Is the Elocater broken?

[Malum]

I have 3 gaming groups in my area all have many years of exp w/ few exceptions. It would seem as of late that many of the players are picking Psionic classes and of that the Psion to Elocater seems very popular. Maybe its the floating around with scorn earth walking on water etc. or the sneakin around the battlefield flanking everyone with +_2 4 or 6 to hit & damage...maybe its because they get 7/10 Psion levels to boot?

Is the class over powered?

Malum

 

[Sejs]

I havn't had any problems with the Elocater, on either side of the DM screen. It was okay, but not oh-my-god broken.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I can't possibly see how it's overpowered for a psion.

It's a melee combat-oriented class. As psions start out with d4 HP and poor BAB, they're not going to want to mix it up in hand-to-hand. Also, psions typically have better things to spend their feats on than to go up through the Spring Attack hierarchy.

It's most suited for a psychic warrior, or maybe a lurk; something that will actually use the required feats and benefit from a melee focus.

Brad

 

[Nifft]

Any Psion who loses a manifester level is losing something very significant. I think the benefits that an Elocator grants are worth the sacrifice -- the benefits are quite significant to compensate.

IMHO, it's well balanced. I wish there were more spellcasting PrCs that required similar losses.

-- N

 

[RangerWickett]

On the other hand, Illithid Slayer is kinda overpowered.

I really wanted to make a ranger 1/fighter 2/psion 2/illithid slayer 10/elocator 5. Good times.

 

[nameless]

I'd say that Elocater is definitely underpowered. They are a completely melee-oriented prestige class, but you are losing multiple points of BAB before you take the class and multiple BAB during the class. Assuming you get into the PrC as quickly as possible, you will probably be at +3 BAB as a level 6 character, the same as a straight caster. At level 10 you will have a +6 BAB, only one better than a straight caster. You might be able to preserve another point of BAB, but at the cost of most of your manifesting capability.

The class is very cool, but just very hard to work into a playable character that contributes to the party.

 

[Someone]

Actually, you must have +4 BAB, since Spring attack has a requisite of +4 BAB. The earlier you can qualify for the PrC is at level 5, so you really only lose 1 BAB. It´s true you only have medium BAB for the elocater´s entire career, but it´s not a tank but a mobile fighter, making up for the lack of attack bonus thanks to Opportunistic Strike and Flanker, an interesting character to have in the party if already there´s a meat shield or the party has other means to to lots of damage.

edit: and that´s only talking of melee: they have 6+int skill points, so they make decent skill users.

 

[KarinsDad]

I really wanted to make a ranger 1/fighter 2/psion 2/illithid slayer 10/elocator 5. Good times.

I always wanted a Psion 10 / Slayer 9 / Elocator 1 using Psychic Reformation to qualify for Slayer at the last possible moment of Psion 8 and to only lose one manifesting level. I got as far as Psion 8 / Slayer 2 when the campaign ended. Only a BAB of 14 and lousy Fort saves at 20th level, but manifesting power of a 19th level Psion, can wear any armor, use any martial weapon, and Scorn Earth is cool.

 

[Nifft]

I think a fun one would be:

Ardent 6 / Slayer 9 / Sanctified Mind 5

... though I'd also enjoy this one:

Ardent 6 / Elocator 10 / Storm Disciple 4

-- N

 

[saucercrab]

I'd say that Elocater is definitely underpowered. They are a completely melee-oriented prestige class, but you are losing multiple points of BAB before you take the class and multiple BAB during the class. Assuming you get into the PrC as quickly as possible, you will probably be at +3 BAB as a level 6 character, the same as a straight caster. At level 10 you will have a +6 BAB, only one better than a straight caster. You might be able to preserve another point of BAB, but at the cost of most of your manifesting capability.

The class is very cool, but just very hard to work into a playable character that contributes to the party.

I treat the elocater as a skill monkey. 6 skill points per level & abilities that enhance maneuverability liken it to a rogue for me.