The build focuses on maximizing the Psionic abilities of the Dorje Nomad[1] Psion, especially around the use of Psionic Focus and crafting. At level 1, the character is already able to efficiently regain Psionic Focus thanks to Skill Focus in Concentration. With Psicrystal Affinity, the Psion gains a valuable ally in their Psicrystal, which helps with initiative in future levels.
Stat Block Level 1:
Unnamed: gender, Elan Psion 1; CR 1; Medium humanoid; HD 1d4+3; hp 7; Init +1; Spd 30 ft.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +0; Grp +0; Atk Light Crossbow +1 (1d8/19-20) or Dagger +0 (1d4/19-20); Full Atk Light Crossbow +1 (1d8/19-20) or Dagger +0 (1d4/19-20); SA —; SQ Discipline (Nomad), Elan Traits, Psicrystal; AL Neutral; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats:
Concentration +7, Psicraft +8, Knowledge (Psionics) +8; Skill Focus (Concentration), Psicrystal Affinity. Special Attacks and Qualities: Discipline (Nomad): Access to exclusive Nomad powers. Psicrystal: Nimble (+2 initiative).
At level 5, the Elan Psion Nomad excels in mobility and psionic versatility. The Craft Dorje feat allows the creation of psionic wands, greatly boosting the party’s power potential. Key abilities include the high Int score for power points and skill checks, and powers focused on battlefield control and flexibility. Best gear choices are dorjes and crossbows as backup weapons.
Stat Block Level 5:
Elan Psion Nomad 5: male, Elan Psion 5; CR 5; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 5d4+15; hp 27; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +2; Grp +1; Atk light crossbow +3 ranged (1d8/19-20) or dorje of energy ray +6 ranged touch (2d6 energy); Full Atk light crossbow +3 ranged (1d8/19-20) or dorje of energy ray +6 ranged touch (2d6 energy); SA psionics; SQ elan traits, nomad discipline, psionic focus, psicrystal (nimble), repletion; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Possessions: light crossbow, dorje of energy ray, dorje crafting materials.
This Psion Dorje Nomad[1] build excels in versatility and power efficiency. At level 10, considerable advantages include having two Psionic Focus, tremendous crafting abilities, and balanced stats for spellcasting and defense. Elan Retainment ensures you retain your Psionic Focus by expending Power Points instead, making your abilities more reliable. Key feats like Craft Dorje and Dorje Mastery allow the creation of powerful items for you and your allies. Your ability to mitigate damage with Power Points and advanced powers like Time Hop grants both offensive and defensive flexibility.
Stat Block Level 10:
Dorje Nomad[1]: female, Elan Psion 10; CR 10; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 10d4+30; hp 55; Init +8; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +5; Grp +4; Atk Crossbow (+5 ranged, 1d8, 19-20/x2); Full Atk Crossbow (+5 ranged, 1d8, 19-20/x2); SA Psionic Powers; SQ Elan Traits, Discipline (Nomad), Psicrystal (Nimble), Elan Retainment, Dorje Mastery; AL LN; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +9; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats:
Concentration 13, Psicraft 13, Knowledge (Psionics) 13, Knowledge (Arcana) 8; Skill Focus (Concentration), Psicrystal Affinity, Psicrystal Containment, Craft Dorje, Extend Power, Dorje Mastery, Elan Retainment. Special Attacks and Qualities: Psionic Powers—able to manifest powers up to 5th level Psion powers; Elan Traits—Resistance (3 PP to reduce damage by 4 points), Resilience (3 PP to negate a hostile effect); Discipline (Nomad)—access to dimension-bending powers; Psicrystal (Nimble)—+2 to Initiative.
Possessions: Crossbow, various Dorjes, +1 Bolts of the Manifester (for generating 5 Power Points each).
