Need help building a psionic character (pretty please?)

[Adumbration]

The ECL is 12, but if anyhow possible I would like to play a gloaming (from Underdark, LA +2, small-sized with wings and an internal light.). At the moment I'm considering going straight 10 levels of Psion, but to be perfectly honest, my knowledge of psionics is limited to what I've read during the last few hours from SRD. I have access to other books, though, through my friends, if necessary.

I need suggestions for a build, what class, what feats, what powers, what discipline, how do psionics powers known works, etc. What I'm looking from this build is capability for mental control (I read the power description for Death Urge, and I'm loving it. Can I combine it with Deja Vu?), healing and if possible something blasty.

This question's settled, thanks to Zincorium:

Also, what am I missing? In the power Mind Thrust (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindThrust.htm), it says that "For every additional power point you spend, this power’s damage increases by 1d10 points. For each extra 2d10 points of damage, this power’s save DC increases by 1." Does this mean that if I spend 88 power points on this, it deals 88d10 damage? I hope not.

[Zincorium]

First off, you might want to go wilder instead of psion. Not too much different mechanically and you get to take advantage of the charisma bonus gloamings have.

You've got an inherent disadvantage with the LA, so taking overchannel and it's associated feats is a good idea, it'll assist with overcoming that staggering weight on your shoulders.


Also, big thing here: you cannot spend more power points on a power than you have manifester levels (with the exception of overchannel, and it's got it's own rules). This is initial cost and any augments combined, mind.

The only way you can do 88d10 with Mind Thrust is to be a level 88 manifester. If you reach 90th level as a character, you have better things to be doing than mind thrusting.

[Adumbration]

First off, you might want to go wilder instead of psion. Not too much different mechanically and you get to take advantage of the charisma bonus gloamings have.

You've got an inherent disadvantage with the LA, so taking overchannel and it's associated feats is a good idea, it'll assist with overcoming that staggering weight on your shoulders.




Yes, I'm still considering the gloaming thing. But I have one problem with Wilder. It only gets 6 powers known at level 10, which is kinda... poor when compared to Psion's 21.

[mac13eth]

Wilder is a weak class all around; even with a racial Int/Wis penalty you'll still do better with Psion or Psychic warrior. The Expanded Psionics Handbook has several under-balanced options: consider that a Metamind has 50 fewer power points and 4 fewer feats than if he had stuck with Psion, not to mention that the Metamind knows fewer powers and they are considerably lower level than the Psion's. While I am on it: stay away from those PP batteries. It is more cost efficient to increase your ability score.

Back to your original question:
Racial level adjustment and spellcasting don't mix, at least not well. If everyone is using an adjusted race you won't notice as much, but I would stay away from anything with a level adjust more than +1. You might be able to get your DM to offer a feat like Practiced Spellcaster, except it would have to apply to Manifester level and it would have to be limited by equivalent character level instead of hit dice.

If you are set on playing a Psion (or any caster) with a level adjusted race, focus on powers that target you or your allies and powers without saves. You will also need to get your Dex up to hit with those rays.

[Adumbration]

All right, all right, I've been convinced. :smallsmile: No-no for +2 level adjustment. In that case I think I'm going straight for human. Any build ideas/feats/items?

[Behold_the_Void]

What discipline are you looking at? What is it you want your Psion to be able to do?

[Adumbration]

What I'm looking from this build is capability for mental control (I read the power description for Death Urge, and I'm loving it. Can I combine it with Deja Vu?), healing and if possible something blasty.

In other words, Psychokinesis, Egoist or Telepathy. Personally I would be leaning on telepathy, but I think my party needs a healer, so maybe the egoist would do.

[NEO|Phyte]

First, you'll need to decide which of your three power directions (mind control, healing, blasting) is going to be your 'primary' ability. From there, you'll get your Discipline (Telepath for mind control, Egoist for healing, Kineticist for blasting.) You can still pick up powers from the other discipline lists (or from nonpsion power lists), but it'll cost you either a feat (Expanded Knowledge) or a boatload of cash and a hefty chunk of XP to do so (Psychic Chirurgery). One thing to keep in mind is that if you want to be able to heal OTHER people, psions aren't very good for that, they can't directly heal other people's wounds, they have to take the wounds onto themselves with Empathic Transfer. They do, however, make WONDERFUL blasters, what with the ability to pick their element on the fly, and generally throw fun stuff all over. Their mind abilities are also effective and fun, as you've noticed with Death Urge.

