War-Seer Character (Mystic?)

[Kharneth]

I'm trying to get into 5e (from Pathfinder) and I have an idea for a character concept, but I'm having a hard time trying to find the right class for it.

Concept:

My concept of a war-seer comes from the warhammer 40k eldar farseer. It is a utility/support caster and melee hybrid. Its magic is focused on divination, abjuration, and evocation. It's a psychic/psionic warrior that leans more heavily on the magic side, like a cleric. It's not a front-line combatant, tank, or non-magical damage dealer, but more of a supporting fighter. It's definitely not a pure caster, it uses magic to enhance its own ability in combat and/or to support allies. It uses divination on a small scale, in combat, to protect itself from damage by foreseeing attacks, etc and also uses this foreknowledge to gain advantages against its foes. It uses abjuration (or conjuration - think mage armor) to protect itself in combat as it's not as heavily armored as footsoldiers. And it uses evocation when it needs to inflict high damage.

I'd like to be a dex-based, light armored, spear-wielding character. If it sounds like I'm "trying to do too much" than it's because I don't want to be exceptionally powerful at any of those things, but just to include them as part of the character-build. This character would be more like a jack-of-many-trades type.

I looked at Knowledge Cleric, but lore-wise my character is psychic and not god-worshipper, though I suppose there's wiggle room to alter the lore behind a divine source. Mechanically, the knowledge domain has no combat-based knowledge enhancements. Something as little as gaining advantage or bestowing disadvantage (or AC/attack bonus) wisdom-modifier times per day as you foresee a foe's movements, or something.

I looked at Divine Wizard. Lore-wise there's not much to complain about except the source of the magic. Mechanically, wizards are just too much caster, as they were intended to be. I'm not sure I could make a Wizard that feels comfortable in melee combat.

Melee Mystic Help:

Mystic is the class that fits the best, I think, but it's weird and I'm not sure exactly how it works. So, unless anyone has a better idea, I'm looking for a way to make a melee mystic. I've looked around already and it seems viable, but not optimal.

Right now I'm looking at going Immortal for the bonus HP and survivability. I'm not sure how I feel about the armorless dex+con AC, but it works.

I'm looking at the disciplines Psionic Weapon and Psychic Assault. Psionic Weapon will allow me to fight in melee and actually do something. Can Lethal Strike be used with Ethereal Weapon? If not, is there ever a need to use Ethereal Weapon? I see that it will work against people in heavy armor who have high AC and low dex saves, but it'll only be d6 damage without Lethal Strike. It seems like I'd be better off using non-melee attacks in this situation (Psychic Assault, perhaps). As far as I can tell, my ability to perform in melee hinges on combining Ethereal Weapon and Lethal Strike. Lethal Strike is wasted if I do not hit and my melee stats are spread thin if I have to keep some strength to use a spear.

I start with 3 disciplines and since Immortal is a pretty tough build I'm thinking that I'd like a melee discipline, a blasting discipline, and something support, like divination. I really like Precognition.

Any help regarding how to optimize the Mystic choices within my personal parameters and/or how to pick the right 3 disciplines to provide a versatile array of options would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Mystic is the class that fits the best, I think, but it's weird and I'm not sure exactly how it works. So, unless anyone has a better idea, I'm looking for a way to make a melee mystic. I've looked around already and it seems viable, but not optimal.
Mystics can be very strong, at least for the first 12 levels or so. There are some very overpowered abilities scattered throughout their disciplines.


Right now I'm looking at going Immortal for the bonus HP and survivability. I'm not sure how I feel about the armorless dex+con AC, but it works.
I mean, one can easily fluff it as a psychic force field or something. You can also wear armor instead, if you pick up the proficiency via your race or a feat. (Githyanki might be perfect-- +Str/Int and medium armor proficiency). Or you can say "screw it," take Mastery of Force, and roll around with an uncapped 14+Dex all day.


I'm looking at the disciplines Psionic Weapon and Psychic Assault. Psionic Weapon will allow me to fight in melee and actually do something. Can Lethal Strike be used with Ethereal Weapon? If not, is there ever a need to use Ethereal Weapon? I see that it will work against people in heavy armor who have high AC and low dex saves, but it'll only be d6 damage without Lethal Strike. It seems like I'd be better off using non-melee attacks in this situation (Psychic Assault, perhaps). As far as I can tell, my ability to perform in melee hinges on combining Ethereal Weapon and Lethal Strike. Lethal Strike is wasted if I do not hit and my melee stats are spread thin if I have to keep some strength to use a spear.
Ethereal Weapon and Lethal Strike can't be combined-- they both take bonus actions to activate. Ethereal Weapon is pretty weak; Lethal Strike is strong (with the idea that if you're playing a melee gish, you probably invested in Str over Int), but the Mystic has no shortage of smite-type abilities. And if you expand that to "short range," they have a ton.


