Astral Construct vs Fighter

[Midnight_v]

I hate these stupid fights... 

You'll need and item of see invisibility.

[X-Codes]

I hate these stupid fights... 

You'll need and item of see invisibility.

Ring of the Darkhidden + Iron Heart Vest [IHS]

Use IHS to put out the sun, be invisible with Ring of the Darkhidden.  Perfect victory!

[Lycanthromancer]

I think that sounds pretty fair.

Are the astral construct rule as presented in the Xph good or are they updated heavily in the Cpsi?

From memory, complete psionic nerfed Astral Construct to only 1 construct at a time, I do not remember any other changes to Astral Construct from complete psionic, complete psionic did introduce some minor feats to severely nerf astral constructs called ectopic feats.  Most DM ignore this nerf unless they only limit 1 summon nature ally or 1 summon monster at a time for it makes no sense to limit Psionics but not touch Arcane and Divine.

Fixed that for you.

And it doesn't matter if we use them or not, since the psion would only get one AC anyway.

I agree that the fighter can use a drakkensteed, assuming he pays for it. And if it doesn't have a listed cost, go with a cost that seems reasonable.

And we can go with Endarire's setup, if everyone else is okay with it. I'll use it to do my setup, assuming 'net sources are allowed (since The Mind's Eye IS official 3.5).

[Nachofan99]

And it doesn't matter if we use them or not, since the psion would only get one AC anyway.

I agree that the fighter can use a drakkensteed, assuming he pays for it. And if it doesn't have a listed cost, go with a cost that seems reasonable.

And we can go with Endarire's setup, if everyone else is okay with it. I'll use it to do my setup, assuming 'net sources are allowed (since The Mind's Eye IS official 3.5).

Looks pretty fair all around.  Let's see some builds.

[Lycanthromancer]

Also, Endarire? Is that Expansion item a custom one?

If so, it's a no-go. Unless you have UPD and it's a power stone?

[Endarire]

Psionic tattoo of expansion at ML7.  I assumed it worked.

[Lycanthromancer]

I'm going to assume that only effects that last 24 hours or more are in effect, which basically means that only Midnight Augmentation has actually been activated. I have a few options for 9-hour powers, but I don't really need them.

Okay, 42 point buy, two flaws (really doesn't matter which ones, as they won't affect anything either way -- Noncombatant and Vulnerable?), no traits.

Human shaper 5/constructor 5 (used Favored Contact from Cityscape, then retrained it away once I got into constructor and had enough skill ranks to sustain it).

90 pp
85.5 average hp

Str - 8
Dex - 8
Con - 18 (+2 item) = 20
Int - 16 (+2 item) = 20
Wis - 16 (+2 item) 18
Cha - 14

FEATS:
Flaw 1 - Psicrystal Affinity (Single-Minded)
Flaw 1 - Linked Power
Racial - Overchannel
HD 1 - Midnight Augmentation
Psion 1 - Boost Construct
HD 3 - Psicrystal Containment
Psion 5 - Metamorphic Transfer
HD 6 - Psionic Meditation
HD 9 - Expanded Knowledge (Metamorphosis)
Constructor 9 - Boost Construct (2)

PSICRYSTAL FEATS
HD 1 - Hidden Talent (Precognition, Seer 1)
HD 3 - Twin Power
HD 6 - Practiced Manifester
HD 9 - Protection Devotion

Items:
[spoiler]Torc of power preservation (MIC, 4,000 gp)
Bead of karma (DMG, 20,000 gp)
+10 skill shard (UMD, XPH, 1,000 gp)
Synaptic Mask (Hyperconscious, 3,000 gp, not relevant to this game, but an awesome item anyway)
Lesser rod of Extend (DMG 3,000 gp, totally not necessary, but still nice)
+2 Con item (4,000 gp)
+2 Int item (4,000 gp)
+2 Wis item (4,000 gp)

TOTAL SPENT: 43,000 gp[/spoiler]

RELEVANT POWERS
[spoiler]1. Astral Construct
1. Ecto Protection
1. Psionic Minor Creation
1. Vigor
1. Synchronicity
1. Hammer
1 Seer. Precognition (Hidden Talent)
2. Share Pain
4. Dimension Door, Psionic[/spoiler]

SKILLS:
Full ranks in:
UMD (Cross-Class, 6 ranks), Concentration, Craft (Poisons), Psi

Tactics:
[spoiler]Earlier that day, adds 1 point of essentia to Midnight Augmentation (Astral Construct) to lower the augmentation cost by 1 (-1 total, not -1 per augment cycle). Ensure I have both psionic focuses active.

