Are you planning on leaving the Soul Knife build At-Wills with the secondary Ability for Attacks? I'm not so sure about that.
Oh, I see now. Yeah, I was planning on it. The bonuses should still be pretty good, since they are still Weapon attacks (ie - they get the mind blade's +3 prof bonus) and they target non-ac defenses (fort and will). I think leaving it with the primary stat (Dex) might make them too accurate.
Yes, I see what you're wanting there. Hm... the +3 prof should even out, that's true. This just makes "dipping" into the other build a lot more difficult.
Still, it already has a target limitation, so I think it's ok for them to be accurate. Whatever, it might work. You just have to be carefull if you want to continue splitting attack abilities for your powers all along the power list.
This is probably something you need to compare and even out when the list is complete.
That said, I'll continue with the Telepath List
On a side note: How about renaming the builds to Manipulator and Empath? Sounds nicer.
Encounter 3 Hm.... this is actually the complete Lvl 3 cleric list, apart from range modifications. So balance shouldn't be a problem, then :D The Lvl 3 power you choose will accompany the character up to lvl 18 as one of his most basic attacks, so they should be well defined, and (again ) unique. I'll hunt for ideas instead of directly commenting.
Seeing the stuff we compiled until now, that would mean: 1.) One power that manipulates enemy position for the manipulator build 2.) One healing/buffing power for the empath build 3.) One single-target power with higher than average dmg. 4.) One area-effect power.
1.)Manipulation: Maybe we can fit some sort of attack-giving power in here, something like... Like Lambs to the Slaughter: Ranged 10, Cha vs Will, slide 4. One ally adjacent to your target after the slide can make an Oportunity Attack with a +2 power bonus to atk/dmg. Mainpulator: + Int mod to atk/dmg Shouldn't feel too "Warlord", does it?
2.) How about making the Focused Blast the empathic power? Like: Focusing Blast: Ranged 10, vs Will, 1d8+Cha psychic, all allies adjacent to target gain a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn. Empath: + Wis mod to attack rolls instead. The Telepath is still missing a solid +atk power, and this is the Empath's domain.
3.)Force Thrust: I think this one should be the high-dmg, single target power. Because: - it deals force dmg (to even out the psychic-one-trick-pony) - There's nothing nicer than a big telekinetic punch :D So maybe up dmg to the 2d10 of Daunting Light, leave the prone, maybe, just maybe, lessen the push to 1sq.
4.) Leaves the minor area effect. This shouldn't deal too much dmg, but give some good side effect. Threatening Vision Your ally seems to grow to your enemies, posing a threat they cannot ignore. Area burst 2 centered on an ally, targets enemies, Cha vs Will, 1d6+Cha dmg, the target is marked by your ally until end of your next turn. Fluff and naming still might need work. , Also, range maybe needs to be reduced to burst 1.
It seems the Telepath will become a leader with controller ambitions, much like the paladin is a defender/leader. That's cool
Please update the powers on the front post, it is hellishly difficult to compare the powers otherwise.
Confusing Blast: The Warlock's Crown of Madness, but it does fit. Hm.. I think the wording is somewhat unclear (in the original power). Still, as nice as it is, maybe we should take a different approach. That could free up the "make it attack allies" effect for a more Telepath-unique power. Proposition: Cha vs Will, Hit:the target is dazed until the start of your next turn and suffers damage equal to one of its basic attacks of your choice. Sustain Minor: The target is dazed until the start of your next turn, and you slide the target a number of squares equal to its speed score. or Sustain Minor: Repeat the attack. The last option is probably the better one.
Empathic Field: =Consecreated Ground. As is, it's surely one of the poorer cleric powers. If we go with the new "empathic" line of powers, it will become a good option: Ranged (5 or 10?),Single target, Cha vs Will, deals 1d6+Cha psychic dmg, adjacent bloodied allies regain 1d6+Cha mod HP. Sustain Minor: Target suffers 1d6+Cha psychic dmg, and all bloodied allies regain 1d6+Cha HP. Maybe add an attack roll to the sustain to even out the range.