For the most part, you'll want to just go straight Psion, as most of the PrCs either suck horribly, or are made for builds you aren't really gunning for. The only ones that sound like they'd make sense for your character idea would be Slayer if you want some martial ability as well, and Thrallherd if it tickles your fancy.

For feats, Psicrystal Affinity is generally a safe bet, and once you hit level 15 (or as early as level 9 (8, if you take two flaws) if you spend all your other feats on Improved Psicrystal (which I wouldn't recommend)) you can channel powers through it, which can make for a neat trick, sending your psicrystal to scout ahead, and then blasting/mind controling any hostiles it finds without ever having to see them yourself. Or having the party tank carry it and being able to heal without getting close to the front line. Expanded knowledge is also a good feat, if there's a power you can't normally get that you want. Its hard to say more than that without knowing a bit more about what you're after.

:edit: I took far too long typing this up, apparently.

[FlyMolo]

I love Psionics.

And if you instead are looking at a more melee character, go with fighter/war mind. Getting the skills may be a little hard, but ouch. Sweeping strike, manifesting, extra PP. In fact, you could conceivably take Psion 5 war mind 5 and get access to psychic warrior powers, although that's not really worth it. But much fun.

Straight Psion is your best bet. Telepath is cool, and elemental Envoy from Complete Psionic is fun for a few levels, but by 10 is probably not worth it.

Telepath or kineticist can be fun. Dominate and Energy wave/missile/ray, and such. Energy Current is good. kineticist make great blasters. telepath gets you schism, which is always cool. Pick up some metapsionic feats, and maybe up the walls. Be sure to get the one which lets you concentrate for your psionic focus as a move action.

Speed of thought can be fun, mostly because it has such a cool name. Widen , Twin, and quicken Psionic power are handy too.

[FlyMolo]

I love Psionics.

And if you instead are looking at a more melee character, go with fighter/war mind. Getting the skills may be a little hard, but ouch. Sweeping strike, manifesting, extra PP. In fact, you could conceivably take Psion 5 war mind 5 and get access to psychic warrior powers, although that's not really worth it. But much fun.

Straight Psion is your best bet. Telepath is cool, and elemental Envoy from Complete Psionic is fun for a few levels, but by 10 is probably not worth it.

Telepath or kineticist can be fun. Dominate and Energy wave/missile/ray, and such. Energy Current is good. kineticist make great blasters. telepath gets you schism, which is always cool. Pick up some metapsionic feats, and maybe up the walls. Be sure to get the one which lets you concentrate for your psionic focus as a move action.

Speed of thought can be fun, mostly because it has such a cool name. Widen , Twin, and quicken Psionic power are handy too.

[Adumbration]

Here's what I don't understand. How does one "choose" powers? Say that I'm a psion with telepath discipline. What powers can I choose? Are they limited to the sixteen powers from Telepath power list that I get, or do I choose from the general psion/wilder power list? Are the disciplines like domains of clerics? If I'm restricted to the Telepath power list, what do I do with the extra 5 powers known that I could have?

[NEO|Phyte]

You get access to the Psion/Wilder list, as well as the Telepath list.

[The_Snark]

A psion can choose from the general psion/wilder list and from their specific discipline's list. A wilder can choose only from the psion/wilder list. A psychic warrior can choose only from the psychic warrior list. The exception is when taking the Expanded Knowledge feat; the powers you gain can be from any list.

So your choice of discipline simply expands your power choices a little bit.

[Ganurath]

Here's what I don't understand. How does one "choose" powers? Say that I'm a psion with telepath discipline. What powers can I choose? Are they limited to the sixteen powers from Telepath power list that I get, or do I choose from the general psion/wilder power list? Are the disciplines like domains of clerics? If I'm restricted to the Telepath power list, what do I do with the extra 5 powers known that I could have?Psions can pick from powers on the Psion/Wilder list and the list restricted to their specialty. Think of it as a Wizard varient where all Wizards are specialists, but instead of losing specific schools you lose the more distinct* spells from each school.

