This character is my first attempt at finding out. At the time of this posting, she's come back from the east and is picking her way through back up guardians (yes, most people generally wait until they've won to post these, but we've established by now that that would mean months and years of delay…
). For reference, here's my build plan, loosely based on Gogo9001's guide (thanks!):Psionic / Solipsism (x1.30) 1/0/0/0
Psionic / Possession (x1.30) 4/0/0/0
Psionic / Body snatcher (x1.30) 4/4/5/0
Psionic / Psionic menace (x1.30) 1/1/1/5
Psionic / Psychic blows (x1.30) 5/5/5/3
Psionic / Battle psionics (x1.30) 4/2/4/5
Psionic / Deep horror (x1.30) 4/1/4/1
Race / Ogre (x1.00) 1/5/1/5
Technique / Combat training (x1.00) 5/1/1/5/5/0
Cunning / Survival (x1.00) 1/5/1/1
Psionic / Mentalism (x1.30) 1/3/1/1
Psionic / Ravenous mind (x1.30) 1/5/0/0
Assorted thoughts and notes:
- Went with Ogre-wielding so that I could use both Psychic blows and Battle psionics without needing to swap weapon sets. I've got mindstars in the off-set for using Psionic menace (about which more below).
- I'm beginning to suspect that I should have backed out that one point of Solipsism at character creation time, because it's left me pretty fragile in the early game (getting killed by the Weirdling Beast was embarrassing… ). For now I'm leaning on shielding runes and a psionic shield torque, along with some +life gear.
- Further to the preceding, I think in the next iteration of this character, I'm going to take a healing infusion at level 10 and put off unlocking Body Snatcher until level 20.
- Psionic Block, surprisingly, is not instant-use, which seems to make it less useful than it ought to be.
- Shockstar dazes psychic imprints from Psychic Crush.
- The main problem I have with collecting bodies via Possess is that it has to be done in the heat of battle, when I'm usually far more focused on, well, not being killed by said body's current occupant.
- By about Daikara/Dreadfell, I had Possess and Psionic Duplication leveled up enough to start semi-seriously collecting minion bodies, and I first actually usefully used minions as distraction and/or pre-softener against Golbug in Reknor (shortly after getting Adept, which helped). I'm hoping this will continue to be a viable strategy against tough bosses.
- Psionic Minion would be so much more useful if you could target where your minion should appear.
- Seriously, if the game offered an "insta-kill the Master" button, I'd probably use it with about half my characters…
- I went with Psionic menace on the strength of Finger of Death. I'm beginning to question that, though; it's a two-step process with Ghastly Wail (which doesn't even stick all the time), and against the types of opponents you'd actually want to use it on (bosses and up), the damage is limited. Ghastly Wail is sometimes kind of handy in its own right as a knockback, though.
- On a lark, planning to go with Deep horror, on the strength of Mind Steal and Writhing Psionic Mass. Will be interesting to see how those play out.
- Adept at 25 was a no-brainer; still debating second prodigy:
- Most of my damage is dealt as mind damage, so Mental Tyranny's respen and mind damage boost is tempting.
- On the other hand, Draconic Body is also tempting for, y'know, staying alive.
- Haven't ever actually used Swift Hands, but my understanding is that it would be useful if I had several items that activated for shields or other sorts of protection.
- Maybe Flexible Combat, since I'm mostly melee?
- Giant Leap for mobility, in which I'm sorely lacking?
- Missed Mighty Girdle this run, so ICCTW is tempting just for the carrying capacity…
- Ooh, it didn't occur to me that I'd qualify for Windblade.
