Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Braekor Dragonfang 08-15-07, 09:52 PM	I just got the XPH and CPsi recently, and luckily my DM is very lenient when it comes to allowed content in his games and let me play a psion. We're starting at first level and I'm not sure what powers (other than vigor) would be useful for a first level character. Beyond that I know my DM has a penchant for undead (note: yes I'm metagaming, but he wasn't exactly hiding the Libris Mortis in the other room :D ). I immediately jumped at Astral Construct, but with a duration of one round it seems a bit useless until higher levels. The only other idea I had was taking the tap mantle feat to gain access to the Life mantle; other than that, I'm not really sure what other powers would be good, so any ideas would be very much appreciated, thanks :)
InkBlot 08-16-07, 01:58 AM	It's actually a good idea for DMs to let their players know about major themes in an upcoming game. Nobody likes making a Ranger only to find out that you'll never see any of your favored enemies on the battlefield, or making a LG Paladin/Dragonslayer only to find out that all dragons are good-aligned in that world. So don't feel bad about anticipating undead foes. In fact, it would be a good idea to go to your DM and ask him what kind of foes this adventure will be centered around (in general terms, like "undead," "enemy nations," or "invaders from another plane"). Now for rules stuff: Tap Mantle can't give a psion access to mantles. Due to its prerequisites, only an ardent or divine mind (yuck) can take the feat. Don't forget that you can't spend more power points on a single power than your manifester level. So at 1st level you can only spend 1 power point when you manifest a power. At 3rd level you could spend 3 power points, either augmenting a 1st level power by 2 points or manifesting a 2nd level power. You should make sure your DM has at least a passing familiarity with the core tenants of the psionics rules. If he doesn't want to read through the XPH, just give him a quick rundown of the power point cap, psionic focus, augmentation, and psionics/magic transparency.
sijigs 08-16-07, 03:56 AM	As for suggested builds/powers.. I'd recommend spending a bit of time on the threads, my psionic brother. You'll find some cool ideas whether you wanna be a blaster or an action junkie or somewhere in the middle. Happy psionicising.. psionicking... psioning... whatever :D
AdventChild 08-16-07, 04:11 AM	3.5 Psion Build Guide and Compendium (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=624041)
munin 08-16-07, 11:04 AM	crystal shard is my favorite combat power. energy ray is a stronger power, but I like CS's "no worries". It's often even better than disintegrate once that becomes available. Pick up Split Psionic Ray around 5th or 6th level. entangling ectoplasm is a great power which will serve you well for a long time. You could almost make a career on this power alone (but don't). matter agitation is good for power point conservation. I houserule that the damage is fire damage (it doesn't actually specify it). I would wait to take astral construct until at least 2nd level (but it will be great for fighting undead). At 1st level, you'll find many more uses for psionic minor creation. You'll probably be hitting some incorporeal undead too. The 2nd-level concussion blast is an obvious choice, but if you're willing to spend a feat on it, Transdimensional Power will get better results (useful against ethereal creatures too). Depends on how many incorporeal creatures you start running up against.
Lycanthromancer 08-16-07, 11:31 AM	Wait for the blasty powers (ie, 1d6 damage for 1 pp, except for matter agitation) until at least 2nd or 3rd level. Spending 1 pp on 1d6 damage isn't nearly as good as shooting your crossbow for 1d8 damage and 0 pp. If you have Psionic Shot or Overchannel, however, you can use that to your advantage (though Overchannel can quickly get you killed). On this vein, I made a psionic character for an undead/dragon-centric game, though I started at level 10 (which made things much easier). I focused on my psicrystal in the THE BIG GUY IS WITH ME tangent, using Improved Psicrystal and the Channel Power ability to use my psicrystal to fight. A 10-year-old human egoist, hiding in the Heward's Handy Haversack of an ally, using metamorphosis to turn his psicrystal bodyguard into a construct-fighting-machine-o-doom. Note that constructs are immune to the vast majority of abilities that undead can dish out. If you can make a warforged, Expanded Knowledge (metamorphosis), or being an egoist, can save your bacon. Hoorah for construct immunities, self-buffing, and buffing your psicrystal. I also took concussion blast (not generally a great pick, but excellent against incorporeals), and swarm of crystals, which is likewise a sub-par choice, but for channeling it through the psicrystal which will be metamorphosis'd and in melee-range of the dragons and corporeal undead I expect to encounter. At level 1, it's going to be a bit more difficult, but with the right choices (and some unorthodox tactics), you can do some surprising things.
