[Psi] Soulknife questions / Soulknife NPC

[Thanee]

Can a Soulknife have multiple Mind-Blades in existance at the same time, to use with two-weapon fighting for example?

Can a Soulknife learn the Improved Critical feat with the Mind-Blade, it is not specifically listed with the power, but Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization are?

What Powers would you choose for a Psychic Warrior 8/Soulknife 6 (11th manifestor level, using the variant PrC from Malhavoc)? I didn't find many useful ones, there.

Here's the NPC I created (the first psionic character, so I might be missing a few things). He'll probably be encountered together with a Drow Sorcerer (as his ally/guard).

Anything you would change or recommend?

Githyanki Psychic Warrior 8/Soulknife 6

Alignment NE

STR 20 +5
DEX 20 +5
CON 16 +3
INT 12 +1
WIS 15 +2
CHA 12 +1

BAB +10
HP 128
AC 28

Fortitude +11(+13)
Reflex +12(+14)
Will +6(+8)

Skills

Autohypnosis +9[7]
Balance +12[5]
Concentration +15[12]
Hide +10[5]
Jump +12[5]
Knowledge (Psionics) +4[3]
Move Silently +10[5]
Tumble +20[15]

Feats

Improved Initiative
Power Attack
Weapon Focus (Mind-Blade)
Weapon Specialization (Mind-Blade)
Improved Critical (Mind-Blade)
Combat Reflexes
Expert Tactician
Blind-Fight
Speed of Thought
Psionic Charge

Special Abilities

at will - Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dimension Slide, Telekinesis
1/week - Plane Shift
at will - Mind Thrust/Empty Mind
Power Resistance 19
Sneak Attack +3d6
Mind-Blade
Throw Mind-Blade
Imbed Power
Imbed Psionic Attack
Sever Life
Free Draw

Combat Modes

Intellect Fortress
Thought Shield
Mind Blast
Psychic Crush

Powers

Power Points 40

0 - Burst, Detect Psionics, Elfsight
1 - Combat Precognition, Compression, Minor Creation
2 - Animal Affinity, Levitate, Vigilance
3 - Claws of the Vampire, Displacement, Ubiquitous Vision
4 - Dissolving Touch

Notable Equipment

+3 Mithril Chain Shirt of Landing
Ring of Force Shield
Skin of the Defender
+2 Vest of Resistance

==================================================

And just for completeness (added fun), here's the Drow Sorcerer:

Drow Sorcerer 14/Archmage 2

Alignment CE

STR 10 +0
DEX 18 +4
CON 10 +0
INT 18 +4
WIS 14 +2
CHA 24(28)[30] +9[+10]

BAB +8
HP 64
AC 19

Fortitude +4(+5)
Reflex +8(+9)
Will +14(+15) (+2 vs. Spells)

Skills

Concentration +19[19]
Knowledge (Arcana) +23[19]
Listen +8[6]
Scry +23[19]
Search +13[9]
Spellcraft +25[19]
Spot +8[6]

Feats

Spellcasting Prodigy (CHA)
Skill Focus (Spellcraft)
Spell Focus (Transmutation)
Spell Focus (Illusion)
Empower Spell
Eschew Materials

Special Abilities

1/day - Dancing Lights, Darkness, Faerie Fire
Darkvision 120'
Light Blindness
Spell Resistance 27
Summon Familiar (Bat)
High Arcana (Spell Power +1, Spell Power +2)

Spells

Spells per day (6/9/9/8/8/7/8/5/4)

0 - Daze, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close,
Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Read Magic
1 - Alarm, Protection from Good, Shield, Magic Missile, Feather Fall
2 - See Invisibility, Mirror Image, Blindness/Deafness, Cat's Grace, Endurance
3 - Dispel Magic, Fly, Haste, Slow
4 - Fire Shield, Improved Invisibility, Dimension Door, Polymorph Other
5 - Firebrand, Persistent Image, Telekinesis, Teleport
6 - Greater Dispelling, Greater Shadow Evocation, Eyebite
7 - Greater Scrying, Limited Wish
8 - Summon Monster VIII

Notable Equipment

Black Robe of the Archmagi
Ring of Counterspells (Greater Dispelling)
Ring of Mind Shielding
+3 Dagger

Bye
Thanee

 

[warpmind]

I have bought the Psi-HBK only some weeks ago. I have read through the Soulknife description and nothing points at the possibility of using two blades at once. In all the class features, the blade can only be summoned after the dissipation of the last, so I think you can't use two blades simultaniously. But what I don't know is: If you have chosen the W. Focus (Mind-Blade), ¿do you apply it when you "upgrade" the blade to the size of a longsword?¿Has someone an answer?

I personally think you can't use the Imp. Critical with the Mind-Blade, as is not specified in the description, even though it's illogical for me.

About the selection of powers, I think is good, but I personally would have made some changes on the 1st level ones.

