Reposted without permission
"The secret to destruction is simple: Everything burns." -Jaya Ballard, task magePyrokinetecists are considered to be one of the weakest PrC's because of their extreme focus on fire. One might say the lack of flexibility is weak, but it might be worth looking again.
First off, many say that the Pyro is useless because everyone and their mother is resistant to fire. This is more or less true, but you're sending enough heat at your enemies that resistance is nothing more than DR to you: you're not as effective, but you're still burning them alive. The stumbling block comes when you run up against creatures immune to fire. The PrC only has one answer to that (pointed out below).
AbilitiesThe best use for the Pyrokinetecist is in a sort of gish character. The fact that it doesn't advance manifesting isn't much of a drawback since it doesn't require any actual manifesting to get in; just a power point reserve. The Pyrokinetecist at 3rd level has long range and melee capability without swapping weapons, which can be a big deal in combat when ranges tend to close rapidly. Here I will go through and rate the various abilities with the classic blue>black>red rating system.
Fire Lash: This looks like an odd ability to rate so highly at first, but the beauty here is in the details. The Fire Lash can be enhanced with the Pyro's Weapon Aflame ability later on, but for now, the 15-ft range touch attacks are pretty good. Although this is a ranged touch attack, the text specifically sasy that any feat that can be used with a normal whip also can be applied to the Fire Lash. The greatest use for this is Power Attack. Since it's a touch attack, you can sink your full BAB into it without much worry of it missing, even on the later iteritives. This can let you rack up a good amount of damage all while sitting 15 feet away. The main problem with this ability is the inability to make AoO's with that reach. Unfortunately, this isn't something you can overcome.
Fire Adaptation: Resistance 10 to fire isn't bad. The +4 bonus on saving throws is kinda situational, though. It really only applies against fire effects, since the fire resistance makes you immune to "heat effects".
Hand Afire: 2d6 fire damage on your fists. The good news is, you never need a torch again. You also can use the fire lash 2-handed for power attack, then release with one hand as a free action so you threaten adjacent squares. It isn't much, but at least you can make AoO's.
Bolt of Fire: This is now your primary ranged attack. You may have better ones, but I doubt they're at-will or using a touch attack. The damage on this is nice as well, being the only ability that increases at every single level.
Weapon Afire: Now you can add more damage to your fire lash, or you can add a decent bit of fire damage to another weapon. Either way, useful, but not great.
Nimbus: 2d6 fire damage on your touch attack isn't bad, especially since you can stack this on with hand Aflame (touch attacks can be delivered by natural weapons, after all). The fire damage when someone strikes you with a non-reach melee weapon or natural weapon is a nice benefit as well. Whle the DR5/magic might as well be ignored, the +4 unnamed bonus to Charisma is nice. It would be better if you had more things that were charisma-based, though...
Firewalk: By 11th level, you should have some means of flight available, but if not, this is a decent backup. You need a good power point reserve if you're going to make it work well, but even a couple of rounds per day can work in an emergency.
Fear No Fire: Same as Fire Adaptation, just doubled bonuses
Greater Weapon Afire: damage by the Hand Afire, Weapon Afire, and Nimbus touch attacks is all increased by 2d6. 1d8+4d6 isn't bad damage on your fire lash, so long as you're remembering to Power Attack.
Heat Death: This is what you wanted: the ability to kill foes at will with nothing but a Fort save to protect them. Interestingly, there is nothing stating that creatures immune to fire are immune to this ability, just that they're immune to the secondary effect on a successful save. RAW, you can kill a fire elemental by overwhelming it with fire. The DM will probably let you do it too because it is that awesome. Then he will throw a book at you.
As an overlooked fact on this is that it requires a full attack action, not a full-round action. The ways to abuse this are surprisingly varied. Pick your favorite and have fun!
Conflaguration: Better damage than your Bolt of Fire and in a burst, but the death effect has two saves to prevent it and even the damage has a save for half. If it were useable more than once per day, it might get a better rating, but as written, it sucks. I find it ironic that they choose to crown the PrC with it's weakest ability.