InkBlot 08-16-07, 12:02 PM	Happy psionicising.. psionicking... psioning... Psyking, as in psyker.
Lycanthromancer 08-16-07, 12:08 PM	Psyking, as in psyker. It's like hiking, but you do it with your mind.
Lyinginbedmon 08-16-07, 05:22 PM	It's also a real uphill struggle
sijigs 08-16-07, 05:33 PM	Psyking, as in psyker. Did you mean: parking? (That's what Almighty Google said - not so almighty just then)
carnivore 08-16-07, 05:58 PM	you can do a lot of things: (all use 32 point buy) example: Human Telepath 1 8 Str 8 Dex 12 Con 18 Int 14 Wis 14 Cha Psion 1......Power points = (2+ 2 bonus)= 4 PP New Powers Known: Entangling Ectoplasm Telempathic Projection Channel the Psychic Dragon(Dragon magic) Channel the Psychic Dragon .. Psion 1/ PW 1 Swift action to manifest 1 min/ML duration 1PP = +5 Competence to Diplomacy Checks, Cold Resistance 5 3PP = +5 Competence to Climb Checks, Electricity Resistance 10 5PP = +5 Competence to Balance & Escape Artist Checks, Immune to Magic Missiles, +5 Saves vs Spl/Powers with Force Descriptor 7PP = +5 Competence to Bluff & Sense Motive Checks, Sonic Resistance 20 9PP = +10 Competence to Intimidate & Swim Checks, Cold Resistance 30 Feats: Psycrystal Affinity(Friendly: +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks) Undead Empathy(Diplomacy affects Undead, +4 to diplomacy checks vs Intelligent undead also) Nymphs Kiss(Exalted)... gives: 1. +2 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks. 2. +1 bonus on saving throws against spells & spell-like abilities. 3. +1 skill point per level, starting at this level. 32 skill points( 1 Human + 1 Nymphs Kiss + 2 Psion + 4 Int= 8x 4 = 32) Skills: 4 ranks Concentration 4 ranks Knowledge (Psionics) 4 ranks Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 1 rank Knowledge (Arcana) 1 rank Knowledge (Nature) 1 rank Knowledge (Religion) 1 rank Knowledge (The planes) 4 ranks Psicraft 4 ranks Bluff 4 ranks Diplomacy 4 ranks Sense Motive Equipment= Ave 75 GP 10gp....5x daggers 35gp...light crossbow 2gp.....20 bolts 10gp ...leather armor misc equipment and supplies Tactics:At this level....his main tactic is Diplomacy Diplomacy Check= 4 ranks + 2 Cha +2 Nymphs kiss + 3 Psicrystal +5 Channel the Psychic Dragon = 16+1d20(20 +1d20 vs Intelligent Undead) .....followed by running away as fast as he can. He can help his party with Entangling ecto...then use missile fire(crossbow). Not very much to do but try to survive. Psion 2......Power points = (6 + 4 Bonus)= 10 PP New Powers Known: Control Flames Vigor Skills: 5 ranks Concentration 5 ranks Knowledge (Psionics) 5 ranks Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 1 rank Knowledge (Arcana) 1 rank Knowledge (Nature) 1 rank Knowledge (Religion) 1 rank Knowledge (The planes) 1 rank Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 5 ranks Psicraft 5 ranks Bluff 5 ranks Diplomacy 5 ranks Sense Motive Diplomacy Check= 5 ranks + 2 Cha +6 Skill synergy +2 Nymphs kiss + 3 Psicrystal +5 Channel the Psychic Dragon = 23+1d20(27 +1d20 vs Intelligent Undead) Equipment= Ave 900 GP as first level...but add the following: 200gp..2x War Ponies(trained)...one to be riden, one for carrying supplies...both are combat ready and can fight 150gp...6x Guard Dogs(trained).....trained for various things 100gp .10x Acid Flasks 200gp..10x Alchemists Fire 100gp...4x Holy Water Remainder for misc. items and supplies. Tactics:Now he can use his powers a little more....but his Skills have jumped, due to the Synergy bonuses for Diplomacy. His actions are mostly the same(Diplomacy focus)....but he is able to help a little more for combat(due mainly to his animals) and Thrown Weapons(Acid and Alchemist Fire). he also has great skills and is well on his way to having very useful Knowledge abilities. etc....... :D
