Kineticist Build Help
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Disclaimer: I haven't played a Kineticist to the endgame yet. Most of this is theory-crafting and stuff from the Kineticist thread. But nobody else is replying, so.
Edited for more experience and buffs to Kineticist.
2: I'd take Thermal Sunder, myself. Better damage type and Disarm is borderline worthless. They have the same damage calculation.
3: Psituned Vitality is generally considered better, especially if you want to use powers. I could see a build that focuses on Evasion, though, especially with the +10 from Levitation.
4: Psychogenic Vim. In theory, Vitality Siphon is infinite sustain, but it's distinctly inferior as a means of restoring Energy. Somewhat more practical if you have a means of restoring Energy between fights (like Hand Milk) or are willing to carry and use Power Potions.
5: Gravity Flux can set up Geothermal Spike and Trip is guaranteed to negate turn from the target, if you don't KO them first. It's resisted by Willpower, which is surprisingly low on a lot of enemies.
Entropy Waves is pretty decent, especially against groups. Debris Field + Entropy Waves almost takes care of the Zaika Gangers by themselves.
6: Third Eye Aim. Especially if you're planning on using something that boosts Intelligence above normal Maximum. You get the full value of your weapons as Stat Sticks. Now that it works with Stun/Trip/Stagger/Freeze/Burn/Blind it's the clear winner. Especially since it has a better calculation than the base Physique/Aim. The +Will implant decreases Aim, which Third Eye makes irrelevant. Note: Always applies, even if Physique or Aim are higher than Intelligence. You may want to Train Physique anyway, since it's used defensively sometimes. Aim is never a defensive stat, so far as I know.
Telekinetic Warrior requires you to be unarmed to get any benefit, cannot hit Flying enemies from the Melee slot and requires you to increase Physique and/or Aim for maximum benefit.
7: Debris Field. Vortex Brand is only potentially useful vs very evasive targets, and if you're not using powers that can miss.
8: Concussive Augmentation if you want to use basic/weapon attacks.
Geothermal Spike if you took Gravity Flux. Or you could use the Hookstaff/Witchboy Totem to Trip.
9: Entropic Whip has a better chance of Freezing than Entropy Leech. It can also Crit for Deep Impact. For the mini-Crits, you need Thermal Sunder, Entropy Waves or the Shoulder Grunch Leash.
Acid Cloud gives you a different (and rarely resisted) damage type. (Immobilized = Stun & Paralyze). Can now mini-Crit vs Deep Freeze and doesn't remove the status. You can do a lot of damage this way.
10: Deep Impact has an interesting interaction with Force Darts: Each Dart Crit increases the Stun duration, so you can potentially Stunlock for a long time. All darts will hit a Stunned target, too. Unlike Stun Chance weapons, can Stun through Shields/Armor. Auto-Crits from Geothermal Spike and Acid Cloud don't proc the Stun.
Mind Crush can detonate Deep Freeze and the Stun can set up Acid Cloud. For Robots, there's always EMP Grenades.
11: Haste, if you want to be making weapon/basic attacks.
Reality Schism may or may not be worth it if you're using powers. Best with high-impact powers with a cooldown (Mind Crush, Psychic Slam/Gravity Crush). And/Or fights that last a long time.
12: Gravity Crush. Enemies meant to be tougher are usually bigger. Even against short targets, the better Deep Freeze synergy makes up the difference. Psychic Slam only doubles the first hit.
13. Void Sight's +10 Accuracy is only good if you find yourself missing a lot. Blind can be an annoying status effect (negates Criticals), but by Level 13, you're past most of the fights that can Blind. Most powers can't miss, and the extra Accuracy only helps Force Darts so much (they're subject to the flat 45% miss chance for Flurry attacks). Haste attacks are made at full Accuracy, though.
So far, there are more Drug attacks on Phaedra, so Invert Decay might be better, though as a Kineticist, you'll probably have good defense from high Willpower.
