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So looking forward to the final version of the Precog which is supposed to come out later this year. Assuming it doesn't change too much from the playtest, I thought I'd lay down some of the precog builds I've thought about just as a fun thought experiment. Feel free to posit others or modify the ones I've put down here.
1) The 'default' build. So what seems like the intended build for Precogs, given their buffing and debuff-removing spells and their Dex focus (as well as the ability to start with one of three free weapon proficiencies) is to make a high dex character with either longarm or sniper proficiency and sit in the back. They can shoot, they can buff, and if someone starts debuffing their teammates, they can counter that. Seems pretty straightforward.
Any high-dex species would be good for this build: Ysoki and Androids spring to mind, but also halflings.
2) Skill Monkey: The 6 skill ranks/level is really nice, and combined with other abilities like Ephemeral Confidant, and Knew You’d Say That, you can have a large number of skills that you can further buff with a few spells such as Recall and Perfect Recall.
A lashunta's +2 racial ability to any two skills could really help you out, as could being an elf, as the Dex and Int boosts would be the perfect stats for this build.
3) Switch Hitter: A little more out there, one option is to make a straight melee fighter with high strength, dex, and decent Con. This way you can beat stuff up with simple or advanced melee weapons, or use your high dex to shoot from a distance. You are going to have troubles with your low HP/level and 3/4 BAB but there are Precog abilites to mitigate that.
A high gravity human is probably best for this build, or a worker android.
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Note, the dex focus is getting cut down a tonne and wont be being used as a casting stat anymore.
It's hard for me to try and come up with builds for a caster class when I don't even know what ability score it casts with.
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Note, the dex focus is getting cut down a tonne and wont be being used as a casting stat anymore.
It's hard for me to try and come up with builds for a caster class when I don't even know what ability score it casts with.
I hadn't heard anything official about what is or is not going to be done with the Precog Playtest, and the playtest forum for precogs has been taken down (well, the webpage for it just goes into a loop of reloading) what have you heard that says that dex won't be the casting stat anymore?
Just curious about any precog info released.
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Ah, thank you, I was searching to see if there was a document like that but my google-fu failed me.
Well, as Dracomicron said in the discussion there, this doesn't change a whole lot. Because most of the spells center around buffing/debuff removal (which don't care about save DCs) you can actually cast up to 6th level spells with no investment from your initial points! As they point out:
1st Level spells: Appropriate theme can give you +1, total 11
2nd&3rd level spells: An ability booster is available at level 2, and you can certainly get one by level 4 when you can cast 2nd level spells: Total 13
4th and 5th: You can use your level 5 ability boost for another boost: total 15
6th: You can use a level 10 or 15 ability boost (or increase your ability booster) long before level 16 when you get 6th level spells: Total 17
Any theme can give you a +1, as long as the point goes somewhere you put a point into its mathematically the same results.
Whatever stat you're saving your points for would probably like the ability crystal. Possibly more than a +2 a few levels earlier, especially if its an 18.
I have a mystic with a starting Wisdom of 12. While a caster doesn't care about spell DC, given the limited number of spells per day you really DO care about the bonus spells.
With a 12, 14 at 5th and 10th and the second ability crystal at level 6-7 , the stat bump at 10, putting the +2 of your 4/2 crystal, and putting the +4 of your 6/4/2 crystal Level 4 is the only level where you don't get a bonus spell. k
1 12 + 1 Bonus spell
2Bonus
3Bonus
4 Level 2 spells No bonus
5 Level 5 stat bump, Bonus Spells resume
6 Bonus spells
7 +4/+2 crystal with the +2 on wisdom . 3rd level spells +3 wisdom. Bonus
8 Bonus
9 Bonus
10 +2 wisdom stat bump bonus spells at +5
11 Bonus Spells
12 Bonus Spells
13 Bonus spells Buy level 14 Crystal for +6 something +4 Wis +2something
14 Bonus spells
15 +2 stat boost Bonus spells
16 Bonus spells
17 Bonus spells
18 Bonus spells
19 Bonus spells
20Bonus spells
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Any theme can give you a +1, as long as the point goes somewhere you put a point into its mathematically the same results.
Whatever stat you're saving your points for would probably like the ability crystal. Possibly more than a +2 a few levels earlier, especially if its an 18.
I have a mystic with a starting Wisdom of 12. While a caster doesn't care about spell DC, given the limited number of spells per day you really DO care about the bonus spells.
With a 12, 14 at 5th and 10th and the second ability crystal at level 6-7 , the stat bump at 10, putting the +2 of your 4/2 crystal, and putting the +4 of your 6/4/2 crystal Level 4 is the only level where you don't get a bonus spell. k
1 12 + 1 Bonus spell
2Bonus
3Bonus
4 Level 2 spells No bonus
5 Level 5 stat bump, Bonus Spells resume
6 Bonus spells
7 +4/+2 crystal with the +2 on wisdom . 3rd level spells +3 wisdom. Bonus
8 Bonus
9 Bonus
10 +2 wisdom stat bump bonus spells at +5
11 Bonus Spells
12 Bonus Spells
13 Bonus spells Buy level 14 Crystal for +6 something +4 Wis +2something
14 Bonus spells
15 +2 stat boost Bonus spells
16 Bonus spells
17 Bonus spells
18 Bonus spells
19 Bonus spells
20Bonus spells
Yeah, certainly one way to go, but (assuming the Precog doesn't change too much) since the Precog can have longarm proficiency off the bat and specialization at 3, plus the possibility of a full BAB down the line, that makes them less reliant on spells. Your way of doing things is perfectly valid, it's just, there is another way to go where you focus less on spells and use them more as a backup. Just thinking of alternate builds.
