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

Introduction

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

References

Expanded Psionics Handbook(EPH)

Dungeon Master's Guide(DMG)

Races of Stone(RoS)

Hyperconscious(H)

Game Rule Components

Powers

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

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

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

Highlights

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

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

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

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

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

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