I start with 3 disciplines and since Immortal is a pretty tough build I'm thinking that I'd like a melee discipline, a blasting discipline, and something support, like divination. I really like Precognition.
That's not a bad plan. Precognition sounds like a very appropriate defensive Discipline.

As for your two Immortal picks...

Bestial Form is incredibly versatile, and Beastial Claws is one of the nastier short-range 1pp-per-die abilities. I think you'd add your Str bonus, since it specifies a melee weapon attack, but don't quote me on that.
Brute Force is, well, brutal. Brute Strike isn't as strong as Lethal Strike, but Knock Back is compatible-- if you really want someone dead, you can dump, like, all your pp into one attack and leave someone a thin red mist.
Celerity is pretty bad; the abilities all cost way too much for the single use they give you.
Corrosive Metabolism might be perfect for you, since it's all short-range blasting. Poison damage, though.
Iron Durability is an absolutely top-notch defensive discipline-- it's simple but oh-so-sweet.
I'm... honestly not wildly impressed by Psionic Weapon, which really only has Lethal Strike to recommend it. It's nice if you want to switch-hit, I guess.


To move further afield, you might also look at some of the Nomad and Wu Jen disciplines.

Nomadic Arrow is ranged-only, but does Psionic Weapon's job way better.
Nomadic Mind is amazing utility.
Mastery of Force is amazing. You get Mage Armor-plus for defense, and between pushing, grappling, and making walls you can manage some excellent BFC.
Mastery of Ice has two things to recommend for it. At low levels (well, okay, any levels), Frozen Sanctuary's "20 temp HP as a bonus action" is insane, and at higher levels, Frozen Rain offers amazing blasting-plus-lockdown.
I got a ton of use out of Mastery of Water. Watery Grasp and Water Whip are excellent low-level blasting/control abilities, and the smite is top notch.
Mastery of Wood and Earth is worth considering-- it gives you a great weapon-smite ability that keys off Int, some good defensive boosts, and an insanely tough wall.



Any help regarding how to optimize the Mystic choices within my personal parameters and/or how to pick the right 3 disciplines to provide a versatile array of options would be appreciated.
So, I might actually make a slightly different suggestion-- Githyanki Wu Jen Mystic. The race will give you medium armor and bonuses to Int and Str (aka "the stats you need most"-- you could start with something like Str 14/Dex 12/Con 14/Int 16/Wis 8/Cha 8); meanwhile, use your Disciplines to pick up Precognition (fluff/defense), Mastery of Water (blasting), and Mastery of Wood and Earth (spear-smite, defenses). At 3rd, add Mastery of Ice.

[Kharneth]

Hey thanks for the advice, that's a lot of helpful information. I'm going to go down from top to bottom, but I wanted to start real quick with Gith. They do have very good racial benefits for this class and their psionic aptitude is very friendly lore-wise to my concept. However, everything else about their race is pretty opposed to what I'm looking for. They sound like pretty awful beings lol. I'm thinking either High Elf or Human Variant (I really want the spear mastery feat, though High Elf is more appropriate to the concept).

I'm having a hard time coordinating the disciplines I want and the order bonuses due to 2/3 of my starting disciplines being limited to the order I choose. I like the majority of the Awakened disciplines, though some of them I'm not sure of the potency of in practice, but I dislike the order bonuses. In the long run (looking towards level 8+) I'll have 4 disciplines and still only the original 2 bonus ones from my order choice. As long as I can find 2 disciplines of a single order that has useful/relevant bonuses than it's an easy choice.

Avatar is all right, I really like the Command discipline, though the avatar of healing doesn't seem like it'll affect anyone but me.
Awakened is mediocre and seems like it's not suited for melee combat.
Immortal lets me keep my 14/15 AC while not wearing armor, which is whatever, but the other bonuses all just make me more capable of withstanding melee combat.
Looking at Nomad again, it's actually pretty nice. It's all teleportation. Without some way to be tougher, though, I fear that teleportation will be to get away from combat.
Wu Jen is nice, the wizard spells add a lot of options and the rest of it is fine, but I'm not sure if Light Armor + Dex is enough for a melee character. Maybe it is, Rogues do it, but they don't have to invest in Int. I could wear medium, I could use Mastery of Force for 16 AC and be armorless, but then that's 2 psi points a day, which is half of what I begin with.

I'm leaning towards Immortal because Immortal, with the bonuses alone, give me the qualities necessary to be a melee fighter (d10 hp and AC 14/15 I'd like 16, though). One of my fears is being able to hit enemies, the damage is going to come from psi points, but if the attack does not hit it will waste the points.

