A Warlock-Like Psionicist

[javcs]

To replace the UMD abilities, just change the names and flavor text, and replace all instances of UMD with UPD, and instead of magic items, it's psionic items.

 

[I'm A Banana]

The hard decision is: what do you use to replace the Eldritch Blast?

First thing that leapt to my mind was mind blast.

To replace the UMD abilities, just change the names and flavor text, and replace all instances of UMD with UPD, and instead of magic items, it's psionic items.

I think this could be more interesting than Use * Device, though. Psilocks probably don't need it the way warlocks do, either. I could see replacing it with something like Diplomacy (representing their control over emotions), or Sense Motive (representing their knowledge of your hidden thoughts), or something else....

 

[Soel]

Someone has done this:

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11037551#post11037551

 

[Nifft]

Someone has done this:

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11037551#post11037551

That's interesting, and worth stealing from, but it's got its own flavor that isn't quite right for this, IMHO.

For example, IMHO, a Psilock should have access to Charm, Dominate and Control Body. That Dreamer guy is fundamentally opposed to such powers.

Cheers, -- N

 

[starwed]

A while ago, I posted a psionic monk that used a warlock style mechanic. The invocation-equivalents (mantras) should mostly be good for a psionic warlock, even if the rest of the flavor isn't what you're looking for.

 

[Nifft]

Psilock -- Psionic Warlock
HD: d6
BAB: 3/4 (as Rogue)
Good Save: Will
Alignment: whatever.
Skills: 4+Int -- Autohypnosis, Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Disguise, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (psionics, the planes, local), Profession, Sense Motive, Psicraft, Use Psi Device.
Proficiencies: Simple weapons, Light armor and Shields (but not tower shields).

[u]
Level   BAB   F/R/W  Talents	Special[/u]
1	+0   +0/0/2	1	TK Strike 1d6, Psion, Least Talent
2	+1   +0/0/3	2	[i]Detect Psionics[/i]
3	+2   +1/1/3	2	TK Strike 2d6
4	+3   +1/1/4	3	Crystal Clarity, Foresight +1
5	+3   +1/1/4	3	TK Strike 3d6
6	+4   +2/2/5	4	Lesser Talent, Mental Mettle 2
7	+5   +2/2/5	4	TK Strike 4d6
8	+6   +2/2/6	5	Foresight +2
9	+6   +3/3/6	5	TK Strike 5d6
10	+7   +3/3/7	6	Mental Mettle 4
11	+8   +3/3/7	6	Greater Talent, TK Strike 6d6
12	+9   +4/4/8	7	Foresight +3
13	+9   +4/4/8	7	TK Strike 7d6
14	+10  +4/4/9	8	Mental Mettle 6
15	+11  +5/5/9	8	TK Strike 8d6
16	+12  +5/5/10	9	Supreme Talent, Foresight +4
17	+12  +5/5/10	9	TK Strike 9d6
18	+13  +6/6/11	10	Mental Mettle 8
19	+14  +6/6/11	10	TK Strike 10d6
20	+15  +6/6/12	11	Foresight +5

• Talents (Ps): These are psi-like abilities. Like all Psionic powers, they are pure mental actions. You are not affected by arcane spell failure or the like. None the less, if you are visible when manifesting a talent, you are obviously the source. (There could be an eerie green glow behind your head, or blue sparks might fly out of your eyes. Whatever. It's not particularly subtle.)
  At certain levels, you gain access to higher grade talents. When you gain a new grade, you may immediately trade in one of your lower-grade talents for a higher-grade talent. If you gain a new talent at the same level, this trade-in is in addition to learning a new talent.
  There are four grades of Talents: Least, Lesser, Greater and Supreme.
• Telekinetic Strike (Ps): A 60 ft. ray which deals the indicated damage. The damage is untyped, but PR (if any) must be overcome. There are many Talents which augment your Strike in various ways.
• Psion (Su): You gain the Psionic subtype. Despite your lack of power points, you may gain Psionic focus and take [Psionic] feats as though you had a manifester level equal to your class level.
• Detect Psionics (Ps): As the power, at will.
• Foresight (Su): You gain an Insight bonus to your AC and Initiative, which increases with level.
• Crystal Clarity (Su): Your control never falters when manipulating psionic items. You may take 10 on Use Psi Device checks even when distracted or threatened.
• Mental Mettle (Ex): You gain a form of mental hardness, which causes you to resist damage to your mental ability scores. Subtract the indicated value from any mental ability damage (or drain) you suffer, obviously not taking any damage (or drain) if the final result is zero or less.

So what's missing:
- A 10th level ability similar in power to Imbue Item.
- A 20th level capstone ability (hopefully an extension of the 10th level ability).
- A ton of Invocations Talents. I'll put some up but please chime in with more.
- [Psionic] feats that modify the TK Strike.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nifft]

Talents

Least

• Chameleon -- gain a +10 enhancement bonus on Hide and Disguise checks.
• Empathy -- gain a +4 enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate and Sense Motive.
• Far Hand -- as mage hand, unseen servant or floating disk (only one at a time, at will).
• Feline Adaptation -- use catfall and burst at will; gain Evasion and a Reflex bonus by expending your Focus.
• Mind Strike (Strike Augmentation) -- your strike deals d10s, but is [mind-affecting] and grants a Will save for half.
• Mindlink -- use mindlink at will; expend your Focus to use mass missive. Welcome to the Thrallherd prestige class!
• Pyrokinetic Strike (Strike Augmentation) -- your strike deals Fire damage, and an extra +1 point of damage per die.
• Skate -- you or an object you direct can slide skillfully along the ground.
• Telekinetic Spear (Strike Shape) -- your strike range extends to 250 ft.
• Vigor -- gain temporary hit points equal to twice your manifester level.

