Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 02-06-08, 03:35 PM	I've been thinking a lot about psicrystals recently, and I've come to the conclusion that I don't like them. They reek of being a Psionic X for familiars, and they come out functionally the same - but better. They're tougher, harder to hit, easier to conceal, highly mobile at higher levels, and their owners get no feedback if they're destroyed. Moreover, they're a feat away from maintaining a second psionic focus for you! They're not all bad, of course, or they wouldn't be worth trying to fit. Fluff-wise, I like that they come about through a psionic character's force of will, force of personality, or sheer discipline, that they are the physical manifestation of the aspect of the character's personality that they deem to be the core of their being... I just don't think that this really matches their execution. For example, the fluff says that their influence on their owner increases as their owner levels up, but this isn't reflected by a mechanical increase of bonus, which just seems counterintuitive. So what might improve them? Well, I remember hearing a while back that the custom of wearing masks during celebrations like Carnivale and Mardis Gras came about because in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, people felt that wearing a mask would - at least in part - imprint qualities of the mask onto its wearer, and thus if someone was wearing a mask with a mischievous expression on its face, they couldn't really be held accountable for their actions while wearing it. I'm not sure how accurate that is historically as I can no longer remember the source, but it sounds like almost exactly what Psicrystals represent - facets of one's personality that one wishes to be more prevalent. So taking inspiration from that (as well as a classic episode of The Twilight Zone), here's where I'm at in terms of what I think could be an interesting fix... Manifest Personal Psionic Mask [Psionic] Through force of will, force of personality, or sheer discipline, the character manifests a mask depicting a facet of their personality they wish to be more prevalent. Prerequisite: Manifester level 1st, does not have Psicrystal Affinity Benefit: You manifest a Personal Psionic Mask (See below). Special: You may take this feat multiple times. You must pick a new expression each time you take this feat. Special: A character with this feat cannot take Psicrystal Affinity. Using Psychic Reformation to change Psicrystal Affinity to Manifest Personal Psionic Mask costs only 10XP per level taken since Psicrystal Affinity was taken, and vice versa. Personal Reservoir [Psionic] Your Personal Psionic Mask has become strong enough in personality that it can hold its own psionic focus while it is worn. Prerequisite: Character level 9th, Manifest Personal Psionic Mask, at least 12 bonus power points granted by a high ability score. Benefit: You can spend a full-round action attempting to psionically focus your Personal Psionic Mask. At any time when you need to expend your psionic focus, you can expend your Mask's psionic focus instead, as long as the Mask is within 5 feet of you. Psionically focusing your Mask works just like focusing yourself. The Mask cannot focus itself—only the owner can spend the time to focus the Mask. The mask cannot hold a psionic focus if it is removed from its wearer. In addition, the character may spend power points stored in any Personal Psionic Mask they own and are wearing as though they were part of their own power point pool, paying either part or all of the cost of a psionic power with either the stored power points or their own. The manifester is still limited by his or her own manifester level when determining how many total power points he or she may spend on a specific psionic power. Normal: You may only have one psionic focus, and you may only spend power points from one source while manifesting a power. My True Face [Psionic] Through a keen affinity for one's Personal Psionic Masks, a Manifester can begin to take on traits reminiscent of them. Prerequisites: Manifest Personal Psionic Mask. Benefit: The owner of a Personal Psionic Mask begins to naturally and openly express some of the personality and physical traits represented by his or her Masks while they are not worn. As a result, while the character's Eyewear/Goggle body slot is unoccupied, he or she benefits from all Expressions (though not any other abilities) of any Personal Psionic Mask he or she owns, although at a reduced rate. All masks that grant a competence bonus to skill checks do so at a rate of +1 per 6HD rounded down (minimum +1) while not worn, while those that grant a competence bonus to saves or Initiative do so at a rate of +1 per 8HD (minimum +1) while not worn. Normal: A Personal Psionic Mask grants no benefit while it is not worn. More Than Just a Cigar [Psionic] One of the Personal Psionic Masks you own changes subtly to incorporate more Expressions. Prerequisites: Manifest Personal Psionic Mask Benefit: Select a Personal Psionic Mask you own. It gains up to two additional Expressions. You cannot have the same Expression on multiple masks. A Mask cannot have the same Expression twice. Normal: A Personal Psionic Mask has only one expression. Special: You can take this feat multiple times. It must be applied to a different mask each time. Even with this feat, a Mask cannot exceed three Expressions. Personal Psionic Mask A Personal Psionic Mask is treated in all ways as an Intelligent Psionic Item with mental scores equal to those of its creator as long as it is worn. If it is not worn, or unattended, it is treated as a non-intelligent psionic item. For purposes of saves, the manifester level is considered to be equal to the current HD of its creator. A Personal Psionic Mask is treated as eyewear/goggles for purposes of determining which body slots are