Psychic Anthology: Kinetic Knight concern

[Ridiculon]

I just bought the new Psychic Anthology book primarily for the new kineticist options. I have not had a chance to look through the new wild talents yet because i came across the Kinetic Knight archetype first. It looks like a nice option for a melee only Kineticist, but there is one ability that seems like it is not doing what it should?

Knight's Resolve:

At 3rd level, the kinetic knight gains the samurai’s resolve class feature, as a samurai of her kineticist level – 2. At 11th level, she gains the samurai’s greater resolve ability (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat 20). If she also has samurai levels, those levels stack with her kineticist levels to determine the benefits of this ability. This ability replaces the kineticist infusion gained at 3rd level and supercharge.

Samurai's Resolve:

Starting at 1st level, the samurai gains resolve that he can call upon to endure even the most devastating wounds and afflictions. He can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every two samurai levels beyond 1st. Whenever the samurai defeats the target of his challenge, he regains one daily use of his resolve, up to his maximum number of uses per day. Defeating the target of his challenge usually involves reducing the target to 0 hit points or fewer, but the GM might rule that an enemy who surrenders or flees the battle is also defeated. He can use this resolve in a number of ways.

Determined: As a standard action, the samurai can spend one use of his resolve to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. If the samurai is at least 8th level, he can alternatively remove the exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or staggered condition. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.

Resolute: Whenever the samurai is required to make a Fortitude or Will save, he can spend one use of his resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before he rolls the saving throw.

Unstoppable: When the samurai is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, he can spend one use of his resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. He is staggered, but he does not fall unconscious and begin dying if he takes a standard action. He does fall unconscious if he takes additional damage from any source.

This ability does 5 things: Determined resolve, Resolute resolve, Unstoppable resolve, Greater resolve, regain resolve through challenge. Of these 5, 1 of them will not function (the challenge) and one other will not function well (Unstoppable).

I am concerned with the Unstoppable resolve mainly.

Unstoppable Resolve wrote:

When the samurai is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, he can spend one use of his resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. He is staggered, but he does not fall unconscious and begin dying if he takes a standard action. He does fall unconscious if he takes additional damage from any source.

I think that most Kineticists (and particularly Kinetic Knights) will not get any use out of this aspect of resolve, since they will be unconscious long before they ever get to 0 hitpoints due to the way nonlethal damage reduces the amount of lethal damage you have to take before you fall unconscious.

I know this is a brand new book, but could we get a modification of the Unstoppable Knight's Resolve ability that actually makes it useful for the Kinetic Knight? Something to address the fact that they fall unconscious above 0 hp if they are using the other Kinetic Knight abilities?

It seems like this would be an extremely useful ability if it would allow the Kinetic Knight to continue acting below their consciousness threshold, I think it would really set the Kinetic Knight apart from other styles of Kineticist.

[Isabelle Lee]

(Author of the kinetic knight archetype here.)

Unfortunately, wordcount kept any substantial changes to the ability from happening. That archetype took an awful lot of finagling to come together, and a bunch of stuff still got left behind.

That said, the kinetic knight can still make use of the other aspects of resolve; clearing conditions and mastering dangerous saves are nothing to sneeze at. And under the right (if extremely rare) circumstances, she might even find use for Unstoppable Resolve.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. ^_^

[Ridiculon]

Thanks for the response!

Oh I wasn't trying to say the ability is not useful or weak, not by a longshot. I just think that was a really big opportunity missed. Is there any chance of a blog post modification? Could I get a short (unofficial) statement from you to show my GM?

[Isabelle Lee]

Hmm... a blog post or other official clarification is unlikely; this isn't a major enough issue to force something like that.

As for unofficial statements, I'll have to give it a bit of thought - the kineticist runs on some very complicated math, especially when it comes to nonlethal damage and consciousness. You may wish to ask Mark Seifter for his (unofficial) thoughts as well, since he helped with the archetype.

So, I'll see what I can do. It might take a little while, though... there's writing to be done. ^_^

[Blake's Tiger]

Isabelle Lee wrote:

Hmm... a blog post or other official clarification is unlikely; this isn't a major enough issue to force something like that.

As for unofficial statements, I'll have to give it a bit of thought - the kineticist runs on some very complicated math, especially when it comes to nonlethal damage and consciousness. You may wish to ask Mark Seifter for his (unofficial) thoughts as well, since he helped with the archetype.

So, I'll see what I can do. It might take a little while, though... there's writing to be done. ^_^

Necromancy

Are the infusions at 1, 3, 5, 9 and 11 replaced by the listed infusions? It seems like they're supposed to--kinetic blade at 1, blade rush at 3, kinetic whip at 5, blade whirlwind at 9, and whip hurricane at 11--but then resolve replaces the infusion at 3, so I'm a little confused.

[Isabelle Lee]

They are in addition to the infusions gained at those levels. ^_^

(A lot of kinetic knights are having trouble due to the lack of infusion choices. Hopefully it will fix itself as more options become available.)

[Blake's Tiger]

That's pretty cool. Thanks!