Skin of the Construct [Archive] - Wizards Community

Skin of the Construct [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Andramadus
07-08-07, 11:56 PM The feat skin of the construct in Complete Psi looks good but has anyone tried it? What's your recomendations on this feat? Is it a must, or should I pass it by? What are it's pluses and minuses?
kyeudo
07-09-07, 12:02 AM Its pluses: You get to look like an Astral Construct, and it can give you a fly speed as early as level 1.

Its minuses: You waste a feat slot for a non scaling benefit.

Ditch the feat. Vigor gives you a better benefit for your options.
Tempest Stormwind
07-09-07, 12:46 AM It's extremely, extremely weak.

If you're looking for wearable astral constructs, there's three other options that all do the job better. They're also third-party, though.

Hyperconscious has the Astral Zealot. Benefits: Permanent. Has lots of other goodies. Drawbacks: As it's distributed via class features it may not feel like it.

Untapped Potential has the Ectoskeleton power. Benefits: does *exactly* what you want, can be used on an existing construct as well as a newly-made one. Drawbacks: Rather costly, at 5pp on top of the construct price.

Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback.
Enchanter_Tom
07-09-07, 04:25 AM I don't get why the feat didn't (essentially) throw you in the body of the astral construct and let you control it from there like some kind of whacked-out Power Rangers episode.

(Anyone see the awful, awful Lost in Space remake? I imagine that the feat looks like this:
http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/1395/772/lo/co8.jpg)
Andramadus
07-09-07, 08:01 AM It's extremely, extremely weak.

If you're looking for wearable astral constructs, there's three other options that all do the job better. They're also third-party, though.

Hyperconscious has the Astral Zealot. Benefits: Permanent. Has lots of other goodies. Drawbacks: As it's distributed via class features it may not feel like it.

Untapped Potential has the Ectoskeleton power. Benefits: does *exactly* what you want, can be used on an existing construct as well as a newly-made one. Drawbacks: Rather costly, at 5pp on top of the construct price.

Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback.

I don't have any of those books, if you could post the feats that would be really helpfull, otherwise I have no idea what your talking about. I currently cannot buy the books, sooo if you could elaborate a bit it would definatly be alot of help. Thanks.
AntiDjinn
07-09-07, 11:31 AM Skin of the Construct is strong for low level characters, but soon becomes so weak that you will want to reform it away. It simply fails to scale as your character advances. It also fails to synergize with other feats you may have such as Boost Construct.

As written the feat has confusing mechanics: It gives you 1d8 temporary hit points (locked, paying for a bigger construct does not increase this total) which it says last for up to 1 hour. Then it says it lasts for the normal duration of the power (which won't be 1 hour until you can pull off an effective manifester level of 600). So do you loose these temp hit points when the power ends, or do they persist for up to one hour? What about the change in your appearance?

When you actually use the feat, you basically gain temporary use of a feat (or a psi-like ability) for the cost of 1 power point, your psionic focus, and 1 round spent manifesting. Since the benefits of this feat are locked, you don't have much incentive to pay for a higher level construct.

Here is exactly what is available to you with the XPH menu A choices:

Buff: 5 Extra hit points (not temp hit points). Similar to paying 1 point for Vigor, except they are not first-off. It will stack with the d8 temp hits, but extra hit points could leave you in trouble when they go away.

Celerity: Superior to Burst at all levels because the +10' movement lasts one round per ML instead of just 1 round.

Cleave: You get the Cleave feat. Like you are really dishing out enough melee damage that anyone will notice.

Deflection: You gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC.

Fly: You grow wings. You gain a fly speed of 20 with average maneuverability. This is the best of the lot. Note: Many DMs will require you to pay for a construct with enough Str to carry you and all your gear as a medium or lighter load, so this could be the only exception to the 1 point deal. If that is the case for your game, then you could just make the construct normally and have it carry you.

Improved Bull Rush: As the feat. Do you need this feat as a psion?

Improved Slam Attack: Gain the Improved Natural Attack feat. Good for certain builds. Note: You don't gain the construct's slam attack, or any other natural attack with Skin of the Construct, so you need to have Improved Unarmed Attack or some other way to make unarmed attacks without triggering AoOs.

Mobility: Gain the Mobility feat. Not bad.

Power Attack: Gain the Power Attack feat. Do you have the BAB to spare for damage and still be able to hit?

Resistance: Gain energy resistance 5 to your choice. Like having Energy Adaptation, Specified as a first level power, less the augmentation options.

Swim: Gain a swim speed of 30'. It beats the hell out of Float for most characters. In an aquatic campaign you might actually take and keep the feat for this effect alone.

Trip: One free trip attempt without using your attack or risking being tripped yourself. Do you have the stats to make it work? Stomp is more likely to actually knock people down.

