Why is a psion a better pyrokineticist than a pyrokineticist? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Why is a psion a better pyrokineticist than a pyrokineticist? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Enchanter_Tom
06-28-07, 11:29 PM Just wondering.
InkBlot
06-28-07, 11:41 PM The realy question is, why is the Warlock a better Pyrokineticist than the Pyrokineticist?

The Psion is better at making a limited number of powerful blasts but that's not what the Pyro is supposed to do. The Pyro is supposed to make in infinite number of mediocre blasts. This is the same thing the Warlock is supposed to do, but the Warlock does it much better, and has more versatility besides that.

I think that the Warlock is as good as it is because the designers learned some lessons from the failings of the Pyro.
Eikre
06-29-07, 10:25 AM To be fair, the Pyro can, situationally, deal much more damage than the Warlock. These are situations where you have a guy with no fire resistance a few feet in front of you, with no buddies nearby.
Enchanter_Tom
07-02-07, 05:26 PM How often does a situation like that occur?
Chimaera2000
07-02-07, 05:34 PM Not very often by the time you can actually become a Pyrokineticist. A pity, since I'm sure many people besides me took a look at the class and thought, "I want to be one of THOSE."
Manyfist
07-02-07, 06:10 PM The number of stuff with Fire Resistance/Immunity at higher levels make Pyros ineffective against most foes. A psion who focuses on only Energy powers is gimping them selves.
Vharuck
07-02-07, 06:12 PM Because they're not the same thing and never were meant to be even analogous to one another, it's just that people call Kineticists (a defined term in D&D classes) who use fire pyrokineticists, which coincidentally happens to be the term for a wholely different prestige class.

Tune in next time for...

Man Who Likely Missed the Sarcasm and Proceeded to Bore Everyone!
Enchanter_Tom
07-02-07, 10:06 PM *Yawns.*

A psion who specializes in fire powers isn't a pyrokineticist? Wow, I must have missed the memo, probably about the same time we got the memo that said a wizard who specializes in creating undead isn't a necromancer.
sijigs
07-02-07, 10:59 PM Yea, I agree prc Pyro's suck.

Even the mages reserved feat called Fiery Burst makes for a better start to becoming a pyro.
Enchanter_Tom
07-03-07, 12:32 AM Yea, I agree prc Pyro's suck.

Even the mages reserved feat called Fiery Burst makes for a better start to becoming a pyro.
Nuh-uh, if the class isn't specifically called a "pyrokineticist," it's not a pyrokineticist--which is why Miko had levels in samurai to show that she was a samurai. Similarly, a psion whose psychic abilities focus on fire manipulation and creation is clearly not a pyrokineticist.
Slagger the Chuul
07-03-07, 12:49 AM The pyrokineticist makes for a nice combo with some other classes, like a chaotic monk (who just can't advance as a monk anymore), but it doesn't hold up particularly well on its own.

It seems more like an opportunity to throw fire when you don't want to be a true manifester.
Manyfist
07-03-07, 12:53 AM *Yawns.*

A psion who specializes in fire powers isn't a pyrokineticist? Wow, I must have missed the memo, probably about the same time we got the memo that said a wizard who specializes in creating undead isn't a necromancer.

A psion who focuses on energy power is called a Kineticist, since the psion still can use the power for cold, sonic, and electricity types.
sijigs
07-03-07, 01:15 AM Nuh-uh, if the class isn't specifically called a "pyrokineticist," it's not a pyrokineticist--which is why Miko had levels in samurai to show that she was a samurai. Similarly, a psion whose psychic abilities focus on fire manipulation and creation is clearly not a pyrokineticist.

LOL - semantics!!! ;)

Commoner 1: "hey, that dude is setting your house on fire with flames coming from his hand out of nowhere."
Commoner 2: "i wonder what his class breakdowns are... "
InkBlot
07-03-07, 02:25 AM He's being sarcastic! Miko didn't have levels in samurai. That's his point. Miko was, mechanicaly, a multiclassed monk/paladin. She was a samurai because she was appointed to that position by her lord, not because she took levels in the samurai class.

Tom, maybe you should lay off the sarcasm. Or at least link to the comic that people need to have read in order to get it. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html)
Manyfist
07-03-07, 02:34 AM He's being sarcastic! Miko didn't have levels in samurai. That's his point. Miko was, mechanicaly, a multiclassed monk/paladin. She was a samurai because she was appointed to that position by her lord, not because she took levels in the samurai class.

