General Discussion: Kineticist


Rules Discussion

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On the other hand, I'm pretty comfortable with the level of burn's impact on a character. That you can very nearly incapacitate yourself seems very reasonable. I think it's kind of awesome that if you use every last drop of your available overload ability, you should be walking on eggshells for the rest of the day.

This might, however, be a good opportunity for a nice exploding feat. Maybe something vaguely like this.

REDUCED BURN
Your burden when using some kineticist abilities lessens.
Prerequisites: Kineticist burn class feature, kineticist level 2.
Benefit: When you take burn damage, treat your character level as one lower than it actually is.
Special: This feat can be taken more than once. The reduction in character level is equal to the number of instances of this feat you possess, but no greater than your actual character level plus one. (You can never have a burn that imposes zero nonlethal damage.)
Normal: Burn imposes one point per character level of nonlethal damage per point of burn.


Starfox wrote:
On burn. I have the feel that burn is about twice as costly as it ought to be. How about each burn point inflicting one point of Constitution damage that cannot be recovered normally, but is recovered automatically next day? Sure, this is worse in some ways (lessened abilities, reduced hp, chance of death), but you get to burn twice as much before you go down. Another problem with attribute damage is that the mechanism for it is rather complex.

I think my favorite option so far is to make half of burn damage heal able (round nonheal able up for balance).

i also think that kinetic healer should be changed to this talent can be used 3+(1/2)con mod per day 1/2 con so we don't out heal clerics not that we would be able to compare to some of the things they get.

Anguish I agree we should probably get a feat like that I just think I should probably be something that we take once and get a decent reduction due to how few feats we currently get.


alternis sol wrote:


i also think that kinetic healer should be changed to this talent can be used 3+(1/2)con mod per day 1/2 con so we don't out heal clerics not that we would be able to compare to some of the things they get.

Well. while it heals quite abit of D6's it doesn't outclass an actual healer at all I think. It's so very focused and you burn a constantly with no way to reduce at all.

Silver Crusade

Thread is too long so this may have come up back around Pg15... My thought to deal with Burn is to give the Kineticist a "Psychic Reservoir" based on some attribute bonus, like Wisdom, which slowly increases as you level (like +1 every 3 levels) and refreshes every day when you rest. When you take Burn, you can choose to use your Reservoir instead, if there is room for all the Burn. As a side benefit, you may use (its optional) the Reservoir stat bonus for instead of the normal attribute for determining the blast or talents effect (for example Wis bonus instead of Con bonus). This would give another stat to help with the SADness of the class, a way to step up when things go bad without KOing yourself, and some possible interesting build options, like a frail mystic who can unleash powerful blasts while is Reservoir holds out. The reservoir doesn't have to come on line at lv 1, just to stop the front load of the class (say lv 3), if needed.

I'm not sold on the stat used either... just a thought.

Liberty's Edge

I think an idea to reduce burn usage could be something like the breath weapon mechanics. Just have some abilities recharge over relatively short periods. Might be do ends or minutes or hours depending on ability. Reusing such abilities within recharge time would then incur burn.

Say pyrokinetics could have a more scalable burning hands that can only be used once every 4 or 5 rounds. Spamming such an ability would then incur burn. Could be explained as normally using ambient elemental energy but more use is channeled through or provided by the body of the kineticist themselves. Gather energy representing the more controlled less debilitating channeling.

Edit: On further reflection I think fluff logic would work better as saying just naturally stored and recharging energy so as to explain away multiple kineticists not interfering with each other. Recharge rates could be influenced by environment though.


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There are several possible solutions for burn. Some ideas:

1) Inner Reserves: The kineticist recover each day a reserve of 1/2 his class level + Constitution bonus of points that can be spent as burn. These points do not cause any damage to the kineticist.

2) Healing Burn: The kineticist may recover normally damage from burn as any normal non-lethal damage. It would still cripple him if used too much at once, but it would be more of a "per encounter mechanic".

3) Burn becomes a temporary Constitution penalty. It lasts 1 minute.

4) The kineticist can recover 1 point of burn by spending a full round action concentrating.

5) Burn becomes a threshold mechanic: up to Con mod burn: no effect; up to 2x Con mod burn: fatigued; up to 3x Con mod burn: exausted, after that, will save each round to stay conscious. Mechanic that remove fatigue take the kniticist to the previous threshold.

6) Burn occurs if the kineticist fails a check. Fort 15+ the number of points already spent that day. Each time the check is failed he takes the damage.

Those are just some ideas. With time to plan and test we can always find the right stuff.

Dark Archive

I'm really liking this class. I've only had a single opportunity to play during a low level PFS game, but I found the kineticist to be fun, though frustrating to play.

A few things off the top of my head:

I love the burn mechanic. I'm sure it can be streamlined a bit, but the idea of it works. It's kind of like a reverse resource pool, one you fill up rather than empty throughout the day. My only complaint is you fill up burn using instantaneous effects at the cost of a persistent cost. The HP loss should be recoverable throughout the day (maybe 1 point per level per hour) though the burn should stay and keep its limit per day. Feel the burn could then have a limit that it only functions while suffering from non-lethal damage from burn but still uses the full burn from the day to determine its bonus.

Each element should be scaled more like cross between sorcerer bloodlines and oracle mysteries. You should receive a limited of but essential and theme defining abilities which scale with level automatically, and then have a list of additional tricks/talents to select from every few levels which also scale with level. For example, if a telekineticist selects the Self Telekinesis talent, it should automatically provide an increase ability at a higher level.

There should be some means of increasing the accuracy of the non touch attack blasts. I know there has been tons of math done up here on the subject, but just ballparking it but the total bonus to hit seems about the same as a bard using inspire courage, except the bard gets inspire courage at level one, provides those bonuses to his entire group and can also use magic weapons to further increase his own accuracy. There should at least be some kind of magic item a kineticist can use to increase his accuracy, even if it only applies to his non touch targeting blasts.


