D&D 3E/3.5 astral contruct 3.5

[Dinkeldog]

A few notes:
First: Astral Constructs who've got access to Menu B or C can change this into two of a lower menu.
Second: DR/magic as the sole example isn't fair. If you don't like that ability, don't give it to your Astral Construct - take Heavy Deflection instead, rising the significant AC of the Astral Construct even further. Or Fast Healing. Or Energy Touch. Or any other ability that doesn't suck in your opinion.
Third: It's not DR5/magic. It's DR3/magic or it's existing DR increases by 3 points.

First: I consider that sucky. They only have access to a single Menu B or C choice. So now in order to have my traditional two-headed wolf construct (trip and additional attack), I need a level 7 AC instead of a level 2. They were pretty good, but they weren't 13th level good. Contrast that with Monster Summoning once you can start bringing in, say, Lantern Archons with all the myriad special abilities they have. It says to me that the constructs are now all about combat (albeit with stock combat advantages built in, like higher strength, better armor class, and more hit points). I kind of liked being able to look at my situation and deciding what type of powers I needed to bring out in what combination.

Second: AC V have the quality DR 5/magic, higher level constructs have the same or better DR.

Third: Read the response to "Second". I think we're communicating past each other.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Man, I totally missed that they don't give multiple choices from the menus anymore (except for AC IX). Before, you could pick 3 choices from menu A for AC III, for instance. Hmm...that does seem like a power down. On the other hand, you do get access to them a bit earlier. Boost Construct is a more important feat than I had thought!

What are we getting access to a bit earlier? It's a Menu A for AC I - III, Menu B for AC IV-VI, 1 Menu C for VII and VIII and 2 Menu C for IX. Or do you mean one level earlier?

 

[James McMurray]

If I recall you don't innately bypass yoru own dr now unless your it specifically says so in the monster description.

Nope.

Some monsters are vulnerable to magic weapons. Any weapon with at least a +1 magical enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls overcomes the damage reduction of these monsters. Such creatures’ natural weapons (but not their attacks with weapons) are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Material based DR does not bypass material based DR, but magic and epic do.

 

[James McMurray]

What are we getting access to a bit earlier? It's a Menu A for AC I - III, Menu B for AC IV-VI, 1 Menu C for VII and VIII and 2 Menu C for IX. Or do you mean one level earlier?

With Overchannel you get access to them 2-3 levels earlier than your 3.0 counterpart.

 

[Particle_Man]

What are we getting access to a bit earlier? It's a Menu A for AC I - III, Menu B for AC IV-VI, 1 Menu C for VII and VIII and 2 Menu C for IX. Or do you mean one level earlier?

IIRC, the 3.0 Psion was like a sorceror, in that it did not get access to a level of stuff until one level after it does now. So for instance, AC IX is available to a psion at 17th lvl, when before it was 18th. Or I am totally wrong.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Particle_Man, looks like we're on the same page.

James, I don't trust overchannel. Just me, I suppose, but the opportunity to hit myself with 1d8 (or more) damage at a pop doesn't seem like something I'm going to do repeatedly with my little d4 hit dice. Decent idea for a wilder, though.

 

[3d6]

You can used the Talented feat with astral construct, thus avoiding the damage.

 

[James McMurray]

Or you can spend x power points on Vigor and easily overchannel for x dice of damage with few worries.

 

[Particle_Man]

First: I consider that sucky. They only have access to a single Menu B or C choice. So now in order to have my traditional two-headed wolf construct (trip and additional attack), I need a level 7 AC instead of a level 2. They were pretty good, but they weren't 13th level good.

Here's where feats may come to the rescue. The Boost Construct feat allows you to take an extra ability for your construct. So you could make a AC IV, and get 2 B-menu abilities. Split one of those B's into 2 A's and your construct will have Additional Attack, Trip, and some other Menu A ability. As noted above, the Overchannel and Talented feats will allow you to make an AC IV at 5th level. So your psion's feats would be taxed (which is unfortunate), but you are not too far behind, considering that in 3.0 you could only get the AC II at 4th level.

Unless I am way off. And you may not want to spend the feats.

 

[Particle_Man]

As noted above, the Overchannel and Talented feats will allow you to make an AC IV at 5th level. So your psion's feats would be taxed (which is unfortunate), but you are not too far behind, considering that in 3.0 you could only get the AC II at 4th level.

Unless I am way off. And you may not want to spend the feats.

Turns out I am way off. You can only overchannel one level when you are level 7 or less, so you would need to be level 6 to pull off that particular trick. However, it will improve at higher levels (until you get to 17th level, at which point it will be useless for this particular power, since there are no Astral Construct X, XI, or XII listed as monsters. Maybe there should be. A 20th level shaper overchannelling by 3 levels could then get a *really* nasty construct).