occupied. The Mask has Hardness 8 and HP equal to half that of its owner. It is treated in all other ways as ectoplasm. If the Mask is destroyed, a new mask of the same personality manifests itself again the next time the Manifester's power point pool refreshes. If the Manifester loses this feat at any time, the Mask immediately and permanently dissipates. The owner of the mask only benefits from the mask while the mask is worn. One cannot benefit from someone else's Personal Psionic Mask under any circumstances. Shared Awareness (Su): As long as the Mask is worn, it is aware of anything its owner is aware of. Shared Consciousness (Su): As long as the Mask is worn, it and its owner share their consciousness, granting both the Mask and owner a +1 circumstance bonus to saves vs. mind-affecting spells, powers, and abilities, as well as possession. In addition, commands given to a Dominated character wearing a Personal Psionic Mask that are contrary to the Expression of the mask are treated as actions contrary to the nature of both the mask and owner. Cognitive Endowment (Su): If its owner has at least 4HD, treat a Personal Psionic Mask as a Cognizance Crystal accessible only by its owner. It can store an amount of power points equal to its owner's HD minus three, rounded down to the nearest odd number. Stored power points can only be accessed while the Mask is worn by its owner. If the Mask is taken off, its stored power points deplete themselves at a rate of 1 power point every 24 hours until it is worn again. A Personal Psionic Mask cannot store more power points than its owner's maximum power point pool. Mood Swing (Su): A Manifester with at least 5HD and a Personal Psionic Mask gains the ability to switch which mask they are wearing with only the effort of their own concentration. Doing so is a Full-Round action at 5HD, a Move action at 10HD, a Free action at 15HD, and an Immediate action at 20HD. A character cannot switch between masks while manifesting a power. A character does not need an open hand to use the Mood Swing abiliy. Expression (Ex): Each Mask expresses a different facet of its owner's personality and makes that facet more evident in its owner's behavior. This Expression is selected upon taking Manifest Personal Psionic Mask [Psionic]*. No Expression allows its wearer to perform a check untrained that could not otherwise be performed untrained. Anxious: +1 competence bonus to Initiative checks per 6HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Blank: +1 competence bonus to Concentration checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Crystal Clear: +1 competence bonus to Diplomacy checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Equine: +1 competence bonus to Ride checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Feathered: +1 competence bonus to Jump checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Fierce: +1 competence bonus to Intimidate checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Cracked: +1 competence bonus to Disable Device checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Intricate: +1 competence bonus to Craft checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Jester: +1 competence bonus to Perform skill checks for a Perform skill its owner already has per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Once chosen, this cannot be changed to a different Perform skill. Leafy: +1 competence bonus to Survival checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Many-Eyed: +1 competence bonus to Spot checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Mirrored: +1 competence bonus to Sense Motive checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Resolved: +1 competence bonus to Will saves per 6HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Rorschach: +1 competence bonus to Autohypnosis checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Sailor: +1 competence bonus to Use Rope checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Scoundrel: +1 competence bonus to Open Lock checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Stoic: +1 competence bonus to Fortitude saves per 6HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Symmetrical: +1 competence bonus to Balance checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Terrified: +1 competence bonus to Hide checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Thoughtful: +1 competence bonus to Knowledge skill checks for a Knowledge skill its owner already has per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Once chosen, this cannot be changed to a different Knowledge skill. Two-faced: +1 competence bonus to Bluff checks per 4HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). Wide-eyed: +1 competence bonus to Reflex saves per 6HD of its owner, rounded down (minimum +1). *Each player should try to come up with a description for each mask. Work it into the character's aesthetic, their sense of style. It is a physical manifestation of a part of that character's personality, so don't feel constrained by - for example - the name of the "Leafy" Expression. If your character's survival instincts take the form of a bestial, feral snarl on an otherwise normal-looking mask instead of a leafy decoupage plastered onto your character's face, then by all means go for it. The names of the various Expressions are there to stimulate the imagination of the wide range of styles possible with the masks, not to pigeon-hole somebody into looking a certain way (not to mention for quick reference in determining which bonuses you're getting from your masks). Naturally, this is a work-in-progress, so take from this what you will. Not a single lick of it has been playtested, so it could very well be that this is even more breakable than Affinity Field shenanigans with psicrystals and I just don't see how yet, so any criticism or input is certainly wanted.
