Suggestions and tweaks for a Soulbow

[Stalos]

Hi,

So, for my new campaign I am gonna roll a soulbow.  I've got a build more or less filled out, but I wanted to run it by these boards to see if your guys had any suggestions or tweaks.  The only thing I wouldn't consider is anything that is caster heavy.  I don't want to play a primary caster.

DM Rules:
Basically everything needs approval
No ToB, Tome of Magic, Incarnum, or Psionics (soulknife/soulbow was a special exception) but individual feats from these books may be used so long as they aren't specific to the new mechanics in the books
No LA buy off
Only 'Standard' races, which translates to basic races, some sub-types, and maybe planetouched

Race: Human
Stats:
STR    9   -1
DEX    16   +3
CON   16   +3
INT    16   +3
WIS   18   +4
CHR   8   -1

I was going to run a Monk 1/Soulknife 4/Soulbow X

I'm using the Soulknife variants where I get hidden Talent and trade psychic strike for a feat.  Also, My DM isn't gonna let me take the first level power from hidden talent, its just to qualify for tashalatora.

Feats, in order and from their source

Flaw           Point Blank Shot   
Flaw           Rapid Shot   
Bonus (M)   Improved Unarmed Strike   
Bonus (M)   Monastic Training (Soulbow)   
Bonus (H)   Precise Shot   
1st              Zen Archery   
Bonus (SK) Weapon Focus (Mindblade)   
Bonus (SK) Hidden Talent   
3rd              Flowing Blade   
Bonus (SK) Two-Weapon Fighting   
6th             Tashalatora (Soulbow)   
Bonus (SB) Practiced Mind Blade   
Bonus (SB) Woodland Archery   
9th              Manyshot   
Bonus (SB) Improved Rapid Shot   

   


Anyone have any ideas about what might improve this build?

Furthermore, I am thinking about stopping soulbow early, maybe at level 8 or so, and going into Kensai.  Is Kensai worth it?  I can't seem to find a ton of good enhancements for a ranged weapon that I can't get through Soulbow and Mind blade gauntlets.   Also, would a strong heart halfling be decent for this?  A +1 to hit wouldn't suck.

[snakeman830]

Remember that to use Mind Blade gauntlets, you have to expend your psionic focus, which at best means it lasts for one arrow.

I would make sure to always have Lucky on your mind arrows.  Soulbows are the one case where it is 100% worthwhile, since they create Lucky arrows for free (in other words, every missed attack, you can re-roll once).

Kensai is probably worth it for Splitting or Force, neither of which can be gotten off Soulbow.  Heck, going Kensai 5 is quite possibly a good finisher to the build so you can get both.

[ClayQ]

Whats tashalatora getting you? + unarmed damage? +1 ac? +20ft enhancement to move?
Power points you cant use?

Aside from the damage which youre focused on the bow no? Thats roughly 4k gp to emulate.

Id go with something more akin to; fighter 2/sk 3/sbow 2/kensai/archer prc

Also worth noting you cant take zen archery at level 1 as it requires bab+1

rather than giving up two feats for tashalatora, you could use the passive way monk variant for combat expertise (kensai prereq) and not need 13 int to take it, then take superior unarmed steike ( as you said feats that didnt use the tomes new mechanic are allowed. For +4 monk damage levels, and net a feat for your prc. But I dont see why to optimize your unarmed damage.

[Stalos]

Tashalatora and flowing blade let me flurry of blows with my mind arrows.  The unarmed damage is secondary.  The DM removed the 1st level power requirement, so technically hidden talent isn't needed and I could grab tashalatora earlier and get zen archery a little later.

Any thoughts on what feats to pick up after level 9?

[zook1shoe]

Get splitting on your mind arrows with the mind blade gauntlet

I've had some fun w ranged pin and mind arrows

[snakeman830]

Get splitting on your mind arrows with the mind blade gauntlet

Mind Blade Gauntlets require expending his focus every time he wants a mind arrow with that ability.  At best, this leaves him with 1 shot/round that's buffed with that ability, and that's if he only makes a single attack and has Psionic Meditation.  Mind Blade Gauntlets are actually pretty bad for Soulbows.

There is, however, an exception. Dispelling (and similar qualities) actually gets more uses/day available this way than it would on a mind blade, since each mind arrow is a new weapon.

[zook1shoe]

.... Have I been completely blind about the psionic focus?

Edit: I see that, its not that bad

[Nanshork]

I have a Soulbow build in my thread here that you could look at.  I took fighter levels instead of monk (sacrilege I know!) but it might give you some ideas.

Yes, Kensai for Splitting is a very very good idea.

[zook1shoe]

I wonder how Arrowsplit would work? Im afb

[snakeman830]

I wonder how Arrowsplit would work? Im afb

Probably not at all, since the arrow doesn't exist until you fire it.

Annoying, yes.

[Rejakor]

Kensai for splitting is a great idea.

Honestly anything that requires your focus is probably a bad idea.  Ways of getting skirmish, increased range, ability to snipe, ways of moving and full attacking, (can greater manyshot apply to soulbows?), ways to get the good enchantments (kensai, necklace of natural attacks) etc, are all more valuable than stuff you can do once per round with a move action recharge.

There are ways to base everything soulbow off wisdom, carnivore has the build, and using that shiba protector can become pretty interesting.

As a note, splitting indicates that it works while in flight.  The section you are probably referring to is intended to convey that splitting can be placed on a bow which then confers the benefit on any arrows used in that bow.  In any case, this is a fluff thing, not a rules thing, as all the rules specify is a ranged weapon that uses ammunition.

[zook1shoe]

Gotta have aptitude also

Lightning maces + TWF + splitting

I chose Lucky as my soulbow enhacement

[snakeman830]

As a note, splitting indicates that it works while in flight.  The section you are probably referring to is intended to convey that splitting can be placed on a bow which then confers the benefit on any arrows used in that bow.  In any case, this is a fluff thing, not a rules thing, as all the rules specify is a ranged weapon that uses ammunition.

Right, but the Arrowsplit spell works very differently, which is what we were talking about.

As I said above, Lucky is god-like on Soulbows as they by far get the most benefit from it.