Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Emery1261 12-16-07, 12:27 AM	So this is my first time playing a manifesting class and I was wondering if I could get some help building my 7th level Psion [Kineticist]. Our group consists of a Half Shadow Dragon Gish, Infernal Pact Summoner (I think, this guy just summons demons and let's them do the work), Warforged Warblade. I'm looking for something along the lines of excellent damage output with decent battle field control and utility. A little back story on the campaign is that all WotC published material (including online, dragon mags, etc.) are allowed as well as a free +2 LA. The build is after Psychic Reformation. Phrenic Human Psion [Kineticist] 7 Str - 12 Dex - 16 (15 + 1 lvl) Con - 16 Int - 20 (18 + 2 Phrenic) Wis - 17 (15 + 2 Phrenic) Cha - 18 (14 + 4 Phrenic) HP: 45 Saves: 3/4/8 PP: 64 Feats: Psionic Body, Expanded Energy Knowledge*, Psicrystal Affinity (Nimble), EK [Metamorphosis], Metamorphic Transfer, Empower Power, Split Psionic Ray, Psionic Meditation (1 Human, 3 Level, 2 Bonus, 2 Flaw) Powers Known 1st - Vigor, Inertial Armor, Entangling Ectoplasm, Crystal Shard, Energy Ray 2nd - Swarm of Crystals, Energy Missile 3rd - Body Adjustment, Energy Wall 4th - Energy Ball, Inertial Barrier, Wall of Ectoplasm, Psychic Reformation, Metamorphosis, Dimension Door That's all I have so far. Any help with feat choices, better powers, and equipment would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read over this. *Note: Expanded Energy Knowledge is a homebrew feat that allows me to add acid energy as a subtype in the energy spells and is the precursor to one that allows me to get force.
hogarth 12-16-07, 11:34 AM	You have one too many level 4 powers, don't you? And too few level 2 and level 3 ones. I'd drop Inertial Barrier, personally. Also, I'd save Empower Power for level 9 (it's mostly useless before then). Body Adjustment isn't a very effective power for healing. What kind of healing does your party have? If Body Adjustment is really, really your only option you could always buy an dorje of it (created by a psychic warrior, ideally). Having both Energy Ray and Crystal Shard seems redundant, too.
InkBlot 12-16-07, 01:07 PM	You can't use Expanded Knowledge to get metamoprhosis until you're 9th level. Expanded Knowledge gives you a power one level lower than your highest level existing power. Since your highest level powers were 3rd level when you got your last feat (6th level), you could only use Expanded Knowledge to grab a 2nd level power. Share pain, in combination with vigor and a psicrystal, is a better way to save hit points than body adjustment. The way it works is, you share vigor with your psicrystal, and then manifest share pain between yourself and your psicrystal. To "heal" other party members, there's a couple permutations of this trick. In one, you take the above combo and add another share pain between yourself and your comrade. In the other, you manifest vigor on your psicrystal, manifest share pain between your psicrystal and your comrade, then let your comrade carry around the psicrystal like a little HP battery. Note that psi-like abilities and powers don't mix. You can't use your power points to manifest your psi-like abilities. The manifester level of your powers and your psi-likes don't stack or mix or anything. Having a psi-like ability doesn't mean you automatically know the equivilant power. I just wanted to clear up some common misconceptions. I think having both energy ray and crystal shard is a good idea, for a blaster. But if you want battlefield control and utility, then you're going to have to give up some of your blasting powers. Since you already have energy missle, I'd say give up energy ray and replace it with psionic grease. Psionic grease is an amazing battlefield control power.
Emery1261 12-16-07, 06:13 PM	You both raise very good points. As I have said I'm completely new to psionics so I was unsure of how things worked. I though after psychic reformation you could rebuild as a 7th level character but I guess you just rebuild from teh ground up? So how many spells should I have per level and is going kineticist really worth while? Or should I go something else. I know very little about the group so I'm having a hard time figuring out where to fit in. As for healing they have a DM PC that just carries around wands of CLW and such. I was just hoping to be able to not worry about that and grabbed body adjustment.
RobbyPants 12-17-07, 09:08 AM	I also agree that having both Energy Ray and Crystal Shard are a good idea. 90% of the time, you'll want ER for simple single-target blasting. It gives you more damage on average is you're using fire or cold, and you have more options in terms of what you want it to specifically do. I feel that people overlook CS too much sometimes in that it completely ignores Power Resistance, which is very valuable those times you want it.
