Buffs for Psion-based Illithid Slayers?

[danielxcutter]

So uh... I can see plenty of defensive buffs(such as Psionic Freedom of Movement) and mobility stuff(such as Inconsistent Location), but not that much for offense aside from Planar Embrace, the Metamorphosis line, Offensive Precognition, and Offensive Prescience(I think), and I'm not sure how the last two hold up against Knowledge Devotion.

Help guys?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Depending on level, energy conversion is an amazing offensive and defensive buff. Stand in a
campfire holding the wrong end of a torch while hitting yourself with a fire-based energy wall and you could be firing (heh) off a ton of heavily metapsionicked rays of [fire] energy.

According to this guy (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=10200.msg345676#msg345676):


Okay, here we go...

Overchannel (let's say +3) a Chained, Split Psionic Ray'd energy conversion, shared with psicrystal. Grab yourself Greater Psionic Shot, Aligned Attack (just make sure you're Chaotic or Evil), and a greater chasuble of fell power. Charge yourself up with a torch, a camp fire, and energy wall. Then, give your psicrystal a psychoactive skin of proteus, and have it turn into something not-immune-to-mind-affecting-effects and prior to battle manifest schism, shared between the two of you, and use both Aligned Attack (+3d6 w/chasuble) and Greater Psionic Shot (+4d6) and you'll end up dealing a ton of damage with 8 shots each round at (ML+3)x3 damage each, all of which Chain to hit secondary targets (and can hit multiple foes several times all at once).

In case you're keeping score, at level 17 that's 480+7d6 damage every round, plus secondary damage on up to 160 other targets (many of which can overlap).

Voila.

And don't get me started on fission.

Also, if you've got good physical ability scores, expansion is the best buff outside of metamorphosis, with which it stacks. Acts like a bunch of Improved X feats by granting +4s to a ton of stuff and adding reach to prevent AoOs when you perform combat maneuvers from a distance. Also allows you to perform combat maneuvers on larger creatures than you could without it.

[edit] Most of the best offensive self-buffs are psychic warrior powers.

[double-plus edit] Check this list (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=10200.msg345161#msg345161) for a ton of core psionics powers with both standard and unusual uses. It's in the same thread as the quote above.

[danielxcutter]

Depending on level, energy conversion is an amazing offensive and defensive buff. Stand in a
campfire holding the wrong end of a torch while hitting yourself with a fire-based energy wall and you could be firing (heh) off a ton of heavily metapsionicked rays of [fire] energy.

According to this guy (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=10200.msg345676#msg345676):



Also, if you've got good physical ability scores, expansion is the best buff outside of metamorphosis, with which it stacks. Acts like a bunch of Improved X feats by granting +4s to a ton of stuff and adding reach to prevent AoOs when you perform combat maneuvers from a distance. Also allows you to perform combat maneuvers on larger creatures than you could without it.

[edit] Most of the best offensive self-buffs are psychic warrior powers.

[double-plus edit] Check this list (http://bg-archive.minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=10200.msg345161#msg345161) for a ton of core psionics powers with both standard and unusual uses. It's in the same thread as the quote above.

Thanks for the list!

[tyckspoon]

Last time I built a character like that, I ended up just giving up two or three feats to snipe select choices off the PsyWar list with Expanded Knowledge. Metaphysical Weapon (Psionic Greater Magic Weapon) and Psionic Lion's Charge (Pounce + bonus damage) were obvious choices. For most other purposes, the buffs already on the Psion list seemed to be enough, especially if you're an Egoist - Metamorphosing into a Giant (I carried around a Large sword specifically so it'd be the right size when shapechanged, plus Strongarm Bracers to not take the penalty when in normal Medium size) or similar bruiser form should be enough to paste most things. Your long-term buffs (Metaphysical Weapon, Inertial Armor, Thicken Skin) carry over, and you can use Link Power to save action economy on triggering shorter ones like Precognition and Prescience if you feel a need.

(I want to point out how weird Thicken Skin is, incidentally. It gives an Enhancement bonus direct to Armor Class. Not an Enhancement to Armor, or Enhancement to Natural Armor that is then applied to AC.. just Enhancement straight to AC. Which means that, as written, I'm pretty sure this stacks with just about everything, because I don't know of anything else that does this.)

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Thanks for the list!No problem.

Also, one trick you can do (especially if you're gestalt, where it won't affect your psion side as much), is take a small dip into psychic warrior with the soulbound warrior ACF (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a) and take call weaponry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/callWeaponry.htm) as a psion. Now you can still use the ACF on the power, even when it's manifested as a psion. And yes, the ACF can most definitely be worth the effort; it's a really good ACF on an otherwise decent power.

Alternatively, don't bother taking call weaponry as a psion and instead take Supernatural Transformation (Psionics), which affects your psychic warrior powers as well as the psion ones. Then you can manifest at full power with the powers known for both classes.

[danielxcutter]

Last time I built a character like that, I ended up just giving up two or three feats to snipe select choices off the PsyWar list with Expanded Knowledge. Metaphysical Weapon (Psionic Greater Magic Weapon) and Psionic Lion's Charge (Pounce + bonus damage) were obvious choices. For most other purposes, the buffs already on the Psion list seemed to be enough, especially if you're an Egoist - Metamorphosing into a Giant (I carried around a Large sword specifically so it'd be the right size when shapechanged, plus Strongarm Bracers to not take the penalty when in normal Medium size) or similar bruiser form should be enough to paste most things. Your long-term buffs (Metaphysical Weapon, Inertial Armor, Thicken Skin) carry over, and you can use Link Power to save action economy on triggering shorter ones like Precognition and Prescience if you feel a need.

Oh, believe me, Metamorphosis is powerful enough alone that you might not need *any* other offensive buffs. I just want to see what I can do with a character that doesn't have that power(such as a Nomad).


(I want to point out how weird Thicken Skin is, incidentally. It gives an Enhancement bonus direct to Armor Class. Not an Enhancement to Armor, or Enhancement to Natural Armor that is then applied to AC.. just Enhancement straight to AC. Which means that, as written, I'm pretty sure this stacks with just about everything, because I don't know of anything else that does this.)

Huh.


No problem.

Also, one trick you can do (especially if you're gestalt, where it won't affect your psion side as much), is take a small dip into psychic warrior with the soulbound warrior ACF (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a) and take call weaponry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/callWeaponry.htm) as a psion. Now you can still use the ACF on the power, even when it's manifested as a psion. And yes, the ACF can most definitely be worth the effort; it's a really good ACF on an otherwise decent power.

Alternatively, don't bother taking call weaponry as a psion and instead take Supernatural Transformation (Psionics), which affects your psychic warrior powers as well as the psion ones. Then you can manifest at full power with the powers known for both classes.

I smell gouda.