Psion shaper 20 vs. Constructor

[Shadowhunter]

A tip is the feat from the 3rd party source Hyperconcious called Durable Construction, which sets your AC duration to 10 minutes flat for no extra PP cost. Way better than Extend Power, at least for AC's.

+1 on Overchannel, Talented and Practised Manifester.
ML 23 at lvl 20 equals 4 lvl 9 AC's.
Tasty

Pregenerated AC's is a very good thing for speeding up combat.

[Bozwevial]

I thought there was an item that boosted your ML? I could be wrong, but if you're strapped for feats, that might be handy.

[PhaedrusXY]

I thought there was an item that boosted your ML? I could be wrong, but if you're strapped for feats, that might be handy.

The Orange Ioun Stone is explicitly stated to work I think, but other items that boost CL probably should also.

[Havok4]

A tip is the feat from the 3rd party source Hyperconcious called Durable Construction, which sets your AC duration to 10 minutes flat for no extra PP cost. Way better than Extend Power, at least for AC's.

Unfortunately no one in my group has that book. And I will eventual be able to top that feat with the extended construction ability of the constructor prestige class, which as long as I have psi focus makes the constructs last 1 min/lvl. So with overchannel and practiced manifester with extend power that gives me 46 minute constructs, this does requires psi crystal containment.

[Lycanthromancer]

I played a blue goblin shaper6/constructor10 in an IM game, and I found that I never ran out of power points. Or even close. Not even in the our-party-vs-thousands-of-ogres battle. Shapers (and especially constructors) are awesome for conserving power points, if you use your abilities wisely and augment for the minimum necessary. I invested in a portable hole and spent the remainder of my pp every night filling it up with quintessence, just in case I eventually found some use for it.

Check out this spreadsheet if you have a computer or a laptop available while you play. Constructing constructs will be far easier if you have it available. It even takes the constructor PrC into account.

And if you get Practiced Manifester, you can have shaper 5/constructor 10/crystal master 5, then head into epic.

[woodenbandman]

Can't do that because you have the skill point requirement of craft 9 ranks. Sorry

[Lycanthromancer]

Oops. Shaper 6/Constructor 10/crystal master 4, then. Or maybe arch psion (assuming you were allowed to alter the class somewhat to make it 3.5-compatible).

[Havok4]

I still think I should go for the Personal construct feature instead of the 10th level of constructor as it comes a great deal earlier and serves the same purpose with only a few limitations. It would be more useful as I could get it at level 5 rather than level 16. I could effectively quicken the construction before I could even use the quicken metapsionic feat. Also I only lose one manifester level this way. Doe this seem like the right way to build the character?

[PhaedrusXY]

Yes, I think that sounds splendid.

[Havok4]

Okay current planned build. Any suggestions for improvements would be welcome.

Warforged Shaper 6/Constructor 9/ Shaper 5
1. Psicrystal affinity, boost construct
3. Extend Power
5. Personal construct Alternate class feature
6. Practiced manifester
9. Psicrystal containment
12. Overchannel
15. Talented
18. Psionic Meditation
19. ?

[Zarothar]

Why not add in a level of Anarchic Initiate (if Chaotic) [CPsi] instead of taking the 11th level of Psion? It has easy requirements, you sacrifice nothing (in fact, you GAIN skill points, a slightly larger hit die, and +2 to your Will save), and you can pick up the nice little Chaotic Surge ability for whenever you feel like using it. You don't LOSE anything. 

[Havok4]

Why not add in a level of Anarchic Initiate (if Chaotic) [CPsi] instead of taking the 11th level of Psion? It has easy requirements, you sacrifice nothing (in fact, you GAIN skill points, a slightly larger hit die, and +2 to your Will save), and you can pick up the nice little Chaotic Surge ability for whenever you feel like using it. You don't LOSE anything. 

I do not think that my group will get all the way to level twenty, but if we get there and it fits the character I might take that prestige class.

[Omen of Peace]

- I would retrain Psicrystal Containment for Psionic Meditation as soon as you qualify for it (Wis 13). You can take Containment again later on if you wish.

- I'd drop Extend Power to get Overchannel early.

But your choice is definitely ok. You never said at what level you're starting ?

[Havok4]

I am not sure what level we will be starting at, likely at level 4. The campaign has already started and this character will probably be introduced in the next session.

[Omen of Peace]

Just FYI, the feats of a level 5 Warforged Shaper I'm playing

F1 Up The Walls [Flaw: Murky-Eyed]
F2 Psicrystal Affinity: Nimble [Flaw: Noncombatant]
1 Boost Construct
1 Adamantine Body (ECS)
3 Keen Intellect (Oriental Adventures update) [replaces Wis by Int for Will, Spot, Sense Motive, Heal and Survival]
5 Personal Construct ACF

I'm not especially recommending you do the same - I have quirky tastes. (Up the Walls is purely for fun, Keen Intellect is to make him more versatile.)

And powers:
1 Astral Construct, Detect Psionics, Grease, Minor Creation, Vigor
2 Ego Whip, Energy Stun, Repair Damage, Share Pain
3 Energy Wall, Time Hop

We just had a fight where I Time-Hopped a horse from under a Martial Adept with a weird (homebrew) school whose maneuvers enhance fighting from horseback. Then Grease swept the feet from under that warrior... now the DM hates my guts.

[Havok4]

How is energy stun, I am thinking of selecting that as one of my 2nd level powers.

Also which power is better, Channel the Psychic Dragon or Energy Adaptation (specified).  Both give energy resistance which I really want for the character, our DM likes to have rooms burst into flames.

[Omen of Peace]

How is energy stun, I am thinking of selecting that as one of my 2nd level powers.

I like it but if I recall correctly many people on the Psionics board prefer Energy Ray. Either way it's not a power you should use much since your blasting won't be efficient - but the chance of stunning, however low, is nice.

Also which power is better, Channel the Psychic Dragon or Energy Adaptation (specified).  Both give energy resistance which I really want for the character, our DM likes to have rooms burst into flames.

As far as I can see CtPD never gives fire resistance so I'm going to say EA. Later on the immediate manifesting can be a life-saver.
(CtPD is a quirky power: +5 Diplomacy for 1 PP makes you more versatile, but Climb and Balance you may not use as much.)

[Havok4]

Well here is my list of currently planned powers for level 4

Level 1:Energy ray, Ecto Protection, Astral Construct, Minor Creation, Vigor
Level 2:Crystal Storm, Psionic Repair Damage, Energy Adaptation (specified), Share Pain

[Silent Wayfarer]

Since this seems to be the right thread, I'd like to ask how to get the requisite powers for Constructor without being a Shaper. Are there any shortcuts / dirty tricks I can use?

[Omen of Peace]

Be an Erudite ?
But I suppose you want to be a psion with a different discipline. I can't remember anything that could help except for Expanded Knowledge or Psychic Chirurgery (and the hard part there is to find the level 17+ psion that will do it for you).