It depends on the "feel" you want to give to your NPC. Yours is a kind of front-line fighter, and IMO it would have been more interesting a more assassin-like villain. A kind of antagonist able to follow the PC party group for hour or days and skillfully make hit-and-run attacks. Something like this:

Some changes in the feats chosen: I would give up Psi Charge, Imp. Critical (after all, sneak atttack dices do not multiply on a crit., even if you could use it with a Mind-Blade), Expert Tactician (as is expected to fight alone or with a sole comrade) and possibly Blind-Fight (after all, he knows Vigilance and Elfsight) in order to get Dodge and Mobility (a must for hit-and-run tactics, in conjunction with Speed of Thought), and the awesome combo Hold the Line and Stand Still, making him able to stop enemies trying to charge into him as he concentrates on his prey.

I would have given him some more ranks, bonuses or the like to Move Silently and Hide (think about some cheap magic/psi item).

And the only powers I would have changed are Biofeedback (with a so great Str modifier, just let him escape and will be back in short, ready to dance again) and Hustle (in order to strike from the shadows making a movement action and then full-attack on the victim).

All of this (combined with Dimension Door, and Telekinesis/Levitate to approach to your victims or to take them to your hands), and your players will never forget such a nightmarish foe.

I have some quetions of my own, but I think I'll use another thread to ask.

P.D:¿What's this Monte PrC?¿Something on his website or from the Psi Toolkit?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The Malhavoc Version of the Soulknife replaces the powers discovered and power points entries with a +1 to effective manifester level at every even level (just like effective caster level with spellcaster PrC's. See the Loremaster PrC in DMG).

The alternate Versions of the 4 PsiH PrC's all replace the extra power list with effective caster levels (and it's better that way IMHO). They can be downloaded at montecook.com AFAIK.


But back to the main program:

I think the mindblade's to be treated as a weapon just like every other, so you can use weapon focus, weapon specialization, weapon finesse, improved critical, and every feat there is out there that applies to weapons, and also every spell and power, like metaphysical weapon or keen edge. After all, what keeps you from learning how to wield that mindblade as good as you learn to wield a short sword? I think, since it's an extension of your mind, you'd rather learn to wield a mindblade even better than you could ever learn to wield that normal sword! I'd sooner say that the range of your mindblade is tripled with the improved crit than to disallow it!

But there's something else about feats and mindblades I wonder about: If I have weapon finesse (short sword) and become a Soulknife, will that help me with my mindblade? It's description says that's exactly like a short sword, only looks different and works just for you. It could be the same thing as with short sword <-> wahizashi, katana <-> bastard sword or dagger <-> punching dagger: if you know one, you know all. I only have problems with the upgrade class feature, since the mindblade practicall becomes a long sword then.

That would also explain why weapon finesse isn't allowed: the mindblade's a longsword later. But you could say that you either have a short mindblade and use Dex, or you have a long mindblade and use Str for your attack rolls.

As for the feats for short swords and mindblades: I'd rule it that upon becoming a mindblade, you could trade your short sword feats for mindblade feats (there's a similar thing concerning bows / composite bows, and the similarity of short sword and mindblade is much greater than between those!) when your BAB increases.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Considering that the rules say that the mind-blade is "identical in all ways to a short sword," I don't think it's too much of a stretch to rule that the mind-blade is, in fact, identical in all ways to a short sword.
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And as per the short sword turning into a long sword, I house ruled that you can choose either to have it upgrade to a long sword or you can manifest two short swords at the same time. The choice must be chosen when 8th level is gained and cannot be changed later.
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One power I feel you woefully missed is Biofeedback (or Improved Biofeedback). With your Claws of the Vampire, you would effectively heal twice the number of hps with each hit.

Oh yeah, Inertial Barrier rocks, too...yum.

 

[Fade]

With the errata, you cannot afford not to have Vigor.

18 free hitpoints for 1pp. Yum.

 

[Thanee]

Thanks for the replies.

@warpmind: I like the kinda assassin-style you think of, but what's wrong with Improved Critical (as long as it's ok to choose it, which seems to be) and Expert Tactician, those are perfect for a quick strike against a flat-footed opponent!

(Improved) Biofeedback is a life saver, for sure!
I didn't think about the healing bonus, but healing twice as much is great! Makes those Claws of the Vampire a good choice, rather than a weak one, as he'll use the Mind-Blade most of the time obviously.

Inertial Barrier is surely nice, but I want at least one offensive power to be used with the Mind-Blade's imbed ability, so Dissolving Touch needs to stay.

Where is that errata for Vigor? I heard about it, but couldn't find it. That's mainly why I didn't choose Vigor, but Minor Creation instead...

Ok, then I guess I settle with these Powers:

0 - Burst, Detect Psionics, Elfsight
1 - Combat Precognition, Compression, Vigor
2 - Animal Affinity, Levitate, Vigilance
3 - Claws of the Vampire, Displacement, Improved Biofeedback
4 - Dissolving Touch

I think this looks pretty good now!

Bye
Thanee

 

[AGGEMAM]

Since I missed my Will save, I can't help asking, Thanee, is that astral - you?

 

[Thanee]

That's my D&D character!

Bye
Thanee

 

[AGGEMAM]

That's my D&D character!

So ... that is a female halfling rogue you are playing, right?

 

[Thanee]

Female grey elven arcane trickster

Level 16 now!

Bye
Thanee