Shapers.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Shapers.... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AAB
09-23-07, 05:03 PM Okay, I'm looking into possibly reviving an old character of mine: a dwarf shaper. Back before I learned the folly of my ways I had PrCed into Ectopic Adept. Poor me. Anyways, I want to bring the same character concept back and I found The Constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b). What are opinions on this class? Is it better than staying in pure Psion? Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels?

Thanks for the help!
Tempest Stormwind
09-23-07, 05:07 PM What are opinions on this class?

http://www.google.ca/search?q=site%3Aforums.gleemax.com+psion ics+constructor

Is it better than staying in pure Psion?

Unlike wizard classes, there's an upside and a downside to taking prestige classes in psionics. The upside is gobsmacking abilities within a narrow domain. The downside is a lower manifester level, which impacts every domain including the one you're specializing in.

Constructor is great and a stellar example of a well-balanced PrC. Take it if you want but be wary of lost MLs.

Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels?

Overchannel's already a great feat for letting you manifest constructs at least a level early.
Sagetim
09-23-07, 05:39 PM Okay, I'm looking into possibly reviving an old character of mine: a dwarf shaper. Back before I learned the folly of my ways I had PrCed into Ectopic Adept. Poor me. Anyways, I want to bring the same character concept back and I found The Constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b). What are opinions on this class? Is it better than staying in pure Psion? Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels?

Thanks for the help!

The constructor is fine without those manifester levels. After all, you can make a swarm of level 1 astral constructs with a bunch of rank A abilities (or possibly a single rank C if your DM will let you get away with it.)
mmmm, free energy bolt each round for 1 pp.

However, if you really want, then yes, overchannel would work...I'd still prefer my monkies throwing fire bolts though...
TikiMan
09-23-07, 09:40 PM Constructor is definitely my favorite PrC. If you like using Astral Constructs to solve your problems then it is easily worth the manifester loss.

Oh, and note that the 10th level ability isn't quite so worth it now that Shapers can get a Personal Construct (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a) (look 1/2 way down the article). You can either sacrifice your 5th level bonus psion feat to get a specific construct you can swiftly summon, or you can sacrifice a manifester level to swiftly summon any construct you want. I personally opt for the first choice, but then again, my games rarely get to 15.

And as Tempest said, Overchannel is useful even if you don't suffer the ML loss because using more PP allows you to summon higher level constructs (which are exponentially more powerful, but not by much). I wouldn't call it 'necessary' though.
Sagetim
09-24-07, 01:05 AM Constructor is definitely my favorite PrC. If you like using Astral Constructs to solve your problems then it is easily worth the manifester loss.

Oh, and note that the 10th level ability isn't quite so worth it now that Shapers can get a Personal Construct (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a) (look 1/2 way down the article). You can either sacrifice your 5th level bonus psion feat to get a specific construct you can swiftly summon, or you can sacrifice a manifester level to swiftly summon any construct you want. I personally opt for the first choice, but then again, my games rarely get to 15.

And as Tempest said, Overchannel is useful even if you don't suffer the ML loss because using more PP allows you to summon higher level constructs (which are exponentially more powerful, but not by much). I wouldn't call it 'necessary' though.

exponentially more powerful but not by much.... :D
Lycanthromancer
09-24-07, 01:22 AM "He killed it! He killed it!"
"But...It's only a flesh wound!"
CrimsonDeath
09-24-07, 04:00 AM "He killed it! He killed it!"
"But...It's only a flesh wound!"

As housecats across the world have proven, you can kill with fleshwounds.
Lycanthromancer
09-24-07, 09:36 AM And when it comes to housework, fighters kick the hell out of riding dogs?

Um...
PhaedrusXY
09-24-07, 03:07 PM And when it comes to housework, fighters kick the hell out of riding dogs?Yes, they certainly do. :D
Personal Construct

You have a favored astral construct form that you can summon at a moment's notice.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level.
Prerequisite: You must know the astral construct power.
Benefit: You can create a specific astral construct that you have chosen as your favored as if you had the Quickened Power feat, by only sacrificing your psionic focus. This personal construct, once chosen, always has the same abilities and appearance every time you summon it. Each time you gain a level, you may change the abilities and appearance of your favored construct.NICE! I'm playing a Shaper, and had considered, and decided against, going into Constructor because I couldn't stomach the ML losses.

I had read this a while back, but forgot about it. It's perfect! This is the main thing I was looking for: a way to get an Astral Construct out faster. I think the DM won't have a problem with this.
Ryoku
09-26-07, 03:29 AM I have a question about this prestige class. It says it needs manifester 5, but craft 9 ranks. To have 9 ranks you need to be level 6. Why didn't they make it manifester 6 or craft 8 ranks?
Tempest Stormwind
09-26-07, 11:07 AM I have a question about this prestige class. It says it needs manifester 5, but craft 9 ranks. To have 9 ranks you need to be level 6. Why didn't they make it manifester 6 or craft 8 ranks?

