| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have just started playing a level one shabti psychic (see link below) with the self-perfection discipline in Hell's Vengeance. Hardly optimal, I know, but the idea of playing a character that exists solely to suffer eternally in place of someone else in the afterlife in a setting chock full of damned NPCs was too good a concept to pass up. I have also never played a psychic before, and was interested in seeing what they could do.
The more I think about the long game, the more I have trouble deciding where I want the character to go mechanically. Psychics get no bonus feats, and I'm not human, so I'm basically as feat starved as one can possibly get. What's more, there isn't a whole lot synergy with their class abilities and other rules of the game.
So far, I have taken Spell Focus (divination) and the Gifted Adept (mind thrust) trait. I also plan on taking Spell Specialization (mind thrust) at 3rd-level.
I really want to be a "mind thrust specialist" I'm thinking, but the above, plus an orange prism ioun stone and Spell Perfection in the later game (which may never happen) is all that I can think of to boost it. I was also considering taking Bloatmage Initiate, but then I realized I would lose my AC bonus class ability in addition to the feat's already steep penalties.
Any help boosting my ability with mind thrust would be greatly appreciated.
I'm also open to ideas for alternate paths if you have any suggestions.
Here is my character sheet as it stands now.
Here is the progression that I am currently considering, but am not altogether happy with yet.
1. One concern I have is whether your GM will let Gifted Adept and Spell Specialization for Mind Thrust I upgrade to future levels of Mind Thrust. It's not a given.
2. That said, I don't like Mind Thrust because I don't like damage, and while it bypasses elemental resistances, it's mind affecting and only single target. The latter versions have very weak add on debuffs (one round of fatigue? seriously?) until Mind Thrust VI and that one round stun, but if you expect your target to fail a mind affecting save why would you choose to do damage rather than Dominate or Hold it?
A Psychic can be really good at save or sucks. Spell Focus in Enchantment or Illusion, Overwhelming Mind phrenic amplification when you really need to land them and need an extra DC boost.
3. Self Perfection isn't as a great discipline as you think unless you really want to buff others with those bonus spells. You're only getting +1 to +3 to AC bonus at reasonable lower levels, so why not just wear some cheap armor without an ACP? The self heal (HP) is weak, the self restoration/cures can be nice if you don't have a cleric I guess. The phrenic pool replenishment is easy, but limited at early levels.
For Hell's Vengeance I'd probably prefer Pain or Abomination thematically. Pain has better self heals for most purposes than Self Perfection, Abomination has a protective mode that also boosts your DCs for landing save or suck/loses. Rebirth doesn't have great spells, but lets you grab a free floating off list spell for off-time utility and flexibility or adventuring day Sorc/Wizard offense if you want that.
4. You don't get feats, but you do get Phrenic amplifications. Do you want to affect undead, cut through spell resistance, or boost your mind affecting DCs? Those are usually the obvious three to choose from early, although I'm guessing undead is the last choice in a campaign most focused on good supported by outsiders. Do complementary feats, such as Spell Focus and Persistent Spell to go with Overpowering Mind amplification or Spell Penetration to go with Relentless Casting if you want to ignore outsider SR early.
5. Learn and leverage the best Psychic only or early access spells. Suggestion is level 2 for you as a full caster. Create Mindscape allows non-line or sight or effect assassinations. Etheric Shards is a great crowd control against mooks without DR or healing. Etc. You also get some good Bard or Witch only spells, be sure to take a look at Ill Omen if you go the save or suck route.
OK, This is a joke, it is only a joke, but I just cannot pass it up.
Where to take my Psychic?
Elsewhere.
My PFS psychic, level 14. He's a much more generic caster given that he's for organized play, so I can't make the assumption that there will be a wizard or similar at the table to take care of the other extensive needs.
I cannot speak highly enough about Will of the Dead. It is truly wonderful at filling holes in coverage. It also allows for interesting mid to late game utility - any undead you come across can suddenly be affected by Feeblemind, for instance, and have a resultant loss in HP that's pretty significant. While I haven't read Hell's Vengeance, I would expect that there are likely places where undead could pop up as side enemies. Given that your primary focus is a mind-affecting spell, this could be a significant utility for you. The only easy-to-skip phrenic power to swap would be Defensive Prognostication, though.
Logical Remove Fear is one of your most important defensive options in the mid-level range until you can get Intellect Fortress I and afford the slots for it. 7 seems like a reasonable choice for when to get Logical Spell based on your chosen specialization and the craft wonderous selection. The big thing is just remembering to take the spell. Until then, make sure to have potions or scrolls of it available.
I'm up in the air about Gifted Adept vs Magical Lineage. ML is going to have a significant impact once you begin using more metamagic feats. You have a lot of them in your line-up. Just something to consider.
