I don't mean Hood and I've read The Archery Handbook.
...I want someone who never needs to cast a spell (or use an item to cast a spell) under his own power, yet be effective.
With that in mind, I present the following. Is it the best? No. Is it
optimized? Only to the best of
my ability. I'm still a novice at char op.
What it does do is achieve the OP's quoted goal. No Spells, no psionic Powers, no maneuvers, nor any items that mimic those effects.
It's also has the benefit of almost guaranteed acceptance by any DM. No cheese. No reflavored feats or classes. No homebrew. No variants. The worst thing it does is dip into some setting-specific material.
So let's get down to brass tacks:
Elan Soulknife 4/Monk 2/Soulbow 10/Illumine Soul 4[spoiler]
Stats (32 point buy)Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 18
Cha: 10
Class FeaturesCL1 (Soulknife 1): Mind Blade, Weapon Focus (Mind Blade), Wild Talent
CL2 (Soulknife 2): Throw Mind Blade
CL3 (Monk 1): Bonus Feat, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike
CL4 (Monk 2): Bonus Feat, Evasion
CL5 (Soulknife 3): Psychic Strike +1d8
CL6 (Soulbow 1): Mind Arrow, Bonus Feat
CL7 (Soulbow 2): Mind Arrow Enhancement (+1 Bonus Equivalent Ability)
CL8 (Soulbow 3): +1 Mind Arrow, Bonus Feat
CL9 (Soulbow 4): Close Combat Shot
CL10 (Soulbow 5): Bonus Feat
CL 11 (Soulbow 6): Mind Arrow Enhancement (+2 Bonus Equivalent Ability)
CL 12 (Soulbow 7): +2 Mind Arrow, Bonus Feat
CL 13 (Soulbow 8): Phase Arrow
CL 14 (Illumine Soul 1): Positive Energy Conduit, Improved Mind Blade, Psychic Strike +1d8
CL 15 (Illumine Soul 2): Positive Energy Ray, Death Ward
CL 16 (Illumine Soul 3): Undead Mind Bane
CL 17 (Illumine Soul 4): Positive Energy Healing, Psychic Strike +2d8
CL 18 (Soulknife 4): Mind Blade +1
CL 19 (Soulbow 9): Bonus Feat
CL 20 (Soulbow 10): Mind Arrow Enhancement (+3 Bonus Equivalent Ability)
Cumulative Feats By LevelItalicized feats = feats gained by virtue of a class featureCL1 (Soulknife 1): Point Blank Shot,
Weapon Focus (Mind Blade), Wild TalentCL2 (Soulknife 2):
CL3 (Monk 1): Flowing Blade,
Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning FistCL4 (Monk 2):
Combat ReflexesCL5 (Soulknife 3):
CL6 (Soulbow 1): Monastic Training (Soulbow),
Zen ArcheryCL7 (Soulbow 2):
CL8 (Soulbow 3):
Precise ShotCL9 (Soulbow 4): Tashalatora (Soulbow)
CL10 (Soulbow 5):
Psionic ShotCL 11 (Soulbow 6):
CL 12 (Soulbow 7): Psionic Meditation,
Fell ShotCL 13 (Soulbow 8):
CL 14 (Illumine Soul 1):
CL 15 (Illumine Soul 2): Mind Cleave
CL 16 (Illumine Soul 3):
CL 17 (Illumine Soul 4):
CL 18 (Soulknife 4): Woodland Archer
CL 19 (Soulbow 9):
Greater Psionic ShotCL 20 (Soulbow 10):
BAB and Saves by LevelCL1 (Soulknife 1): +0, Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +2
CL2 (Soulknife 2): +1, Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
CL3 (Monk 1): +1, Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +5
CL4 (Monk 2): +2, Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
CL5 (Soulknife 3): +3, Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +7
CL6 (Soulbow 1): +3, Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +9
CL7 (Soulbow 2): +4, Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +10
CL8 (Soulbow 3): +5, Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +10
CL9 (Soulbow 4): +6/+1, Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +11
CL10 (Soulbow 5): +6/+1, Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +11
CL 11 (Soulbow 6): +7/+2, Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +12
CL 12 (Soulbow 7): +8/+3, Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +12
CL 13 (Soulbow 8): +9/+4, Fort +6, Ref +13, Will +13
CL 14 (Illumine Soul 1): +9/+4, Fort +8, Ref +13, Will +15
CL 15 (Illumine Soul 2): +10/+5, Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +16
CL 16 (Illumine Soul 3): +11/+6/+1, Fort +9, Ref +14, Will +16
CL 17 (Illumine Soul 4): +12/+7/+2, Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +16
CL 18 (Soulknife 4): +13/+8/+3, Fort +10, Ref +15, Will +17
CL 19 (Soulbow 9): +13/+8/+3, Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +17
CL 20 (Soulbow 10): +14/+9/+4, Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +18
Psychic Strike, Mind Blade and Mind Arrow Enhancement ProgressionsCL1 (Soulknife 1):
CL2 (Soulknife 2):
CL3 (Monk 1):
CL4 (Monk 2):
CL5 (Soulknife 3): Psychic Strike +1d8
CL6 (Soulbow 1):
CL7 (Soulbow 2): Mind Arrow enhancement +1
CL8 (Soulbow 3): +1 Mind Arrow/Mind Blade
CL9 (Soulbow 4):
CL10 (Soulbow 5):
CL 11 (Soulbow 6): Mind Arrow enhancement +2
CL 12 (Soulbow 7): +2 Mind Arrow/Mind Blade
CL 13 (Soulbow 8):
CL 14 (Illumine Soul 1): +3 Mind Arrow/Mind Blade; Psychic Strike +2d8
CL 15 (Illumine Soul 2):
CL 16 (Illumine Soul 3): Mind Blade enhancement +1
CL 17 (Illumine Soul 4): Psychic Strike +3d8
CL 18 (Soulknife 4): +4 Mind Arrow/Mind Blade
CL 19 (Soulbow 9):
CL 20 (Soulbow 10): Mind Arrow enhancement +3
Overall AnalysisA viable build. Good but not great.
Key tactics are to either toss out as many Mind Arrows as possible per round, or to deal extra single-target damage with a combination of Psychic Strike and Psionic Shot. This is the closest I can get it to the power and versatility of Martial Maneuvers.
Why Elan? To make it completely gear-independent. Strip this character of all its equipment and it will be just fine.
Other benefits include being quite tough to kill, and capable in both the middle of melee and at a distance.
The downsides: well, it would have an XP penalty if you're playing with those rules. But every group I've ever been in waives those rules. Heh...I actually forgot to take that into account for that very reason. I'd fix it, but...I'm tired. It also doesn't really come into its own as quickly as I'd like.
In the end, it looks fun to play to me, and maybe that's all it is: a fun concept. I like the idea and I like that it's not a mix of a half-dozen dips. So it's the best I can do to meet the goal of effectiveness and still maintain that simplicity of design.
[/spoiler]