Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lawful Stupid 04-22-04, 06:13 AM	I'm looking for some advice on a psion character I'm creating. The group I'm playing in is currently at 16th level. The party make up consists of a melee Holy Liberator/Divine Champion, and a Cleric/Auspician of Tymora. I had originally thought to play an arcane caster, but since the release of the new XPH, I thought a psion could be a good alternative to fill a similar role. Stat method to be used is 28pt buy along with starting gold of 260,000 gp. Any alignment except evil is allowed. I don't have any particular ideas for a race, although the Elan seemed like a nice fit. I'm open to suggestions. We're using the Unearthed Arcana level adjustment buy off rules, so any +2 LA or less character race/template will allow me to start as 16th level regardless. Anything over +2 will give me a ECL hit. So I'd prefer to use a race or template that'll keep me at 16th level. My main area of concern is what powers/feats/gear to choose. Also I'm not sure which discipline would fit best for this character. The campaign is very planar in nature and traveling is something we do alot of. The ability to fly is also a must. The cleric has currently been taking care of most of the travel related spells, but still some procifiency in this area could be useful incase something happens to our cleric. Specialization in the area isn't needed however. I'd like to be versatile. Combat often involves alot of planar and spell-casting enemies, especially wizards/sorcerers, summoned monsters, and constructs. Also this game will advance into epic levels, so any suggestions for an epic progression/feats/gear would be useful as well. Thanks
PhoenixInferno 04-22-04, 06:51 AM	Edit: WHAT? That doesn't go here...ignore me.
ZeroEffect 04-22-04, 06:53 AM	I recommend not making a psion. The whole psionics system is designed such that a DM needs to really design the campaign around it.... Creatures who have psionics, psionic items, and so forth... Furthermore, psions just plain suck. If you're absolutely dead-set on making a psionic character, you'd be better off making a psychic warrior. I'd make a wizard instead, if I were you.
Vodalen 04-22-04, 07:25 AM	Originally posted by ZeroEffect I recommend not making a psion. The whole psionics system is designed such that a DM needs to really design the campaign around it.... Creatures who have psionics, psionic items, and so forth... Furthermore, psions just plain suck. If you're absolutely dead-set on making a psionic character, you'd be better off making a psychic warrior. I'd make a wizard instead, if I were you. I disagree. The XPH has made psions a lot more viable(without relying on broken tricks), and psions can work well in a game with no or next to no other psionics assuming magic-psionic transparency is followed. Since basically all of the XPH psion PrCs are useless, however, I would strongly recommend just going psion 16. You say you're focusing on travel a lot, so a nomad would be a good choice. Elan for race, they're an absolute no brainer for a psionic character. A slew of incredible abilities for a paltry -2 cha. An Athasian human would also be very nice, if you've got access to Dragon material. As for gear, psions don't get medium or heavy armor prof., but since they don't have to deal with arcane failure and have everything effectively still spelled, wear something with heavy AC. I'm suggesting nomad since it's got astral caravan, fly, teleport, and other movement-related powers, which seems to be a priority for you. They also get banishment, dismissal, and anchor, which could be useful in your campaign. Kineticist or shaper are probably better generalist choices though. As for feats, I very highly recommend the ones that let you gain psionic focus as a move action, and the one that lets you store focus in a psi-crystal if you want to use metapsionic feats with any efficiency. It's also probably worth spending a feat or two on cross-discipline powers. Astral construct, energy missile, and hustle are all worth blowing a feat on.
Lord Arkhaven 04-22-04, 09:31 AM	Hey! Get the best of both worlds and go Cerebremancer. Be the character with a wack of arcane spells and psionic powers. I don't think that particular PrC is weak at all.
Lawful Stupid 04-22-04, 09:05 PM	bump
ZeroEffect 04-22-04, 09:10 PM	Originally posted by Vodalen I disagree. The XPH has made psions a lot more viable(without relying on broken tricks), and psions can work well in a game with no or next to no other psionics assuming magic-psionic transparency is followed. That's cool to hear that things have improved. I'll likely pick-up the book next week. :)
iN.fuSioN 04-22-04, 10:27 PM	Take egoist, wait one lvl and thats it. Greater Metamorphosis allows you to change into something TWICE your hd/manifester level. That is pretty much devastating. One could ague that it is like shapechange and is limited to the manifester level, but it is different as it expends XP to use, so if seems fair to be better (well, not that much better :p).