The Dorje Nomad[1] Psion is a master of psionics specializing in creating powerful Dorjes and manipulating the battlefield with tactical advantages. At level 15, the character excels in initiative, maintains multiple psionic focuses, and utilizes a variety of metapsionic feats to maximize power usage.
Stat Block Level 15:
Unnamed Psion: male, Elan Psion 15; CR 15; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 15d4+45; hp 82; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +7; Grp +6; Atk crossbow +7 ranged or dorje +7 ranged touch; Full Atk crossbow +7/+2 ranged or dorje +7/+2 ranged touch; SA powers, metapsionic abilities; SQ elan resilience, nomad abilities, psicrystal (nimble), psionic focus retention; AL neutral; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +10; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Skills, Abilities, and Feats:
Concentration +21, Psicraft +21, Knowledge (psionics) +21, Knowledge (arcana) +21; Psicrystal Affinity, Skill Focus (Concentration), Psicrystal Containment, Craft Dorje, Extend Power, Dorje Mastery, Elan Retainment, Improved Initiative, Burrowing Power, Linked Power. Special Attacks and Qualities: Powers (ML 15, PP 250, DC 14 + power level), Elan resilience (spend 1 PP to reduce damage by 2), Burrowing Power (allows using powers through barriers), Linked Power (allows combining powers for same action), Dorje Mastery (creates potent Dorjes), psionic focus retention (spend PP to avoid losing focus).
Possessions: crossbow, various Dorjes, 50 +1 bolts of the manifester (grants 5 PP per bolt).
A Psion Dorje Nomad[1] Elan centered on psionic mastery. The character wields powerful crafted Dorjes and psionic equipment to dominate the battlefield. Key Psionic Feats enable prolonged power durations, increased action economy, and barrier-penetrating abilities. Efficiently regains Psionic Focus and has significant damage nullification capabilities.
Stat Block L20:
Dorje Nomad[1]: male, Elan Psion 20; CR 20; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 20d4+60; hp 110; Init +9; Spd 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +10; Grp +9; Atk crossbow +11 ranged (1d8/19-20) or Dorje +13 ranged; Full Atk crossbow +11/+6 ranged (1d8/19-20) or Dorje +13 ranged; SA manifester; SQ Elan traits, Nomad discipline, psicrystal (nimble); AL any; SV Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +12; Str 8, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 22, Wis 10, Cha 6.
Possessions: Crafted Dorjes, +1 Bolts of the Manifester, crossbow, various psionic armors and universal items.
Milestones Of Character Development
Levels 1-5: Establish foundational psionic abilities with Psicrystal Affinity and Skill Focus (Concentration). The discipline of Nomad sets the tone for your psionic path and Craft Dorje begins empowering you with custom-crafted psionic items.
Levels 6-10: Extend Power to maximize PP efficiency. Dorje Mastery turns your crafted Dorjes into potent weapons, and Elan Retainment ensures you retain Psionic Focus, fundamentally improving your psionic durability.
Levels 11-15: At this stage, Burrowing Power and Linked Power allow for strategic versatility in combat, while Improved Initiative keeps you ahead in battle. Begin crafting Psionic Arms and Armors, enhancing your party’s capabilities.
Levels 16-20: Your focus shifts to high-level crafting with Craft Universal Items, providing incredible support for your party. Maximized Intellect and a vast pool of PPs make you a formidable force, adept at both offense and defense.
Core Abilities & Features of the Dorje Nomad
Racial Traits
The Elan race provides substantial resilience. Spending Power Points (PP) to reduce damage makes you tougher than most. Combined with your Psion’s Power Points, you’ll be hard to take down.
Key Ability Scores
With Intelligence at 18, you maximize your number of powers known and your Power Points. Constitution at 16 enhances your endurance, while Dexterity at 12 helps your defense.
Skills
Focus on Concentration and Psicraft to bolster your psionic potential. Knowledge skills widen your strategic options, essential for versatile problem-solving in diverse scenarios.
