Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 gavinfoxx Mar 14, 2008 21:07:09	Hi there, I am trying to make a viable character that fills the skillmonkey/striker role with a very 'alternate magic' bent, probably mostly with Psionics, but a bit of Incarnum is okay too, if it helps. I am looking for a character that has this flavor as early as possible, IE, is somewhat psychic and has lots of skills at level one... this will be a trapfinder character. Books available... I can go to the game store to look stuff up, and they don't mind if I take notes on feats and stuff, since I buy regularly, but the more the stuff is exotic, the more I have to describe what it is about and give a copy of the info to the DM. Looking for the very mobile striker role, you know, get in, get out, do a lot of damage, with a bunch of cool psionic abilities. Third party stuff is okay, given the same conditions that I mentioned earlier -- the more exotic it is, the more I have to explain it to the DM... So, yea, Dark Sun, that sort of thing is available. Also, if there are balanced powers that *really should* be on this or that list, I may be able to add stuff on a case-by-case basis. (So point me at what to look for with regards to Hyperconscious and Athas, I haven't gotten that yet...) So far, I am thinking Psychic Rogue, maybe a Lurk, maybe a bit of Psychic Warrior thrown in. I might be able to combine a few of the Rogue variant abilities, that depends on DM (so the stuff about sneak attacking constructs maybe plus the psychic rogue stuff? that sort of thing). I am interested in the Psychic races from all over, especially if there are any stealthy/small/fast/mobile ones... Please keep it to LA+0, nonevil, and I prefer chaotic (Rogue! steals stuff! It just fits, yaknow?). I prefer urban rather than nature-style, the concept isn't really a nature guy. Also, a non-strength fighting style seems appropriate (finesse, maybe?). I am also fairly interested in *not* doing full attack actions if possible. I looked at the Dual Strike feat, and it seems to have been written before the idea of "People should be able to do cool stuff while not on a full attack action!" was really cemented. If you all were going to rewrite the Dual Strike feat to be, yaknow, balanced and useful, how would you write it? I was thinking require two weapon fighting, a particular BAB, give a -2 when using light, single handed, *paired* weapons (ie, both daggers, both kukris, both short swords), and allow finesse damage twice, but keep the critical hit only once thing. I haven't asked my DM on this yet. Thoughts? Is there a third party rewrite of this feat anywhere? I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna be the face of the party, so I don't really need to focus as much on that... unless there is a really good reason to do so. Exotic equipment will be fairly available, but I would like to keep the equipment as close to the character theme as possible (psychic stuff more than magic stuff). Party composition... not sure yet. Though the bases are usually covered. Sadly, I don't have an actual build myself, since I don't really know where to start. And I still dont really understand Incarnum. I have tried to look at the various threads on Psychic Rogues, but they seem to be quite old, and the Lurk thread was okay... but I do like the idea of having sneak attack when not focused! And more skills, yes, skills.... Thanks for help! Any advice would be appreciated.
#2 Nibbler Mar 16, 2008 8:26:16	Rogue (feat variant) 2/Psion 6/Elocator 7/Slayer 5 With Practiced Manifester you get ML 19 and loads of powers that can help you with both your roles as a skill monkey and striker (consider kineticist or telepath as a psionic discipline). Empower Power/Psionic Meditation will boost your damage output.
#3 gavinfoxx Mar 17, 2008 14:53:43	Out of curiostiy, why would I choose the feat variant of the rogue? Isn't Sneak Attack the quintessential 3e melee striker skill? And the Psion stuff, do you mean blasting or melee powers or what? I was hoping to be the stealthy backstabby guy with cool psionic powers more than anything... I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.. Kineticist is about blasting, right? Like I said... I would like to be a running all around melee type that goes in, does a bunch of damage, gets out, using a bunch of powers for utility and mobility, maybe a *little* bit damage.. Also, what LA+0 races would be good for this? I kinda was looking for a small, fast, psionic race and doing the psychic rogue at level 1, so I could have all the themes I wanted as early as possible... But if you really think the other stuff is better...
#4 hogarth Mar 17, 2008 15:19:29	A whisper gnome psychic rogue or psionic artificer sounds like it would fit your criteria. You might want to take a look at the Innate Pretender class from Hyperconscious (although it's basically just a "Psionic Arcane Trickster" class).
#5 gavinfoxx Mar 17, 2008 15:33:56	Does anyone have a list of Small LA+0 *psionic* races that are in the sources I mentioned? Like races that actually get power points at first level?