Zwordsman wrote:
alternis sol wrote:


i also think that kinetic healer should be changed to this talent can be used 3+(1/2)con mod per day 1/2 con so we don't out heal clerics not that we would be able to compare to some of the things they get.

Well. while it heals quite abit of D6's it doesn't outclass an actual healer at all I think. It's so very focused and you burn a constantly with no way to reduce at all.

I was thinking remove the burn cost but give it a daily limit I'm not that familiar with support/healer's so 3+con mod could be completely reasonable


alternis sol wrote:
Zwordsman wrote:
alternis sol wrote:


i also think that kinetic healer should be changed to this talent can be used 3+(1/2)con mod per day 1/2 con so we don't out heal clerics not that we would be able to compare to some of the things they get.

Well. while it heals quite abit of D6's it doesn't outclass an actual healer at all I think. It's so very focused and you burn a constantly with no way to reduce at all.

I was thinking remove the burn cost but give it a daily limit I'm not that familiar with support/healer's so 3+con mod could be completely reasonable

Well that would work. It'd basically be lay on hands without the offensive properties. Though feels weird to remove their stuff from their burn properties.

Still like the idea of free-ish burns like the whole 3+con mod free per day or 1/2 of that free per day to the max. and then con damage instead of unhealable stuff


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One argument against full BAB is that Full BAB may be overvalued. I already feel like the class is a bit gimped because unlimited abilities are overvalued I don't want it to get worse. I'd rather it get abilities that improve accuracy or pseudo-improve accuracy than jump to a fix of full BAB and more interesting abilities and I think 3/4 BAB kind of justifies that. Heck, full divine casters get 3/4 BAB so it's got to be worth something.

I'm also a little concerned that this will be THE blaster class. I went blaster for the playtest but only because I didn't understand a few of the talents confidently. My first interest was to go with a strength build. Not only that but it gets little of anything else and almost every single one of it's abilities, scratch that; ALL of the class features revolve around the blasts so aside from bending one element or another it does almost nothing. I cant even branch out and be a 'fighty' bender because I need all my feats to make my blasts hit.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16

Malwing wrote:
One argument against full BAB is that Full BAB may be overvalued. I already feel like the class is a bit gimped because unlimited abilities are overvalued I don't want it to get worse.

Well put. Personally, I don't think adding full BAB is a big deal precisely for this reason. That being said, if the designers think that a full BAB is all it takes to fix the class than I'd rather they went in another direction. A full BAB is only part of a possible solution and should by no means be seen as the magic bullet that will miraculously solve the kineticist. It's been articulated well before, the class needs:

- Better blasting in respect to versatility and damage
- More utility outside of combat (heck, why not in-combat too)
- More skill ranks and class skills

I imagine that unarmed/style feats options for Avatar fans like myself will appear in an archetype.


Malwing wrote:

I'm also a little concerned that this will be THE blaster class. I went blaster for the playtest but only because I didn't understand a few of the talents confidently. My first interest was to go with a strength build. Not only that but it gets little of anything else and almost every single one of it's abilities, scratch that; ALL of the class features revolve around the blasts so aside from bending one element or another it does almost nothing. I cant even branch out and be a 'fighty' bender because I need all my feats to make my blasts hit.

Mark did say he wasn't trying to make this the blasty class but as it stands it doesn't look like it is suppose to do much else but be elemental blasty.

Whic hhalf makes sense considering currently onl ycasters are blasty--and generally speaking if your not amagus, and using direct damage typically you get alook like "so your going the weaker caster route huh" so it makes sense to make a class that can do it and always do it. to some extent.

So I think they do need a bump for to hit; still voting the pseudo bab or alterting burn slightly.

This is not tosay they really dont need a whole section of utility. Especially using their powers non offensively with a nice set of definitions for parameters.


As currently written, the Kineticists ARE mainly blasters, look how many of their abilities are modifications of blast...


Honestly with enough tweaks to burn and hit modifiers there's no reason this couldn't be a poor bab class. As it is, kinetic weapon seems a little too good with its iterative attacks.


Melkiador wrote:
Honestly with enough tweaks to burn and hit modifiers there's no reason this couldn't be a poor bab class. As it is, kinetic weapon seems a little too good with its iterative attacks.

yeah one reason pseudo full bab for kinetic blasts (but allowing blade/whip to run off normal bab) is one thing some people have thought of.

Psudo full BAB or free burn points per day are the best ideas for the non utility stuff I think

Liberty's Edge

Melkiador wrote:
Honestly with enough tweaks to burn and hit modifiers there's no reason this couldn't be a poor bab class. As it is, kinetic weapon seems a little too good with its iterative attacks.

I kind of agree. Blasting without iterative seems weak without extreme burn but iteratives with can swing it the other way. Don't get me wrong I like the idea of kinetic blade but the balancing act of range vs melee is really hard because of it.


Myself, I'm thinking kinetic weapon is going to need some work. It seems off to have the blaster type class at it's best in melee by default. It seems like something that'd work better as an archetype and/or feat.


Think reducing iteratives might work?

Like running Kinetic blast off Pseudo bab either 3/4 or class level (my vote). then kinetic blade specificall ycalling out BAB. so it's stuck at 3/4+haste.
Or increase the damage amount and put the BAB at 1/2 . Though they'd either have to break the bab-hit die stuff they have normally. or provide some other HP stuff to make up for it.

I suppose at worst make the Blade not gain iteratives at first, but only able to get it via higher talents later


graystone wrote:
Myself, I'm thinking kinetic weapon is going to need some work. It seems off to have the blaster type class at it's best in melee by default. It seems like something that'd work better as an archetype and/or feat.