The disciplines that I like are:
Avatar - Mantle of Command
Immortal - Brute, Celerity, Psionic Weapon
Awakened - Intellect Fortress, Precognition, Psychic Disruption
Wu Jen - Mastery of Force, Mastery of Wood

I'd really like just 1 discipline that I can fall-back on to be competent in a brawl.
Brute doesn't seem like a bad choice. Brute strike is so mediocre and Knock Back only seems better because it's a reaction. What is the benefit of pushing a creature 10 feet? It can still move and attack on its next turn, how would its next turn be any different from if it was still standing there attacking? Pushing it into something is still d6 damage pp, but at least it can't be wasted because it only happens after a successful hit.
Psionic Weapon would just be for "spamming" lethal strike, which could easily backfire if I don't have an attack bonus decent enough.
Force is nice mostly for the free Mage Armor, but it also comes with a d8 damage ranged attack.
I like Wood a lot. I can focus on it in combat for +1 AC, I can throw a spear using my Int for attack and damage, plus it does an extra d10 damage pp. Warp Weapon and Warp Armor are both awesome, plus armored form is cool too. The only downside to this is I still don't have a reliable melee attack.

If I go Wu Jen how will I stand in combat with a d8 HD and AC 15?

I have considered taking a single level as Monk (either by starting at 2 or leveling into Monk after the 1st). As a Monk, I can use spears with dexterity and as a High Elf I can have 16 Int and Dex. The Monk also allows me to gain my Wisdom from AC, though I'm unsure if that can stack with the Immortal bonus so I'd have 10 + Dex + Con + Wis. Still, at best I'm looking at 16 AC with a +2 in each. If they don't stack, or even instead of they do, I could go Wu Jen with the monk level.

From the single Monk level I'd get proficiency with Str and Dex saving throws, the same HP, the ability to use spears with finesse, and the ability to add Wisdom to my AC. I really like wisdom, I'm just not sure if it's worth enhancing in this case.

What kind of AC is a melee fighter looking for? I'm looking at Rogues. Would a Rogue have only 15 AC with light armor and 16 dex but be fine? I'm thinking Intellect Fortress might be sufficient for defense/deterrent as I can react to an attack to give disadvantage after the attack already hits and then deal a lot of damage if the disadvantage fails. Psychic Parry, too, for mental effects.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Hey thanks for the advice, that's a lot of helpful information. I'm going to go down from top to bottom, but I wanted to start real quick with Gith. They do have very good racial benefits for this class and their psionic aptitude is very friendly lore-wise to my concept. However, everything else about their race is pretty opposed to what I'm looking for. They sound like pretty awful beings lol. I'm thinking either High Elf or Human Variant (I really want the spear mastery feat, though High Elf is more appropriate to the concept).
That's fair. Both are good options. High Elf is particularly nice for picking up a wizard cantrip-- something like Firebolt or Green Flame Blade/Booming Blade makes a nice addition.


I'm having a hard time coordinating the disciplines I want and the order bonuses due to 2/3 of my starting disciplines being limited to the order I choose.
Don't forget-- levels 1 and 2 will go by fast. You'll get your fourth discipline quick.


Avatar is all right, I really like the Command discipline, though the avatar of healing doesn't seem like it'll affect anyone but me.
Avatar strikes me as eh. Avatar of Healing is probably better than you think-- most of the psionic healing is touch range.


Awakened is mediocre and seems like it's not suited for melee combat.
Awakened is definitely a caster discipline, yeah. Not what you're looking for.


Immortal lets me keep my 14/15 AC while not wearing armor, which is whatever, but the other bonuses all just make me more capable of withstanding melee combat.
It is the melee discipline.


Looking at Nomad again, it's actually pretty nice. It's all teleportation. Without some way to be tougher, though, I fear that teleportation will be to get away from combat.
I've never been a big fan of Nomad. Breadth of Knowledge is straight inferior to Nomadic Mind, and Superior Teleportation is total crap. They're the archers, though-- Nomadic Arrow is insanely good.


Wu Jen is nice, the wizard spells add a lot of options and the rest of it is fine, but I'm not sure if Light Armor + Dex is enough for a melee character. Maybe it is, Rogues do it, but they don't have to invest in Int. I could wear medium, I could use Mastery of Force for 16 AC and be armorless, but then that's 2 psi points a day, which is half of what I begin with.
And then a third, and then a seventh-- your point total jumps up quickly.

Generally speaking, light armor alone won't be enough-- but light armor + gimmick, like the Rogue, works. The Mystic's gimmick is magic, obviously. The first level or two might be hard, but look at some of the 2-3pp options. 20 temp HP all day. 14+Dex AC all day. +2 AC for an hour. +4-AC-and-reaction-teleport. Friggin' Cloak of Air! (Why yes, I would like to take a bonus action to give all attackers disadvantage and redirect melee attacks back at them, please and thank you). I played a Kenku Wu-Jen Mystic 3 for a half-dozen sessions and never once felt like I was in actual danger.


One of my fears is being able to hit enemies, the damage is going to come from psi points, but if the attack does not hit it will waste the points.
At low levels, you'll be doing the same as any caster-- relying on your cantrips. For Mystic, that translates as Talents and Psychic Focuses. Talents don't offer much in the way of melee stuff, so let's look at Focuses.

