Psionics Help - Munchkin-size me...

[Persiflage]

Many thanks to all those who contributed to my previous thread, even if the end result was more-or-less that it wasn't possible to do what I wanted

Our new DM seems keen to try Psionics, which is something none of us have touched since 2nd Edition. As such, I dutifully hit the books... Imagine my joy when I realised that it was possible to have a fully-realised shape-shifting concept by 7th level simply by becoming an Egoist!

Naturally, being of a distinctly munchkinist bent, I want to get the maximum possible goodness out of my new character. I'm a bit nervous about venturing into completely uncharted territory (for me) so I'm thinking about going with a dual-"casting" class such as Cerebremancer to retain magic in the mix.

As my group allows the use of the Early Qualification (sorry: Precocious Apprentice) feat to flange our way into prestige classes, I could enter Cerebremancer at 5th level by starting with Wiz1/Psion3.

Is this worth it, do you think? It delays my shape-shifting shenanigans until 8th level, but that seems worth the trade.

I'm looking for advice on several things:

1) I'm thinking a Focussed Specialist wouldn't be a bad idea for the Wizard part of the build: what school specialisation would you recommend if I go with Egoist as my Psion component?

2) What race would work best with this class combo? We use LA buy-off so I don't mind taking a +1 hit.

3) Which feats would you choose? My group grants every character 1 feat per level, plus any bonus feats granted by class.

4) Which Psion powers would you choose?

5) Am I barking completely up the wrong tree optimisation-wise and missing out on a better caster/psionicist variant?

Thanks in advance, everyone

 

[Herzog]

Feats:
Overchannel
Talented.

 

[Persiflage]

[fnord]

 

[Persiflage]

Overchannel and Talented are a given, as is Metamorphic Transfer and Psicrystal Affinity: I may get the latter for free as I'm thinking of going with the Erudite variant rather than plain Psion. I may even go further and get the Convert Spell to Power variant if that isn't overkill with a multiclassed caster/psionicist...

I was rather hoping for build advice through to at least L10 - I'm really clueless with psionics and I haven't got long to come up with a character!

 

[Persiflage]

Still hoping for some guidance here, so I thought I'd try to wave a build at everyone and get a critique. Before jumping on it, remember the "feat-per-level" and "once-a-class-skill-always-a-class-skill" house rules. The aim of this character will be to exploit Metamorphosis for all it's worth and abuse the hell out of his Psycrystal (and I'd love to hear pointers for that).

The campaign starts at 3rd level and we use buy-off, so I figured +1 LA and starting at 2nd post-XP-cost isn't such a handicap in exchange for eventually metamorphosing into Outsiders. The stats I rolled (in front of the rest of the group, I hasten to add) are so good they're freakin' embarrassing. This is what I've come up with for the first few levels...

Tiefling Wizard/Psion/(eventually) Cerebremancer

Stats (with race): Str 9, Dex 14 (16), Con 18, Int 18 (20), Wis 17, Chr 16 (14)

1st Level

Class: Wizard (specialist Conjurer, Abrupt Jaunt ACF)
Feat: Precocious Apprentice* (spell chosen: Glitterdust)
Feat: Scribe Scroll** (class bonus)

Spells: enlarge person, grease, mage armor, nerveskitter, repair light damage, silent image, sleep, wall of smoke (more if DM allows it, as I won't be starting at 1st level as a character)

2nd Level

Class: Psion (Egoist)
Feat: Psicrystal Affinity (single-minded)
Feat: Practised Manifester

Powers (7pp): Attraction, Matter Agitation, Vigor

* Precocious Apprentice will be re-trained at L6 to Practised Spellcaster.
** Will probably re-train to Scribe Psionic Tattoo.

Equipment: Psicrystal Staff and 700gp worth of other stuff yet to be determined.

How does this look? Where should I go next in terms of powers and feats, and in what order?

Thanks in advance

 

[irdeggman]

If you can use Eberron races and information then go with a changling (Eberon race) and go to Races of Eberron and choose the racial substitution levels for changling - wizard (can get dual specialization, and morphic familiar)and changling - egoist (can get extra powers to the list of possible known ones, can get everchaning psi-crystal (as a full round can cahnge the psi crystal's personality)

 

[Starbuck_II]

Why didn't you say Optimize me: why munkinize me? We aren't cheating so I'm lost.

 

[Persiflage]

Actually, it was munchkin-size, as in "Super-size me", but optimization will do nicely

I wasn't aware of those racial substitution levels for changeling... that's a very interesting idea.

We can't use Eberron stuff in general [1], but changeling is an approved race for the DM's homebrew world so I could well be in business!

Moar! Need MOAR CHEEZE!




[1] My fault. The DM saw what happened when I got my hands on a Warforged.

 

[Persiflage]

Damn. I checked out those racial substitution levels and they're not as hot as they sounded...

Dual specialization isn't as good (IMO) as a Focused Specialist. You have to give up an extra school beyond a normal specialist, but you don't get any more spells per day than a standard specialist. The only real benefits are that you've got two schools to choose from for your bonus spell (not really a benefit at all, given that if you've specialised you probably want to memorise at least one spell of your speciality at every level) and a +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks when adding spells from an extra school... but who fails those anyway?

Later you get to add one more spell to your spellbook for free when you level up, but as I'll never have more than one level of Wizard I'll never see the benefit; and even if I did, I wouldn't consider the total a reasonable trade-off for access to an entire school.

Egoist is a bit more interesting, but I'm still not sure it's worth it. The 1st-level substitution (+1 ML to psychometabolism powers targetting self) is nice, to be sure, but replaces the bonus feat. The 3rd-level psicrystal-personality-swapping ability is interesting, but at the cost of a power known? I think probably not: not unless there's some cunning exploit (read: stinky cheese) that can be garnered from doing so; obviously I'm no expert (or I wouldn't be here asking for help) but powers known seem to be in damn short supply. It might have been worth it because of the trade-off at 5th level when you get extra powers known... but I'm playing a Cerebremancer. I'm not going to see 5th level as an Egoist until 15th character level, if at all.

Bearing in mind why I wanted to be a Tiefling in the first place - i.e., hideous abuse of the Outsider type - I think I'd lose far more than I'd gain by becoming a Changeling.

Still, I really do appreciate the suggestion and am very keen to hear more

 

[irdeggman]

You can pick and chose which racial substitution levels you want.

For example you don't need to take the 1st level changling wizard racial substitution level (you can choose the standard wizard level if desired) but pick up one of the later levels when the time arrives.

The 5th level one is really good - morphic familiar (sweet).

Also the racial substitution levels give you 2 more skill points than a standard wizard and add, disguise and sleight of hand to your class skill list.

egoist substitution level has similar benefits (extra skill points and class skills)


From Races of Eberron - check out some of the changling racial feats:

Mutable body (well need shapechanger subtype which the race meets)

Persona Immersion

Racial Emulation

Also use the Expanded Knowledge feat repeatedly - to gain extra powers known {from any disciple} (especially if you get a feat per level as a house rule).