PsyWar Polearm Build
- Thread starter Ungruush
- Start date
You also want Martial Stance (Thicket of Blades) from Tome of Battle ASAP (Level 12?). That + Stand Still = fantastic.
As for other feats, you can't go wrong with Combat Reflexes and Stand Still. Overchannel is good, but I don't recommend Talented. I also don't recommend the Combat Focus feats.
Power Attack is a good pick. Other feats are to taste I guess.
As for other feats, you can't go wrong with Combat Reflexes and Stand Still. Overchannel is good, but I don't recommend Talented. I also don't recommend the Combat Focus feats.
Power Attack is a good pick. Other feats are to taste I guess.
Tripping is good against Large or smaller creatures with 2 legs.
Once you start getting against bigger creatures or those with 4+ legs, it doesn't work so well.
Expansion, as mentioned, is a must-have power for this type of build.
Don't overlook Prowess, which gives you an extra AoO in case you're out.
I'd have suggested the Reach power from The Mind's Eye, since it is WotC-published material, but it's not in any of their books.
Once you start getting against bigger creatures or those with 4+ legs, it doesn't work so well.
Expansion, as mentioned, is a must-have power for this type of build.
Don't overlook Prowess, which gives you an extra AoO in case you're out.
I'd have suggested the Reach power from The Mind's Eye, since it is WotC-published material, but it's not in any of their books.
Races:
Half Giant: Powerful Build
Goliath: Powerful Build
Githzerai: +6 Dex, +2 Wis, Inertial Armor Psi-like power.
Anthropomorphic Ape +6 Dex, +2 Wis, some other bennies
Human: +1 Feat.
Favorite Polearms:
Greatspear 2d6 x3 P, RI 10', Reach.
Feats I like with Polarms:
Combat Reflexes- boosts # of AoOs
Deft Opportunist- +4 to hit with AoOs
Hold the Line- get an AoO when someone enters a space you threaten
Stand Still- use an AoO to stop an opponent from moving any further
Monkey Grip- use a melee weapon 1 size larger than normal (if you don't have Powerful Build)...that means more base damage.
Power Attack- shift attack bonuses to 2x damage because its a 2-hd weapon!
Shorten Grip* (or some such)- lets you use a polearm against adjacent opponents
Long Reach*- +5' to Reach
*I don't know the exact locations of these in WotC products, but they do exist. While both appear in some form in DCv1, WotC versions appear in places like PHB2 and as one of the Forgotten Realms regional feats
Psionic Powers:
Expansion- boosts your size up to 2 levels- virtually a must.
Items:
Gloves of Dexterity- dex boost improves your AC and your # of AoOs.
Your Polarm with Throwing & Returning enchantments.
PrCls:
Kineticist (any energy version)- adds energy damage to your weapon
Elemental Warrior- adds energy damage to your weapon
Kensai- add a variety of enchantments ot your weapon as you level up, conditional +8 Str boost
Half Giant: Powerful Build
Goliath: Powerful Build
Githzerai: +6 Dex, +2 Wis, Inertial Armor Psi-like power.
Anthropomorphic Ape +6 Dex, +2 Wis, some other bennies
Human: +1 Feat.
Favorite Polearms:
Greatspear 2d6 x3 P, RI 10', Reach.
Feats I like with Polarms:
Combat Reflexes- boosts # of AoOs
Deft Opportunist- +4 to hit with AoOs
Hold the Line- get an AoO when someone enters a space you threaten
Stand Still- use an AoO to stop an opponent from moving any further
Monkey Grip- use a melee weapon 1 size larger than normal (if you don't have Powerful Build)...that means more base damage.
Power Attack- shift attack bonuses to 2x damage because its a 2-hd weapon!
Shorten Grip* (or some such)- lets you use a polearm against adjacent opponents
Long Reach*- +5' to Reach
*I don't know the exact locations of these in WotC products, but they do exist. While both appear in some form in DCv1, WotC versions appear in places like PHB2 and as one of the Forgotten Realms regional feats
Psionic Powers:
Expansion- boosts your size up to 2 levels- virtually a must.
Items:
Gloves of Dexterity- dex boost improves your AC and your # of AoOs.
Your Polarm with Throwing & Returning enchantments.
PrCls:
Kineticist (any energy version)- adds energy damage to your weapon
Elemental Warrior- adds energy damage to your weapon
Kensai- add a variety of enchantments ot your weapon as you level up, conditional +8 Str boost
Kmart Kommando
First Post
I had a character with Hold the Line and a longspear. Oddly enough, no one ever charged anywhere near me.moritheil said:
Monkey Grip is not a good feat unless you're getting 2d6 damage off it (usually, that means you wield a Gargantuan Halberd before Monkey Grip). For a 1d8 Halberd, for example, you get a permanent -2 attack for an additional 2.5 average damage. Compare with Power Attack, where you have the option of taking that -2 attack and turning it into 4 damage. Using Monkey Grip actually lowers the amount of damage you're doing for the same amount of attack penalty AND you can't choose to turn it off. Indeed, based on the way the trade-off between attack bonus and damage works, using a Monkey Grip weapon may be worse than using a normal-sized weapon (as a general rule, the more base damage you do, the worse Monkey Grip and Power Attack get).
