[3.5] Thrallherd Constructs

[Crasical]

One of my friends is planning on starting up a 3.5 DnD game with a whole bunch of variant rules, no arcane/divine casters, psionics only. I haven't ever touched the stuff before, myself. But one I noticed thrallherd, I decided to play a Tron Bonne (Megaman Legends/Marvel vs. Capcom) knockoff, using Warforged Scouts as servbot Expies. But I can't figure out what to use as the main Thrall, which I figure is gonna be what stands in for that big mecha that Tron Pilots. I'm thinking a Warforged Charger would work, especially as I can trick it out with a battlefist and an Armbow, but I can't take that until level 9.

Basically, I'm looking for a construct I can take as a cohort of level 5 to 7, preferably large sized, with two arms, and something I can ride, but mostly just a construct of large size will work.

Also, something to do with the Believers would be nice. Since Psionics is the order of the day and apparently we have regenerating PP now, I figure I'll give them Energy Ray somehow and have them mass-laser fire at things, but something constructive to do with their skill points would also be helpful. Currently I'm just planning to have them all take points in craft skills and production-line gear to be sold, but there's got to be something more productive to do than that. Any suggestions?

[KillianHawkeye]

Aren't most constructs immune to mind-affecting effects? How are you going to thrallherd them?

[Crasical]

Entertainingly enough, Thrallherd doesn't say anywhere about allowinga save, or any immunity protecting the target from becoming your minion. Whether any construct exists that can be taken as a cohort is another matter, and I haven't been able to find one yet.

[JeminiZero]

Also, warforged/living constructs lost their immunity to mind affecting.

One *possible* way it is to:
a) Start with a Large Animated Object (4 HD). You can shape it pretty must as you like, so it should be easy to add a cockpit. Remember to add sheets so that it can fly, and wheels so that it can zip around faster. Also it retains hardness, so maybe make it out of steel.
b) Apply the Soulfused Construct template (MoI 195). Soulfused gives it the living construct type, as well as a barely-sentient Int score, so it can now learn languages.
c) This gives it +1 LA, so it is now 4 HD + 1LA at ECL 5.

[Crasical]

Uaaaah, that is seriously exactly what I want, but I don't have the Incarnum books....:smallfrown:

[JeminiZero]

Maybe try asking around your friends. So long as at least ONE person in the group has it, and the DM allows it, it should be good to go...

Otherwise plan B involves just making your cohort an Artificer with Craft Construct, and craft discount feats, and then giving him gold to have him build *actual* constructs for you to ride around in. But that is expensive in the long run.

[eggs]

Dreamscarred Press made a nifty power called Ectoskeleton (http://dsp-d20-srd.wikidot.com/ectoskeleton) that lets a psion encase itself in an Astral Construct. With Linked Power and Personal Construct (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a), it's possible to get a fully augmented Ectoskeleton up in round 2 without sacrificing action economy.