3: Psituned Vitality is generally considered better, especially if you want to use powers. I could see a build that focuses on Evasion, though, especially with the +10 from Levitation.
4: Psychogenic Vim. In theory, Vitality Siphon is infinite sustain, but it's distinctly inferior as a means of restoring Energy. Somewhat more practical if you have a means of restoring Energy between fights (like Hand Milk) or are willing to carry and use Power Potions.
5: Gravity Flux can set up Geothermal Spike and Trip is guaranteed to negate turn from the target, if you don't KO them first. It's resisted by Willpower, which is surprisingly low on a lot of enemies.
Entropy Waves is pretty decent, especially against groups. Debris Field + Entropy Waves almost takes care of the Zaika Gangers by themselves.
6: Third Eye Aim. Especially if you're planning on using something that boosts Intelligence above normal Maximum. You get the full value of your weapons as Stat Sticks. Now that it works with Stun/Trip/Stagger/Freeze/Burn/Blind it's the clear winner. Especially since it has a better calculation than the base Physique/Aim. The +Will implant decreases Aim, which Third Eye makes irrelevant. Note: Always applies, even if Physique or Aim are higher than Intelligence. You may want to Train Physique anyway, since it's used defensively sometimes. Aim is never a defensive stat, so far as I know.
Telekinetic Warrior requires you to be unarmed to get any benefit, cannot hit Flying enemies from the Melee slot and requires you to increase Physique and/or Aim for maximum benefit.
7: Debris Field. Vortex Brand is only potentially useful vs very evasive targets, and if you're not using powers that can miss.
8: Concussive Augmentation if you want to use basic/weapon attacks.
Geothermal Spike if you took Gravity Flux. Or you could use the Hookstaff/Witchboy Totem to Trip.
9: Entropic Whip has a better chance of Freezing than Entropy Leech. It can also Crit for Deep Impact. For the mini-Crits, you need Thermal Sunder, Entropy Waves or the Shoulder Grunch Leash.
Acid Cloud gives you a different (and rarely resisted) damage type. (Immobilized = Stun & Paralyze). Can now mini-Crit vs Deep Freeze and doesn't remove the status. You can do a lot of damage this way.
10: Deep Impact has an interesting interaction with Force Darts: Each Dart Crit increases the Stun duration, so you can potentially Stunlock for a long time. All darts will hit a Stunned target, too. Unlike Stun Chance weapons, can Stun through Shields/Armor. Auto-Crits from Geothermal Spike and Acid Cloud don't proc the Stun.
Mind Crush can detonate Deep Freeze and the Stun can set up Acid Cloud. For Robots, there's always EMP Grenades.
11: Haste, if you want to be making weapon/basic attacks.
Reality Schism may or may not be worth it if you're using powers. Best with high-impact powers with a cooldown (Mind Crush, Psychic Slam/Gravity Crush). And/Or fights that last a long time.
12: Gravity Crush. Enemies meant to be tougher are usually bigger. Even against short targets, the better Deep Freeze synergy makes up the difference. Psychic Slam only doubles the first hit.
13. Void Sight's +10 Accuracy is only good if you find yourself missing a lot. Blind can be an annoying status effect (negates Criticals), but by Level 13, you're past most of the fights that can Blind. Most powers can't miss, and the extra Accuracy only helps Force Darts so much (they're subject to the flat 45% miss chance for Flurry attacks). Haste attacks are made at full Accuracy, though.
So far, there are more Drug attacks on Phaedra, so Invert Decay might be better, though as a Kineticist, you'll probably have good defense from high Willpower.
If you want to mostly use Powers, you should probably go for the highest +Evasion.
Crushing lets you hit a Frozen target for double damage (and can Crit for even more). Entropy Leech and Entropic Whip can inflict Deep Freeze.
Staffs give you +Level Kinetic damage, so they do more than it might seem from the stat screen. They're also all Crushing.
