Thasar's Psionic Nuker (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

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Introduction[edit]

Psionics. Not many know about it. Even less use it. Very few...master it. Only you... shall stand victorious above them all.

References[edit]

Expanded Psionics Handbook(EPH)

Dungeon Master's Guide(DMG)

Races of Stone(RoS)

Hyperconscious(H)


Game Rule Components[edit]

Powers[edit]

Level New powers
1st Thicken Skin, Inertial Armor, Vigor
2nd Force Screen, Precognition(defensive)
3rd Animal Affinity, Biofeedback
4th Energy Stun, Knock(psionic)
5th Energy Missile(from feat), Hustle, Body Adjustment
6th Energy Retort, Mental Barrier
7th Metamorphosis, Energy Adaptation
8th Dimension Door(Psionic), Freedom of Movement(Psionic)
9th Power Resistance, True seeing(psionic)
10th Evade Burst(from feat), Psychic Crush, Psionic Revivify
11th Disintegrate(psionic),
12th Temporal Acceleration, Overland flight(psionic)
13th Oak body
14th Ultrablast, Moment of prescience
15th Recall death
16th True metabolism, Teleport(psionic,greater)
17th Assimilate
18th Timeless Body, Metamorphosis(Greater)
19th Affinity Field
20th Reality Revision, Shadow Body

Items[edit]

Level Equipment
1st Basic adventurer's gear, morning star, heavy wooden shield, and best armor you can get! *
2nd Get better armor and shield
3rd Full Plate Mail[FPM]**+1 (or any armor+1 that match your dex), masterwork shield
4th FPM+1,Heward's Handy Haversack[H]
5th FPM+1,H,Headband of Intellect[HoI]+2
6th FPM+1,H,HoI+2,Amulet of Health[AoH]+2***
7th FPM+1,H,HoI+2,AoH+2,Gloves of Dexterity[GoD]+2,Cloak of Resistance[CoR]+1
8th FPM+2,H,HoI+2,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+2,Ring of Protection[RoP]+1,Heavy wooden shield[HWS]+1
9th Mithral[M] FPM+2,H,HoI+2,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+2,RoP+1,HWS+1
10th MFPM+3,H,HoI+2,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+3,RoP+1,HWS+2
11th MFPM+3,H,HoI+4,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+3,RoP+1,HWS+3
12th MFPM+3,H,HoI+6,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+3,RoP+1,HWS+3,Ring of Sustenance[RoS]
13th MFPM+4,H,HoI+6,AoH+2,GoD+2,CoR+3,RoP+2,HWS+4,RoS
14th MFPM+4,H,HoI+6,AoH+4,GoD+4,CoR+4,RoP+2,HWS+4,RoS,Morning star[MS]+1+Defending[D]
15th MFPM+5,H,HoI+6,AoH+6,GoD+4,CoR+5,RoP+2,HWS+5,RoS,MS+1+D
16th MFPM+5,H,HoI+6,Torc of power preservation and Health[ToPPaH]+6***,GoD+4,CoR+5,RoP+3,HWS+5,RoS,MS+1+D
17th MFPM+5,H,HoI+6,ToPPaH+6,GoD+6,CoR+5,RoP+5,HWS+5,MS+2+D,RoS,Portable hole[PH]
18th MFPM+5,H,HoI+6,ToPPaH+6,GoD+6,CoR+5,RoP+5,HWS+5,MS+5+D,Ring of Evasion[RoE],PH,~28k gold
19th MFPM+5,H,HoI+6,ToPPaH+6,GoD+6,CoR+5,RoP+5,HWS+5,MS+5+D,RoE,PH,Tome of Clear Thought[inherent bonus to Int:+5],~30k gold
20th {No Armor!}****,H,HoI+6,ToPPaH+6,GoD+6,CoR+5,RoP+5,HWS+5,MS+4+D,RoE,PH,Tome of Clear Thought[inherent bonus to Int:+5],Manual of Bodily Health[inherent bonus to Con:+4],Manual of Quickness of Action[inherent bonus to Dex:+4],~26k gold*****

(*) psionic powers are not hindered by heavy armors, though you do not have proficiency in these armors, so they imply penalties to your attacks (which you won't be doing...)

(**) if you have chosen cheaper armor, spend all spare money on your shield

(***) this item, according to DMG rules, should cost around 36k + 36k*1.5 = 90k

(****) your Dex should now jump to 20+, thus you should take the weaker armor - breastplate, for example, but... with +5 enhancement, mithral breastplate would give you only +10 to AC, while your power - Inertive Armor - will give you +13...

