New Pre-gen Psion 5 without a weapon - am I suicidal?

[Henry]

That oughta bring 'em in.

For a new D&D game, I have made up a Kalashtar Psion (Kineticist) level 5. (NOT Eberron, however, just with Eberron feats, etc. available.) He has 40 Power Points, and the psionic shot ability (though WIS is still too low for Psionic Mediation, to get back my focus as a move action).

I have a vision of a Club-wielding cloaked heavily-intimidating nutjob, who loves starting fires, and whose sole ranged weapon (and main weapon for that matter) is his energy powers (Energy Ray, Energy Missile, and Energy Cone).

My question to anyone experienced with psions is: With 40 PP to spend per day, would it be foolhardy to depend only on my powers at this level (assuming we might participate in only two combats before rest?) Or is that too much sacrifice in the name of style?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

That oughta bring 'em in.

For a new D&D game, I have made up a Kalashtar Psion (Kineticist) level 5. (NOT Eberron, however, just with Eberron feats, etc. available.) He has 40 Power Points, and the psionic shot ability (though WIS is still too low for Psionic Mediation, to get back my focus as a move action).

I have a vision of a Club-wielding cloaked heavily-intimidating nutjob, who loves starting fires, and whose sole ranged weapon (and main weapon for that matter) is his energy powers (Energy Ray, Energy Missile, and Energy Cone).

My question to anyone experienced with psions is: With 40 PP to spend per day, would it be foolhardy to depend only on my powers at this level (assuming we might participate in only two combats before rest?) Or is that too much sacrifice in the name of style?

There's a lot of variance of how much you have to use from one game to another, but psions certainly have less use for weapons than, say, a wizard. Those power points last a long time if you're not using direct damage.

I note you are using direct damage, however, so you should probably get your hand on something ranged, as well as a dagger.

The dagger is useful for when you get swallowed. (Murphy's Law. If you don't have a light slashing weapon in your hand...) At 5th-level, it's unlikely you have anything that would help you escape being swallowed. On the other hand, most people don't play d4 hp characters as cautiously as I do, and the number of monsters who can swallow whole and are around CR 5 is pretty low, I expect. Plus, the damage you deal is quite low. But you may want to consider a dagger, anyway, until you can manifest a power like dimension door, ectoplasmic form or freedom of movement to escape from grapples.

(Has a funny image in head of a psion "automatically" making his grapple check to climb from a creature's stomach into their mouth and then out.)

 

[Zjelani]

I don't think it'd be a problem - depending on the campaign and how many encounters your DM packs in a day, of course. Just watch those augmentations - they can burn through the points pretty quick.

It was 3.0, mind you, but I ran a telepath character that went almost an entire campaign without rolling a single attack. His favorite technique was running up and using a power out of Mindscapes that stunned all enemies within a 30' radius for 1 round. I forget the exact name since I just called it my "psi-bomb". Psions can definitely carry their weight without resorting to weapons.

Keeping something around as a backup (like the club you mention) is always a good idea for when the points do run out. Going with the theme, you could always buy a lot of alchemist's fire and the like as your backup.

Or is that too much sacrifice in the name of style?

In my opinion, nothing is ever too much to sacrifice in the name of style. As long as it's fun, go ahead and do it, even if you wind up having to be revived every other combat (which reminds me of another character...)

 

[Desdichado]

You could always take a level of soulknife, just to have a mindblade (or is it called a souldblade?) as a "last resort." I think there's also a feat (although maybe it's a class ability later on; can't remember) where you can throw your mindblade as a ranged weapon too--that might actually fit into your concept pretty well.

And the appearance of the mindblade is arbitrary; make it all fiery and flamy, and you should be good.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

A must-have, especialy at your level, would be what my Telepath did in our Eberron game. I now consider Expanded Knowledge, and through it Astral Construct a must-have. If you happen to have Extend Power it's even more cost-effective, just take the 'tier' of Construct one below your max for 2x the duration.

If you have access to them you never need fear most traps (magic or mundane) again. Think there's a trap on that chest? *POP* your little friend appears and smashes the nasty thing till it's safe to approach. Don't want to waste time moving slowly while the Rogue checks that hallway for traps? *POOF* *ZOOommmm*, that Construct with the enhanced base speed tears down the hallway setting things off and suprising the HELL out of anyone waiting at the end.

The flexability of the power is too good to pass up, it's as good as a Druid's spontanious casting. Ambushed in water, then all the Constructs are finned (and never needed to breath anyhow). Enemy is a fire-happy caster, then all your soldiers are Fire Resistant. Enemy caster over there causing issues, just make sure your biggest Construct has the extra STR to grapple, or even wings to fly over the enemy to grapple (wizards aren't strong after-all). And of course there's the simple fact that Constructs are immune to so many things, like Fear effects or Protection magics. They're constructs, not summoned outsiders.

With someone to cast Divination magic (ie: Detect secret doors, ect) you can get around most of the restictions not having a Rogue in the group entails. Heck, even with the newest party member (mnk/rog) we still use my little friends, as there's no point in potentialy wasting cure magic on the off chance of failed saves when 1PP solves so many problems.

 

[Dave Turner]

I don't have much to add on the PP issue, Henry, but I do have something on the racial side. If you're not explicitly tied to Eberron, then switch from Kalashtar to Elan (from the XPH). Kalashtar is such a weak race and Elan look human but have lots of alien background to work with. Change races if it's not too late.

You should be fine with that many power points, I'd say, if you're just getting into two fights a day.

EDIT: Energy Missile should be your bread and butter if you face more than one opponent. It's the supreme 2nd level attack spell. Supreme.

 

[Henry]

I don't have much to add on the PP issue, Henry, but I do have something on the racial side. If you're not explicitly tied to Eberron, then switch from Kalashtar to Elan (from the XPH). Kalashtar is such a weak race and Elan look human but have lots of alien background to work with. Change races if it's not too late.

You should be fine with that many power points, I'd say, if you're just getting into two fights a day.

EDIT: Energy Missile should be your bread and butter if you face more than one opponent. It's the supreme 2nd level attack spell. Supreme.

Kalashtar may not be flashy, but they do get 1PP/level extra. While the Elans get some cool stuff, above 3rd level the extra PP's are worth it if they're your bread and butter.

Since I've spoken with the DM, I've also been rethinking my character - I may go the more social telepath route, because the DM has indicated that there would be a good deal of social interaction. This brings out my other idea I had a while back:

Who travels with his twin hand crossbows by night to dispatch the wicked? Who knows how to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him? Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?


The Penumbra Knows...