Help with an Elan character for Scarred Lands [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with an Elan character for Scarred Lands [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
angellis_ater
06-29-07, 09:43 AM So - my DM has decided to start a new campaign and I have his permission to play a psionic elan character. Conceptually he will be a messiah for casting off the weakness of the "divine flesh" handed down by the Gods to the races and the strength of the inner mind - he will potentially have the ability to perform the ritual to create an elan on others himself.

Either way, the concept is solid, but I don't know what to make him. We start at 3rd level with atleast a 28 point build (could go higher if we only have 4-5 players). So, I need some help and suggestions.

My first idea was to make him an Egoist to kindof "show off" how the strength of his mind allows him to change his flesh in so many ways.

But now I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't be better to make him a Psychic Warrior (since the campaign will feature its fair deal of combat) or even an Ardent? Suggestions, ideas and even proposed "paths" would be nice!
Lycanthromancer
06-29-07, 04:11 PM I think you should probably be an ardent with mantles to suit. Perhaps the Life and Death mantles? Light and darkness? Some sort of duality would work best, I think.

If you became proficient at healing others, you could travel the lands, gaining converts and sycophants through healing the sick in ways that the clerics of the gods don't. Then go with Leadership or the thrallherd class, gaining believers and followers in an attempt to usher in a new golden age of enlightenment, in the pursuit of displacing and discrediting the gods, who've brought nothing but pain and suffering to the world at large.

As you said, a sort of meh'psiah.

[edit] Also, I should probably study the ardent a bit, as I've avoided CPsi to the best of my ability, and know the class primarily through talk here on the boards. Ardent is apparently an awesome class; I should probably suck it up and crack open CPsi. Now, where are my rubber gloves...?
The Livewire
06-29-07, 10:10 PM Go elan Erudite into thrall herd. Load up on Tjeupe (sp) crystals. Is he using the fatigue mess in R&R II? That was psionics 3.0. Thrallherd works for the messiah thing. I'd suggest raiding echoes of the past for ideas. Downside is it's all 3.0 as well
angellis_ater
07-12-07, 07:49 PM So everyone is generally suggesting Thrallherd for the preferred PrC atleast?

Now, the problem, for me, with an Erudite is that I don't think I'll see all that much psionics besides myself (atleast not from a first glance) so that kinda feels a little "lonely" and I don't think he'll allow the Expanded Classes options since it'll be his first time DMing a psi-player.

Now, playing as an Ardent doesn't sound like such a bad idea at all. I'd have an insane Will-save and be good at spotting stuff (from a high Wis) and I can use Practiced Manifester to shore up the downside of 2 lost manifester levels for additional powers. So, what (3) mantles would you guys suggest?
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
07-12-07, 08:00 PM "Casting off the weakness of the 'divine flesh' handed down by the gods" sounds like he's none too happy with the gods. You could throw in one level of ur priest and finish off with psychic theurge. 9th level divine spells and probably 9th level powers.

Sounds like in this case case ardent/ur priest/psychic theurge works conceptually. Nice WIS synergy.
angellis_ater
07-13-07, 03:53 AM Oh dear - Ur-Priest eh? The epitome of cheese made manifest in a game... I'll have to think about it...

I mean, it IS true that it fits particularly well and I'll have to look up all the details. Ur-Priest is in Complete Divine, right?
The Livewire
07-13-07, 07:35 AM "Casting off the weakness of the 'divine flesh' handed down by the gods" sounds like he's none too happy with the gods. You could throw in one level of ur priest and finish off with psychic theurge. 9th level divine spells and probably 9th level powers.

Sounds like in this case case ardent/ur priest/psychic theurge works conceptually. Nice WIS synergy.