Amaril 02-06-08, 07:51 PM	Two general points: Psicrystals cost a feat to obtain. Familiars do not. Check out Dreamscarred Press' Psicrystals Expanded (http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/Store/product/pid=9.html).
Eldritch_Lord 02-06-08, 08:01 PM	Two general points: Psicrystals cost a feat to obtain. Familiars do not. Check out Dreamscarred Press' Psicrystals Expanded (http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/Store/product/pid=9.html). Agreed and agreed. As an addition to psicrystals instead of a replacement, however this is very well done; I might yoink it for my next game.
The_Mess 02-06-08, 08:38 PM	I can't be the only one the only one thinking of Ichigo's hollow-mask at this point. :-)
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 02-06-08, 08:39 PM	Two general points: Psicrystals cost a feat to obtain. Familiars do not. Check out Dreamscarred Press' Psicrystals Expanded (http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/Store/product/pid=9.html). The familiar is essentially equivalent to a feat as per the Obtain Familiar feat, uses a 100GP ritual to get it, and its owner not only has a wasted feat/class ability if the familiar gets killed, but they also lose a significant chunk of XP when that happens. Moreover, barring weird combos like the ones Pun-Pun's first arcane version depends on, a familiar's power level in the game drops sharply as its owner gets to higher levels and having it around becomes a liability due to the XP loss, a psionic character gets solid use out of their psicrystal at all levels, especially once they pick up Psycrystal Containment. Still, I've long ago decided that game balance isn't necessary for a fun campaign. As irritating as the disparity between psicrystals and familiars may be, that's only a symptom of the deeper issue: They are psionic familiars, and their game mechanics are essentially cloned from their arcane brethren. As a result, they do not capture what I feel the crystal should represent and I figured I may as well try to apply my thoughts to an alternative. I apologize if I was unclear about that in my first post... I sorta got wrapped up in a mentality of "How can I make it better?"... :P As for that book, I must say I have not read it, and I've been burned on pay-for-download things before... I am sorry, but I just can't bring myself to buy it. Agreed and agreed. As an addition to psicrystals instead of a replacement, however this is very well done; I might yoink it for my next game. Glad ya like it! :D I can't be the only one the only one thinking of Ichigo's hollow-mask at this point. :-) Ehh I suppose if that's the direction you wanted to take it, that's your prerogative... edit: Amaril, I am sorry if I came off as rude... It's just I was hoping for critique on the new idea rather than the assertion that Psicrystals are fine as-is and the idea is therefore worthless...
