Kineticist (Kinetic Knight) - Water / Earth / Element X Build

[Red Griffyn]

Here is a build I put together for a Kinetic Knight. The main mechanical theme is to use the Shimmering Mirage 5th (10th) level Utility Talent with the Water Element defense to qualify for the moonlight stalker feat (+2 att./+2 dmg.). Otherwise it is a DEX focused build and uses the armored kilt to count the medium armor as heavy. The water defense, while not as good in some cases can be used to really buff that shield AC. By level 11 with minimal investment you should be able to get an AC in the mid 30s, have a 20% miss chance, have 25% or more miss chance against crits/sneak attacks, and be rocking a solid DR from your earth element.

The level 13 feats are split into two groupings, one is go fully into the moonlight stalker feat chain and utilize feints to help with AC. The other is what I expect most people would do instead if they didn't want to pursue feinting. Note that 1 trait, 1 alternate racial trait and the stats are aligned to help get some modifiers into the bluff/CHA based skills. If you don't want to feint, dump CHA, put INT back to 10 and use the Carefully Hidden Trait to buff your will save.

I think this makes for a character with great defenses who can really stand in the front and take some punishment. It also has a variety of nova potential or control potential using it's Kinetic Whip or other higher level infusions. It can get iteratives with the Kinetic Blade/Whip so it has some really nice scalable melee damage. I would endorse going the feinting route to balance the character by giving it some face ability outside of combat.

Let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm not sure what 3rd element would fit or whether Kinetic Invocation is any good for a non-feint build.

This is not PFS legal as it uses a Hobgoblin (good stat array) and uses the armored kilt + medium armor to qualify as wearing heavy armor. Otherwise others suggest going STR/CON instead of DEX/CON since you'll be in heavy armor anyways. If you go that route, I'd change races to a STR/CON race or use a dual talent human + Eyes of the Owl (if your GM lets that meet the moonlight stalker feat pre-requisite)

Kineticist (Kinetic Knight)

Race
1 Hobgoblin

Racial Trait
1 Unfit (+1 Diplomacy, +1 Bluff, Composite Longbow)

Stats L1
STR 12
DEX 18 (16 + 2 Race)
CON 18 (16 + 2 Race)
INT 8
WIS 12
CHA 8

Stats L11
STR 14 (12 + 2 EO)
DEX 26 (16 + 2 Race + 2 Ioun Stone + 2 Level + 4 EO)
CON 24 (16 + 2 Race + 4 Belt + 2 EO)
INT 10 (8 + 2 Headband)
WIS 14 (12 + 2 Headband)
CHA 10 (8 + 2 Headband)

Traits
1 Muscle of the Society (more carrying capacity)
2 Adopted (Carefully Hidden) or Extremely Fashionable (Bluff) [To help with Feinting]

Feats
1 Weapon Finesse
2C Medium/Heavy Armor Proficiency
2C Shield Proficiency
3 Toughness
5 Iron Will
7 Possessed Hand (+1 Att./+1 Dmg. for light weapon)
9 Blind Fight
11 Moonlight Stalker (+2 Att./+2 Dmg. If you have concealment - gained from Shimmering Mirage at L10)
13 (Kinetic Invocation or Combat Reflexes) or Moonlight Stalker Feint
15 Elemental Overload
17 (Piranha Strike or Kinetic Invocation or Combat Reflexes or Extra Wild Talent) or improved Feint
19 (Piranha Strike or Kinetic Invocation or Combat Reflexes or Extra Wild Talent) or Moonlight Stalker Master

Elements Water/Earth/Element X
1E Water
1B Kinetic Blast (Water Blast)
1I Pushing Infusion
1I Kinetic Blade (From Archetype)
2UT Elemental Whispers (Hedgehog - +2 Will Saves)
3I Blade Rush (From Archetype)
4ED Elemental Defense (Water) - Shield Bonus
4UT Kinetic Cover or Slick or Veil of Mists
5I Kinetic Whip (From Archetype)
5I Entangling Infusion
6UT Waterdancer
7B Kinetic Blast (Earth Blast), Composite Blast (Mud)
8UT Expanded Defense (Earth)
9I Blade Whirlwind (From Archetype)
10UT Shimmering Mirage (20% miss change from concealment)
11I Whip Hurricane (From Archetype)
11I Grappling Infusion
12UT Ride the Blast
13I Bowling Infusion
14UT Earth Glide
15B Element X?
16UT ?
17I ?
18UT ?
19I ?
20UT ?

Items
1 Circlet of Persuasion (or Bracelet of Bargaining/Mask of Stony Demeanor)
2 +1 Conductive Adamantine Armor Spikes
3 +1 Conductive +2 STR Composite Longbow
4 Mithral Kikko + Kilt Combination
5 Darkwood Light Shield

[avr]

Kinetic Knight and Ride the Blast? Not the most useful combo I'd have thought,

Quote:

This ability doesn’t work with form infusions that involve melee attacks (such as kinetic blade)

At the same level (considering you have kinetic invocation) you could be picking up fluid form instead, for example, or spark of life, or suffocate, or even just kinetic healer.

If you're going to use elemental whispers as a disposable scout or similar something a little more mobile than a hedgehog would be better. If you're just getting it for the +2 will save - that seems a little bland to me.

No touch attack blast might be a mistake. It's handy to have the option. If you stick with everything else that suggests you might want to take it into account for the 3rd element. Expand back into water perhaps, or go into void or something.