Emery1261 12-17-07, 11:49 PM	So Energy Ray and Crystal Shard are both worth having? OK I've gotten a little more information pertaining to the group. We have a warblade that is just focusing in tanking and diverting attention from a pc Half Shadow Dragon Gish, who focuses mainly and just blasting everything with his breathe weapon, and a dm pc Were-Cat Artificer that is used as a heal bot when need be and is a fairly hard hitter at other times. This is rounded out by a Summoning Sorcerer that summons level appropriate demons and monsters to do his dirty work and little else. This is the group I'm trying to fit into. The campaign is mostly hack and slash so I'm trying to fit a niche where I do as much damage as possible while still contributing to the group in other ways. I was wondering if Split Psionic Ray can be used to hit the same target twice? If so would it be better for me to go Psion [Egoist] and pick up metamorphosis and metamorphic transfer and still focus the rest of my spells on high damage and utility? For that matter what are the best low level spells to have for utility? Also I'm still unsure as to how many spells of each level I'd have at 7th level can someone help clear this up for me?
RobbyPants 12-18-07, 02:49 PM	So Energy Ray and Crystal Shard are both worth having? If you're having trouble narrowing down your list of powers, Crystal Shard can wait for a while. 90% of the time or more, it will be redundant. However, that 10% or so when you need it, you really need it. Crystal Shard is great for both piercing energy resistances and immunities, as well as spell resistance (the big benifit). Even with Energy Ray, you can often get by energy resistances by using sonic unless you're fighting slaad. It's the spell resistance that will thwart you unless you have crystal shard.
InkBlot 12-18-07, 03:45 PM	So Energy Ray and Crystal Shard are both worth having? Yes, BUT energy ray and energy missile are not both worth having. Crystal shard and crystal swarm are not both worth having. If I were you, I'd drop energy ray and crystal swarm. Energy missile can be a single-target effect, just like energy ray, but has more options. Energy missile still does some damage even when the dice are against you, it can target multiple creatures when you need it to, and it has four times the range. The only thing crystal swarm has going for it is that it's nigh-unpossible to avoid. Crystal swarm ignores all defenses (unless you follow CPsi), but do you really want to be within 15 feet of a monster that can only be damaged by crystal swarm? There's no lack of useful 1st and 2nd level powers you could replace energy ray and crystal swarm with; psionic grease, know location and direction, call to mind, attraction, disable, biofeedback, concealing amorpha, ego whip, inflict pain, psionic knock, share pain, psionic tongues, et cetera. Don't forget that you have psychic reformation. You don't need to figure out exactly what powers to take right now. You can try out your power list in actual play, and reform it later if things aren't working out like you'd hoped. I was wondering if Split Psionic Ray can be used to hit the same target twice? Split Psionic Ray does not allow for targeting the same creature twice, no matter how big the creature is. It's an oddity that's their for balance. 2 power points is too cheap for double damage. Also I'm still unsure as to how many spells of each level I'd have at 7th level can someone help clear this up for me? A 7th level Psion knows 15 powers: 5 first level powers 4 second level powers 4 third level powers 2 fourth level powers You can always choose to learn lower level powers, so you could have 15 first level powers if you wanted.
Lycanthromancer 12-18-07, 05:34 PM	Swarm of crystals can be useful under the right circumstances, but most of them involve having a character whose main purpose is being a gish, especially a niche-psion or wilder whose entire build is based upon close-range combat. Taking a lot of instances of Improved Psicrystal and using your crystal as your buff-n-stuff meatshield, for example. Since psionic direct-damage powers are so versatile, unlike arcane or divine, it's generally best to only have a small handful of DD powers, mostly to handle different situations wherein having only one power would do little good. If you fight incorporeal undead on a frequent basis, for instance, it's best to have access to concussion blast. If you are going to be fighting them only in a small portion of the campaign (and if you KNOW you're going to be fighting them ahead of time), it's generally better to buy or make some power stones instead of having them as powers known. If going kineticist, choose your powers wisely. Try going in for battlefield control, so that you can make it easier for your partymates to do their jobs. Control air and control body are great for this, as is telekinetic maneuver. This is in addition to entangling ectoplasm, psionic grease, wall of energy, etc. I guarantee that you'll make your friends love you if you wrap up their enemies in a nice little Christmas package for them (replete with bow).