(*****) if you have had odd value of Con or Dex, buy inherent bonus of +5 to evenly match your stat; it will cost you extra 27.5k, so you should marginally fit with your spare cash.


Progression[edit]

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments):

For 32-point build: Str 10 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 18 Wis 14 Cha 8

For rolling mode: Put the highest roll in Intelligence. Now, if you have at least two rolls, each 13 or more, put them in Condition(higher) and Wisdom(lower). Make Dexterity your next roll. Whatever comes after it is up to your choice, just don't let your Str drop below 10.

Starting Racial Traits: Additional feat(important), additional skill points(not important)

Progress:

ECL Class/HD/LA Base
Attack Bonus
Saving Throws Feats Class
Features
Int value Power Points per Day
Fort Ref Will Class Int Bonus* Total
1st Psion 1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Earth Sense, Human feat: Earth Power Discipline(psychometabolism), feat: Overchannel 18 2 2 4
2nd Psion 2 +1 +0 +0 +3 18 6 4 10
3rd Psion 3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Talented 18 11 6 17
4th Psion 4 +2 +1 +1 +4 19 17 8 25
5th Psion 5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Feat: Expanded Knowledge(Energy Missile) 21 25 12 37
6th Psion 6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Feat: Transcend Limits** 21 35 15 50
7th Psion 7 +3 +2 +2 +5 21 46 17 63
8th Psion 8 +4 +2 +2 +6 22 58 24 82
9th Psion 9 +4 +3 +3 +6 Extend Power 22 72 27 99
10th Psion 10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Feat: Persistent Power 22 88 30 118
11th Psion 11 +5 +3 +3 +7 24 106 38 144
12th Psion 12 +6 +4 +4 +8 Psionic Meditation 27 126 48 174
13th Psion 13 +6 +4 +4 +8 27 147 52 199
14th Psion 14 +7 +4 +4 +9 27 170 56 226
15th Psion 15 +7 +5 +5 +9 Narrow Mind Feat: Permanent Focus(Persistent Power)** 27 195 60 255
16th Psion 16 +8 +5 +5 +10 28 221 72 293
17th Psion 17 +8 +5 +5 +10 28 250 76 326
18th Psion 18 +9 +6 +6 +11 Maximize Power 28 280 81 361
19th Psion 19 +9 +6 +6 +11 33 311 104 415
20th Psion 20 +10 +6 +6 +12 Feat: Quicken Power 34 343 120 463

(*) this equals to the value of following formula: your key ability modifier * your manifester level * 1/2, rounded down. For purpose of this guide, I'll assume that you started with 18 Int and did all you could do to max it.

(**) described in Side notes


Other Components[edit]

Highlights[edit]

Up to level 5, you just have to survive somehow (what is not that hard, given your tank outfit); afterwards, you rely on Energy Missile, boosted with your Overchannel feat when necessary(that is, when there are 5 or more enemies, or when the situation is grave).

Munchkin-Size Me[edit]

From the very beginning, Earth Power allows you to reduce the cost of your powers by 1 as lnog as you stand on the ground, stone, or any unworked earth or soil. With Overchannel and Talented, your further main attack power - Energy Missile - can be cast with more destructive power, but you have to pay more power points(use them sparely).

The cost of your powers is reduced by one again about level 16, when you create hybrid magic/psionic item, so now your Energy Missiles can be cast for 1 PP!

The aim of this cost reduction is to let you cast Energy Missiles over and over, as well as save power points on buffs that are supposed to be made persistent through various feats in high-level part of this build.

Buffs:*

ML = Manifester Level

Duration: 10 min. / ML 1 h. / ML 10 min. / ML 10 min. / ML 24 h. 24 h. 24 h. 1 h. / ML
Power name: Thicken Skin Inertial Armor** Energy
Adaptation
Freedom
of
Movement
(psionic)
Persistent
Force Screen***
Persistent
Precognition,
defensive
Persistent
Biofeedback
Overland
flight
(psionic)
Level(MML)**** AC
(natural)
PP AC
(armor)
PP Elemental
reduction
PP PP AC
(shield)
PP AC & saves
(insight)
PP Reduction PP PP
1st(1) +1 1 +4 1
2nd(2) +1 1 +5 1+2-1=2
3rd(4) +2 1+3-1=3 +6 2+2=4
4th(5) +2 3 +6 4
5th(6) +3 3+3=6 +7 4+2=6
6th(8) +3 6 +8 6+2=8
7th(9) +4 6+3=9 +8 8 10(all) 7-1=6
8th(10) +4 9 +9 8+2=10 10(all) 6 7-1=6
9th(11) +4 9 +9 10 20(all) 6 6
10th(12) +5 9+3=12 +10 10+2=12 20(all) 6 6 +4 1+12-1=12 +1 1+12-1=12
11th(13) +5 12 +10 12 20(all) 6 6 +4 12 +1 12
12th(15) +5 12 +11 12+2=14 20(all) 6 6 +5 12+3=15 +2 12+3=15 2/- 3-1+12=14 11-1=10
13th(16) +6 12+3=15 +12 14+2=16 30(all) 6 6 +5 15 +2 15 2/- 14 10

