Psionic Barbarian?

[kalos72]

One of my players is looking to make a new PC and was thinking about going barb. We have a heavily psionic game so the seeming lack of psionic cohesion in barbarian is troubling her.

Anyone have any ideas of a good prc or custom class? Any system/book would be fine for ideas...

Maybe a Zealot or tactician/barbarian? :)

[Psyren]

Hyperconscious has the Cerebral Rager prestige class if you're able to get your hands on it; 8/10 manifesting and 3/4 BAB. The class itself is OGL so someone might be able to find where it's been uploaded for you to read in detail.

Pathfinder's Ultimate Psionics has the Raging Beast (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/psionics-unleashed/psionic-options/barbarian/raging-beast/) archetype for the barbarian class that grants it manifesting ability, but I'm not sure it gets any ability to manifest while raging like the Cerebral Rager does.

If all you want is the rage itself and less the barbarian aspect, the PF Wilder gets a Raging Surge ability.

[Elricaltovilla]

Wilder could pass as a psionic barbarian if you squint hard enough. They have a rage-like mechanic from their wild surge, and can melee alright with their chassis and the right selection of powers.

[tyckspoon]

Wilder would be the closest default flavor to the standard Barbarian - a psionic character whose power comes from giving in to the extremes of their emotions instead of the controlled release of power/meditation/inner enlightenment flavor associated with most psionic classes. Maybe take a look at Bloodrager and see if you can find a way to alter it to combine with Wilder instead of Sorcerer?

[Powerdork]

It's a good book, Hyperconscious. (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/848/Hyperconscious-Explorations-in-Psionics)


One of my players is looking to make a new PC and was thinking about going barb. We have a heavily psionic game so the seeming lack of psionic cohesion in barbarian is troubling her.

Anyone have any ideas of a good prc or custom class? Any system/book would be fine for ideas...

Maybe a Zealot or tactician/barbarian? :)

What does your player want that barbarian provides?

[Rebel7284]

What's wrong with just psychic warrior + background?

[Eladrinblade]

Conan the barbarian had mild psionic powers. Could honor that (but tone it up) and go barb/psiwar.

[Falontani]

Alter rage mage to be psionic instead of arcane? Wouldn't be difficult to do.

[Elricaltovilla]

Here is a link to a website with the Brutality Blade Archetype (https://libraryofmetzofitz.fandom.com/wiki/Brutality_Blade?mobile-app=false) for the Soulknife. If you combine it with the "Free access to Gifted Blade for playing in a high psionics game" that is suggested Here (https://libraryofmetzofitz.fandom.com/wiki/Soulknife_(High_Psionics)) from Psionics Augmented: Soulknife, then you have a decent psionic alternative to the barbarian/Bloodrager.

[kalos72]

I like that line! Thanks!

Throw Gifted Blade on top of Raging Beast, make the blade claws sort of like Feral Heart? I like those!

Anyone have thoughts on stances/maneuvers under rage? Can you use them? Are there customs that combine the two lines?

[Elricaltovilla]

I like that line! Thanks!

Throw Gifted Blade on top of Raging Beast, make the blade claws sort of like Feral Heart? I like those!

Anyone have thoughts on stances/maneuvers under rage? Can you use them? Are there customs that combine the two lines?

This page (https://libraryofmetzofitz.fandom.com/wiki/Primal_Disciple?mobile-app=false) will answer your question.

[kalos72]

Damn lots of options here! I have never seen that page before, great information thank you.

[Segev]

Weirdly, I don't see the Brutality Blade in the d20pfsrd, and I thought it had everything printed for PF, even third party stuff.

[Elricaltovilla]

Damn lots of options here! I have never seen that page before, great information thank you.

I mean, I linked that for you because it has the text from PoW:E on how maneuvers interact with the Rage ability of barbarians, which basically that rage doesn't prevent the use of maneuvers at all.

[Psyren]

Weirdly, I don't see the Brutality Blade in the d20pfsrd, and I thought it had everything printed for PF, even third party stuff.

They have been slower with some of the newer stuff. For example, they still don't have any of the new vestiges from Grimoire of Lost Souls, only the first set from Pact Magic Unbound. They seem to be missing some of the PoW:E stuff too.


I mean, I linked that for you because it has the text from PoW:E on how maneuvers interact with the Rage ability of barbarians, which basically that rage doesn't prevent the use of maneuvers at all.

And even without that, there is the line in the original PoW that states maneuvers generally don't need concentration.

Of course, I don't need to tell you that! :smallwink:

[Bohandas]

Is magic-psionics transparency is in play the Rage Mage prestige class from Complete Warrior might be handy

[kalos72]

Yeah I tend to go to d20 on most things...might be why I missed it.