I don't know if I'll be using closed content in my next campaign (running pathfinder) but I'm so stealing this idea for the BBED in Eberron.
Genetic
07-13-07, 11:19 AM Ur-priests have an exponential power curve if you build it properly. You start out very weak. You do get 9th level spells by level 14 however. But your caster level will be low. Of course there are things that can offset it; but ur-priest isn't that powerful of a class if you don't try and make it broken (unlike a druid, where it's very powerful by just existing).
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
07-13-07, 04:32 PM Ur-priests have an exponential power curve if you build it properly. You start out very weak. You do get 9th level spells by level 14 however. But your caster level will be low. Of course there are things that can offset it; but ur-priest isn't that powerful of a class if you don't try and make it broken (unlike a druid, where it's very powerful by just existing).

Which would be why you'd take only one level so you can qualify for psychic theurge. To help balance it: don't take practiced spellcaster. Don't take any divine feats. Go back to ardent for a while before finishing theurge, so you don't get early access to 9th level spells. I believe ur priest is in CDiv.

NOTE TO SELF: Stop checking Char Ops for their latest insane ideas (extra crispy chicken chucker). It's beginning to affect me.
CrimsonDeath
07-13-07, 05:17 PM You need two levels of Ur-Priest to get into Psychic Theurge.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi
07-13-07, 05:41 PM You need two levels of Ur-Priest to get into Psychic Theurge.

Oops. My mistake. Serves me right for not checking first.
DarkTouch
07-13-07, 06:37 PM My thought for what you said with the "Throwing off the Flesh" just seems like it would be perfect for the Psion Uncarnate as another option... though I like the Thrallherd as well. (There is part of me that has wanted to make an attempt at the Paladin/Wilder/Thrallherd route but haven't had a game for it). If you do psion though with Psion Uncarnate, I'd recommend Telepath or Kineticist for that psionics WOW factor.

Scarred Lands is a great setting for psionics. Do you know what the source for you being an Elan is? A mutated version of the Language Virus that completely re-writes you might be a good option.. or one of those old Slarecian relics out there.
angellis_ater
07-13-07, 07:01 PM The whole idea of "weak flesh of the Gods" is the fact that my character IS reborn as an Elan, flesh through the mind.

What I've gathered from the DM is that my creation was part of a major Slacerian plotline - one which implies that the Slacerians are not destroyed and are none too happy with what happened to "their world".