AntiDjinn 08-16-07, 06:41 PM	Although psion is probably the best choice for a first psionic character (lots of options, yet relatively straightforward to build and play) do give a look at other psionic character options: Wilder: Normally gimped by its dearth of powers known, this is less of an issue in a game where you know that a large proportion of the encounters will be of a particular type. You have already noticed how good Astral Construct is vs. corporeal undead (they can go toe to toe with most undead because they are immune to their special attacks), how much better will it be when you can surge a few levels onto your constructs? At higher levels be aware of a major problem: Wild Surge has a relative diminishing return, but Psychic Enervation does not and when you are fighting creatures that can fly through walls and kill with a touch or the sound of their voices, dazing yourself will not be a good idea. Soulknife/Illumine Soul: The shortfalls of the Soulknife have been extensively discussed on this board, but if you survive long enough to get into the PrC you will plow though undead. Downside: When fighting anything other than undead you will be somewhere at or below the effectiveness of a Monk of similar levels. Ardent: Average combat progression and decent armor. Mantles: Life (heal the party and damage undead. Stygian Ward and Restoration will be needed), Force (Concussion Blast is on this list) and Time (good initiative is important when fighting foes with special at-will attacks, plus Time Hop is on the list). If your DM allows 3rd party sources, Hyperconscious has the Ghostbreaker PrC (a bit overpowered: Painless prereqs, great against undead, and full manifester progression so you loose nothing again non-undead) and Untapped Potential has the Marksman base class (the safest way to kill undead is to shoot them from very far away).
Braekor Dragonfang 08-17-07, 12:37 AM	wow! First of all thanks for all the replies! :D I got a lot of good ideas from all the suggestions and came up with this Gray Elf Psion (Shaper, Egoist or Kineticist) high Dex for ranged touches, and Int for obvious reasons, I just need to stay the heck out of melee! Feats (possibly subpar, but I like having hp and pp) 1st: Psionic Talent Flaw: Psionic Talent Flaw: Psionic Body Bonus: Psicrystal Affinity (my only thought here is to swap one of the talents for a feat I won't need right away, something like Psionic Meditation, Psicrystal Containment, or a Metapsionic feat) Powers: Matter Agitation Entangling Ectoplasm ? (between Vigor, Astral Construct, and Crystal Shard) It's far from perfect but with a good backstory and personality, it's shaping up to be an interesting character thanks again for the help :) :tiphat:
carnivore 08-17-07, 09:57 AM	each of those Psions(Egoist, Shaper, Kineticist) .... have very different looks at lower levels....like this: Egoist 1 Powers: Vigor Matter Agitation Entangling Ecto or Grease Shaper 1 Powers: Minor Creation Astral Construct Vigor Kineticist 1 Powers: Vigor Entangling Ecto Control Flames or Matter Agitation but the feats could be better ..... i didnt know you could use Flaws.... will get something later :D
katans 08-17-07, 11:28 AM	My favorite no-LA race for psions remains the elan. Psion have miserable hit points and usually low AC, so Elan Resilience and Elan Resistance racial ability make sure that you survive, even at high levels. If you run a undead-heavy campaign, focus on two things: buffing and elemental damage. The "save or die" powers often require Fortitude saves, making them useless against undead, and the various Crystal powers deals piercing damage, thus often not bypassing the undead's Damage Reduction. So my power selection for a first-level psion would include Skate (to hurry out of the way) and Entangling