1. One concern I have is whether your GM will let Gifted Adept and Spell Specialization for Mind Thrust I upgrade to future levels of Mind Thrust. It's not a given.
I haven't discussed it with the GM yet, but I can always retrain if I need to.
2. That said, I don't like Mind Thrust because I don't like damage, and while it bypasses elemental resistances, it's mind affecting and only single target. The latter versions have very weak add on debuffs (one round of fatigue? seriously?) until Mind Thrust VI and that one round stun, but if you expect your target to fail a mind affecting save why would you choose to do damage rather than Dominate or Hold it?
Casting time. More utility at lower levels.
A Psychic can be really good at save or sucks. Spell Focus in Enchantment or Illusion, Overwhelming Mind phrenic amplification when you really need to land them and need an extra DC boost.
I will certainly keep that in mind.
3. Self Perfection isn't as a great discipline as you think unless you really want to buff others with those bonus spells. You're only getting +1 to +3 to AC bonus at reasonable lower levels, so why not just wear some cheap armor without an ACP? The self heal (HP) is weak, the self restoration/cures can be nice if you don't have a cleric I guess. The phrenic pool replenishment is easy, but limited at early levels.
For Hell's Vengeance I'd probably prefer Pain or Abomination thematically. Pain has better self heals for most purposes than Self Perfection, Abomination has a protective mode that also boosts your DCs for landing save or suck/loses. Rebirth doesn't have great spells, but lets you grab a free floating off list spell for off-time utility and flexibility or adventuring day Sorc/Wizard offense if you want that.
I'm surprised to see this. The psychic guides spoke very highly of the discipline due to its ability to jack up the AC and self-heal/condition-removal abilities. I actually do plan on wearing armor at low levels once I can get some, but the AC Bonus class ability will be damn useful at later levels once I am able to start jacking up my Dexterity and Wisdom scores more.
4. You don't get feats, but you do get Phrenic amplifications. Do you want to affect undead, cut through spell resistance, or boost your mind affecting DCs? Those are usually the obvious three to choose from early, although I'm guessing undead is the last choice in a campaign most focused on good supported by outsiders. Do complementary feats, such as Spell Focus and Persistent Spell to go with Overpowering Mind amplification or Spell Penetration to go with Relentless Casting if you want to ignore outsider SR early.
I'm not too worried about undead. I don't expect there will be many, if any, in Hell's Vengeance. If anyone knows otherwise, I sure wouldn't mind a general warning though.
5. Learn and leverage the best Psychic only or early access spells. Suggestion is level 2 for you as a full caster. Create Mindscape allows non-line or sight or effect assassinations. Etheric Shards is a great crowd control against mooks without DR or healing. Etc. You also get some good Bard or Witch only spells, be sure to take a look at Ill Omen if you go the save or suck route.
I like create mindscape and instigate psychic duel, but there's a whole butt load of rules associated with them, that I don't think my GM will want to take the time to learn. (She didn't even bother to read our character bios before starting the first game.)
My PFS psychic, level 14. He's a much more generic caster given that he's for organized play, so I can't make the assumption that there will be a wizard or similar at the table to take care of the other extensive needs.
Thanks for the example!
I cannot speak highly enough about Will of the Dead. It is truly wonderful at filling holes in coverage. It also allows for interesting mid to late game utility - any undead you come across can suddenly be affected by Feeblemind, for instance, and have a resultant loss in HP that's pretty significant. While I haven't read Hell's Vengeance, I would expect that there are likely places where undead could pop up as side enemies. Given that your primary focus is a mind-affecting spell, this could be a significant utility for you. The only easy-to-skip phrenic power to swap would be Defensive Prognostication, though.
Defensive Prognostication can increase my AC for several rounds at higher levels though. Seems like a good choice, short of my changing my build around.
Logical Remove Fear is one of your most important defensive options in the mid-level range until you can get Intellect Fortress I and afford the slots for it. 7 seems like a reasonable choice for when to get Logical Spell based on your chosen specialization and the craft wonderous selection. The big thing is just remembering to take the spell. Until then, make sure to have potions or scrolls of it available.
If I succumb to a fear effect and am frightened or panicked, how do I cast logical remove fear? Aren't my actions dictated at that point? Except for instances of being shaken, I'm not sure how useful this would be.
I'm up in the air about Gifted Adept vs Magical Lineage. ML is going to have a significant impact once you begin using more metamagic feats. You have a lot of them in your line-up. Just something to consider.
Yeah. I'm on the fence on that one too. Think I'm going to bank on the lower level game though, since most of our games don't survive to those higher levels.