Author Topic: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)  (Read 2816 times)

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Leviathan

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Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« on: May 10, 2011, 10:46:37 AM »
So. New character for a campaign that I'm in (lvl 1-10, Gestalt, Evil, Arcane & Divine magic doesn't work). Going to "retire" my Kobold Totemist pouncer since there is a very similar character in the party, and I'd love to try the Soulknife (Of course, by "Retire" I mean stealing a dragon egg from somewhere in Sigil and going on a sliders-style adventure through Sigil's doors until I find a Kobold tribe to join :) )

Warforged Soulknife/Warblade (with one level of Swordsage at lvl 5). However, I'm using the Pathfinder Soulknife (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/soulknife) rather than the standard one.

Additionally, for a +1LA (already bought off) I have a "Psicrystal Cohort", that is a Psicrystal that also acts as an Improved Cohort (max level of one below me), who will be taking levels in Artificer :)

So. Here's what I've got worked out so far, any advice would be much appreciated:
[SPOILER]

Designation: Proto Delta (First foray of his creator into making things that could be sentient. He wasn't impressed with the result)

Stats
Str: 16
Dex: 14
Con: 16
Int: 14
Wis: 10
Cha: 6

Traits:
Quick: (+10ft Movement speed, -1Hp/Level)

Flaws
Individualist
Gullible

Skills
Autohypnosis
Concentration
Spot
Listen
Jump
Tumble

Feats:
1: Mithril Body
Flaw: Psionic Weapon
Flaw: Speed of Though (yes, I like being quick :) )
Soulknife 1: Power Attack
3: Psicrystal Containment
Warblade 5: Combat Reflexes
6: Deep Impact
9: Leap Attack
Warblade 9: NFI. Warblade bonus feat list sucks

It *really* annoys me the amount of feats where you can qualify at lvl 4-5 but can't take them until lvl 6. Seriously, why does Instant Clarity specifically take *seven* ranks in concentration? Would have far rathered that than Psicrystal Containment.
At least the way that things work out my Psicrystal probably *can* focus itself, as long as it doesn't take any other actions on its turn

Soulknife Blade Skills:
Note: Going with the two-handed blade option

2: Powerful Strikes
4:
6:
8:
10: Deadly Blow or Reaper's Blade

I have a couple of ways I can go with the rest:
* Furious Charge & Improved Furious Charge would be utterly awesome for charging (duh).
* Alter Blade would give me some more versatility and a reasonable Ranged attack
* Combat Slide would also give me some handy versatility, especially if I somehow get the Stance that gives me two 5ft Steps
* Weapon Special is of course also handy versatility

So do I go with one Versatility ability and the Charge options, or all three versatility options?

Warblade Maneuvers:
1: Steel Wind
1: Charging Minotaur
1: Leading the Attack
2: Sudden Leap
3: Battle Leader's Charge or Emerald Razor
4: Trade Charging Minotaur for one of the above
5: - Taking a level of Swordsage here
6: BY CROM!! *ahem* I mean Iron Heart Surge
7: Unsure if I want to trade anything here
8: Ruby Nightmare Blade
9: Maybe trade whatever is least useful for Death from Above
10: Pouncing Charge!

Warblade Stances:
1: Leading the Charge
4: Hunter's Stance
Darn it. I *really* wanted Absolute Steel stance :(

Swordsage Maneuvers
5: Burning Brand
5: Flashing Sun
5: Shadow Jaunt
5: Cloak of Deception
5: Fire Risposte
5: Mountain Hammer

Swordsage Stance
5: Child of Shadow

Notes
* With my Artificer Cohort & assisting crafting I'll be able to craft the wondrous items that give you extra Maneuvers. I'll want Wall of Blades on one of these, unsure what else at this point.
* Does anyone know if Stances can be added to these items?

* I'll be starting at lvl 3, and finishing at lvl 9 or 10, so please don't bother advising weird tricks or feats or anything that I can start doing at lvl 11+ :P

* I'm largely trying to build this guy for single very large hits and decent mobility. Move in, large hit, move out, no sitting around for Robilar's Gambiting or Karmic Striking etc.

Basic attack plan is:
* If charging, use Battle Leader's Charge (Pouncing Charge at higher levels), Power Attack, Leap Attack, Improved Furious Charge, Psychic Strike & Deep Impact.
* Standard attacks can involve Psychic Strike, Psionic Weapon and a standard strike (add Power Attack & Emerald Razor if I don't have another strike to use).[/SPOILER]

And here's what I'm working out for my Cohort (Still in progress)
[SPOILER]
Notes
* Cohort is an Artificer, and race-wise counts as Warforged for the purposes of feats & ACF
* This guy's role is support and healing (mostly out of combat) and item crafting. He won't be attacking, and it'll be rare that he's not 'riding on my shoulder' in combat.