Open Mind: Niiiiiice! I like! (even though it's Sign of Vulnerability). This makes for some good combos with other characters. Still, it may need some tweaking to set it apart. Just can't think of any right now.
Pacifistic Urges: ranged Rune of Peace. I'd add: "this power ends if the target is attacked.", to balance for range.
Additional Suggestions: Maybe to replace Pacifistic Urges: Beckoning Transposition: Area burst 5 within 10, targets 1 enemy, cha vs. Will, 1d10+Cha dmg, choose one ally within the burst and teleport the target adjacent to that ally. Sustain Minor: repeat the attack and teleport the target adjacent to the chosen ally. You could substitute the teleport for a slide (flavour?).
Looking at the Utility 6 powers, I had an idea for the Empathic Boon-series of powers:
Empathic Boon Utility 2 close burst 5 Primary target: you or an ally. Secondary target: you or an ally. Effect:Your primary target can spend a healing surge but regains no hp. Instead, your secondary target regains hp equal to its surge value. The primaty target gains temporary HP equal to your Wis Mod.
Greater Empathic Boon: Utility 6 close burst 5 Primary target: you or an ally. Secondary target: you or an ally. Effect:Your primary target can spend a healing surge but regains no hp. Instead, your secondary target regains hp equal to twice its surge value.The primaty target gains temporary HP equal to your Wis Mod.
I don't think the telepath should be able to give hp without spending surges. That's cleric country. And this better fits the feel. As for the other Utility 6 powers:
Guiding Hand: Very Specific, won't happen very often. Why not allow it to happen on any attack?
Telekinetic Levitation: It is what it is. No need in changing that. Keep one thing in mind, though: it's a wizard utility, and they can choose this or an "effective" utility if they like, the telepath hasn't got that. How about an elocater-style movement instead? Scorn Earth:Daily, ranged 5, the target gains climb speed equal to its speed score and ignores difficult terrain. Any effect that would knock the target prone instead dazes it until the end of it's next turn. This power lasts for 5 minutes or until the end of the encounter. Needs some type of Sustaining.
Thought Shield: It's cool, not very strong though. Make it close burst 5, targets you or one ally. Increase the bonus to +3.
Also, I'd move Missive over here, like this: Missive Encounter, Minor Target: One ally you can see. Effect: Until the end of your next turn, you and your target can communicate telepathically without being heard. Your target gains a +2 power bonus to any one skill check it makes until the end of your next turn.
Your Missive is, in fact, a ritual. This one is a ranged aid another as minor, with additional fluff telepathy.
Maybe move Scorn Earth to lvl 10, and add the ability to move over any kind of surface without sinking, and/or to ignore falling damage.
Nice powers and class building on this thread, O greatfrito. I noticed that you don't have much on the shaper, so feel free to lookl at my thread, as it has some shaper stuff on it. Do you mind if I pplaytest what you have so far?
Necroblivion, for now, For the lurk, I would probably take the rogue, create an augument class feature to replace Sneak Attack, or another rogue class feature. Then change the names of class powers to have a more psionic flavor. To finish it up, borrow a few low-powerd egoist and telepath powers from this thread. Hope it helps!
Yes, I see what you're wanting there. Hm... the +3 prof should even out, that's true. This just makes "dipping" into the other build a lot more difficult.
Still, it already has a target limitation, so I think it's ok for them to be accurate. Whatever, it might work. You just have to be carefull if you want to continue splitting attack abilities for your powers all along the power list.
This is probably something you need to compare and even out when the list is complete.
Soulknife is in a "holding pattern" for the moment, as is a full Egoist revision. I had a loooong time last night to just consider the builds (midnight to 3 am, to be precise, on the last leg of our drive after my fiancee fell asleep), and I want to go through and better define each build and concept for both Soulknife and Egoist.