FeatsPoint Blank Shot: Not that great a feat, although the automatic +1 attack and damage with the Fire Lash is nice. The reason you would want this is because it's a prerequisite for other feats.
Precise Shot: Nice little bonus, but a -4 penalty on a touch attack doesn't mean too much anyway. Again, the reason you want this is for
Improved Precise Shot: Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Ignoring anything less than total cover or concealment is extremely nice. Your targets have to work a lot harder to prevent being burned.
Power Attack: Although usually a feat for melee characters, this works quite well on the Fire Lash. You don't even need Shock Trooper to make sure you hit (and in fact, you can even hit with your iteritives pretty reliably). This one feat can boost your damage significantly.
Combat Expertise: Meh, you can usually afford to sack some attack bonus for a bit of extra AC, but this doesn't mean much at the later levels. It is a prerequisite for a lot of feats though.
Improved Disarm: Disarming is a shot in the dark. Most campaigns, it doesn't make a big difference anyway. Sure, your fire lash can do it, but it's just not worth a feat.
Improved Trip: Usually, tripping can be a decent route, but you're probably skimping on Strength, since it isn't that important for you. You can use the Lash to make trip attacks, though, so it isn't enirely a waste. I would skip this feat myself.
Weapon Finesse: It doesn't mean anything to your Lash or Bolt abilities (you know, probably your primary attack forms?), but it does mean you can reliably hit with your Hand Aflame and Nimbus attacks at roughly the same bonus as the other abilities. You may also want to pick up a finessable weapon for times when you're facing things immune to fire.
Ability Focus: There's only one ability you will take this for: Heat Death. The +2 DC to it is nice, since the ability has a low save attached to it.
Empower/Quicken Spell-like Ability: I would hope I don't need to explain these ones. The only bad part is that you can only use the feats 3/day.
Psionic Shot: Useful at the lower levels of the PrC for a bit of extra damage. Once you get Heat Death, though, it's a tough call on what to use your focus on. I would see if I could retrain the feat at that point.
Greater Psionic Shot: See Psionic Shot
Psionic Meditation: For anyone who has good uses for their psionic focus, this feat is a must. Using it, you can fire off a Heat Death every other round and still have a standard action to play with on the turns you aren't. Even without that, (Greater) Psionic Shot loves this feat.
ItemsThis section is surprisingly short as there aren't too many items that a Pyro really benefits from.
Horizon Goggles (CM): These goggles are invaluable to you. They increase the range of your Bolt of Fire to 90 feet (very respectable) and also increase the range of your Fire Lash to either 20 or 25 feet, depending on how your DM rounds 22.5. Both are psi-like abilities that require ranged touch attacks, so both get their range increased. As an added bonus, it gives you the Far Shot feat for use with any ranged weapons you may have, all for the bargian price of 8,000 gp.
Gloves of the Uldra Savant (FB): These give you a small damage alternative to your Bolt of Fire, but they also allow you to temporariliy imbue any melee weapon you hold with the Frost property. This is, unfortunately, up to DM fiat if it affects your Fire Lash or not.
Gauntlets of Energy Transformation (MIC): So, obviously the fact all your abilities deal fire damage is a little constraining. Well, these are the answer. The gauntlets let you change the energy type of any weapon you hold- including your Fire Lash- to Acid, cold or Electricity. The downside is, these only work for 1 round at a time and only 3/day. Still, for 1,000 gp, these are a bargian that can seriously improve your effectiveness. Talk to your DM about having versions with longer durations or more uses per day.
Veil of Allure (MIC): Wait! This item gives a +2 bonus to save DC for my Heat Death! Why wouldn't I want it?
Guess again. The Veil only boosts Cha-based Extraordinary and Supernatural abilities as well as enchantment spells and spell-likes. Heat Death, unfortunately, doesn't fall into any of these categories. If your DM says otherwise, then this instantly goes to blue.