Feats
Feats like Skill Focus (Concentration) and Psicrystal Affinity are crucial early on. Psicrystal Containment allows dual Psionic Focus, enabling advanced maneuvers. Elan Retainment, acquired at level 10, ensures you’re rarely without Psionic Focus, significantly boosting reliability.
Dorje Mastery makes the Dorjes you create notably potent. Feats like Extend Power and Burrowing Power offer strategic advantages, extending your power’s duration and bypassing barriers. Linked Power paired with Synchronicity defies standard action economy, allowing multiple actions simultaneously.
Special Abilities
As a Nomad Psion, you specialize in movement and manipulation. Your Psicrystal, set to Nimble, boosts your Initiative, often letting you act first. This can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Equipment Strategy
Early on, a crossbow serves as a reliable fallback. As you progress, Dorjes become your go-to. Crafting +1 Bolts of the Manifester grants extra Power Points, enhancing your longevity in battles. The affordability of crafting magical ammunition makes this a cost-effective strategy.
Equipment Progression of the Dorje Nomad
Level Range
Equipment
Details
L1-5
Light Crossbow
Reliable fallback for when you’re out of Power Points; easy to acquire.
Dorje of Energy Ray
Your first crafted Dorje; provides an offensive option early on.
L6-10
Dorje of Detect Hostile Intent
Great for staying out of ambushes; invaluable for early warning.
Dorje of Chameleon
Enhances stealth and infiltration capabilities.
L11-15
+1 Bolts of the Manifester
Grants 5 PPs per arrow, boosting your Power Points significantly.
Dorje of Time Hop
Allows you to shift enemies in time; can disable key threats temporarily.
L16-20
Dorje of Temporal Acceleration
Grants extra actions, which can turn the tide of combat.
+1 Bolts of the Manifester
Continue crafting these to maintain your high PP pool.
Combat Scenarios as a Dorje Nomad
Dungeon Crawls:
Use Burrowing Power to bypass walls and obstacles, surprising enemies from behind.
Time Hop problematic creatures out of the timeline, giving you fewer hurdles to manage instantly.
Rely on your Psicrystal’s Nimble ability to scout ahead and act faster than your foes.
Open Fields:
Activate Extend Power to maintain advantageous buffs, like Inertial Armor, throughout prolonged skirmishes.
Exploit Synchronicity and Linked Power to manipulate the Action Economy, setting up powerful combos.
Utilize ranged Dorjes to maintain a tactical advantage, forcing enemies to close the distance.
Ambushes:
Focus on high Initiative rolls through Nimble Psicrystal and Improved Initiative to gain the upper hand.
Employ Time Regression if the ambush goes wrong, providing a valuable do-over.
Set up Linked Powers in advance with Synchronicity to prepare for sudden attacks.
Defensive Stands:
Create defensive barriers with powers like Energy Wall, holding off advancing enemies while you regroup.
Strengthen allies using your crafted Psionic Arms and Armors, improving their defensive resilience.
Leveraging Elan Retainment, you can absorb hits without losing your Psionic Focus, staying effective for longer durations.
Urban Encounters:
Time Hop threats to remove them temporarily from battles in restricted spaces.
Blend in or stay mobile using your Dorjes, allowing for precision strikes and elegant retreats through crowded alleys.
Predict enemy movements with your clairvoyant capabilities, steering clear of traps and ambuscades.
Weaknesses & Counters of a Dorje Nomad
Weakness
Counter
Low Physical Combat Ability
Utilize Craft Dorje to create Dorjes for offensive spells like Diminish Avalanche to attack from range.
Poor Melee Defense
Invest in Craft Psionic Arms and Armors to create items like Bracers of Armor to boost AC.
High Power Point (PP) Consumption
Utilize the trick of crafting +1 Bolts of the Manifester to gain an effective +250 PP per day for only 9350 gp.
