As I was driving home for the Thanksgiving holiday this past week, I got to thinking about something a playtester had commented on in a Kineticist feedback thread.
It's a different world than where you come from
With this adventure, I ding L4. Soon, I'll be entering the mid-levels where issues will begin to arise apparently. As of right now, my most pressing issues are: 1) There is a dearth of any worthwhile L4 Wild Talents for me to take. Since I'm committing to a ranged build, my only option is Pushing Infusion as I don't want to melee with Kinetic Blade/Whip or pay the Weapon Finesse feat tax. What sticks in my craw is that a 3/4 BAB character using Bullrush is going to get very limited use of it. 2) Other than a belt of Dex, I'm not really pressed to purchase anything right now. I'll default to boosting my Cloak of Resistance and pick up some minor AC items, but I don't feel the push/pull of budget management which I kinda enjoy.
During that drive, I came up with 3 items. Well, 4, but I don't know that the last one would work, or exactly how I would word it to be functional. It was around a 7 hour drive. Alone. With really bad reception on my radio. I had plenty of time to think. I didn't get an opportunity to playtest the kineticist as I've been otherwise preoccupied, so I wasn't able to contribute this to the playtest feedback when it was current.
Here goes...
500 gp
Type: simple
Weight: 1 lb.
This weapon functions as brass knuckles when not enhanced with magic, and is always a masterwork weapon, providing a +1 bonus to attacks. When magically enhanced, this weapon allows a kineticist to channel his kinetic blast from his selected Kinetic Blade, Kinetic Fist, or Kinetic Whip wild talents through this weapon. This allows the wielder to use the weapon's enhancement bonus to attack and damage while using the mentioned wild talents, as well as applying any other weapon enhancements appropriate to the kinetic blast's damage type (blunt, piercing, slashing, etc.). This also allows the wielder to bypass material DR using the weapon's material while using one of the mentioned wild talents.
1000 gp
Type: exotic
Weight: 4 lbs.
This weapon functions as an improvised weapon, dealing blunt damage as appropriate for an object of its size. If wielded by a kineticist, this weapon serves as a focus for his kinetic blast. The object is always of masterwork quality and provides a +1 enhancement bonus on an attack roll made with a kinetic blast. When given a magical enhancement bonus and magic weapon abilities, this allows the kinetic blast to use those properties. Only ranged weapon enhancements may be placed on this weapon. If this weapon is to be used to load and use Projector Shells, some form of trigger device or other firing mechanism must be added to the weapon for 10 gp. The Kinetic Projector may add to the critical threat range or the damage dealt on a critical hit or a kinetic blast if used with the correct weapon enhancements or feats.
Price varies; Aura: moderate evocation; CL 8
Slot: Slotless; Price: 2000 gp (single), 4000 gp (double), 8000 gp (triple); Weight: 1 lb.
Description:
A projector shell (single) is a glass containment shell with liquid aether captured inside. This glass shell is then housed inside a metal casing for stability. A kineticist may store the energy for one kinetic blast inside the liquid aether. All decisions, such as element type and the other properties of the kinetic blast, must be decided upon before storing the blast inside the cartridge. This blast cannot be used with the Kinetic Blade, Kinetic Fist, or Kinetic Whip wild talents, but may be used by any other form or substance infusion that alters a kinetic blast. The process of storing a kinetic blast into the shell (charging) takes half an hour and incurs the normal amount of Burn as if the kineticist storing the blast were to use that blast normally. This process may be extended to one hour to reduce the Burn cost by 1. This device allows a kineticist or a non-kineticist to use a stored kinetic blast with this device by loading it into a Kinetic Projector.
Firing a Kinetic Projector with a Projector Shell loaded is a standard action. Removing the Projector Shell is a swift action. Loading a Projector Shell into the Kinetic Projector is a move action. The Rapid Reload feat makes unloading and loading into a single move action. The total number of charges in all projector shells on the user's person may not exceed one half the base attack bonus of the user. A Projector Shell does not count as ammunition for such purposes as adding enhancement bonus and magic weapon and ammunition properties to an item. Once the Kinetic Projector has fired the charge in the Projector Shell, the shell becomes depleted and may be recharged again as normal.
A projector shell (double) is the same size as a (single) but houses two glass encasements instead of one. Two kinetic blasts may be stored inside the projector shell instead of one. The stored blasts do not have to be of the same damage type. Each glass encasement must be charged separately in two one-half hour increments, plus an extra half an hour each if the kineticist wishes to reduce the amount of Burn for each charge by 1. A (double) projector shell may fire twice in a round as a full-attack action, up to a number of times equal to the user's attacks granted by his base attack bonus. The user must decide which charge is depleted per attack. When a charge is depleted, it may be recharged again as normal.
A projector shell (triple) functions as a (single), but with three glass containments instead of one. Each container may store one charge of a kinetic blast. The charges do not need to be the same. Each container requires one half hour to charge, plus an additional half hour per charge if the user wishes to reduce the Burn cost of each charge by 1. A Kinetic Projector may fire three times in one round as a full-attack action, up to a number of times equal to the user's attacks granted by his base attack bonus. The user must decide which charge is depleted per attack. When a charge is depleted, it may be recharged again as normal.
Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, (magic missile, fireball, or telekinesis); Cost: 1000 gp (single), 2000 gp (double), 4000 gp (triple)
Let me know what you think. If the hardback doesn't come out with items similar to this, I may just go ahead and add them myself in my home games. So far I am really loving the look and feel of the kineticist, and would love to expand my ever growing library with this class (and I guess his occult brothers and sisters, heh).
Edit: I seemed to have also been channeling Outlaw Star when I thought of the Projector. XD
As a player, I obviously like the ideas... but I think half the "balance" of the class comes from the realization that you won't be stacking the blast with items.
I can see an enhancement bonus of course, but the abilities are pushing it. Instead of just allowing enhancements to be placed, specific items should be created that mirror some abilities. Material of the equipment should never matter, that just lacks thematic sense. The only Special Abilities I can see being really applicable to kinetic damage are perhaps Designating and Second Chance.
So, perhaps a Kineticist Gauntlet of Second Chance with a variable enhancement bonus?
Truth is, Arrowmaster's Bracers are probably the best "weapon" a Kineticist will ever get. :P
Personally, I'd like to see more utility based items. In particular, Psion Gems that can be embedded into the skin, such as on the forehead or hands, which have the ability to fine-tune the "Other" Wild Talents. Such as a +5 to Sleight of Hand/Disarm when used with Telekinetic Finesse, or -2DC to Fortitude saves vs Telekinetic movement. Or for air... Cloak of Wings that grant a Hover or Flyby feats to the user...