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
angellis_ater 06-29-07, 09:43 AM	So - my DM has decided to start a new campaign and I have his permission to play a psionic elan character. Conceptually he will be a messiah for casting off the weakness of the "divine flesh" handed down by the Gods to the races and the strength of the inner mind - he will potentially have the ability to perform the ritual to create an elan on others himself. Either way, the concept is solid, but I don't know what to make him. We start at 3rd level with atleast a 28 point build (could go higher if we only have 4-5 players). So, I need some help and suggestions. My first idea was to make him an Egoist to kindof "show off" how the strength of his mind allows him to change his flesh in so many ways. But now I'm starting to wonder if it wouldn't be better to make him a Psychic Warrior (since the campaign will feature its fair deal of combat) or even an Ardent? Suggestions, ideas and even proposed "paths" would be nice!
Lycanthromancer 06-29-07, 04:11 PM	I think you should probably be an ardent with mantles to suit. Perhaps the Life and Death mantles? Light and darkness? Some sort of duality would work best, I think. If you became proficient at healing others, you could travel the lands, gaining converts and sycophants through healing the sick in ways that the clerics of the gods don't. Then go with Leadership or the thrallherd class, gaining believers and followers in an attempt to usher in a new golden age of enlightenment, in the pursuit of displacing and discrediting the gods, who've brought nothing but pain and suffering to the world at large. As you said, a sort of meh'psiah. [edit] Also, I should probably study the ardent a bit, as I've avoided CPsi to the best of my ability, and know the class primarily through talk here on the boards. Ardent is apparently an awesome class; I should probably suck it up and crack open CPsi. Now, where are my rubber gloves...?
The Livewire 06-29-07, 10:10 PM	Go elan Erudite into thrall herd. Load up on Tjeupe (sp) crystals. Is he using the fatigue mess in R&R II? That was psionics 3.0. Thrallherd works for the messiah thing. I'd suggest raiding echoes of the past for ideas. Downside is it's all 3.0 as well
angellis_ater 07-12-07, 07:49 PM	So everyone is generally suggesting Thrallherd for the preferred PrC atleast? Now, the problem, for me, with an Erudite is that I don't think I'll see all that much psionics besides myself (atleast not from a first glance) so that kinda feels a little "lonely" and I don't think he'll allow the Expanded Classes options since it'll be his first time DMing a psi-player. Now, playing as an Ardent doesn't sound like such a bad idea at all. I'd have an insane Will-save and be good at spotting stuff (from a high Wis) and I can use Practiced Manifester to shore up the downside of 2 lost manifester levels for additional powers. So, what (3) mantles would you guys suggest?
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 07-12-07, 08:00 PM	"Casting off the weakness of the 'divine flesh' handed down by the gods" sounds like he's none too happy with the gods. You could throw in one level of ur priest and finish off with psychic theurge. 9th level divine spells and probably 9th level powers. Sounds like in this case case ardent/ur priest/psychic theurge works conceptually. Nice WIS synergy.
angellis_ater 07-13-07, 03:53 AM	Oh dear - Ur-Priest eh? The epitome of cheese made manifest in a game... I'll have to think about it... I mean, it IS true that it fits particularly well and I'll have to look up all the details. Ur-Priest is in Complete Divine, right?
The Livewire 07-13-07, 07:35 AM	"Casting off the weakness of the 'divine flesh' handed down by the gods" sounds like he's none too happy with the gods. You could throw in one level of ur priest and finish off with psychic theurge. 9th level divine spells and probably 9th level powers. Sounds like in this case case ardent/ur priest/psychic theurge works conceptually. Nice WIS synergy. I don't know if I'll be using closed content in my next campaign (running pathfinder) but I'm so stealing this idea for the BBED in Eberron.
Genetic 07-13-07, 11:19 AM	Ur-priests have an exponential power curve if you build it properly. You start out very weak. You do get 9th level spells by level 14 however. But your caster level will be low. Of course there are things that can offset it; but ur-priest isn't that powerful of a class if you don't try and make it broken (unlike a druid, where it's very powerful by just existing).
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 07-13-07, 04:32 PM	Ur-priests have an exponential power curve if you build it properly. You start out very weak. You do get 9th level spells by level 14 however. But your caster level will be low. Of course there are things that can offset it; but ur-priest isn't that powerful of a class if you don't try and make it broken (unlike a druid, where it's very powerful by just existing). Which would be why you'd take only one level so you can qualify for psychic theurge. To help balance it: don't take practiced spellcaster. Don't take any divine feats. Go back to ardent for a while before finishing theurge, so you don't get early access to 9th level spells. I believe ur priest is in CDiv. NOTE TO SELF: Stop checking Char Ops for their latest insane ideas (extra crispy chicken chucker). It's beginning to affect me.
CrimsonDeath 07-13-07, 05:17 PM	You need two levels of Ur-Priest to get into Psychic Theurge.
Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi 07-13-07, 05:41 PM	You need two levels of Ur-Priest to get into Psychic Theurge. Oops. My mistake. Serves me right for not checking first.
DarkTouch 07-13-07, 06:37 PM	My thought for what you said with the "Throwing off the Flesh" just seems like it would be perfect for the Psion Uncarnate as another option... though I like the Thrallherd as well. (There is part of me that has wanted to make an attempt at the Paladin/Wilder/Thrallherd route but haven't had a game for it). If you do psion though with Psion Uncarnate, I'd recommend Telepath or Kineticist for that psionics WOW factor. Scarred Lands is a great setting for psionics. Do you know what the source for you being an Elan is? A mutated version of the Language Virus that completely re-writes you might be a good option.. or one of those old Slarecian relics out there.
angellis_ater 07-13-07, 07:01 PM	The whole idea of "weak flesh of the Gods" is the fact that my character IS reborn as an Elan, flesh through the mind. What I've gathered from the DM is that my creation was part of a major Slacerian plotline - one which implies that the Slacerians are not destroyed and are none too happy with what happened to "their world".