Melee Psion: How to channel powers through melee attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Melee Psion: How to channel powers through melee attack? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dethro
03-13-07, 01:47 AM I'm building a Psion who, through liberal usage of Deep Impact, will be a fighter-type character. He has a pretty respectable AC, same amount of HP as the party's Cleric/Crusader/Ruby Knight Vindicator, and around the same attack as a bard or rogue of equivalent level.

I'm trying to trick everyone else into not knowing he's a psion as much as possible, by explaining it as special weapon training maneuvers (basically, when I cast a power, I swing my sword/whatever and say something like "five fisted monkey strike" or some such). I'm looking for a feat or magical enhancement that will allow me to channel a power through a melee weapon attack.

I know that there is the power storing ability, which allows you to store a power of up to 5pp in the weapon and deliver it via an attack, but seeing as we are 16th level, I'm looking for something that will allow me to use the sword as a conduit to channel a fully augmented power (such as energy ray amped full of pp for example).

Any ideas or pointers you fine crowd can help me out with?
Thomar_of_Uointer
03-13-07, 02:03 PM As per magic-psionics transparency, spell storing weapons can store powers too, and do not have the 5 pp cap. That seems cheap to me, but you can still deal 10d6 damage with a spell storing weapon so it's not that broken.

You can always go ahead and make up your own greater spell storing enhancement, I would imagine it would be +2 for any spell up to 6th level, and +3 for any spell up to 9th level. The psionic equivalents would go to 11 pp and 17 pp.
Bacris
03-14-07, 07:47 AM something like this?

Channeling Strike [Psionic]
You can channel lingering psychic energy into your attacks.
Requirements: Base attack +6, able to manifest 3rd level powers
Benefit: While under the effects of a personal range power you may expend your psionic focus as a swift action to channel the power into your attacks. For the next round, you gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to the level of the power plus 1 for every two power points that were spent to augment the power. The power immediately ends as though its duration had expired.
zuul88
03-14-07, 06:38 PM There is a Psicrystal Weapon Feat(basic psicrystal) on here. 7th lvl allows you to channel touch attack through your sword. But it is obviously crystal so I dont know how that would help your hiding psionic prowess.
Nathan
Dethro
03-14-07, 09:57 PM Yeah that be the problem. I'm looking to have him channel the power through the weapon so that if the attack hits the power goes off.
Lycanthromancer
03-14-07, 10:28 PM Then change the flavor. Get a deep crystal sword, change its appearance, then go for it. You could just call it a diamond-enhanced blade, or somesuch. Cover it in runes. Chant nonsensical syllables when you you manifest your powers. Take Metamorphosis and get a few psychic warrior powers.

Misdirection can be fun!
NoldorForce
03-15-07, 12:31 AM Complete Psionic has Empower Weapon, but all that does is to allow a psychic warrior (or a psion with Expanded Knowledge) to use a weapon as a cognizance crystal of sorts. It seems as if the power still has to be manifested in the normal manner. And power-storing weapons have a PP limit...

I'd go with either a greater power-storing variant, or an optional augment on Empower Weapon that allowed the power to be discharged when the weapon hit someone. Both are houserules, however; I can't think of anything official that would truly approximate this.
IceFractal
03-15-07, 01:24 AM Pretend to be a Monk? You don't really need anything that way, but for extra realism you could get Improved Unarmed Strike and/or a Monk's Belt.