So, overall, it is an good suite of options for a low level character, but at higher levels none of them are worth expending focus and spending a full round action to activate. If you take the feat at all, take it at levels 1-3, then reform it away around level 6-8 for something that scales.
Wizard Random
07-10-07, 08:45 AM Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback.

I have fallen in LOVE with this power. :dancin: :dancin: :plotting:
:love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:
foxtail
07-10-07, 08:58 AM Since you only need to effectively create a level 1 astral construct to use this feat, SotC essentially gives you an array of 1st-level personal buff powers costing 1 pp each. By the time mid to high levels roll around, we all know that most (unaugmented) 1st-level spells/powers get forgotten.

If your campaign uses the retraining option from PHB2, however, this feat might be worth looking into at low levels, since you can swap it out once it stops becoming useful.
Enchanter_Tom
07-10-07, 09:39 AM Not to derail, but does a ninth-level construct gain two abilities from set C or one? I know text usually trumps the table, but one can always hope...
foxtail
07-10-07, 10:13 AM Not to derail, but does a ninth-level construct gain two abilities from set C or one? I know text usually trumps the table, but one can always hope...

Special Abilities
Every time an astral construct is created, the manifester can choose to apply one special ability to the construct. When the manifester begins to manifest the astral construct power, he chooses one or more special abilities from a menu of abilities appropriate to that level of astral construct.

The SRD contradicts itself within the span of two sentences, which I think is a world record. :P I don't have anything to back it up, but two abilities seems like an appropriate capstone for a 9th-level construct.
AntiDjinn
07-10-07, 03:57 PM Since you only need to effectively create a level 1 astral construct to use this feat, SotC essentially gives you an array of 1st-level personal buff powers costing 1 pp each. By the time mid to high levels roll around, we all know that most (unaugmented) 1st-level spells/powers get forgotten.

