Psionicist Guide Part II: Attributes and Abilities
Introduction
Welcome to Part II of my Psionicist Guide. In this part, I will take a look at the attributes and spells/abilities that are the building block of your character. I will go over the importance of each attribute, the effects of each spell and suggested attribute/ability builds.
Thanks for joining me for Part II and I hope you find the guide worthwhile!
Psionicist Attributes
There are fourteen attributes in Allods Online for each character. Of these, four are very important to the Psionicist. Let’s go through each attribute, define what it does and decide if it is of any use to a Psion.
Strength: Increases physical damage done. Useless to a Psion, as they do almost no physical damage. Pain Transfer is the only skill that Psions regularly use that does physical damage and, while an important skill, not something you want to stack strength for.
Finesse: Determines at what percent enemy armor reduces your physical damage by. Again, a useless attribute for a Psion. Ignore.
Expertise: Determines chance to miss physical attacks. Unless you expect to stab everything to death with your dagger, (not recommended!) then ignore it.
Agility: Determines your chance to dodge incoming physical attacks. While arguably more important than the above attributes, it is still not important enough to focus on. Leave it alone.
Luck: Determines chance to deal a critical strike with all attacks, both physical and magical. Here we have the first attribute that can be important to the Psion. A higher critical chance can vastly increase DPS and especially burst DPS. Keep an eye on this and boost as needed.
Endurance: Reduces your chance to receive critical blows of all types and increases your chance to receive a glancing blow. Another helpful attribute that you do not want to concentrate on. Most gear gives a sufficient amount of endurance.
Stamina: Increases health pool. Self-explanatory and pretty important. I found that stamina was another attribute that was increased enough by gear that I did not need to add points to it.
Intelligence: Increases the power and damage of magic spells. This is a very important attribute for Psions, arguably the most important. Expect to invest many points here.
Perception: Determines the chance for enemies to resist your magic spells. Very important. Having a high resist number will severely limit your DPS and your chance for spells to land.
Conviction: Determines the chance to successfully use control abilities and determines the duration of them. At first glance this looks like a very important attribute for Psions, however, at lower levels intelligence and perception are much more important. Will be more important in PvP and in group play.
Rage: Determines the wound complexity of damage. Not of high importance for Psions.
Willpower: Determines the chance to resist control abilities and lessens the duration of them. Not of high importance while leveling, may be more important at level cap and in PvP.
Faith: Allows heals to ignore wound complexity. We are not healers, so ignore!
Wisdom: Increases mana pool and determines the amount of mana regen. Mana is very important to a Psion, without it we are useless. Keep an eye on this and boost with points or gear if needed.
The top four attributes for the Psion are highlighted in red above. While leveling I would rank the most important attributes thusly:
- Intelligence
- Perception
- Luck
- Wisdom
I would suggest putting the majority of your attributes in Intelligence and Perception as you level. Rely on gear for wisdom and keep a close eye on luck and bump as needed. The rest of the attributes you can safely ignore until end-game when willpower and conviction might become more important.
Abilities and Spells
The spells available to the Psionicist must be purchase and each spell has three ranks, which also must be purchase, that increase the effectiveness of the spell. You get one ability point each level from level four. To purchase the second rank of each spell requires two points and the third requires three points. For this reason you must save ability points to purchase higher ranks.
Let’s take a look at the abilities and how useful each is to the Psionicist. A BIG thanks to Tarridus of the Keen and Graev forums for compiling a nice easy to read listing of each ability. You can find the original list here!
Psychic Shock – Mana Cost (151)
Cast Time = 3 sec
Cooldown = none
Channels 3 attacks for 1,969.9 Astral damage. There is a 10% chance to gain the Sensitive Perception effect, causing the next Mental Link to be an Instant Cast
This is the bread and butter DPS spell for the Psion. I recommend getting rank three on this spell, as you will be using it a lot. Increased ranks increase the damage of the spell.
Mental Link – Mana Cost (811)
Cast Time = 6 sec
Cooldown = 22 sec
Establishes a Mental Link with the target. Returns half of the mana cost of all spells cast on a target affected by your Mental Link. Increases your Conviction by 10% for the duration of the effect. Casting Mental Link also triggers the Astral Echo effect which allows you to inflict direct Astral Damage, or stun the target for 4 seconds. The use of Astral Echo inflicts the Mental Overload effect.
This spell will be used on every mob in solo play and in PvP. Higher ranks increase the conviction gain. I never rank this above the first rank, though I think that will change at endgame when conviction is more important. A higher conviction will increase the Psion’s crowd control durations and effectiveness.
