Psion Tips?

[Risada]

Hey there!

I'm playing in an Eberron campaing as the Gnome Telepath below.

Gnome Psion (Telepath) 4

Stats: Str 10 Dex 12 Con 13 Int 19 Wis 11 Cha 17

Powers:
At will 1: Dishearten, Mind Thrust
Daily 1: Ravening Thought
Utility 2: Intellect Fortress
At will 3: Betrayal

Feats: Implement Expertise (Staff), Armor Proficiency (Leather) (PHB), Discipline Adept (PHB3)

My implement is a Staff of Ruin. However, I have some doubts regarding his future equipment:

-do I stick with staves and grab +1 Accurate Staff of Renewing Source (Lv 5 - PHB3), and then at 6th level I take the Superior Implement Expertise feat, or I retrain the Implement Expertise to Orb and grab a +1 Accurate Orb of Life Conversion (lv5 - PHB3), with the SIE at 6th?

-Betrayal has betrayed my expectations... do I retrain it to something else, like Force Hammer, or there's another good at will I'm missing?

-For the next heroic feats, I was thinking Superior Implement Expertise, Toughness and Improved Init. Aside from the Aberrant Mark of Madness, is there any other good feat to take?

-Considering the staff (a weapon), do I find any use for the Dragonshard Augments, or they won't affect my implement powers?

-Any consumables I might use? I think Cognizance Crystal are interesting...

[Agita]

Okay, first of all, at some point you need to say "Also? I can kill you with my brain."

I see you've fallen into the trap of lowering your secondary in favor of no dumpstats. Oh well. It's a pet peeve of mine, but it won't make or break any characters, so it's okay.

Consider going the Orb route with a Crystal Orb of whatever. It's Energized (Psychic) and Undeniable, so it gives +2 damage to psychic powers and +1 to hit vs. Will. Since you're a telepath, chances are you'll be doing both often, especially if you want to take Mark of Madness, so it's strictly better than Accurate in many situations.

Betrayal is a bit situational, but aside from Force Hammer it's pretty much what you have at level 3. If you feel like it, I suppose you could take another lvl 1 at-will (Memory Hole) instead. Consider looking at Betrayal as an encounter power instead - its augment 2 looks pretty damn nifty.

Consider Impending Victory, which gives you +1 to hit with at-will powers against bloodied enemies. Guess who has a lot of at-will attack powers? Other than that, the ones you chose are always good defaults. Discipline Adept doesn't seem so great to me, you might consider retraining it unless you've made good experiences.

If you go with the staff, Syberis Shard of the Mage is the way to go. Gives you +damage on implement attacks that use a weapon.

Also: http://community.wizards.com/wiki/dnd:CharOp/Controllers/Psion/Handbook

[awaken DM golem]

2nd

I think Cognizance Crystal are interesting ... 

Yeah, um me too.

Mark of Making dragonmarked feat can be taken a 1st level, allowing you to make Cog Crystals right off the bat.
Quick Draw feat, as written interacts with CCs to make using one a free action. Nice. Take it at 2nd level.
No wonder "asdlahnit" thinks its worth a nerf.
(I think making it a minor action would do, but that's when I'm feeling nerfy ... and it doesn't happen often)
Then write the Enchant Magic Item ritual into your ritual book at 4th level, and retrain the feat.

If you're gonna go this way, it's possible that 2 at-wills are all you need, to rock.
This opens up Hybrid or Multiclass ideas.
I don't know them just yet.





Ok Ok, I'll say it:
"I can kill you with my brain."
(psigh)

[Risada]

I see you've fallen into the trap of lowering your secondary in favor of no dumpstats. Oh well. It's a pet peeve of mine, but it won't make or break any characters, so it's okay.

I didn't have a choice... DM said "Standard array. Nothing else."...

