where it says what the d is ?

[frogglesmash]

under psion it says 1+d and i cant quite find where it says what the d is ?

Were exactly is this in the psion section?

[Venger]

under psion it says 1+d and i cant quite find where it says what the d is ?

You are reading the 3.0 psionics handbook. that refers to 1 generalist power and 1 discipline power.

if you're playing 3.5, you're reading the wrong book. the 3.5 equivalent is "expanded psionics handbook" which expunges psionic combat, makes all psions manifest off intelligence, etc.

[Backseatgamer]

Try a Dragonfire Adept. Base class from Dragon Magic that lets you have invocations as a warlock and a fire breath weapon every round. You can choose a line or a cone each time you breathe. Focus on the Metabreath feats (especially recover breath) from Draconomicon and you've got a really destructive pyro!

[ZiggenTheLord]

Try a Dragonfire Adept. Base class from Dragon Magic that lets you have invocations as a warlock and a fire breath weapon every round. You can choose a line or a cone each time you breathe. Focus on the Metabreath feats (especially recover breath) from Draconomicon and you've got a really destructive pyro! what are some good prestige classes for this class ?

[ShurikVch]

How about the Ardent (Complete Psionic) with Energy and Elements mantles?

[lylsyly]

what are some good prestige classes for this class ?

Generally, you want to stay with Dragonfire Adept thru level 20. Pick up the right invocations, feats and breath effects to have a fun character.

Have a Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=15686.0) ;)

[Segev]

Dragonfire Adept will let you breathe fire all day long.

A sorcerer with a hefty focus on blasting would do the trick, especially if you got an appropriate reserve feat to let you do casual hurling of fire bolts. Could go into Elemental Savant if you really wanted to focus on fire.

Warlock/Binder/Hellfire Warlock/Fortune's Friend can get insanely high hellfire blast damage that it can use regularly.

Psion(Kineticist) can nova like there's no tomorrow.