Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lepruk86 Jun 15, 2012 8:11:17	Howdy all... I joined a DnD group about a year ago and played a short campaign. After completing that they invited me into their long term running one. They play a cross between 3.0 and 3.5 (though it's mostly 3.5 iirc). I inherited a Psychic Warrior named Hugh and have struggled to really get to grips with him. He has just levelled to 9 so I need to sort a level up for him. He is essentially more Warrior than Psychic (in fact, I haven't really used his powers aside from his ones that work as spells). Obviously I get a new spell at level 9 and I have no idea what to take. I don't really fully comprehend how to play the character properly. His powers he has are: Lvl 3: Displacement Lvl 2: Combat presence Expansion Levitate Lvl 1: Combat precognition Hustle Lesser Metaphysical Weapon Lvl 0: Catfall Daze Elfsight Feats he has: Weapon Spec. Long Sword Quicken Power Deep Impact Weapon focus. Long Sword Psionic Weapon Inertial armor Power Attack Speed of Thought His primary stat is Str (17) and actually has 61hp before the level up (which seems to be quite high for the party I am in). I know Psychic warriors can do a lot more than just charge in, cast displacement and hack a way. I have psionic attack/defence modes (which I don't really use or either get how to use). I realise this is a very long *asking-a-lot* first post and you may need more info (ask if you want anything specific). I have been told i can take over a rogue (6) / Fighter (1) / Wizard (1) instead; but i kind of like how powerful Hugh is atm (he has a very strong weapon). Just a bit confused I guess... Thanks for any help and have a good day if you read to the end . Luke
#2 Fireclave Jun 15, 2012 12:36:30	Psychic Warriors are typically warriors first, casters second.  They fight side-by-side with other frontliners like paladins and fighters.  Most psychic warrior powers are self-buffs, allowing them to become stronger, tougher or more mobile warriors.  And with the Expanded Knowledge feat (which you can take with your psywar bonus feats), you can really increase your versatility by taking powers from other psionic power lists.  Not many primary melee classes can do things like fly, read minds, view distant locations, force throw enemies, or shoot mind bullets. By the looks of things, you've using 3.0 psionic rules, since 3.5 psionics doesn't have level 0 powers, attack/defense modes, or some of the powers you listed. Psionic rules got an overhaul for the better in the conversion from from 3.0 to 3.5, though I don't know how much was changed regarding the psychic warrior or psionics in general.  Which makes it harder for me to give further advice since I'm only familiar with 3.5 rules.
#3 lepruk86 Jun 15, 2012 13:29:08	Oh if that's the case I sort of am doing it right then. I usually just cast a buff of some kind and charge forward. Out of combat I tend to use levitate for moving things around / getting people across gaps etc so it can be somewhat fun to not quite be the usual *spot this, search that* guy. I guess I am doing alright then; I'll just ignore the attack/defense modes and continue on as a warrior with spells (essentially). Thanks for the response.
#4 Skewwed Jun 16, 2012 1:09:08	..um vigor, and empathic transfer hostile expanded over complete if the dm will let you.. thats all you need.. maybe any of the drain life attacks.. ..feats go as uh, up the walls, psionic charge, the feat that lets you focus as a move.. ..and you are as close to broken as can be.. -edit- a few moments later ...the psi warrior is my favorite class, imho the only thing that can "hang" with a psi warrior is a fighter/cleric... -double edit- ..oh and see if you can make a vow to anything to meet the prereq's for kensai, get the vicious ability, and then when you are doing an additional +2d6 and taking 1d6 you get a reason to transfer.. ..out of control, out of control.. ..make sure you have max um, auto hypnosis so you can come out of stuns and whatnots.. ..i dont have the book infront of me but i know its important for a frontline fighter.. ..oh and see if you can hunt down/obtain a uh.. psionic embriote?!?.. i think thats what its called.. ..it gets stupid silly then..
#5 Tiarn Jun 17, 2012 1:13:05	If you have combat modes you are playing a 3.0 psychic warrior. Your course of action should be to talk with your DM and convince him to allow you to update him to a 3.5 psychic warrior. 3.5 psionics was FAR more balanced than the 3.0 version. As for strategy, yes, you were playing him correctly.  The strategy I've seen most often is using hustle to move into position for a full-attack. Also, I would recommend posting your query in the psionics forum, there are loads of helpful people that would offer advice there. I was never huge on the psychic warrior, I always played psions or wilders (3.5 again) for the most part.
#6 lepruk86 Jun 17, 2012 17:39:22	Thanks for all the help everyone. Just to update. I was indeed slightly mistaken. They play 3.0 but use some minor things from 3.5 (specifically some items / spells etc). I can't update Hugh to a 3.5 Psychic Warrior I don't think; but I can use 3.5 spells which gives me a lot more diversity in terms of spell choice. Thanks for all the advice here but I will post in the Psion sub-forum too .
#7 Tiarn Jun 18, 2012 0:09:51	...I can't update Hugh to a 3.5 Psychic Warrior I don't think; but I can use 3.5 spells which gives me a lot more diversity in terms of spell choice. ... But.... 3.5.... augment... that is already updating him..... confused.... If you are using 3.5 powers you are already using the biggest change in the book.  You are essentially playing a 3.5 PsyW already.
#8 lepruk86 Jun 18, 2012 4:19:41	Haha I meant I can slip things like: www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/empath... into my spell list. Which seems to be a 3.5 power (at least, I can't locate it in the 3.0 handbook). The reason I can't upgrade is because I don't have the 3.5 handbook, only the 3.0 one (both regular and psionic handbook). So it's just easier to follow the rules I have in front of me and add in suppliment sheets (such as that power). Hope that's cleared things up; unless there is something else you are asking which I am missing xD.
#9 Tiarn Jun 18, 2012 5:23:07	The 3.5 psychic warrior is right there on that very site you linked me. www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psych... What does having the book have to do with it?  If you are willing to use powers that you have found on the internet and aren't in the book you have sitting in front of you why won't you use a class?
#10 lepruk86 Jun 18, 2012 5:38:49	Because the character already exists? You said yourself the PW's got a huge change in 3.5? No attack/defense modes etc. Isn't that kind of... weird - to suddenly change the character completely? (such as lose the 0-lvl spells etc)? I can ask my DM I suppose; but I don't think switching up to 3.5 is worth the hassle of trying to convert the character as legitimately as possible. Also surely spells got tweaked in 3.5 over 3.0 or function slightly differently? Thus in a gaming session i'd need to see the spells in front of me to remember what they do which would mean in an ideal situation, needing the handbook... right? Thanks for responding Luke