*Distinct, in this context, means least likely to be lumped in another school should WotC decide there are too many schools of magic in 4e.

[Adumbration]

Ahh, thanks, this explains it.:smallbiggrin:

Excellent.

EDIT: Woah, three answers in less than 5 minutes. Thanks!


EDIT2: So now I'm going for human Psion level 12 with Kineticist discipline. I have 10 feats and 88 000 gold to spend. Also, do you think I should get a psicrystal? To be perfectly honest, they don't seem that useful, and I don't think I like the fluff either.

So. Powers per level, how many? Is it at 12th level: 5 first level powers, 4 second level, 4 third, 4 fourth, 4 fifth and 3 sixth level?

[Crazy Scot]

For my 2cp worth, here are a few more ideas. If you want to go Psion, you can always check out the Erudite class from Complete Psion. It is very similar to the Psion class, but you can learn any and all powers from the Psion/Wilder class list, and any and all discipline powers up to a level one lower than your highest power level castable. You have to pay XP for each new power you want to learn, but the versitility you gain is unparalleled. You also gain the feat Psicrystal Affinity for free with this class. The drawback is that you can only use a specific number of unique powers of each level per day, but at the beginning of each day you have access to all of them and can choose which ones you want to use as the day progresses and each new situation presents itself. Also, if you look on the Wizards website (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a) with your DM's permission, you can now learn arcane spells and cast them as psionic powers just like learning new psionic powers. Again, your diversity in powers known is your strength, but your limit in the number of unique powers per day you can use is your drawback.

Whether you go with the Erudite or not, allow me to offer two VERY powerful feats for you to look at from Races of Stone page 138.

Earth Sense: (Prerequisites: Con 13, Wis 13) says that as long as you are touching the ground, you can take a move action to sense the number of creatures within 20' that are also touching the ground and the direction to each one. You cannot pinpoint the location of any creature with this feat. (This feat helps in detecting getting an idea of the number of creatures around you, and as long as they are touching the ground.)

Earth Power (Prerequisites: Earth Sense, Con 13, Wis 13) This feat allows you to draw power from the earth as long as you are psionically focused and standing on stone or unworked earth you reduce by 1 the number of power points spent to manifest a power. This means that any 1st level power you manifest is now FREE! It also means that you will be able to manifest more powers per day since you have to spend less power points on each manifestation.

And one last thought for you: an item to help even more. It is called the Torc of Power Preservation (Expanded Psionics Handbook page 177, cost: 36,000 gp), and it takes up the same body slot as an amulet. This item, though, reduces the power point cost of manifestating a power by 1 (to a minimum of 1). With this item and the Earth Power feat (which allows you to reduce the cost to 0), you reduce the overall power point cost of every power you manifest by 2 allowing even more power usage per day! I know it is pricey, but one of the drawbacks of psionic classes is the limited number of power points available to them per day. This item and the Earth Power feat unleash a new level of power to the psionic classes that no other combination comes close to. Enjoy!

[Thrawn183]

Does that combo have any effect on the maximum number of power points you can use while manifesting a power? ie. would a 15th level manifester be able to manifest 17 pp into a power or would it keep the cap at 15 and just reduce the cost to 13?

I ask because general edification is good. And saving powerpoints is good. You never have enough.

[PersonofJid]

Yeah, psionics are great.

If you want some good mental domination going along with your blasting I would highly suggest Thrallherd as a prestige class from the Expanded Psionics Handbook. You'll need to take Expanded Knowledge in order to learn Mindlink, but I'd say it's worth it. You learn the dominate powers without having to be a telepath, and those powers cost less and are more efficient as you level up in the class. Also, you get cohorts and followers to boot (or thralls and believers in this case). You do miss out on two levels of manifesting progession, but in the end you can still manifest a good number of powers.

Psicrystals depend on the person who plays them. My groups generally don't have any problems with psicrystals and I like the bonus certain personalities give to saves, but that's all entirely up to you if you want one or not.

