Building a new Kinetic Knight, unsure of element choices

[Torbyne]

Kinetic Knight is becoming one of my most infatuated with options lately and i've been thinking up a lot of potential builds with it. i am not certain yet though and would like some advice on how to fill out a build.

I want someone who can be a solid workhorse at multiple things, i think the archetype lends itself very well to combat options and have a neat way into getting some skills and utility.

My biggest uncertainty is if to go Aether or Earth and then if to mono-element or pick up the missing one at level 7. Since both elements are physical blasts i am going with STR high to keep accuracy up. I am leaning towards Aether for better all around options but earth's defense talent is by far the most tempting. Here is what i have so far.

Human (possibly with the Dimdweller ART, i like darvision.)
STR 18 (includes racial +2)
DEX 12
CON 16
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 8

Skills:
Max out Perception, Sense Motive, Diplomacy and... Slight of Hand? I plan on grabbing Elemental Whispers for a Sagely Compsognathus, one wild talent for a +4 initiative, all knowledge skills and a scouting buddy? Yes please.

Feats:
1: Possessed Hand
1 Bonus: Toughness
3: Weapon Focus
5: Improved Initiative
7: (open)
9: (open)
11: (open)

Infusions (Aether):
1 - Pushing (are there any other options here?)
2 - Elemental Whispers (Comsognathus, Sage Archetype)
3 - lost due to archetype
4 - Telekinetic Haul
5 - Bowling
6 - Self Telekinesis
7 - (What to do here? Expand into Earth perhaps?)
8 - Telekinetic Finesse
9 - (What to do here?)
10 - Greater Self Telekinesis
11 - (What to do here?)
12 - Suffocate (Or Kinetic Form?)

So, some thoughts about the build. Accuracy sucks but hopefully the high strength and free +2 from feats early on will help keep the hits landing. Its a heavy armor build so movement speed is really low too but eventually Blade Rush and Whip can help get around that problem.

I am really at a loss for a lot of infusions though i wish i had more wild talents to spend, i understand this is normal for Aether however.

I am a little unsure how exactly a Sage Familiar works on a Kineticist... the familiar has an INT penalty until level 5 and only receives 2 skill points per level no matter what it's INT mod is, so it really isnt that great at knowledge checks for a while but eventually (at level 10) can be trained in every knowledge with a +6 modifier? It might be best to just pick two skills though and get those up to +15. But it at least gets more effective skills per level which is always great.

I am really not sure how to interpret this part though, "As long as you concentrate, the familiar can take actions as a normal animal of its type, and it can move any distance away from you, though if it takes any damage or you cease concentrating, it returns to your mind" so... is it a free action to cease concentrating? As in i could send my Aetheric companion on ahead to scout and once it sees anything of interest i could free action dismiss it and have it return to the character's mind with all of its scouting reports?

If i expand into another element at 7 i could at least spend my levels 9 and 11 infusions on catching up the extra element. And level 8 would likely go towards Expanded Defense in that case.

I feel like the archetype will provide enough AC and offense just by its nature but am not sure how much utility i can bolt on through other choices. I am also wondering about possibly getting Stealth back through a feat or trait and forgoing self telekinesis for Telekinetic Invisibility, the +10 from the talent would easily make up for the ACP and maybe even the lower DEX on a KKnight.

[Isabelle Lee]

If you're not subject to PFS restrictions, a set of medium armor with an armored kilt is a cheap way to meet the heavy armor requirement while keeping your ACP low. ^_^

[Torbyne]

Isabelle Lee wrote:

If you're not subject to PFS restrictions, a set of medium armor with an armored kilt is a cheap way to meet the heavy armor requirement while keeping your ACP low. ^_^

In fact i avoid PFS so that might be an option to look at, thank you! :)

[avr]

You're stopping at one feat in the possessed hand line? Hand's autonomy at least looks fun. Also, 10 Wis & poor will progression is not good - you may want iron will.

The trick with the cease concentrating bit is how you know when to do so. Unless a friend casts message or something, the only contact you have is empathic.

At 12th I like the idea of aether puppet more than either of the options you list.

[graystone]

Take Tribal Scars [Raptorscale: base land speed increases by 5 feet, gain a +2 bonus on Acrobatics checks and 6hp]. Pick up an Agile Alpenstock that has +5 foot enhancement to speed and +2 enhancement bonus to CMD/saves vs trip while held in hand. Use Aether to smack around people with your aether kinetic blade covered alpenstock and the total +10 move means that after your reduction for heavy armor you stay at 30'!

Now I still haven't been able to figure out how to awful accuracy of a physical blast. So I'll see if anything to help comes out of the thread. ;)

Familiar: I'm looking at an Emissary Hedgehog. A +2 will and Share Will really helps to buff the otherwise low will saves and makes a lucky dominate less likely. The free guidance cantrip helps a little with hitting. The Domain Influence is only 1/day but it has cool options:

Calming Touch (Sp): touch heals 1d6 points of nonlethal damage + 1 point per cleric level. Removes fatigued, shaken, and sickened.

Binding Ties (Su): Transfer 1 condition to familiar, 1 rd/level.

Honor Bound (Su): new saving throw against each enchantment (charm) or enchantment (compulsion) effect that currently affects it.

Restorative Touch (Su): touch removes dazed, fatigued, shaken, sickened, or staggered condition.

Liberty’s Blessing (Sp): Touch allows a saving throw against a single spell or effect it is suffering from that grants a save.

Bit of Luck (Sp): Touch allows rolling d20's twice and taking best result for a round.

Insane Focus (Su): Touch grants +4 bonus on all saving throws made against mind-affecting effects and immunity to confusion for 1 minute. A failed save vs mind-affecting effect means it losing immunity to confusion and becaomes confused for one round.

Inspiring Word (Sp): 1 creature 30', +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks, and saving throws for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level.

Strength Surge (Sp): Touch, 1 round, gain enhancement bonus equal to 1/2 your cleric level to melee attacks, combat maneuver checks that rely on Strength, Strength-based skills, and Strength checks.

[Torbyne]

I was thinking Resolve would be great for shoring up Will saves but Iron Will is also, as always, a great choice.

Suffocate is on the list because it is one of my favorite flavor abilities but Kinetic Form actually seems like the best fit for a melee build, huge bonuses vs manuevers, lots of extra reach, etc. etc.

The emissary might be more useful as a buffing agent but i am hoping to get more utility into the build... Bit of Luck looks great but i dont know if it compares to a Sage.

I forgot about Tribal Scars too which is silly because i have it on my existing Aerokineticist.. :P