Post/Author/DateTime	Post
angellis_ater 05-17-06, 09:25 AM	Hi! For the first time in a very long time I'll be getting the chance to actually PLAY instead of DM. But, being away from playing has put me in a precarious position, I simply have a problem building characters. Now, I am looking for help both regarding the "build" and proposed ideas for character development. The concept is this: A Khalashtar who unleashes his Quori heritage to empower his psionic powers (therefore the Wilder class which is mechanically used to illustrate this). He is meant to be "the face" for the group in most social situations to utilize the synergy between his racial bonuses, high Charisma and good skill points (for a psionic character). Now, I am playing with the idea of using some of the "Illithid Heritage" to showcase the mechanical aspects of his Quori coming to the fore more and more. This is the primary ideas I have for the build: L1: Illithid Heritage (gives me Intimidate as a class-skill but I hope to exchange this for Diplomacy with my DM and a bonus on saves) L3: Illithid Legacy (gives me Read Thoughts and Psionic Charm) L6: Psicrystal Affinity (Friendly aspect to enhance my social skills) L9: Greater Illithid Legacy (gives me Dispel Psionics and Psionic Dominate) This way I get a nice bonus to my saves, an extra class-skill (hopefully), 4 extra psionic powers in "his theme" and a good boost for his socializing. Now, I'm not set in stone regarding these feats and I need some suggestions towards what powers to select and how to utilize the Wilder to its best ability. I am looking for powers which I can relate to his Quori-heritage (and might be looking at going for Quori Nightmare as a PrC later). Ideas ideas please! Alternately I might take Hashalaq Ancestor (gives me Empathy) as a 1st level feat and see if I can convine my DM to let it count as Illithid Heritage (as it is meant to mechanically resemble the Quori Heritage) for the feat-tree. Thoughts?
angellis_ater 05-24-06, 02:57 PM	Anyone? A suggestion or idea? Comments?
Kreistor1 05-24-06, 03:30 PM	The Wilder's WIld Surge actually gets worse as you increase in level. The cost for failure equals character level, but the gain equals only 1 PP, and the chance of failure stays the same. Thus, a lot of people shy away from the class as a good idea gone very wrong. I would suggest the Erudite, if you don't like the Psion. If Psion, go with Telepathist to simulate the Mental Domination from Illithid Heritage theme. Frankly, I think that fits the concept better anyway. For feats, no real comments. You're taking them for a concept, not power, so since most real arguments are efficiency driven, not concept driven, you're not going to see many disagreements. Your reasons for taking them are not debatable.
angellis_ater 05-24-06, 03:46 PM	I want to create a character which is both flavorful and powerful - so gimme those efficiency-based feats and ideas!
AvonRekaes 05-24-06, 11:09 PM	Perhaps the overchannel feat tree is more suitable for the flavor. I havn't played in or DMed a game with a Wilder in it, so I can't say whether the class is actually bad or not, but the overchannel feat tree seems just as good, flavor wise. (Take damage for increase manifester level, and therefore power point cap) Plus, if you're a Psion with those feats, you can be a Telepath, which not only gives you many social skills as class skills, but opens up options for Kalashtar substitution levels (in Races of Eberron). As for Ilithid Heritage, I'm not quite sure what that has to do with Quori. Are you talking about altering the flavor for these feats? I.E. keeping the mechanics mostly the same but making it so they slowly transform your appearance into a quori rather than ilithid. Because as it is in Eberron, Mind Flayers come from Xoriat, and Quor are from Dal Quor, and they're two distinct and seperate planar entities.
angellis_ater 05-25-06, 08:57 AM	Well, the Overchannel feat-tree really ISN'T very flavorful for the character, but its good powerwise for a normal Psion. I don't want to play a Telepath because I did so in an earlier campaign and want to explore new vistas, even if its only through a different class with some of the same powers. Generally, the problem with the Telepath is few skill points and a reliance on Intelligence instead of Charisma. The Illithid Heritage feats would be changed flavorwise, as I am well aware of the difference between Xoriat and Dal Quor, as well as Quori and Mindflayers in general. The feats are meant to illustrate how his usage of the Quori within is slowly transforming him, making him less Kalashtar and more Quori.
Kreistor1 05-25-06, 11:24 AM	flavorful and powerful You've got limited numbers of options when dealing with Psionics. It's not as powerfully supported as the classic Divine and Arcane. I can't really do both. About the only thing I can think of (without the books) is Linked Power from Complete Psionics combined with Psionic Meditation. Telepathic stuff being 100% effect or 0 effect, there's not much in the Metamagic that really helps it. Split Psionic Ray is one I like for raw efficiency, but that one doesn't work with Telepathic stuff. Psionic Body is pretty much a must have for any Psionic character. You might consider the Thrallherd PrC, though. It's very Illithid.
angellis_ater 05-25-06, 01:48 PM	Yeah, I've been thinking about the Thrallherd, but not because it's Illithid (as I am going for Quori flavor). Thrallherd would give me loads of options for longer-lasting buffs, extra power points and hit points in the form of Feat Leech.