Can I get a link to a dev response on whether or not Kineticist is supposed to be 'the blaster' or not. I feel like despite getting iterative attacks the lack of accuracy makes touch blasting the go-to strategy and that the class is currently a blaster class and that's it. What is the identity of this class?


Malwing wrote:
graystone wrote:
Myself, I'm thinking kinetic weapon is going to need some work. It seems off to have the blaster type class at it's best in melee by default. It seems like something that'd work better as an archetype and/or feat.
Can I get a link to a dev response on whether or not Kineticist is supposed to be 'the blaster' or not. I feel like despite getting iterative attacks the lack of accuracy makes touch blasting the go-to strategy and that the class is currently a blaster class and that's it. What is the identity of this class?

Identity is one of the confusions we have. It's not suppose to be "the go to end all blaster" but it's still suppose to be semi magic-martially.

I don't have the quote cause well.. so many posts and it was pretty early..

I feel like what it should be is something along the lines of other 3/4th bab.
I would like it to be often moving, semi scout sorta thing. Since the extreme range it can attain, I think it would be a great sniper, who could also use blade up close.

Kinda I guess switch hitter, with some pretty decent skills and tons of control over their element.


IMO, Kineticists shouldn't be able to blast with iterative attacks, but the increase in accuracy and HD, as well as having an easier access to combat feats, would definitely give the class a much needed boost. It's also a lot simpler than having to implement yet another class feature.

Malwing wrote:
Can I get a link to a dev response on whether or not Kineticist is supposed to be 'the blaster' or not. I feel like despite getting iterative attacks the lack of accuracy makes touch blasting the go-to strategy and that the class is currently a blaster class and that's it. What is the identity of this class?

Well, at least in my play-test experience, when I couldn't target touch AC, I could barely hit any CR-appropriate target more than about half the time. All Burn did was to give my character the accuracy of a Rogue! :/


Malwing wrote:
graystone wrote:
Myself, I'm thinking kinetic weapon is going to need some work. It seems off to have the blaster type class at it's best in melee by default. It seems like something that'd work better as an archetype and/or feat.
Can I get a link to a dev response on whether or not Kineticist is supposed to be 'the blaster' or not. I feel like despite getting iterative attacks the lack of accuracy makes touch blasting the go-to strategy and that the class is currently a blaster class and that's it. What is the identity of this class?

The base power of the class is a ranged blast. To me that screams blasty. What it doesn't say is run into melee so you can actually hurt something...

The optional melee power shouldn't be power base IMO. It seemed to me it should be a class with good ranged attacks and if needed has options to fight in melee. Not a melee fighter that shoots ranged only when they can't get into melee.


Hmm..

Think the melee should lose iteratives, or lose half the damage of a K-blast (after all fine control like that is different than charge and throw)


On the other hand, for a class that drops HP for its damage, being Frontline rapidly exceeds the risk/reward math. If blade/whip is made to provoke like a normal SLA at melee range, you now see many situations where using it is a risky last ditch maneuver. Whether it feel wise to make this class such a gambler is another matter, and I'd find another way to balance it if they want it to be viable, but I don't see many kineticists being melee oriented after the first half of their burn has been used. Because now you have to close, burn more, and pray to Lloth they don't one shot you before you can start swinging.


So I was going through the playtest, and while you have to wait a few rounds of DBZ-esk charging, you can deal 870 damage in one round late game.

10d6+10+Con. Mod Blast + 10d6+10 (Composite blast) + Double Blast ((Maximize + Empower)x2 + Quicken)

Hell of a long charge time, but incredible amounts of damage.

On that note, does the Double Bast count as 2 separate attacks?


You can't accept that much Burn in a round though. Max you can accept is 6 (effective 8 for using your Move and Metakinetic Master to reduce the cost by 2), and that costs 10 (Sorry, 12, forgot the Composite Blast cost). Also, not sure what waiting a few rounds would do here.

Even if it did work, that's a whopping 160 unhealable damage you just slapped yourself with there. To attack ONE TARGET in most cases.

Whoopee.

Scarab Sages

It is possible to make a Kineticist that is accurate vs. normal AC, but only by optimizing for accurracy.

My aerokineticist has an 85% hit chance with physical ranged attacks within 30'. Using +2 Kinetic Bracers, well within WBL, this would be raised to 95% accuracy, matching her electric blast.

Accuracy on touch based Kinetic Blades would be unaltered. Kinetic Blades targeting normal AC would be .8/.55, not as good as a fighter or ranger but hitting on the first iterative would be reasonably likely.

A character concerned about overcoming DR could devote a higher percentage of WBL for +3 Kinetic Bracers, overcoming cold iron/silver and dealing slightly more damage with Kinetic Blades targeting normal AC.

In none of the above cases is the character competitive with a DPR focused build, dealing half what an optimized damage dealer can manage. The DPR issue can only be addressed by either fundamentally altering the damage scaling of the class or making an explicit ruling that Vital Strike is legal for Kinetic Blast.

The non-DPR solution is to add significant utility in the form of non-combat abilities and skill points.

Scarab Sages

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decamonos wrote:

So I was going through the playtest, and while you have to wait a few rounds of DBZ-esk charging, you can deal 870 damage in one round late game.

10d6+10+Con. Mod Blast + 10d6+10 (Composite blast) + Double Blast ((Maximize + Empower)x2 + Quicken)

Hell of a long charge time, but incredible amounts of damage.

On that note, does the Double Bast count as 2 separate attacks?

Burst DPR that can done only once per day, at the cost of rendering yourself nearly unconscious, cannot be used to judge a classes effectiveness.

Silver Crusade

I've seen this asked a couple time through the thread, but I didn't see a response, so I hope this one gets one:
If you are an Aetherkinetic, can you carry around a bag of rocks to use with your blast? My thought is to carry around a bag of sling bullets and use those to fling at people. As written (my interpretation anyway), this is not allowed. Is that how it was intended to be?


