Should I tone it down?

[Calthropstu]

Apparantly, my pathfinder wilder has so completely outpaced the rest of our party's damage capabilities that I am pretty much considered a powerhouse.

Thing is, I haven't even begun to optimize. We are 7th level and my feats are rather lackluster. I am playing a wilder 7 with the stufent's surge. My feats are:
Light armor
Scribe scroll
Craft cognizance crystal.
Psi crystal affinity
And a feat giving me +2 to overcome power resistance (4 after expending focus)

Nothing to suggest I should be overpowered. My surge does 10d6+10 damage.

My allies, however, do nothing of the sort.
We have: human Paladin/psychic warrior.
Human rogue/Stalker
Gnoll Aegis.

[Esprit15]

Does the Paladin ever remember to Smite or use Power Attack?

Does the Rogue not ever use Sneak Attack?

Has the DM been throwing multiple encounters a day, or made use of groups of enemies so that they can realize when Bill the Thief gets pasted by one of your powers that maybe the guy hiding in the back slinging lasers from his fingers would be the most pressing target to kill?

Wilders are supposed to punch above their weight class - are your other partymates feeling overshadowed, or is the DM feeling overwhelmed? If neither of those, then is it even a problem?

[Calthropstu]

Does the Paladin ever remember to Smite or use Power Attack?

Does the Rogue not ever use Sneak Attack?

Has the DM been throwing multiple encounters a day, or made use of groups of enemies so that they can realize when Bill the Thief gets pasted by one of your powers that maybe the guy hiding in the back slinging lasers from his fingers would be the most pressing target to kill?

Wilders are supposed to punch above their weight class - are your other partymates feeling overshadowed, or is the DM feeling overwhelmed? If neither of those, then is it even a problem?

Actually, both. The Gnoll is about to change characters because he is feeling useless. The paladin is a similar (and better overall) build. The rogue feels pretty much useless. We had a mass of 15 worg riders. I pasted the entire group except for 2. A blast radius of 40 feet tends to slaughter a LOT of enemies.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Did you actually spend a feat on Light Armor Proficiency, or are you taking it as a bonus feat (as mentioned in the feat itself)?

If you spent a feat on it, wilders already gain proficiency in light armor, so it's pointless.

Otherwise, yes, you do gain it as a bonus feat (as does everyone else who isn't mentioned in the feat as not gaining the feat).

Scribe...Scroll? Are you able to scribe psionic scrolls, or do you mean you make power stones?

[Calthropstu]

Did you actually spend a feat on Light Armor Proficiency, or are you taking it as a bonus feat (as mentioned in the feat itself)?

If you spent a feat on it, wilders already gain proficiency in light armor, so it's pointless.

Otherwise, yes, you do gain it as a bonus feat (as does everyone else who isn't mentioned in the feat as not gaining the feat).

Scribe...Scroll? Are you able to scribe psionic scrolls, or do you mean you make power stones?

Scribe scroll functions to make power stones in pathfinder. I need it to enter the prestige class I intend to enter next level.

At that point I actually WILL be starting to optimize because I get free use of empower power at 5th level of the class. Which will turn my 4d4 cha damage from ego whip to 4d4 * 1.5, maximized to 24. It might not drop gold dragons in one shot, but it does essentially drop just about anything else. When I pick up free twin power, combine it with maximize and empower, I will be dropping 5d4 for 60 total cha damage... which WILL one shot gold dragons.

[Mike Miller]

Scribe scroll functions to make power stones in pathfinder. I need it to enter the prestige class I intend to enter next level.

At that point I actually WILL be starting to optimize because I get free use of empower power at 5th level of the class. Which will turn my 4d4 cha damage from ego whip to 4d4 * 1.5, maximized to 24. It might not drop gold dragons in one shot, but it does essentially drop just about anything else. When I pick up free twin power, combine it with maximize and empower, I will be dropping 5d4 for 60 total cha damage... which WILL one shot gold dragons.

If your party is feeling useless, maybe don't do that? Unless they are ok with you doing it all, you seem to be ramping up the power disparity.

[Calthropstu]

If your party is feeling useless, maybe don't do that? Unless they are ok with you doing it all, you seem to be ramping up the power disparity.

Yeah, I was considering going down a different path. Or maybe making a new character altogether.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

See, this is why you can only ever have one astral construct at a time.

...

No, that doesn't make sense, but that's apparently why.

[Calthropstu]

See, this is why you can only ever have one astral construct at a time.

...

No, that doesn't make sense, but that's apparently why.

Not a thing in PF.

[Rynjin]

Why is your Surge 10d6+10? And why is it a 40 ft. burst?

