Wilder...I don't get it

[Nifft]

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL -- NPC Wilders are very easy to play, since there are so few powers to remember. Yay!

-- N, a lazy DM

 

[Stalker0]

I think people are overestimating teh power of wild surge. Almost all wizards won't stand any kind of spell failure, its so detrimental. Yet with this ability, not only do you get a 5,10,15, or god even 20% to do NOTHING next round, but you lose a whole lot of pp as well. Plus they get no bonus feats, and a lot of the really cool powers you only get as a psion or with a feat.

I have also made a few npc wilders, and man I would much rather have a psion any day of the week.

 

[Darklone]

I don't think the wilder ist too weak... medium BAB, d6 hitpoints and good skills for a specialist spellcaster is... strong.

The wilders powers make him a one trick pony, but he's not only a spellcaster.

 

[Thanee]

Don't forget the versatility of the individual powers!

And there's still Expanded Knowledge (I can't see the wilder go without taking this at least twice or so).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Al]

Darklone has it right. Taken purely as a psionic class, the psion is probably superior to the wilder, though Wild Surge is a fun power (a 1st level character running around with 2d10 damage spells is going to make a lot of people wake up and take notice...). But the main advantage of the Wilder is the subsidiary benefits: average BAB, d6 hit dice, a good skill set (arguably the fourth best in the game after rogue, ranger and bard), and better armour and weapon proficiences.

 

[Piratecat]

Please let me know where I'm wrong so I can either avoid the mistake in the future, or argue about why I'm not wrong

I'm a goober and misread the power to think that the 22d6 was fixed and the 5d6 save damage was augmentable! Dumb error on my part. Sorry about that.

Wilders will never be the flexible problem solvers that psions are, but it looks like they'll do wonderfully in combat -- and with some clever power choices, they avoid being a one trick combat machine.

I was astonished when I statted out a high lvl wilder and found that if necessary she could boost herself to AC 53, naked, with only a a dex of 10 and no magic items. I'm really tempted to play one of these as a front line fighter with additional tactical flexibility; can't hit it? Zap it! And with a high charisma, they are at least moderately good at social skills as well.

 

[hong]

And besides, if you want "flexibility", keep in mind that you don't really need to outwit the monsters. You just need to outwit the DM. A smart player with a wilder (or even a regular fighter) will be more flexible than a dumb player with a wizard any day of the week.

 

[Count Arioch the 28t]

You only need about 4 or so powers to be effective. I made a pretty effective wilder build a while back that didn't take expanded knowledge once, and I held my own in my own testing.

They are a bit boring though. they are just as effective in their own way as a psion is, but they are a bit dull, you have basically the same thing you do every round.

So, I can see both sides. They are not underpowered, but they are limited quite a bit. Better for NPCs, I think.