Help with a stealth character. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with a stealth character. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
KingLeonidas
04-25-07, 04:04 PM Hi all,
I'd like to play a Psionic character for the first time but I am not able to find the right one...
I'm looking for a stealth character (something like the assassin, the shadowdancer or the rogue).
The level is gonna be 16.
Cheers Guys.
Dotac
04-25-07, 05:51 PM Play a whisper gnome... that is step one. Nothing else really matters beyond the whisper gnome.... well ok that's a little extreme.

+4 racial bonus, hide and move silent.
+2 dex and con, -2 cha & str
30 ft movement despite being small
LA 0

among other things...

being small combined with the +4 racial bonus means at 1st level, the average whisper gnome's hide check can be ranks 4 dex 4 racial 4 size 4 for a grand total of a plus 16 hide check... at first level.

Whisper Gnomes are in races of stone, btw

As far as stealth, soul knives are actually pretty good, as i think they get hide and move silently as class skills. And the d10 hd will help you to not die. the lurk from complete psionic is also a stealth based psionic character, but i haven't actually ever read the class, so i make no promises as to their not sucking.
CrimsonDeath
04-25-07, 06:03 PM Soulknife does, indeed, get Hide and Move Silently as class skills, although the class is widely considered to be underpowered. Soe does the Lurk, who also gets a lot of stealth-enhancing powers like Chameleon.
Celsun
04-25-07, 06:03 PM Try the Psychic Rogue from the Mind's Eye.

The Lurk from Complete Psionic is good as well, but it's a little light in skills. It's more of an assassin than a rogue.

You could also try a pink ninja build (rogue/psion/elocator/shadowdancer, for example). I like playing my character concept from level 1, but it's an option.
Nibbler
04-25-07, 06:26 PM You might like The Roglocator in my sig. If you don't use Tome of Battle, replace the 2 levels of warblade with 2 more levels of rogue.
Scion of Coldshard
04-26-07, 01:37 PM I am away from my books at the moment so I dont know what skills the ardent has but it might work out pretty well in this case.

The psychic rogue is a great class, but it gives very few pp. If you get your first level as a real rogue, and then some levels of ardent, and possibly a prestige class or something. You do not need every level as ardent, just pick up practiced manifester and grab levels every once in awhile in a class that gives you the other abilities you want.

With a good selection of mantles this could work out very well indeed ;)
SlanderPanic
04-26-07, 02:22 PM Some suggestions:

Human seer or ardent with Able Learner (All skills are class skills, Races of Destiny.) You'll have plenty of sneaky potential. The seer doesn't have to be as actively stealthy because he can see danger coming, but he's not as good in a stand-up fight, either. His high Intelligence will make up for the psion's low skill points. The ardent's got better armor, weapons, and BAB. He's more limited in his power selection, but that lets him focus better on specific aspects and he gets granted abilities that can further enhance his capability.

Xeph lurk (Complete Psionic) or psychic rogue (Mind's Eye (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b)), Focused Skill User (Complete Psionic.)

If you're looking for traditional roguey goodness, you could play a rogue from a psionic race, a rogue with Wild Talent, or a psychic rogue. If you're looking for a sneaky killer-type with a cause, I'd go with lurk. If you want that lurk to be more espionage-focused than death-focused, look at the Ebon Saint prestige class (also from Complete Psionic.)
Scion of Coldshard
04-26-07, 02:24 PM Human seer or ardent with Able Learner (All skills are class skills, Races of Destiny.)

I believe that able learner merely makes spending skill points on cross class skills cost 1 point for a full rank rather than 2 points for a full rank. The maximum rank limit is still there.

Of course taking 1 level of rogue will fix that problem.
SlanderPanic
04-26-07, 02:33 PM You're right, but he won't have that many skill points to spend anyway.

