My friend recently approached me about trying to come up with a precognitive style character and I have hit a brick wall in making something that works beyond just a dip into Diviner. I was hoping this board can help me out and flesh out something solid.
Anything official Pathfinder...doesn't need to be PFS legal.
The less spell casting the better, a melee character or ranged weapon character.
IF NEED BE: Dreamscarredpress Psionics is available but the more official the better.
Theme: A precognitive character. So a character who has glimpses of the future that aids him in combat...helping him to evade attacks or know where to hit.
Or a different take: Someone that can read the minds of his enemies and know what they are going to do in combat before they do it...similar to the 3.5 Mindspy prestige class.
So far I think the Wizard Diviner school dip is one of the best dips for this, but unfortunately there is no way to get that school power other then Wizard. Maybe some Rogue levels?
Sohei Monk can be assumed to have something similar to the diviner with their Devoted Guardian ability. They can always act in the surprise round, get +1/2 level to initiative, and always roll 20 as a capstone.
Nice, I like that a lot more then the wizard dip + you would get flurry with weapons as well.
I don't know about going fully down the monk path, but its definitely a stronger option.
Feats: I feel improved crit and dodge both lend themselves to having that ability of giving the insight both defensively and offensively?
As far as Psionics, there are the precognitive offensive, greater, defensive powers that are nice.
This character is a bit off due to being made with a freeform system, but the basic idea is sound (Sensate Fighter with a Ninja dip).
A Cyclopean Seer Time Oracle could be pretty cool, but probably not the sort of thing you had in mind.
If you'd prefer to play something martial, consider variant multiclassing with diviner wizard. You get a familiar and eventually school powers without actually having to deal with spellcasting.
The cyclopes seer is really nice for two levels to get that flash of insight. At our table we play that if you roll back to back 20's, your crit multiplier increases, and 3 in a row is an auto kill. We also get a bankable free 20 (you earn them or you can save them later but there is a max of 2 per bank).
Assume fate (we have a couple people at the table that it would be nice to lower their saves).
The sohei covers the act in the surprise round, but that 3+Int (that the foresight wizard gets) free rolls per day are really nice.
I was thinking maybe a Halfling for the luck bonuses and just being a dex based to help reduce MAD. The luck bonuses lend itself to the concept.
Witch could be used as well, but kinda in the reverse sense. Tossing misfortune on enemies forcing them to take the worst rolls, because you knew what they were going to do and did something to trip them up instead. Fluff the 24 immunity as time's way of telling you to "quit it" as you strained yourself etc. Similar situation with evil eye, walking your allies through what is about to happen causing the opponent to take penalties.
And if you want a more martial take, go Hexblade Magus. It has some spells but can function without them as it is a strong archetype. Grab cackle but flavor it as you talking people through tactics against what the opponent is about to do, instead of madly cackling. Also as you aren't worried about spells, dipping hurts a tiny bit less if you want to grab a level or two of something else.
I'm a huge fan of DSP's psionic, but the Misfortune/Evil Eye + Cackle would be very hard to beat as a consistent and reliable way to mechanically portray a precog with "official" material.
Fated champion skald?
Many cultures see fate as a limit that is both stifling and unwanted, regardless of the destiny that lurks in the days and years ahead. Among cultures where skalds are the keepers of lore and wisdom, there are those who learn to read the winds of fate and take up the mantle of the fated champion, knowing and embracing their destined paths with strength born of conviction.
Watcher of the Weave (Ex): At 2nd level, a fated champion learns to see the tapestry of events moments before it is woven. He gains an insight bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 his skald level. This ability replaces well-versed.
Far Seer (Su): At 5th level, a fated champion learns a method of spell kenning that is especially suited for divining and understanding the future, but not for directly harming opponents. For the purpose of determining what level of spell slot he expends when using spell kenning, the skald treats spells that predict the future (such as augury and divination) as one spell level lower (minimum spell level 1st), and treats spells that deal damage as one spell level higher. This ability alters the spell kenning class feature.
Shield of Foresight (Su): At 10th level, a fated champion's certainty of his own fate grants him the ability to stare down fear and remain unbowed. When using raging song, he is immune to fear effects, and allies affected by his raging song gain a +5 bonus on saves against fear effects. This ability replaces the dirge of doom raging song.
Not This Day (Su): At 20th level, the fated champion gains the ability to reweave the strands of fate. As an immediate action, he can expend 10 rounds of raging song to either reroll a saving throw or force an opponent to reroll an attack roll. The decision to use this ability must be made before the result of the initial roll is revealed, and the champion or his opponent must take the result of the reroll. This ability replaces master skald.
Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the fated champion archetype: boasting taunt, clear mind, eater of magic, fierce fortitude, flesh wound, guarded life, intimidating glare, linnorm death curse (cairn, tarn), and renewed vitality.
Perhaps a cleric with the Knowledge domain or the Thought subdomain.
Clerics have access to plenty of divination spells and the domain gives some standard thought detection powers.
You could pick a domain that complements the Thoughts domain such as Charm or Trickery.
Fated champion skald?
I think Sohei or the Wizard dip might be better cause of the similar bonus + acting in surprise round
Witch could be used as well, but kinda in the reverse sense.
I think he wants to stay more away from effecting others and more about changing his luck/abilities.
though the debuff witch is always a favorite of mine.
Perhaps a cleric with the Knowledge domain or the Thought subdomain...
I am hoping to rely as little on spells as possible. He and I are of the same mind that spell casting tends to take away from the general theme. Though I do like the Lvl 8 thought domain ability.