Stats
Str: 1 (after size adjustments)
Dex: 18 (after size adjustments)
Con: -
Int: 15 (+Level Int bumps, it'll have 16 when it turns into a Cohort)
Wis: 10
Cha: 14

Flaws
Inattentive
Noncombatant

Feats
1: Mithril Body (I don't want a stray hit one-shotting my Psicrystal
Flaw: Skill Focus (UMD)
Flaw: Extraordinary Artisan
3: Item Familiar (since he can't exceed my level minus 1, that's a free 10% crafting XP :D. Any word on if you can use your own Warforged body as a familiar?)
Artificer 4: Legendary Artisan
6: Craft Construct (Hrm, maybe he could craft himself a proper body...)
Artificer 8: Exceptional Artisan
9: Etch Schema

ACF
1: Warforged Artificer
4: Warforged Artificer

Skills
Concentration
Appraise
Craft: Armorsmithing
UMD
Spellcraft
Knowledge: Arcana
Craft: Alchemy[/SPOILER]
« Last Edit: May 11, 2011, 12:09:26 PM by Leviathan »

Saxony

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2011, 12:05:57 PM »
What is your question?
If I say something about real world physics, and someone disagrees, assume I am right 90% of the time. This number goes up to 100% if I am late night posting - trust me, my star dust sibs.

Leviathan

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2011, 01:02:11 PM »
Man, way to get caught up in the details and forget to write down the basics ><.
mostly I'm looking for advice as to how workable this looks, I've swapped a few things out from a standard charger build (like deep impacting rather than shock trooper) and I'm not hitting all of the feats that are normally included. Likewise I haven't got all the feats that I'd like to have for maximizing single hit strike style fighting either, and not having played a martial adept in a campaign before I don't know if I've missed some gaping hole (other than of course ranged attacks, soulknife abilities notwithstanding).

Also, is the warblade's stance progression errata'd anywhere? Staggering them so you get one at first, your second one level *before* you can get 3rd level stances, then your third when you can get 5th level stances (so skipping lvl 3 entirely) really sounds like misprint to me.

Sinfire Titan

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2011, 01:27:35 PM »
Also, is the warblade's stance progression errata'd anywhere?

Be very careful: Mentioning Tome of Battle and Errata in the same page can result in rage-induced seizures from a good 70% of the 3.5 community.


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Havok4

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2011, 01:40:43 PM »
Also, is the warblade's stance progression errata'd anywhere?

Be very careful: Mentioning Tome of Battle and Errata in the same page can result in rage-induced seizures from a good 70% of the 3.5 community.


AKA: No, and it never will be. Because WotC hates us.

To clarify  the ToB errata changes mid sentence to complete arcane errata and was never fixed.

Prime32

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snakeman830

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2011, 01:47:52 PM »
Also, is the warblade's stance progression errata'd anywhere?

Be very careful: Mentioning Tome of Battle and Errata in the same page can result in rage-induced seizures from a good 70% of the 3.5 community.


AKA: No, and it never will be. Because WotC hates us.

To clarify  the ToB errata changes mid sentence word to Complete arcane Mage errata and was never fixed.
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Havok4

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2011, 02:27:13 PM »
Also, is the warblade's stance progression errata'd anywhere?

Be very careful: Mentioning Tome of Battle and Errata in the same page can result in rage-induced seizures from a good 70% of the 3.5 community.


AKA: No, and it never will be. Because WotC hates us.

To clarify  the ToB errata changes mid sentence word to Complete arcane Mage errata and was never fixed.
FTFY

True but it does not really matter, the errata is still an unusable lump of data.

Lycanthromancer

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2011, 03:29:20 PM »
You actually might want to check out the psychic warrior soulbound weapon variant. It gets the entire soulknife progression for a single feat and psionic power, and it's still balanced, plus it gives you all the feats you could (probably) want. That tells you just how bad the soulknife really is. Take the Linked Power feat, and manifest a swift action power Linked with Call Weaponry on the first round, and then use a standard-action strike using your warforged's slam attack. Then go at it in the second round with your soulbound weapon.

You also might want to consider taking Ancestral Weapon or going Legacy Champion and taking a legacy weapon.

But if you're hell-bent on going soulknife, you might want to consider either bloodstorm blade or soulbow.
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Prime32

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2011, 04:21:06 PM »
You actually might want to check out the psychic warrior soulbound weapon variant. It gets the entire soulknife progression for a single feat and psionic power, and it's still balanced, plus it gives you all the feats you could (probably) want. That tells you just how bad the soulknife really is. Take the Linked Power feat, and manifest a swift action power Linked with Call Weaponry on the first round, and then use a standard-action strike using your warforged's slam attack. Then go at it in the second round with your soulbound weapon.

You also might want to consider taking Ancestral Weapon or going Legacy Champion and taking a legacy weapon.

But if you're hell-bent on going soulknife, you might want to consider either bloodstorm blade or soulbow.
It's Pathfinder soulknife, not 3.5. So it's decent.
My work
The tier system in a nutshell:
[spoiler]Tier 6: A cartographer.
Tier 5: An expert cartographer or a decent marksman.
Tier 4: An expert marksman.
Tier 3: An expert marksman, cartographer and chef who can tie strong knots and is trained in hostage negotiation or a marksman so good he can shoot down every bullet fired by a minigun while armed with a rusted single-shot pistol that veers to the left.
Tier 2: Someone with teleportation, mind control, time manipulation, intangibility, the ability to turn into an exact duplicate of anything, or the ability to see into the future with perfect accuracy.
Tier 1: Someone with teleportation, mind control, time manipulation, intangibility, the ability to turn into an exact duplicate of anything and the ability to see into the future with perfect accuracy.[/spoiler]

awaken DM golem

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Re: Gestalt Soulknife/Warblade Warforged :)
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2011, 06:49:36 PM »
2nd-ing Lyca's suggestions.

PF Soulknife hasn't been given a real hash-out over here.