InkBlot 12-18-07, 06:16 PM	Try going in for battlefield control, so that you can make it easier for your partymates to do their jobs. Control air and control body are great for this, as is telekinetic maneuver. This is true, but to clarify for Emery... Control air can be great, but only in combination with solicit psicrystal. You have to manifest it twice, letting your psicrystal concentrate on one of the manifestations, in order to get any decent windspeeds. See page 95 of the Dungeon Master's Guide for the effects of various wind speeds. Also note that, although control air says "Saving Throw: None," high winds generated with control air do allow saves. The power's save entry only means that the air doesn't get a saving throw against being sped up. It's like disintegrating the ground out from beneath a person's feet. Edit: On power-point-efficient battlefield control: Psionic grease forces every creature in it's area to make make balance checks. Creatures are flatfooted when they're balancing, unless they have 5 ranks in the balance skill. Note that a flat-footed character, in addition to losing his/her dexterity to armor class, can't make attacks of opportunity. Psionic grease is also great for making creatures drop their weapons. They'll have to waste a move action and provoke attacks of opportunity if they want to pick it up again, or waste a move action to draw another weapon. Make sure to ask your DM what your enemy is carrying and wearing. A hobgoblin wearing spiked armor and gauntlets is still armed after you take his greatsword away. Entangling ectoplasm and psionic grease may sound like they wouldn't work together. In truth, they work wonders together. Just make sure you entangle your foe first. Besides avoiding the "grease keeping the goo off" argument, entangling a creature reduces it's Dex by 4, and slows it to half-speed. This makes it much easier to effect with grease, and prevents it from running out of range. Note that grease also slows movement by half, so an entangled person on a greasy floor is moving at 1/4 speed. Entangling ectoplasm + grease = screwed. All for 2 power points.
Favored Enemy 12-18-07, 06:57 PM	I'm with Inkblot. Nix Energy Ray and Crystal Swarm. Take Crystal Shard and Energy Missile. Those powers are really all you need for Direct Damage no matter what level you are (perhaps Energy Ball for novas.) The only things you'll need to worry about are Lesser Globe of Invulnerability and Redopsi.
Emery1261 12-18-07, 08:38 PM	But what am I to do about staying alive? As I've said earlier would it be better to switch to Psion [Egoist] so that I can pick up Metamorphosis to give a few better options (IE: Pixie, Cloaker, etc.). Or would it be cheaper feat wise just to EK metamorphosis and forget about revify, fission/fusion, and greater metamorphosis to be able to pick up Energy Missile and Energy Ball? For that matter is grabbing Split Psionic Ray even worth it since you cannot target the same creature with both rays?
Lycanthromancer 12-19-07, 11:55 AM	The best option for a psion of any flavor is to simply stay out of range, or to build your psion like you would any noncaster, like, say, a rogue: Boost your AC with a mithral chain shirt (with no armor check penalty) and a darkwood shield (likewise) (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=14622434&postcount=10), as well as a high Dex. Boost your saves and defense with defensive precognition, as well as a save-boosting psicrystal, use vigor and cher pain (http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/Lycanthromancer/CherPain.jpg) to boost your hp, and so on. What do you want your primary party role to be? We can help you attain that regardless of your chosen discipline. That's what's so great about psionics; you can do virtually anything you want, and it's well within the rules. Seers make great tanks, for example. If you want to focus on ranged attacks, Split Psionic Ray is a good way to go. If you REALLY focus well, you'll be in great once you can get the energy conversion power. SPR and Chain Power, Psionic Shot and Greater Psionic Shot, as well as all the other nice ranged feats (such as Precise Shot) can boost your damage potential really, REALLY high. All you have to do is keep yourself out of melee range and you'll be fine. If you can't decide on a discipline to use, or your party role, either go with a mantled wilder (see Mind's Eye), or an erudite (from Complete Psionic). Either way, power stones are your friend. Oh, and don't forget about researching powers. Even if you don't have the power as one of your powers known, you can still use power stones, as well as your own power points to fuel the manifestation. It still wipes the stone, but you can manifest the power at your full manifester level, and can augment like normal. Nice for manifesting all the low-level discipline powers when you REALLY need them, and all for a rather low cost. [edit] And then there's going shaper. Boost your Cha and your Use Psionic Device check (through feats, etc), and you can use any power stone or dorje regardless of if it's on your powers list or not. :)
Emery1261 12-19-07, 06:41 PM	First off let me thank everyone who has contributed so far. Your advice and input has been helping me tremendously. The reason I'm having such a hard time is I'm usually a pretty straight forward kind of guy and mostly play melee. However this time I decided to branch out and try something new. As for my party role I primarily want to be a blaster as the only blasting the group seems to have so far is a breathe weapon ever 1d4 rounds. However, I would like to be able to survive on my own incase an enemy does get past our Warblade, Artificer, Gish, and Summoning Sorcerer. Seems unlikely but I'd like to be ready for it. So what I'm trying to accomplish is a main offensive blaster that can be self-sufficient when need be and can help out the team when need be. I think one of my problems is I don't realize how useful how the lowest level spells can be. I would of never thought of using entangling ectoplasm and grease together. So where do I go from here?