Dependent on Initiative
Ensure your Psicrystal is Nimble to gain +2 to Initiative, combined with Improved Initiative feat.
Limited Direct Damage Output
Use the Linked Power feat with powers like Synchronicity for optimizing action economy in combat.
Vulnerability to Damage
As an Elan, spend PPs using Elan Retainment to reduce incoming damage rather than losing Psionic Focus.
Lack of Specific Skills in Certain Situations
Invest heavily in multiple Knowledge skills and use Psicraft to handle various in-game situations effectively.
Dependency on Psionic Focus
Take the Psicrystal Affinity and Psicrystal Containment feats to maintain multiple Psionic Focuses.
Limited Early-Game Power
Equip a reliable weapon like a Crossbow for when your PP runs low in the early game.
Roleplaying the Dorje Nomad
Embrace the Elan
Elans are immortal beings who were once human. They sacrificed their humanity for psionic power and eternal life. This transformation can be a rich source of roleplaying opportunities. How does your character deal with the loss of their previous life? Do they hold any remnants of their past personality, or have they embraced their new identity entirely? Use this to build a complex and layered character.
Driven by Nomad Discipline
As a Nomad, your Psion is always on the move—both literally and figuratively. They’re explorers and seekers, often driven by the need to discover new places, powers, or knowledge. Infuse your roleplay with a restless energy. Perhaps your character is searching for a lost city, arcane secrets, or even their own purpose. Their motivations can add depth to interactions and quests.
Psionic Mastery and Isolation
Psionics are often misunderstood and feared. This can lead to isolation or mistrust from others. How does your character navigate social situations? Do they flaunt their power or keep it hidden? Maybe they struggle with the moral implications of their abilities. Use these conflicts to add drama and tension to your roleplaying scenarios.
The Burden of Power
With great power comes great responsibility. Your Psion has access to incredible abilities that can change the course of battles and even alter time. How do they handle this burden? Do they act as a protector, using their power for the greater good, or do they pursue their own agenda? This internal struggle can provide compelling roleplay moments.
Crafting Bonds
Your ability to craft Dorjes, Psionic Arms, and Universal Items makes you invaluable to your party. Use this skill to deepen relationships with other characters. Maybe you craft a special item for a party member as a token of friendship or alliance. These gestures can create lasting bonds and add emotional weight to your adventures.
The Weight of Immortality
Elans live forever unless killed. This immortality can be both a blessing and a curse. How does your Psion view their eternal life? Do they see it as an opportunity for endless learning, or is it a lonely existence? Explore these themes through your character’s interactions and personal quests.
Intelligence determines the number of psionic powers you know and increases your Power Points. A high Intelligence score enhances your effectiveness in combat and other scenarios.
Which skills should I focus on?
Prioritize Concentration and Psicraft to improve your psionic potential. Knowledge skills are also important for strategic versatility and problem-solving.
How do I manage my Power Points effectively as a Dorje Nomad[1]?
Craft +1 Bolts of the Manifester to gain 20 extra PPs per day for only 90 gp. This simple trick boosts your psionic longevity significantly.
How can I maximize my Dorje Nomad[1]’s combat effectiveness?
Use Burrowing Power to bypass obstacles and Time Hop to manage tough foes. Your Psicrystal’s Nimble ability boosts initiative, often letting you act first.
Embrace the Elan’s transformation and immortality. Explore themes like the burden of power, psionic mastery, and the quest for knowledge. These themes add depth to your character development.
Join us at Stellar Dragons!
Ready to try playing a Psion Dorje in your next game? What do you think—could the Dorje be the best build in D&D 3.5? Join the discussion on our Stellar Dragons Discord server at https://discord.gg/uAPvgEq6Z7.
Writer, Editor, GM, Technologist – Andrew’s been playing TTRPGs since as far back as he can recall… at least sometime in the nineties… or was it the early 2000s?