Shock Wave – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = Instant
Cooldown = 10 sec
Applies 7 to 8 stacks of the Shock Wave effect. Makes the target unable to move or use abilites for 2 seconds for each stack. Any damage to the target will remove 3 to 4 stacks.
This is another very important spell. Higher ranks increase the number of stacks on the target and reduce the number of stacks removed from damage. This spell allows the Psion to stun a target and cast Mental Link on the target before it comes out of stun. Higher ranks will allow the Psion to keep a single target locked down permanently, as the stun will last longer than the Shockwave cooldown. I recommend Rank three for Shockwave.
Mental Shield – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = Instant
Cooldown = 6 sec
Creates a shield that absorbs 11819.3 physical damage. Has a chance to inflict the Mental Overload effect.
A very nice ability used to decrease the amount of damage a Psion takes. The biggest downside is the amount of Mental Overload the spell gives the Psion. Mental Overload can get out of hand very quickly when this spell is used over and over. Higher ranks increase the amount the shield absorbs. I recommend at least one rank and possibly two.
Trance – Mana Cost (none)
Cast Time = 8-10 sec
Cooldown = 30 sec
Causes you to enter a trance and restore all of your mana. Trance takes 10 seconds out of combat and 20 seconds in combat. Any damage taken during Trance will cancel the effect and inflict double damage. Also, once this spell has ended you gain immunity to Mental Overload for 30 seconds.
This spell has two very important effects. First, it allows you to regain all of your mana very quickly. The second effect is just as important and makes the Psion immune to the Mental Overload effect for thirty seconds. Higher ranks decrease the cast time. I recommend Rank two for this spell.
Mental Twin – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = Instant
Cooldown = none
Summons a clone of yourself and makes you invisible to the target. Your clone receives 110% more damage. A Mental Link with the target is required.
I consider this a “bread-and-butter” spell that all Psions should invest in. It is invaluable in solo PvE and PvP. Mental Linked mobs and PvP players can not attack you while your twin is up and, instead, must kill your twin. You will be totally invisible to them until the Twin is dead. This allows you to DPS at your leisure. Keep in mind that all other mobs or players can see you while the Twin is up! Increased ranks increase the amount of damage your Twin can take.
Fun strategy: In one vs. one PvP, stun your target with Shockwave, cast Mental Link and then place your Twin behind a tree or similar object. Enjoy DPS’ing your target while he runs around looking for your Twin!!
Choke – Mana Cost (1216)
Cast Time = 8 sec
Cooldown = 22 sec
Channels negative energy that inflicts Astral Damage over 9 seconds. The amount inflicted increases over time. Restores 52 mana if a Mental Link is established with the target.
This is the second damage spell that you will find yourself using a lot. I recommend at least Rank two in the spell, for the added DPS.
Pain Transfer – Mana Cost (498)
Cast Time = 3.5 sec
Cooldown = none
Inflicts 3,939.8 to 6,267.8 Astral Damage. This ability can be prepared in advance.
At first I thought this was a very underwhelming spell, however, it can be a very important part of the Psionicist’s repetoire. It is the only spell that the Psionicist can pre-cast and, also has the lowest mana per damage ratio of any damage spell the Psion regularly uses. Finally, it is the only spell that does Physical damage instead of Astral, making it useful in some situations. The Psionicist is very short on burst damage and Pain Transfer allows the Psion to use a pre-cast Pain Transfer/Choke combination to get some nice burst damage on the target. For this reason, I recommend at least Rank one.
Hypnosis – Mana Cost (438)
Cast Time = 4.5-3.8 sec
Cooldown = none
Hypnotizes the enemy, making them unable to move or use abilities. A Mental Link with the target is required.
The longest duration of any of the Psion’s crowd control abilities, it will be used a lot in group PvP and PvE situations. Higher ranks decrease the cast time. Rank one is a must and further rank advantages will be determined by your play-style.
Mental Pulse – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = instant
Cooldown = 30 sec
Throws all enemies back and stuns them for 2 seconds. Inflicts 1,450.5 Astral damage to the enemies and restores 9 mana to you.
A very nice spell in PvP to get that pesky Warrior off of you, may be of less use in solo PvE. Higher ranks increase the damage. The main advantage of this spell is the throwback and stun, neither of which increase at higher ranks. For this reason, I recommend only one Rank of Mental Pulse.