Consider going the Orb route with a Crystal Orb of whatever. It's Energized (Psychic) and Undeniable, so it gives +2 damage to psychic powers and +1 to hit vs. Will. Since you're a telepath, chances are you'll be doing both often, especially if you want to take Mark of Madness, so it's strictly better than Accurate in many situations.

Wait.... so that table where it lists what each superior implement can offer actually mean that if one of the implements have more than one ability, I get them both !? 

....Swapping that staff ASAP, and retraining that Implement Expertise 

Consider Impending Victory, which gives you +1 to hit with at-will powers against bloodied enemies. Guess who has a lot of at-will attack powers? Other than that, the ones you chose are always good defaults. Discipline Adept doesn't seem so great to me, you might consider retraining it unless you've made good experiences.

Hmm....

Also: http://community.wizards.com/wiki/dnd:CharOp/Controllers/Psion/Handbook

I read that when I did this guy, and before posting, trying to avoid asking stuff already asked in there...

Now, to a dumb question: if I pick Versatile Expertise (the one that chooses a weapon group and implement group) and choose staff as weapon, does the bonus apply to the implement powers as well?

[Agita]

Wait.... so that table where it lists what each superior implement can offer actually mean that if one of the implements have more than one ability, I get them both !? 

....Swapping that staff ASAP, and retraining that Implement Expertise 

I see no reason to believe otherwise, looking over the rules. Every time it talks about the properties of a superior implement, it uses plural.

Now, to a dumb question: if I pick Versatile Expertise (the one that chooses a weapon group and implement group) and choose staff as weapon, does the bonus apply to the implement powers as well?

Looking at the feat, it would appear so. So you could pick Staffs as your weapon and Orbs as your implement and have it work for both. Versatile Expertise indeed.

That said, I am of the opinion every character should just get stacking +1 to hit at levels 5, 15, and 25 instead of imposing a feat tax on everyone.

[Risada]

That said, I am of the opinion every character should just get stacking +1 to hit at levels 5, 15, and 25 instead of imposing a feat tax on everyone.

I was reading a discussion regarding this topic on the WotC Forums... I think the devs are feeling bad for handing out so many feats, and they figured out the small problem with PCs, and use these "Tax feats" as a "lame" way to cover those things up...

[veekie]

That said, I am of the opinion every character should just get stacking +1 to hit at levels 5, 15, and 25 instead of imposing a feat tax on everyone.

I was reading a discussion regarding this topic on the WotC Forums... I think the devs are feeling bad for handing out so many feats, and they figured out the small problem with PCs, and use these "Tax feats" as a "lame" way to cover those things up...

Easier than writing more good feats to occupy feat slots constructively.

[Risada]

Consider going the Orb route with a Crystal Orb of whatever.

I've been thinking.... can a controller go more offensive? I mean, I am in doubt about which orb to take: Orb of Life Conversion or Orb of Unfailing Concentration? The first burns a healing surge to augment a power, and the second recover the PPs spent on a augmented power when I miss with said power....

Before, I wanted the Life Conversion, but I am struck with doubt... perhaps I should just flip a coin 

[Rerednaw]

Well in my opinion, I'd go with a Crystal Orb of Life Conversion.  I'd gladly trade a healing surge for effectively having another encounter power.  Plus as most of your powers are vs. will/psychic having a +1 to hit and +2 damage for one feat is definitely worth it. 

If you REALLY miss that extra healing surge, you can always blow a feat on Durable.

I'd also consider Orb of Nimble Thoughts as an off-hand item.  Having a nice scaling int bonus to initiative is a pretty good deal (unless WoTC has errated/nerfed it.)

Though if you wanted to go the DPS route, shardmind would have been a bit better as they have the racial +2 damage feat.  As it is, your damage options are a bit more limited. 

Some cheap upgrades to consider:
Bracers of the Perfect shot and Eagle Eye Goggles +1 to hit and +2 damage with ranged basic. i.e. your unaugmented Mind Thrust.  Combined those with a Crystal Orb that's +2 to hit and +4 damage which is pretty respectable for an at-will by a controller.