Sleet Shaft is definitely good, especially with Haste. Needs Physique or Third Eye Aim for Deep Freeze.
Hookstaff is good if you want to do Geothermal Spike a lot. Needs Phys/TEA.
Xukwood Staff is good if you want to cheese Deep Impact. Does not require Physique.
Witchboy Totem does Lust damage so it can Trip through Shields/Armor, unless the target is immune to Psionic. Damage isn't great and can't Crit (so Deep Impact doesn't apply), so I'd use it mostly for the Trip.
Crushing lets you hit a Frozen target for double damage (and can Crit for even more). Entropy Leech and Entropic Whip can inflict Deep Freeze.
Staffs give you +Level Kinetic damage, so they do more than it might seem from the stat screen. They're also all Crushing.
Sleet Shaft is definitely good, especially with Haste. Needs Physique or Third Eye Aim for Deep Freeze.
Hookstaff is good if you want to do Geothermal Spike a lot. Needs Phys/TEA.
Xukwood Staff is good if you want to cheese Deep Impact. Does not require Physique.
Witchboy Totem does Lust damage so it can Trip through Shields/Armor, unless the target is immune to Psionic. Damage isn't great and can't Crit (so Deep Impact doesn't apply), so I'd use it mostly for the Trip.
Witch's Robe has +10 Bonus Crit. Bonus Crit from weapons does not apply to powers, but Clothing/Accessories does.
Otherwise, Psychic Armor means you're better off prioritizing Evasion/Shields/Resistances over native Defense.
Otherwise, Psychic Armor means you're better off prioritizing Evasion/Shields/Resistances over native Defense.
Despite the dedicated Perks, Kineticist doesn't play entirely nicely with bimbos.
Concussive Augmentation, Debris Field, Entropy Waves and Deep Impact use Willpower, not psiWillpower.
Third Eye Aim uses Intelligence, not bimboIntelligence.
Concussive Augmentation, Debris Field, Entropy Waves and Deep Impact use Willpower, not psiWillpower.
Third Eye Aim uses Intelligence, not bimboIntelligence.
Edited for more experience and buffs to Kineticist.
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What do you mean by 'better calculation' here? I couldn't find anything on the wiki, other than TEA now effects the weapon flags and is 'significantly more reliable'. But no numbers or calculations are present to back that up or explain it. As someone who grinds out max stats already, what is the actual numerical advantage here (if any) over just having maxed Physique? For a mostly Deep Freeze/Shatter melee focused build, would I be better off with TEA and the +10 Int. Cybernetic Subprocessor implant or the +5 Will. Sensory Dampener?
Unless I'm mistake or doing the numbers wrong, Psychic Warrior with a Lv13 Kineticist with maxed Willpower, Steel Will, and a Sensory Dampener should be hitting for a base damage of 48 before any bonuses from Physique. [ 4 + ( Lv.13 + Will. 75 ) / 2 = 48 ]
Not for nothing, but that's 17% more than the best available melee weapons at 41 damage.
I get that the Sleet Staff, Hookstaff, and others like the Magma Crusher can offer damage types and utility with Freezing/Tripping/Stun/Burning DoT. But if you want to roleplay a martial artist and tower over your enemies as a supreme pugilist, what exactly are you losing and gaining from utility in exchange for (on paper at least) raw damage? Plus, triggering Shatter on a flying enemy with ranged telekinetic force is never going to stop being chuckle worthy.
Also, if you are privy to the game's calculations, do you know if the extra attacks granted from Haste have an accuracy penalty like those from in the passive abilities of other classes (Second Attack/Shot)? And do the unarmed strikes from Telekinetic Warrior suffer in the same, or do they act like Bonus Hite Rate weapons like the Sleet Staff and hit with full accuracy? I mean, they already act like they have the Crushing flag and can trigger Deep Freeze/Shatter, so I'd like to know.
