As for all this crap about four encounters, that doesn't matter. When you are out of spells/pp you just don't adventure any more. That's the way the game works.
oh thats how your games work, the party revolves around the PW..... i can see it now:
Spellcasters have been saying "outa spells, time to rope trick" for the past eight years. So, yeah. Psychic warriors
don't need to last more than three encounters because their caster buddies are out of top end SoDs after three encounters too.
And, no there hasn't been any novas. Do the fucking math. Expansion lasts all day. Claws of the beast lasts all day. Detect Hostile Intent lasts a long ass time. Bite of the Wolf lasts a long ass time. The only power that's needed to be done every encounter has been:
Grip of Iron (doesn't really need to be augmented and doesn't really cost actions)
Hustle (linked to claws of the vampire)
So blowing three top end slots at the start of the day and one slot per encounter is nova tactics? What are you smoking?
PW: thats my last PP ...... lets call it a day boys
Beguiler: what, i still have a lot of spells left... didnt you Budget any PP
PW: No .... i used them all up saving your life...
Crusader: but we have only had two encounters today.... and we havent even gotten to shelter yet
PW: thats too bad ... we just have to set up camp here and wait until tomorrow when i will have More PP
Factum: well i dont want to wait here, but if we cant go on without you ..... lets make camp
Dread Necromancer: i dont know about everyone else.... but isnt it a little silly camping right outside of the Town...they can still see us, lets just go back and stay at an Inn
Crusader: but why?,... im still fresh and ready to go
Factum: because ... everyone knows this party could not survive without the Awesome PW
you are so right
Dread necromancer and beguiler are easily a tier above PW. Factotum sucks balls in combat and has a bunch of 1/day abilities and has no endurance. Crusader gets his ass handed to him for BC by the PW and healing on a 4 encounter budget. So, basically you have no fucking clue what you are talking about.
Oh, now I get it.
carnivore and ubernoob have a fundamental disagreement on how to structure the challenge.
Without me trying to adjudicate that, or get between them otherwise ...
Basically:
1 encounter - PsyWar nova - couldn't possibly be as good as a Psion nova
2 encounters - PsyWar mini-nova good ubernoob
3 encounters - PsyWar might become iffy carnivore
4+ encounters - pp is the major limiter here on out , fewer "spell" slots than a bad bard , 1/2 the "spells"
exactly what i mean.......
only for COMBAT ENCOUNTERS..... PW is virtually useless for anything else, if optimized for Combat
Detect Hostile Intent
Telepathy [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Psion/wilder 2, psychic warrior 2
Display: Olfactory
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 30 ft.
Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation centered on you
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 3
While the duration of this power lasts, you become aware of the presence of any creatures with hostile intent within 30 feet of you, and their direction from you (but not their specific location). The power detects active aggression, as opposed to vigilance. In addition, while this power is active you cannot be surprised or caught flat-footed by creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.
While under the effect of this power, you can make Sense Motive checks as a free action against anyone within 30 feet of you.
The power can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of stone, 3 inches of common metal, 1 inch of lead, or 6 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Dimension Door, Psionic
Psychoportation (Teleportation)
Level: Psion/wilder 4, psychic warrior 4
Display: Visual
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target or Targets: You and touched objects or other touched willing creatures
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None and Will negates (object)
Power Resistance: No and Yes (object)
Power Points: 7
As the dimension door spell, except as noted here.
Augment
If you spend 6 additional power points, you can manifest this power as a move action.
Again, what are you smoking?
levels 1-5
1 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 4
2 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 5
3 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 5
4 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 6
Let's look at the four encounter day:
Level 1-Fighter with one less bab, but gets TWF without penalties with daggers and gets full strength for two hours a day. That's pretty damn good.
Level 2-Fighter with one less bab, but gets 8 hours of TWF a day. Still looking good.
Level 3-Fighter with one less bab, but gets TWF with short swords at full strength all day and an hour and a half of enlarge person. Looks pretty good to me.
Level 4-Fighter with one less bab and feat, but gets pounce. Holy fucking shit. Trading one bab and a feat for pounce? That's pretty fucking good. And that's on top of being big all the time. Large size, pounce, TWF, seems like a good deal.
Level 5-Holy fucking shit. I get to dual wield long swords now? I also get extra move actions a couple times per day? This is fucking great. Wait. I also have as many feats as a fighter now at the cost of another point of bab? Good deal. I get to TWF with long swords at large size with full bab, but the standard penalties. I also get full strength to off hand attacks.
Fighter is tier five. Those were just all day long powers.
Levels 6-10
1 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
2 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 4
3 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 4
4 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 5
Level 6-Sweet, still just 2 bab behind the fighter and one feat behind. I get to be large size all day and TWF with long swords at full strength to offhand with no penalty to hit as a class feature though.
Level 7-Holy fucking shit. Not only do I get to grow two size catagories, but now I'm dual weilding great swords. That's just from my old powers. If I blow a standard action I can heal like 3d6 a hit too. No iteratives, but I'm healing like 21 per round and dishing out pretty damn good DPS
Level 8-Still just one feat behind the fighter and two bab short. Also, I can teleport around now. That's haus.
Level 9-Well, I'm three bab behind the fighter now, but I can teleport as a move action. Also, I have lots more pp to spend on stuff.
Level 10-Three bab and two feats behind a fighter. Know what I got in return? Improved Critical(Claws). Not bad. I'm getting a lot of virtual feats here to make up for those two feats I lost. Being huge size is kind of worth 3 bab (large size all the time typically costs at least 2 LA, so huge size has to be worth at least 3 bab).
Basically, what are you smoking to put PW on the same level as fighter? And to put him below... shows a severe lack of understanding of the game. Remember, I'm only assuming constant stuff here.
Levels 11-15
1 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
2 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
3 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 4
4 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 4
Level 11-Do you know of any weapon that does 3d6 base damage for medium creatures? Well, if there was a weapon that good I'd be dual wielding it. I deal like 8d6 a hit for my weapon damage and heal like 28 damage a round. That's better than what a crusader can do for damage output and healing. Also, I get DR 5/-. That's better than anything some pussy barbarian gets.
Level 12-Two feats and 3 bab behind a fighter, but what do I care at this point? I tank better than a crusader. I also ignore the cloud line now because I have freedom of movement at my disposal.
Level 13-
Holy fucking shit I just got a lot of immunities and I get to ignore the weakness because I
planned ahead. Sure I'm 4 bab behind a fighter and two feats short, but I have so much more adaptability that it isn't even funny. Plus, I'm a total tank.
Level 14-This is a relatively dead level. Just keeping two bonus feats behind a fighter here.
Level 15-Holy fucking shit. I just picked up rapidstrike, so get four claw attacks a round in addition to my bite attack. My DPS just fucking skyrocketed and I heal twice as much now. Eat it, crusaders. You don't get any noticable healing strikes for another two levels and they still don't keep pace with the 16d8 (average 72) damage I get on a full attack without totally tanking your offense.
Yeah, Psychic Warriors are better tanks than crusaders. Get over it.
Levels 16-20
1 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
2 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
3 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
4 encounter/day ....... PW = Tier 3
Level 16-
Holy Fucking Shit I just improved my offense and defense.
Level 17-
Holy Shit this is goodLevel 18-
Bad ass. I don't need the 9th guys today.Level 19- My claws got better AGAIN?! God damn. I've got a 5d6 weapon for a medium creature that deals collosal damage and I heal half it's base dice damage. I'm a mother fucking tank.
Yeah, psychic warriors are as good or better than crusaders if they are moderately well built. The only problem level is level 1.