What is your favorite Kineticist Element?


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion

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So what is your favorite kineticist element?

Mine would be Aether.


Thematically, I like aether. Mechanically, the air element's ability to fly all day is just too tempting.


It would/should be "Void"... but mechanically it is a bit weird. And the defense talent is total crap (oh, you got a flaming shield, temporarty recharging HP, straight up damage reduction, well i got +2 bonus against emotions... woot.)

So i default back to "If you want to be powerful, take Aether".


Love me some earth glide...

Dark Archive

"Something is different today... there is too much iron in your blood"


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Burning Winds/Sand, or if you prefer, Earth Wind & Fire. Ha!


I agree Summerstorm, I wish void had a better defense power. Wood's defense is a little weak as well but not as bad as void's.


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Void defense isn’t great, but chance to ignore criticals and sneak attacks isn’t so bad.

Grand Lodge

I gotta go with earth...by far the best defensive talent, lots of nice utility, don't have to worry about SR, can tailor their blasts to bypass a ton of different types of DR. Overall just a well rounded kit.


I'm a simple man. I like fire. It's certainly not the strongest of the choices and is a bit limited in versatility but darn it, I just like setting things on fire.


It doesn't have to be the strongest choice, it just has to be the one you enjoy playing the most.


I've always loved earth as an element, and when Paizo released Kineticists I jumped at the opportunity.

I also kinda wish Wood was better, the game is lacking in good offensive plant based moves.


Personally I wish wood(and maybe aether and/or water) got channel and lay on hands options as 3+Cha Mod/days and not by using burn. Also void getting negative energy channeling options as well.

Grand Lodge

If we are talking about elements we like the concept of, but not the execution...I think Void has a lot of potential, and some cool RP elements to it...but unless you use 3pp options, it is just not very useful.


It is the one element that didn't get to be in a hardcover book and it did get the least amount of love. But I agree Slyme, it has a lot potential.


No love for water?


Dragon78 wrote:
No love for water?

It's a really strong element. Especially, if your campaign is mostly around water or ice.

Edit: While there are good options, a lot of the utility powers are very tied to your environment. The other elements work about the same no matter what environment they are in. Reign of Winter and Skull and Shackles are the only APs I know of that could really let the water element shine. It's a bit like being Aquaman. Sure there are things you can do out of your element, but you only really shine in your element.


Aether is strong thematically (all its abilities are logical extensions of telekinesis) and top of the pack in utility power.


Melkiador wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
No love for water?

It's a really strong element. Especially, if your campaign is mostly around water or ice.

Edit: While there are good options, a lot of the utility powers are very tied to your environment. The other elements work about the same no matter what environment they are in. Reign of Winter and Skull and Shackles are the only APs I know of that could really let the water element shine. It's a bit like being Aquaman. Sure there are things you can do out of your element, but you only really shine in your element.

I wonder if thie would be less of an issue if people actually used weather in their games?


MrCharisma wrote:
I wonder if thie would be less of an issue if people actually used weather in their games?

Many people do use weather in their games. The most active, vocal and visible games/gamers seem to play by a different model and that gets most of the attention. How often does weather come up in PFS, for example?


Most weather can be ignored with cheap low level magic. Wand of endure elements gets most of it.


Melkiador wrote:
Most weather can be ignored with cheap low level magic. Wand of endure elements gets most of it.

Right, but if you're a water Kineticist then it might matter to you if it's raining.

PS I haven't played a Kineticist, so I don't know how much it changes anything, just spit-balling.


I don’t think there are any that are affected by rain, but there are several that are locked to particular environments, like bodies of water or ice. I’m not sure if this utility lock is why it’s apparently unpopular, but it’s the most likely reason in my opinion. Its blasts are good. It’s defense power is decent with 2 tack on abilities to augment it. But unless you’re often in the water or icy terrain, a lot of the powers are very niche.


Melkiador wrote:
Most weather can be ignored with cheap low level magic. Wand of endure elements gets most of it.

Endure elements only helps you from mid-range severe temperatures, which usually results in non-lethal damage and then escalates. Even if magic can help reduce the impact of the weather, weather can still chew into those spellcaster's bucket of tools and/or the party loot in order to present challenges to the players. Simply waving your hand and saying 'magic' doesn't make the issue go away. It just leaves you with less resources and a temporary reprieve.