The builds, though - how I want them to break down, once I go back through - should be:
Egoist Psychic Warrior (Primary: Str, Secondary: Wis; Revised to be a sword+board warrior, focusing on defense and probably attacks that mark targets) Metamorphosist (Primary: Con, Secondary: Wis; Revised to be a melee brawler-type, focusing on attacks that hinder movement)
For the egoist, I'm also considering options for their Challenge ability. I'm thinking of using a clause like: "A marked enemy adjacent to the egoist can shift only into another square adjacent to the egoist."
Soulknife Life Taker (Primary: Dex, Secondary: Charisma; More of a brawler/duelist, who uses his ability to steal life energy to maintain himself while dishing out significant damage with two weapons.) Soul Striker (Primary: Dex, Secondary: Intelligence; More of a skirmisher, who uses his ability to set up devastating attacks, with some of his build-specific powers even being ranged.)
That said, I'll continue with the Telepath List
On a side note: How about renaming the builds to Manipulator and Empath? Sounds nicer.
Yeah, I agree, it sounds better. The format I was using was how the PH classes are done (build names contain the name of the class). I'm thinking I'm going to abandon the PH approach to the names for all of the classes, since I'm already doing so for the Egoist, and I plan on doing so for the Soulknife too.
Encounter 3
Like Lambs to the Slaughter: It will work, I think, once it's cleaned up. That said, I would have a slide of 3 (2 + int for Cunning), and an ally make only a basic attack. To make it parallel other sliding powers, it could deal Cha mod damage on a hit, in addition to the other effects. Workable though, and a valid replacement for Cunning Command.
Focusing Blast: I don't see why a solid attack-boosting power is the empath's domain. That is, unless we make it its domain, but as-is, the effect is more well suited to a general "mindlink" type thing. The empath aspect just feels kind of tacked-on.
What about something like "Downward Spiral"; (Ranged 10; Cha vs. Will; 1d8 + Charisma modifier psychic damage. Until the end of your next turn, when the target is hit by an attack it takes 2 psychic damage in addition to the attack's normal effect. Empath: When the target is hit by an attack it takes 1 + your Wisdom modifier psychic damage in addition to the attack's normal effect.)? It's similar to the Warlord's "Warlord's Strike" power, but with reduced damage traded for increased range, and psychic damage instead of normal damage.
Force Thrust: It's actually based on "Split the Sky," as written. Even compared to Daunting Light, Prone is likely to be better than Advantage to one ally, since it gives Combat Advantage on attacks against the prone target.
So, starting at Daunting Light then. 2d10 + Cha mod untyped damage. The CA that DL grants is an effect, so it would always go into effect. I think that means that, if the effect is tied to the Hit (ie, in the hit line instead of the effect line), it can be a bit more powerful. Push 2 would work, on its own. Prone is still too powerful, I think. So, we have:
Threatening Vision: Maybe. I'll be back to this in a bit. This post has been sitting here, being multi-tasked for like... hours now. I'll re-examine it (and your further posts) tomorrow morning, probably.
Suggestions to the Egoist. Based on whatever the Challenge power will be, there could be a "specialization"-theme along the powers.
PsyWar: Good at keeping multiple opponents at bay. Lots of powers mark, maybe mark in burst, powers have addidiotnal effect to marked targets.
Metamorph: Good at focusing on one enemy, inflicting debuffs and higher dmg. Grab could be a good option to build on, apart from 1 or 2 rogue powers, grab has not seen much attention, and building powers that grab or need a grab to work sound like a lot of fun
I'll keep from reviewing the last 3 Telepath Lvls until we figured out the other powers.
Confusing Blast: So, how about we bump a Confusing Blast equivilent, with more damage and attacking Fort instead of Will, up to higher slot, and make it a force / telekinesis power (named, of course, Control Body, like the 3.5 power of the same name).
For this one then, something like... Suggested Self Destruction Standard Action; Ranged 10; Target: One Creature; Attack: Charisma vs. Will; Hit: Target makes a melee basic attack against himself. Manipulator: When the target makes his melee basic attack against himself, he gains a power bonus to attack and damage for that attack equal to your Intelligence modifier. Sustain Minor: Repeat the attack (save ends).
