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Lolth
2007-12-13, 05:25 AM
Wondering, how to make an effective Psychic Warrior.

28 point buy,
Human,
Core, PhB2 and Psionic Handbook only.

No Flaws, Retraining or other nifty tricks.

Starting Level 1, 1/2 maximum starting cash.

Am looking for something effective (OK, I admit, combat optimized and as twinky as possible) from Level 1, 2 at latest, through 3. 4-5 nice, but really not likely to get there.

Later levels pretty much irrelevant. I'll likely never see them.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Draz74
2007-12-13, 11:57 AM
Oooh. If your campaign will never get beyond Level 5 at the highest, then grappling is a super strategy. And no one does it better than Psychic Warriors. You can also take advantage of a number of feats that, normally, are very weak (long-term) because they don't scale, but which are great in these early levels.

Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8

Feats:
1) Improved Unarmed Strike
1) Improved Grapple
1) Psionic Talent
2) Psionic Fist
3) Psionic Talent
5) Psionic Meditation

Powers:
1) Grip of Iron
2) Expansion
3) Vigor
4) Hustle
5) Animal Affinity

Skills: Max Concentration of course. The rest is flavor, although I'd personally lean towards specializing in all things psionic: Autohypnosis, Knowledge (Psionics), and maybe even cross-class Psicraft.

Get armor with Armor Spikes ASAP! In fact, ask your DM what's the cheapest armor he can imagine getting spiked. You unfortunately probably can't afford spiked armor at Level 1, unless you can convince the DM that studded leather, hide, leather, or padded can have spikes without being too ridiculous. (Hmmm. Hide of porcupine? :smallamused:) If you can't afford spiked armor until level 2, you might consider switching Vigor to be your first power, and just don't start grappling until you have the spikes. (Expansion is lame when it only lasts 1 round. Grip of Iron is lame when it only lasts one round and you are only doing 1d3 damage on a grapple.) When you can, upgrade your armor all the way to spiked full plate.

Also carry a reach weapon, some kind of polearm, probably a glaive, although carrying a ranseur and pulling "surprise" Disarm stunts could be fun (though not especially effective since you aren't spending your feats on that). This reach weapon will give you at least a minimal amount of battlefield control, especially when you have used Expansion.

Worira
2007-12-13, 12:19 PM
Studded leather could easily be spiked. Just have pointy studs.

Telok
2007-12-13, 01:47 PM
My personal suggestions for low level powers are Call Weaponry and Force Screen. Closely followed by Vigor, and Prescience-Offensive. Some of these powers are sub-optimal after level 5 (Prescience mostly), but that won't be an issue at levels 1 to 3. The main problem with powers at this level is your extremely limited power points. I strongly suggest you start with a 14 Wis or a naturally psionic race for this class. Minute duration buffs and versatility are the best use of your points for your level range, but always keep one power point in reserve for your focus unless you are absolutely dead certain you won't need it.

For feats you could consider Combat Expertise and Improved Trip. You won't get any real mileage out of Combat Expert but tripping is brutal at low levels with a guisarme. You may also want to consider Psionic Weapon, that +2d6 is a big smack at low levels. Psionic Weapon would be a once per encounter trick at these levels given the DC 20 Concentration check.

For skills the only things you need are maxxed out Concentration and a +5 or better total for Autohypnosis. Do not ignore Autohypnosis, read the skill applications and then look at your HP. Very little will kill you outright for the first two or three levels, but a lot of stuff is capable of sending you negative with a couple of hits.

Remember that you'll only get level 2 powers at PsyWar level 4, it is a bit of a wait so don't plan your character around one of them. In fact for a PsyWar it's good advice to never base your character and/or combat ability on any one power. It will be very very easy to run out of power points and die that way. Planning your character around feats or the psionic focus works because you don't run out of those or get them dispelled in the middle of a fight.

Draz74
2007-12-13, 03:30 PM
My personal suggestions for low level powers are Call Weaponry and Force Screen.

Call Weaponry seems so situational, like you'll rarely need it, IMHO.


The main problem with powers at this level is your extremely limited power points. I strongly suggest you start with a 14 Wis or a naturally psionic race for this class.

Very true. Which is why I suggested 14 Wis and also the Psionic Talent feat right off the bat.


For feats you could consider Combat Expertise and Improved Trip. You won't get any real mileage out of Combat Expert but tripping is brutal at low levels with a guisarme.

I don't think tripping is going to be more effective than grappling, and Combat Expertise is an even bigger waste of a prerequisite feat than Improved Unarmed Strike. Especially considering the 13 Int requirement, which you don't want to spend your point-buy on.


You may also want to consider Psionic Weapon, that +2d6 is a big smack at low levels. Psionic Weapon would be a once per encounter trick at these levels given the DC 20 Concentration check.

Yeah - +2d6 is indeed a big smack at low levels. Either Psionic Weapon or Psionic Fist is a one-time-per-encounter trick until at least Level 5. But it will be worth it. I said Psionic Fist just because it puts Improved Unarmed Strike to good use, but Psionic Weapon might be just as easy to use.

I'd like to point out that, with the build I suggested, and when fully buffed, you will have a +18 grapple check at Level 3. (+2 BAB, +4 Str (with +2 size bonus to Str), +4 size, +4 Grip of Iron, +4 feat.) That's not bad. :smallamused:

Telok
2007-12-14, 09:53 AM
Call Weaponry seems so situational, like you'll rarely need it, IMHO.

It really depends on your game and setting. If you have three different +1 weapons at level 5 (preferred, reach, range) then you're better off getting defensive and movement powers. If your game is under the wealth by level expectations and you can't lug four or five different weapons around then the power is very worth it.

Spend one round and one power point to have the perfect (normal but counts as magic for DR) weapon for any situation. Personally that would be my second level power choice.