Looking for Nova Builds [Archive] - Wizards Community

Looking for Nova Builds [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Malcaor
07-13-07, 12:39 PM My group is starting a new campaign. I've burnt myself out DMing so we are having a different person DM and I am gonna make a character.

Since I bought the XPH, we decided to make a psionic party. Now I am the only one that undertsands the book currently I wanted to make a character that can show off what a Psion can do.

Can anyone link me to a good nova build? We are starting at level 2, so I am gonna build my character up to what I need starting there.
Jaid
07-13-07, 01:14 PM why on earth do you want a nova build? a build that is explicitly designed to burn out as fast as possible is not a good build for a player... that's the kind of thing you design emergency items around, not a character.
InkBlot
07-13-07, 01:14 PM Novas are not good for showing off what a psion can do. All you'll do is make your friends mad, and make them think psions are overpowered.

Lend your XPH to the DM. If the DM doesn't understand psionics, then he or she shouldn't be letting anybody in the game use them.
Malcaor
07-13-07, 01:23 PM Ok no nova then? Could someone link a good build for just a normal psion or wilder?

Basically I am going to teach the new DM (he has DM'd in the past) how to use psionics before we play, so he will have a good undertsanding of it before we start playing.
InkBlot
07-13-07, 02:07 PM The Wilder Build Guide (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=487972) was in the Master Index (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=289046) stickied at the top of the forum.

The Psion Build Guide (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=624041) was on page 2.
Tsuul
07-13-07, 03:36 PM Why do I have the feeling that Malcaor is going to be adding to the undead anti-psionics army.

Bad Malcaor, bad!
:P
InkBlot
07-13-07, 04:00 PM Hey. Don't just say stuff like that about people.

Malcaor said he was going to help teach his DM before playing. That shows a lot of maturity. He could have just been a munchkin, not shown his DM the rules, and gotten away with a lot of cheating that would make psionics look bad. Take him at his word. This is the internet, so that's about all you can do.

Malcaor, if you need help explaining psionics to your DM, you could have him take a look at the New DM's and Player's Guide To Psionics. (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=486266) It sounds like you yourself are new to psionics, so you should probably give that thread a read too.

And remember the two golden rules of psionics:
1. You cannot spend more power points than your manifester level.
2. You can only expend focus for one feat at a time.
Malcaor
07-13-07, 04:28 PM I'm not worried about the psionics lookign overpowered. We're all using pisonic classes (Kinetecist, Telelpath, Psychic Warrior, Soulknife) so they're won't be a party imbalance if we mess stuff up, at least not a large one.

The other members in my group don't undertsand the rules well enough to make over powered characters, and I'm just too mature for that anyway.

Before allowing any of the classes I made several test characters myself. The only thing I've decided to ban was the Thri-kreen (level one rnager took out a CR3 no problem after about 6 fights of CR 1 1/4, absolutely overpowered). Elans are on notice, just as long as no one abuses them they should be fine.
InkBlot
07-13-07, 04:37 PM A 1st level thri-kreen ranger is a 5th level character. He should be able to take out CR3 monsters with no problem.

Thrikreen have two racial hit dice and a level adjustment of +2.
Tsuul
07-13-07, 04:50 PM My post was more tongue in cheek then anything. Probably a different smiley would help.
Malcaor
07-13-07, 09:15 PM A 1st level thri-kreen ranger is a 5th level character. He should be able to take out CR3 monsters with no problem.

Thrikreen have two racial hit dice and a level adjustment of +2.

The character was soloing. So a single fifth level character should eb fighting CR 1 1/4 fights. I may be wrong though, if I am I may need to rethink that ban.
InkBlot
07-13-07, 11:42 PM A CR5 monster is supposed to require an average party of four to expend 1/4 of their resources to defeat. Logically, a 1/4 of the members in that party (one 5th level adventurer) should be able to defeat the CR5 monster using all of his resources. A CR3 monster would be even easier.

In my experiance, this holds up most of the time. Some monsters are a bit strong for their CR. Others are weak for their CR. Some use tactics that are more effective against a single PC than against a whole party. Others use tactics that are more effective against a whole party than against a single PC.

I'm not saying you should allow the thri-kreen in your game. I honestly don't have any experiance using thri-kreen, from either side of the DM's screen. I just think that a better test would be to run a party of four 1st level thri-kreens against some 5th level encounters.
Minmaximus
07-14-07, 09:46 AM I'm not worried about the psionics lookign overpowered. We're all using pisonic classes (Kinetecist, Telelpath, Psychic Warrior, Soulknife) so they're won't be a party imbalance if we mess stuff up, at least not a large one.