Lesser

• Astral Insight -- see invisibility and detect teleportation within 120 ft.; expend Focus to trace the destination of an outgoing teleport.
• Canine Adaptation -- manifest elfsight and know direction and location at will; expend Focus to act normally when you would otherwise be surprised.
• Charm -- cause a single creature to regard you as a friend; expend your Focus to attempt a psi suggestion.
• Cryokinetic Strike (Strike Augmentation) -- your strike deals Cold damage, and an extra +1 point of damage per die. If your strike's shape allows a save, it is a Fort save instead of a Reflex save.
• Dimension Swap -- you and an ally switch positions; expend your Focus to switch two allies.
• Energy Adaptation, Specified -- gain resistance 10 to one energy type; expend your Focus to manifest as an Immediate action.
• Lingering Ectoplasm (Strike Augmentation) -- any who take the full effect of your strike are entangled for 1 round in addition to taking damage.
• Shatter Wards -- dispel mind blank, attempt to dispel other mental barriers; expend Focus to attempt to dispel all effects.
• Telekinetic Beam (Strike Shape) -- your strike takes the shape of a 60 ft. line.
• Telekinetic Push (Strike Augmentation) -- your strike knocks its target back.
• Telekinetic Whip (Strike Shape) -- your strike takes the shape of a whip that allows you to Trip, Disarm or Bull Rush an opponent; if successful, you also deal damage.
• Touchsight -- gain Blindsight out to 30 ft.

Greater

• Aquatic Adaptation -- breathe water freely and use float at will; expend your Focus to gain a Swim speed equal to twice your base speed (or 60 ft., whichever is greater) for one round.
• Aura Insight -- detect magic and alignment, identify aura's magical school or psionic discipline with Psicraft check; study an item for one hour to psi identify it.
• Energy Adaptation -- your body converts energy to harmless light; expend your Focus to manifest as an Immediate action.
• Intellect Fortress -- allies within 10 ft. gain a +2 bonus on Will saves; expend Focus to grant dampen power within 10 ft. instead.
• Mind Blank, Personal -- you are immune to scrying and mental effects.
• Telekinetic Cone (Strike Shape) -- your strike becomes a 30 ft. cone-shaped burst.
• Telekinetic Shout (Strike Augmentation) -- your strike deals Sonic damage and ignores Power Resistance.
• Teleport -- use psi teleport at will; expend your Focus as an Immediate action to teleport yourself up to 30 ft.
• Time Hop -- subject hops forward in time 5 rounds (Will negates).

Supreme

• Co-opt Concentration -- use co-opt concentration at will; expend your Focus to attempt to co-opt a summoned monster or astral construct.
• Dominate -- control target telepathically.
• Planar Insight -- use plane shift at will; expend your Focus as an Immediate action to become Ethereal for one round.
• Telekinetic Anchor (Strike Augmentation) -- oppenent must make Will save or be dimensionally anchored for 5 rounds.
• Telekinetic Burst (Strike Shape) -- your strike becomes a 40 ft. burst centered on you.
• Telekinetic Force -- move an object with the sustained force of your mind; expend your Focus to violently hurl objects.
• True Sight -- as psi true sight, at will.

 

[Nifft]

Whew. This is obviously based around a Telepath.

Hmm, the formatting needs some help...

 

[Sound of Azure]

Wow.

It's Jean Grey!

Some thoughts:

You've definitely got the telekinetic stuff down, but perhaps some more mental attacks?

Particularly Mind Blast

Telekinetic flight of some kind would be cool.

I've always liked Object Reading and Synaesthete.

Greater or Supreme Talent (I'm not sure which, but probably Supreme)
Mental Disruption (Strike Augmentation): half your TS is hp damage, half depletes PP. Will save half. If the target fails the Will save, they also lose Psionic Focus.


I'll think some more on this....

EDIT: Oh, I notice that the Psilock(e ) has a better progression of TS damage (tops out at 10d6 @ 19th) compared to the Warlock (tops out at 9d6 @ 20th). Is there a reason for this?

 

[Nifft]

I've always liked Object Reading and Synaesthete.

The latter should be added, no doubt. Perhaps combined with steadfast perception or something similar.

The only use I can imagine for the former is "Summon Flashback Cutscene" or "Annoy DM +2" -- perhaps put something in the class fluff to the effect that sometimes, when touching an object associated with a strong psychoempathic event, the Psylock may get an intuitive vision, blah blah blah, so the DM can hand the player a secret notecard.

How have you seen object reading used?

EDIT: Oh, I notice that the Psilock(e ) has a better progression of TS damage (tops out at 10d6 @ 19th) compared to the Warlock (tops out at 9d6 @ 20th). Is there a reason for this?

Yes. Basically the Strike Augments suck (relative to what a Warlock can do), so the damage is slightly higher. Warlocks can nauseate, sicken, confuse, set you on fire, inflict -2 Dex, etc. Psylock can do some extra damage, push you back, entangle you, make a whip, and that's about it.

For the (certainly necessary) Stunning strike augment, how about this:

Greater Talent
Ego Strike (Strike Augmentation) -- in place of the usual Strike effect, your target suffers 1d4 Charisma damage and is Stunned for 1 round; Will half and negates stun.

Thanks, -- N

PS: Though the Strike effects are weaker than the Warlock's stuff, I do think they offer some nice tactical possibilities. TK Push, for example, is far more effective when used in the Burst mode than anything a surrounded Warlock could do. (Sure, you do ~30 points of damage to the people surrounding you, but you are surrounded. TK Push them, and that ~30 points of damage means they're now ~30 ft. away. )