Also thanks to how the action economy works the tadpole kind of has a ceiling on any power it can give you. Outside of non concentration requiring passives. The stuff the tadpole tree gives you has to compete with what else you could be doing with that action.
Bingo!
Level 12 characters have a _lot_ of powers, and I'm controlling 4 of them. I can do some cool Illithid psionic blast or throw up Crusader's mantle on the party, they're basically commensurate.
That said, broader options are more powerful...
Except I'll already be swimming in potions, scrolls, specific magic items, dynamic environment, etc... I think I'll manage fine without.