LordShade 04-23-04, 12:50 AM	I've always liked the Constructor from Mind's Eye. Just because those PrCs weren't reprinted in XPH doesn't mean they no longer exist in the game - after all, many of us still use S&F PrCs that weren't reprinted in Complete Warrior...
Lawful Stupid 04-23-04, 01:38 AM	Originally posted by LordShade I've always liked the Constructor from Mind's Eye. Just because those PrCs weren't reprinted in XPH doesn't mean they no longer exist in the game - after all, many of us still use S&F PrCs that weren't reprinted in Complete Warrior... I was originally going to use some Mind's Eye material as well, but the DM wasn't to thrilled on the idea. So I'll have to stick with whats in the book. :-(
LordShade 04-23-04, 01:52 AM	Generally speaking, I'd say that the Illithid Slayer is one of the more powerful PrCs in the game. It's like an Eldritch Knight with better HD, better skill points, and special abilities. The requirements are steeper, but they aren't hard by any means. (except maybe the roleplaying requirement) I have some IS builds congealing in my mind. I'll post a detailed analysis of the class soon.
TaisharMalkier 04-23-04, 02:50 AM	Zug Zug. "Since basically all of the XPH psion PrCs are useless, however, I would strongly recommend just going psion 16. You say you're focusing on travel a lot, so a nomad would be a good choice. " Cough, Illithid Slayer, Cough. Let's put it this way - Psion 8 / Illithid Slayer 8 gives up 1 Manifest level and 3 Feats (1 to get into class - Track, and 2 bonus feats, eventually) - gets D8 hit dice, full BAB, all weapon and armor proficiency, and some solid abilities - immune to all mind effecting. If you get 2 free LA, I'd just look around for something that gives you the highest int. Nothing else is that important. For your character, I'd reccomend either a Telepath or a Egoist. A Telepath has the only must have power (Schism), as well as some solid low level ones like Empathic Transfer, Hostile, while the Egoist has a pretty solid line up including the psionic version of Polymorph (with no size limits), +4 Stat Line, Revivify and Shapechange. I went with Egoist with Expanded Knowledge (Schism). If you are going to shapechange a lot, I'd reccomend the ability that lets you use Su abilities of the creatures you change to 3/day. A fairly evil combination is spending another feat for Expanded Knowledge: Expansion - increase your size twice, and 1 min/level duration for 9 pp - can be quickened as part of power if you like. With shapechange into a huge creature, and expansion, you hit colossal. I'm pretty sure I don't need to explain the ramifications of colossal. Cheers
fruits and vegetables 04-23-04, 03:42 AM	Be an egoist with the fusion power and the leadership feat. Create an item or otherwise use fusion when needed with your cohort. It is better than being a Gestalt character. Cohort should fullfil what your primary character is lacking. This is what i am going to do whenever i have a chance to play a psion of that level. hmmmm....... Now i am wondering about cerebremancer and fusion with mystic thurge. That about covers all the spell caster types (psion included). A bit redundant though since there are so many psion powers that are similar to wizard spells.
TheOne 04-23-04, 07:37 AM	I just leveled up my 21st level psion and just a little bit of advice. Cerebremancer is a great class to take. Wiz3/Psion3/Ceb10 is a solid for a build. Use wizard spells to buff and battlefield control (cloud kill and forcecage come to mind).Take a template that will add to int (duh). Go Elan, it's resiliance saved my butt tonight. Feats: Overchannel, empower, maximize, psionic meditation, psycrystal affinity, psycrystal containment. This will allow you to at the cost of both psionic concentrations to do an energy ray 10d6 max and empoweredwith no save all for only 16 pp, just make sure you use your wizard levels to be invisibleand flying with stoneskin, and a true strike beforehand. You take 5d8 damage but you can just negate that with resilience until you get talented and psion level 5. Evade burst is also good power. As far as your primary disipine it is up to you...kineticist would be good if you are going to face spellcasters (low reflex)...I am playing a telepath...schism rocks. As far as items to get, boost that int as high as it can get with books and a headband. The epic feat I took is epic psionic focus...but I had lots of trouble deciding! Have fun and good luck