Need Advice for Psionic Character

[blackshirt5]

Go around going Scanners on NPCs!

Can't think of what powers to take to recreate Scanners, just felt like bringing that movie up.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Your advice is interesting:

But a three or four round save or die attack just ain't gonna hack it at 16th level play.

 

[blackshirt5]

But you can't deny how friggin cool it'd be to see a Balors head explode from a little dwarf concentrating. You simply can't say that wouldn't be hella-cool.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

All right, all right, it would be cool to make a Baelor's head explode from a little dwarf concentrating.

That I cannot deny. Though I would be unhappy when the Drow who summoned him wiped me out in short, though at that point infernally sticky, order.

 

[johnnype]

It's been a while since I actually played a psion but If you are not thinking of using psionic combat then you might considergoing with the Psi Warrior. It depends a lot less on psi combat and is very well rounded on it's own.

A couple of other points:

Check this out: http://boards.wizards.com/rpg-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=123

That set of mesage boards contains your best resource of psionics fans. They know the rules better than anyone else. You shoul post your question there, I'm sure you're likely to get a much larger response.

The WotC psionics site you can find it here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/main.asp?x=dnd/psi/welcome,3

There is a ton of info on it, perhaps too much. Keep in mind that some of that material is not very compatible with Mindscapes, the resculpt mind feat specifically.

As you mentioned Mindscapes does indeed change the rules a bit. The reason for the two additional disciplines added to the primary ability score is to reduce the impact of MAD (Multiple Ability Dependancy). Many criticized the PSi HB classes because they noticed that Psions depended heavily on ALL ability scores to determine what powers he could use, not at all like Wizards or Sorceres that only depend on one. Trust me when I tell you that it was necessary. Without it the PC would have a challenging time.

One last thing, Bruce Cordell rewrote the Prestige classes in the PsiHB after they were criticized as weak. You can find them here:
http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff14.html

I think some of the other PrCls in Mindscapes are better but YMMV.

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Thanks for the info, the links, and the advice.

The variant types of pyrokineticists do seem pretty tempting. As does the shadow mind Prc.

I should also point out that I am going to ask the DM to do away with psionic combat all together.

Anyone have any advice on how the psion and psi-warrior classes can be adjusted to make up for the lack of it?

 

[johnnype]

I should also point out that I am going to ask the DM to do away with psionic combat all together.

Anyone have any advice on how the psion and psi-warrior classes can be adjusted to make up for the lack of it?

Yet another reason to go with the PsiWarrior IMO. The PsiWar hardly ever uses psi combat because he's not really good at it. Doing away with it won't do any harm to the PC at all. If you do decide to go with a simple psion and do away with psi combat then I suggest you use the rules in Mindscapes where the regular combat and defense modes are powers instead. That way your PC will still be able to use Mind Blast and not really care about it's relevance to psi combat.

As it is psi combat is only relevant when used against psionic creatures. Unless your DM is planning on using them a lot it won't affect your campaign much at all. Just think of your psion as another spell caster.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

As it is psi combat is only relevant when used against psionic creatures. Unless your DM is planning on using them a lot it won't affect your campaign much at all. Just think of your psion as another spell caster.

And if he does use them a lot, you're hosed, because psionic monsters usually get their favorite attack/defense modes for free.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Korimyr

And if he does use them a lot, you're hosed, because psionic monsters usually get their favorite attack/defense modes for free.

IME that DM isn't playing his monsters properly. Psionic monsters have better things to do with their standard actions, such as manifesting a real, useful, power or attacking.

 

[Ashe]

I would definitely take the feat Inertial Barrier, one of the best psionic feats IMO