So you could get in if you had multiclassed. You'll note this a lot on psionic PrCs, i.e. the elocater.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AAB 09-23-07, 05:03 PM	Okay, I'm looking into possibly reviving an old character of mine: a dwarf shaper. Back before I learned the folly of my ways I had PrCed into Ectopic Adept. Poor me. Anyways, I want to bring the same character concept back and I found The Constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b). What are opinions on this class? Is it better than staying in pure Psion? Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels? Thanks for the help!
Tempest Stormwind 09-23-07, 05:07 PM	What are opinions on this class? http://www.google.ca/search?q=site%3Aforums.gleemax.com+psion ics+constructor Is it better than staying in pure Psion? Unlike wizard classes, there's an upside and a downside to taking prestige classes in psionics. The upside is gobsmacking abilities within a narrow domain. The downside is a lower manifester level, which impacts every domain including the one you're specializing in. Constructor is great and a stellar example of a well-balanced PrC. Take it if you want but be wary of lost MLs. Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels? Overchannel's already a great feat for letting you manifest constructs at least a level early.
Sagetim 09-23-07, 05:39 PM	Okay, I'm looking into possibly reviving an old character of mine: a dwarf shaper. Back before I learned the folly of my ways I had PrCed into Ectopic Adept. Poor me. Anyways, I want to bring the same character concept back and I found The Constructor (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b). What are opinions on this class? Is it better than staying in pure Psion? Would Overchannel be a "necessary" feat to take to make up for the 2 lost manifester levels? Thanks for the help! The constructor is fine without those manifester levels. After all, you can make a swarm of level 1 astral constructs with a bunch of rank A abilities (or possibly a single rank C if your DM will let you get away with it.) mmmm, free energy bolt each round for 1 pp. However, if you really want, then yes, overchannel would work...I'd still prefer my monkies throwing fire bolts though...
TikiMan 09-23-07, 09:40 PM	Constructor is definitely my favorite PrC. If you like using Astral Constructs to solve your problems then it is easily worth the manifester loss. Oh, and note that the 10th level ability isn't quite so worth it now that Shapers can get a Personal Construct (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a) (look 1/2 way down the article). You can either sacrifice your 5th level bonus psion feat to get a specific construct you can swiftly summon, or you can sacrifice a manifester level to swiftly summon any construct you want. I personally opt for the first choice, but then again, my games rarely get to 15. And as Tempest said, Overchannel is useful even if you don't suffer the ML loss because using more PP allows you to summon higher level constructs (which are exponentially more powerful, but not by much). I wouldn't call it 'necessary' though.
Sagetim 09-24-07, 01:05 AM	Constructor is definitely my favorite PrC. If you like using Astral Constructs to solve your problems then it is easily worth the manifester loss. Oh, and note that the 10th level ability isn't quite so worth it now that Shapers can get a Personal Construct (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a) (look 1/2 way down the article). You can either sacrifice your 5th level bonus psion feat to get a specific construct you can swiftly summon, or you can sacrifice a manifester level to swiftly summon any construct you want. I personally opt for the first choice, but then again, my games rarely get to 15. And as Tempest said, Overchannel is useful even if you don't suffer the ML loss because using more PP allows you to summon higher level constructs (which are exponentially more powerful, but not by much). I wouldn't call it 'necessary' though. exponentially more powerful but not by much.... :D
Lycanthromancer 09-24-07, 01:22 AM	"He killed it! He killed it!" "But...It's only a flesh wound!"
CrimsonDeath 09-24-07, 04:00 AM	"He killed it! He killed it!" "But...It's only a flesh wound!" As housecats across the world have proven, you can kill with fleshwounds.
Lycanthromancer 09-24-07, 09:36 AM	And when it comes to housework, fighters kick the hell out of riding dogs? Um...
PhaedrusXY 09-24-07, 03:07 PM	And when it comes to housework, fighters kick the hell out of riding dogs?Yes, they certainly do. :D Personal Construct You have a favored astral construct form that you can summon at a moment's notice. Level: 5th. Replaces: The bonus feat at 5th level. Prerequisite: You must know the astral construct power. Benefit: You can create a specific astral construct that you have chosen as your favored as if you had the Quickened Power feat, by only sacrificing your psionic focus. This personal construct, once chosen, always has the same abilities and appearance every time you summon it. Each time you gain a level, you may change the abilities and appearance of your favored construct.NICE! I'm playing a Shaper, and had considered, and decided against, going into Constructor because I couldn't stomach the ML losses. I had read this a while back, but forgot about it. It's perfect! This is the main thing I was looking for: a way to get an Astral Construct out faster. I think the DM won't have a problem with this.
Ryoku 09-26-07, 03:29 AM	I have a question about this prestige class. It says it needs manifester 5, but craft 9 ranks. To have 9 ranks you need to be level 6. Why didn't they make it manifester 6 or craft 8 ranks?
Tempest Stormwind 09-26-07, 11:07 AM	I have a question about this prestige class. It says it needs manifester 5, but craft 9 ranks. To have 9 ranks you need to be level 6. Why didn't they make it manifester 6 or craft 8 ranks? So you could get in if you had multiclassed. You'll note this a lot on psionic PrCs, i.e. the elocater.