Eldritch_Lord 02-06-08, 09:25 PM	The familiar is essentially equivalent to a feat as per the Obtain Familiar feat, However, while it is possible to get one for a feat, it is a class feature (and therefore "free" feat-wise) for some arcanists. uses a 100GP ritual to get it, Not that big a deal; you can always get more money. and its owner not only has a wasted feat/class ability if the familiar gets killed, but they also lose a significant chunk of XP when that happens. However, you can summon another familiar after...a year and a day, I think? But by RAW you can never get another psicrystal; how to do so isn't covered. Moreover, barring weird combos like the ones Pun-Pun's first arcane version depends on, a familiar's power level in the game drops sharply as its owner gets to higher levels and having it around becomes a liability due to the XP loss, Share Spells and Deliver Touch Attacks can turn a familiar into a potent weapon when polymorph gets involved. a psionic character gets solid use out of their psicrystal at all levels, especially once they pick up Psycrystal Containment. As well they should, given that psionics are less powerful overall than arcane magic. Still, I've long ago decided that game balance isn't necessary for a fun campaign. As irritating as the disparity between psicrystals and familiars may be, that's only a symptom of the deeper issue: They are psionic familiars, and their game mechanics are essentially cloned from their arcane brethren. As a result, they do not capture what I feel the crystal should represent and I figured I may as well try to apply my thoughts to an alternative. I apologize if I was unclear about that in my first post... I sorta got wrapped up in a mentality of "How can I make it better?"... :P Agreed and agreed. Down with Psionic X!
Amaril 02-06-08, 10:04 PM	It's just I was hoping for critique on the new idea rather than the assertion that Psicrystals are fine as-is and the idea is therefore worthless...It's fine, although I never asserted such.
CrimsonDeath 02-07-08, 12:39 AM	However, you can summon another familiar after...a year and a day, I think? But by RAW you can never get another psicrystal; how to do so isn't covered. Official sources state that a lost psicrystal can be replaced, but haven't clarified how or when.
Eldritch_Lord 02-07-08, 08:26 AM	Official sources state that a lost psicrystal can be replaced, but haven't clarified how or when. Exactly: RAW doesn't tell you how, so even if you can theoretically get another, you don't know how to go about doing so and any method is a houserule.
CrimsonDeath 02-07-08, 01:45 PM	Exactly: RAW doesn't tell you how, so even if you can theoretically get another, you don't know how to go about doing so and any method is a houserule. In that case, you can't get a psicrystal in the first place by RAW, because it's never specified how the first one appears, so any method is a house rule. So just replace it the same way you got the first one.
Amaril 02-07-08, 03:32 PM	In that case, you can't get a psicrystal in the first place by RAW, because it's never specified how the first one appears, so any method is a house rule. So just replace it the same way you got the first one. I beg to differ. The creation of Psicrystals (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm#psicrystals) is covered by the rules. A psicrystal is a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life (via the Psicrystal Affinity feat)... A psicrystal is treated as a construct for the purposes of all effects that depend on its type. Psicrystal Affinity [Psionic] You have created a psicrystal. Prerequisites:: Manifester level 1st. Benefit: This feat allows you to gain a psicrystal.
Eldritch_Lord 02-07-08, 04:20 PM	I beg to differ. The creation of Psicrystals (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm#psicrystals) is covered by the rules. Thank you. The point I was trying to make was that it's obvious, RAW and RAI, how you get one in the first place, but not subsequently should the first be lost.
Scion of Coldshard 02-07-08, 04:33 PM	It looks like the masks dont give quite as much as the normal psicyrstals do. They are intelligent while worn but can basically do nothing, correct? How much do they weigh? Why do they take up a slot? This is a really big one, especially since they do seem to give less than a normal psicrystal. Why only one emotion showing per individual mask at a time? Why are the bonuses named bonuses? And the most common type of bonus for skills at that! It looks like in a good portion of the cases I would be better off taking a feat which already gives a bonus to whatever it is the mask would wind up giving the bonus to. I would most likely be getting a bigger bonus much earlier and not have a slot taken up. I would personally make it overall a lot more fluid and personal. Maybe