Optimizing Swiftclaw

[Jackinthegreen]

The King of Smack is a pretty nice set of builds built to, well, smack things dead.  What I'd like to do is combine the idea with the Swiftclaw class published by Dreamscarred Press in "The Mind Unveiled."  The class is essentially a psionic version of a Swiftblade, but with a very different flavor in some regards.

Swiftclaw

Requirements:
BAB 3
Knowledge (psionics) 6, Autohypnosis 8
Manifesting: Able to manifest Claws of the Beast and Biophysical Boost (shown below)
Feats:  Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Quicken Power
Special: Must have manifested both claws of the beast and biophysical boost in at least half of the previous levels encounters.

Skeleton:  Medium BAB, 6/10 manifesting (lost levels at 1, 4, 7, and 10 I believe), Good Reflex, Poor Will and Fort

Improved Reflexes (Ex): At 1st level, a swiftclaw almost constantly draws upon the energies of his biokinetic boosts allowing her to step away from danger. As long as they are psionically focused, a swiftclaw receives a competence bonus to their Reflex save equal to their primary manifesting ability modifier. At 4th level she gains this competence bonus to her initiative and at 7th level she gains the competence bonus to her Armor Class.

Quickened Understanding (Ex): At 2nd level a swiftclaw is able to better maximize the benefits of the Quicken Power feat. When using this feat she does not have to expend her psionic focus

Biokinetic Surge (Ex): At 3rd level, a swiftclaw augments her movement with the energies of her biokinetic boost, giving her the Speed of Thought feat. During any round in which the swiftclaw moves at least 10 feet, she gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. At 9th level, her speed bonus granted by Speed of Thought increases to 20 feet. During any round in which the swiftclaw moves at least 20 feet, she gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

Extended Powers (Ex): At 4th level, a swiftclaw’s comprehension of her signature powers (biokinetic boost and claws of the beast) improved to such a degree that she can retain them for a prolonged period. As long as they are psionically focused a swiftclaw may manifest biokinetic boost or claws of the beast as if they had been augmented by the Extend Power metapsionic feat without spending any additional power points or expending her psionic focus.

Biokinetic Quickening (Ex): At 5th level, a swiftclaw’s knowledge and understanding of her powers allow her to manifest both biokinetic boost and claws of the beast as one swift action and she may spend up to her manifester level in power points on each of the two powers. This is an exception to the rule which determines how many power points a manifester can spend.

Internal Acceleration (Ex): At 6th level, a swiftclaw learns how to transform her biotemplate to such a degree that biokinetic boost and claws of the beast become an integral part of her. This means that once the powers have been manifested they are treated as extraordinary abilities rather than psionic powers. This means that they cannot be dispelled and function normally within a null psionics field.

Bounding Charge (Ex): Upon reaching 7th level, when under the effect of biokinetic boost and claws of the beast, a swiftclaw who makes a charge attack may make a full-round attack with her claws (and only her claws) instead of just a single attack.

Unbelievable Speed (Ex): At 8th level the swiftclaw learns how to utilize her speed to catch her enemies unaware. As long as she is psionically focused and under the effect of biokinetic boost she treats all her enemies as flatfooted for the purpose of her claw attacks.

Biopermanent Boost (Ex): At 10th level, the swiftclaw transforms her biotemplate forever, binding the biokinetic boost and claws of the beast power within her body, mind and soul. A swiftclaw of this level is permanently under the effect of the biokinetic boost and claws of the beast powers, treating them as psi-like abilities which can be used at will as a swift action (as per Biokinetic Quickening). These psi-like abilities are affected as if they were powers for the purpose of the Internal Acceleration and Extended Powers class abilities. This permanent change changes her internally and lowers the inhibition of her biotemplate against being affected by other psychometabolism powers. From this point on, she receives a -2 penalty to all saves against psychometabolism powers or spells from the transformation school.

Biokinetic Boost
Psychometabolism
Level: Egoist 3, psychic warrior 2
Display: Physical
Manifesting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: Personal
Duration: 1 round / level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Power Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Power Points: Egoist 5, psychic warrior 3

You biokinetically enhance your body, allowing you to better co-ordinate your natural attacks, which become fiercer. You move faster and strike faster, allowing you to become a whirlwind of destruction on the battlefield. When making a full attack action, you may make one extra attack with any natural attack. The attack is made using your full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation.

You gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls with natural weapons and their threat range increases to 19-20 (this does not affect a natural weapon which already has a threat range of 19- 20). All of your modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the your normal speed using that form of movement.  This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects your jumping distance as normal for increased speed.

Augment: You can augment this power in any of the following ways
1. If you expend your psionic focus, the manifesting time becomes 1 swift action.
2. If you spend 2 power points, the range changes from Personal to Touch and you can affect one creature for every 3 levels.
3. If you spend 2 power points, the duration becomes 1 minute / level.
4. For every 2 power points you spend, the bonus to attack rolls, AC and Reflex saves increase by 1 and the enhancement bonus to movement increases by 10 feet.
5. If you spend 1 power point less, you only gain the enhancement bonus to speed.

The Augment section seems off in that the power itself doesn't grant a bonus to AC or Reflex saves.  My guess is it was modeled on Haste and they didn't follow through with the whole thing.

Now for the discussion of various mechanics:

Obviously Elan (or Insectile X and LA buyoff) to turn the creature into an Aberration for Rapidstrike.  I doubt Improved Rapidstrike can be had earlier than epic levels on this build, but we'll see how it goes.
Feats will probably be tight.  It needs at least Swiftclaw's three prereqs plus Practiced Manifester, Improved Natural Attack, Rapidstrike, and very likely Overchannel/Talented.  KoS typically adds in Combat Reflexes and Dodge for Karmic Strike, plus Expanded Knowledge (Metamorphosis) and Metamorphic Transfer for greater power and to maybe get into the Warshaper PrC.  Given how this is another version of ubercharger thanks to Swiftclaw's Bounding Charge, I don't think Karmic Strike will be something to shoot for.