#6 carnivore Mar 17, 2008 15:45:09	Out of curiostiy, why would I choose the feat variant of the rogue? Isn't Sneak Attack the quintessential 3e melee striker skill? Sneak Attack is good if you have enough levels that give it.... in the build that Nibbler gave(Rogue (feat variant) 2/Psion 6/Elocator 7/Slayer 5), feats are far more usefull, as they will allow you to qualify for Elocator(it requires 3 Feats) and Slayer(requires 1 Feat)... while at the same time it does not impede your psionic ability And the Psion stuff, do you mean blasting or melee powers or what? I was hoping to be the stealthy backstabby guy with cool psionic powers more than anything... I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.. Kineticist is about blasting, right? Like I said... I would like to be a running all around melee type that goes in, does a bunch of damage, gets out, using a bunch of powers for utility and mobility, maybe a *little* bit damage.. Kineticists can do many things, like any Psion... they are not limited to just "Blasting"... he also Mentioned Telepath... i would suggest Telepath also... but take Expanded Knowledge(Metamorphosis) and Expanded Knowledge(Clairtangent Hand) Also, what LA+0 races would be good for this? I kinda was looking for a small, fast, psionic race and doing the psychic rogue at level 1, so I could have all the themes I wanted as early as possible... But if you really think the other stuff is better... if you really want Fun... try this for a Sneaky Psionic Skill monkey Pixie Rogue(feat variant) 2/ Psion 2/ Ranger 2/ Elocator 10 lots of skills.... lots of fun :D
#7 gavinfoxx Mar 17, 2008 15:52:23	Doesn't Pixie have really high LA though?
#8 carnivore Mar 17, 2008 16:04:08	yes... they are LA+4... notice: Pixies as Charaters Pixies as Characters A pixie character exchanges its 1 HD of fey for its first class level. Pixie characters possess the following racial traits. –4 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +6 Intelligence, +4 Wisdom, +6 Charisma. Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters. A pixie’s base land speed is 20 feet. It also has a fly speed of 60 feet (good). Low-light vision. Skills: Pixies have a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Racial Feats: A pixie receives Dodge and Weapon Finnesse as a bonus feats. +1 natural armor bonus. Special Attacks :Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. 1/day - lesser confusion (DC 14), dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts (DC 15), dispel magic, entangle (DC 14), permanent image (DC 19; visual and auditory elements only) Special Qualities (see above): Damage reduction 10/cold iron Spell Resistance equal to 15 + class levels Greater Invisibility (Su): A pixie remains invisible even when it attacks. This ability is constant, but the pixie can suppress or resume it as a free action. Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Halfling. Favored Class: Sorcerer. Level adjustment +4
#9 saragon42 Mar 17, 2008 16:28:48	Does anyone have a list of Small LA+0 *psionic* races that are in the sources I mentioned? Like races that actually get power points at first level? The only small psionic race I can think of is the Dromite, but that's LA+1. The only Core LA+0 psionic race, unfortunately, is the Xeph, which is medium (but does have +2 Dex / -2 Str.) I can't recall if Complete Psionic offers any racial choices, but the ECS and MM2 offers the Kalashtar, which is always a great choice for a psionic character IMHO.
#10 Nibbler Mar 17, 2008 18:19:09	Out of curiostiy, why would I choose the feat variant of the rogue? Isn't Sneak Attack the quintessential 3e melee striker skill? And the Psion stuff, do you mean blasting or melee powers or what? To be a real melee monster as a rogue you have to get in full attacks and TWF. That means being able to soak up damage from your opponents because you can't move more than 5 feet a round. Granted, the rogue/psion doesn't do quite as much damage but he can stay out of the way (especially the elocator who walks on walls and ceilings). Compared to a spring attacker who also only gets one attack, he does quite well (empowered disintegrate, anyone?). And the utilitarian powers of a high-level psion blow away most rogue abilities. Temporal Acceleration (psionic equivalent of Time Stop) is just a 6th level power! There's so much more. As for races, consider the lesser tiefling. LA +0, +2 dex and int, -2 cha. You may not be an outsider but you can still have horns or glowing eyes or something.
#11 gavinfoxx Mar 18, 2008 0:02:49	So I'm looking at races that get power points at first level, and it doesn't seem that there are any LA+0 versions that I could find... I looked at Synad and Kalashtar, and they seemed really similar... maybe I could take a little from both. Hmmm. Any thoughts? The Hyperconscious races all had LA+1. Dangit. Though I still have to go to the store to look at that. *checks* The Dromites and the Blue are the only ones in the SRD... though, I dont exactly see why the Blue are LA+1... Maybe I'll play a Blue...
#12 hogarth Mar 18, 2008 5:51:11	So I'm looking at races that get power points at first level, and it doesn't seem that there are any LA+0 versions that I could find... I looked at Synad and Kalashtar, and they seemed really similar... maybe I could take a little from both. Hmmm. Any thoughts? The Hyperconscious races all had LA+1. Dangit. Though I still have to go to the store to look at that. *checks* The Dromites and the Blue are the only ones in the SRD... though, I dont exactly see why the Blue are LA+1... Maybe I'll play a Blue... You missed maenads, elans, and xephs from the psionic SRD. Why do you need a racial power point (or two) so badly? It'll make a tiny difference for the first couple of levels, but that's about it.