EDIT: Cheap plug, but I just realized how nicely my Mystic Musketeer prestige class (linked in my .sig) would suit a stealthy character, at least until the shooting started. Personally, I envisioned it as more of a battlefield control class, but I can certainly see a lurk/Musketeer slinking around and using control sound to muffle his shots. Now I'd really like to try that build out...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
KingLeonidas 04-25-07, 04:04 PM	Hi all, I'd like to play a Psionic character for the first time but I am not able to find the right one... I'm looking for a stealth character (something like the assassin, the shadowdancer or the rogue). The level is gonna be 16. Cheers Guys.
Dotac 04-25-07, 05:51 PM	Play a whisper gnome... that is step one. Nothing else really matters beyond the whisper gnome.... well ok that's a little extreme. +4 racial bonus, hide and move silent. +2 dex and con, -2 cha & str 30 ft movement despite being small LA 0 among other things... being small combined with the +4 racial bonus means at 1st level, the average whisper gnome's hide check can be ranks 4 dex 4 racial 4 size 4 for a grand total of a plus 16 hide check... at first level. Whisper Gnomes are in races of stone, btw As far as stealth, soul knives are actually pretty good, as i think they get hide and move silently as class skills. And the d10 hd will help you to not die. the lurk from complete psionic is also a stealth based psionic character, but i haven't actually ever read the class, so i make no promises as to their not sucking.
CrimsonDeath 04-25-07, 06:03 PM	Soulknife does, indeed, get Hide and Move Silently as class skills, although the class is widely considered to be underpowered. Soe does the Lurk, who also gets a lot of stealth-enhancing powers like Chameleon.
Celsun 04-25-07, 06:03 PM	Try the Psychic Rogue from the Mind's Eye. The Lurk from Complete Psionic is good as well, but it's a little light in skills. It's more of an assassin than a rogue. You could also try a pink ninja build (rogue/psion/elocator/shadowdancer, for example). I like playing my character concept from level 1, but it's an option.
Nibbler 04-25-07, 06:26 PM	You might like The Roglocator in my sig. If you don't use Tome of Battle, replace the 2 levels of warblade with 2 more levels of rogue.
Scion of Coldshard 04-26-07, 01:37 PM	I am away from my books at the moment so I dont know what skills the ardent has but it might work out pretty well in this case. The psychic rogue is a great class, but it gives very few pp. If you get your first level as a real rogue, and then some levels of ardent, and possibly a prestige class or something. You do not need every level as ardent, just pick up practiced manifester and grab levels every once in awhile in a class that gives you the other abilities you want. With a good selection of mantles this could work out very well indeed ;)
SlanderPanic 04-26-07, 02:22 PM	Some suggestions: Human seer or ardent with Able Learner (All skills are class skills, Races of Destiny.) You'll have plenty of sneaky potential. The seer doesn't have to be as actively stealthy because he can see danger coming, but he's not as good in a stand-up fight, either. His high Intelligence will make up for the psion's low skill points. The ardent's got better armor, weapons, and BAB. He's more limited in his power selection, but that lets him focus better on specific aspects and he gets granted abilities that can further enhance his capability. Xeph lurk (Complete Psionic) or psychic rogue (Mind's Eye (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b)), Focused Skill User (Complete Psionic.) If you're looking for traditional roguey goodness, you could play a rogue from a psionic race, a rogue with Wild Talent, or a psychic rogue. If you're looking for a sneaky killer-type with a cause, I'd go with lurk. If you want that lurk to be more espionage-focused than death-focused, look at the Ebon Saint prestige class (also from Complete Psionic.)
Scion of Coldshard 04-26-07, 02:24 PM	Human seer or ardent with Able Learner (All skills are class skills, Races of Destiny.) I believe that able learner merely makes spending skill points on cross class skills cost 1 point for a full rank rather than 2 points for a full rank. The maximum rank limit is still there. Of course taking 1 level of rogue will fix that problem.
SlanderPanic 04-26-07, 02:33 PM	You're right, but he won't have that many skill points to spend anyway. EDIT: Cheap plug, but I just realized how nicely my Mystic Musketeer prestige class (linked in my .sig) would suit a stealthy character, at least until the shooting started. Personally, I envisioned it as more of a battlefield control class, but I can certainly see a lurk/Musketeer slinking around and using control sound to muffle his shots. Now I'd really like to try that build out...