Sustainable daze just seems like a -bit- too much, especially without "save ends" (though I really don't get how "save ends" on the sustain works - I mean, I know how it -should- work, but I don't remember seeing rules that supported it.).
Empathic Field: How about we change it up a bit?
Standard Action; Area burst 3 within 10; Effect: The burst creates a zone of psionic energy that lasts until the end of your next turn. You can move the origin square of the zone 3 squares as a move action. When a bloodied ally in the zone successfully hits an enemy in the zone with an attack, the ally deals psychic damage equal to your Wisdom modifier with the attack, in addition to the normal effects of a hit, and regains 1 + your Wisdom modifier hit points.; Sustain Minor: The zone persists.
This makes it more of the "empathic" feel, with different effects. The larger area and ranged capabilities should be offset by the requirement that your allies actually hit your opponents to activate the zone's benefits. Really, this seems more Leader-ey of a power than the Cleric one (which feels like a Control/Leader hybridization).
Open Mind: It it works, we should leave it alone. Duped powers are, I assume, going to happen in 4th (or so close to it that they may as well be dupes), and as long as they work for the item in question, I've no problem with that.
Pacifistic Urges: Arright, good plan.
"this power ends if the target is attacked.", to balance for range.
Beckoning Transposition: The teleport is definitely too much, and out of character for the telepath.
Might work better as: Standard Action; Ranged 10; Target: One enemy; Cha vs. Will; Hit: Cha mod damage, and choose an ally within 5 squares of the target. Slide the target to the closest square adjacent to the chosen ally. The ally can make a melee basic attack against the target.; Manipulator: The chosen ally gains a power bonus to attack and damage with his melee basic attack equal to your Intelligence modifier.; Sustain Minor: Repeat the attack.
This seems like a pretty good power, but I think it might work better somewhere else (either higher or lower level, somewhere), simply because it is another Manipulator power, when we already have one for this level. We'll see if we can't reuse the idea elsewhere though.
Serious Empathic Boon: Warlord is a better model than Cleric, and I need to change this to reflect that.
As such, what about this for a replacement: Bolster Allies Daily; Healing, Psionic Minor Action; Close burst 10 Targets: You and each ally in burst. Effect: The targets gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + your Wisdom modifier.
Guiding Hand: Every attack, I think, is too much. How about just changing the trigger to "An ally makes a melee attack"? Then it's still limited, but it's more useful.
My only problem with it is that it makes the ability better than the Warlord's Inspiring Charge (or whatever the equivalent is).
What about using your Missive variant for Guiding Hand? Something akin to... Cunning Guidance Encounter; Psionic Immediate Reaction; Ranged 10 Target: One ally within range that you can see or hear makes an attack or a skill check Effect: Grant the ally a power bonus equal to your Intelligence modifier on the attack or skill check roll.
Telekinetic Levitation: I don't see why -not- for Levitation. I think we're better off leaving it in.
A "scorn earth" effect will probably be on an Elocater paragon path (though I don't know if I want that path to be for Egoists, Soulknives, or Telepaths - probably Soulknives).
Thought Shield:
How about, instead: Thought Shield Daily; Psionic Immediate Interrupt; Personal; Trigger: You are affected by a Charm or Illusion power that a save could end. Effect: You make a saving throw against the triggering power, with a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.
That makes it different, but useful.
Missive: The version of Missive you have is barely better (range only) than the Ranger Level 2 Utility "Crucial Advice." I'd rather keep with the long-range information ability, as it fits the Telepath ability set as well as (if not better than) the Warlock.
Your Missive is, in fact, a ritual. This one is a ranged aid another as minor, with additional fluff telepathy.
It's actually the Ambassador Imp power, with the Imp flavoring cut out.
And wait... Missive is a level 10 power. The above comments still hold true though.
Once I get your feedback on the 3's, 5's and 6's, I'll update the main Telepath post (and my own documents) to the powers that we can come to an agreement on. Then onto 7's, 9's and 10's. Wooo!