As for feats: Psionic Meditation is a must, Overchannel and Talented are good for the low level powers (that is if you don't want to take damage for using them on higher level powers), Psionic Body is good if you want some extra hit points, and then Expanded Knowledge if you want a specific power that would normally be denied to you.

That's all I can think of at any rate. Good luck with the character.:smallsmile:

[CASTLEMIKE]

Does your game allow LA buydown? +2 LA could be viable.

I like the Wilder class for a first psionic character although I'd strongly consider using the Educated Wilder Variant at Wizard's and picking up a few more known powers at very minimal cost.

I'd consider taking a dip into the AI PRC for a Wilder and enhancing your Wild Surges along with taking the Hidden Talent feat for an extra known power of your choice at first level.

I strongly agree with the Erudite class post when utilizing the Spells to Power variant. Little things like Fast Healing 1 for PP, Adept Heal at 9PP at level 9+, 17 PP Miracles at level 17+ and lots of known powers and spells to choose from which becomes very powerful at high levels.

[Adumbration]

For those interested, here's what I got in my powerlist so far. This is solely from SRD, so any suggestions from other books or even from the very same powerlists would be appreciated. Is there any good power I have missed? (I know, I know, teleport is a glaring lack, I'll get it once I read over the Expanded Knowledge feat properly.)

EDIT: See the new power list/feats in the later post.

Kineticist

Level 1 powers

Deja vu: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dejaVu.htm
Mind thrust: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/mindThrust.htm
Inertial Armor: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/inertialArmor.htm
Energy Ray: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyRay.htm
Missive: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/missive.htm

Level 2 powers

Concealing Amorpha: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/concealingAmorpha.htm
Energy Missile: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyMissile.htm
Psionic Tongues: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/tonguesPsionic.htm
Control Sound: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlSound.htm

Level 3 powers

Body Adjustment: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/bodyAdjustment.htm
Telekinetic Thrust: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/telekineticThrust.htm
Touchsight: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm
Energy Wall: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyWall.htm

Level 4 powers

Death Urge: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/deathUrge.htm
Energy Adaptation: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyAdaptation.htm
Inertial Barrier: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/inertialBarrier.htm
Wall of Ectoplasm: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/wallofEctoplasm.htm

Level 5 powers

Fiery Discorporation: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/fieryDiscorporation.htm
Psionic True Seeing: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/trueSeeingPsionic.htm
Energy Current: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyCurrent.htm
Ectoplasmic Shambler: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/ectoplasmicShambler.htm

Level 6 powers

Temporal Acceleration: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/temporalAcceleration.htm
Psionic Overland Flight: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/overlandFlightPsionic.htm
Psionic Disintegrate: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/disintegratePsionic.htm


My planned tactics for big battles is this: Temporal Acceleration - spend some extra pps for more rounds. Get some battlefield control through Wall of Ectoplasm, Energy Wall and Ectoplasmic Shambler. Buff up with Concealing Amorpha, Inertial Armor and Barrier if time. Use Telekinetic Thrust and Energy Missile if there are many enemies, Disintegrate if few.

If it's a small battle, spam Mind Thrust, Energy Missile, Energy Ray, Death Urge + Deja Vu and such.

Always save enough pps for Fiery Discorporation.

Any flaws in my tactics?

[hippie_dwarf]

An easy way to get rid of some lost maifester levels is to take Practised Manifester from the Complete Psionics, it's probably the most useful thing in that book :smalltongue:. It allows you to overcome losing up to 4 manifester levels, but i'm not sure what the preqs. for it are.

[The_Blue_Sorceress]

(I read the power description for Death Urge, and I'm loving it. Can I combine it with Deja Vu

Yes. Yes you can. It's delightful

-Blue

[Drascin]

I generally recommend against Kineticist because its power list is so very redundant. You don't really need that many area shapes. Generally, picking a line power and Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile), coupled with the psion's ability to shift elements on the fly, will give you all the blasting you need (especially if you're going Underdark as your initial choice of race would indicate, in the narrow corridors the huge areas are pretty much wasted. A pity the loss of Energy Wall, though). My usual advice is picking another discipline whose powers you particularly like, because generally is easier to EK blasts than a complete set of things. Usual method for blasters is to pick Nomad, for the whole "death from above" thing and the Dimension Swap to get away from melee range to make use of those Long-range blasts and leave a little present in the form of an angry fighter to the enemy. Plus Teleport in your spell list, which is always nice.

