Psion/Constructor Power Selection

[Havok4]

I am really planning to avoiding being hit at all. Also the monk is evil aligned while I am good aligned and I will not be the one to strike first. Of course he will be able to do pretty much exactly squat against me.

I am wondering, is wall of ectoplasm worth a power, it seems like it would be very useful, but I would already have Energy Wall. That seems slightly redundant. Any advice?

[Samb]

Wall of ectoplasm requires a STR check to pass through while wall of energy does not. If you want things to stay away from you wall of ectoplasm is better. It also does not require a concentration check.

I personally have found entangling ectoplasm to be the most cost effective way to deal with things. No save, no PR straight 5 rounds of no moving all for only 1 PP.  That really is hard to beat.

Oh and get schism as soon as you can!!!

[Brainpiercing]

Oh I agree that minor create is awesome, but that doesn't answer why you feel the need to overchannel vigor. Schism let's you manifest every round, so assuming you take schism at level 9 with EK or research then you could soak up 30 points of damage fully augmented. If you have practiced manifester you could soak up 70!  Do you really think at lvl9 you will be hit for more than 30 a round? 

I don't think it's rare to be hit for MORE than that per round. At level 8. But I guess your games might be different.

[Anklebite]

Oh I agree that minor create is awesome, but that doesn't answer why you feel the need to overchannel vigor. Schism let's you manifest every round, so assuming you take schism at level 9 with EK or research then you could soak up 30 points of damage fully augmented. If you have practiced manifester you could soak up 70!  Do you really think at lvl9 you will be hit for more than 30 a round? 

I don't think it's rare to be hit for MORE than that per round. At level 8. But I guess your games might be different.

[Omen of Peace]

Wall of Energy damages foes and creates a no-go zone. Wall of Ectoplasm splits enemy forces. So yeah there are pretty different but it's up to you whether you get both.

I personally have found entangling ectoplasm to be the most cost effective way to deal with things. No save, no PR straight 5 rounds of no moving all for only 1 PP.  That really is hard to beat.

It inflicts the entangled which does not automatically make one immobilized. Since EE never mentions immobilizing the target... Compare to Web.

edit: it's still good, of course.

[Lycanthromancer]

For a minute I was considering if Linking vigor to astral construct would be worth Overchanneling, if the temporary hit points from vigor would absorb the damage from Overchannel (though I don't believe it does).

My thought went like this: You already have share pain up. You spend 1 pp on vigor to eat up the Overchannel damage, then add the extra augmentation from an increased manifester level to the astral construct that pops up next round.

Thus, you wouldn't have to expend your focus on Talented to keep the damage low; you'd have vigor to do (effectively) the same thing.

But as I said; it wouldn't work quite that way, unless you already had a few temp hp already up.

[PhaedrusXY]

I agree about Entangling Ectoplasm being awesome. It is more than 1 pp if you want to entangle something bigger than medium sized, though. But yeah, I've had great success with that power.

I don't like Energy Wall much, unless you're going to use it with Energy Conversion later, and you can reformat to pick it up when you need it. I'd definitely take Wall of Ectoplasm over it, if you take either one.

[Havok4]

Okay on the issue of the monk in my group, I have been trying to convince him to take a prestige class to help make him viable. The option I have thought of so far is Monk6/Fist of Zukon3/Elocater10/?1. If I manage to get him to chose this what would you recommend for powers. He has taken the first and second level halflinf monk subsitution levels which gives him skirmish damage and weapon finesse.

[Lycanthromancer]

My suggestions are:

1. Hammer - to add to the damage he deals with his natural attacks
-Claws of the beast - to add to the number of attacks he can do per round
-(Or possibly expansion (to increase damage dealt and reach)

2. Definitely psionic lion's charge - to allow him the use of both his uber-speed and flurry attacks
-Strength of my enemy - to use on his unarmed strikes as both a buff and debuff

3. Claws of the vampire - to heal himself a bit here and there
-Greater concealing amorpha - because full concealment automatically negates the ability to directly target him, and furthermore grants a 50% miss chance on all attack rolls against him (and this can't be bypassed through any means)

4. Psionic freedom of movement - because his main schtick is mobility, and avoiding anything that could weigh him down is very much a priority.
-Either psionic dimension slide/door or weapon of energy...for obvious reasons. Note that weapon of energy can be used on his unarmed strikes.

5. Adapt body - this will help him to survive in your adventures among the planes.
-Either psionic dimension slide/door or weapon of energy, whichever he didn't take earlier.

Might I also suggest that he take the Hidden Talent feat, rather than Wild Talent? Having an additional power known will be a great boon (expansion!). Also, Linked Power, from CPsi, will help him buff.

If this heads into epic territory, I'd suggest working on levels in either psychic warrior or psion, then head immediately into either anarchic initiate or illithid slayer.