Even as backup, very often you'll have one spell you want to buff yourself with (Like see invisibility, life bubble, or might of the elicoth) and a tendency to save one spell just in case. Those bonus spells become invaluable because its not just one more spell, its almost doubling the number of spells you can be whilly nilly with.
The aformentioned mystic has a level of biohacker and versatile specilization for his caustolance. Most missions people are surprised to find out he's a mystic and not a biohacker with the feat to cast life bubble. Every once in a while though something comes up,the spells start flying, and even as plan B they go fast.
It's very little investment (rather than one) with a lot of bang for the buck: Invest 2 of 11 starting points, 1 of 4 stat boosts at 5 1 of 4 stat boosts at 10 and your second favorite crystal.
It could even be considered less investment than the level 3 ability crystal on its own (depending on how monostated your build is): 2 build points can't take you over 18. An ability crystal can.
Not saying its the only way to play, just pointing out that there's an inflection point right next to you where 1 more point of investment gets you ~25% more spell casting.
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Sure. I can see that. Anyway, most of the builds I posted above are still viable depending on what the casting stat is. Some have suggested that the casting stat for a precog is going to be dependent on their anchor, which would be interesting. Personally I can see arguments for any of the mental stats. Either predicting the best way to ‘solves’ the timeline through statistics and logic (INT), using sheer willpower to overcome time (Wisdom), or pitting the sheer force of your personality against time very forces of Fate (Chr)
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Sure. I can see that. Anyway, most of the builds I posted above are still viable depending on what the casting stat is. Some have suggested that the casting stat for a precog is going to be dependent on their anchor, which would be interesting. Personally I can see arguments for any of the mental stats. Either predicting the best way to ‘solves’ the timeline through statistics and logic (INT), using sheer willpower to overcome time (Wisdom), or pitting the sheer force of your personality against time very forces of Fate (Chr)
I think I prefer prediction of the future (INT), perception of changes (WIS), and dumb luck (CHA) over using 'sheer force of _____' twice.
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Sure. I can see that. Anyway, most of the builds I posted above are still viable depending on what the casting stat is. Some have suggested that the casting stat for a precog is going to be dependent on their anchor, which would be interesting. Personally I can see arguments for any of the mental stats. Either predicting the best way to ‘solves’ the timeline through statistics and logic (INT), using sheer willpower to overcome time (Wisdom), or pitting the sheer force of your personality against time very forces of Fate (Chr)I think I prefer prediction of the future (INT), perception of changes (WIS), and dumb luck (CHA) over using 'sheer force of _____' twice.
Agreed. Dumb luck sounds absolutely worthy of exploration.
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Agreed. Dumb luck sounds absolutely worthy of exploration.
Seriously I don't get it. Do you shoot luck lasers out of your eyes? It's just hard to picture and not very cinematic......
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Agreed. Dumb luck sounds absolutely worthy of exploration.
Seriously I don't get it. Do you shoot luck lasers out of your eyes? It's just hard to picture and not very cinematic......
Lol, I forgot about that rant!
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So, off the top of my head, fun build ideas using the Precog. Obviously exact copies aren’t possible, especially since most heroes have like,18s in all ability scores, but we can try.
1) Joseph Jostar JoJo’s Bizzare Adventure, a lot of spells and precog abilities can be explained away as Hamon, such as debuff removal spells being hamon that heals people. You could have fun with “Your next line is/I knew you’d say that.” Throw in longarm proficiency for his tommygun and improved unarmed strike and it looks good.
A High Gravity human would be great here, as would maybe just a normal human or just a very human-looking half-orc.
2) The Doctor Doctor Who okay, so magic and the Doctor don’t mix too well, but let’s face it, a time traveler who can sense inconsistencies in the timeline? Seems a good enough match to me. As the Doctor is so long-lived, an elf would be a good bet, and make him a high dex, high int build to be the skill monkey that the Doctor is. I would suggest skill synergy to pick up skills as class skills that the Precog might not start with.
If you need a long-lived race that’s good at both dex and int for skills, elf is your main choice, though an android, reflavored, Could also work.
3) While I am not much of a fan, I know Paul Atredies from Dune has Precognative abilities and a host of other powers. I’m sure there is something there.
He’d have to be human though.
4) Terminator 1&2: people coming back from a dystopian future to stop things is specifically called out in the precog class. You could pick up longarm proficiency for all those shotguns they use in the series. Kyle Reece is human, obviously, where as the T-800 is an Android (probably a worker Android.)