Begin character creation!

[Mckma]

Yes it is level 1.  Looking for input: Shaman or Battlemind?

[infinitejesting]

Hmmm, I'd suggest shaman with an emphasis on controlling.  It would probably balance the party better.  Then again, having someone with psionic power would make sense in dark sun. But yeah, I'd probably go with shaman.

[Dom]

@Dom A player in my Revenge of the Giants campaign is running a brawler and he loves it. It is a pain in the ass to keep track of grabs and having a hand free and all that jazz, though. There is an actual gladiator build for fighters in the Campaign Setting, but you can play whatever you want.

It's probably much easier to keep track of things like that in a PBP game, and I really like the idea of a Thri-Kreen that use it's extra arms to grab enemies (In fluff)

 Just a question, the character builder allows me to take a spiked gauntlet on the "unarmed" hand without any penalties. However, the Dark Sun equivalent of a spiked gauntlet, the Talid, says in the description that "When enchanted as a magic weapon, it does not occupy a character's hand slot." So, that would probably mean that when not enchanted, the Talid does occupy the hand slot. Which seems strange, since the spiked gauntlet does not have those limitations in the character builder.

So, I'm not sure if I can or cannot use it as a Brawling Fighter in my unarmed hand. I'll leave it up to the DM's call.

[iceemaker]

Well, the talid is in the "Unarmed" weapon group, and you do need to have a hand free to use an unarmed weapon. That caveat you mentioned basically emphasizes that the Talid augments your unarmed attack and nothing else. So you should be able to use it and still have a "free hand". Though I don't understand the point of Brawler Style augmenting your base unarmed attack if you can just use a spiked gauntlet/talid :/ Whatever.

[Dom]

Well, it augments the attacks, but not the damage rolls. It would still be a 1d4, compared to the spiked gauntlet's 1d6 damage.

[Ryo]

Battlemind is very controllerish. Its a question of do you like pet management and back line, or being a defender using control?

I have a half-orc barbarian. Half-orcs are in dark sun I assume? Although I guess I could be a bug man if it came down to it.

[infinitejesting]

[/quote]
I have a half-orc barbarian. Half-orcs are in dark sun I assume? Although I guess I could be a bug man if it came down to it.
[/quote]

I actually don't think they are.  The closest equivalent is the half-giant, which is just a re-skinned goliath.

[iceemaker]

Yeah, orcs died out a long time ago, I think. So without an influx of orcish blood, the half-orc bloodline would steadily become more diluted until it no longer exists. Unless you're really wedded to the idea and can devise a good justification, I will have to fiat that and ask you choose another race.

Oh and SOMEBODY PLEASE PLAY A PSIONIC CHARACTER PLEASE GOD HAVE YOU SEEN PSIONIC POWER GOD SO AWESOME SOMEBODY PLEEEEEEASE Just living vicariously, as I love all of the psionic classes and would relish the opportunity to play one. But once again, you guys can play whatever you want.

Speaking of which, anybody else want a Wild Talent? Infinitejesting got a power that fits his character perfectly. Not guaranteeing the same will happen to  you, but hey, it's fun.

[Dom]

I'll take a Wild Talent.

And I finally decided on a Thri-Kreen Gladiator, Arena Fighter. I'll post the character sheet soon.

[Mckma]

I do want a wild talent.  I think I'm going Battlemind, but might hybrid with ardent or shaman Psion and Battlemind or Ardent hybrid (unless there is a problem with hybrids).  I should have a character up by this afternoon...

EDIT:  Do we select background benefits as well?

[iceemaker]

I'm at school again, so I'm just rolling die here.
@Dom: 10
@Mckma: 8. Yes, you guys can select a background benefit as well as a theme. Just have at least a basic backstory, of course.

[Mckma]

So after some work on character concepts and looking at some numbers and stuff, I'm yet again thinking about a change (sorry about all of the waffling, I've rolled a few characters before and am trying to figure out something I haven't played that will help the party and go along with a character concept I've been developing).  I'm assuming the Gladiator is built as a defender (or a defender variant)?  If so, I'm just going to go straight Psion and not try to maximize a split between defending and controlling.

EDIT:  And awesome on my wild talent.  Was hoping for 8, 9, or 10.

[Mckma]

Psions get ritual caster for free and a choice of Sending or Tenser's Floating disc for free.  What is the deal with rituals (since it basically says refer to your DM in the guide)?  Do I still get them and have to hide them, or do they use psionic energy, or what?

[iceemaker]

Rituals draw on your power source. You're a Psion, so you just close your eyes, think really hard for a bit, and a Disc pops into existence. People nearby would probably be all, "whoa that's weird" as they feel a strange surge of power, but that's about it.

Shame you're not a Wizard, as I would provide the option to Defile with rituals. Assuming you weren't caught and stoned to death, of course. Have I mentioned arcane power is way risky on Athas?

At any rate, though psionics is extremely common, the mastery required to cast rituals is pretty rare. Unless you are a templar or a noble, it is difficult to obtain training in The Way. Not to mention that you will draw undue attention without a formal endorsement from The Powers That Be.

[Mckma]

Rituals draw on your power source. You're a Psion, so you just close your eyes, think really hard for a bit, and a Disc pops into existence. People nearby would probably be all, "whoa that's weird" as they feel a strange surge of power, but that's about it.

Shame you're not a Wizard, as I would provide the option to Defile with rituals. Assuming you weren't caught and stoned to death, of course. Have I mentioned arcane power is way risky on Athas?

At any rate, though psionics is extremely common, the mastery required to cast rituals is pretty rare. Unless you are a templar or a noble, it is difficult to obtain training in The Way. Not to mention that you will draw undue attention without a formal endorsement from The Powers That Be.

Yeah, I want a bit of my character to be the "secret power away," stealing books and stuff and being a bit anarchist and just using rituals (and potentially multi-classing into arcane magic if the opportunity presents itself) just to screw with the order and entrenchment of the sorcerer kings...

So at character creation, I'll just take the two free rituals and go with that.  Just so it makes more sense/is potentially more useful would it be potential to make a "psionics" skill that basically functions like arcana but for psionics (as the other power sources have their associated skill and it seems Wizards had left it out for the time being)?  If not, I'll just train Arcana for rituals, but I was thinking it would be more interesting and theme appropriate (plus it might be fun later to cause massive destruction because I was trying to perform an arcane ritual while not trained ).  But it is your game, so whatever you want I'll roll with...