I have the PHII...

[Felon]

/shrug As long as it takes I guess. How long you wiling to wait?

Guess I'm done.

EDIT--OK, now I'm done.

 

[Psion]

From your own vituperative, policy-violating response, it would seem the answer to your question is clearly "no".

I fear your mightly thesaurus.

I was merely pointing out that some aspects of your comment can apply to the established mechanics for certain non-core base classes, including one that you yourself value and defend (somewhat ornerously).

Cool. I went from ardent to "ornerous". Well, I may fear your thesaurus, but not your dictionary.

At any rate, I think you sort of miss the point. Not that I entirely agree that it's as narrow as the duskblade, but the psychic warrior is a bit narrow. But here's the rub: there was (and since it is pretty much accepted, is) no pre-existing tool that makes a better psychic warrior than a psychic warrior. The duskblade, on the other hand...

It would be a mistake to assume that, just because I use something in print, I beleive it's approach to be optimal. I think the psychic warrior could afford to be a bit broader.

A duskblade seems narrow, but not so much more narrow than, for instance, a psychic warrior. One man's pointless design is another man's newfound joy.

Er, and as far as I know I was just talking about why I wouldn't be using it, not anyone else.

 

[Felon]

I fear your mightly thesaurus.

Cool. I went from ardent to "ornerous". Well, I may fear your thesaurus, but not your dictionary.

Well, if you're reloading the page to watch every edit, I'd say you're pretty ardent. And considering your response you're pretty...kantankerous? Bulligerunt? Combatave?

At any rate, I think you sort of miss the point. Not that I entirely agree that it's as narrow as the duskblade, but the psychic warrior is a bit narrow. But here's the rub: there was (and since it is pretty much accepted, is) no pre-existing tool that makes a better psychic warrior than a psychic warrior. The duskblade, on the other hand...

Er, and as far as I know I was just talking about why I wouldn't be using it, not anyone else.

Well, just as long you're not at all trying to get anyone's hackles up, right?

There's no other mechanic for making a psychic warrior, but since powers tend to duplicate the effects of spells (which is more due to the all-encompassing nature of magic than anything else I suppose), the same basic precepts that apply to making a warrior-mage also apply to creating a warrior-psion. When you take power points out of the equation, what's left that's distinct? The psionic focus stuff?

 

[Psion]

When you take power points out of the equation,

Well, that's one thing.

what's left that's distinct? The psionic focus stuff?

That there's a whole feat system built up around? Yeah, that's another.

That said, you still seem to be coming at this as if I am some big advocate of the psychic warrior...

 

[Andor]

Huh, now that I've had a chance to page through the book in the store I have to ask, why no love for the Dragon Shaman?

It seems to be everybodies least favorite class, while bringing the most to the game. Designwise is sort of an odd mix of the Marshall and the Warlock (using the breathweapon as an Elritch blast analogue.) While this does step on the Marshalls toes, the Marshal seems to be an abandoned class, it's only in the minis handbook and recieved no support in CW or PHBII. Flavorwise it's inline with the various dragon classes, and is most similar to the Dragon Samurai. It's not a mainstream psuedo-europe sort of class, but it does feel very believable to me. And I gotta think that every kobold tribe has a few of these guys. Eberron-wise, Argonessen barbarian tribes is about the only place that makes sense, but it makes a lot of sense there.

What makes the class cool in my mind is two things. One, he provides great party support while still having his own things to do, and he can greatly extend a parties chance of surviving many encounters a day with his 'Free healing up to 1/2 hp' ability. Two, I finally have a use for all those cool metabreath feats from the Draconomicon.

 

[Felon]

OK, let's push the psi-warrior into the background for a sec.

The duskblade, to my mind, seems narrow because of some of the class features, such as delivering spells throgh a weapon attack, or lowering spell resistance with a successful attack. To me, those should be the province of feats, thus allowing any aspiring warrior-mage to take them. Also, the name "duskblade" is off-putting and seems to express an implied concept for the character.

The actual spellcasting, though, is pretty open-ended in terms of embodying certain concepts. Lots of spells to choose from, ranging from all different types, but only a few will be known (the latter factor combined with the high number of slots they eventually receive, makes me wonder if at some point this class wasn't intended to be more of a "warrior-warlock"). No weird restrictions on alignment, weapons, or armor either. Although the class's name feels like it carries connotations, in practice perhaps not.

Anyone else care to comment? Anyone had a chance to make one yet?

 

[zoroaster100]

I'm considering getting this book, though I'm still trying to figure out if the feats are great or too great, if you know what I mean (but that's a whole other thread on this board at the moment). I was wondering, though, if someone could tell me, if only in general terms, what benefit does Spectral Skirmisher give to someone who takes it.

 

[Greylock]

Would it be too much to ask that we a) keep it on topic...

This being the internet and all, this doesn't bother me at all, but fact of the matter is this thread was derailed around about, oh, say, post #4.

 

[Psion]

This being the internet and all, this doesn't bother me at all, but fact of the matter is this thread was derailed around about, oh, say, post #4.

Well, let's just say if I fully entertained the argument that Felon was inviting, you'd have a couple of pages of bickering over psionic/magic distinctions. Which I'm not in the mood for / not what I chimed in this thread for.

 

[Greylock]

...what benefit does Spectral Skirmisher give to someone who takes it.

When Invisible, searchers get a -5 on Listen checks to detect you. If they make an attack against the square you occupy (assuming they are poking about for you, I guess), you get an AoO.

hth