something like the following: Each time you refresh your pp reserve you select the type of mask you will have for the day. Your mask takes on a physical appearance of your choice relevant to these selections. You get one choice at manifester level 1 and one additional choice for every even manifester level you possess. These choices are (the list you gave earlier basically, without the scaling) and are all circumstance bonuses. You cannot gain a bonus to any skill higher than the number of ranks you have in it nor gain a bonus to any single save greater than the amount that it would take to move your base save up to a good save for your level +2 (complicated I know, maybe there is a better way to word it). Your mask has a hardness of 8, half of your max hp, is a construct, no weight, no physical attributes, mental attributes equal to your mental attributes, and has a single mental standard action each round while worn (which takes up the goggles slot). Any skill that the mask is giving you a bonus to allows the mask to use aid another on you for that action using your skill bonus on the check (it may not take 10 on this check). While worn any [mind-affecting] ability that is used on you where you fail your saving throw the mask may make a save against the same DC using its will save, if it succeeds then the duration of the effect is halved (effects with an instantaneous or permanent duration are unaffected). You may also use the mask as a cognizance crystal while worn. It holds up to a number of pp equal to the base amount needed to manifest the highest level power you know. Feat - Multifaceted [Psionic] Prereqs: Benefit: You are treated as being one manifester level higher for the purpose of determining the benefits of your mask. Also, you may store 1 extra pp within it. Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time you select it beyond the first the effects given above increase by 1 (i.e. if this feat is selected 3 times then your manifester level will be treated as 6 higher [1+2+3] and you may store 6 extra pp in your mask [1+2+3]. I think that this gives a firmer mechanical benefit and reason for taking the feat. If the benefits were going to be locked, rather than chosen each day, then I would likely have it choose one skill each time the feat is selected, change the benefit around a bit, and make the chosen skill class skill.
Amaril 02-07-08, 05:33 PM	Thank you. The point I was trying to make was that it's obvious, RAW and RAI, how you get one in the first place, but not subsequently should the first be lost. I've always interpreted the feat to literally mean a psicrystal, as in one.
Eldritch_Lord 02-07-08, 09:14 PM	I've always interpreted the feat to literally mean a psicrystal, as in one. EXACTLY! :thumbsup: You can get a familiar back as many times as you want, but by RAW, if your first psicrystal goes, you're S.O.L.
TheKeyofE 02-07-08, 09:39 PM	EXACTLY! :thumbsup: You can get a familiar back as many times as you want, but by RAW, if your first psicrystal goes, you're S.O.L. Better have Psychic Reformation in your powers known, otherwise you're stuck with a useless feat slot. ...On the other hand, maybe they intended for you to do it that way. You'd have to spend XP to get your psicrystal back, just like a familiar. ...On the OTHER hand, not being able to get it back until you knew 4th level powers is almost as bad as not getting it back at all.
CrimsonDeath 02-07-08, 09:46 PM	I beg to differ. The creation of Psicrystals (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psion.htm#psicrystals) is covered by the rules. Thank you. The point I was trying to make was that it's obvious, RAW and RAI, how you get one in the first place, but not subsequently should the first be lost. Okay, how do you get one? A Wizard conducts a ritual to summon his Familiar, a Druid meditates to call his Companion, and a Paladin conjures his Mount as a full-round action. Where does a Psicrystal come from, and what does a Psion do to attract, create, or summon it? Note that "taking a feat" is a mechanical abstraction that does not in any way explain a character's actions.
Amaril 02-07-08, 10:51 PM	Okay, how do you get one? A Wizard conducts a ritual to summon his Familiar, a Druid meditates to call his Companion, and a Paladin conjures his Mount as a full-round action. Where does a Psicrystal come from, and what does a Psion do to attract, create, or summon it? Note that "taking a feat" is a mechanical abstraction that does not in any way explain a character's actions. Does it matter? You take the feat, find a crystal, imbue it with a personality trait of your own, and that's it. What does that have to do with RAW for whether or not you get another psicrystal if yours gets destroyed? RAW, you get the next psicrystal the same way you got the first one. Spend a feat.