Tom, maybe you should lay off the sarcasm. Or at least link to the comic that people need to have read in order to get it. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html)

Still she's not samurai, but a Monk/Paladin (Monkadin?). Then why even bother with anything other than Fighter/Mage/Healer/Theif classes if you can be a "Paladin" by being a Fighter/Healer MC? Or a Bard by taking the Mage/Theif?
Tinari
07-03-07, 02:50 AM What do you mean? I know someone who DID call themselves a "paladin" but he was a Neutral Good Fighter/Cleric with a focus on fighter levels and enough cleric to heal and remove diseases.

And I believe I read a thread somewhere around but I can't find it for the life of me, where a person played a straight fighter and called himself a paladin. Made for an interesting conversation when a player asked for him to heal someone and he gave them a confused look, "But I thought you were a paladin?" "I am a paladin, but my gods blessed me with the ability to defeat my foes with my martial prowess, not the ability to heal." Hehe.
The_Shaman
07-03-07, 03:42 AM I consider the pyro a strange support PrC myself. For example, a ranger 6/psywar 2 can go into pyro to buff up his/her weapon damage, get some extra options, etc. Thri-kreen with multiweapon fighting, oversized TWF and 4 lashes.. you know, that can be quite nasty :D . A martial build can be limited to the first 8 levels, though, so as not to lose too much BAB.

Also, there was a web article expanding the pyrokineticist for all elements, for those who worry that fire is underpowered.
AAB
07-03-07, 06:58 AM http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e

my personal favorite for flavor is the electrokineticist.
The_Shaman
07-03-07, 07:39 AM Kinda reminds me of Raiden, tbh. I can't really imagine the cryokineticist lashes, but they could look quite cool.
AAB
07-03-07, 10:45 AM Kinda reminds me of Raiden, tbh. I can't really imagine the cryokineticist lashes, but they could look quite cool.

i think haschel from legend of dragoon. what a great game.
sijigs
07-03-07, 05:56 PM He's being sarcastic!

After I posted that, I just realised he was. Hahaha. Good one.
Enchanter_Tom
07-03-07, 07:52 PM Mind you, sijigs, my sarcasm was not aimed at you.
sijigs
07-03-07, 11:20 PM Meh. Don't worry.. no offense taken.

