Psionic Crystal question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Psionic Crystal question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
VirusX999
01-17-08, 08:19 AM Greetings Psionic people, I have returned with another easy to answer question.

Can a Psionic Crystal deliver a power such as Energy Burst? If it can, what are the rules in making this happen?

Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently.

As always, I appreciate the help. I'll check back after work.

Have an awesome day!
Bacris
01-17-08, 10:16 AM I assume you mean a psicrystal?

The answer is at level 6, no.

The feature you want is "Channel Power", and it is available at level 15.

Channel Power (Sp): If the owner is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psicrystal to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psicrystal is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location.
When channeling a power through his psicrystal, the owner manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psicrystal).
CrimsonDeath
01-17-08, 12:21 PM Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently.

Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile) is about as good, for most purposes. (I'm assuming you're not a Kineticist, since then you could just pick up Energy Ball.)
jbsaff
01-17-08, 12:50 PM Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently.

I'm curious about why you want to compete with the wizard on direct damage. Competition in the party? Because my understanding is that it will be rather difficult to beat a wizard on pure damage due to automatic damage scaling and power level issues (vs globes of invulnerability).
InkBlot
01-17-08, 01:09 PM CrimsonDeath, energyball is a 4th level power. So a non-kineticist can't learn it until 9th level with Expanded Knowledge.

Competing for a party role like that often leads to bitter feelings. There are many things a psion can do more easily than a wizard, and vice versa. The wizard has an especially easy way to change roles; simply prepare different spells. However, next level your psion will be able to learn psychic reformation and entirely transform his role in 10 minutes for a small XP cost.
CrimsonDeath
01-17-08, 02:18 PM CrimsonDeath, energyball is a 4th level power. So a non-kineticist can't learn it until 9th level with Expanded Knowledge.
That's why I said that would be an option for a Kineticist. (Of course, even if it were a 3rd level power, a non-Kineticist still couldn't get it until level 9 because that's the first feat after learning level 4 powers.)
ReaderOfPosts
01-17-08, 02:28 PM If powerpoint efficiency isn't a problem, psions can keep up on damage with non-metamagic specialists for damaging spells, if they spend full powerpoints to augment every round. Usually wizards only have one or two of their highest level spells memorized.

Granted, wizards win hands down for max damage in day because of free scaling.
InkBlot
01-18-08, 04:06 AM Wizards don't need their highest level spells to match a Psion's damage output. Since spells scale for free, a Wizard's second- and third-highest level spells deal as much damage as her highest level of spells. For example, when a Wizard learns delayed blast fireball (7th), cone of cold (5th) still hasn't hit it's damage cap yet.

The Psion's advantage in blasting is the +1 damage per die of fire and cold, the +2 save DC/attack bonus of electricity, and the ability to change damage-type on the fly. Metapsionics suck for Psions, compared to Wizards, since every point you spend on the meta feat is another point not spent on increasing the damage.

But as far as blasting goes, Sorcerers are more comparable to Psions IMO. Both Sorcs and Psions have an extra action restriction on meta feats, and they can use their most powerful attacks about as often as each other. Neither has to prepare anything. Psions get their little bonuses depending on energy type, and Sorcerers have their lower-level spells to fall back on (to help run away if nothing else).
InkBlot
01-18-08, 04:09 AM That's why I said that would be an option for a Kineticist. (Of course, even if it were a 3rd level power, a non-Kineticist still couldn't get it until level 9 because that's the first feat after learning level 4 powers.)

I'm sorry. I misread your post. You're absolutely right, especially about EK (energy missile). The OP could retroactively take it as a 6th level feat or 5th level bonus feat, through psychic reformation at 7th level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
VirusX999 01-17-08, 08:19 AM	Greetings Psionic people, I have returned with another easy to answer question. Can a Psionic Crystal deliver a power such as Energy Burst? If it can, what are the rules in making this happen? Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently. As always, I appreciate the help. I'll check back after work. Have an awesome day!
Bacris 01-17-08, 10:16 AM	I assume you mean a psicrystal? The answer is at level 6, no. The feature you want is "Channel Power", and it is available at level 15. Channel Power (Sp): If the owner is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psicrystal to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psicrystal is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location. When channeling a power through his psicrystal, the owner manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psicrystal).
CrimsonDeath 01-17-08, 12:21 PM	Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently. Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile) is about as good, for most purposes. (I'm assuming you're not a Kineticist, since then you could just pick up Energy Ball.)
jbsaff 01-17-08, 12:50 PM	Basically, I'm looking to have a "fireball" type attack (to compete with that blasted wizard in the party). My Psion is level 6 currently. I'm curious about why you want to compete with the wizard on direct damage. Competition in the party? Because my understanding is that it will be rather difficult to beat a wizard on pure damage due to automatic damage scaling and power level issues (vs globes of invulnerability).
InkBlot 01-17-08, 01:09 PM	CrimsonDeath, energyball is a 4th level power. So a non-kineticist can't learn it until 9th level with Expanded Knowledge. Competing for a party role like that often leads to bitter feelings. There are many things a psion can do more easily than a wizard, and vice versa. The wizard has an especially easy way to change roles; simply prepare different spells. However, next level your psion will be able to learn psychic reformation and entirely transform his role in 10 minutes for a small XP cost.
CrimsonDeath 01-17-08, 02:18 PM	CrimsonDeath, energyball is a 4th level power. So a non-kineticist can't learn it until 9th level with Expanded Knowledge. That's why I said that would be an option for a Kineticist. (Of course, even if it were a 3rd level power, a non-Kineticist still couldn't get it until level 9 because that's the first feat after learning level 4 powers.)
ReaderOfPosts 01-17-08, 02:28 PM	If powerpoint efficiency isn't a problem, psions can keep up on damage with non-metamagic specialists for damaging spells, if they spend full powerpoints to augment every round. Usually wizards only have one or two of their highest level spells memorized. Granted, wizards win hands down for max damage in day because of free scaling.
InkBlot 01-18-08, 04:06 AM	Wizards don't need their highest level spells to match a Psion's damage output. Since spells scale for free, a Wizard's second- and third-highest level spells deal as much damage as her highest level of spells. For example, when a Wizard learns delayed blast fireball (7th), cone of cold (5th) still hasn't hit it's damage cap yet. The Psion's advantage in blasting is the +1 damage per die of fire and cold, the +2 save DC/attack bonus of electricity, and the ability to change damage-type on the fly. Metapsionics suck for Psions, compared to Wizards, since every point you spend on the meta feat is another point not spent on increasing the damage. But as far as blasting goes, Sorcerers are more comparable to Psions IMO. Both Sorcs and Psions have an extra action restriction on meta feats, and they can use their most powerful attacks about as often as each other. Neither has to prepare anything. Psions get their little bonuses depending on energy type, and Sorcerers have their lower-level spells to fall back on (to help run away if nothing else).
InkBlot 01-18-08, 04:09 AM	That's why I said that would be an option for a Kineticist. (Of course, even if it were a 3rd level power, a non-Kineticist still couldn't get it until level 9 because that's the first feat after learning level 4 powers.) I'm sorry. I misread your post. You're absolutely right, especially about EK (energy missile). The OP could retroactively take it as a 6th level feat or 5th level bonus feat, through psychic reformation at 7th level.