Reading through Ragin Beast, does Manifestor give the barbarian the pp/power per day etc of the Psychic warrior too or just ML?

[Powerdork]

Reading through Ragin Beast, does Manifestor give the barbarian the pp/power per day etc of the Psychic warrior too or just ML?

The manifesting class feature gives them "the manifesting ability" of a psychic warrior, so if you have a 6th-level raging beast, then they ought to have the same manifesting statistics (known powers, manifester level, power points, psionic talents) as a 3rd-level psychic warrior. Do your best to make that true.

Also, don't try too hard to untangle the mess that is psionic talents; my recommendation is to just make them into powers that cost 1 power point if you want to be able to augment them this time, and cost 0 the rest of the time.


What does your player want out of the barbarian?

[kalos72]

The player is looking for a Northman style toon, raging, cold weather, lots of grunt but needs to follow some psionics line to tie in with the rest of our group. Like the unarmed/claws approach for a more animalistic line.

She likes the Raging Beast but it's really kinda weak too...mostly just about adding very minimal pp/powers really - Likes Claws of the beast/vampire/bite...but it loses rage powers.

Frostrager is really nice for the climate, but on top of what?

Firestorm is nice for the added dmg and possibility of all day rages...but is fire a good fit in a cold northern climate?

She also wants to tie in her bloodline so Bloodrager is on the table too...but spells vs powers.

We did find psionic sinew symbionts and ways to deal with the ability drains.

[Psyren]

Yeah I tend to go to d20 on most things...might be why I missed it.

Reading through Ragin Beast, does Manifestor give the barbarian the pp/power per day etc of the Psychic warrior too or just ML?

"Manifesting ability" would be everything, but cut in half. So at level 10, you would have ML 5 and the PP and PK of a Psychic Warrior 5, i.e. 5 ML, 5 powers known, highest power level 2 and 8 PP base.

Personally I would give them the full manifesting of a gifted blade (i.e. ML = HD -2) instead of half a psywar. That gives you ML 8 at 10th level instead of ML 5, the same power ceiling but 3 more PP.

[kalos72]

But Gifted is a Soulknife archetype...no issues?

Also for the ability drain stuff from Firestorm, would he rage power Renewed Vitality solve that vs the Binder dip or Mind Over Body feat?

[Powerdork]

I'm talking with a friend who wrote a lot of content for Dreamscarred Press. You could give bloodrager the powers known and power points of a psychic warrior (using Charisma instead of Wisdom) with a custom power list ("whatever the player picks that supports the theme, plus basic fighting utility"), and it'd be roughly equivalent, or so the word goes.

[Bohandas]

Someone memtioned soulknife. I think that fits.

[kalos72]

How about adding the Frostrager effects to a Zealot? Just need to figure out where to get rage from...

[PraxisVetli]

If you took PoW's Brutal Slayer Archetype for Stalker, and were able to pick up Sleeping Goddess, you would still have a raging death machine with a feel for psionics. It wouldn't be true psionics, but many of SG's powers are psionic in nature and in fact can be augmented with power points.
I don't know if there's a way to get that discipline on a Stalker other than slipping your DM some cookies, however.

[kalos72]

Thats really close. Cant you just add a feat to give them SG? Of course they need to be psionic to begin with but thats the only requirement I see.

[ShurikVch]

Question: wouldn't Barbarian of any psionic race - such as Half-Giant or Thri-Kreen (http://ddm-images.s3.amazonaws.com/cards/Af/26R.gif) - count as "Psionic Barbarian"?

[Elricaltovilla]

Thats really close. Cant you just add a feat to give them SG? Of course they need to be psionic to begin with but thats the only requirement I see.

None of this is accurate.

Brutal Slayer is not like barbarian, much less like a psionic barbarian. You don't need to be psionic to take Sleeping Goddess maneuvers at all. Swapping disciplines is a trait (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/path-of-war/traits/unorthodox-method-regional-any/) that anyone can take, not a feat. It has no requirements.

If you want a class that is like a psionic barbarian or Bloodrager, use a brutality blade soulknife with the gifted blade benefits for playing in a high psionics campaign. If your player wants to include their "bloodline" they can take the Eldritch Heritage feats.

[Segev]

The feral claws archetype for soulknife might work, too.

[kalos72]

Martial Training feat would give me access to SG right?

I like the brutality blade actually...the rage is sort of odd but Ill let her decide. Its much less Viking Brute-ish but still has the psionic flair with the Gifted Blade line too.

She might prefer the Raging Beast with Gifted Blade?