If your campaign uses the retraining option from PHB2, however, this feat might be worth looking into at low levels, since you can swap it out once it stops becoming useful.
It gives you a range of personal buffs that can be used one at a time, because you can only wear one construct at a time. Retraining isn't necessary since you can already ditch and replace feats with Psychic Reformation. Reformation does not involve waiting for your next level up, so you could reform the feat in at a point when you want it, then out again without having to go through two full character levels to do so.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Andramadus 07-08-07, 11:56 PM	The feat skin of the construct in Complete Psi looks good but has anyone tried it? What's your recomendations on this feat? Is it a must, or should I pass it by? What are it's pluses and minuses?
kyeudo 07-09-07, 12:02 AM	Its pluses: You get to look like an Astral Construct, and it can give you a fly speed as early as level 1. Its minuses: You waste a feat slot for a non scaling benefit. Ditch the feat. Vigor gives you a better benefit for your options.
Tempest Stormwind 07-09-07, 12:46 AM	It's extremely, extremely weak. If you're looking for wearable astral constructs, there's three other options that all do the job better. They're also third-party, though. Hyperconscious has the Astral Zealot. Benefits: Permanent. Has lots of other goodies. Drawbacks: As it's distributed via class features it may not feel like it. Untapped Potential has the Ectoskeleton power. Benefits: does exactly what you want, can be used on an existing construct as well as a newly-made one. Drawbacks: Rather costly, at 5pp on top of the construct price. Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback.
Enchanter_Tom 07-09-07, 04:25 AM	I don't get why the feat didn't (essentially) throw you in the body of the astral construct and let you control it from there like some kind of whacked-out Power Rangers episode. (Anyone see the awful, awful Lost in Space remake? I imagine that the feat looks like this: http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/1395/772/lo/co8.jpg)
Andramadus 07-09-07, 08:01 AM	It's extremely, extremely weak. If you're looking for wearable astral constructs, there's three other options that all do the job better. They're also third-party, though. Hyperconscious has the Astral Zealot. Benefits: Permanent. Has lots of other goodies. Drawbacks: As it's distributed via class features it may not feel like it. Untapped Potential has the Ectoskeleton power. Benefits: does exactly what you want, can be used on an existing construct as well as a newly-made one. Drawbacks: Rather costly, at 5pp on top of the construct price. Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback. I don't have any of those books, if you could post the feats that would be really helpfull, otherwise I have no idea what your talking about. I currently cannot buy the books, sooo if you could elaborate a bit it would definatly be alot of help. Thanks.
AntiDjinn 07-09-07, 11:31 AM	Skin of the Construct is strong for low level characters, but soon becomes so weak that you will want to reform it away. It simply fails to scale as your character advances. It also fails to synergize with other feats you may have such as Boost Construct. As written the feat has confusing mechanics: It gives you 1d8 temporary hit points (locked, paying for a bigger construct does not increase this total) which it says last for up to 1 hour. Then it says it lasts for the normal duration of the power (which won't be 1 hour until you can pull off an effective manifester level of 600). So do you loose these temp hit points when the power ends, or do they persist for up to one hour? What about the change in your appearance? When you actually use the feat, you basically gain temporary use of a feat (or a psi-like ability) for the cost of 1 power point, your psionic focus, and 1 round spent manifesting. Since the benefits of this feat are locked, you don't have much incentive to pay for a higher level construct. Here is exactly what is available to you with the XPH menu A choices: Buff: 5 Extra hit points (not temp hit points). Similar to paying 1 point for Vigor, except they are not first-off. It will stack with the d8 temp hits, but extra hit points could leave you in trouble when they go away. Celerity: Superior to Burst at all levels because the +10' movement lasts one round per ML instead of just 1 round. Cleave: You get the Cleave feat. Like you are really dishing out enough melee damage that anyone will notice. Deflection: You gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC. Fly: You grow wings. You gain a fly speed of 20 with average maneuverability. This is the best of the lot. Note: Many DMs will require you to pay for a construct with enough Str to carry you and all your gear as a medium or lighter load, so this could be the only exception to the 1 point deal. If that is the case for your game, then you could just make the construct normally and have it carry you. Improved Bull Rush: As the feat. Do you need this feat as a psion? Improved Slam Attack: Gain the Improved Natural Attack feat. Good for certain builds. Note: You don't gain the construct's slam attack, or any other natural attack with Skin of the Construct, so you need to have Improved Unarmed Attack or some other way to make unarmed attacks without triggering AoOs. Mobility: Gain the Mobility feat. Not bad. Power Attack: Gain the Power Attack feat. Do you have the BAB to spare for damage and still be able to hit? Resistance: Gain energy resistance 5 to your choice. Like having Energy Adaptation, Specified as a first level power, less the augmentation options. Swim: Gain a swim speed of 30'. It beats the hell out of Float for most characters. In an aquatic campaign you might actually take and keep the feat for this effect alone. Trip: One free trip attempt without using your attack or risking being tripped yourself. Do you have the stats to make it work? Stomp is more likely to actually knock people down. So, overall, it is an good suite of options for a low level character, but at higher levels none of them are worth expending focus and spending a full round action to activate. If you take the feat at all, take it at levels 1-3, then reform it away around level 6-8 for something that scales.
Wizard Random 07-10-07, 08:45 AM	Untapped Potential also has the Astral Juggernaut, a 9th level astral construct on par with the elemental monoliths. Benefits: Doesn't cost anything to "wear" or "remove" except the basic costs of the power. Drawbacks: 9th level, small XP cost, huge size can be a drawback. I have fallen in LOVE with this power. :dancin: :dancin: :plotting: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:
foxtail 07-10-07, 08:58 AM	Since you only need to effectively create a level 1 astral construct to use this feat, SotC essentially gives you an array of 1st-level personal buff powers costing 1 pp each. By the time mid to high levels roll around, we all know that most (unaugmented) 1st-level spells/powers get forgotten. If your campaign uses the retraining option from PHB2, however, this feat might be worth looking into at low levels, since you can swap it out once it stops becoming useful.
Enchanter_Tom 07-10-07, 09:39 AM	Not to derail, but does a ninth-level construct gain two abilities from set C or one? I know text usually trumps the table, but one can always hope...
foxtail 07-10-07, 10:13 AM	Not to derail, but does a ninth-level construct gain two abilities from set C or one? I know text usually trumps the table, but one can always hope... Special Abilities Every time an astral construct is created, the manifester can choose to apply one special ability to the construct. When the manifester begins to manifest the astral construct power, he chooses one or more special abilities from a menu of abilities appropriate to that level of astral construct. The SRD contradicts itself within the span of two sentences, which I think is a world record. :P I don't have anything to back it up, but two abilities seems like an appropriate capstone for a 9th-level construct.
AntiDjinn 07-10-07, 03:57 PM	Since you only need to effectively create a level 1 astral construct to use this feat, SotC essentially gives you an array of 1st-level personal buff powers costing 1 pp each. By the time mid to high levels roll around, we all know that most (unaugmented) 1st-level spells/powers get forgotten. If your campaign uses the retraining option from PHB2, however, this feat might be worth looking into at low levels, since you can swap it out once it stops becoming useful. It gives you a range of personal buffs that can be used one at a time, because you can only wear one construct at a time. Retraining isn't necessary since you can already ditch and replace feats with Psychic Reformation. Reformation does not involve waiting for your next level up, so you could reform the feat in at a point when you want it, then out again without having to go through two full character levels to do so.