The Ardent Weapon Master [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Ardent Weapon Master [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
moebius00
11-07-07, 12:15 AM Ardent 1 (Conflict, Freedom)/Fighter 4/Ardent (Physical) 2/Psychic Weapon Master 10/Ardent 6

1 Ardent (Prac Man - Ardent) (Psionic Weapon) (W. Focus: Greatsword)
2 Fighter (Power Attack)
3 Fighter (Dodge) (Psionic Dodge)
5 Fighter (Mobiliy)
6 Ardent (Psionic Meditation)
7-16 PWM (9th: Deep Impact) (12th: Imp. Crit) (15th: Wpn. Spec) (18th: Melee Weapon Mastery)

18 BAB, 15th Level Ardent ML (8th level Powers).

Just throwing that out there.
InkBlot
11-07-07, 12:19 AM Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn.
moebius00
11-07-07, 12:26 AM Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn.

Nope...it's the very first feat I took.
PhaedrusXY
11-07-07, 01:31 AM Holy crap, why so many fighter levels?

Human fighter 2/Ardent 8/Psi-wpn master 10 gets BAB +18, 9th level powers, and only has one less feat than your build. I'd put the second fighter level at the very end, and probably wouldn't even take it at all, unless I expected the game to go well into Epic. You could meet the feat prereqs in time, too.

1-Dodge, h-Mobility, ftr1-Power Attack, 3-Psionic Dodge, 6-Psionic Weapon, 9-Weapon Focus

High level powers are worth more than feats.

I guess if you're the main "tank" in a game that has plenty of casters, and that game starts at low levels, then I might go with your build. Otherwise, I'd try to lose fewer manifester levels.
CrimsonDeath
11-07-07, 04:37 AM 1-Dodge, h-Mobility, ftr1-Power Attack, 3-Psionic Dodge, 6-Psionic Weapon, 9-Weapon Focus

Actually, he's taking the Conflict mantle, so he qualifies by level 6. (Weapon Focus for free.)
Bacris
11-07-07, 07:36 AM As a guy who has built countless Psychic Weapon Master builds, some advice:

You're not taking advantage of the stacking of Whirlwind as a standard action - put those two levels back into Ardent.

Fighter 4 just isn't worth it for this build - at least in my opinion.

My recommendation would be Ardent 10 / Fighter 2 / Psychic Weapon Master 8

BAB +17
ML 18
Power Points / Powers per Day as a 14th level Ardent
moebius00
11-07-07, 08:46 AM I guess if you're the main "tank" in a game that has plenty of casters, and that game starts at low levels, then I might go with your build. Otherwise, I'd try to lose fewer manifester levels.

That might be the difference...I am thinking about whether I want to empirically test this build, and I always assume the campaign will start at 1st or 3rd and end at 12th-15th. So from my perspective the goal is to develop PWM as fast as possible.

But both you and Bacris make good points.
CrimsonDeath
11-07-07, 11:34 AM If that's your goal, I don't see you qualifying any sooner than level 6.

1- Ardent 1 (BAB +0): Dodge (level 1), Psionic Dodge (Human), Weapon Focus (Conflict mantle)
2- Fighter 1 (BAB +1): Power Attack (Fighter)
3- Fighter 2 (BAB +2): Practiced Manifester: Ardent (level 3), Mobility (Fighter)
4- Ardent 2 (BAB +3)
5- Ardent 3 (BAB +4)
6- Ardent 4 (BAB +5): Psionic Weapon (level 6)
InkBlot
11-07-07, 04:11 PM Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn.
Nope...it's the very first feat I took.

Ah, sorry. "Prac Man" didn't click when I skimmed over it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
moebius00 11-07-07, 12:15 AM	Ardent 1 (Conflict, Freedom)/Fighter 4/Ardent (Physical) 2/Psychic Weapon Master 10/Ardent 6 1 Ardent (Prac Man - Ardent) (Psionic Weapon) (W. Focus: Greatsword) 2 Fighter (Power Attack) 3 Fighter (Dodge) (Psionic Dodge) 5 Fighter (Mobiliy) 6 Ardent (Psionic Meditation) 7-16 PWM (9th: Deep Impact) (12th: Imp. Crit) (15th: Wpn. Spec) (18th: Melee Weapon Mastery) 18 BAB, 15th Level Ardent ML (8th level Powers). Just throwing that out there.
InkBlot 11-07-07, 12:19 AM	Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn.
moebius00 11-07-07, 12:26 AM	Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn. Nope...it's the very first feat I took.
PhaedrusXY 11-07-07, 01:31 AM	Holy crap, why so many fighter levels? Human fighter 2/Ardent 8/Psi-wpn master 10 gets BAB +18, 9th level powers, and only has one less feat than your build. I'd put the second fighter level at the very end, and probably wouldn't even take it at all, unless I expected the game to go well into Epic. You could meet the feat prereqs in time, too. 1-Dodge, h-Mobility, ftr1-Power Attack, 3-Psionic Dodge, 6-Psionic Weapon, 9-Weapon Focus High level powers are worth more than feats. I guess if you're the main "tank" in a game that has plenty of casters, and that game starts at low levels, then I might go with your build. Otherwise, I'd try to lose fewer manifester levels.
CrimsonDeath 11-07-07, 04:37 AM	1-Dodge, h-Mobility, ftr1-Power Attack, 3-Psionic Dodge, 6-Psionic Weapon, 9-Weapon Focus Actually, he's taking the Conflict mantle, so he qualifies by level 6. (Weapon Focus for free.)
Bacris 11-07-07, 07:36 AM	As a guy who has built countless Psychic Weapon Master builds, some advice: You're not taking advantage of the stacking of Whirlwind as a standard action - put those two levels back into Ardent. Fighter 4 just isn't worth it for this build - at least in my opinion. My recommendation would be Ardent 10 / Fighter 2 / Psychic Weapon Master 8 BAB +17 ML 18 Power Points / Powers per Day as a 14th level Ardent
moebius00 11-07-07, 08:46 AM	I guess if you're the main "tank" in a game that has plenty of casters, and that game starts at low levels, then I might go with your build. Otherwise, I'd try to lose fewer manifester levels. That might be the difference...I am thinking about whether I want to empirically test this build, and I always assume the campaign will start at 1st or 3rd and end at 12th-15th. So from my perspective the goal is to develop PWM as fast as possible. But both you and Bacris make good points.
CrimsonDeath 11-07-07, 11:34 AM	If that's your goal, I don't see you qualifying any sooner than level 6. 1- Ardent 1 (BAB +0): Dodge (level 1), Psionic Dodge (Human), Weapon Focus (Conflict mantle) 2- Fighter 1 (BAB +1): Power Attack (Fighter) 3- Fighter 2 (BAB +2): Practiced Manifester: Ardent (level 3), Mobility (Fighter) 4- Ardent 2 (BAB +3) 5- Ardent 3 (BAB +4) 6- Ardent 4 (BAB +5): Psionic Weapon (level 6)
InkBlot 11-07-07, 04:11 PM	Did you forget Practiced Manifester? It's doubly good for an ardent, due to the way ardent's determine the highest level of powers they can learn. Nope...it's the very first feat I took. Ah, sorry. "Prac Man" didn't click when I skimmed over it.