Psychic Assault is good if you plan on taking Mind Thrust and brain-blasting. Int-save-or-d10+2-psychic is nothing to be sneered at.
Brute Force and Mastery of Force make you pretty good at shoving and grappling.
Giant Growth lets you stand off a bit and poke from a distance.
Iron Durability and Mastery of Wood and Earth are a flat +1. Ta-da, you've picked up Defensive Fighting Style.
Mastery of Fire is an interesting one. Pure-classed it's not great (Energy Beam, Dex-or-d8+2-fire, woo), but there are definite possibilities if you pick up cantrips from somewhere. Firebolt becomes a nicer blast, and Green Flame Blade gets even better.
Mastery of Light and Darkness lets you do the ol' Devil's Sight trick.
Nomadic Arrow's "ignore disadvantage" is nothing to sneer at. If nothing else, you can wield a light crossbow at point-blank range.

Anything jump out?

As for hitting... that, I'm afraid, is more of a problem with your concept-- you can manage a 16/16/14 easily enough for Attack/Casting/Con, but scraping up Strength is going to be tricky. (I don't suppose you'd be up for refluffing a rapier as a shortspear? I'd say "vHuman Avatar Mystic + Heavily Armored," but that sounds like it'll be totally against type.) Regardless, the various smite-type abilities are, well... they're spells with an attack roll. You pays your money and you takes your chances.


I'd really like just 1 discipline that I can fall-back on to be competent in a brawl.
Brute doesn't seem like a bad choice. Brute strike is so mediocre and Knock Back only seems better because it's a reaction. What is the benefit of pushing a creature 10 feet? It can still move and attack on its next turn, how would its next turn be any different from if it was still standing there attacking? Pushing it into something is still d6 damage pp, but at least it can't be wasted because it only happens after a successful hit.
Knock Back happening post-hit is definitely appealing. I think you're underselling the knockback though. As I see it, there are three main ways it could play out:

You're in open terrain, in which case you can push them back and disengage without risking AoOs. (Oh, and remember how Spear Master lets you set against charges...?)
You're in cramped terrain, in which case there's probably a wall you can smack 'em into, and it becomes a better-scaling Divine Smite (+2d6/spell level above first, effectively)
You're in hazardous terrain, in which case you can smack people into fires and off cliffs.



Psionic Weapon would just be for "spamming" lethal strike, which could easily backfire if I don't have an attack bonus decent enough.
Yeah, I'm not a big fan.


Force is nice mostly for the free Mage Armor, but it also comes with a d8 damage ranged attack.
Force gets scary as your psi limit goes up-- Grasp grapples people up to 60ft away, then you can squish 'em for heavy damage with no save.


I like Wood a lot. I can focus on it in combat for +1 AC, I can throw a spear using my Int for attack and damage, plus it does an extra d10 damage pp. Warp Weapon and Warp Armor are both awesome, plus armored form is cool too. The only downside to this is I still don't have a reliable melee attack.
Wood is hard to argue with all around. The focus is great, the smite is great, wall of wood is nuts, armored form is great... I'd definitely pick it up, at 3rd if not at 1st.


If I go Wu Jen how will I stand in combat with a d8 HD and AC 15?
Well, I imagine you'll keep focus on Mastery of Wood and Earth or Iron Durability-- then you're talking 16 AC, which is quite respectable. At level 2-3, you afford Inertial Armor more easily; then you're talking 18 AC, which is excellent. And throwing on abilities like Cloak of Air when things get hairy, and using things like All-Around Sight and Psychic Backlash as panic buttons.

I think you'll be fine.


I have considered taking a single level as Monk (either by starting at 2 or leveling into Monk after the 1st). As a Monk, I can use spears with dexterity and as a High Elf I can have 16 Int and Dex. The Monk also allows me to gain my Wisdom from AC, though I'm unsure if that can stack with the Immortal bonus so I'd have 10 + Dex + Con + Wis. Still, at best I'm looking at 16 AC with a +2 in each. If they don't stack, or even instead of they do, I could go Wu Jen with the monk level.
They don't stack. Technically, I think you're stuck which the one you pick up first, but most DMs should let you use whichever is better.

[Kharneth]

Right now I'm thinking going Wu Jen and grabbing a single level of Monk (starting at 2nd level). The single level of Monk makes me a lot better at melee simply by letting me dump strength and getting dex with the spear. I will be wearing no armor, but I'll have no wisdom because I'm spread too thin and it's not worth it. I'm also going to be V. Human for the spear feat. With the Monk level and spear feat, my ability to fight with a spear is very solid, so going Wu Jen with Mystic levels will give me that extra magic aspect that I lost by going Monk. Monk and Immortal is too much melee.

