Optimization Warforged Psychic Warrior/War Mind [Archive]

GuestEleven

2020-12-12, 08:40 PM

So I'm trying to build a character for a newer player, he wants to play a Warforged and be a Psychic Warrior/War Mind. We decided to use the Pathfinder version of the classes because they're not only overall improved but they also stack with each other for powers. He also wants to use a massive sword and deal massive damage so I figured a large Greatsword or Mercurial Greatsword should do the trick. We picked up the Adamantine Body feat for free, gifted by the DM, and I planned for him to take Expanded Knowledge: Psionic Repair Damage so he can keep himself alive. Now I'm sitting here looking at the character and I'm not really sure what to do with it, I'm hoping you guys can give some advice.

All official 3.5/Pathfinder content is available except for Tome of Battle. He can pick up to two Pathfinder traits and he will have a total of 15 feats available(14 after accounting for Expanded Knowledge). This is just a build progression guide I'm making for him, we're starting at level 1 so he doesn't have any gold available until we hit later levels. At first I was thinking of having him do a Cleave/Vital Strike build to really utilize Sweeping Strikes and circumvent the low base attack bonus. I'm not overly familiar with pisonics so I'm not sure how hard he needs to lean into his powers versus his martial capabilities. Thanks in advance for any help.

Segev

2020-12-13, 12:38 PM

Pathfinder’s version of psionic repair damage is “reconstruction,” but they’re otherwise identical. I only bring this up so you can cross reference if needs be.

One thing that interests me in PF psychic warriors is the Infiltrator Path and its ability to manifest an unaugmented Minor Metamorphosis at will. This is not only a decent buff, but is a very radical shift in form if you want it to be. He could be a transformer, as a warforged. Or at least turn into living construct creatures. Or disguise his warforged nature if he wished.

He wants to use a really big weapon, so Metaphysical Weapon is an obvious choice. He will also probably like Force Screen: it gives a +4 shield bonus to AC and takes no hands. Expansion may also be fun for him.

The big advantage of the War Mind’s Chains is that they’re free actions or part of other actions. They’re mostly slightly underwhelming insight bonuses, though the tenth level one is at least an impressively big bonus to damage that couples nicely with Sweeping Attack. Given that Sweeping Attack only works if you move ten feet or less in the round you use it, he should get a reach weapon.

If you’re using 3.5, a whip is a fifteen-foot reach weapon. Sure, it does puny damage on its own, but the War Mind capstone could add 10d6 to that. To really use the capstone, though, you’ll need a lot of power points. So any way to boost those is probably good to look into.

A spiked chain, if you are using 3.5’s version, is also a decent choice. Remember that Expansion increases your reach, too. So if he really only wants the sword, that will be fine, too.

Psychic Warriors benefit greatly from Overchannel and Talented; a lot of their best powers are third level or less and just augment very nicely.

Two class options I’ll point out that are not what you e listed, as well: a one-level dip of Occultist for the Transmutation Implement School not only gives a +2 enhancement bonus to a physical stat (chosen every day; if you take transmutation twice you can even make it two stats and still have all the mental focus available for Legacy Weapon), but also gives the Legacy Weapon Focus Power. For one Mental Focus (you’ll probably have around 3), you can give a weapon +1 enhancement that stacks with existing enhancement bonuses. If it already has enhancement bonuses of its own (say, from Metaphysical Weapon), you can give it a +1 equivalent power. I note that Bane is a +1 equivalent power, and you can decide to what it is a Bane Weapon when you use Legacy Weapon on it.

This is not otherwise synnergistic with this build, so I would dip no more than one level of it. I would also take the psionic knack trait for psychic warrior so it doesn’t dampen his manifester level.

The other class suggestion is almost a replacement suggestion. I don’t really like War Mind even in PF; I find it underwhelming despite the cool flavor in its fluff. The mechanics are just...not exciting or good. Sweeping Attack is about the only thing that stands out as really cool. The capstone can work, but is expensive.

Instead, or maybe as an addition, I recommend looking at Soul Knife. The blade skills are really cool, and if he wants a physical weapon, the Augmented Blade archetype works well. If he likes the psi blades, consider a warforged that has a look like a Starcraft Zealot. Though I guess that’s more dual-wielding than one big sword. There are blade skills for making your weapon a specific kind, such as a mercurial great sword. There is also feat support for multiclassing soul knife and psychic warrior, and they’re both Wisdom-dependent. Nothing stopping a mixed build from going War Mind, either. So I suggest looking at Soul Knife and seeing what it has to offer. Blade skills get pretty interesting. And you can get blade skills with psionics feats once you have your first one, or you can take a blade skill that gives you a psionic feat if you want. So flexible build options, there.