Artanthos wrote:

It is possible to make a Kineticist that is accurate vs. normal AC, but only by optimizing for accurracy.

My aerokineticist has an 85% hit chance with physical ranged attacks within 30'. Using +2 Kinetic Bracers, well within WBL, this would be raised to 95% accuracy, matching her electric blast.

Accuracy on touch based Kinetic Blades would be unaltered. Kinetic Blades targeting normal AC would be .8/.55, not as good as a fighter or ranger but hitting on the first iterative would be reasonably likely.

A character concerned about overcoming DR could devote a higher percentage of WBL for +3 Kinetic Bracers, overcoming cold iron/silver and dealing slightly more damage with Kinetic Blades targeting normal AC.

In none of the above cases is the character competitive with a DPR focused build, dealing half what an optimized damage dealer can manage. The DPR issue can only be addressed by either fundamentally altering the damage scaling of the class or making an explicit ruling that Vital Strike is legal for Kinetic Blast.

The non-DPR solution is to add significant utility in the form of non-combat abilities and skill points.

DPR is often being proposed outside of any context.

Not just with this post, but in many others.

Producing a biased analysis.

Scenario: 4 encounters lasting for 5 rounds each.

5th level Fire Kineticist (20 Con) can fire 20 fire blasts.

5th level Sorcerer (20 Charisma) can cast 5 scorching ray spells. Then is left with first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missile.

Draconic Sorcerer 4d6+4 x5 (scorching ray), 2d4+2 x8 (magic missile), 1d3 x7 (ray of frost)

Fire Kineticist 3d6+2 x20

The Kineticist severely outclasses the Sorcerer in the Blaster role:

Draconic Sorcerer 241 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

Fire Kineticist 400 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)


Artanthos wrote:
Burst DPR that can done only once per day, at the cost of rendering yourself nearly unconscious, cannot be used to judge a classes effectiveness.

this is very true, also the only time you'd do it is to a boss. which people generally nova regardless of class in that encounter.

Rynjin wrote:

You can't accept that much Burn in a round though. Max you can accept is 6 (effective 8 for using your Move and Metakinetic Master to reduce the cost by 2), and that costs 10 (Sorry, 12, forgot the Composite Blast cost). Also, not sure what waiting a few rounds would do here.

he only ends of using 8 burn but its a mute point because it is still more than allowed

composite blast 1 (we are assuming one composite blast)
empower 1
maximize 2
quicken 3
double 4
-3 from metamaster, composite master, and move action

I think what he was thinking, was that he could build up a charge my taking move actions on multiple turns to offset the burn cost.

which actually isn't a bad question given that we have the quicken metakinesis which changes the cast time allowing us to take up to 3 move actions in a turn if we are under the effect of haste and then use a blast.

Grand Lodge

Morzadian wrote:

DPR is often being proposed outside of any context.

Not just with this post, but in many others.

Producing a biased analysis.

Scenario: 4 encounters lasting for 5 rounds each.

6th level Fire Kineticist (20 Con) can fire 20 fire blasts.

6th level Sorcerer (20 Charisma) can cast 5 scorching ray spells. Then is left with first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missile.

Draconic Sorcerer 4d6+4 x5 (scorching ray), 2d4+2 x8 (magic missile), 1d3 x7 (ray of frost)

Fire Kineticist 3d6+2 x20

The Kineticist severely outclasses the Sorcerer in the Blaster role:

Draconic Sorcerer 241 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

Fire Kineticist 400 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

When was the last time you played in a game where you actually had four fights in a day that went for 5 rounds each? You're also ignoring the fact that Sorcerers can do a hell of a lot more outside of damage.

Also, a 6th level Sorcerer with 20 Charisma can fire 10 Scorching Rays (6 2nd level slots, 4 3rd level), not 5. Oh, and a 6th level Sorcerer casts 3 missiles, not 2.

Edit: Also, if you really want to blast with a Sorcerer, you're probably better off going Crossblooded Orc/Draconic, which raises the max damage you're doing from 406 to 472. Both numbers being higher than the Kineticist, actually.

Edit2:The Sorcerer ends up with a higher max (406 or 472 vs 400), a higher average (268 or 334 vs 250), and a higher minimum (130 or 196 vs 100).


Phylotus wrote:

I've seen this asked a couple time through the thread, but I didn't see a response, so I hope this one gets one:

If you are an Aetherkinetic, can you carry around a bag of rocks to use with your blast? My thought is to carry around a bag of sling bullets and use those to fling at people. As written (my interpretation anyway), this is not allowed. Is that how it was intended to be?

Why couldnt you? No reason you cant. But, if its not ammo then youll have to spend actions to pull the rocks out, or spend action to drop the bag.

So yeah be sure t8 use sling rocks or bolts or arrowa for free actipn draw. Or i guess rely on random itema

Liberty's Edge

Jeff Merola wrote:
Morzadian wrote:

DPR is often being proposed outside of any context.

Not just with this post, but in many others.

Producing a biased analysis.

Scenario: 4 encounters lasting for 5 rounds each.

6th level Fire Kineticist (20 Con) can fire 20 fire blasts.

6th level Sorcerer (20 Charisma) can cast 5 scorching ray spells. Then is left with first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missile.

Draconic Sorcerer 4d6+4 x5 (scorching ray), 2d4+2 x8 (magic missile), 1d3 x7 (ray of frost)

Fire Kineticist 3d6+2 x20

The Kineticist severely outclasses the Sorcerer in the Blaster role:

Draconic Sorcerer 241 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

Fire Kineticist 400 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

When was the last time you played in a game where you actually had four fights in a day that went for 5 rounds each? You're also ignoring the fact that Sorcerers can do a hell of a lot more outside of damage.

Also, a 6th level Sorcerer with 20 Charisma can fire 10 Scorching Rays (6 2nd level slots, 4 3rd level), not 5. Oh, and a 6th level Sorcerer casts 3 missiles, not 2.

