Psychic Warrior vs. Fighter

[Blue]

Multiclassing

Folks,

I want to expand the question a little - if you're looking at multiclassing, so taking say half our levels as a fighter or psywar for a martial component of another class, which one works better.

(Obviously, this differs based on what class, so think standards - rogue, cleric, or sorc/wiz.)

How about just a short dip (2-3 levels)?

Lastly, how does a Fighter/PsyWar multiclass work compared to straight classed either? Loose too many manifest levels, or does it synergize nicely?

Cheers,
=Blue

 

[Darklone]

Psywar multiclassing works pretty much like multiclassing clerics. E.g. one or at max two levels, everything else is bordering on stupidity (perhaps 3 levels rogue).

 

[xazil]

I would say that as a caster the first couple of levels of Psywar are reasonably pointless, you get very, very few power points and powers. On the other hand if you want it just for a couple of free feats from a very good list (fighter + psionic), then the Psywar is great. There is no Practised Spellcaster for psions so long term splitting is not as effective as picking one class or the other.

Of course there is a prestige class that is a Fighter/Psion/Ranger. The Slayer.

 

[Alexandre]

I think fighter is better than pw, with the feat wild talent it gives the fighter acess to all cool pw feats thats the power of pw that he can really count on the long days with more than two encounters
I am playing pw and i think the fighter power is his hp and BaB, he is sucessuful in almost all his hits and thats is what really counts for a one one combat other thing pw needs time to actived power, time that fighter will not give for low level pw, and at high level there is no away a fighter can stop pw for get ready, but whem the fight is at close range or melee range the fighter power is supreme, vigor can´t save you and the fighter that i see playing is fighter 4/swasbuckler3/dervish 4 this has two weapon fight with two weapon scmitars criticals at 15-20/ 4 good strikes at round and it really eats pw for the same level
human
stats are
str 16 two leve points 18 (20) with gloves
dex 17 armor full plate mithiril +2
con 16(18) amulet
int 16(18) head band
wis 10
char 8
feats
mage slayer 1 ( i can this feat that way,) can´t use defensive casting manuver, so no close use of powers.
two weapon fight 3
weapon focus scmitar 4
weapon spec 6
dodge 1
mobility 1
spring attack ( bonus dervish)
close quarter fight 6
improved two weapon 8
improved critical 9
combat expertize 10

three attacks from BaB
two attacks from feats
11/6/1 base
+5/+5/+5 str
+1/+1/+1 focus
+1/+1/+1 weapon
total
17/13/8
two weapon
15/15/11/11/8
critical x2 15-20
dmg primary hand 1d6 +5 str,+2 feat,+4 swashbuckler, +1 weapon, +2 material
dmg primary hand total 1d6+14
secondary hand 1d6+12 half str rounded down

pw can take that i dont think so at least not at the same level level bases

 

[Piratecat]

There are a few nice PsiWarrior techniques I've been using. One is buff my con (using animal affinity) then to rush into combat, hoping to get hit as often as possible. I deliberately keep my AC lousy for this. Once I take 50 hp damage, I use Hostile Empathic Transfer to deliver 50+ points of damage to my enemy. If they fail their fort save, they're dead -- and I heal 25 pts in any case.

The other tactic is to use Spatula's trick of the feats psionic weapon and greater psionic focus, combining these with hustle. I use the extra move action from hustle to regain psionic focus, allowing me to full attack and still do an extra 2d6 per round.

But you know what? The barbarian still does a lot more damage than I do.

 

[silverblade]

I guess with the psionic weapon feats plus the ability to buff yourself and your weapon and heal yourself, a psychic warrior seems to outshine a fighter at higher levels. He doesn't even need that great of equipment thanks to his buffs. Now that I think about it, the class almost seems broken.

 

[Thanee]

Yep, the Psychic Warrior looks fine, basically, except for the odd broken power. Lesser damage potential than a real fighter, but more tricks and utility. Altho, that's a lot of utility, really. Maybe the number of bonus feats is a bit too much, since that's the fighter's schtick, and the fighter does not get cool powers in addition to them.

For a primary fighter type, which even the Psychic Warrior has to be counted as, the loss in BAB and HP is quite noticeable. But I guess the powers more than make up for this loss.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Teslacoil1138]

Heh, the barbarian was made for damage. Not much else. But at higher levels you'll be laughing at him when he gets charmed/dominated and you're fine with personal mind blank on you.

Something you can try is to take Karmic Strike and Combat Reflexes, then buff yourself with vigor and then an augmented empathic feedback. Go into melee, then Karmic Strike them when they hit you: they take feedback damage as well as Karmic Strike hits, you are protected by your temporary HP, and afterwards they'll fall pretty quickly when you take your next turn.

 

[Thanee]

Well, everyone with spells (or powers) outshines fighters at higher levels, while fighters outshine them at lower levels.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Brain]

Slightly off topic:

What do you guys think of the War Mind PrC? One can do like a PW1/Ftr4 to get into it (or a different mix) and end up only missing one point of BAB. The main problem seems to be the manifester level issue.