[RPG] Psychic Rogue as a blaster

dnd-3.5efeatsoptimizationpsionicssneak-attack

When talking about blasting in psionics, we usually talk about Psion Kinethicist, or Wilder. The former one has more powers, and the latter one has more "bang" in each blast – like "+6 to ML" at 19 level which means +6 dices for the most useful damaging powers (the ones that do +1 damage dice per PP). But then I thought about something…

Sneak Attack rules allow to use weapon-like effects for sneak attack. As long as you have to roll for attack, you may add sneak attack damage to your attack – like, if you cast a Shocking Grasp for 5d6 and have +3d6 Sneak Attack, you may sneak attack with it for 8d6 damage, which will be all electricity. Which made me think – outside of gestalt rules, it's kind of a patchwork over loosing several levels of spells/powers/whatever or risking by using UMD (since until really high levels, you are prone to NOT rolling that UMD on a Wand of Fireballs in the worst time at all)… Through, I remembered that at least ONE sneak-attacking class has both decent spellcasting AND Sneak Attacking abilities. I'm talking about Psychic Rogue

[the Mind's Eye Archives are currently down, so here's an alternate link]

The Psychic Rogue class is, basically, an SRD Rogue, that is slightly less competent in roguish ways, but gets Psionic Powers to compensate (or OVERcompensate) that. He's low on power points, learns up to 5th level powers from an unique, mostly utility power list, but his Manifester Level is his Character Level. And that's where I start to make my point

By taking either Hidden Talent on 1st level, or Expanded Knowledge later, the Psychic Rogue can take a power from ANY power list, including psychic warrior, ardent, divine mind, psion/wilder and discipline powers, Say, if he takes a blasting power (like, Energy Ray), he's able to use it at full manifesting level. Not bad.

Then, he adds in his Sneak Attack (+7d6 by 19th level). That's painful. But then, he adds a little bit more – the Overchannel feat that allows to raise manifester level by 3 at 15th level (and doesn't work with Wild Surge, by the way). Basically, at 20th level it's a 20d6+3d6+7d6=30d6 (30-180) of pure energy damage at 20th level… Without any items, metapsionic feats, or what else that may make it even more powerful (Like Ioun Stone of -1 ML, perhaps?). Sure, he's got enough PP just to manifest his uber-blasting power 3-5 times a day, but it's still powerful, and by far, the most hit dices of damage a psionic blaster can achieve without tapping into the action economy, for the price of just two feats (Overchannel+a feat to get a blasting power), which lets to use other feats to build something else

P.S. Also, there is an option to increase your Sneak Attack while you are psionically focused which can be granted up to 3 times… So that's another optional +3d6 8)

Did I miss/miscalculate it on some point, or is this trick fully legit?

Best Answer

To answer the question at the end: Yes, the "trick" of using Sneak Attack with a power like Energy Ray works, and can yield a relatively high number of damage dice per manifestation under good circumstances.

To answer the question implied by your title: Hardly. The Psychic Rogue is harshly limited by his power list, power point total and feat availability. Consider the damage potential of any full manifester using multiple actions/round and (preferably multiple) metapsionic feats.

The short version: It works, but it's less awesome than you think it is. Full manifesters do blasting better, let Psychic Rogues stick to... rogue'ing.