Help with party

[Xand]

I'm designing a two-player party for my girlfriend and I.  Will probably have other characters so it doesn't need to be self-sufficient.  I've only played nwn2 before and not nwn1.  I'm thinking of making her a pyrokineticist, and probably Wilder as the base class.  I was wondering, first of all, if there are any splash classes to consider since that's accomplished with 2 classes.  Does disciple of mephistopholes help pyro at all?  Maybe since pyro only goes to 10 there's another psionic prestige to look at?  The sheer number of these prestiges is quite overwhelming.

As for my character I want to RP a necromancer becoming a lich, but I'm not quite sure how to do it.  In nwn2 I maximized necromancy DC's to death so I wanted to focus on summons (especially since multiple is possible in this game), but it appears I'd need true necromancer for that.  Which limits the lich ability.  Also I saw in another post that the dread necromancer lich template is equivalent to getting the lich class in that it receives the same bonuses, but what about the demilich bonuses?  They seem a bit too powerful to pass up.

As a side note...what level ranges can I expect from the official campaigns?

[ThE LoSt BoY]

A quick thought for girlfriend's build: Nymph Pal 4 [4 AB]/ Wilder 16 [12 AB] pre-Epic. Finish Pal 4 / Wild 27 (bonus feat at L27)/ Pyro 9. Dual Wield with 7 APR (Gr TWF) + Div Might / Shield or Epic Div Might / Shield. Uber-saves with Divine Grace (Pal) and Unearthly Grace (Nymph). Pyro class looks cool but does not enhance / gain psi-powers or pp. Also, L10 Pyro power has two saves and one is Flex (Imp Evasion = auto-half damage).

You can download Wildcat build and try out http://www.nwnprc.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=50

DN Lich is not D-lich. The DN template is more like L4 Lich or WotC lich template: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20031212a

There are some awesome and quite varied Lich builds posted.

[heimdallw32]

The Pyrokineticist may not be as 'powerful' as some builds, but not every prestige class or base class is focused on raw power. Not every build is or has to be either. Some are more focused on fun abilities or RP-oriented things. And if you like fire, then the Pyro can be very fun. =D

To be frank, in my opinion the Demilich can be potentially un-fun/boring after the novelty of being almost-unkillable and able to kill almost anything wears off. That being said, the Demilich is designed to be overpowered...in PnP or multiplayer NWN it's meant more as a 'boss' of sorts, something that presents a very difficult challenge. Or if the PC is one, then the DM could create an appropriate challenge (titans, aborted god fetuses, primal elementals, etc).

The bonuses are really powerful, but depending on the module, they can potentially turn the game into, well, god-mode. xD

If you're playing the OC, then for sure the demilich will be rediculously overpowered for it. i.e. nothing will be able to stop you, etc. I'd recommend the non-demi lich, personally, if you're playing original campaign content.

[Xand]

Yeah I had seen nymph but skipped over it because it was game breakingly overpowered (especially with a character that intends on maximizing charisma).  With that in mind heimdallw is probably right about the demilich.  I don't mind class power as much as race power since it's earned (and usually at a point much later in the game), but immunity to everything might be overdoing it.

My necro is currently on hold until I decide whether or not I want to edit these XP penalties to allow multisummon to not destroy progression (and if I do, where to cap the multisummons).

The wilder, on the other hand, I have almost everything picked out...spell choices so far are:

1: Mind Thrust
1:Free
2:Biofeedback
3: Psionic Blast
4: Free
5: Free (Psychic Revivify is the current leader depending on how NPC choices go).
6: Temporal Acceleration
7: Free
8: Recall Death
9: Tornado Blast
9: Psychic Chigugery

Am I missing any gems here (for casters, not melee-oriented)?  

The shadow body description seems very different from the pnp counterpart and it's confusing to me.  Concealment and damage reduction...which are combat spells...undone if *any* hostile actions are performed?  The pnp version only disables if the enemies are actually physically damaged (free to cast powers).  So is this a niche spell for someone who wants to play a healer psionicist?

Also surprised to see psionic blast isn't effected by extend.  Temporal Acceleration and Biofeedback are probably enough to make the feat worth it, but psionic blast definitely would have been a huge added bonus.

Any spells I'm missing that come anywhere close to the tornado blast's damage?  With it augmenting at 2d6 per point instead of 1d6 like everything else I've seen it doesn't seem to be much of a competition for the ultimate whack spell...but tornado doesn't really fit into the overall theme of the character so kinda torn on that one.  Would be nice if since most all of these area of effect spells augment to be redundant repeats of each other (mathematically), that they had additional components to give them a bit more individuality.

Thanks

[heimdallw32]

To be more specific, the Demlich has immunities to all non-epic spells (cantrips through level 9), heavy physical damage reduction, heavy elemental damage reduction, and tremendously high AC. Plus 8 uses per day of a high-DC instant-kill SLA (soul gems), as well as the Lich's touch attack (which improves through Demilich levels). Sorry if I implied that it had immunities to everything...it's just...extremely durable. xD Not unkillable though.

Personal taste thing. Some folks like that.

Anyway, if I recall correctly, Lost Boy had pointed out in another thread that Ectoplasmic Shambler, when maximized+empowered+twinned, is pretty powerful since it doesn't allow a save, and it ignores Spell/Power Resistance. Though I'm not sure how easy it would be to fit all those feats plus the required Epic Psionic Focus (I and II) to accomplish that into your build. (I haven't used Ectoplasmic Shambler, personally. I tend to lean towards high-burst single target powers, or instant-kill powers, myself.)

Though, Tornado Blast -is- pretty great as well.

As for Shadow Body, yes, it does temporarily fade you back into the material plane after you do something to an enemy, however, it returns you to the whole "concealed+immunities+DR" state a round later, if I recall correctly...it's really not long at all. Sure, if you're constantly pew pewing, yeah, it won't be very solid protection, but if you stop, then it kicks back in...so if you time stuff right (assuming you're facing stock AI enemies) you should be able to still benefit mostly from the protection. Personally, I'm rather fond of Shadow Body for its immunities, mainly.

However, Iron Body also has some nice immunities. The movement speed reduction is an issue, but the other main penalty (arcane spell failure) isn't an issue for psionic characters (they are like divine casters, i.e. no spell failure in armor). Though not being able to use potions can sometimes create issues. But, there's not really a 'perfect' all-in-one defensive power, so you'll have to pick based on your preferances.

Actually, as a side note, it's not a bad idea to spend a few feats for armor proficiencies, or splash a level of fighter if the build has the room. Nuker in full plate and a tower shield is pretty nice.

[ThE LoSt BoY]

The two main power chains that can damage the Demilich (aka L10 Lich) are the Ecto-Shambler (Twin + Extend only) and Crystal Shard series (Twin, Max, Emp, Hail o' Crystals [Flex half = monks take half or none], Swarm o' Crystals [AoA no save, but d4 / pp]). The Shambler damage is manifester level based => 2 (Twin) * Trunc (Mani Lev /2). Damage redux (Mani Lev/ 2) /- is the only real defense. Crystal Shard is a touch attack, so you can still blow it. The Shambler damage ratio / pp is off the charts because it auto-scales with manifester level. Dissolving monks while on the Ethereal plane in Shadow Body is pretty cool.

Not as high on Tornado Blast due to Flex save. Love the No-SR, but Imp-Evasion + uber-Dex-ers = half or no damage. I think the DC is + 1 / 2d6 of augment, but damage is 8d6 (no save) + [17d6  + d6 (no meta-psi) / pp]  [Flex half].