Hey all. I have concept in mind for a human Mutation Mind psychic with the Abomination discipline.
But beyond that I am struggling with a clear build. I figure if you are going Mutation Mind, you want to be in melee at least part time, but I am not sure if I should try to focus on natural attacks, maneuvers, applying touch spells etc.
So I'm hoping some of you pro optimizers have some ideas.
So I played around a bit and thought I'd post up the sketch of the build and everyone can tear it down if they like.
Stats
Str:16 Dex:10 Con:12 Int:16 Wis:8 Cha:14
I thought about dumping Wis to 7 and Cha to 12 or even 10 and bumping Str to 18 because this build doesn't put much stock in Phrenic Amplifications until later levels. More Phrenic pool buys you a few extra rounds of Mutation, but you already have minutes/level and I'm not sure that a few extra rounds is worth it. I do like having a couple extra points in social skills, UMD and only a -1 on the will saves.
Feats/Class Features
1st: Light Armor Proficiency, Toughness / Mutation Mind Psychic(Mutation), Abomination Discipline(Dark Half)
2nd: Detect Thoughts
3rd: Power Attack / Bodily Mutation(Claws)
4th: +1 Int
5th: Discipline Power(Morphic Form - DR 5)
6th:
7th: Extra Amplification (Overpowering Mind) / Phrenic Empowerment, Bodily Mutation (Bite)?
7th is really where I am a bit at a loss. Getting a third natural attack seems like a no-brainer, but I'd also like to get an Amplification to make use of the potential +2 Str from Phrenic Empowerment. The trick is, which one to pick? Overpowering Mind seems to be pretty good and universally applicable, but using it while mutated seems a little self-defeating because of the -2 Int. I guess you can just look at it as dumping 2 points of pool and a standard action for +2 Str, but that still doesn't seem great.
Relentless casting is also an option, as SR starts to pop up at these levels and you can use it even if you don't know if SR is in play.
Phrenic strike is interesting because it encourages you to do want you already want to do, make melee attacks and it doesn't cost any pool points. However, it specifically calls out "unarmed strikes" rather than natural attacks and while there is some debate, it doesn't appear that natural attacks = unarmed strikes. An obliging GM might houserule it in though.
Biokinetic healing + burst of adrenaline + Phrenic Empowerment lets you get your extra +2 Str for 1 round only as an immediate action, which is kind of nice.
I also noticed Mind Thrust is a divination spell letting you pick up either a +2 or +4 insight to AC from Defensive Prognostication. This may even be the best option.
I can't say I think this will work out as well as you think it will. Out the gate you're looking at two rounds minimum to get up to speed. (Dark Half and Morphic Form are both swift actions to activate). Pain might be more useful if you want to leverage Burst of Adrenaline, since you could use the Lay on Hands to remove the fatigue in the subsequent round.
Thanks for the advice! I never said it would work out well, just that I liked the concept and wanted to push it as far as it could go.
The thing about mutation and Dark Half is that I don't think I would aim to use them concurrently at least not all the time. The DR 5 is nice in melee, but the rest of the benefits of Dark Half are really for casting (extra DC, bleed damage from spells, immune to fear) and almost all of that goes to waste if I am full attacking. Glancing at some of the other potentially thematic disciplines like Dream and Pain, most of their abilities rely on spell casting too, so seem like a bit of a side-grade, at least in this regard.
Self-perfection is interesting, but precludes armor, and I don't think I could get my Wisdom modifier high enough to compensate for wearing even light armor.
I'd also jump out of the class before 7 to avoid taking Phrenic Empowerment. I just don't see a world in which that ability is remotely useable. If you're actually succeeding at your goal of being a natural attack threat, you are going to end up being a high priority soft target on the front lines. Multiple attacks could absolutely wreck you in a single round since every failed save would cause a cascading series of failed saves (-2 to Will each time, stacking) resulting you being brain dead or comatose.
You might be right about Phrenic Empowerment. I am beginning to think that ability may be a bit of a trap or situational at best. Offensive spellcasting while mutated seems like kind of a mistake because of the penalty to Int. About the only useful Amplifications I can see using while Mutated are Intense Focus to cast defensively and Defensive Prognostication Mind Thrusts. Maybe Biokenetic Healing and some of the burst spells, so you can get the +2 Str the same round you use it.