What I'm reading is Wilders get a single target Surge Blast that should be only 3d6 at level 7. Even the Blast focused Wilder archetype should be stuck with at max a 6d6 (no static damage) blast with at max a 10 ft. radius if augmented for 4pp.

[Quertus]

Balance to the party. Seems everyone agrees that this character is somehow not balanced.

Balance is only an issue if and to the extent that the group cares. Someone feels useless, and is making a new character. The GM is flustered. Sounds like they may care.

You're asking us. OK, if you need to ask, ask them: "so, this character feels kinda op for this group - how about i run X instead?"

[Calthropstu]

Why is your Surge 10d6+10? And why is it a 40 ft. burst?

What I'm reading is Wilders get a single target Surge Blast that should be only 3d6 at level 7. Even the Blast focused Wilder archetype should be stuck with at max a 6d6 (no static damage) blast with at max a 10 ft. radius if augmented for 4pp.

My power choice seems to be the problem.

I have:
Energy burst.
Energy missile.
Hammer.
Energy ray.
Ego whip.

The energy burst is 40 foot radius burst centered on me.
Energy missile is up to 5 targets which all have to be within 15 feet of each other.
Energy ray is so I can try to crit a single target.
Hammer is for dealing with things that have power immunity.
Ego whip for dealing with things that I don't want to outright kill.

[zlefin]

it sounds like yes, you need to tone it down. even if you're already at what you consider low op, you need to go lower to fit in with hte group power level.
i'm not familiar with the balance on the pathfinder wilder class, so I cant tell if its related to that.

[Hackulator]

Why is your Surge 10d6+10? And why is it a 40 ft. burst?

What I'm reading is Wilders get a single target Surge Blast that should be only 3d6 at level 7. Even the Blast focused Wilder archetype should be stuck with at max a 6d6 (no static damage) blast with at max a 10 ft. radius if augmented for 4pp.

He's using surge to increase his manifester level by 3 for a power that is basically fireball but 1d6+1 per level, so he is manfester level 10 doing 10d6+10.

It sounds like you are in a low OP game with classes below your tier. You should see about focusing on some cooperative stuff to buff your party, then you'll still feel powerful but you will also make them feel powerful, and you can still blast things. ALso make sure you introduce your friends to the handbooks for various classes so they can learn to build.

[Calthropstu]

Balance to the party. Seems everyone agrees that this character is somehow not balanced.

Balance is only an issue if and to the extent that the group cares. Someone feels useless, and is making a new character. The GM is flustered. Sounds like they may care.

You're asking us. OK, if you need to ask, ask them: "so, this character feels kinda op for this group - how about i run X instead?"

Seeing as how I had planned to go full nuclear at later levels, my real question is three choices:
1: Do I go for broke and become a nuclear blaster who can one shot almost anything
2: Tone it down, not get my prestige class, and simply be a blaster wilder
3: Make a new character.

[The Insanity]

I'd say tone it down, but rather than changing your build or whole character, just use less of your power in-game.

[Hackulator]

Seeing as how I had planned to go full nuclear at later levels, my real question is three choices:
1: Do I go for broke and become a nuclear blaster who can one shot almost anything
2: Tone it down, not get my prestige class, and simply be a blaster wilder
3: Make a new character.

As I said above, just spread out. Your blastiness damage is way beyond party damage, so start taking powers that let you help your party do better. That way you can still be the strongest member but your strength makes them feel stronger as well and everyone become mere happy.

[King of Nowhere]

How about helping your friends up instead of toning you down?

Give them build and strategy advice, help them get better so that they will manage to be useful at your power level.
everybody wins.

By the way, the 15 worgs proves nothing. Casters are naturally better than mundanes against large groups of weak foes, because a single area effect wipes the board. Heck, the one time my DM sent 40 pseudodragons after the group, the whole strategy became "protect the wizard, the wizard fries them in bulk".
In my experience, stronger foes that have a goood chance of resisting spells are better to make mundanes feel useful; the wizard will be hard pressed to beat the thing's saving throws or other resistances, but chances are the mundanes will still be able to hit just fine. Of course the wizard is still stronger, but you get to feel like you're helping.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

As I said above, just spread out. Your blastiness damage is way beyond party damage, so start taking powers that let you help your party do better. That way you can still be the strongest member but your strength makes them feel stronger as well and everyone become mere happy.Psionics is relatively bad at buffing others, and Wilder is relatively bad at diversifying (limited powers known). Your advice essentially amounts to making a new character, which may actually be appropriate in this instance.

[Hackulator]

Psionics is relatively bad at buffing others, and Wilder is relatively bad at diversifying (limited powers known). Your advice essentially amounts to making a new character, which may actually be appropriate in this instance.