(*) - only displaying those that have duration of 10 min. / level or more; see Side notes for more info on combat. The PP cost is already reduced by 1 due to the feat: Earth Power.

(**) - cast it only if your armor's AC + your capped Dexterity modifier is lower than your full Dexterity modifier + this buff's AC (in which case, you should sell your armor and buy "robe" armor (+0 AC, no penalty nor Dexterity restrictions) +1+moderate[+3 equivalent] / heavy[+5 equivalent] fortification)

(***) - same as above; if your shield is better than the bonus provided with this power - ignore this buff(don't cast it).

(****) - MML= Max Manifester Level, achieved through Overchannel and/or Transcend Limits (+ Talented after all).


Side Notes[edit]

Combat: in the battle you might benefit from such spells, like:

- Inertial Armor (at level 1 & 2, before you get a good armor)

- Force Screen (likewise, before you get a good shield it is nice to have this)

- Vigor (good for each tier of game, gives additional temporary hit points)

- Biofeedback (comes right after Vigor, gives you reduction for the time of battle)


Additional feats descriptions:


Transcend limits(psionic)[p.44H]

You can boost your powers beyond their normal limits with metapsionic feats.

Prerequisites: Overchannel, manifester level 3rd

Benefit: This feat allows you to accelerate the schedule by which you increase your effective manifester level when using Overchannel, but you suffer more for this ability. While manifesting a power, you can increase your effective manifester level by one, but in so doing you take 1d8 points of damage. At 5th level, you can choose to increase your effective manifester level by two, but you take 5d8 points of damage. At 12th level, you can increase your effective manifester level by three, but you take 9d8 points of damage. At 17th level you can increase your effective manifester level by four, but you take 15d8 points of damage.

The effective increase in manifester leve increases the number of power points you can expend on a single power manifestation, as well as increases all manifester level-dependent effects, such as range, duration, and overcoming power resistance.

Normal: Your manifester level is equal to your total levels in classes that manifest powers. If using Overchannel normally, the increased manifester levels come at 8th and 15th level.


Persistent Power(metapsionic)[p.43H]

You make one of your powers last all day.

Prerequisite: Extend Power

Benefit: To use this feat, you must maintain a psionic focus, which allows you to manifest a persistent power. A persistent power has a duration of up to 24 hours, as long as you do not expend your psionic focus for some other reason. If you do expend your psionic focus, the persistent power immediately ends, even if the 24-hour duration has yet to elapse.

The persistent power must have a personal or fixed range. This feat cannot affect powers of instantaneous duration, and it cannot affect a power whose effect is discharged. For powers that require concentration to learn extra information (such as detect psionics), you still must concentrate. Concentration on such power is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Using this feat increases the power point cost of the power by 12. The power's cost cannot exceed your manifester level.

The effect of this feat does not stack with the effect of the Extend Power feat.


Permanent Focus(psionic)[p.43H]

You can retain your focus for a given feat.

Prerequisite: Narrow Mind

Benefit: When you take this feat, choose one psionic feat you already know that requires you to maintain your focus to utilize the feat's benefits. Once you've made this choice, it cannot be changed.

From now on, you are treated as if you constantly retain your psionic focus for purposes of gaining the benefit of the chosen feat, even if you have actually expended your psionic focus to gain benefit of some other feat that requires an expenditure.

Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time, it applies to a different psionic feat.

Limitations[edit]

This build is highly effective if you have a tank in your team (though you have a decent AC on your own, your HP are rather low comparing to melee characters). You should try to cast your Energy Missiles from afar, so that noone graples you or blocks your powers in any other way.

DM Counters[edit]

Sending single, strong enemies will make this build's effectiveness drop to minimum, as well as placing enemies with high Spell Resistance or high Ref Saving Throw + (Improved) Evasion. Also enemies immune to elements are effective (on very high level, giving enemies resistance to all elements is possible and thus eliminating the Energy Missile spell from the fight).

Miscellaneous[edit]


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