One Element Kineticist


Advice

Silver Crusade

Can it be done effectively?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Sure... yes, you're going to have those times where you will have problems, but so does everyone.


Telekineticist can do it.


Single-element focused kineticists will be fine. They'd score level 3 infusion at level 7 instead of having to wait til level 9 and for a lot of them, such an option is often pretty great.

There will be times they wished they had another element's wild talent, but that happens all the time with any class looking at another class's abilities.

In those times, just like with a greatsword fighter vs flying enemies, a spellcaster against a magic-immune golem, or an archer swarmed in tight quarters in melee, one needs backup options.

Carry weapons that can be somewhat optimized for you. Crossbow or finesseable melee weapons (of several special materials). Maybe cestus so that you count as armed and flanking (kinetic blade lasts until your turn is over, on others' turn you'd be unarmed and not-threatening) so you can take advantage of AoO and your allies can a benefit of having you around besides blasting.

Only have an energy blast and run into something that's immune? If you're appropriately decked out for melee, starting aiding another or provide flank, acrobatics around enemy and get them to waste AoO or chase you, or start taking advantage of utility talents (some elements have better support talents, of course). If ranged focus, start shopping for useful things early. Splash weapons, crossbows, slings are free, use party's wands and play support caster if you got decent UMD.

If a single-element-focused kineticist isn't doing something in combat, it's their own fault for getting too lazy and dependent on their blasts. No one cries for sympathy for a martial class than only focused on melee, no one's gonna feel bad for the kineticist for not providing his own alternative options.

Of course, life can be easier if expanding out to different elements. It's completely up to your character concept and how much effort you wanna do.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I'd say air or water could so it easily. You get both physical and energy blasts to change up depending on what you're facing, and a decent selection of utility talents.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Protoman wrote:
Single-element focused kineticists will be fine. They'd score level 6 infusion at level 7 instead of having to wait til level 9 and for a lot of them, such an option is often pretty great.

Don't you mean a level 3 infusion (or utility) at level 7?


Though, you're right. I did. Will fix. Thanks.


Is there a way to bypass DR/good that I haven't seen yet? I feel like Earth would make for a very strong single element since you have a lot of innate means of bypassing your weakness (DR) but the alignment based DR is still an issue.

Silver Crusade

I want to make a melee aerokineticist because I like the idea of chain blast followed by lightning fists but I was unsure if it would work out. They do get the two blasts though.

Silver Crusade

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

A telekineticist does quite well going single element only, since they get a force effect and with the right utility talents can throw foes straight up in the air. Falling damage is not reduced by DR.


Arachnofiend wrote:
Is there a way to bypass DR/good that I haven't seen yet? I feel like Earth would make for a very strong single element since you have a lot of innate means of bypassing your weakness (DR) but the alignment based DR is still an issue.

Amulet of Mighty Fists with a +5 bonus, an Unholy AoMF, fist bumping with a Furyborn AoMF, and using Kinetic Fist. Your blast doesn't gain damage bonuses, but you're hitting with your fists instead, and those gain your blast damage as extra damage plus get your AoMF bonuses.


Aether, Air, Earth and Water seem to be easier to focus on.

- Aether has bludgeoning, piercing, slashing and force damage.
- Air has bludgeoning and electricity damage.
- Earth has bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.
- Water has bludgeoning and cold damage.

Fire... only has fire damage. Good luck covering damage type with fire alone.


Fire does have the advantage of having the only full damage energy composite blast. I could see fire/fire/x as having some advantages over other combos.


Yeah, the only element I would worry about as single element would be fire. But it does seem to combo really well. Fire's power comes from its energy composite blast, which is unique. Quite a bit of the other elements power come from their defense/infusions/wild talents. For all of which you only need a single instance of the element.


Suppose a Blood Kineticist, how bad of an idea would it be to go Water/Water/Water?


Protoman wrote:
Only have an energy blast and run into something that's immune?

I seem to remember one of the talents acting as hold monster against creatures with a subtype that matches your element type. So for instance, the pyrokineticist can lock down the fire giant while his ally lays into it, which is something elementally-themed blaster/casters in lots of games have stumbled over.


Hazrond wrote:
Suppose a Blood Kineticist, how bad of an idea would it be to go Water/Water/Water?

I tried to build a Blood Kineticist for PFS.

I'm a new player so don't expect to much xD

STR: 8 DEX: 16 CON: 16(18) INT: 12 WIS: 10 CHA: 10

6 or 7 Skillpoints if my math was correct.

LEVEL 1:
HP: 12/13
Wild Talent: Basic Hydrokinesis
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Pricise Shot
Sickle: -1 (1d6-1) min: 1, max: 5
Crossbow light: +3(+4PBS) (1d8+1(PBS)) min: 1(2), max: 8(9)
Water Blast: +3(+1PBS) (1d6+1+4(Con)+1(PBS)) min: 7, max: 12
Wrack: +3(+4PBS) ((1d6+1+4(Con)+1(PBS))/2) min: 4, max:6 / min: 2, max: 3

I hope everyone is able to understand what I did there xD

Wasn't shure if Wrack will benefit from Point Blank Shot. I did this up to level 5.

I have some other ideas too but what do you think of this one?


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Arachnofiend wrote:
Is there a way to bypass DR/good that I haven't seen yet? I feel like Earth would make for a very strong single element since you have a lot of innate means of bypassing your weakness (DR) but the alignment based DR is still an issue.

If I recall correctly, all blasts that are energy ignore DR.


Rerednaw wrote:
Arachnofiend wrote:
Is there a way to bypass DR/good that I haven't seen yet? I feel like Earth would make for a very strong single element since you have a lot of innate means of bypassing your weakness (DR) but the alignment based DR is still an issue.
If I recall correctly, all blasts that are energy ignore DR.

The issue is that Earth's blasts are physical for the most part

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