Lycanthromancer 12-19-07, 06:53 PM	Realize that blasting is generally sub-par, and that even though psions are better at it than other caster-types, it's still less than optimal. If you want a good low-level blaster, check out Magic of Incarnum. With a few feats, you can get a 1st level psion (human or azurin, with a flaw or two) that deals 3d6 acid damage per round, and a psicrystal that does the same. I know that you're not level 1, however, so I suggest trying to dual-wield two boosted dorjes, with the dorje feats from CPsi. This is actually one set of feats that's pretty darned cool, even though you have to burn a feat-slot on Two Weapon Fighting. Take a look at Overchannel + some of the other metapsionic feats. They're where it's at where blasting is concerned. You can blast really well as any sort of psion, using each discipline's specialty to augment your blasting powers in different ways. We could detail each discipline's strengths, if you like, though I don't have much time at the moment and you'll have to wait until...um...day after tomorrow. Sorry. :)
Emery1261 12-19-07, 08:52 PM	I really appreciate the help Lycanthromancer. I have no problem waiting as it'll give me time to work on the build myself some more and go over the powers in more detail. On a side note I spoke with the DM more and psionics in his campaign are ran a little differently. The rules are as follows: Psionics are the same as magic, by which I mean they are a third type to go along with arcane and divine, so there are no Psicraft or Use Psionic Device just Spellcraft and UMD. Even though Psicraft and UPD have been replaced with Spellcraft and UMD the skills still work with psioncs. Not only do these skills work with psionics but so do all metamagic feats as well as any class that advances caster levels that do not specifically state the advancement of either arcane or divine caster levels. Basically he's cut down the hassle of how magic and psionics interact. Maybe this opens more options?
InkBlot 12-20-07, 01:12 AM	How exactly do metapsionic and metamagic feats cross over? Can you avoid having to expend psionic focus by picking up metamagic feats instead of metapsionic feats? What about metamagic feats that don't have a psionic equivilant, or can't be made into a psionic equivilant? The one big difference, is that certain sub-par powers become useful with Heighten Spell. Specifically, powers that would be great if only they had an augmentable DC. It also makes a Cerebremancer more viable. But a Cerebremancer is a whole 'nother beast.
Emery1261 12-20-07, 01:58 AM	Well, to be honest I never though about asking if they required you to expend psionic focus. i always assumed they did require that but you've got me interested in the fact that they may not. From what the DM said applying metamagic feats to powers cast as many PP as a power the same level as the level metamagic bumps a spell up.
InkBlot 12-20-07, 02:14 AM	Sculpt Spell requires a spell slot one level higher. So if it was used on a power, it would require 2 extra power points. Is that correct? If you don't have to expend focus for metamagic feats, then forget energy whatever. Just take swarm of crystals and Sculpt Spell. I'm drooling right now. edit: The general trend when converting a meta feat from magic to psionic, is to give the psi version a meta cost of 2pp per spell-slot-increase. Then you add in the psionic focus requirement. If the meta cost is more than 2pp, then you reduce it by 2pp. If the meta cost is just 2pp, then you think long and hard about whether it would be fair to let the psion have the effect for nothing but the cost of focus and the feat slot. There are metapsionic feats without a meta cost (e.g., Enlarge Power). Sculpt Power would revolutionize psionic blasting. I got excited before about using it with swarm of crystals, but after further examination it turns out a sculpted swarm of crystals would always deal about half the damage of an energy x power with the same cost. It's still great, and makes swarm of crystals worth having all the way to epic (half is better than none), but it's not the end-all-be-all. Sculpted energy bolt is wonderful as well. With Sculpt Power, energy bolt, swarm of crystals, and crystal shard, you'd have blasting absolutely covered.