16 Int 16 Dex 14 Con 10 Wis 8 Cha 8 Str

I'm taking Mastery of Wood and Earth, and Mastery of Force. Mastery of Force mechanically for the 14+Dex armor so I can sit at 17/18, which lets me feel comfortable standing 5ft away from a group of enemies. I like Force, too, simply as an array of telekinetic powers I can call on for whenever the situation arises. Mastery of Wood and Earth superficially makes little sense thematically, but metaphorically it kinda fits. Being able to throw my spear is awesome, the characters I'm basing this one off of wield spears that they throw and which return to them after, so this ability fits perfectly. Warp Weapon and Warp Armor are going to be fun and useful. This character is not an elementalist, though and will probably not take any of the other Wu Jen disciplines, instead taking mostly Awakened disciples with a couple Immortal and one Avatar ones.

Your advice and explanations are helpful! There's so much going on with this class. The psi points really do jump up quickly. The disciplines vary so much it takes a lot to work through them to have a balanced set. I kinda wish there was a universal mystic order that would let me take a bonus discipline from two different styles lol. Anyway...

I still have a discipline of my choice available and have two very reliable uses with my spear: melee +6 d10 +3 or 30 ft ranged +5 d8+5+*d10. If we fight an enemy with heavy armor, Warp Armor takes care of it for everyone for a turn. I think that's way better than Ethereal Weapon. Plus the force abilities for telekinetic grappling, etc. Most of this you posted, but I was already looking at after your initial suggestion of Wu Jen :smalltongue:

With the final discipline I will pick something divination-esque. None of the Talents interest me, the one I'm considering is the one that makes me invisible to an enemy for a turn. Not sure. On second thought, the two divination-esque disciplines are Intellect Fortress and Precognition. I like Precognition more, but I can't use the 3pp power until level 3, so I'm going to take this discipline at level 3 (4 because of the monk level). I could take Intellect Fortress now, but I think Precognition will be better until higher levels with mind affecting effects become more prominent, at which point I'll want to have Intellect Fortress as well. By level 5(6) or 7(8) I'll have both Intellect Fortress and Precognition. Both of the Mastery disciplines (all of them, in fact) are filled with "action" powers, so it'd be nice to find a discipline with "bonus" or "reaction" actions. Both Psionic Weapon and Brute are attractive. Psionic Weapon is more attractive due to me having a +6 for attack rolls (monk and feat) and using that bonus action I can deal 2d10 twice or 3d10 once. Brute might be better, though, and might have spear synergy (even though it seems strange to think of knocking someone away with a spear). Brute's focus overlaps with Mastery of Force, which is a shame. Using Knock Back as a reaction after I hit and then setting the spear for a charge seems like a powerful combo, especially if there's an object to knock it into. Mighty Leap is fun, I don't know if I'd use it, but it adds to the Jedi flavor. The +5 strength may come in handy at random instances to counteract having 8 strength (climbing? pushing open a door?).

I ended with Mastery of Wood and Earth, Mastery of Force, and Brute Force disciplines and with the Light Step talent. At 3 I'll take Precognition and Energy Beam (lightning), at 5 I'll take Mantle of Command, at 6 I'll get Blur, Misty Step, and Haste, at 7 I'll take Intellect Fortress. Light Step will be a useful bonus action for when I can't quite get to where I want to go or whenever I need to get up from being knocked down. The Lightning Beam is just part of the concept (it's eerily similar to Jedi) and gives me a ranged attack that doesn't cost pp.

I'm kind of front-loading my melee aspect, here. It'll be pretty much all blasting and divination from here. How would you do the ability modifier bonuses? Are there any other feats that would be worth taking instead? I was thinking +2 Int first and +2 dex second until they're both 20 and then +2 Con or a feat (if it's the feat, it might come sooner). I don't expect to make it to 20, I just like to know that there's a plan if I did.

Random question: Would Unarmored Defense stack with Inertial Armor (or Mage Armor)? RAW makes it sound like Unarmored Defense is 10 AC + Dex + Wis and the Inertial Armor is 14 + Dex. So you'd still have to choose one formula or the other? You couldn't get the 14 base and then get unarmored defense to give dex and wis bonus?

[Grod_The_Giant]

I ended with Mastery of Wood and Earth, Mastery of Force, and Brute Force disciplines and with the Light Step talent. At 3 I'll take Precognition and Energy Beam (lightning), at 5 I'll take Mantle of Command, at 6 I'll get Blur, Misty Step, and Haste, at 7 I'll take Intellect Fortress. Light Step will be a useful bonus action for when I can't quite get to where I want to go or whenever I need to get up from being knocked down. The Lightning Beam is just part of the concept (it's eerily similar to Jedi) and gives me a ranged attack that doesn't cost pp.