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1. Status attacks are usually Attacker stat/2 + (Random 1-20) vs Defender Stat/2 + Constant. Third Eye Aim substitutes for X Chance flags, but isn't divided by 2. Intelligence + (1-20) vs Defender/2 + 15
This makes X Chance much more reliable for Kineticists. I'm not sure if it's a bug. You do spend a Perk, and Kineticists are limited to 1 attack/turn without Haste.
2. Highest damage Melee Weapon is technically the BFD 9001, but it's not currently available outside the Cheat Menu.
Personally, I don't value raw damage as much as Flags. Kinetic in particular is fairly likely to be resisted.
Stun is an incredible flag, because it takes the target out of the fight for 2 rounds.
Burn DoT is actually a decent Flag now. It is based on the weapon's Burn damage and can stack up to 10% of the target's max HP/turn.
Trip will take the target out for 1 turn and sets up Geothermal Spike.
Stagger makes your Status attacks more likely to land.
Third Eye Aim can give +11 damage ((13 Dumb4Cum + 10 Cybernetic Suprocessor)/2) + 9.2 Accuracy + any stats on the weapon (mostly Evasion). It would also make X Chance more likely to work, but it's already guaranteed.
3. Haste attacks are normal attacks and aren't subject to the Flurry penalty.
4. Telekinetic Warrior just gives you a 'weapon' named Telekinetic Force every time you attack.
This makes X Chance much more reliable for Kineticists. I'm not sure if it's a bug. You do spend a Perk, and Kineticists are limited to 1 attack/turn without Haste.
2. Highest damage Melee Weapon is technically the BFD 9001, but it's not currently available outside the Cheat Menu.
Personally, I don't value raw damage as much as Flags. Kinetic in particular is fairly likely to be resisted.
Stun is an incredible flag, because it takes the target out of the fight for 2 rounds.
Burn DoT is actually a decent Flag now. It is based on the weapon's Burn damage and can stack up to 10% of the target's max HP/turn.
Trip will take the target out for 1 turn and sets up Geothermal Spike.
Stagger makes your Status attacks more likely to land.
Third Eye Aim can give +11 damage ((13 Dumb4Cum + 10 Cybernetic Suprocessor)/2) + 9.2 Accuracy + any stats on the weapon (mostly Evasion). It would also make X Chance more likely to work, but it's already guaranteed.
3. Haste attacks are normal attacks and aren't subject to the Flurry penalty.
4. Telekinetic Warrior just gives you a 'weapon' named Telekinetic Force every time you attack.
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Nice. Still, that sounds like maybe it's a coding oversight. Think I'll give that a shot, and keep an eye out for the change notes incase it gets nerfed/fixed in the future. Potentially 75 + d20 is nothing to sneeze at.
Huh, didn't know Stagger did that. Also appreciate having a better idea just how much damage Burn can put out.
Can't say I'm a fan of The Treatment, but good to know all the same. Still looks like boosting Int. is the way to go then, even for a melee focused build. I like how the Cybernetic Coprocessor has a hefty bonus, a reasonable malus, and none of that annoying tone/thickness altering some of the other implants have.
Huh, so the Bonus Hit Rate on Sleet Staff is there for the benefit of other classes, and really isn't doing anything for a Kineticist. Good to know so that I don't weigh that Flag in its favor compared to other weapons like the Magma Crusher. Plus that makes Haste better than I thought that it was. Sure the flurry attacks are a nice always-on benefit, but you always end up either doubling down on melee or ranged for the accuracy or keep your versatility at the cost of accuracy. Kineticist gets all the versatility and accuracy, they just need to pay some energy for a 10 turn buff, which really isn't that much of an ask resource-wise for a weapon focused build. Really happy they bumped it up to 10 rounds recently.
Thank you, this was very enlightening. I'm going to start a fresh Kineticist run and make some different perk choices this time around, see how this works out for me. Still gonna train like an absolute Mad-Lad™, cause that's what I always do, but I am very much looking forward to bending weapon Flags to my will with Third Eye Aim.