Note how Biokinetic Boost has no restrictions on its extra attack like Haste or Physical Acceleration do.  Due to the wording on those other abilities and the Speed weapon enhancement, however, I'm inclined to think an extra attack still can't be stacked.

Biopermanent Boost needs some clarification.  Can those powers be augmented at all?  If no then the 10th level is useless and won't be taken.  If yes, do they require PP to augment or can the character pump them up for free?  The PP route with the usual restrictions on manifester level seems fairly balanced overall.  Further, can biokinetic boost and claws of the beast have metapsionic feats used on them if Biopermanent Boost is in effect?  Empower Power can technically be used on claws of the beast since it does have "variable, numeric effects."


Build, assuming Elan:

1  PsyWar 1   Improved Natural Weapon (Claw)  Improved Initiative
2  PW 2         Overchannel
3  PW 3         Lightning Reflexes
4  PW 4
5  PW 5         Quicken Power
6  SwiftClaw 1  Talented
7  SC 2
8  SC 3          Speed of Thought 10 ^B
9  SC 4          Practiced Manifester
10  SC 5
11  SC 6
12  SC 7        Expanded Knowledge (Metamorphosis)
13  SC 8
14  SC 9       Speed of Thought 20
15  SC 10     Rapidstrike
16  ?
17  ?
18  ?
19  ?
20  ?


Anyone got suggestions for continuing this?  I'll be working on it on my own of course, but for the moment I'm posting my initial thoughts to get them out in the open before I do stuff away from the computer.

[sirpercival]

Linked power, most definitely.

[Jackinthegreen]

I agree Linked Power would probably be good to get the powers working during combat.  Biokinetic Boost and Claws can be done swift and are eventually permanent, but Expansion and other likely powers such as Claws of the Vampire should be up asap.  Looks like more PsyWar levels are in its future for the feats.

[Phoenix00]

Biopermanent Boost needs some clarification.  Can those powers be augmented at all?  If no then the 10th level is useless and won't be taken.  If yes, do they require PP to augment or can the character pump them up for free?  The PP route with the usual restrictions on manifester level seems fairly balanced overall.  Further, can biokinetic boost and claws of the beast have metapsionic feats used on them if Biopermanent Boost is in effect?  Empower Power can technically be used on claws of the beast since it does have "variable, numeric effects."

Psilike abilities are "free" psionic powers.  They do not cost power points. 

Now Psilike abilities are assigned a manifester (sometimes the manifester level is equal to hit dice such as phrenic.)  These powers can be augmented to whatever the the maximum of the maniferster level allows.

Since Biopermanent Boost does not assign a manifester level for these psi like abilities I assume it is the same manifester level you can manifest those specific powers at prior to the 10th level ability.  In effect Biopermanent Boost allows you to manifest these powers for free, not reducing your power points total.

[Endarire]

Taking flaws helps with the feat crunch.

[Phoenix00]

Get Blood Wind (Spell Compedium) via UMD or convincing your DM to allow you to research a psionic version.  Now your claws are ranged attacks.

Claws of the Savage (Book of Vile Darkness) via UMD or convincing your DM to allow you to research a psionic version.  Your Claws are now magical, get a +2 to attack and damage (enhancement bonus) and deal damage as if you were two sizes larger.  (Aka it is greater mighty wallop for claws, not as good but still good).

One of your feats should be Craft Universal Item so you can make power link shards.  These items are awesome for they allow you to get to the ML 19 as soon as character level 7 (or 6 if you can get a bonus manifester level from another source.)  Thus you can make your claws do maximum claw of the beast damage as soon as possible.  Power Link Shards require the kalashatar race unless you have a high enough umd to emulate other races.

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Dvatti would make this build much better since your buffing is going to be prior to battle or using swift actions.

[Jackinthegreen]

A reason I haven't added flaws in is because the original KoS didn't so it could be accessible by more people.  I agree, flaws would obviously help in the feat department, but getting the chassis together is my first priority.  The idea isn't for a specific campaign, thus it will need tweaking by the player for optimal use in actual play.

Suggesting a different race is all well and good, but keep in mind Rapidstrike requires very certain types which only Elans or Insectile characters typically qualify for as well as half-dragons and crap.  Metamorphosis could work around this of course, but at minutes per level it's a bit limited for qualifying for a feat.  Then again, rage feats only get at most   I think I'll be making builds with various levels of optimization to account for such things.

UMD use will be very questionable on this.  PsyWar doesn't have it and even though the skills aren't mentioned for Swiftclaw, I'm quite sure it won't be on that list either.  Getting it usable on this character would require at least another feat plus the skill allotment, which won't always work.  The spells would certainly make it better, but there is a need for practicality too.

Thanks for clarifying how Psi-like abilities work to a degree.  I would assume that manifesting it with manifester level as the cap on PP spent would still be there, but augments could certainly be spent as needed, correct?

Switching Talented for Craft Universal Item would work, and then assign Talented wherever.  With flaws it would definitely be earlier.

[Phoenix00]

The problem I have with Rapidstrike is that you need 10 BAB before you can take those feats.  Thus with a 3/4 class you will not be able to take this feat till level 14 (aka 15 for most builds since you can use generic feat slots).

Most games don't last that long.  With a dvatti race you get double the damage as soon as level 2 (due to 1 la).  With kashaltar you can use power link shards without umd and thus boost up your damage via stronger psionic powers, stronger damager, ac, temp hit points, even binding soulmelds with open chakra psionic.