Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Red12 03-01-07, 09:09 PM	Hello all, just want some quick opinions on this Feat I plan to make for Astral Construct. I know "Enhanced Construct" out of mind's eye does something similar, but I don't want it to be a "bonus". Basically, it goes as follows: When manifesting Astral Construct, you may split up the amount of points you spend to produce more than one Construct. The Construct has all the statistics and duration equivalent to the amount of power points spent on it. For Example, Mitra the 10th level Shaper manifests Astral construct. She wants to have a body-guard, but also someone to help the rogue flank. She spends 10 PP (split 5 and 5) to create two 3rd Level Astral Constructs. They last for 5 rounds. Alternatively, I could go a route to use the nerf in Complete Psionic. Instead of requiring a feat, the above just becomes part of the power. However, you may only have one manifestation of Astral Construct in play at any given time. Any ideas or Feed-back?
MaverickWolf 03-01-07, 09:13 PM	I'm not sure about it as a feat, but whatever you do, don't use the nerf in Complete Psionic. It's a pointless nerf that makes the Astral Construct power disgusting less useful than it was for no reason whatsoever. The only way that nerf should be used is if the Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally spells are also nerfed in the same manner.
Red12 03-01-07, 09:23 PM	I'm not sure about it as a feat, but whatever you do, don't use the nerf in Complete Psionic. It's a pointless nerf that makes the Astral Construct power disgusting less useful than it was for no reason whatsoever. The only way that nerf should be used is if the Summon Monster and Summon Nature's Ally spells are also nerfed in the same manner. I do totally understand that, and I have never even considered using it until I considered allowing a shaper to manifest multiple constructs in one go. It was just a thought, my primary focus was using it as a feat.
Bacris 03-01-07, 09:39 PM	Personally, I could see it as being a special augment available only to shapers. As a feat, it seems just a little bit weak to me...
InkBlot 03-01-07, 11:16 PM	Why not make it "for every 2 additional power points you spend, you can create 1 additional astral construct of the same level, to a maximum of 4 additional astral constructs?" That would be on par with the Summon Monster/Nature's Ally spells. You can spend a 3rd level slot to get 1 3rd level summon, 1d3 (avg 2) 2nd level summons, or 1d4 + 1 (avg 3.5) 1st level summons. With the above augment, you can spend 5 power points to get 1 3rd level construct, 2 2nd level constructs, or 3 1st level constructs. For 7 power points you could get 4 astral constructs, but that's just what a summoner would get with a good roll (and still 1 less than the max the summoner could get).
Red12 03-01-07, 11:31 PM	Great Idea Inkblot. Far better worded than mine. Now, a question, would you make this part of the normal AC, a shaper only version, worth a feat, or tacking it on something like the Constructor?
NoldorForce 03-01-07, 11:38 PM	Actually, the Constructor gets an ability that does precisely that, right down to the limit per manifestation. If you were to make it a feat, I'd suggest granting it as a bonus feat at 9th level (when the class gets the ability) with some added bonus. Perhaps something like being able to vary the abilities of the astral constructs created by a given manifestation. (At it stands, the ability forces you to choose the same abilities for each astral construct in a given manifestation.)
InkBlot 03-01-07, 11:49 PM	It's the 9th level ability of the Constructor. I was typing it from memory, so I messed up a bit. Personally, I think it's fine as part of the astral construct power by default. It's nothing that spellcasters don't already get. Augment: For every 2 power points you spend, an additional construct is created. The additional construct's level equals that of the first construct created. You can create up to three additional constructs per manifestation. Additional constructs have the same menu selections as the first construct. For example, a constructor can spend 17 power points manifesting astral construct: 1 to manifest the power, 14 power points to augment the level of the first construct to 8th level, and 2 power points to create a second 8th-level construct. In 3rd Ed it was a feat. It was called "Enhanced Construction." It was published in The Mind's Eye, along with a whole bunch of other feats (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20020727c) that the Constructor (3.0) got as bonus feats. Enhanced Construction [Psionic] When you manifest constructs, you create additional constructs. Prerequisite: Manifester level 6th+. Benefit: When you manifest constructs, you create additional bonus constructs. You create 1d3 bonus constructs of at least two levels below the astral construct power you are manifesting. For example, when a 13th-level psion manifests astral construct VI, she not only gets to choose the construct that normally manifests with the spell, but she also receives 1d3 constructs of her choice of type from I to IV. Astral Bonus Construct Type I -- II -- III I IV I to II V I to III VI I to IV VII I to V VIII I to VI IX I to VII