How big of a deal are astral constructs?

[CyberThread]

Well... how big of a deal are astral constructs for psionic casters

[johnnyripper]

They are a big deal. Much like most summons, they can replace the party fighter.

[Rubik]

Well... how big of a deal are astral constructs for psionic castersA fairly big one, though not necessary to have for anyone but a shaper. The power that creates them is the psionic equivalent to Summon Monster I-IX and Summon Nature's Ally I-IX, and they make wonderful disposable minions, mobile walls, and multipurpose tools.

I rarely have a manifesting character without them, but then I tend to specialize in them through levels of shaper and the the constructor PrC. In addition. I usually find ways to do things like give myself astral construct menu abilities and turn my constructs into massive suits of power armor, so I might be just a tad biased.

[edit] While not utterly essential, I'd say it's worth spending a feat on for any psion or wilder, though given it requires decent augmentation to be useful in combat scenarios, I wouldn't suggest it for a psywar unless you can extend its duration such that it makes a useful mount and/or lasts numerous combats.

[Piggy Knowles]

They're good enough that Expanded Knowledge (Astral Construct) is one of the first feats I consider for a psion, wilder or ardent.

They're not gamebreaking, but they're flexible and overall better than the equivalent SNA (although they are harder to compare to SM - definitely better for combat, but they lack the flexibility of the SLAs some of the higher level summons get). They are big and meaty and nicely defensive, and are honestly some of the best BFC choices for a psion, who ordinarily suffers on the battlefield control front.

[Rubik]

The trick with the Astral Construct power is to eke out extra viability through action economy. Take the Linked Power feat to manifest Astral Construct as a standard or swift (or even immediate) action for the cost of a 1st level power and +1 pp. You can also use the chronocharm of the uncaring archmage (from the Magic Item Compendium) to create constructs as a standard action a limited number of times per day.

Finding ways to boost your manifester level and lowering your pp costs will also help. Binding a metamagic rod to your hands chakra grants you +1 ML, as will an orange ioun stone, as will the Practiced Manifester feat (assuming you PrC out into, say, the constructor class (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b)). A torc of power preservation will reduce your manifestation costs by 1, as will the Earth Power feat. You may be able to talk your DM into a psionic version of the arcanist gloves, also from the M.I.C., which will boost your manifester level as well. Note that the Astral Construct power remains 1st level no matter how much you augment it, so those gloves will remain useful in perpetuity -- at least until quite a ways into epic, anyway.

If you want to focus on constructs, make sure you take that constructor PrC I mentioned earlier. It's a goldmine for anyone using astral constructs. The expanded menu abilities are largely no good at all, but the rest of the abilities are fabulous. Just make sure that, since you've got to take Ecto Protection anyway, that you use it to Link your ACs to; since you're manifesting both in one round, you should be able to manifest them as a swift action. Whee!

There's lots of good stuff here.

I once tricked a blind CR 33 undead shadow dragon to attack my contructs instead of me, since I made them shaped just like me, and he couldn't tell the difference. Good fun.

[Darth Stabber]

It's the single best psionic power, an educated variant wilder will usually pick it up with their first free EK, and I have never seen a wilder or psion not be tempted. The power does everything but your laundry. You had better have a very good reason not to have it, even if you are a dedicated blaster wilder (which is not terrible, and requires less opti-fu to make playable than a mailman sorc), because it's battlefield control and damage, and to some extent a defensive buff. There are plenty of ways to make the power completely sick (even a PRC dedicated to that one power {constructor}), but even with out dedicating any resources to it other than obtaining it astral construct is well worth you time and PP. I had a wilder that was constantly wildsurging the crap out of it, and in so doing was the strongest member of the party, I was ostensibly a blaster, but rarely blasted, just skated around with an occasional ego whip or crystal swarm while my AC did all the work.

There is a reason that EK:astral construct, and tap mantle (creation) are commonly seen solid choices

When you compare a sorc to a psion, remember that a psion effectively gets all 9 summon monsters for one pick, where as a sorc must use a pick for each level of summon it wants to use.

[Rubik]

There are plenty of ways to make the power completely sickAstral constructs are immune to the sickened condition.

[Darth Stabber]

Astral constructs are immune to the sickened condition.

There are plenty of ways to make the power completely entangled?

Constructs aren't immune to that!

[Spuddles]

Weren't Astral Constructs hit with the nerf bat real hard in Complete Psionic?

Like, by RAW, you may as well just skip the power unless your DM will let you make an ectoplasmic exoskeleton with it.

[Darth Stabber]

Weren't Astral Constructs hit with the nerf bat real hard in Complete Psionic?

Like, by RAW, you may as well just skip the power unless your DM will let you make an ectoplasmic exoskeleton with it.

All of the other gms I know ignore that nerfing, psionics already has enough trouble keeping up with vancian magic, no reason to exacerbate the issue.

[Novawurmson]

The power does everything but your laundry.

With PF Psionics, it even does your laundry!

Advanced Constructs (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/feats/advanced-constructs-psionic)


Utility (Ex): Your construct can perform tasks for you. This can include such tasks as cleaning, cooking, or setting up camp, or any other activity that requires a DC 10 or lower skill check. An astral construct with this option does not need to stay close to the manifester and will continue following any given order until given other instructions. You can select this menu option multiple times. Each time, the DC of skill checks the construct can attempt increases by 2. An astral construct with this option that is not used in combat has a duration of 1 hr./lvl.. If it later enters combat, its duration resets to 1 round/lvl., but suffers a -2 penalty to its attack rolls.

[Rubik]

Weren't Astral Constructs hit with the nerf bat real hard in Complete Psionic?

Like, by RAW, you may as well just skip the power unless your DM will let you make an ectoplasmic exoskeleton with it.Not actual errata, and is therefore completely invalid unless the DM decides otherwise.

Plus, it's complete idiocy anyway.

[Darth Stabber]

complete idiocy

What that book should have been called.

[Telok]

You should note that the only reduction to Astral Construct in Complete Trash Psi is that it limits you to one construct at a time. This isn't a big nerf unless you have a psychic who loves going nova with summons, like a druid casting multiple SNAs every combat.

[Rubik]

You should note that the only reduction to Astral Construct in Complete Trash Psi is that it limits you to one construct at a time. This isn't a big nerf unless you have a psychic who loves going nova with summons, like a druid casting multiple SNAs every combat.Multiple constructs have definite uses.

Remember that dragon I talked about earlier? I was throwing out dozens of Small constructs to confuse and swarm it. One would hardly have done anything at all. Only having one construct can stifle creativity and tactical uses on a number of levels.

Of course, usually I keep mine to one or two to prevent slowdown during battle, but that's beside the point.