Either way, Kineticist or not, if you want to be a primary blaster... find Untapped Potential (I can direct you to it if needed) and give Energist a try. It's like Archmage, but completely blast-focused. A very neat class if you like to see things go boom. And if you're playing a Kinet, you probably do :smallamused:.

Oh, and I'd personally recommend making place in that lvl 3 lineup for Time Hop. It being appliable to objects makes it insanely useful. Send every nonmagical door five rounds forward in time and cross during that time (leaving absolutely no trace of your opening it since as far as the door is concerned you didn't even touch it), make things dissapear for a minute from your pockets while you're being registered and then have it reappear, etc, etc. Believe me, I have not played a game where I have regretted taking Time Hop.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Double post.

[CASTLEMIKE]

For those interested, here's what I got in my powerlist so far. This is solely from SRD, so any suggestions from other books or even from the very same powerlists would be appreciated. Is there any good power I have missed? (I know, I know, teleport is a glaring lack, I'll get it once I read over the Expanded Knowledge feat properly.)

Any flaws in my tactics?

I'm travelling away from my books. I'd lose Deja Vu for Force Shield or other power of your choice since it is a Will save. I'd lose Tongues Psionic for a better power and get a permanency (magical or psionic) with Comprehend Languages or Tongues. It depends on your game and tactics if Inertial Barrier is a good power for 2 hours of DR/5 at 7PP before any other feats. Fiery Discorporation is an interesting power but needs an open flame source. The +0LA Soul Locked template provides a similar benefit mechanically if your DM will go for it. Temporal Acceleration is limited by the PC level and the amount of PPs he can spend so a lot more useful at higher levels or with a Educated Wilder variant.

A +0 LA Planetouched Synad could be interesting.

I'd go Cerebrancer with a Beguiler if the Precocious Apprentice feat trick qualifies for the PRC in your game for SAD Intelligence, lots of skill points, light armor proficiency with No ASF and only losing a single psion level and picking up a lot of utility spellcasting through Beguiler. Really nice using the Seer variant for Action Points in a Non Action point game.

[FlyMolo]

Ooh, the Elan race is always fun. Enhanced Elan Resilience, and you're unkillable. Well, ridiculously difficult. You can even safely dump con and still be the last person alive in a TPK. There's optimized characters for the Arena that can take 34 points of damage and not die. That's scary. That's at first level, mind you. Taking into account that a 20th level Psion gets over 300 pp, that's about 1200 damage. Max con and Int with items, you're looking at at least 1500 damage absorbable. Body Fuel and wand of Restoration is good in a pinch. Or even skip the wand till it's chump change.

Psicrystals: not that handy in combat, but in another type of campaign, a win button. With a blaster character and channel powers, it's basically a hand grenade. With flight, it can take out a whole dungeon while you have a picnic on the surface. You'll run out of pp eventually, but if there's a way to get those back (like a team of clerics with restoration prepped and body fuel) you're a win button.

[NEO|Phyte]

Ooh, the Elan race is always fun. Enhanced Elan Resilience, and you're unkillable. Well, ridiculously difficult. You can even safely dump con and still be the last person alive in a TPK. There's optimized characters for the Arena that can take 34 points of damage and not die. That's scary. That's at first level, mind you. Taking into account that a 20th level Psion gets over 300 pp, that's about 1200 damage. Max con and Int with items, you're looking at at least 1500 damage absorbable. Body Fuel and wand of Restoration is good in a pinch. Or even skip the wand till it's chump change.