A dip in a martial class might not be so bad. It could potentially free up that feat at first level. I do like Improved Natural Attacks as a bonus feat...
Ah, I actually was suggesting grabbing Aspect of the Beast at Ranger 2 to have permanent claws to free up your mutation slots for something else. I was sort of looking at the Dragon Disciple builds as sources of inspiration for what might work for you.
Overall, I think you'll find that if you really want to push the physical attacks side, you're going to have to let the casting suffer, or vice versa. The other option you could go for is really become more of a touch-spell focused mutation mind giving yourself reach and defensive options to make it easier to deliver them. I don't think the psychic really has the tools to swap seamlessly between the two (like spell-combat, spell-strike, fervor, bardic performance to some extent, etc).
Oh I hadn't thought of picking up permanent natural attacks from there. Hmmm... I'm not sure what other mutation I'd put in it's place. Maybe darkvision or energy resistance is nice..
Do you not like the idea of d8's on natural attacks after Improved Natural and Enlarge Person ?
Yeah you are right I am sure. My goal isn't to have the most optimized character in the world, just to optimize within a theme. I am warming up to the idea of the 2 level ranger dip.
What do you hope to gain out of the Abomination discipline? It doesn't have much to offer a melee build.
This is something I played around with not too long ago. It's a natural attack build that uses the Rebirth discipline to pick up divine favor to attack and damage boosts:
Half-Orc Psychic (mutation mind, rebirth discipline)
17/14/14/15/7/10
Traits: Fate's Favored, Armor Expert
Alt. Racial Traits: Toothy
1: Toughness
2:
3: Extra Phrenic Amplification: Enlarged Torso (+2 AC), Claws
4: +1 Str
5: Power Attack
6:
7: ???, Rubbery (DR 2/-)
8: +1 Int
9: ???
10:
11: Enlarged Body, EPA: Recuperation (fast healing 5)
It's got some room to play with feats, but that's the basic chassis.
What do you hope to gain out of the Abomination discipline? It doesn't have much to offer a melee build.
This is something I played around with not too long ago. It's a natural attack build that uses the Rebirth discipline to pick up divine favor to attack and damage boosts:
At first I was really confused how Rebirth was getting you divine favor, until I looked more closely at Mnemonic Esoterica. Resurgence is cool too. I like a lot of the Rebirth discipline features, though I am not wild about spell list for the class concept I have in mind.
Anyway, I like abomination because it fits the dark tapestry/Lovecraft theme for this character really well. Having DR 5, fear immunity, and eventually spell resistance seem legit for being a support melee fighter too.
Pain or Dream could also be thematically on point.
1: Toughness
2:
3: Extra Phrenic Amplification: Enlarged Torso (+2 AC), Claws
4: +1 Str
5: Power Attack
6:
7: ???, Rubbery (DR 2/-)
8: +1 Int
9: ???
10:
11: Enlarged Body, EPA: Recuperation (fast healing 5)
It's got some room to play with feats, but that's the basic chassis.
This is somewhat similar to my build, at least in terms of feats. Do you think the Enlarged torso is really worth an Amplification/Mutation ? Amulets of Natural Armor are pretty cheap, though I suppose it competes with Amulet of Mighty Fists.
Do you think the Enlarged torso is really worth an Amplification/Mutation ? Amulets of Natural Armor are pretty cheap, though I suppose it competes with Amulet of Mighty Fists.
It's a natural armor bonus to AC, not an enhancement bonus to natural armor. So it would stack with the AoNA, but you probably want an Amulet of Mighty Fists there instead. I'd say a feat for 2 AC is a solid investment.
Do you think the Enlarged torso is really worth an Amplification/Mutation ? Amulets of Natural Armor are pretty cheap, though I suppose it competes with Amulet of Mighty Fists.It's a natural armor bonus to AC, not an enhancement bonus to natural armor. So it would stack with the AoNA, but you probably want an Amulet of Mighty Fists there instead. I'd say a feat for 2 AC is a solid investment.
Ah, I didn't catch that. Then yeah totally, +2 AC is worth a feat/class feature.