Edit: Also, if you really want to blast with a Sorcerer, you're probably better off going Crossblooded Orc/Draconic, which raises the max damage you're doing from 406 to 472. Both numbers being higher than the Kineticist, actually.

Edit2:The Sorcerer ends up with a higher max (406 or 472 vs 400), a higher average (268 or 334 vs 250), and a higher minimum (130 or 196 vs 100).

Don't forget that if a Sorcerer uses the traits to offset meta magic, he could be casting all of those Scorching Rays as empowered at the very least.

Grand Lodge

Fomsie wrote:
Jeff Merola wrote:
Morzadian wrote:

DPR is often being proposed outside of any context.

Not just with this post, but in many others.

Producing a biased analysis.

Scenario: 4 encounters lasting for 5 rounds each.

6th level Fire Kineticist (20 Con) can fire 20 fire blasts.

6th level Sorcerer (20 Charisma) can cast 5 scorching ray spells. Then is left with first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missile.

Draconic Sorcerer 4d6+4 x5 (scorching ray), 2d4+2 x8 (magic missile), 1d3 x7 (ray of frost)

Fire Kineticist 3d6+2 x20

The Kineticist severely outclasses the Sorcerer in the Blaster role:

Draconic Sorcerer 241 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

Fire Kineticist 400 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

When was the last time you played in a game where you actually had four fights in a day that went for 5 rounds each? You're also ignoring the fact that Sorcerers can do a hell of a lot more outside of damage.

Also, a 6th level Sorcerer with 20 Charisma can fire 10 Scorching Rays (6 2nd level slots, 4 3rd level), not 5. Oh, and a 6th level Sorcerer casts 3 missiles, not 2.

Edit: Also, if you really want to blast with a Sorcerer, you're probably better off going Crossblooded Orc/Draconic, which raises the max damage you're doing from 406 to 472. Both numbers being higher than the Kineticist, actually.

Edit2:The Sorcerer ends up with a higher max (406 or 472 vs 400), a higher average (268 or 334 vs 250), and a higher minimum (130 or 196 vs 100).

Don't forget that if a Sorcerer uses the traits to offset meta magic, he could be casting all of those Scorching Rays as empowered at the very least.

I usually pick Fireball for that, which doesn't come online until level 7 for Crossblooded. But yes, the numbers go way up when a Sorcerer starts building like a blaster, rather than a Sorcerer that just happens to know a few blasting spells.


Jeff Merola wrote:
Morzadian wrote:

DPR is often being proposed outside of any context.

Not just with this post, but in many others.

Producing a biased analysis.

Scenario: 4 encounters lasting for 5 rounds each.

6th level Fire Kineticist (20 Con) can fire 20 fire blasts.

6th level Sorcerer (20 Charisma) can cast 5 scorching ray spells. Then is left with first level spells like Burning Hands and Magic Missile.

Draconic Sorcerer 4d6+4 x5 (scorching ray), 2d4+2 x8 (magic missile), 1d3 x7 (ray of frost)

Fire Kineticist 3d6+2 x20

The Kineticist severely outclasses the Sorcerer in the Blaster role:

Draconic Sorcerer 241 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

Fire Kineticist 400 (maximum damage for 4 encounters/5 rounds)

When was the last time you played in a game where you actually had four fights in a day that went for 5 rounds each? You're also ignoring the fact that Sorcerers can do a hell of a lot more outside of damage.

Also, a 6th level Sorcerer with 20 Charisma can fire 10 Scorching Rays (6 2nd level slots, 4 3rd level), not 5. Oh, and a 6th level Sorcerer casts 3 missiles, not 2.

Edit: Also, if you really want to blast with a Sorcerer, you're probably better off going Crossblooded Orc/Draconic, which raises the max damage you're doing from 406 to 472. Both numbers being higher than the Kineticist, actually.

Slight error. Edited my original post.

I also didn't include feel the burn, 3 points of burn +60 damage. Fire Kineticist 460 vs Sorcerer 241

The last Pathfinder game session I had, ROTRL (anniversary edition), 1 battle lasted 20 rounds.

I agree, there could be issues with Power Spike, Sorcerer vs. Kineticist blasting power at different levels.

Claims that a Kineticist fails in comparison to other Blasting classes is misleading when not considering all of the facts.

Claims of half DPR are misleading and untrue.


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Jeff Merola wrote:

When was the last time you played in a game where you actually had four fights in a day that went for 5 rounds each? You're also ignoring the fact that Sorcerers can do a hell of a lot more outside of damage.

Also, a 6th level Sorcerer with 20 Charisma can fire 10 Scorching Rays (6 2nd level slots, 4 3rd level), not 5. Oh, and a 6th level Sorcerer casts 3 missiles, not 2.

Edit: Also, if you really want to blast with a Sorcerer, you're probably better off going Crossblooded Orc/Draconic, which raises the max damage you're doing from 406 to 472. Both numbers being higher than the Kineticist, actually.

Edit2:The Sorcerer ends up with a higher max (406 or 472 vs 400), a higher average (268 or 334 vs 250), and a higher minimum (130 or 196 vs 100).

the answer is almost never except when the party was almost getting TPK in every encounter. I'll leave the sorcerer's damage to you but a fire kineticist with 20 con should be doing 3d6+2 with a blast at lvl 6 if you don't move you can empower.

we'll assume I get to empower 10 times. max damage would be 460, avg damage would be 285, min damage would be 110. while yes your sorcerer still wins not by as much as you say on max and avg

Grand Lodge

Morzadian wrote:

Slight error. Edited my original post.

I also didn't include feel the burn, 3 points of burn +60 damage. Fire Kineticist 460 vs Sorcerer 241

The last Pathfinder game session I had, ROTRL (anniversary edition), 1 battle lasted 20 rounds.

