[3.0] Need suggestions for building a Rogue/Psion

[whydirt]

I'm finally getting to play in a DnD campaign for the first time in a while! My character is starting as a Rogue 1 / Psion 1 and he's the member of a well-to-do trading house in the DM's campaign world. I'm picturing him as kind of a pulpish troubleshooter / charming rogue type guy. My DM is not very familiar with the Psionics rules and at least for the moment wants my Rogue level to be equal or higher than my Psion level. I'll work on him allowing me to focus more on my psionics down the road, but let's assume that at most half my character levels will be in Psion.

Here are the stats I rolled with his generous char-gen system: 11, 12, 13, 13, 13, 17. What Psion subclass would work the best multiclassed? Looking at the damage-dealing powers, they seem like they won't be very good without focusing on my Psion levels, and I think I'd have more fun playing with knowledge and other non-direct powers.

My thought right now is to go as a Seer and have Telepathy work as a secondary discipline since there are lots of cool Clairsentience powers that help out without having to deal with lower than normal save DCs.

Any 3.0 Psion players have any advice on Power and Feat selection?

 

[Sekket]

Sorry I cant be of any/much help, I just have access to the 3.5 psionics at the moment - [ http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/theraven_stephenh/psionic/index.html ] - but I would suggest Nomad [Dex], Telepath [Cha] or Egoist [Con] because A) dex + rogue = good B) cha + rogue = good and C) con + any class = good.

I would go for scalable buffs, since you then dont have to worry about things like PR.

Youll have to be careful though, your BAB will suck ass if you multiclass between the two. See if you can eventually prestige into a psionic variant of the Arcane Trickster, as this will allow you to keep up with your powers and sneak attack, without loosing so much BAB to multiclassing.

But, largely this is a bump... I dont know enough to give concrete advice.

 

[silentspace]

Since you want to be a charming type, put your high stat in Cha and go Telepath.

 

[yennico]

I'm finally getting to play in a DnD campaign for the first time in a while! My character is starting as a Rogue 1 / Psion 1 and he's the member of a well-to-do trading house in the DM's campaign world. I'm picturing him as kind of a pulpish troubleshooter / charming rogue type guy.

Charming rogue sounds like a rogue/telepath.

My DM is not very familiar with the Psionics rules and at least for the moment wants my Rogue level to be equal or higher than my Psion level.

If you are not very familiar with the Psionics rules why not change your concept to a rogue/sorcerer or rogue/wizard ?

Here are the stats I rolled with his generous char-gen system: 11, 12, 13, 13, 13, 17.

Your attributes except one are only average. I do not know how you distribute your rolls on the attributes.
You can put the 17 in Dex, Int or Cha. Many skills of the rogue are dex or cha skills. With a high Int you get more skill points.

What Psion subclass would work the best multiclassed? Looking at the damage-dealing powers, they seem like they won't be very good without focusing on my Psion levels, and I think I'd have more fun playing with knowledge and other non-direct powers.

Each psionic discipline is based on a different attribute. A psion needs like a wizard an attribute of 10 + level of the psionic power to take a power from a psionic discipline.

With a high dex you should take the class nomad. That means you get access to spider climb, knock, dimensional slide, dimension door, teleport

With a high cha you should take the class telepath. That means you get access to charm person, detect thoughts, suggestion, charm monster, domination

With a high int you should take the class shaper. That means you get access to Summon monster, fabricate

IMHO a rogue with high int should take wizard instead of shaper, because a wizard can learn all spells of a level.

Compare a psion to a wizard. A wizard needs only one high attribute and can learn every spell from a level. A psion is similar to a sorcerer. He can not learn every power and the powers are based on different attributes.

A PrC for a rogue/psion is the soulknife in the Psionics handbook. For other PrCs look at the Wizards Minds Eye Archive

My thought right now is to go as a Seer and have Telepathy work as a secondary discipline since there are lots of cool Clairsentience powers that help out without having to deal with lower than normal save DCs.

Any 3.0 Psion players have any advice on Power and Feat selection?

I can not give you much advice because I only played once a psychic warrior, but a seer is similar to a specialist wizard: diviner. I have played several times a rogue/diviner (prohibited school: either necromancy or evocation) and divination is a very cool specialization for an rogue/wizard.

 

[Chimera]

Charming rogue sounds like a rogue/telepath.

A rogue telepath!?!

Better be careful or you'll have Bester on your tail.

Oh....wait.


As above, if you're the charming troubleshooter, then Telepath is definitely the way to go. Would seem to fit real well with the Trading House connection, as they'd be expecting you to gather information on competitors and deal with certain related situations.

So go Rogue / Telepath and put your high score in Charisma.

Then look at your Rogue skills. You'll want high ranks in Gather Information, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Disguise - all Cha based skills and all complimentary of your "mission". Use Magic Device, another Cha based skill, should not be overlooked. Even as a Psion, it would be useful to be able to use magic items!

Beyond that, the traditional Hide/Move Silent and Spot/Listen are good skills for your mission - to spy on and gather information on the competition. (Well, besides being almost a requirement for ANY rogue!)


This character may not shine in combat, but will be THE MAN when it comes to information gathering and social interaction.

Of course, the usefulness of that in your game depends greatly on whether it's a heavy role-play/low combat or heavy combat/low role-play type of game.