Ectoplasm (to block foes so the tank finishes them off). The third power depends from your specialization. Seer: Destiny Dissonance. This power is SICK, because it does not allow a save and nearly every creature can be sickened, including Undead. Eventually, replace Skate with Precognition, which is also a pretty nice and incredibly flexible thing at low levels. Shaper: Pick Minor Creation. Incredibly versatile. Astral Construct is bad at low levels because the construct doesn't live long enough, and bad at high levels because constructs are True Neutral summoned creatures, which means they are blocked by any Protection from XXX spell. Telepath: Mindlink is THE power you need to communicate with your team. Also, replace Skate with Psionic Charm. Others: Uninteresting 1st-level powers, pick something useful like Inertial Armor, Vigor, Force Screen or Synchronicity. Feat selection: Psicrystal Affinity is a must have for any psion. As if it wasn't good enough, it also opens the door to Psicrystal Containment you can take a bit later. If you have other feats to select, I suggest: - Psionic Body. You're likely to have a good amount of other psionic feats to boost that up, and it does add nicely to your low hit points. - Imprint Stone. Always nice to have a few of these. - Overchannel, but use it LATER. 1d8 damage can kill you at low levels. Talented is a must have. The ones you should NOT take: - Psionic talent. On the not so long run, it's a wasted feat. - Psionic Endowment. Just sucks. - Narrow Mind. Meh. Requires 13 WIS, which is definitely not always true for a psion. And on the long term (i.e. as soon as your concentration mod starts towering around +19) it's useless. Your CON and Concentration skill are alerady maxed anyway, aren't they? Get Skill Focus (Concentration) instead, if you really want.
Jaid 08-17-07, 12:40 PM	Astral Construct is bad at low levels because the construct doesn't live long enough, and bad at high levels because constructs are True Neutral summoned creatures, which means they are blocked by any Protection from XXX spell. except that they aren't... Astral constructs are not summoned; they are created on the plane you inhabit (using ectoplasm drawn from the Astral Plane). you are correct about them not being so awesome at level 1, but even that can be somewhat mitigated (for example, with overchannel and talented... which i personally think you are underestimating the value of at lower levels at least. pick up psychic reformation later to trade talented out for something else if you must, but at low levels (especially if you don't have any other expend-focus feats) it's a very solid option imo. the +1 ML from overchannel doesn't have to be only to increase how many points you can spend on a power either... you can also use it to (for example) increase the duration of your astral constructs at low levels, for example. honestly, level 1 is the level where you get the most out of overchannel imo. (it doubles your ML) the drawback being that you need talented if you're gonna use it on anything like a regular basis.
brothersutek 08-18-07, 09:33 PM	It's like hiking, but you do it with your mind. :heehee
Lycanthromancer 08-19-07, 06:03 PM	AKA, out of body experience.
Thomar_of_Uointer 08-21-07, 01:41 AM	Good points all around here. However, I would steer away from direct damage spells. You can get way more mileage out of energy wall, which acts as both a battlefield control spell for most monsters and predictable damage for mindless ones. Play to your party's strengths, helping them funnel enemies into easy killzones and laying out buffs and debuffs whenever possible. Also, you're going to want to invest in at least one no-PR power, as I expect you'll be fighting powerful undead (vampires) in this campaign.