Psicrystals: not that handy in combat, but in another type of campaign, a win button. With a blaster character and channel powers, it's basically a hand grenade. With flight, it can take out a whole dungeon while you have a picnic on the surface. You'll run out of pp eventually, but if there's a way to get those back (like a team of clerics with restoration prepped and body fuel) you're a win button.
Slight problem with using Restoration, Ability Burn (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicPowersOverview.htm#abilityBurn) can only be healed naturally. Body Fuel dishes out Ability Burn. Also, an Elan thats dumping PP into not taking damage is an Elan thats not dumping PP into being useful. But yeah, Channel Power makes psicrystals fun.

[Adumbration]

Here's what I have at the moment. I changed into a Nomad according to advice - the biggest reason I went for Kineticist was Energy Missile and Inertial Barrier, but I EK'd the first and ditched the second. I'll look into other feats and powers from other books once I get them from my friend.

I also moved some stuff around and got myself Time Hop and few other useful powers. I had problems finding a useful 5th level power, so I took the TH in it's place. I've bolded the changes. Thanks for the advice so far. Keep it coming. :smallsmile:

Feats:

8 feats:
Maximize Power (Metapsionic)
Overchannel (Psionic)
Psionic Meditation (Psionic)
Quicken Power (Metapsionic)
Talented (Psionic)
Earth Sense
Earth Power
Expanded Knowledge: Energy Missile


Powers:

Nomad:

Level 1 powers

Deja vu: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dejaVu.htm
Force Screen: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/forceScreen.htm
Inertial Armor: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...rtialArmor.htm
Energy Ray: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyRay.htm
Missive: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/missive.htm

Level 2 powers

Dimension Swap: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dimensionSwap.htm
Concealing Amorpha: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...ingAmorpha.htm
Expanded Knowledge: Energy Missile: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...rgyMissile.htm
Psionic Tongues: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...uesPsionic.htm
Control Sound: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...ntrolSound.htm

Level 3 powers

Time Hop: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/timeHop.htm
Body Adjustment: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...Adjustment.htm
Telekinetic Thrust: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...eticThrust.htm
Touchsight: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/touchsight.htm
Energy Wall: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/energyWall.htm

Level 4 powers

Death Urge: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/deathUrge.htm
Energy Adaptation: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...Adaptation.htm
Dimensional Anchor, Psionic: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dimensionalAnchorPsionic.htm
Wall of Ectoplasm: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...fEctoplasm.htm

Level 5 powers

Psionic True Seeing: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...ingPsionic.htm
Psionic Teleport: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/teleportPsionic.htm
Ectoplasmic Shambler: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...icShambler.htm

Level 6 powers

Temporal Acceleration: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...celeration.htm
Psionic Overland Flight: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...ghtPsionic.htm
Psionic Disintegrate: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/po...atePsionic.htm


Possible items:

Headband of Intellect ( +4) (16 000gp)
Cloak of Resistance (+4) (16 000 gp)
Luckstone (+1 to ability checks, skill checks and saving throws) (20 000 gp)
Ring of Protection (+3) (18 000 gp)
Ring of Sustenance (2 500 gp)
Handy Haversack (2 000 gp)

[Crazy Scot]

Does that combo have any effect on the maximum number of power points you can use while manifesting a power? ie. would a 15th level manifester be able to manifest 17 pp into a power or would it keep the cap at 15 and just reduce the cost to 13?

I ask because general edification is good. And saving powerpoints is good. You never have enough.

The feat doesn't specifically state that it boosts the maximum number of pp you can put into a power, unlike the feat "Overchannel" that specifically says you can put more power points into a power than your manifester level. Since this is true, I would read it as you can't "overpower" your manifesting, "Earth Power" just reduces the overall cost. And as one more note, I was looking at the Magic Item Compendium a couple of nights ago, and if I remember correctly, there is yet another item in there that might stack with it. It would have been in the "clothing" section of the MIC, but I don't remember the name of it. It could just be a double printing of the Torc of Power Preservation, though, but I am not sure.

[Ceaon]

I second trying an Elan.
Though their ability of soaking damage is overshadowed by some more powerfulm soaking abilities (even if they take the Improved Resilience feat from Complete Psionic), they are a lot of fun.
But furthermore, think of the roleplay options. An Elan can be, for example a once human level 13 fighter that had some psionic potential - and was turned into a level 1 Elan Psion by the Elan Council.

