XPH balance: Pyrokineticist

[Psiblade]

On topic, The 10d6 from a bolt of fire is not achievable until 15th level. The action to use bolt of fire is a standard action. A Wizard / Wilder will crank out a lot more damage per round. Especially when you add in quicken actions.

Heat Death is a fort save or die ability. Fort saves tend to be high for most monsters. The base DC is low ( heat death DC 14 vs finger of death DC 17). Another limit is the pyro must use a full round action and expend focus. In order to do this round after round requires both hustle and psionic mediation. In which case, a pyro with wilder/psy war levels can use heat death around five times before being out of power points.

For comparison, a cleric of similar level can use slay living around 12 times per day. Many of these could be heighten (much better DCs) or reached. The pyro is actually a very limited class. The class is not very good at damage dealing or instant death abilities.

-Psiblade

 

[Darklone]

On topic, The 10d6 from a bolt of fire is not achievable until 15th level. The action to use bolt of fire is a standard action. A Wizard / Wilder will crank out a lot more damage per round. Especially when you add in quicken actions. ...

For comparison, a cleric of similar level can use slay living around 12 times per day. Many of these could be heighten (much better DCs) or reached. The pyro is actually a very limited class. The class is not very good at damage dealing or instant death abilities.

I guess noone said the damage is too high, it's pretty low, that's right...

I was more worried about the unlimited uses per day. Sure, most PCs are used to wreck havoc, retreat, rest and go on... Computergame style. But if this is not possible, the pyro starts to shine more and more.

 

[BelXiror]

I guess noone said the damage is too high, it's pretty low, that's right...

I was more worried about the unlimited uses per day. Sure, most PCs are used to wreck havoc, retreat, rest and go on... Computergame style. But if this is not possible, the pyro starts to shine more and more.

A decent archer can match the damage output of a pyro pretty easily, without the bother of energy resistance. True, arrows may be a problem, but with the how arrow enchancement doesn't stack in 3.5, unless you need special material arrow heads, you can use plain old arrows and a magic bow. 20gp get you 400 arrows

10d6 averages about 30 damage, and 30 damage a round and level 15 isn't that much... Even 60 isn't that much, and when a level 2 spell nixes 30 points of that damage, the pyro usefulness disappears pretty quick, and at level 15 the BBEG's are bound to have heard of you, so them arranging a bit of fire resistance isn't so far fetched.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. I guess decent archers hit well enough compared to the touch attack, that's right.

So it ends up as being useless against prepared and pretty nice against common encounters.

 

[Psiblade]

Archers can also crank out a lot more damage per round by 15th. A 15th level archer will have rapid shot, improved rapid shot, specialization, double specialization, strength bow, multiple enchantment bow (flame, frost, etc.), bracers of archery. Each shot will average around 19 points of damage! Four attacks per round. With four attacks per round, the archer can do 76 points of damage with 38 to 57 being average. The archer is better because you can add in haste and GMW. The damage with those will climb into the 66 to 88 point range.

The pyro will still be stuck with the 10d6 average of 35. The archer also has a lot more range and flexibility. The pyro still remains a second rate damage dealer.

-Psiblade