I'm kind of front-loading my melee aspect, here. It'll be pretty much all blasting and divination from here. How would you do the ability modifier bonuses? Are there any other feats that would be worth taking instead? I was thinking +2 Int first and +2 dex second until they're both 20 and then +2 Con or a feat (if it's the feat, it might come sooner). I don't expect to make it to 20, I just like to know that there's a plan if I did.

Random question: Would Unarmored Defense stack with Inertial Armor (or Mage Armor)? RAW makes it sound like Unarmored Defense is 10 AC + Dex + Wis and the Inertial Armor is 14 + Dex. So you'd still have to choose one formula or the other? You couldn't get the 14 base and then get unarmored defense to give dex and wis bonus?
That sounds like a pretty fun build! Front-loading melee is probably good, to be honest-- that'll do nicely for the first few levels until you build up enough pp to really cut loose. Feat-wise I'd consider maybe Resilient Con or Warcaster, if the GM allows-- you'll be in melee, you'll be making concentration saves. I might steer clear of Light Step, though. Mystics get a lot of bonus action stuff, and Monk adds more, so you probably won't need it much. Charm, Delusion, and Blind Spot seem more useful. I'd also consider Mind Slam in place of Energy Bolt (which as far as I can tell you choose the energy each time you use it), since the rider is better and you already have Force. Or Mind Thrust, which is just brutal targeting Int saves.

Unarmored Defense and Inertial Armor don't stack. 5e generally doesn't have things give you flat bonuses to armor-- instead, things like Unarmored Defense, Mage Armor, and literal armor give you a formula to use. You can calculate your AC as 10+Dex+Wis or 14+Dex, but not both.

[Rhaegar14]

Based on the first section of your original post, it sounds like what you want is a Bladesinger Wizard, out of Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. You'll need to use a rapier (witchblade) instead of a spear unless your DM is willing to houserule a little for you, but it's a wizard (and thus does all the things you list thanks to the wizard spell list) with light armor, super high AC, and extra attack for basic melee competence.

[Kharneth]

I'm hoping so! I agree, front-loading melee feels like the way to go because it'll be most useful in the beginning. Resilient Con would give me an odd number Con that I'd never be able to make even and I can already move my Wisdom saving throw proficiency to any of the others for a day at level 6. Having both might be nice, since Con and Wis are more common than Int saves. I'd be more inclined to take War Caster, though I'm not sure if any of the spells I was planning to take will be affected much. It is true, I'll be making concentration checks, but I was kind of hoping to use psi points to prevent being hit, specifically the 3pp Precognition ability to give an attacker disadvantage after I've been hit. Are you suggesting I grab one of these feats at level 4 or instead of Spear Mastery from variant human?

Light Step seemed useful when we are further than 30 ft from the enemy and I won't be able to use a bonus action on anything offensive, but most of the time it wouldn't be used. I can't see myself using most of the Talents. Mind Slam is nice, but I think the target would stand up before I could take advantage of knocking it prone. I could take Mind Thrust as a non-psi ranged ability, I guess it wouldn't be too different from how much I'm doing in melee so it's sort of like an innate ranged weapon like I'm a spear fighter with a bow. I like Blind Spot as it seems like a nice way to disengage, or get an enemy to switch off targeting me. I dislike that it costs an action, though it lasts until the end of my next turn, so I could still take advantage of being invisible or, at the very least, use it to reposition or run away.

The Monk gives me a single bonus action to deal an additional d4 damage as an unarmed attack during a melee attack. It's actually quite nice and I'll use it whenever I'm using standard attacks. Compared to Brute Strike, d4 for 0pp is way better than d6 for 1pp. Other than this I have mostly reaction options. I'll get more bonus options at higher levels, though. I don't plan to ever get more than 1 level of Monk as none of the monastic orders seem to be better than Mystic for what I'm going for and though getting an extra attack and stunning strike at level 5 would be cool, I think I'm better of just taking the first level for the martial arts.

So for combat options I've got:
Basic Spear attacks dealing d10 damage
Mind Thrust attacks dealing d10 damage
Throwing Spear attacks dealing d8+d10 damage for a psi point
Knock Back Spear attack dealing d10 damage, sometimes +d6 damage per psi point, and sometimes an extra d10 on subsequent turns due to spear readying
Destroy an enemy's weapon or armor for a turn

I really appreciate the help. I think it's actually a very competent melee character. Despite using a simple weapon and no armor, he's got AC18 and can reliably deal 1-3 d10s in a given turn. With a couple spells and all of the spell-like abilities I'll be able to fill out the rest of the character concept as I level and it won't take more than 5 or so levels.

This is very far from the Immortal Psionic Weapon character I initially considered haha.

[Kharneth]

Based on the first section of your original post, it sounds like what you want is a Bladesinger Wizard, out of Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. You'll need to use a rapier (witchblade) instead of a spear unless your DM is willing to houserule a little for you, but it's a wizard (and thus does all the things you list thanks to the wizard spell list) with light armor, super high AC, and extra attack for basic melee competence.