Emery1261 12-20-07, 07:33 PM	Very interesting point. I'll need to bring it up with my DM to make sure how he wants to run things. I can't seem to find the same info you did could you list the book and page number or link to a post on the board if you can for where you got the "general trend" so I can pass it along to my DM?
InkBlot 12-20-07, 09:54 PM	Oh, it's not written so plainly in any book. It's just something that can be inferred by comparing metapsionic feats to their magical equivalents. Each increase in power level increases the power point cost by 2: 1st level powers cost 1pp, 2nd costs 3, 3rd costs 5, 4th costs 7, 5th costs 9, et cetera. So if applying a metamagic feat to a power caused it to cost as much as a power two levels higher, then it would cost an extra 4 power points. Empower Spell has a two level increase. Empower Power has a 2pp increase, and costs focus. Enlarge Spell has a one level increase. Enlarge Power has a no power point increase, but costs focus. Extend Spell has a one level increase. Extend Power has a 2pp increase, and costs focus. Heighten Spell has a one level increase per +1 save DC increase (essentially). Heighten Power doesn't exist, but the powers which have augmentable saves have a 2pp increase per +1 save DC increase. They don't cost focus, since no power costs focus. Maximize Spell has a three level increase. Maximize Power has a 4pp increase, and costs focus. Quicken Spell has a four level increase. Quicken Power has a 6pp increase, and costs focus. The other metapsi feats were written before their magical counterparts were printed in Complete Arcane. Which I really don't want to have to dig out and check right now.
Lycanthromancer 12-21-07, 02:53 PM	I'll detail up to 4th level powers, as that's what you'll need for right now. Egoist: Animal affinity can increase the DCs of powers (through Int), increase your ability to hit (with Str and Dex modifiers), increase your ability to survive direct strikes (Dex, Con, and Wis), and improve your skill checks (any). Chameleon improves your sniping ability. Ectoplasmic form improves your defensive capabilities greatly, as well as your ability to maneuver around the battlefield. Hustle increases your maneuverability, allows you to pull off new and interesting combos, and allows you to manifest more powers (as move actions, if you have powers that cost a move action to use). Metamorphosis...well, that helps with EVERYTHING. Psychic vampire sucks against psionic opponents (except for soulknives and those just using psionic feats without a power point reserve of their own), but is awesome against non-psionic opponents (esp. spellcasters). Kineticist: Control air has already been covered. Energy missile is useful for sundering (don't target the caster, target the scroll he's reading from). Control body is not only good for turning a target against its allies, but with solicit psicrystal, you can turn yourself into a melee wiz. Nomad: Dimension swap is one of the most useful and versatile tactical abilities in the game: swap yourself or your psicrystal with that astral construct you just made; swap that -1 hp fighter with the Improved Evasion-toting rogue before lobbing an energy ball; pull in a bunch of enemies to flank you on all sides before swapping yourself for your Whirlwind Attacking fighter friend. Psionic levitate is a poor-man's flight. Psionic dimensional anchor can prevent the evil mage from teleporting away with all his loot at the last moment, prevent you from being disintegrated, and it can force ethereal foes from Spring Attacking out of the walls. Should I even bother listing the benefits of psionic fly? Seer: Its touch range hinders the use of destiny dissonance, but if you're designed for up-close-and-personal fighting, or you have a buffed-up psicrystal to do it for you, or have access to the spectral hand spell, there are virtually no critters that are immune to the sickened condition, and it's a good low-level penalty that stacks with virtually everything else. Precognition adds a +10% bonus to most d20 rolls you make, which is great for when you just barely fail a roll; especially useful, since you apply the +2 right after you know you fail. You can use