Buff rounds:
[spoiler]FIRST
--Standard action: Overchanneled (by +1, -1d8 damage) Feat Leech (on psicrystal, which forgoes its saving throws) to gain Hidden Talent, Twin Power, and Practiced Manifester, which is Linked to Metamorphosis (choker) for next round. Cost: One focus, 10 pp, and -1d8 damage (average 4.5).
--Move action: Regain focus
--Swift action: Hammer Linked with Psionic Minor Creation to create a Huge-sized Guisarme on the ground in front of me. Cost: 2 pp and one focus

SECOND
--Psicrystal's Action: Activate Protection Devotion
--Free action: Use Metamorphic Transfer to grab the Quickness Su ability of the choker.
--Choker standard action: Manifest Precognition on self for +2 to one roll. Cost: 1 pp.
--Swift action: Manifest Overchanneled (+2) Ecto Protection (1 pp), Linked with Astral Construct (17-1=16 pp). Use torc of power preservation (+1 ML) and use UMD to activate bead of karma for +4 manifester levels for 10 minutes. (Precognition grants +2 and skill shard grants +10 to UMD (for a total of +19 to emulate class feature (divine spellcasting) and a success on a natural 1). This results in a manifester level of 9 + 1 (Practiced Manifester) + 4 (bead) + 2 (Overchannel) + 1 (torc) = ML 17, with -1 to the augment cost for Midnight Augmentation. Costs 17 pp, -3d8 damage, and one psionic focus. ESSENTIALLY this means that I now have a level 9 astral construct coming by next round. MANIFESTER LEVEL is now 14 for as long as the bead and the Feat Leech  both last.
--Full-round action: Delay until right before fighter's first turn.[/b][/spoiler]

FIRST ROUND
[spoiler]Get initiative on fighter through delay. Astral construct appears at the beginning of my turn.
--Move action: Regain focus
--Choker standard action: Twinned Synchronicity. Cost: 7 pp
--Synchronicity standard action: Use torc with Vigor for 75 temp hp (Cost: 15 pp)
--Synchronicity standard action: Manifest Share Pain on astral construct (Cost: 3 pp)
--Regular standard action: Regain focus
--Swift action: Hammer (manifested on construct) Linked with Psionic Minor Creation to create whichever of these poisons I feel like the fighter in question could be affected by; if the fighter is undead or a warforged, skip this step. Cost: 2 pp and one focus

ASTRAL CONSTRUCT'S ROUND
--Move action: Pick up Guisarme from ground
--Standard action: Ready grapple when fighter comes within guisarme reach to trip
--Free action: Attack of opportunity to grapple.[/spoiler]

The astral construct has the following stats, and PROBABLY beats the fighter on initiative, due to my delaying:

[spoiler]9th Level Astral Construct
Huge Construct
Hit Dice: 19d10+40 (144 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 37 (+25 natural, -2 size, +4 Protection Devotion), touch 12, flatfooted 37
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+40
Attack: Slam +30 melee (2d6+18) or guisarme +26 melee (3d6+27)
Full Attack: 2 Slams +30 melee (2d6+18) or guisarme +26/+21/+16 melee (3d6+27)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. (15 ft./30 ft. with guisarme)
Special Attacks: Constrict, Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Four abilities from Menu C, construct traits, Blindsight 60', damage reduction 15/magic, darkvision 60 ft., lowlight vision, Natural Invisibility
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 47, Dex 11, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: -
Feats: -
Alignment: Neutral
Menu Picks: "Menu B: Fly 40' (average), Muscle (+4 Str)
Menu C: Blindsight 60', Constrict, Natural Invisibility"
   
Construct Traits: An astral construct has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless.  It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.  It cannot heal damage, but it can be repaired.

Blindsight (Ex):   The astral construct has blindsight out to 60 feet.

Constrict (Ex):  On a successful grapple check, the astral construct deals damage equal to its slam attack.

Improved Grab (Ex):  To use this ability, the construct must hit with its slam attack.  A construct can use this ability only on a target that is at least one size smaller than itself.)

Natural Invisibility (Su): The astral construct is constantly invisible, even when attacking.  This abilty is inherent and not subject to the invisibility purge spell.[/spoiler]

It takes half-damage on a hit, and is wielding a Psionic Minor Creation-fashioned ironwood guisarme that doubles its reach to 30' and deals 3d6 + 27 damage (though it takes a -4 to hit on a flat-footed-due-to-invisibility attack). It uses its slams if the fighter gets within 15', and attempts to grapple.

The psion Metamorphosises into something incredibly difficult to damage (like a Superior Invisibility'd pixie, or an ooze, for the bonuses vs piercing and slashing against a lance-using opponent), and hides under the AC, using it as cover.

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Okay, guys. I PROBABLY made a few errors here, given how quickly I did this, so let me know if you find any, 'kay?