Mental Cleansing – Mana Cost (335)
Cast Time = 2 sec
Cooldown = None
Removes one Poison, Disease, or Bleeding effect from a friendly target and heals you for 12,893.8. Has a chance to inflict 2 to 3 stacks of the Mental Overload effect.
Nice ability, if only for the heal! Higher ranks increase the healing you get when used. Take at least Rank one of this spell and consider going to Rank two!
Emphatic Gift – Mana Cost (1699)
Cast Time = 1.5 sec
Gives a friendly target part of your mana. Inflicts Mental Overload on you and your target, but reduces your target’s threat generation by 50%.
An obvious group ability. Will be useful in group PvE but less use in group PvP and any type of solo play. I skipped it while leveling but may review at endgame if doing raids.
Telekinetic Pull – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = instant
Cooldown = 18 sec
Draws all enemies in a 20 yard radius to the chosen point. Knocks them down and has a 20% chance to stun them for 3 seconds.
Very useful in PvP. Increased ranks increase the chance to stun. I took Rank one but might change that at endgame for PvP purposes. The animation is pretty incredible and it is one of the most fun spells available for the Psionicist!
Cloud Vision – Mana Cost (167)
Cast Time = instant
Cooldown = 40-30 sec
Blinds the target, reducing its range by 15 yards. This effect lasts for 1 minute if cast out of combat and for 10 seconds if cast in combat. A Mental Link with the target is required.
Another useful PvP spell! Scout giving you trouble? Cloud his vision and then stay out of his reduced range while dps’ing him! Rank one is a must for PvP.
Will Suppression – Mana Cost (151)
Cast Time = instant
Cooldown = 20-16 sec
Creates a temporary Mental Link with the target. Causes you to enter combat, and has a lower chance to work than Mental Link.
This one is a must for Psionicists. An instant Mental Link is too good to pass up, not to mention, it is a second Mental Link. Gives you the ability to hypnotize two targets at a time! Higher ranks decrease cooldown. Rank one at least!
Wall of Blades – Mana Cost (1339)
Cast Time = 8 sec
Cooldown = 2-1.2 min
Creates a magnetic field that disarms all enemies within 10 yards and inflicts Astral damage every 2 seconds. At the end of 8 seconds, you release the controlled weapons and inflict additional damage.
This is one ability I have not experimented with yet. I can see many situations that it could be highly useful, PvP against warriors, paladins and scouts, for instance, but I have not tried it out yet. I will probably try to pick up at least one rank of this for use in mass PvP but, at this point, I am unsure if I will go higher.
Spectral Assassin – Mana Cost (669)
Cast Time = 4 sec
Cooldown = 2-1.2 min
Summons a clone that is a full copy of the target. The clone attacks the target and burns their mana or energy. The clone can only be attacked by the target, and the clone’s damage increases by 5% each second. Does not work on targets under the effects of Mental Resistance. A Mental Link with the target is required.
This is not only a very fun skill but a staple of Psionicist at endgame. Higher Ranks decrease cooldown time. The Spectral Assassin puts out a lot of damage on his target and can be used at the same time as Mental Twin. This gives opponents multiple targets that they have to worry about in PvP. I recommend at least Rank one and higher depending on play-style.
Suggested Ability Builds
Leveling Build at Level 15
Leveling Build at 15
This is my build at level 15. Maxing Psychic Shock and Shockwave as early as possible, as well as picking up Mental Twin earlier, makes leveling much easier. Trance provides quick mana while killing mobs and Choke provides more DPS.
Crowd Control Build at Cap
Crowd Control Build for Level Cap
This build is great for Crowd Control at level 40 but DPS and burst will suffer a bit. Rank Three in Mental Link will help with your Conviction attribute, enabling longer control abilities and less resists. Shockwave, Hypnosis and Will Suppression will allow up to three targets to be locked down indefinitely.
DPS Build at Level Cap
DPS Build at Level Cap
Maxing Choke and Pain Transfer will give you a nice burst of DPS. You still have decent Crowd Control with Rank 3 Shockwave and Rank 1 Hypnosis.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of options available to the Psionicist, both while leveling and at level cap. The Psionicist is a very well-rounded class and, if specced well, can be a real asset to any group, PvP or PvE. Hopefully, this guide will help you make some tough decisions on where to put ability and attribute points.
Again, I would like to thank Tarridus for his invaluable work in compiling all the Psionicist skills together in an easy to read list. This guide would have been much more difficult to write if not for his hard work.
Next time I will be talking about Ruby Talents. I have held off on them a bit while they complete some of the Talents. I hope you found this guide useful and that you join me next time!
The Novograd Times 