It all depends on how deeply you want to immerse yourself (and the players) in the experience, I suppose. It is certainly not for everyone, just like playing survival mode in some video games where you have to juggle food, water, sleep, exposure, cold, hot, wet and dry, is just not for some people.


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Has anybody used the third-party legendary elements? I like the concept of light as an element.


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Orodhen wrote:

I've always loved earth as an element, and when Paizo released Kineticists I jumped at the opportunity.

I also kinda wish Wood was better, the game is lacking in good offensive plant based moves.

Wood needs a party built around it. I really want to make a plant campaign.

Races allowed
vine leshy
Ghoran
Gathlain
Elf
Half elf

Classes/archetypes allowed
Tree singer
Bramble Brewer
Leshy warden
Leshy summoner
Leshykineticist
Petal Ninja
etc...

The wood kineticists "plant growth at will" combos amazingly well with some of the improved entangle spells. I think "wood" focus could be a lot of fun and overwhelm a lot of the weaknesses of a plant focused character with saturation. If the first round is one casting thirsting entanglement one casting thorny entanglement and the kineticist throwing plant growth for a +4 save dc stuff that cant fly is gonna have a bad time.

Grand Lodge

I like Fire. After doubling up at 7th level, take Water at 15th.


I agree Ryan Freire, more plant/wood element themed options would have been cool.

Egil Firehair, any reason you like to add water at 15th level for your "fire bender"?

Grand Lodge

You want to double up on Fire, to get Pure Flame Infusion, which ignores Spell Resistance.

Water/Cold remains a ranged touch attack. Oh, and Suffocate. ;)


Pure-flame isn’t available till level 14 or more likely 15. So, you could wait till 15 to double up on fire, if that’s what you’re after. I think you’d be better off to take a physical blast for level 7 to naturally ignore spell resistance.


Earth is a good one to combine with fire.


So who here sticks with the same element your entire campaign?

Who here likes to combine 2 or 3 elements? what are your combinations?


Air/electric, Earth/Earth, Earth/Fire are the ones i have used so far

Grand Lodge

Only one I have played so far has been Earth/Earth. I have mapped out a couple others I would like to try that mix elements though.

I really like the concept of Void, I just wish there had been more official support for it.


Aether/Air makes for a ridiculously effective "rogue"


Surprise.


Surprise?

Sovereign Court

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Dragon78 wrote:
Surprise?

Surprise and Fear. Fear and Surprise. Our two favorite elements are fear and surprise...


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Firebug wrote:
Dragon78 wrote:
Surprise?
Surprise and Fear. Fear and Surprise. Our two favorite elements are fear and surprise...

Nobody expects the kineticist inquisition.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber

I feel like Aether has the most interesting abilities if I want to play outside the box.

I like Air/Electricity for a more 'standard' build though... although Water and Earth are also fun.

I want to like Void, but it's really hard to.


Squiggit, I would have liked Void (and Wood) more if they got more love. Doesn't mean I wouldn't use them.

Ryan Freire, I think Aether makes a great rogue in general;)


If you have variant multiclassing, then vmc rogue works very well with an aether kineticist.

Grand Lodge

I've been tossing around an idea for an Earth/Void Kinetic Knight build for a tank. If you grab Expanded Defense, you will have: Good AC from heavy armor + shield, Good DR from Flesh of Stone, Good Fortification from Emptiness, and Resolve from the Kinetic Knight archetype to shore up your weak Will saves.

Build it on one of the Outsider races so you can't be affected by things like Charm/Hold Person, and you are insanely tough and hard to control, and still do enough damage to make sure enemies consider you too dangerous of a threat to ignore.

Earth/Void doesn't get a good Composite blast, but the Knight archetype gives up supercharge in favor of iterative attacks, so it is no big loss.

Earth and void have some good utility abilities as well, enough that you will have to make some tough choices as to which ones you want and when. Burrowing, Earth Glide/Meld, Tremorsense, Flight, See in Darkness, Gravity Control...so many fun options.