[Elricaltovilla]

Martial Training feat would give me access to SG right?



Yes, but it is the worst possible way to go about getting Sleeping Goddess (or any other discipline). On top of that, Sleeping Goddess is just about the least psionic way to have "psionics". If you want maneuvers, the Brutality Blade Archetype can be combined with the War Soul Archetype without issue. That plus the free Gifted Blade Archetype from High Psionics will give your player a soulknife with rage-like mechanics, access to 6th level maneuvers and 4th level powers. All in all that should be plenty confusing for any new-ish player to the system.

[Powerdork]

Yes, but it is the worst possible way to go about getting Sleeping Goddess (or any other discipline).

It doesn't sound flavour-compromising like some of the other ways. Is it still truly the worst, in light of that?

[kalos72]

How is SG not psionic? I dont see any reqs for it so I guess anyone could use it via the feat but having a base with a PP seems reasonable no?

Again I like the Brutality Blade if I can make it work with claws/bite more she might go for it. I think Gifted Blade adds enough psionic to begin with.

[Elricaltovilla]

It doesn't sound flavour-compromising like some of the other ways. Is it still truly the worst, in light of that?

Flavor is entirely up to the opinion of the table. I can't comment on whether or not the player in question will find it more or less appropriate for flavor.

I can however, state that Martial Training is intentionally the weakest option for discipline access.


How is SG not psionic? I dont see any reqs for it so I guess anyone could use it via the feat but having a base with a PP seems reasonable no?

Again I like the Brutality Blade if I can make it work with claws/bite more she might go for it. I think Gifted Blade adds enough psionic to begin with.

I did not say it was not psionic, I said it was the least psionic option. It is psionic flavored maneuvers. Like Cherry Coke is Cherry flavored coca cola.

[kalos72]

Are there any psionic bloodlines vs sorcerer types?

Trying to tie in the players desire for a FR Moonshae Northlander/Viking/ background and add some more primal/brute yet psionic force into this build for her.

Damn she needs to be doing all this leg work... :(

[Elricaltovilla]

Are there any psionic bloodlines vs sorcerer types?

Trying to tie in the players desire for a FR Moonshae Northlander/Viking/ background and add some more primal/brute yet psionic force into this build for her.

Damn she needs to be doing all this leg work... :(

Then tell her to come here. I'd be happy to help her work out a build that suits her goals and the playstyle of the group and I'm sure many other people on these boards would do the same.

[ShurikVch]

Are there any psionic bloodlines vs sorcerer types?How about the Draconic Legacy for Ectoplasmic (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040123a)/Obsidian (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20030124b)/Gem psionic dragons?
Or Illithid/Serpent bloodlines?

[Kris Moonhand]

Nobody mentioned Feral Heart (https://libraryofmetzofitz.fandom.com/wiki/Feral_Heart) Soulknife yet? If you're using High Psionics, that'll get you a rage-like feature and some manifesting. I also second giving a Bloodrager or Raging Beast the Gifted Blade's manifesting ability, or maybe Psywar powers up to 4th level.




Weirdly, I don't see the Brutality Blade in the d20pfsrd, and I thought it had everything printed for PF, even third party stuff.
They have been slower with some of the newer stuff. For example, they still don't have any of the new vestiges from Grimoire of Lost Souls, only the first set from Pact Magic Unbound. They seem to be missing some of the PoW:E stuff too.
Yeah, they're missing quite a few things from DSP. All of the Divergent Paths books, April Augmented, Steelforge, some of Psionics Augmented... They don't have the newer Bloodforge books and some of what they have for the original one is flat out wrong. They're missing the entirety Seventh Path, which is absolutely huge and came out more than four years ago. It's got a whole new psionic discipline, with about a hundred or so powers. Imagine if they just didn't have any Necromancy school spells, it's ridiculous. That's why I made the Library in the first place.

[Elricaltovilla]

Yeah, they're missing quite a few things from DSP. All of the Divergent Paths books, April Augmented, Steelforge, some of Psionics Augmented... They don't have the newer Bloodforge books and some of what they have for the original one is flat out wrong. They're missing the entirety Seventh Path, which is absolutely huge and came out more than four years ago. It's got a whole new psionic discipline, with about a hundred or so powers. Imagine if they just didn't have any Necromancy school spells, it's ridiculous. That's why I made the Library in the first place.

And I for one appreciate the work you put into it.

[Segev]

I shall look into using it in preference to d20pfsrd, if it’s more complete.

[kalos72]

Yes thank you! The Library looks awesome and its already saved! :)

I like the Draconic Bloodline as it relates to the Gem Dragons, our groups primary patron is Sardior. :)

Fits in perfectly.