I agree, there could be issues with Power Spike, Sorcerer vs. Kineticist blasting power at different levels.

Claims that a Kineticist fails in comparison to other Blasting classes is misleading when not considering all of the facts.

Claims of half DPR are misleading and untrue.

Yeah, uh, 20 round combats are a huge anomaly. In my experience 2-3 rounds is about the average, while 5+ rounds are reserved for things like boss battles and fights where only a few of the party can actually do anything.

And as I pointed out, the number you want is 406, not 241. 241 uses only half of the available Scorching Rays, and only 2/3rds the number of Magic Missiles you should be using.

alternis sol wrote:


the answer is almost never except when the party was almost getting TPK in every encounter. I'll leave the sorcerer's damage to you but a fire kineticist with 20 con should be doing 3d6+2 with a blast at lvl 6 if you don't move you can empower.
we'll assume I get to empower 10 times. max damage would be 460, avg damage would be 285, min damage would be 110. while yes your sorcerer still wins not by as much as you say on max and avg

If you throw in Empowering on yours, we'll throw free Empowered Scorching Rays on the Sorcerer (by taking Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter, both applied to Scorching Ray). The damage changes to:

Minimum: 256
Average: 444
Maximum: 632


Jeff Merola wrote:
Morzadian wrote:

Slight error. Edited my original post.

I also didn't include feel the burn, 3 points of burn +60 damage. Fire Kineticist 460 vs Sorcerer 241

The last Pathfinder game session I had, ROTRL (anniversary edition), 1 battle lasted 20 rounds.

I agree, there could be issues with Power Spike, Sorcerer vs. Kineticist blasting power at different levels.

Claims that a Kineticist fails in comparison to other Blasting classes is misleading when not considering all of the facts.

Claims of half DPR are misleading and untrue.

Yeah, uh, 20 round combats are a huge anomaly. In my experience 2-3 rounds is about the average, while 5+ rounds are reserved for things like boss battles and fights where only a few of the party can actually do anything.

And as I pointed out, the number you want is 406, not 241. 241 uses only half of the available Scorching Rays, and only 2/3rds the number of Magic Missiles you should be using.

alternis sol wrote:


the answer is almost never except when the party was almost getting TPK in every encounter. I'll leave the sorcerer's damage to you but a fire kineticist with 20 con should be doing 3d6+2 with a blast at lvl 6 if you don't move you can empower.
we'll assume I get to empower 10 times. max damage would be 460, avg damage would be 285, min damage would be 110. while yes your sorcerer still wins not by as much as you say on max and avg

If you throw in Empowering on yours, we'll throw free Empowered Scorching Rays on the Sorcerer (by taking Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter, both applied to Scorching Ray). The damage changes to:

Minimum: 256
Average: 444
Maximum: 632

Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter do not stack. This has been discussed thoroughly in the forums.

In this playtest we have only been given a core Kineticist.

To recognize and acknowledge if the Kinetcist is a balanced character class it does the discussion disservice to look for optimization not yet available to the Kineticist.

It's fair to say looking at the Kineticist in a 5th level framework he holds his own against other Blaster type characters in a 20 round adventuring day.

Grand Lodge

Morzadian wrote:
Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter do not stack. This has been discussed thoroughly in the forums.

You are correct in that it has been discussed to death on the forums. However, the consensus is that they do indeed stack (and there's no convincing argument against them stacking).

Morzadian wrote:

In this playtest we have only been given a core Kineticist.

To recognize and acknowledge if the Kinetcist is a balanced character class it does the discussion disservice to look for optimization not yet available to the Kineticist.

It's fair to say looking at the Kineticist in a 5th level framework he holds his own against other Blaster type characters in a 20 round adventuring day.

Even without the optimization, the Sorcerer can do just as much damage and still have other options. All the Kineticist can do is blast. Not to mention that the main complaints aren't really about a Kineticist being out damaged by other blaster casters, but the fact they're out damaged by Experts with bows (also Bards, but that's not as sad). When the class is outdone in damage and utility by an NPC class, there's a problem.


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Is anyone else thinking Human Werewolf + Aerokineticist = Bigby Wolf?

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

So would Augment Summoning work with Spark of Life. I am trying to see if you could create a functional build using Spark of Life twice a round to have 2 summons constantly running around the battlefield. Not sure what feats/buffs could be put up to make it work better.


Jeff Merola wrote:

If you throw in Empowering on yours, we'll throw free Empowered Scorching Rays on the Sorcerer (by taking Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter, both applied to Scorching Ray). The damage changes to:

Minimum: 256
Average: 444
Maximum: 632

quick question if your using crossblooded did you take off two scorching rays and a magic missile from the spell slots you lose to crossblooded. if you did use both traits to get free empowered than you built the character as a blaster, the kineticist did nothing more than use a class feature, also I forgot feel the burn's +2 and +1 from empower (I always forget this) so my damages are off by 50

maximum: 510 (640 not using touch attack)
average: 335 (465 not using touch attack)
minimum: 160 (280 not using touch attack)

edit:but this discussion seems to be over so ignore me

Grand Lodge

alternis sol wrote:
Jeff Merola wrote:

If you throw in Empowering on yours, we'll throw free Empowered Scorching Rays on the Sorcerer (by taking Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter, both applied to Scorching Ray). The damage changes to:

Minimum: 256
Average: 444
Maximum: 632

quick question if your using crossblooded did you take off two scorching rays and a magic missile from the spell slots you lose to crossblooded. if you did use both traits to get free empowered than you built the character as a blaster, the kineticist did nothing more than use a class feature, also I forgot feel the burn's +2 and +1 from empower (I always forget this) so my damages are off by 50

maximum: 510 (640 not using touch attack)
average: 335 (465 not using touch attack)
minimum: 160 (280 not using touch attack)

You don't lose spell slots to Crossblooded, you lose Spells Known. So no, I didn't subtract any spells as I didn't need to.

