Two Psionics questions

[DrizztFan24]

Ok, so my DM may let my branch off into psionics for our current gestalt game. I had planne don a single level of mindbender so as to take the darkstalker feat and such anyways; but I was wondering if it is worth my time to take psion levels after my 3 levels of duskblade. And If so, is it worth using the erudite variant? My character is kind of supposed to be the sneaky guy with high mobility. He can dish out some damage thanks to his (eventual) repitoire of touch spells and arcane channeling. I though that psion seemed like a good place to go next and combine it with the erudite variant to learn any spell I like and turn it into a power.

Thoughts?

[Temp.]

It's probably not worth it along the same principles that building a Mystic Theurge in a normal game isn't worth it. You'll be floundering with class abilities three levels behind everyone else.

If you have the ability scores to accomidate it, though, Ardents (CPsi) make great multiclassers with the Practiced Manifester feat (also CPsi)--they can afford four levels of non-manifesting before falling behind normal power level progression.

As far as the Psion class itself goes, the Erudite is far and away the strongest specialization if your DM makes psionic items available. If they aren't avaiable, it's definitely the worst. It really depends on the campaign.

[DrizztFan24]

Ok, so given that I can get DM's permission I think this might work.
Beguiler19/Mindbender1//Duskblade3/Erudite17

Now I have my full beguiler casting (main class) and I have my arcane channeling and I have a class that can pick up the utility in our party. Our wizard is a first time player and she is leaning more towards summons, less towards strategy (age 13 i think). I was thinking that I would ask the DM to let the erudite learn spells as psionic powers, much as it could learn more psionic powers form other characters, but we won't be meeting any..thus destroying my hope of expanding the power list.

And one final thing, do erudites gain all of the psicrystal stuff that psions do? cause if they do I could get the hero ego crystal to help make up for my lack of a fortitude save.

[Douglas]

I was thinking that I would ask the DM to let the erudite learn spells as psionic powers, much as it could learn more psionic powers form other characters, but we won't be meeting any..thus destroying my hope of expanding the power list.

That is, actually, an official alternate class feature (near the bottom, search for "Convert Spell to Power").

And one final thing, do erudites gain all of the psicrystal stuff that psions do? cause if they do I could get the hero ego crystal to help make up for my lack of a fortitude save.

If you take the feat for it, yes. Even Psions have to take that feat if they want a psicrystal in 3.5e.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Psicrystals are dependent on taking a feat. Don't take it, no psicrystal.

Also:
"Prestige classes that are essentially class combinations - such as the arcane trickster, mystic theurge, and eldritch knight - should be prohibited if you’re using gestalt classes, because they unduly complicate the game balance of what’s already a high-powered variant."

I know it's a recommendation, but srsly.

[Starbuck_II]

That is, actually, an official alternate class feature (near the bottom, search for "Convert Spell to Power").


If you take the feat for it, yes. Even Psions have to take that feat if they want a psicrystal in 3.5e.

Erudites get the Psicrystal Affinity feat for free unlike the Psion.

[Temp.]

I don't understand this build at all. It just doesn't make sense.

You gain 3 Duskblade levels, meaning you can channel touch spells into your weapon. Then you ditch Duskblade (you know, the class that provides you some chance of survival in melee combat and a handful of useful touch spels) for Erudite.

Suddenly, you're progressing with Beguiler HP, BAB and saves. You no longer have any spell progression granting you Channel-able spells, you no longer have BAB or HP advancement; this means you wasted those first three Duskblade levels.

Now, Beguiler usually makes a pretty terrible Gestalt--it only really mixes well with Factotum, Artificer and Archivist. If you do want to cross it with the Erudite class, I would recommend trying to retrain your Duskblade levels. I wouldn't think it unreasonable to progress two levels of Erudite each level for three levels at the cost of one Duskblade level each time.

This would leave you with improved Manifesting at the cost of Duskblade abilities, a little HP, BAB and Fortitude. You shouldn't be in melee anyway if you're primarily a Beguiler or Erudite, so those aren't big losses at all.

[Fax Celestis]

I don't understand this build at all. It just doesn't make sense.

You gain 3 Duskblade levels, meaning you can channel touch spells into your weapon. Then you ditch Duskblade (you know, the class that provides you some chance of survival in melee combat and a handful of useful touch spels) for Erudite.

Suddenly, you're progressing with Beguiler HP, BAB and saves. You no longer have any spell progression granting you Channel-able spells, you no longer have BAB or HP advancement; this means you wasted those first three Duskblade levels.

Now, Beguiler usually makes a pretty terrible Gestalt--it only really mixes well with Factotum, Artificer and Archivist. If you do want to cross it with the Erudite class, I would recommend trying to retrain your Duskblade levels. I wouldn't think it unreasonable to progress two levels of Erudite each level for three levels at the cost of one Duskblade level each time.

This would leave you with improved Manifesting at the cost of Duskblade abilities, a little HP, BAB and Fortitude. You shouldn't be in melee anyway if you're primarily a Beguiler or Erudite, so those aren't big losses at all.

Beguier//Duskblade's actually pretty solid, especially since the whelm line becomes channelable.

[Temp.]

Beguier//Duskblade's actually pretty solid, especially since the whelm line becomes channelable.

How are you turning Whelm spells into touch attacks?

The only way I can think of doing that would be taking 3 levels Duskblade, 7 levels Enlightened Fist and 1-4 levels Spellwarp Sniper.

Or just four levels Spellsword, but then you're not really a Beguiler//Duskblade anymore...


[edit:]Overwhelm. Got it.

I'm not sure what the benefit of channeling it would be. I mean, it might be useful breaking through tough SRs, but you have to land a real attack for it to work. And once it does work, you don't gain any benefit for having channeled it--either way, the target's entirely removed from the fight.