Plus, a lot of powers that would be hard to explain as purely fighting techiques could be explained as ki abilities. Note: If not getting a Monk's Belt, you may want Glamered armor to have it look like simple clothes.
Clone547
03-18-07, 03:48 PM I have to check the rules, but i'm pretty sure that touch attacks can be resolved as normal melee attacks to add your unarmed damage to the powers damage. Take Improved Unarmed strike from PHB and Superior Unarmed Strike from Tomb Of Battle to get decent unarmed damage, or use a monks belt. Buy some glamored armor like IceFractal said. Now go pretend to be an enlightened or sacred fist. Remember that you can hide psionic power displays with a concentration check.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dethro 03-13-07, 01:47 AM	I'm building a Psion who, through liberal usage of Deep Impact, will be a fighter-type character. He has a pretty respectable AC, same amount of HP as the party's Cleric/Crusader/Ruby Knight Vindicator, and around the same attack as a bard or rogue of equivalent level. I'm trying to trick everyone else into not knowing he's a psion as much as possible, by explaining it as special weapon training maneuvers (basically, when I cast a power, I swing my sword/whatever and say something like "five fisted monkey strike" or some such). I'm looking for a feat or magical enhancement that will allow me to channel a power through a melee weapon attack. I know that there is the power storing ability, which allows you to store a power of up to 5pp in the weapon and deliver it via an attack, but seeing as we are 16th level, I'm looking for something that will allow me to use the sword as a conduit to channel a fully augmented power (such as energy ray amped full of pp for example). Any ideas or pointers you fine crowd can help me out with?
Thomar_of_Uointer 03-13-07, 02:03 PM	As per magic-psionics transparency, spell storing weapons can store powers too, and do not have the 5 pp cap. That seems cheap to me, but you can still deal 10d6 damage with a spell storing weapon so it's not that broken. You can always go ahead and make up your own greater spell storing enhancement, I would imagine it would be +2 for any spell up to 6th level, and +3 for any spell up to 9th level. The psionic equivalents would go to 11 pp and 17 pp.
Bacris 03-14-07, 07:47 AM	something like this? Channeling Strike [Psionic] You can channel lingering psychic energy into your attacks. Requirements: Base attack +6, able to manifest 3rd level powers Benefit: While under the effects of a personal range power you may expend your psionic focus as a swift action to channel the power into your attacks. For the next round, you gain a bonus on attack and damage rolls equal to the level of the power plus 1 for every two power points that were spent to augment the power. The power immediately ends as though its duration had expired.
zuul88 03-14-07, 06:38 PM	There is a Psicrystal Weapon Feat(basic psicrystal) on here. 7th lvl allows you to channel touch attack through your sword. But it is obviously crystal so I dont know how that would help your hiding psionic prowess. Nathan
Dethro 03-14-07, 09:57 PM	Yeah that be the problem. I'm looking to have him channel the power through the weapon so that if the attack hits the power goes off.
Lycanthromancer 03-14-07, 10:28 PM	Then change the flavor. Get a deep crystal sword, change its appearance, then go for it. You could just call it a diamond-enhanced blade, or somesuch. Cover it in runes. Chant nonsensical syllables when you you manifest your powers. Take Metamorphosis and get a few psychic warrior powers. Misdirection can be fun!
NoldorForce 03-15-07, 12:31 AM	Complete Psionic has Empower Weapon, but all that does is to allow a psychic warrior (or a psion with Expanded Knowledge) to use a weapon as a cognizance crystal of sorts. It seems as if the power still has to be manifested in the normal manner. And power-storing weapons have a PP limit... I'd go with either a greater power-storing variant, or an optional augment on Empower Weapon that allowed the power to be discharged when the weapon hit someone. Both are houserules, however; I can't think of anything official that would truly approximate this.
IceFractal 03-15-07, 01:24 AM	Pretend to be a Monk? You don't really need anything that way, but for extra realism you could get Improved Unarmed Strike and/or a Monk's Belt. Plus, a lot of powers that would be hard to explain as purely fighting techiques could be explained as ki abilities. Note: If not getting a Monk's Belt, you may want Glamered armor to have it look like simple clothes.
Clone547 03-18-07, 03:48 PM	I have to check the rules, but i'm pretty sure that touch attacks can be resolved as normal melee attacks to add your unarmed damage to the powers damage. Take Improved Unarmed strike from PHB and Superior Unarmed Strike from Tomb Of Battle to get decent unarmed damage, or use a monks belt. Buy some glamored armor like IceFractal said. Now go pretend to be an enlightened or sacred fist. Remember that you can hide psionic power displays with a concentration check.