It is 100% doable it just means making less than optimal choices. For example at level 8 he could take the 4th level power Psychokinetic Charge and throw his melee buddies around the battlefield, helping them reposition allowing them to take full attacks AND giving them and extra attack when he moves them. It's not the optimal choice but it's fun, relatively effective and makes his party members feel stronger.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Maybe you could rebuild your character as a shaper psion? Metacreativity is decent with BFC if you like, which is the best you'll get at "buffing" your party without the convert-spell-to-power erudite. Focus on disabling and debuffing enemies to make them easier to kill, as well as building walls (including "mobile walls," aka astral constructs, even if they're just there to block enemy movement and don't attack beyond, say, tripping).

Since you're also playing Pathfinder, maybe some psionic healing via a worldthought network or two?

[Quertus]

Seeing as how I had planned to go full nuclear at later levels, my real question is three choices:
1: Do I go for broke and become a nuclear blaster who can one shot almost anything
2: Tone it down, not get my prestige class, and simply be a blaster wilder
3: Make a new character.

I would agree that that is the correct question. I just think that your group is the correct one to answer it.

How important is balance to them? How much do they rely on your damage, and how much do they like relying on your damage?

Any answers to the above questions are valid, and only they can answer them.

Then there are other little things, like what you enjoy, how much optimization help they need, or how much they're like me and need to "take a 20" on character creation.

[Bohandas]

Just roleplay your character's flaws instead of going for optimal decisions

[Calthropstu]

Just roleplay your character's flaws instead of going for optimal decisions

Oh, trust me. I role play my flaws. The group wants to strangle her.

[Hackulator]

Oh, trust me. I role play my flaws. The group wants to strangle her.

If you character makes everyone feel useless mechanically and your roleplaying annoys everyone you might want to reconsider your entire approach to gaming.

[Rynjin]

If you character makes everyone feel useless mechanically and your roleplaying annoys everyone you might want to reconsider your entire approach to gaming.

It definitely sounds like he's winning Pathfinder to me.

[Bohandas]

Oh, trust me. I role play my flaws. The group wants to strangle her.

I mean like areas of incompetence, not annoying quirks

[Calthropstu]

I mean like areas of incompetence, not annoying quirks

Yeah, I do that too. I play her as naive, high strung and no control over emotions. She saw a group of drow and walked up to chat because her only experience with drow was followers of eilistrae. She was out like a light from sleep poison. The goblin worg riders hit her first, she was the only one anyone saw. My stealth check was... 0. She was mauled by worgs and goblins and brought down to half hp before she exploded and killed them all. She's literally the glass cannon. My party members are the reason she's alive (she would never admit to it though).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Yeah, I do that too. I play her as naive, high strung and no control over emotions. She saw a group of drow and walked up to chat because her only experience with drow was followers of eilistrae. She was out like a light from sleep poison. The goblin worg riders hit her first, she was the only one anyone saw. My stealth check was... 0. She was mauled by worgs and goblins and brought down to half hp before she exploded and killed them all. She's literally the glass cannon. My party members are the reason she's alive (she would never admit to it though).Why haven't they dropped you off at the nearest Carrie White Asylum for Suicidally Stupid Pyrokineticists and gotten a party member at less risk for a TPK?

I'm not sure you being overpowered is your group's main problem with you.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

If you do stick with the relatively OP character, perhaps try to shoehorn in some character development where she learns to listen to party members (who I imagine knew not to waltz up to a group of drow) and vocalize her appreciation of the team.

[Calthropstu]

Why haven't they dropped you off at the nearest Carrie White Asylum for Suicidally Stupid Pyrokineticists and gotten a party member at less risk for a TPK?

I'm not sure you being overpowered is your group's main problem with you.

Because it's hilarious. We laughed for over a half an hour at that stealth check result. It wasn't my fault I rolled a nat 1 and my armor gives me a -1 total. I played it as "Ok, so I lay on the ground behind some grass. I wait for the riders to appear, get bored, put my legs up and start kicking my feet. Then I start pulling at the grass that's supposed to be hiding me." I play chaotic neutral quite well if I do say so myself. We actually have 3 simultaneous campaigns going, and in the others I am a bit more tame with a CG sorcerer and a NE sorcerer.

This particular character is definitely my favorite of the 3 though.

[Quertus]

I played it as "Ok, so I lay on the ground behind some grass. I wait for the riders to appear, get bored, put my legs up and start kicking my feet. Then I start pulling at the grass that's supposed to be hiding me."

That's awesome! I rarely get to see that kind of post-facto characterization by the players. I'm glad your table enjoyed it.