The fluff is great, and the race is quite powerful, up there with humans when playing a psion I'd say.

And about the 'An Elan soaking is an Elan not being useful'; an Elan dead is even less useful.

[ColdBrew]

The fluff is great, and the race is quite powerful, up there with humans when playing a psion I'd say.

And about the 'An Elan soaking is an Elan not being useful'; an Elan dead is even less useful.

Also, they're abberations instead of humanoids. This makes them immune to many effects, and gives them interesting metamorphosis options.

[Adumbration]

The problem with Elan is that it has no intelligence bonus. I rolled average stats, 14, 14, 14, 13, 12, 12, so I really need some sort of a racial intelligence bonus even to properly manifest 6th level powers and higher. This is why I'm currently going with the Fire Elf from UA. I could up the intelligence with ability modifiers through levels - and I have, the int is 18 now - but even so I would only get total of 17. If we level up, I could lose some higher level powers.

[CASTLEMIKE]

+0 LA Planetouched template Tiefling could be interesting applied to an Elan providing that +2 bonus to Intelligence.

[The_Snark]

Except that as written, Tiefling isn't a template, and it'd be an inherited template, whereas an elan is something you become—it overwrites previous racial traits, and can only be applied to humans anyway. Tiefling elan doesn't really work.

If you really need an Int boost, fire elves or gray elves are your best bet. Or the lesser tiefling, if that's allowed. Elans are fun, but it's not like they're essential to being a psion.

[CASTLEMIKE]

Except that as written, Tiefling isn't a template, and it'd be an inherited template, whereas an elan is something you become—it overwrites previous racial traits, and can only be applied to humans anyway. Tiefling elan doesn't really work.


Can it work? Yes. Will it work in all games? Not necessarily. Will it not work in all games? Not necessarily.

Do +0 LA Planetouched Humans (Tiefling) exist in game as an option for PCs? Yes PGtF.

What race are Elans normally made from? Humans.

Is there a rule that specifically prohibits making a Planetouched Human into an Elan? Not to my knowledge.

[The_Snark]

Can it work? Yes. Will it work in all games? Not necessarily. Will it not work in all games? Not necessarily.

Do +0 LA Planetouched Humans (Tiefling) exist in game as an option for PCs? Yes PGtF.

What race are Elans normally made from? Humans.

Is there a rule that specifically prohibits making a Planetouched Human into an Elan? Not to my knowledge.

Well, yes. Planetouched are not humans. Planetouched is not a template; it's a separate race. Elans are made from humans, and no other race.

It wouldn't be too unreasonable to allow otherwise, but elans are supposed to lose all their racial abilities from before—the dragonborn specifies that it keeps racial ability adjustments, the elan does not.

[FlyMolo]

Well, yes. Planetouched are not humans. Planetouched is not a template; it's a separate race. Elans are made from humans, and no other race.

It wouldn't be too unreasonable to allow otherwise, but elans are supposed to lose all their racial abilities from before—the dragonborn specifies that it keeps racial ability adjustments, the elan does not.

Elans are a template? What? :smalleek:

I thought they were a race, like Dromites or dwarves.

[Pie Guy]

http://www.nuklearpower.com/redmage30.php
Scroll down.
Read the psion twink and think a minute.
344-392 damage on a 9-20 crit.
Could you get any awesomer?

[NEO|Phyte]

http://www.nuklearpower.com/redmage30.php
Scroll down.
Read the psion twink and think a minute.
344-392 damage on a 9-20 crit.
Could you get any awesomer?

Yyyeah, thats 3.0 stuff. Not gonna work overly well in 3.5, given the changes that psionics went through.

[The_Snark]

Elans are a template? What? :smalleek:

I thought they were a race, like Dromites or dwarves.

Not... exactly. They're a race, but like the dragonborn (also not technically a template), all of them were born members of a different race and were converted to being an elan later in life. In the case of elans, they were born as humans.

The difference is that the elan treats this as fluff, whereas the dragonborn provides information for how to change another race into a dragonborn.

[Da Beast]

Try to find room for vigor on your list of powers as ti helps a lot with survivability. Having a psicrystal and the share pain power will double vigor's affect.