Suggestions on pure (or nearly pure) psi build

[omphaloskepsis]

I've tried gun and melee/psi builds, now I'd like to try either a pure psi build or a psi build with melee as a backup option.  There's a lot of info around on doing psi monks, where melee is the main focus, but I haven't seen a pure psi build other than the 10 CON one, and I'd like to do something different.  I'm leaning towards Psychosis for this character, though I could be talked out of it.

So a couple of questions:

Is it worth focusing on Agility, Evasion, and Dodge?  Is it worth giving Dex a few points as a fallback for melee, or should I just dump it to 3?

Starting Stats:
Str: 3
Dex: 4
Agil: 10
Con: 4  (for a few extra hp)
Per: 3
Will: 10
Int: 6

Nimble and Snooping or Paranoia

Top Priority Skills:
Thought Control/Psychokinesis/Metathermics
Dodge/Evasion
Hacking/Lockpicking

Extra points will be spread between crafting skills, a little stealth and maybe a little persuasion.

So this build is pretty thin to add melee, and it will be a while before crafting is usable.  So I'm wondering if I should dump or reduce the Dodge/Evasion skills.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Toast]

It's probably doable, but I would be frustrated by the lower psi regeneration and the incredibly low HP, I think. Until you're able to craft a really strong shield for yourself, that -25% HP on 4 con is probably going to mean a lot of reloads. Dodge and Evasion can be quite good eventually, but they cannot protect you from everything, including other psi users.

[Waladil]

So I decided to play pure psi on my very first playthrough, on hard, with no reading of stuff beforehand.

Str: 4
Dex: 4
Agi: 4
Con: 4
Per: 8
Will: 8
Int: 8

Skills:
All 3 psi
Hacking/lockpicking
Crafting (mostly electronics, tailoring, and mechanics)
Persuasion


Initially I was gonna go dodge/evasion route, but there's one major problem with that route in general: You can craft tactical vests with a psi beetle carapace that improve your psi skills and reduce psi costs but has a pretty hefty armor penalty. Enough that Nimble no longer takes you down to 0 penalty so you're still taking hits to dodge/evasion. I have Nimble too, and the reduced armor penalty is still good, but it's not enough to make Dodge/Evasion my primary defenses.

What I would do if I was gonna start over:
Str: 4
Dex: 3
Agi: 3
Con: 7
Per: 7
Will: 8
Int: 8

I've had reasonable success with my current build (I was powerful enough to kill Eidein at level 20 if I wanted to), and I think it'd be better with those stat changes. Your first two stat pumps go to Will, then probably Con, or maybe a point or two of Int if it gives you an extra psi per round. My Con is still too low (I've pumped it to 6 but still low) and many times if my opponents get a chance to attack me without my defenses up I just die. But I don't think 10 con is entirely necessary, it seems needlessly min-maxed (Remember that I'm playing on Hard. I know how tough the game can be in parts).

In combat, you have a huge array of debilitating and defensive abilities at your disposal. Use them. Telekinetic Barrier to pause a battle is your friend. Especially if you can fit an Enrage in there first once you get that. The Force User feat and a Telekinetic Proxy/Punch can throw out a lot of single-target damage.

Ehh, just a few thoughts.

[omphaloskepsis]

Thanks for your quick replies.  I want to restart today, so I really appreciate it.

@Waladil: Thanks for the detailed info.  May I ask, why the 7 Per?  Is it for finding hidden items, feats, or some other reason?

I'm thinking about dumping Per to 3, and putting those extra points into Will and Int.

[Fenix]

If you want to use melee as backup tool, you should know that if you woudn't invest heavily in melee, you won't hit a shit even in mid-game, and even if you will invest, with Dex 4 you can't land a hit reliably.
So you can land a hit only on stunned, incapacitated or rooted enemy.

[Waladil]

Per the 7 Per (hehe) it's for finding secret areas. I hear that the highest DC for finding secrets is 10, so 7 + snooping's 3 = 10.

Also, I'm enjoying having a nice high Per just because it helps spot traps despite me having basically 0 skill in trapping.

[omphaloskepsis]

Thanks again for all of the replies.

Yeah, I hate missing secrets, which is why I usually take snooping as one of my first picks.

Interesting note about my new build (similar to Waladil's, except trading Per for higher Will & Int): It results in a > 90% chance of instant death against M'Lan Ratula if you initiate conversation before attacking.

For my earlier builds, including my agile psi build, that fight is a cakewalk.  The CON vs AGI tradeoff means you're a walking damage magnet.  Once I get decent armor it won't be so bad, but it's painful at the start.

[Fenix]

Per the 7 Per (hehe) it's for finding secret areas. I hear that the highest DC for finding secrets is 10, so 7 + snooping's 3 = 10.

Yeah, but goggles adds +1 Per, also there is a food that gives +2 at random (might be annoing to get) for 5 min.
So at least 6 Per, not 7.

[Waladil]

Yeah, but goggles adds +1 Per, also there is a food that gives +2 at random (might be annoing to get) for 5 min.
So at least 6 Per, not 7.

That seems to have poor logic -- any psi character will usually be wearing a headband, not goggles, and unless you already know where all the secrets are you won't know when to swap to your goggles.

Unless of course you find the game so difficult that you desperately need each point of stats, but like I say I've been playing on Hard and surviving. Made it to the Deep Caverns now.

Interesting note about my new build (similar to Waladil's, except trading Per for higher Will & Int): It results in a > 90% chance of instant death against M'Lan Ratula if you initiate conversation before attacking.

For my earlier builds, including my agile psi build, that fight is a cakewalk.  The CON vs AGI tradeoff means you're a walking damage magnet.  Once I get decent armor it won't be so bad, but it's painful at the start.

Oh, that fight... ugh, yeah I remember it being really tough. There was some form of scumming involved, not sure I recall exactly which. I think I lured Ratula out with an explosion then closed the gate before the rathounds could catch up or something.

[Fenix]

OK, if you don't fined game is difficult, why are you wasted feat on Snooping?
Drop Snooping, rise your Perceprion.

[Zetor]

Hm... anyone tried combining grenades/throwing with psi? EMP grenades and flashbangs in particular seem useful, and on paper having strong AOE attacks that don't need psi power could be handy too. Though the high dex requirement of Grenadier may make that a non-starter...