Thinking of adding Psionics to my game

[Particle_Man]

Going to have to strongly disagree with this.

Astral Constructs are great as damage absorbers - but not great at damage output or at special abilities. They're pretty much a wash with Summon Monster / Summon Nature's Ally, but you can't use AC to create swarms, as you can with magic.

Seconded. And I find it unfair that the errata in Complete Psionic limits one to a single Astral Construct at a time (barring a prestige class feature) while Druids, Clerics, Wizards, Sorcerors, etc., can have *legions* of summoned critters, if they so wish. If you are going to limit the AC's, limit the Summoned Critters too.

 

[wildstarsreach]

Seconded. And I find it unfair that the errata in Complete Psionic limits one to a single Astral Construct at a time (barring a prestige class feature) while Druids, Clerics, Wizards, Sorcerors, etc., can have *legions* of summoned critters, if they so wish. If you are going to limit the AC's, limit the Summoned Critters too.

Thirded since I play a shaper even with the boost construct feat, our summoners are better at it than my shaper.

Overall psionics are a good edition but the DM needs to know almost as much about them as the players. The Psion with the right powers can go nova like no one else. In 3+ encounters between restings the psion class is okay. Beware the Cerebremancer as he can go nova and then have the wizard to fall back on.

 

[Someone]

I like psionics. As mentioned, you maybe should fix energy missile and energy stun (+1 DC/2pp, and Energy missile can't target attended objects); clarify Dispel psionics, which is a mess, dispense with the Metamorphic transfer feat and disallow powers that allow more or multiple actions in one round, like Schism and Temporal Acceleration. Others would advocate to restric the fexibility they have with the Energy powers, but I don't see it as a big deal.

Everything else is IMO fine.

 

[Nifft]

Fourth'd. Astral Constructs are strong in melee, but melee is a limited use of such a power.

Summoning spells can do amazing things if the summoned critters are used indirectly. Look at the number of spell-like abilities at your disposal. Just from Mephits (via summon monster IV) you gain access to soften earth and stone (otherwise inaccessible to Sorc/Wiz), stinking cloud, glitterdust, wind wall and gust of wind. On that same spell's monster list is the Lantern Archon, who gives you aid, detect evil and continual flame (for free!) -- two of them aren't on the Sorc/Wiz list, and the other one is useful outside of combat (forever!). Also, the free tongues effect can be handy.

Once you get to summon monster VI, you have "Wizard Healing" via the bralani. (Also blur, gust of wind, wind wall, and lightning bolt). Total healing is just 6d6+12, but it's better than nothing. You also have "Wizard Food" from a janni, who can feed 21 dudes per day (or 7 horses).

Healing improves with summon monster VII, when you get to choose an avoral, who has free true seeing and tongues, and can heal up to 66 hp/day (average) via his Lay On Hands ability. Food also gets better at this level, since a djinni can create food for 60 dudes (or 20 horses) and also create 40 gallons of wine per day. I'm thinking that there might be some wine left over tomorrow... maybe. On the dark side, the Sorc/Wiz could pick an osyluth, who packs a nice selection of at-will SLAs: dimensional anchor, fly, invisibility (self only), major image, and wall of ice. How's that for battlefield control?

- - -

Also, of course, every new monster book improves these spells, while astral construct remains exactly as powerful as written in the XPH.

Anyway. IMHO astral construct is a great power, but hardly broken.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Evilhalfling]

Astral constructs are also abusable, and over-channeled, boosted construct will overshadow many PCs in melee. After talking it over with the (young, power gamer) player, we agreed on 1 Construct at full power and up to 3 at (-1 level) can exist at a time, mirroring the use of summon monster. This meant that in most fights he would summon one real bruiser, and occasionally a second, (which like using Summon Monster of melee critters was mostly just bait) - then replace the big one, in the unlikely event it was killed.

He worked fine in a party from 6-8th levels and was killed just before a battle where he would have been unbelievably effective. (Hordes of devil Mooks - immune to fire but not electricity)

 

[Arkhandus]

Odd. My opinion on Astral Constructs in 3.5 was based largely on what I see almost universally on EN World of people mentioning how abuseable or overpowered it is. And now suddenly all I see is people saying the opposite.

 

[Nifft]

Odd. My opinion on Astral Constructs in 3.5 was based largely on what I see almost universally on EN World of people mentioning how abuseable or overpowered it is. And now suddenly all I see is people saying the opposite.

At low levels, astral constructs are much better for tanking than summoned monsters. The hit point boost for being a construct is fantastic (at first). At higher levels, the lack of a Con bonus starts to hurt -- especially in the face of Augmented Summoning.

The utility value of summoned monsters & nature's allies is their real strength, though. Just like the Wizard is better at utility and fight-solving than direct damage, his summoned critters are better as problem-solvers than damage-sinks. Psions win in direct damage; Wizards win by being Batman.

Depending on how you count, both are significantly overpowered.

Cheers, -- N

 

[wildstarsreach]

below is what my 11th level shaper would summon with boost contruct. This takes one round to summon. A wizard summoner can summon 1-3 creatures that are 60-75% of what one astral contruct can do. A wizard can summon multiple times, why would you limit a psion to one only unless you are favoring wizards and magic.

Most monsters of the CR that you fight will demolish the astral construct in 2 rounds. The same monster will take about 2 rounds to eliminate the summoned creatures.

Large Construct
Init +1, Senses Darkvision 60 ft, low light vision, DR 10/magic
Spot +0, Listen +0
AC 25, Touch 10, Flat-footed 24
HP 85 hp (10d10+30 HD)
Fort +3 Ref +4 Will +3
Spd 40 ft
Melee Slam +19 (2d6+13) (20), Improved Slam from A, Muscle from B, plus second ability from A.
Full Attack 2 Slams +17 (2d6+13) (20)
BA +9, Grp +24
Abilities Str 37, Dex 13, Con -, Int -, Will 11, Chr 10

 

[Plane Sailing]

On that same spell's monster list is the Lantern Archon, who gives you aid, detect evil and continual flame (for free!) -- two of them aren't on the Sorc/Wiz list, and the other one is useful outside of combat (forever!). Also, the free tongues effect can be handy.

Correction if I may?

Continual flame is a 'permanent' spell - so its effect disappears at the end of the summon monster IV. Only 'Instantaneous' effects created by Summoned critters will remain (so healing is still good.

It is arguable whether the 'wizard food' will do you any good since that vanishes within a minute or so too.

Luckily healing is instantaneous, so wound healing by summoned critters really works

 

[Nifft]

Correction if I may?

Continual flame is a 'permanent' spell - so its effect disappears at the end of the summon monster IV. Only 'Instantaneous' effects created by Summoned critters will remain (so healing is still good.

Good point! That's one less useful effect.

It is arguable whether the 'wizard food' will do you any good since that vanishes within a minute or so too.

They'll just have to eat fast. Luckily there's no rules on how long it takes to eat a day's worth of food...

-- N