So.. how's about them pyros... and them other pyros

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Enchanter_Tom 06-28-07, 11:29 PM	Just wondering.
InkBlot 06-28-07, 11:41 PM	The realy question is, why is the Warlock a better Pyrokineticist than the Pyrokineticist? The Psion is better at making a limited number of powerful blasts but that's not what the Pyro is supposed to do. The Pyro is supposed to make in infinite number of mediocre blasts. This is the same thing the Warlock is supposed to do, but the Warlock does it much better, and has more versatility besides that. I think that the Warlock is as good as it is because the designers learned some lessons from the failings of the Pyro.
Eikre 06-29-07, 10:25 AM	To be fair, the Pyro can, situationally, deal much more damage than the Warlock. These are situations where you have a guy with no fire resistance a few feet in front of you, with no buddies nearby.
Enchanter_Tom 07-02-07, 05:26 PM	How often does a situation like that occur?
Chimaera2000 07-02-07, 05:34 PM	Not very often by the time you can actually become a Pyrokineticist. A pity, since I'm sure many people besides me took a look at the class and thought, "I want to be one of THOSE."
Manyfist 07-02-07, 06:10 PM	The number of stuff with Fire Resistance/Immunity at higher levels make Pyros ineffective against most foes. A psion who focuses on only Energy powers is gimping them selves.
Vharuck 07-02-07, 06:12 PM	Because they're not the same thing and never were meant to be even analogous to one another, it's just that people call Kineticists (a defined term in D&D classes) who use fire pyrokineticists, which coincidentally happens to be the term for a wholely different prestige class. Tune in next time for... Man Who Likely Missed the Sarcasm and Proceeded to Bore Everyone!
Enchanter_Tom 07-02-07, 10:06 PM	Yawns. A psion who specializes in fire powers isn't a pyrokineticist? Wow, I must have missed the memo, probably about the same time we got the memo that said a wizard who specializes in creating undead isn't a necromancer.
sijigs 07-02-07, 10:59 PM	Yea, I agree prc Pyro's suck. Even the mages reserved feat called Fiery Burst makes for a better start to becoming a pyro.
Enchanter_Tom 07-03-07, 12:32 AM	Yea, I agree prc Pyro's suck. Even the mages reserved feat called Fiery Burst makes for a better start to becoming a pyro. Nuh-uh, if the class isn't specifically called a "pyrokineticist," it's not a pyrokineticist--which is why Miko had levels in samurai to show that she was a samurai. Similarly, a psion whose psychic abilities focus on fire manipulation and creation is clearly not a pyrokineticist.
Slagger the Chuul 07-03-07, 12:49 AM	The pyrokineticist makes for a nice combo with some other classes, like a chaotic monk (who just can't advance as a monk anymore), but it doesn't hold up particularly well on its own. It seems more like an opportunity to throw fire when you don't want to be a true manifester.
Manyfist 07-03-07, 12:53 AM	Yawns. A psion who specializes in fire powers isn't a pyrokineticist? Wow, I must have missed the memo, probably about the same time we got the memo that said a wizard who specializes in creating undead isn't a necromancer. A psion who focuses on energy power is called a Kineticist, since the psion still can use the power for cold, sonic, and electricity types.
sijigs 07-03-07, 01:15 AM	Nuh-uh, if the class isn't specifically called a "pyrokineticist," it's not a pyrokineticist--which is why Miko had levels in samurai to show that she was a samurai. Similarly, a psion whose psychic abilities focus on fire manipulation and creation is clearly not a pyrokineticist. LOL - semantics!!! ;) Commoner 1: "hey, that dude is setting your house on fire with flames coming from his hand out of nowhere." Commoner 2: "i wonder what his class breakdowns are... "
InkBlot 07-03-07, 02:25 AM	He's being sarcastic! Miko didn't have levels in samurai. That's his point. Miko was, mechanicaly, a multiclassed monk/paladin. She was a samurai because she was appointed to that position by her lord, not because she took levels in the samurai class. Tom, maybe you should lay off the sarcasm. Or at least link to the comic that people need to have read in order to get it. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html)
Manyfist 07-03-07, 02:34 AM	He's being sarcastic! Miko didn't have levels in samurai. That's his point. Miko was, mechanicaly, a multiclassed monk/paladin. She was a samurai because she was appointed to that position by her lord, not because she took levels in the samurai class. Tom, maybe you should lay off the sarcasm. Or at least link to the comic that people need to have read in order to get it. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html) Still she's not samurai, but a Monk/Paladin (Monkadin?). Then why even bother with anything other than Fighter/Mage/Healer/Theif classes if you can be a "Paladin" by being a Fighter/Healer MC? Or a Bard by taking the Mage/Theif?
Tinari 07-03-07, 02:50 AM	What do you mean? I know someone who DID call themselves a "paladin" but he was a Neutral Good Fighter/Cleric with a focus on fighter levels and enough cleric to heal and remove diseases. And I believe I read a thread somewhere around but I can't find it for the life of me, where a person played a straight fighter and called himself a paladin. Made for an interesting conversation when a player asked for him to heal someone and he gave them a confused look, "But I thought you were a paladin?" "I am a paladin, but my gods blessed me with the ability to defeat my foes with my martial prowess, not the ability to heal." Hehe.
The_Shaman 07-03-07, 03:42 AM	I consider the pyro a strange support PrC myself. For example, a ranger 6/psywar 2 can go into pyro to buff up his/her weapon damage, get some extra options, etc. Thri-kreen with multiweapon fighting, oversized TWF and 4 lashes.. you know, that can be quite nasty :D . A martial build can be limited to the first 8 levels, though, so as not to lose too much BAB. Also, there was a web article expanding the pyrokineticist for all elements, for those who worry that fire is underpowered.
AAB 07-03-07, 06:58 AM	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625e my personal favorite for flavor is the electrokineticist.
The_Shaman 07-03-07, 07:39 AM	Kinda reminds me of Raiden, tbh. I can't really imagine the cryokineticist lashes, but they could look quite cool.
AAB 07-03-07, 10:45 AM	Kinda reminds me of Raiden, tbh. I can't really imagine the cryokineticist lashes, but they could look quite cool. i think haschel from legend of dragoon. what a great game.
sijigs 07-03-07, 05:56 PM	He's being sarcastic! After I posted that, I just realised he was. Hahaha. Good one.
Enchanter_Tom 07-03-07, 07:52 PM	Mind you, sijigs, my sarcasm was not aimed at you.
sijigs 07-03-07, 11:20 PM	Meh. Don't worry.. no offense taken. So.. how's about them pyros... and them other pyros