BTW if no one has looked at it, the Cyclops helm. Basically gives the flash of insight ability. Combining this with the Cyclops Seer looks strong.
Also I need to look into the Cryptic Psionic class.
A sensate fighter archetype is built upon the flavor of being a reactive fighter, who senses an enemy's movements before they happen and responding according.
I'm playing a Haunted Ancestor Oracle with the Psychic Searcher archetype. I skin the spell effects as invisible spirits providing aid or advice. He also has the Harrow Chosen trait so he speaks to the dead through Harrowings.
The Seer Oracle archetype is also good for the concept.
Anything that gives dodge bonuses will also do well, because what's the point of seeing an attack coming if you can't get out of the way? For this reason Dodge and even Mobility are decent ideas.
Surprised nobody mentioned going VMC Wizard (Diviner, optionally Foresight subschool). You get the Wizard's Divination School Powers late, and one level is a near-dud due to getting a Cantrip as a Spell-Like Ability, but on the other hand you get a Familiar fairly early, and you get a Wizard Discovery (or other Wizard Bonus Feat, but that's not applicable to a martial character). A few Wizard Discoveries work for non-spellcasting characters, such as Knowledge is Power (this depends upon how much you put into Intelligence, so it can be bad or really good), or Time Stutter, (which hurts from limited uses but would really fit thematically with what you are looking for), and you might find something useful in Ioun Bond or True Name.
Anything that gives dodge bonuses will also do well, because what's the point of seeing an attack coming if you can't get out of the way? For this reason Dodge and even Mobility are decent ideas.
I totally agree with you. Same thing with evasion. Other feats ive looked at
Improved Initiative and reactionary trait. That reacting early to danger.
Deflect Arrows
Surprised nobody mentioned going VMC Wizard (Diviner, optionally Foresight subschool). You get the Wizard's Divination School Powers late, and one level is a near-dud due to getting a Cantrip as a Spell-Like Ability, but on the other hand you get a Familiar fairly early, and you get a Wizard Discovery (or other Wizard Bonus Feat, but that's not applicable to a martial character). A few Wizard Discoveries work for non-spellcasting characters, such as Knowledge is Power (this depends upon how much you put into Intelligence, so it can be bad or really good), or Time Stutter, (which hurts from limited uses but would really fit thematically with what you are looking for), and you might find something useful in Ioun Bond or True Name.
I think VMC gives up too much what a 1 level dip could accomplished.
So the game it will be used for is actually starting at level 13 (its picking up from a campaign we took a year break from) rather then the lower level module game i thought. The 1 level dip will give the 3+Int rolls as well as some spells: specifically windy escape that can be flavored into a more reactionary spell.
Snake Style has the "read what your enemies are going to do" element you're looking for.
I forgot what the base style was, and you are right. It works really well and I added it to my list.
Fighter with the Sensate archetype fits pretty well I think. I know someone mentioned it a few posts back but it seems to fit the concept.
So right now just as a basic outline of what we are looking at, is the following using level 10. Yes, this build would probably be unfun to play for the first 3-5 levels but thankfully this wont be the case. So it gives more wiggle room.
1 Foresight Wizard/3 Cyclopian Seer Oracle/6 Sohei Monk.
Dex based with an effortless lace polearm.
Noteable abilities: Act in surprise round, Prescience (Foresight Wizard ability), Evasion, 3 Monk bonus feats (Dodge, Deflect arrows, combat reflexes), Flash of insight (Cyclops racial ability), Assume Fate (from the cyclopean Oracle), Flurry with a 2h weapon using 1.5 Dex to damage, Ki Pool, 1st level arcane spells and 2nd level Oracle spells,
Initiative Bonus of Dex + 14 ( 4[Improved Initiative] + 2 [Reactionary triat] + 1 [Forewarned Divination school] + 3 [Devoted Guardian] + 4 [green sting scorpion familiar])
Spells of note: Truestrike, Windy Escape, Lucky Number,
Traits: Fates Favored and Reactionary.
of the 5 base feats that you get from odd levels 1-10... only three are accounted for so far: Weapon Finesse, piranha strike, and Improved initiative.
The starting wealth really helps out, covering some of the other areas. Including Effortless lace + agile weapon, Cyclops Helm + Jingasa of the fortunate soldier combined at 1.5 price of the second item,
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Flurry with a 2h weapon using 1.5 Dex to damage,
No, the only way to get 1.5 dex to damage on a flurry is to be an unchained monk / unchained rogue. No way of adding dex to damage except unchained rogue allows the 1.5 bonus for two-handing, and even if it did, you can't make an unchained Sohei, so a flurry of blows is limited to 1x str (or Dex) bonus.
You can get a 1:3 power attack out of it, but unless you are houseruling an unchained sohei, you can't do this with the rules, and even then you'd need to add three levels of unchained monk.
Flurry with a 2h weapon using 1.5 Dex to damage,
No, the only way to get 1.5 dex to damage on a flurry is to be an unchained monk / unchained rogue. No way of adding dex to damage except unchained rogue allows the 1.5 bonus for two-handing, and even if it did, you can't make an unchained Sohei, so a flurry of blows is limited to 1x str (or Dex) bonus.
You can get a 1:3 power attack out of it, but unless you are houseruling an unchained sohei, you can't do this with the rules, and even then you'd need to add three levels of unchained monk.
Woops, I didn't see that line at the end of Agile weapon that doesn't allow the 1.5 dex damage. The Unchained Monk doesn't really have anything to do with the damage though, since lvl 6 sohei allows flurrying with the weapon you get a weapon group in.
3 levels of Unchained Rogue would help but don't really get anything out of it.