Even with a Greatspear, it's still not worth it unless you can get Huge. Here, you're trading off -2 attack for 3.5 damage, and there's still a chance where you still lose out when fighting high AC opponents where you'd rather take a normal-sized weapon without the attack penalty. You can get Huge Size, so it'd be 2 feats for 7 extra damage at the cost of -2 attack. In other words, 2 feats for 3 extra damage over what you'd get for Power Attack. I don't think that's worth it.
Monkey Grip is considered one of the worst feats in 3.5, if not THE worst feat (although it might share that title with Chain Power if you're not using Complete Psionics). Although... at least Chain Power is entirely useless, whereas Monkey Grip usually hurts you...
I'd also prefer a Spiked Chain over a Greatspear. The trade is 2 damage for eliminating that donut hole of reach (aka you save gold since you need to enchant one fewer weapon). That's a trade I'd make. Short Haft lets you attack things in the inner donut hole with a polearm at the cost of your reach, and you have to choose which reach you're using during your turn and you can only change it once per turn. Not worth it IMO.
By the way, the feat that extends your reach either only helps you on your turn (worthless for AoO battlefield control), or you're referring to the Tall abnormality feat that probably isn't suited for good characters.
Even with a Greatspear, it's still not worth it unless you can get Huge. Here, you're trading off -2 attack for 3.5 damage, and there's still a chance where you still lose out when fighting high AC opponents where you'd rather take a normal-sized weapon without the attack penalty. You can get Huge Size, so it'd be 2 feats for 7 extra damage at the cost of -2 attack. In other words, 2 feats for 3 extra damage over what you'd get for Power Attack. I don't think that's worth it.
Monkey Grip is considered one of the worst feats in 3.5, if not THE worst feat (although it might share that title with Chain Power if you're not using Complete Psionics). Although... at least Chain Power is entirely useless, whereas Monkey Grip usually hurts you...
I'd also prefer a Spiked Chain over a Greatspear. The trade is 2 damage for eliminating that donut hole of reach (aka you save gold since you need to enchant one fewer weapon). That's a trade I'd make. Short Haft lets you attack things in the inner donut hole with a polearm at the cost of your reach, and you have to choose which reach you're using during your turn and you can only change it once per turn. Not worth it IMO.
By the way, the feat that extends your reach either only helps you on your turn (worthless for AoO battlefield control), or you're referring to the Tall abnormality feat that probably isn't suited for good characters.
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moritheil
First Post
Kmart Kommando said:I had a character with Hold the Line and a longspear. Oddly enough, no one ever charged anywhere near me.
Perhaps either your allies were using terrain control already, or your DM wasn't giving you a fair shake. :\ It's been pretty useful for the characters I've seen with it.
Nifft
Penguin Herder
This shortened version represents my opinion on the matter.Zelc said:
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Good builds for a PsiWar, let's see... Pole arms are two-handed weapons, so Power Attack is a no-brainer. You'll also want Psionic Weapon and Deep Impact (at 8th level). The very basics of a Flat-Out Damage build would be:
Psionic Weapon, Power Attack, Cleave, Psionic Meditation, Deep Impact (in that order, by 8th level). If you're Human, you can pick up the first three feats at 1st level, then Psi Meditation at 5th, leaving you your 2nd level bonus feat and your 3rd and 6th level regular feats free. Weapon Focus won't hurt, but you don't strictly need it, and it may reduce your willingness to use random weapons you take off NPCs.
When possible, use a Glaive. Your powers should include expansion, offensive prescience, vigor. You may need metaphysical weapon if you don't have a friendly Cleric / Wizard to cast greater magic weapon for you every day.
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Battlefield Control: Trip version. You'll need Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes and Improved Trip. You must use a Ranseur.
Your powers should include expansion, catfall (to negate a counter-trip), and dimension swap.
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Mobility: Lightly armored, able to cross the battlefield quickly. For feats you'll want Speed of Thought and Up the Walls; for powers, burst or skate and hustle & dimension swap.
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Choose two.
Cheers, -- N
Well, it's good if you can get this damage progression on your weapon. -2 attack for 18 damage? That's pretty good. Unfortunately, I don't think you can Monkey Grip an unarmed attack.Nifft said:
If you can't Monkey Grip the unarmed attack, Monkey Grip the Monk.
As for powers, I'd also recommend Dissolving Weapon. Ask if you can double it up with a Power Storing item, so the first hit does an extra 8d6 damage. Best of all, it can be prebuffed. Oh, and Strength of My Enemy is also extremely tasty, but it's a short term buff that requires a standard action to manifest. Be careful about picking up too many of those because you'll never get to use them all.
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blargney the second
blargney the minute's son
You can achieve some interesting synergies with psionics and Bo9S classes. Have a look at psywar/swordsage, wilder/crusader, and psion/warblade.
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