GM is going to be running a one-shot at third level. Great chance to make a Nanocyte.
My goal is simple: I want to make clouds that eat people.
The class makes it nice and straightforward for the options on this.
- Faculty is Infestation, obviously.
- I'm using cloud, so the knacks that apply are… Abundant Nanites or Surgical Host. Malignant Mist conflicts pretty strongly with Surgical Host on both a mechanical and thematic level, so it has to be Abundant Nanites.
So, what am I going to do in a fight? Well, let's look at Malignant Mist. When forming the cloud array, I can spend a surge to force a save vs. 1d8 damage once per fight per enemy. That's a point per fight, then. I'll be spamming my reaction to allow one ally per round to avoid the consequences of my specialization.
All right, how many people can we hit with the cloud? Well, it's 2 + Con spaces, and one space needs to be within 10 feet. So… it's basically a 30 foot line unless I'm up in melee range. And it's really bad at diagonals.
Okay… so… what else am I getting out of the cloud? "When you take a guarded step, you can move 10 feet as long as you begin and end this movement adjacent to or within your cloud array." Sorry, but this is nothing. That's… no benefit at all. Reconfiguring the cloud is a move action, and the only benefit the base ability provides is on a move action. And that only does anything if I'm fighting two melee enemies or a reach melee enemy, and I'm ranged.
Okay. So, what about spending for the cloud upgrade? 15% miss chance. That's something, at least. I was looking at line attacks before so I can actually hit people at range, but this would like a wall. I'm spending two surges per combat for this, so I guess Abundant Nanites was going to be necessary anyway. I can set up a wall of nanites and hunker down with a longarm to shoot people. I might do a little extra damage to them if they come to get me.
That's… I mean, that's decent, but that's not what I'm looking for, you know? I want to direct a swarm to go feast on enemies, or even stride into combat with nanites in a hungry cloud around me. There's really not much "feasting"; I can only use this to support a weapon. For a while, it's less a "swarm" and more a "wall" or "line". If I actually move anywhere dramatically, I've gotta spend my standard action moving the nanites. After all, if I ever let the cloud move out of range, I've wasted two surges!
I don't know if my specific desire can be accommodated, or if it's just "wait until you're higher level". It'd be nice to have this supported as a combat style in and of itself. A freer cloud, and the ability to do something like spending standard actions to clear the one minute immunity or something? None of the other faculties support full weapon replacement, though; that's only for Swarm Strike + IUS.
TL;DR I can't fight with a devouring swarm. I have a nibbling line attack that supports my weapon fighting.
I dunno, at level 3 that sounds like an 'as intended'.
Yes, I'd like to see it be better, but the nanocyte is a full BAB class... using a weapon is generally going to be the go to option when building for damage. That's just what to expect from full BAB.
The nanocyte as written isn't a faux caster, it's a full BAB combatant.
Yeah, it makes sense. I don't really expect them to be able to accommodate what I'm after, but the ability to give up my full BAB turn for a bit more faux-caster would be nice for me in this instance. If I have to move myself and the cloud, it'd be nice to have a standard or full action to do both more efficiently. Stuff like that. Worth the word count and complexity? Probably not, but I'll suggest it to see if Paizo's developers have a cleverer solution.
Yeah, it makes sense. I don't really expect them to be able to accommodate what I'm after, but the ability to give up my full BAB turn for a bit more faux-caster would be nice for me in this instance. If I have to move myself and the cloud, it'd be nice to have a standard or full action to do both more efficiently. Stuff like that. Worth the word count and complexity? Probably not, but I'll suggest it to see if Paizo's developers have a cleverer solution.
Try a similar exercise at level 8. Nanocytes can't get too crazy at low levels, though their utility is through the roof (I have a 4th level Laborer Android with Arm Extensions and a gear array that includes multiple EAC reach weapons... 20' reach, anyone?).
The thing is that they keep adding riders to their cloud array to the point where they're eating foes, protecting allies, and generally causing chaos on the battlefield.
Hmm, yeah, I'll have a look at that! Expecting a full combat style is a stretch, especially at low levels.
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I wouldn't be surprised if nanocyte ends up with the same issue Solarian has, where you don't really have much reason to use the powers of the class where it's nearly always better to just attack people.