clairvoyant sense to set up ambushes and scry from afar; it's considered exceptionally powerful in the right hands, as it can prevent a huge number of gaffs and allows you to scout at no danger to yourself. Double your damage output with fate link; an energy ball (or, OMG, energy current!) aimed at two linked critters causes the damage to bounce back and forth, with negative levels incurred when one dies; link a foe with a low-level astral construct for great results. Shaper: The options here are nigh-limitless; the shaper is versatility personified. Astral construct is good for offense, defense, battlefield control, mobility, and so on, and so forth, etc, et al, ad infinitum. Psionic minor creation can be used to create food, poison, containers, weaponry, housing (think tents!), drugs, medicines, tools, etc; the world is your mollusc with this power. If you're a construct (see warforged), psionic repair damage is awesome for healing both yourself and your psicrystal. Not only does greater concealing amorpha give you a 50% miss chance to play with, it also prevents AoOs, as well as anything requiring direct-targeting (such as lots and lots and lots of spells, powers, and spell- and psi-like abilities). Ectoplasmic cocoon is great for ruining foe combos, as it's nigh impossible to get out of one unless you can somehow managed to dispel it or teleport out. Psionic fabricate can make you lots of money while creating pitfalls and walls around the battlefield; has lots of uses if you use your head. Quintessence is best used indirectly; pay a wizard to cast several delayed fireballs to lob later, or coat a bucket of poison you made with psionic minor creation, etc. Telepath: Psionic charm; enough said. Mindlink helps you communicate immediately with any of your allies on the battlefield, and can also help you control your mount, if any. Aversion can be used much like sanctuary to prevent a single monster from coming near you. Brain lock is best for using with solicit psicrystal to screw a foe over. Psionic suggestion can get foes to commit dangerous acts instead of hurting you. Hostile empathic transfer heals you while it hurts them; yay! False sensory input is a nice distraction move; it's also the only 'illusion' power that psionics has. Almost as useful at times as psionic minor creation, really. Psionic dominate: ... Schism will definitely help with the blasting, though it's best as a buff power to save you time for getting geared for battle. Also look at the skill lists of the various disciplines; these can be almost as useful as the discipline powers. Look at UPD in the shaper discipline, for instance.
Emery1261 12-21-07, 11:31 PM	InkBlot: Ah, I see. Should be no problem convincing the DM. But why energy bolt and not something like energy burst? Lycanthromancer: When you put it like that it's a bit harder to choose but what would you take if you were trying to be the main blaster of the group while still maintaining good versatility. Should I go with InkBlot's suggestion and just grab crystal shard, energy bolt, and swarm of crystals with sculpt spell metamagic and then go with either egoist, nomad, seer, or shaper. Egoist seems to help with personal defense and such, nomad would be great for moving the party around, seer as you said would be good for scouting and such, and shaper would help with astral constructs but we already have a summoner in the group. Decisions. Decisions.
InkBlot 12-22-07, 03:12 AM	But why energy bolt and not something like energy burst? Energy bolt has a greater range. A sculpted energy bolt could put a 20-foot-radius burst of energy up to 120 feet away. A sculpted energy burst could only put it 40 feet away.
Emery1261 12-22-07, 07:18 AM	Ah, that makes a little more sense then. Would Crystalstorm work with sculpt spell or not since it's a ray? For that matter would getting Split Ray [Metamagic] be better of Psionic Split Ray since the metamagic one allows for targeting the same opponent with both rays. Also, seeing as how apparently the only blasting I would need would be covered by a few powers along with one metamagic feat which discipline should I switch my focus too? What would you go with if you were building this character?