And yes, the example I was using was built to be a blaster, as the entire Kineticist class is. Every non-optional thing a Kineticist gets (save for the Defense talent) makes its blasting more powerful. Sorcerer? Not so much. So a Sorcerer built for blasting outblasts a Kineticist doing the same, without hurting itself and while still having other options. But that doesn't really matter, since the Kineticist isn't intended to compete with actual Casters, as far as I can tell. It's the problems it has keeping up to martials that's the big deal.


Jeff Merola wrote:
Morzadian wrote:
Magical Lineage and Wayang Spellhunter do not stack. This has been discussed thoroughly in the forums.

You are correct in that it has been discussed to death on the forums. However, the consensus is that they do indeed stack (and there's no convincing argument against them stacking).

Morzadian wrote:

In this playtest we have only been given a core Kineticist.

To recognize and acknowledge if the Kinetcist is a balanced character class it does the discussion disservice to look for optimization not yet available to the Kineticist.

It's fair to say looking at the Kineticist in a 5th level framework he holds his own against other Blaster type characters in a 20 round adventuring day.

Even without the optimization, the Sorcerer can do just as much damage and still have other options. All the Kineticist can do is blast. Not to mention that the main complaints aren't really about a Kineticist being out damaged by other blaster casters, but the fact they're out damaged by Experts with bows (also Bards, but that's not as sad). When the class is outdone in damage and utility by an NPC class, there's a problem.

My point is that DPR alone, not taking into account a full adventuring day, can provide misleading results.

There is a huge difference in ranged touch and ranged (to hit AC attacks). A Kineticist can hit a Human with 10 Dex in full plate with ease while an expert has a very low probability.

There are more creatures in the Bestiary that have a high AC than a high touch AC.

Yes, totally agree, out-of-combat options should be high on the agenda for the Kineticist class.

At least we are having this discussion, more beneficial than the never ending cycle of DPR Kineticist condemnation.

Thanks for the strong and rational counter-argument.

Grand Lodge

The DPR calculations I'm referring to factor in the difference between hitting regular AC vs Touch AC. There have also been ones done that take into account resistances (which neuter the Kineticist) and DR (which the Expert largely ignores thanks to Clustered Shots).

And DPR is pretty much all the Kineticist can do right now, which is why it's being focused on so much. Same thing for archers, so I'm not seeing why that comparison is somehow flawed or misleading. It's not like archers are liable to run out of arrows any time soon (except maybe special material/magic ones, but those aren't under consideration).


Jeff Merola wrote:
You don't lose spell slots to Crossblooded, you lose Spells Known. So no, I didn't subtract any spells as I didn't need to.

your right I miss read that my apologies, going to assume you stared to reply before I edited my post. also it is only at low levels that kineticist can't have any utility , around lvl 11 a kineticist can quasi teleport, build a stone fort in a day, those are just off the top of my head and really only come from the geokineticist.


Phylotus wrote:

I've seen this asked a couple time through the thread, but I didn't see a response, so I hope this one gets one:

If you are an Aetherkinetic, can you carry around a bag of rocks to use with your blast? My thought is to carry around a bag of sling bullets and use those to fling at people. As written (my interpretation anyway), this is not allowed. Is that how it was intended to be?

Yep, bag of bullets, deck of cards, handful of pebbles ect. Free action drop then fire away.

Grand Lodge

graystone wrote:
Phylotus wrote:

I've seen this asked a couple time through the thread, but I didn't see a response, so I hope this one gets one:

If you are an Aetherkinetic, can you carry around a bag of rocks to use with your blast? My thought is to carry around a bag of sling bullets and use those to fling at people. As written (my interpretation anyway), this is not allowed. Is that how it was intended to be?
Yep, bag of bullets, deck of cards, handful of pebbles ect. Free action drop then fire away.

Pillow filled with feathers.


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Here I present a quick review of the blast and infusion talents. Warning, it is a wall of text! I must say I’m in love with the kineticist but feel (like many others I presume) the class seems to be missing or lacking stuff.

General kineticist remarks:

Burn: I like the concept of burn but it’s really debilitating now. Perhaps decrease the effect of the damage (1/2 lvl?) and/or allow it to be healed faster (example: recover 1 burn every 10 minutes). Other suggestions are a ‘free’ burn pool but I’m more in favor of the reduced effect and increased recovery. This would keep it more ‘unique’. Maybe give extra options in combat like the ‘move action to reduce burn’. Perhaps a fullround action to ‘charge up’ even more? Perhaps there are better or cooler things but things like this would give more options in combat instead of the “this round I’m gonna… hmmmm…. blast an enemy again I guess?”.

Wild Talents: Perhaps it is better to give a separate progression of infusion talents and other talents, because right now you’re practically forced to take infusion talents to remain competitive in combat, largely avoiding the utility talents.

Kinetic blast: I’d give the kineticist both blast types available to him at 1st level. This way a character isn’t gimped by the odd DR, high AC, resistance,… encountered in the early levels and can contribute meaningfully before having access to expanded element. I’d also give each type 2 blasts (described later). General remark: is the kineticist immune to its own blast? For example later on when using explosion or cloud.
Aether: I’d give it a second blast type doing d6 – 1 force damage affected by spell resistance and requiring a touch attack (the aether kineticist should have a ‘magic missile’ option from the get go). The reduced damage prevents it from becoming overpowering compared to traditional damage types. I’d also change the force ward to recover 1 HP every round; still not enough to help much in combat but allows your char to be ready for the next one pronto (for example in a dungeon). Perhaps (alternatively) include an option to recover the barrier 25%/half/75% or completely (pending testing) as a full round action? Gives a character more options in combat. An aether kineticist under heavy attacks, surrounded by enemies trying his best round after round to maintain his barrier is a mental image I find awesome.
Air: Wild blasts are good, as is the defense. Good job!
Earth: Add a ranged touch blast dealing acid damage (the energy damage associated with Earth). Otherwise the existing blast and defence are good.
Fire: I’d give it a second blast type doing d6 + 1 bludgeoning damage targeting normal AC. This represents pockets of air superheated and exploding near the enemy, creating shockwaves. Since searing flesh is the weakest of the defenses it should also affect manufactured weapons, but perhaps not reach weapons. Punishing enemies for attacking feels like a fire thing. I really like the grapple distinction, very nice!
Water: Wild blasts are good, as is the defense. Again good job! Air and Water really seem the strongest, most fleshed out options in the playtest.