CrimsonDeath 02-08-08, 02:17 AM	Does it matter? You take the feat, find a crystal, imbue it with a personality trait of your own, and that's it. What does that have to do with RAW for whether or not you get another psicrystal if yours gets destroyed? RAW, you get the next psicrystal the same way you got the first one. Spend a feat. Oh, okay. I didn't realize that was what you meant in the first place.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 02-08-08, 04:11 AM	It looks like the masks dont give quite as much as the normal psicyrstals do. They are intelligent while worn but can basically do nothing, correct? How much do they weigh? Why do they take up a slot? This is a really big one, especially since they do seem to give less than a normal psicrystal. Why only one emotion showing per individual mask at a time? Why are the bonuses named bonuses? And the most common type of bonus for skills at that! It looks like in a good portion of the cases I would be better off taking a feat which already gives a bonus to whatever it is the mask would wind up giving the bonus to. I would most likely be getting a bigger bonus much earlier and not have a slot taken up. I would personally make it overall a lot more fluid and personal. Maybe something like the following: Each time you refresh your pp reserve you select the type of mask you will have for the day. Your mask takes on a physical appearance of your choice relevant to these selections. You get one choice at manifester level 1 and one additional choice for every even manifester level you possess. These choices are (the list you gave earlier basically, without the scaling) and are all circumstance bonuses. You cannot gain a bonus to any skill higher than the number of ranks you have in it nor gain a bonus to any single save greater than the amount that it would take to move your base save up to a good save for your level +2 (complicated I know, maybe there is a better way to word it). Your mask has a hardness of 8, half of your max hp, is a construct, no weight, no physical attributes, mental attributes equal to your mental attributes, and has a single mental standard action each round while worn (which takes up the goggles slot). Any skill that the mask is giving you a bonus to allows the mask to use aid another on you for that action using your skill bonus on the check (it may not take 10 on this check). While worn any [mind-affecting] ability that is used on you where you fail your saving throw the mask may make a save against the same DC using its will save, if it succeeds then the duration of the effect is halved (effects with an instantaneous or permanent duration are unaffected). You may also use the mask as a cognizance crystal while worn. It holds up to a number of pp equal to the base amount needed to manifest the highest level power you know. Feat - Multifaceted [Psionic] Prereqs: Benefit: You are treated as being one manifester level higher for the purpose of determining the benefits of your mask. Also, you may store 1 extra pp within it. Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time you select it beyond the first the effects given above increase by 1 (i.e. if this feat is selected 3 times then your manifester level will be treated as 6 higher [1+2+3] and you may store 6 extra pp in your mask [1+2+3]. I think that this gives a firmer mechanical benefit and reason for taking the feat. If the benefits were going to be locked, rather than chosen each day, then I would likely have it choose one skill each time the feat is selected, change the benefit around a bit, and make the chosen skill class skill. Hmm... I suppose you are right in that they are more limited (except for variety of stat boosts, at least). I guuss I've just always figured it's easier to start weak and bring something up to par than it is to "unbreak" something... Still, going item-by-item: Essentially yeah, except in rare cases their intelligence really wouldn't matter... I'll get back to this later in this post. Weight completely slipped my mind. Having them be weightless would seem to make the most sense. They take up a slot because I really can't picture a character viably wearing one of these masks and still benefit from a Crystal Mask or some other bit of eyewear. That and since they're treated as psionic items rather than constructs, it would only make sense. Scaling them up, also, will wait until later in this post. It really didn't make sense to me on a conceptual level for a single mask to meaningfully express many different facets of a character's personality. Two? Maybe. Three? Stretching it. Four? Each individual expression would almost certainly be diluted beyond meaning. The named bonus comes from personal experience in... "optimizing" various skills beyond any reasonable meaning, though you do raise a good point in that a competence bonus just doesn't jive with the flavor. The more I think about it, the more I think an Insight bonus would be the most appropriate. And you are correct, a low-level character would normally benefit more from taking some other feat for a skill bonus, although simply wearing A mask gets some nice kalashtar-esque save bonuses