With a kineticist AND a telepath already being played, you should thank them all for leaving you the very best one, and play a shaper. That would shear up the combat hole that soulknife leaves, do something different than the other psions, and make you look cooler than the other psions too.
Malcaor
07-14-07, 10:34 AM Actually I am being the telepath, and I intend to become a Thrallherd at 6th level. I wrote up the character sheet last night and he has +16 to diplomacy!

for starting at secodn level i won't be very effectiv rigth away. I have mind thrust and bolt (with a light crossbow) so I can have a bit of combat ability in the beginning. After that my better powers will become available.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Malcaor 07-13-07, 12:39 PM	My group is starting a new campaign. I've burnt myself out DMing so we are having a different person DM and I am gonna make a character. Since I bought the XPH, we decided to make a psionic party. Now I am the only one that undertsands the book currently I wanted to make a character that can show off what a Psion can do. Can anyone link me to a good nova build? We are starting at level 2, so I am gonna build my character up to what I need starting there.
Jaid 07-13-07, 01:14 PM	why on earth do you want a nova build? a build that is explicitly designed to burn out as fast as possible is not a good build for a player... that's the kind of thing you design emergency items around, not a character.
InkBlot 07-13-07, 01:14 PM	Novas are not good for showing off what a psion can do. All you'll do is make your friends mad, and make them think psions are overpowered. Lend your XPH to the DM. If the DM doesn't understand psionics, then he or she shouldn't be letting anybody in the game use them.
Malcaor 07-13-07, 01:23 PM	Ok no nova then? Could someone link a good build for just a normal psion or wilder? Basically I am going to teach the new DM (he has DM'd in the past) how to use psionics before we play, so he will have a good undertsanding of it before we start playing.
InkBlot 07-13-07, 02:07 PM	The Wilder Build Guide (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=487972) was in the Master Index (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=289046) stickied at the top of the forum. The Psion Build Guide (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=624041) was on page 2.
Tsuul 07-13-07, 03:36 PM	Why do I have the feeling that Malcaor is going to be adding to the undead anti-psionics army. Bad Malcaor, bad! :P
InkBlot 07-13-07, 04:00 PM	Hey. Don't just say stuff like that about people. Malcaor said he was going to help teach his DM before playing. That shows a lot of maturity. He could have just been a munchkin, not shown his DM the rules, and gotten away with a lot of cheating that would make psionics look bad. Take him at his word. This is the internet, so that's about all you can do. Malcaor, if you need help explaining psionics to your DM, you could have him take a look at the New DM's and Player's Guide To Psionics. (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=486266) It sounds like you yourself are new to psionics, so you should probably give that thread a read too. And remember the two golden rules of psionics: 1. You cannot spend more power points than your manifester level. 2. You can only expend focus for one feat at a time.
Malcaor 07-13-07, 04:28 PM	I'm not worried about the psionics lookign overpowered. We're all using pisonic classes (Kinetecist, Telelpath, Psychic Warrior, Soulknife) so they're won't be a party imbalance if we mess stuff up, at least not a large one. The other members in my group don't undertsand the rules well enough to make over powered characters, and I'm just too mature for that anyway. Before allowing any of the classes I made several test characters myself. The only thing I've decided to ban was the Thri-kreen (level one rnager took out a CR3 no problem after about 6 fights of CR 1 1/4, absolutely overpowered). Elans are on notice, just as long as no one abuses them they should be fine.
InkBlot 07-13-07, 04:37 PM	A 1st level thri-kreen ranger is a 5th level character. He should be able to take out CR3 monsters with no problem. Thrikreen have two racial hit dice and a level adjustment of +2.
Tsuul 07-13-07, 04:50 PM	My post was more tongue in cheek then anything. Probably a different smiley would help.
Malcaor 07-13-07, 09:15 PM	A 1st level thri-kreen ranger is a 5th level character. He should be able to take out CR3 monsters with no problem. Thrikreen have two racial hit dice and a level adjustment of +2. The character was soloing. So a single fifth level character should eb fighting CR 1 1/4 fights. I may be wrong though, if I am I may need to rethink that ban.
InkBlot 07-13-07, 11:42 PM	A CR5 monster is supposed to require an average party of four to expend 1/4 of their resources to defeat. Logically, a 1/4 of the members in that party (one 5th level adventurer) should be able to defeat the CR5 monster using all of his resources. A CR3 monster would be even easier. In my experiance, this holds up most of the time. Some monsters are a bit strong for their CR. Others are weak for their CR. Some use tactics that are more effective against a single PC than against a whole party. Others use tactics that are more effective against a whole party than against a single PC. I'm not saying you should allow the thri-kreen in your game. I honestly don't have any experiance using thri-kreen, from either side of the DM's screen. I just think that a better test would be to run a party of four 1st level thri-kreens against some 5th level encounters.
Minmaximus 07-14-07, 09:46 AM	I'm not worried about the psionics lookign overpowered. We're all using pisonic classes (Kinetecist, Telelpath, Psychic Warrior, Soulknife) so they're won't be a party imbalance if we mess stuff up, at least not a large one. With a kineticist AND a telepath already being played, you should thank them all for leaving you the very best one, and play a shaper. That would shear up the combat hole that soulknife leaves, do something different than the other psions, and make you look cooler than the other psions too.
Malcaor 07-14-07, 10:34 AM	Actually I am being the telepath, and I intend to become a Thrallherd at 6th level. I wrote up the character sheet last night and he has +16 to diplomacy! for starting at secodn level i won't be very effectiv rigth away. I have mind thrust and bolt (with a light crossbow) so I can have a bit of combat ability in the beginning. After that my better powers will become available.