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Slyme wrote:

I've been tossing around an idea for an Earth/Void Kinetic Knight build for a tank. If you grab Expanded Defense, you will have: Good AC from heavy armor + shield, Good DR from Flesh of Stone, Good Fortification from Emptiness, and Resolve from the Kinetic Knight archetype to shore up your weak Will saves.

Build it on one of the Outsider races so you can't be affected by things like Charm/Hold Person, and you are insanely tough and hard to control, and still do enough damage to make sure enemies consider you too dangerous of a threat to ignore.

Earth/Void doesn't get a good Composite blast, but the Knight archetype gives up supercharge in favor of iterative attacks, so it is no big loss.

Earth and void have some good utility abilities as well, enough that you will have to make some tough choices as to which ones you want and when. Burrowing, Earth Glide/Meld, Tremorsense, Flight, See in Darkness, Gravity Control...so many fun options.

I really want to play a theme party thats all

Race: Caligni, Wayang, Fetchling
Class: Void kineticist, shadow summoner, ankyou shadow, one of the 2 light controlling rogue talents.

That basically exploits see in darkness. Everyone rolling with deeper darkness spell likes and the see in darkness ability. Kind of like the party who uses fog and goz masks.

Everyone serving Count Ranalc.

Grand Lodge

Ryan Freire wrote:

I really want to play a theme party thats all

Race: Caligni, Wayang, Fetchling
Class: Void kineticist, shadow summoner, ankyou shadow, one of the 2 light controlling rogue talents.

That basically exploits see in darkness. Everyone rolling with deeper darkness spell likes and the see in darkness ability. Kind of like the party who uses fog and goz masks.

Everyone serving Count Ranalc.

I've always loved the idea of playing a character built around mechanics like darkness, but never actually done it since it can completely screw with your allies just as much as your enemies.

Playing in a group where everyone can either take advantage of such a mechanic, or at least isn't hindered by it would be amazing.


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Slyme wrote:
Ryan Freire wrote:

I really want to play a theme party thats all

Race: Caligni, Wayang, Fetchling
Class: Void kineticist, shadow summoner, ankyou shadow, one of the 2 light controlling rogue talents.

That basically exploits see in darkness. Everyone rolling with deeper darkness spell likes and the see in darkness ability. Kind of like the party who uses fog and goz masks.

Everyone serving Count Ranalc.

I've always loved the idea of playing a character built around mechanics like darkness, but never actually done it since it can completely screw with your allies just as much as your enemies.

Playing in a group where everyone can either take advantage of such a mechanic, or at least isn't hindered by it would be amazing.

Cooperative/theme party building has been a bit of a craze for me lately. Pathfinder 1 has a TON of themey options you can get a functional party together with, while covering all the "challenge answers" a party needs.

Devoted of the Green mother
vine leshy- leshy warden druid archetype
Vine leshy- leshy kineticist
Ghoran- Verdant bloodrager
Vine leshy- plantspeaker bard

Or simply all worshippers of sarenrae
Paladin
Inquisitor
Solar Oracle
Blossoming light or angelfire adept cleric
Fighter has a dawnflower archetype
Bard has a dawnflower archetype
Skald has a dawnflower archetype
Sorceror has a sarenite bloodline

Or all one race, dwarves have racial archetypes in
Cleric
Warpriest
Fighter
Rogue
Inquisitor
Paladin
Bard

Or a party of mixed lizardmen and grippli who worship a Velociraptor spirit and you get
Saurian shaman druid
Hunter
Veloceraptor build shifter
Ranger
All with a raptor companion

Grand Lodge

Reminds me of the all Bard traveling rock star superhero party concept me and some friends have threatened to do for years...would be brilliant in PF1 with all the assorted Bard archetype options...maybe even toss Skald in the mix for even more variety.

Or a gang of shapeshifting criminals...can you imagine the levels of absurdity a whole party of Kitsune with the Realistic Likeness feat could get into?

Back on the Kineticist topic though...I know a couple people locally who play a trio of kineticists who are built as a team, using things like Interweave Composite Blast.


An entire adventuring party of kineticist would be fun.


Dragon78 wrote:
An entire adventuring party of kineticist would be fun.

I feel like six people all with Interweave Composite Blast and all separate elements would utterly dominate low level adventuring.


They would dominate low to mid level adventures for sure.

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