vs. mind-affecting spells, powers, and abilities and possession. It certainly wouldn't be as ubiquitous among psions as psicrystals are now, as they would fit a very distinct style of campaign and character. I avoided a "At the start of your day form a mask and get bonuses" tempate for the ability due to its mechanical resemblance to some manner of Incarnum ability, especially with so much of the thing already looking at its owner's HD instead of manifester levels. Perhaps leaving the progressions for saves and skill bonuses the same and using your idea for allowing the mask one mental action per round along with a conceptually gutted Mindlink-like ability feeding impulses of what the mask seems to be a good idea back to the character, which as time goes by the character finds easier to follow (hence, the improved bonuses). Restricting its use of Aid Another to things it provides a bonus to and skills that can be used untrained that the mask has a positive modifier on seems... prudent. For purposes of Aiding Another, the Mask may use a Craft (Mask) check using your ranks in Craft (Mask) in addition to its intelligence modifier, regardless of what sort of action the Mask is Aiding. Your reworking of the protection from mind-affecting spells, powers, and abilities thing seems a bit... off. I was thinking of a much closer relationship between mask and wearer than a psicrystal or a proxy or someone telling the wearer to "snap out of it"... The original ability was templated off the standard for "two minds in one body" effects. I like your wording on the Cognizance Crystal-like ability a lot more than mine... I'm thinking the new wording for Cognitive Endowment would be as follows: "You may also use the mask as a cognizance crystal. It holds up to a number of pp equal to the base amount needed to manifest the highest level power you know. Stored power points can only be accessed while the Mask is worn by its owner. If the Mask is taken off, its stored power points deplete themselves at a rate of 1 power point every 24 hours until it is worn again." Drop the text after "You may take this feat more than once" and Multifaceted seems like it would work quite well with the concept of the mask. Still, I'm not too concerned with keeping the power level comparable to that of a psicrystal. With this current setup, here's what it has to offer... Skill Focus: Equaled on average by level 1* Iron Will/Great Fortitude/Rapid Reflexes: Beaten on average by level 1* Improved Initiative: Equaled by level 12.* Cognizance Crystal: Mooted by level 1. *Thanks to a wholesale +2 unnamed bonus thanks to Aid Another on anything the Mask already helps with and various other things. I'd say that's easily worth a feat in and of itself, especially since it will also be able to hold a psionic focus with the addition of a feat, and thanks to More than Just a Cigar, it can beat Skill focus thrice over with just two feats, doable by level 1 with a human Psion - all in addition to being a cognizance crystal and a potential extra psionic focus. Isn't that enough?
Eldritch_Lord 02-08-08, 09:04 AM	Okay, how do you get one? A Wizard conducts a ritual to summon his Familiar, a Druid meditates to call his Companion, and a Paladin conjures his Mount as a full-round action. Where does a Psicrystal come from, and what does a Psion do to attract, create, or summon it? Note that "taking a feat" is a mechanical abstraction that does not in any way explain a character's actions. Well, as Amaril quoted, a psicrystal is "a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life", so however you would incarnate a thought into the physical world (meditation or whatever) would work. But yes, I was talking about RAW.
CrimsonDeath 02-08-08, 12:43 PM	Well, as Amaril quoted, a psicrystal is "a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life", so however you would incarnate a thought into the physical world (meditation or whatever) would work. But yes, I was talking about RAW. Well, I've personally never incarnated a thought into the physical world, so I'm not sure what specific procedures are involved. Unlike familars and animal companions, there are no written rules regarding it. I was talking about RAW as well, but a different aspect of RAW. Since we were never talking about the same thing in the first place, it's probably best if we just drop the discussion.
Eldritch_Lord 02-08-08, 05:19 PM	Well, I've personally never incarnated a thought into the physical world, so I'm not sure what specific procedures are involved. Unlike familars and animal companions, there are no written rules regarding it. Something tells me you never meditated for a familiar either, and the rules on that are similarly vague. ;) I was talking about RAW as well, but a different aspect of RAW. Since we were never talking about the same thing in the first place, it's probably best if we just drop the discussion. Agreed; consider it dropped.
CrimsonDeath 02-08-08, 08:10 PM	Something tells me you never meditated for a familiar either, and the rules on that are similarly vague. ;) Nope, there's a 24-hour ritual that costs 100gp. Slightly less vague. Not that it really matters at this point.
