So I'm starting Iron Gods soon (as a player) and I'm going to play a Samsaran Psychic. However, there are a few things I could use some help with:
1) What spells, feats, and amps would be particularly useful, especially at 1st level?
2) Is Psi-Tech any good? If so, what should I take from it?
3) What spells should I consider for the Mystic Past Life racial ability?
4) In this campaign specifically, would Mindtech be a good discipline, or should I just stick with Self-Perfection?
5) Does Psychic get access to any of the new tech spells?
(First post on the Paizo boards, BTW, so hello!)
Well you may consider a one level dip into the impossible bloodline for sorcerer. This will let you affect constructs with your compulsion spells.
Mind tech may not be a bad discipline for this campaign.
As far as access to the new tech spells. I don't think so, if you mean the ones out of the technology guide.
You could always ask your DM for a custom metamagic feat similar to threndonic spell.
Mindtech does give several tech spells as bonus spells, so there's that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but robots are slightly different from constructs in that they have an intelligence score, and thus have a mind, so it should work. As far as threndonic, I can take the Will of the Dead phrenic amp.
I meant your DM may allow a custom feat similar to Threndonic, but working on constructs instead of working on undead. In a home game it does not seem particularly broken. Or your DM may be persuaded to allow a phrenic amp that works similar to will of the dead, but on constructs.
So I'm starting Iron Gods soon (as a player) and I'm going to play a Samsaran Psychic. However, there are a few things I could use some help with:
(First post on the Paizo boards, BTW, so hello!)
I run an Iron Gods campaign, currently at 14th level and completely off the rails in the 6th module The Divinity Drive. However, I have never played nor seem anyone play a Psychic, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
1) What spells, feats, and amps would be particularly useful, especially at 1st level?
Survival is important at 1st level. First-level characters die easily, especially Samsarans with their -2 penalty to Constitution. Mage Armor is almost mandatory. The Toughness feat can partially correct the low hit points, but feats are too scarce for Toughness on a race and class without bonus feats.
You will also need a feat and spell (Psychics learn only two at 1st level) to justify including your character in the party, either healing, battlefield control, or offense. I don't see any offensive 0-level psychic spells besides Telekinetic Projectile, which looks awful. Color Spray is a classic spell for 1st-level wizards and should work as well for psychics. However, it is mind-affecting and will fizzle against robots. Magic Missile is another classic. It is a weak attack spell, except for the spellcaster saving the day against a hard-to-hit monster. And the Focused Force phrenic amplification seems designed to make it stronger.
2) Is Psi-Tech any good? If so, what should I take from it?
A psychic can learn a psi-tech discovery in place of a phrenic amplification or a feat.
That is a hefty price to pay for a psi-tech discovery. However, the Force Field and Psychic Battery discoveries could be worth the price at 3rd level and 7th level respectively.
3) What spells should I consider for the Mystic Past Life racial ability?
The spells must be the same type (arcane or divine) as the spellcasting class you’re adding them to.
The above sentence limits your samsaran to psychic spells, a serious drawback. You will have to skim the Medium, Mesmerist, Occultist, and Spiritualist spell lists for the spell's not on the Psychic's list. The good news is that Cure Light Wounds is on the Occultist and Spiritualist lists, making it available to a Mystic=Past-Life Psychic.
If your party lacks anyone else who could cast Cure Light Wounds, it would be worth passing up Mage Armor for it. Put your psychic samsaran into armor for protection until he learns Mage Armor, because armor does not hinder psychic casting, I think.
4) In this campaign specifically, would Mindtech be a good discipline, or should I just stick with Self-Perfection?
5) Does Psychic get access to any of the new tech spells?
The answer to question 5 is no. Fortunately, most of the new tech spells ought to be passed up, regardless. Of the few good ones, Technomancy and Irradiate are Mindtech bonus spells.
The Synergized Energy discipline power of Mindtech would be unavailable to your character until 7th level, when the party can either find non-timeworn technology or your psychic can learn the Psychic Battery psi-tech discovery. Attune Implants will require an expensive trip to visit black market cybertech surgeons, which also won't happen before 7th level. Dominate Technology at 13th level will be disappointing because all androids and most robots are free-willed and don't obey a master.
Nevertheless, it would be fun to use this discipline to roleplay your samsaran as a reincarnated crew member of the crashed Divinity fleet, trying to recall lost memories of a past life. Take the Numerian Archeologist campaign trait to learn to speak the crew's language.
In contrast, the bonus spells from Self-Discipline are weaker, but the AC Bonus discipline power will be useful immediately.
Mindtech does give several tech spells as bonus spells, so there's that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but robots are slightly different from constructs in that they have an intelligence score, and thus have a mind, so it should work.
Robots are immune to mind-affecting abilities, regardless of their intelligence, because that is trait of the construct type. Androids count as constructs but don't gain construct traits. Instead, they gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-affecting effects.
Robots and androids are only a small part of the Iron Gods adventure path. Paizo likes to mix in many types of monsters in their adventure paths. At low levels, the party will encounter more bandits than robots.
However, robots will be among the toughest fights where every ability is critical. Many robots have hardness, which is like Damage Resistance except it works against both weapon and spell damage. It will soak up damage from a dagger or Magic Missile without a trace. Fortunately, my party had a battlefield control specialist (the gunslinger, believe it or not), who impeded each robot until someone scored massive damage on a critical hit.
Right, so here's what I'm taking from this:
1) Take CLW and Toughness at 1st so as to not die, and wear armor (doesn't hinder psychic spells)
2) Force Field and Psychic Battery could be good, the latter especially if taking Mindtech.
3) Get cure spells, and skim for anything else nice.
4) Mindtech is probably a good idea if only to get tech spells and for some nice flavor (really like Mathmuse's idea of being a crew member, was already taking the trait)
5) See #4
I think I've got a handle on this, but I'll have to check with my GM to see if I can modify Will of the Dead or the like. Otherwise, I'll probably have to drop Psychic altogether. (Mind magic is kinda my thing, lol)
I wouldn't get all the cure spells, you're healing will be underwhelming and you'll usually have something better to do.
CLW is useful for clutch early level moments and later for having acces to CLW wands.
I think I've got a handle on this, but I'll have to check with my GM to see if I can modify Will of the Dead or the like. Otherwise, I'll probably have to drop Psychic altogether. (Mind magic is kinda my thing, lol)
My attempt at modifying Will of the Dead is below.
Will of the Unliving (Su): Even non-living creatures can be affected by the psychic’s mind-affecting spells. The psychic can spend 3 points from his or her phrenic pool to overcome an undead or construct creature’s immunity to mind-affecting effects for the purposes of the linked spell. This ability functions even on mindless creatures, such as zombies and repair drone robots, but has no effect on creatures that are alive, such as oozes and androids. This amplification can be linked only to spells that have the mind-affecting descriptor. If the psychic also knows Will of the Dead, the cost of both Will of the Unliving and Will of the Dead drop to 1 point from his or her phrenic pool.
With a phrenic amplification like that, Color Spray or Mind Thrust I become better spells than Magic Missile.