[3.5] Psion Build Help

[tr0ck]

I know there's a thread up top for character building. I am avoiding that because a lot of that thread focuses more on crunch than I'd like. I'm currently playing a 2nd level Tiefling (Lesser) Telepath. The goal here is to make a massive Mind-Affecting save-or-sucks engine, as the game I am playing in is *very* humanoid heavy. So here is my build thus far with only the editable options listed.

Tiefling Telepath 2

Feats:
Greater Psionic Endowment
Overchannel
Psionic Endowment
Psycrystal Affinity

Skills:
Psicraft (Int) 5
Concentration (Con) 5
Knowledge (Psionics) (Int) 3
Knowledge (History) (Int) 2
Diplomacy (Cha) 5
Sense Motive (Cha) 5

Powers:
Mind Thrust
Inertial Armor
Force Screen
Psionic Charm
Empathy


Any ideas or suggestions here for the continuing of this particular character?

[Rhiannon87]

What you're really needing to do here is stuff that will massively up your DCs. The psionic endowment feats are a good start. I'm not entirely sure I'd take Overchannel; the only one of your powers that it's going to help is Mind Thrust, and at these levels you're only going to be able to up the DC on that by 1. I don't really have a suggestion for what to take in it's place, I'm still skimming the SRD.

As for powers... I assume you're taking both Force Screen and Inertial Armor because you're not wearing armor, right? I wouldn't recommend this, as a) psions can wear armor without suffering any manifesting penalties, or they can just buy bracers, because b) powers for psions are pretty much locked in. Later levels you might really regret having taken Inertial Armor because it doesn't stack with your bracers of armor +5.

Demoralize is good; shaken enemies take a -2 to everything, pretty much, and if you've got someone else in the party who can do fear effects they'll start stacking. Plus the augmenting keeps it useful at higher levels. Either of the precognitions or prescience are all useful too; nice, simple buffs that can help keep you alive, and are easy to augment.

Hope this helps some!

[jcsw]

psions can wear armor without suffering any manifesting penalties

This.

Drop it for synchronicity in complete psionics. It's not useful now, but it will be in a few levels. Take linked power to combo with it.

Psionic Endowment is useful, but you have better things to be doing with your feats.

Thrallherd is worth the manifester level loss, in general, since you get a better version of leadership. Your charisma penalty on this won't matter for long, go for it. Once a day class features are usually meh, but in this case, one dominate lasts for days on end anyway.

[Draz74]

Drop it for synchronicity in complete psionics. It's not useful now, but it will be in a few levels.

If you don't mind getting cheesy-overpowered, that is.

Linked Power is a great feat, though.

Personally, I would keep Inertial Armor (but NOT Force Screen), especially if you don't have a Cleric in the party (for Magic Vestment spells in the future). But scrapping both AC-boosting powers and loading up with heavy armor isn't a bad idea either, I have to admit.

[Human Paragon 3]

I've found that Conceal Thoughts is also a great spell for a telepath. A +10 to bluff checks? Yes please. The +4 to saves vs. mind reading spells is icing.

[Lycanthromancer]

Remember that you can't always use [Mind-Affecting] powers effectually (especially since most of them are PR: Yes, and Will Negates, (not to mention critters that are outright immune, or situations that don't directly require mind-manipulation) so make sure you have some options that allow you to manifest outside the proverbial box.

Astral construct is amazing for this, as is time hop. Also remember that psicrystals are much tougher than a similar-level familiar, and tend to be much more versatile (they're constructs, so they don't eat, sleep, breathe, and have all sorts of really good immunities...they also get more abilities as you level up, as well, which doesn't even count things like their pseudo-true seeing at level 1 ).

Also, there's an Illithid Heritage feat in CPsi (requires Illithid Heritage as a prereq) that boosts your DCs for charm and compulsion effects. There's also the telepathy psionatrix, headband of intellect, the animal affinity and destiny dissonance powers (the latter of which requires a touch attack; not at all bad if you channel it through a psicrystal that has gained reach somehow), and metaconcert (add in some larval flayers via the CPsi power of the same name for a massive insta-boost).

You might also consider a few powers that target different saves (Reflex, Fortitude), and a ranged-touch power of some sort (see: hail of crystals/crystal shard).

Diversification never hurts.

[tr0ck]

Lycanthromancer: Thanks for the tips. I'm trying to target some different saves here, but the major thing is I can't find powers that are in the flavour and backstory of the character and still target those saves. I'm not taking any blasting powers at all. I will definitely drop the Force Screen for Synchronicity though. Thanks for that, Guys! One of you said that I have better things do be doin gwith my feats, like what exactly? I haven't read these books cover to cover, so I don't know specifically what I'm looking for.