That's kind of what I expected to see with the hp totals, after Mark's posts about exhaustive balancing work on the burn mechanic. I guess the burn also balances the Con focus so that Kineticists aren't all giant bags of hp, which would be kind of odd on a character with mainly ranged abilities.
That is somewhat mitigated by the class's Con focus. Artanthos, what's your effective hp after taking that burn in the mornings, compared to other classes? I can see how it might be an issue if Kineticist is dropping below average d6 hp just to remain relevant.83 at 10th level after burn. Exactly the same as my other d8 characters normally have. The focus on CON mitigated the burn damage needed to get full benefit from FtB.
I don't like the fact that your class feature essentially eliminates half the benefits of your main attribute Investment. I mean, its not as if constitution has a lot going for it in the skills department. You end up, after feel the burn, with the same hit point pool as everyone else. If that's true, then what and where do they see that paid back in class features that add value to their con score?
I don't like the fact that your class feature essentially eliminates half the benefits of your main attribute Investment. I mean, its not as if constitution has a lot going for it in the skills department. You end up, after feel the burn, with the same hit point pool as everyone else. If that's true, then what and where do they see that paid back in class features that add value to their con score?That is somewhat mitigated by the class's Con focus. Artanthos, what's your effective hp after taking that burn in the mornings, compared to other classes? I can see how it might be an issue if Kineticist is dropping below average d6 hp just to remain relevant.83 at 10th level after burn. Exactly the same as my other d8 characters normally have. The focus on CON mitigated the burn damage needed to get full benefit from FtB.
Well, the one benefit is that you are *much* harder to kill outright. Sure, you will still go unconscious early, but at high levels you'll have a buffer of one or two hundred hit points to go through before you even start bleeding out.
I think burn just feels too bad because you hate to lose a power to have power.
It's like:
a strength class that cant attack in melee.
a dexterity class that has to wear heavy armor
an intelligence class that takes a penalty to all skills.
a charisma class that can't talk.
That is somewhat mitigated by the class's Con focus. Artanthos, what's your effective hp after taking that burn in the mornings, compared to other classes? I can see how it might be an issue if Kineticist is dropping below average d6 hp just to remain relevant.83 at 10th level after burn. Exactly the same as my other d8 characters normally have. The focus on CON mitigated the burn damage needed to get full benefit from FtB.
To be fair, it's a DEX focused class. It NEEDS dex SO much more than CON. All con really does is boost damage a little and gives the ability to punch yourself in the face an extra time or two. If you fixed burn then it'd just be a damage bonus.
Having to deal burn for accuracy feels off. I'd rather just start off as a d6 class with the feel the burn/burn bonuses already added instead of starting off as a d8 and having to smack myself around until I drop to d6 HP.
Another problem is that (at least for many players) it is unclear/confusing how the Kinetic Blast interacts with some feats, stuff like Weapon Focus, Vital Strike, Rapid Shot, etc.
Also, it says it is a ranged attack, I can't find where it says that it is a standard action or not, so that means at higher levels I can shoot more than one Kinetic Blast using the full-round action attack?
Another problem is that (at least for many players) it is unclear/confusing how the Kinetic Blast interacts with some feats, stuff like Weapon Focus, Vital Strike, Rapid Shot, etc.
Also, it says it is a ranged attack, I can't find where it says that it is a standard action or not, so that means at higher levels I can shoot more than one Kinetic Blast using the full-round action attack?
Kinetic blast is a spell-like ability. Spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities that don't state a specific action means it's by default a standard action. Kinetic blade/whip can be used for extra attacks with higher BAB since those two aren't specific actions themselves, but used as part of an attack or full-attack action.
Using a special ability is usually a standard action, but whether it is a standard action, a full-round action, or not an action at all is defined by the ability.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted. If your concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability. The casting time of a spell-like ability is 1 standard action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.
Using a Spell-Like Ability on the Defensive: You may attempt to use a spell-like ability on the defensive, just as with casting a spell. If the concentration check (DC 15 + double the spell's level) fails, you can't use the ability, but the attempt counts as if you had used the ability.
Supernatural Abilities (Su): Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability's description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Extraordinary Abilities (Ex): Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are usually standard actions that cannot be disrupted, do not require concentration, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
So with that line of reasoning, no Rapid Shot as one can't use a full-attack action. No Vital Strike with spell-like abilities because it's a standard action, not an attack action, however the playtest kineticist currently, as written, can use Vital Strike with kinetic blade/whip but it will be specifically stated in the final version that one can't use Vital Strike with blade/whip.
Rerednaw did great job collecting bunch of answers to kineticist questions in his QA thread.