Infusion talents:
General comment: I’d make sure talents remain useful during the life of a kineticist, especially because it is difficult to get rid of useless talents or talents you no longer like (only 3 in your lifetime). This also applies for the non-infusion talents. I feel this would be best accomplished by allowing increased effects by increasing burn expenditure. In addition, some late game talents feel like it should be possible to have them earlier (like explosion coming online at lvl 16(!). I don’t care how cool that fireball is, most mages don’t even bother using theirs anymore). More on this later.
The alternative to scaling talents is a vastly larger list of non-scaling talents (like it is now). For example: a levitation talent, a flying talent, a high speed flying talent,… instead of one upgradeable “fly talent”. If this approach is used both the number of talents gained has to increase (maybe even 1 each level) and/or vastly improved training opportunities. If feel a smaller number of talents that are varied in power and customizable by accepting burn remain useful throughout your entire career and can give the kineticist some much needed utility.

Burning Infusion: Add greater burning damage for more burn. Perhaps add a clause, when using X burn, a creature dying from the blast or the fire afterwards leaves no remains (making raise dead impossible and thus requiring resurrection). This feels like a real fire thing to do.

Chain Lightning: Reduce level, prerequisites and change burn to 1; allow it to arc to only a second target. Allow extra targets for more burn. Maybe up to 3 targets for 2 burn, and current version for 3 burn.

Chilling Infusion: Seems ok for what it does but comes in late and offers no scalability whatsoever. Perhaps lower lvl, prerequisites and burn giving a more mild status effect? Then allow increased burn to give staggered. Perhaps even more burn to increase the status effect duration?

Cloud: Cool effect but comes in late. This could remain as a high level only option.

Cyclone: This talent or a reworked explosion should really be possible by fire (and possible aether). Again, maybe add scalability by lowering the burn and prereqs and reducing the area? Increase the area with more and more burn.

Entangling infusion: Has no prerequisite. If this was intended: Great! A powerful but costly early game option. More talents should be available early like this one.

Explosion: Lower prerequisites and burn, allow for a smaller explosion and range (example 5 ft radius and 30ft range for 1 burn). A pyro should be able to use this at the same level a mage begins fireballing but the actual effect will be weaker than a fireball. Increased burn gives greater (possible) range and AOE. By accepting more burn you can decide if you want a farther boom, a bigger boom or both. So at high level a pyro can spam smallish explosions at will (because specialization makes the small effect free), but big explosions will cost him HP.

Extended/Extreme range: By using scalability, this can be one talent, allowing room for more talents.

Foe Throw: And much fun was to be had by all. I love this!

Impale: Love the mental image. Perhaps this can be reworked to a universal line talent? This would give every element a ranged AOE option, but I’d keep explosion as fire only. Increased burn could extend the line.

Kinetic Blade/Kinetic Fists: Should be useable at level 1. Reduce the burn to 0 but only allowing 1d6 damage? Allow for 1 extra burn to switch to the full damage. This way a melee kineticist is possible from level 1 instead of level 5! Especially in PFS, twiddling your thumbs for 4 levels is mindnumbingly boring. I’d also make the effects work for one whole round like kinetic whip so you can make attacks of opportunity. An extra burn could give the blade the whip effect and perhaps a similar effect for fists is needed?

Kinetic Whip: See kinetic blade.

Many Throw: I like this soo much but comes online sooo late. Lowering the prereqs and burn but also targets might be a solution. Then extra burn could scale to this current version eventually. I also feel this could be a fire thing (ah la firebrand spell in DnD 3.5)

Pure Flame Infusion: Another late game addition. Perhaps let it only give a small penetration bonus at low level and low burn. Then let it scale to the full version presented in the playtest document.

Magnetic Infusion: I like the idea but the effect sounds pretty tame for 2 burn. I like the idea that it gives metal blasts a permanent accuracy bonus on one target given some specialization.

Pressurized Blast Infusion: I like the effect. The kineticist will never be able to push as well as a dedicated maneuver specialist, so why limit the distance moved? Perhaps accepting burn could give a bonus to the CMB roll?

Pushing Infusion: Merge it with Pressurized Blast Infusion. This is a redundant talent that takes up valuable space.

Rare Metal Infusion: I like the idea, but I assume some kind of Kinetic Bracer is in the works to give an enhancement bonus to your blast (or maybe allow Amulet of Mighty Fists to do the same) to increase the accuracy of the kineticist. In this regard maybe this talent needs another purpose. Maybe a focus on more exotic materials?

Sharding: A similar treatment to explosion? But keep it as a poor man’s (aka nonpyro’s) explosion.

Snaking: This could be a simple, early and cheap line area that by accepting additional burn receives the snaking benefit?

Spray: Lvl 10 for a smallish cone is way too late. Maybe allow earlier access to a 15ft cone and let it upgrade bigger and bigger. Perhaps allow burn to also upgrade to full instead of half blast damage. This should really also be a universal talent.

Torrent: aha a line effect. What I was waiting for but why no forcebeams or firestreams? This and snaking could be one upgradeable talent. Accepting burn increases the line and eventually adds snaking.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!

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