InkBlot 12-22-07, 01:01 PM	Only spells which affect an area can work with Sculpt Spell. So crystal storm would not work. Whether or not magic Split Ray is worth it or not depends on how it converts. If it costs 4 extra power points: It's worthless before 9th level. At 7th level, you could only split up to a 3-power-point ray. That would deal 3d6 damage twice. Just spending the power points on augmentation would result in 7d6 damage. By using Split Ray, you lose 1d6 of damage. After 9th level, Maximize Power gives you about the same damage output for the same cost, but Maximize works with more powers. Split Ray could target multiple creatures, but you already have area-of-effect powers which can slap multiple creatures without (9d6 energy bolt > 2x 5d6 energy ray). I would only take it if my build specialized in ray powers. "Specializing in ray powers" means taking feats like Improved Critical (Ray), Weapon Focus (Ray), Power Specialization, Psionic Shot, Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot, etc.. In other words, I don't think you should take it if it costs an extra 4 power points. If it costs 2 extra power points: It blows Split Psionic Ray out of the water. It blows Empower Power out of the water. You can split a ray a 5-power-point ray at 7th level, which could deal 10d6 (5d6 twice) to a single target. Take it if it costs only 2 extra power points, and use it when you want to deal a lot of damage against a single target. I still think a 2-power-point Split Ray is broken. I just hope that if it is, that your DM realizes it was his houserule that broke psionics. A lot of DMs who are new to psionics will break it with houserules, and then blame the book. edit: If I were in your situation, I would play a skill monkey. Maybe a Factotum. Maybe a Binder. Seer, Nomad, and Shaper have the least overlap with with the other characters in your party. A Seer would scout ahead with clairvoyant sense, and could check for traps (magical, physical, or metaphorical) with sensitivity to psychic impressions. A Nomad would help the party get from place to place, bypass obstacles, and move allies into flanking position or out of an enemy's reach. A Shaper would be a master of battlefield control and utility with minor creation, ectoplasmic cocoon, and fabricate (eschew astral construct to avoid overlap with the demon summoner). Shaper is your best bet, in my opinion. It sounds like you're in a bit of a hack&slash game, and much of a Seer's potential is wasted without intrigue/mystery games. Nomads are neat, but best for globe-trotting or plane-hopping games. A Telepath's most powerful options involve interpersonal relations and making mind slaves. The first doesn't sound useful in your game, and the second overlaps with the demon summoner. An Egoist's most powerful options involve melee combat. That would overlap with the gish and the warblade. Egoists can heal as well, but it's a pain in the neck. If you want healing then save yourself the trouble and role up a Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Paladin, Factotum, Binder, Favored Soul, Healer, or Crusader. A Kineticist's most powerful options are also available to other disciplines. I find it very difficult to think of a situation in which it's a good idea to be a Kineticist.
Favored Enemy 12-22-07, 11:04 PM	A Kineticist's most powerful options are also available to other disciplines. I find it very difficult to think of a situation in which it's a good idea to be a Kineticist. How about using Control Body on yourself and maintain it with your psicrystal so you can fight or flee while still manifesting powers. How about epic levels where you can manifest burrowing Tornado Blasts from within your Telekinetic Sphere. How about Redopsi and Null Psionics Field to shut down psions of any other discipline. How about Energy Missile. It's good! Kineticists are good!
Lycanthromancer 12-25-07, 01:28 AM	Well, it really, really depends on what KIND of build you want. If you want self-sufficient BLASTAR and don't mind running out of power points, go telepath and get schism ASAP. Have it use low-level buffs and minor battlefield control powers (psionic grease and entangling ectoplasm), and focus most of your powers and feats on taking out the critters that your secondary mind wraps up for you. Both powers reduce your opponents' defenses, making damaging them easier. If you want to kill foes as quickly as possible, don't want to run out of pp quickly, and don't mind spending massive amounts of gp/xp, focus on two-dorje-fighting (see CPsi), and create/buy dorjes to use for blasty purposes. It really doesn't matter quite so much what your discipline is here, though I'd suggest either seer or egoist for buffs, bonuses, and rerolls for helping you hit. [edit] Of course, you could do both, taking telepath and schism, then using the two-dorje-fighting feats and nabbing Expanded Knowledge for some of the 1-3 egoist and seer powers to help your schismed mind buff you. :)
Lycanthromancer 12-25-07, 01:32 AM	The fact that your secondary mind can activate both dorjes on your turn as well is just...icing on the...cake... Wait...just...a...minute... O.o
Fafnir 12-28-07, 09:19 AM	The fact that your secondary mind can activate both dorjes on your turn as well is just...icing on the...cake... Wait...just...a...minute... O.o Oh... My... :eek:
Emery1261 01-04-08, 02:51 AM	Unfortunately the DM has decided to nix psionics from the campaign so this is now null and void. Thanks for all the great advice as it will help me in future campaigns.
Lycanthromancer 01-04-08, 12:47 PM	What the... Why?
jbsaff 01-04-08, 01:12 PM	**Heads for the Armory** "Now then, let's see... Hammergun? Folding Chair? Pointy corners of the XPH?" EDIT: "CoDzilla? Threats of PunPun? (Just threats, mind you.)"