I have never seen that one because I don't have access to sword coast adventure's guide, but I've seen people mention it. I looked it up and does seem very much like what I'm looking for, it even has the same flavor (likely because what my concept is based on is basically a space-elf). I suppose the reason I'd need to use a Rapier is because, as a Wizard, I'm looking for a finesse weapon? I could still take a level of monk to grant spears finesse and get a bonus d4 damage to my attacks whenever I have a spare bonus action.

The thing I'm noticing, though, is that even if I was able to spend any unavoidable melee encounter with bladesong active I'd still really just be getting decent AC and the ability to concentrate without being interrupted. But what spells would I then be using to enhance my ability to perform in melee? I'm proficient, but I'm doing basic mundane damage without magical enhancements. Shield would be a nice spell to sit on standby, Mage Armor would be a given, providing 16 AC and 19 AC during bladesong. 2nd level spells have magic weapon, but that's not much of an enhancement. Blur and Misty Step might be useful, but still nothing for melee. Blasting is a no brainer, but I can't find any combat-based divination powers or any way to improve melee potency. I'd be able to hinder, disrupt, and debilitate enemies to have an easier time taking them on in melee, which is pretty much what I said, but the Wizard spells do this largely by altering reality, which isn't quite what I'm going for.

[Rhaegar14]

I have never seen that one because I don't have access to sword coast adventure's guide, but I've seen people mention it. I looked it up and does seem very much like what I'm looking for, it even has the same flavor (likely because what my concept is based on is basically a space-elf). I suppose the reason I'd need to use a Rapier is because, as a Wizard, I'm looking for a finesse weapon? I could still take a level of monk to grant spears finesse and get a bonus d4 damage to my attacks whenever I have a spare bonus action.

The thing I'm noticing, though, is that even if I was able to spend any unavoidable melee encounter with bladesong active I'd still really just be getting decent AC and the ability to concentrate without being interrupted. But what spells would I then be using to enhance my ability to perform in melee? I'm proficient, but I'm doing basic mundane damage without magical enhancements. Shield would be a nice spell to sit on standby, Mage Armor would be a given, providing 16 AC and 19 AC during bladesong. 2nd level spells have magic weapon, but that's not much of an enhancement. Blur and Misty Step might be useful, but still nothing for melee. Blasting is a no brainer, but I can't find any combat-based divination powers or any way to improve melee potency. I'd be able to hinder, disrupt, and debilitate enemies to have an easier time taking them on in melee, which is pretty much what I said, but the Wizard spells do this largely by altering reality, which isn't quite what I'm going for.

You're exactly right about the finesse weapon. The problem with a Monk dip is that it requires you to have 13 Wisdom, unless your DM waives multiclassing ability score requirements. But again, the more traditional weapon for a Warlock or Farseer is a Witchblade -- Singing Spears cost a little extra. :smalltongue: My DM and I changed it a little so that you can use Dexterity on attack and damage rolls with whatever one weapon you choose when you take the subclass, because it was kind of stupid to me that their traditional weapon, the longsword, was such a terrible mechanical choice. Letting you have a finesse spear isn't gonna break anything; compared to a rapier you trade an average of 1 damage to be able to throw it.

To be fair, you DID say leaning more magic than melee skill. Bladesinger's fundamental design flaw imo is that it's only decent in melee -- the most optimized way to play it is as a normal wizard with better AC and Concentration checks, but that's not the fun way to play it. But some of my go-tos for my 6th level Bladesinger are Dragon's Breath on the familiar (you could replace with Flaming Sphere) when I need extra dpr, and Haste as an all-around buff. Don't leave home without Misty Step, Counterspell or Absorb Elements. To be a melee Bladesinger is to prepare a lot of "nope" spells.

Eldar psykers do plenty of stuff that's pretty overt, too; iirc Farseers could bring a Runes of Fate power that lets them conjure a massive storm of psionic energy in 7th edition. Still, if you're trying to capture that subtle feeling of just being psychic and not throw fire at people, Mystic is probably the way to go.

[Kharneth]

You're exactly right about the finesse weapon. The problem with a Monk dip is that it requires you to have 13 Wisdom, unless your DM waives multiclassing ability score requirements. But again, the more traditional weapon for a Warlock or Farseer is a Witchblade -- Singing Spears cost a little extra. :smalltongue: My DM and I changed it a little so that you can use Dexterity on attack and damage rolls with whatever one weapon you choose when you take the subclass, because it was kind of stupid to me that their traditional weapon, the longsword, was such a terrible mechanical choice. Letting you have a finesse spear isn't gonna break anything; compared to a rapier you trade an average of 1 damage to be able to throw it.