The woman’s voice was direct, but still a certain degree of discomfort could be felt from it. Her white coat drenched by the downpour that had continued unabatedfor a week now. The coat muddied on its lower end flapped heavily with each step.
-“As much as I could have trusted you not to slice my throat the first time we met”. The man following her spoke up nonchalantly, completely dry despite the torrential rain, protected by some spell of his.
She forced a smirk on her face.
-“So not at all huh? Great. I hate psionics.”
The man looked at her and with a few words of arcane power, she was suddenly dry and under the same kind of protection as he was.
-“No need to grumble about this, you know how I feel about those mad cultists who venerate that long lost empire. Still, only their master has enough clairvoyance to find my sister’s whereabouts.”
The woman groaned even harder, but nonetheless grabbed the man by the arm and got closer to him. She was extremely warm, the man thought to himself as they continued making their way through the docks of the city.
Race
Elan
Classes
-Psion 20
Ability Scores
Str 8/Dex 12/Con 16/Int 18/Wis 10/Cha 6
Skills
No Prerequisites, so Invest in Concentration, Psicraft and various Knowledges.
Feats
Skill Focus will help regain our Psionic Focus via Concentration checks.
Psicrystal Affinity shoulda been a Class Feature so much so it is good for Psions, and Psicrystal Containment lets you have two Psionic Focus at once, which can let you do some craaaaazy stuff.
The fact that at lvl 10 we get Elan Retainment which will let us spend 3 Power Points instead of losing our Psionic Focus regardless of why we would have spent/lost it for means that Psionic Focus is never going to be an issue from lvl 10 onwards.
Dorje Mastery turns the Dorje you craft into very dangerous items. Craft Dorje, Craft Psionic Arms and Armors and Craft Universal Items means your party will love you by giving them stuff. It also enables a very cheap method to gain a metric ton of PPs, which I will detail in the Equipment section.
Extend Power will save you so many PPs in the long haul it is not even funny. Doubling the duration of effects can turn the tide of a battle on its head alone. Burrowing Power will let you use powers through barriers which is great, and Linked Power is just ridiculously good, double so if you can use it fully with Synchronicity, a combination that lets you essentially give the proverbial middle finger to the Action Economy.
Special Abilities
Discipline: Nomad
Psicrystal: Nimble for more Initiative, as Initiative wins encounters. Coupled with your Improved Initiative means that you are very likely to always act first.
Equipment
You don’t really have anything here that is a need. However, a good old Crossbow for when/if you run out of PP is always useful, especially early on. Eventually, you will switch that to Dorjes. All the Dorjes.
Also, here’s a fun trick. Crafting a bunch of +1 Bolts of the Manifester grants you 5PP per Arrow.
And Crafting Magical/Psionic Ammunition costs peanuts because you apply the cost for 50 Arrows.
Let’s calculate that actually.
50 +1 Bolts of the Manifester would cost
350(Masterwork)+1000(+1)+8000(Manifester) 9350gp.
9350 gold pieces for an effective +250 PP/day is ridiculously cheap. Seriously, if you are going to use this trick and the GM allows it, don’t abuse it for the sake of everyone involved.
Final Thoughts on the Build
Even a pure Psion is extremely fun to play. We don’t use Extra Knowledge shenanigans to grab Powers outside of our Discipline like Synchronicity which combined with our Linked Power could have enabled some of the highest of shenanigans. Still. Our Dorje are going to be extremely powerful, we have access to many really fun shenanigans with powers like Time Hop and Time Regression.
We can craft items for our party, and have a serious amount of flexibility with access to 9th lvl Powers, and with our few key Metapsionic Feats we can mitigate our weaknesses like PP consumption.
As an Elan, we can spend PPs to nullify damage/instead of expending our Psionic Focus and combined with our vast reserve of PPs from being a Psion, our High Intelligence and our +1 Bolts of the Manifester, we can sponge some significant damage. Overall, a classic, yet very effective “main caster-type” build.
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