zuul88 02-09-08, 02:40 AM	Yeah the masks are a decent Psicrystal variant but they are WAY underpowered. WAY, WAY, WAY underpowered. By RAW(it has to be house-ruled agaisnt) Psicrystals get feats. That is 7 feats for the price of one, taking wild talent or hidden talent gains access to psionic feats. Awesomeness!!! Go cut-n-paste WotC policy finally paying off for psionics instead of nerfing us. Respect Nathan
Eldritch_Lord 02-09-08, 11:03 AM	Nope, there's a 24-hour ritual that costs 100gp. Slightly less vague. Not that it really matters at this point. Well, all that means is that there is no gp cost for a psicrystal. Familiar Psicrystal Ritual......Meditation 24 hrs.....as long as it takes 100gp.....free
CrimsonDeath 02-09-08, 01:11 PM	Well, all that means is that there is no gp cost for a psicrystal. Familiar Psicrystal Ritual......Meditation 24 hrs.....as long as it takes 100gp.....free Not seeing where it's written that you have to meditate to get a psicrystal.
Eldritch_Lord 02-09-08, 02:04 PM	Not seeing where it's written that you have to meditate to get a psicrystal. :bored: How else do you intend to manifest a part of your personality in the physical world? Sing "Just the Two of Us"?
CrimsonDeath 02-09-08, 08:21 PM	:bored: How else do you intend to manifest a part of your personality in the physical world? Sing "Just the Two of Us"? It's a reasonable house rule, but there's no written rule governing it. That's my point.
Eldritch_Lord 02-09-08, 08:57 PM	It's a reasonable house rule, but there's no written rule governing it. That's my point. I guess my point is that a familiar costs 100gp but a psicrystal is (monetarily) free, and anything past that is just fluff, so the rules themselves are equally clear on what happens, it's the fluff that's not.
Gnome_Dragon_Disciple 02-09-08, 08:57 PM	Yeah the masks are a decent Psicrystal variant but they are WAY underpowered. WAY, WAY, WAY underpowered. By RAW(it has to be house-ruled agaisnt) Psicrystals get feats. That is 7 feats for the price of one, taking wild talent or hidden talent gains access to psionic feats. Awesomeness!!! Go cut-n-paste WotC policy finally paying off for psionics instead of nerfing us. Respect Nathan Don't get me wrong, I love psionics. I don't think they're overpowered. I'm just getting at the point that as-is, the masks are still better than a number of other feats that make for handy benchmarks for the sorts of bonuses the masks provide. Calling them underpowered in comparison to a feat so powerful that almost every psion has it just doesn't seem... valid.
CrimsonDeath 02-10-08, 12:08 AM	I guess my point is that a familiar costs 100gp but a psicrystal is (monetarily) free, and anything past that is just fluff, so the rules themselves are equally clear on what happens, it's the fluff that's not. A familiar also costs 24 hours. We don't know how long the procedure to generate a psicrystal takes. And that is my point.
Eldritch_Lord 02-10-08, 11:25 AM	A familiar also costs 24 hours. We don't know how long the procedure to generate a psicrystal takes. And that is my point. Okay, if that's the deal-breaker for you, I suppose I get that; in every game I've ever been in the familiar time and the psicrystal time have been handwaved because either (A) they had it starting at 1st level or (B) you have plenty of down-time days to spend in meditation.
CrimsonDeath 02-10-08, 12:34 PM	Okay, if that's the deal-breaker for you, I suppose I get that; in every game I've ever been in the familiar time and the psicrystal time have been handwaved because either (A) they had it starting at 1st level or (B) you have plenty of down-time days to spend in meditation. I never said it was a problem for me. It just seems like a logical inconsistency that you would be concerned about the fact that there's no specified method for creating a replacement psicrystal, but take it as a matter of course that there's no specified method for creating the original.
Eldritch_Lord 02-10-08, 01:03 PM	I never said it was a problem for me. It just seems like a logical inconsistency that you would be concerned about the fact that there's no specified method for creating a replacement psicrystal, but take it as a matter of course that there's no specified method for creating the original. Thing is, putting aside for a moment our differences on how well-defined the process is, the fact remains that the familiar description says "if your familiar dies, wait X time and you can do it again" but the psicrystal, by RAW, you can only get once. I can make up any number of ceremonies, meditations, and such fluff-wise to determine how exactly a psicrystal comes the first time, but if it doesn't say you can get one a second time, no amount of fluff will suffice if you're going by RAW.