To be fair, you DID say leaning more magic than melee skill. Bladesinger's fundamental design flaw imo is that it's only decent in melee -- the most optimized way to play it is as a normal wizard with better AC and Concentration checks, but that's not the fun way to play it. But some of my go-tos for my 6th level Bladesinger are Dragon's Breath on the familiar (you could replace with Flaming Sphere) when I need extra dpr, and Haste as an all-around buff. Don't leave home without Misty Step, Counterspell or Absorb Elements. To be a melee Bladesinger is to prepare a lot of "nope" spells.

Eldar psykers do plenty of stuff that's pretty overt, too; iirc Farseers could bring a Runes of Fate power that lets them conjure a massive storm of psionic energy in 7th edition. Still, if you're trying to capture that subtle feeling of just being psychic and not throw fire at people, Mystic is probably the way to go.

Yeah I just found that new multiclass rule last night which is hugely disappointing. My Mystic/Monk only has Wisdom 10, I tried to get Wisdom 12 but found it wasn't worth it merely for the AC, there's no way I could get 13 Wisdom. The Wisdom won't do anything, it's purely for the ability to use a spear. So my build is actually still illegal, which is disappointing. I was hoping to join the adventure's league at a local gaming store, but I'm worried they'll be strict on the rules since the DMs will change frequently. I either need to make a Strength build, have the DM waive the multiclass restriction, or have the DM let me use a finesse spear (which I believe they should already be when held in both hands). Technically, what I want is either a partizan or a yari, but I just imagine that the spear I'm wielding has bladed edges.

I come from both the tabletop and Dawn of War where the Farseer came with the singing spear automatically and the distinguishing feature was that the Farseers use the spear and the Warlocks use the sword. Even the miniatures are often depicted this way, though I know Farseers and Warlocks could use either. Maybe I should use a sword, though. In hind sight, a level 2 character would surely be a Warlock, not a Farseer. Later on I can acquire a Singing Spear.

I agree in regards to the finesse longsword, that's exactly how I imagined the High Elf Bladesinger (though, probably with a curved blade). Whether it's a Bladesinger or Mystic, I'm still in the same boat of too much Dex and no weapon to use it on. I'm not a fan of Rapiers at all. I don't like them aesthetically, or how their wielded, or the fact that they're more renaissance than medieval.

You're right that I want to be more caster than melee, but a large part of the magic was to enhance my offensive and defense capabilities in melee via psionics. Eldar psykers do have overt evocation powers, I know, and that's something I want to incorporate, but the Wizard spells of that nature are all elemental and lightning is really the only one I can see a psyker using. There's no psychic storms or eldritch blasts or physic assault/mind blast type options from the Wizard spell list. There's nothing I found that would work as a melee smite to channel psychic energy into the melee weapon, or anything that helps me hit, deal damage, or avoid being hit due to foretelling enemy maneuvers. The two abilities that seem iconic to me, Guide and Doom, I can't find on the Wizard spell list. The Cleric's spell list would be easier to work with and the cleric has some innate melee proficiencies. The big thing I didn't realize until I made this post is that Arcane and Divine spells simply don't and can't replace psionic/psychic powers. The Mystic simply does something different than the Wizard.

The Mystic/Monk I made does seem to have more melee potency than an Eldar psyker. I gotta figure something out, cuz there's literally no way to make Longsword finesse without getting a Kensei Monk.

[Kharneth]

Quick question...

Under the Psionics rule for Mystics it says discipline powers use discipline attack rules. Does this mean I use my Intelligence for attacking and damaging with discipline abilities? Lethal strike, for example, would be a melee attack using Intelligence?

So I could be a High Elf Mystic with 10 Strength and use a Longsword w/o finesse. Hitting with my proficiency bonus and dealing base weapon damage. But when I use a psionic power I could use intelligence instead. So, Lethal Strike would be +5 attack and +5 damage in addition to the d10 psychic damage. Knock Back from Brute Force would actually be a little worse as I'd have to hit first with my strength-based attack and then after I hit I can activate the power.

I think that could work.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I've, uh, got bad news.

The Mystic is Unearthed Arcana materiel. It's not AL legal. You might need to go Bladesinger after all.

[Kharneth]

I've, uh, got bad news.

The Mystic is Unearthed Arcana materiel. It's not AL legal. You might need to go Bladesinger after all.

Sort of good news, actually. If I play with a group of friends, they'll surely let me use a spear as a finesse weapon, at the very least they'll let me spend a feat point on it. So I won't even worry about the Mystic for an adventure league character.

Bladesinge doesn't fix the problem of being unable to use Dex with a longsword or spear and with no spells to enhance a melee attack (except Booming Blade which only might add damage) I can't really see how that'd work. I looked at Cleric, again, which would give me things like Augury, Guiding Bolt, Bane and Bless, etc which fit better than the arcane spells. But regardless of the class choice, a strength build will rely on armor for defense and the character is definitely supposed to be a more lightly armored dexterous caster that can only really stand up in melee due to magical enhancements.

I'm very excited to see what happens to Mystic after it's been playtested and modified.