Reference to psicrystal destruction penalty? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Reference to psicrystal destruction penalty? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Psionx
09-11-07, 12:24 PM Link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20031219a)

Genesis Stone (Sp): At 10th level, a planar vanguard gains the ability to turn her psicrystal into a small pocket dimension. This pocket dimension is often used as a base of operation. A planar vanguard can craft a new psicrystal to replace the one used for this purpose. The original crystal is destroyed in the process, but the planar vanguard does not suffer the standard effects of losing a psicrystal. A planar vanguard can own only one demiplane at a time and cannot construct a new one unless all portals to the old one are destroyed. The planar vanguard must meditate 8 hours a day for one week to awaken the demiplane in her psicrystal.

Does this mean that there are most likely penalties involved with losing the psicrystal?
PhaedrusXY
09-11-07, 12:29 PM Maybe. ;)

That is a really cool PrC. I'd seen it before, but forgotten about it.
Bacris
09-11-07, 12:43 PM It's a 3.0 class. Didn't the 3.0 psicrystal have psicrystal death rules?
Tempest Stormwind
09-11-07, 02:03 PM It's a 3.0 class. Didn't the 3.0 psicrystal have psicrystal death rules?

Yep. Back when it was a class feature that was virtually identical to a familiar, it cost XP if it died. (Interestingly, we didn't have *stats* for psicrystals until a late Mind's Eye article...)
Einvaldurinn_mikli
09-11-07, 02:24 PM Yep. Back when it was a class feature that was virtually identical to a familiar, it cost XP if it died. (Interestingly, we didn't have *stats* for psicrystals until a late Mind's Eye article...)

:rofl:
Bacris
09-11-07, 09:33 PM 2 steps forward, one step back?
Artector
09-11-07, 10:29 PM 2 steps forward, one step back?

i'm more inclined to say 3 forward 1 back. Psionics has come quite aways.
Jaid
09-12-07, 10:18 AM i'm more inclined to say 3 forward 1 back. Psionics has come quite aways.

i think he's talking about psicrystals in particular, not psionics in general ;)

which i would have to agree with... at least we now have stats for them and what they can do (although wizards disagrees with one of the stats they gave them while not actually doing anything to make the change official) even if they don't have any information on what happens when you lose one =P
necrosnoop110
09-17-07, 12:47 AM (although wizards disagrees with one of the stats they gave them while not actually doing anything to make the change official)
To all the newbies out there what was the deal with that?

Peace,
AJ
hovnarr
09-17-07, 01:43 AM I assume it's about the perennial "psicrystal feats" question.

By the RAW, the psicrystal appears to get feats, but designers have clarified that this was never intended. Yet, they haven't put out an errata (my guess for this is, most players and DMs wouldn't notice that they do get feats by the RAW, so little point in stating that they don't).
PhaedrusXY
09-17-07, 02:45 PM The DM in my game decided to treat them just like familiars, with the XP penalty for their destruction and everything... Fortunately, he is letting it go to -10 before total destruction (like a Warforged), instead of having it be destroyed at 0 like most constructs, which makes it a bit more survivable. Mine got dropped to -4 last game, so I will definitely be a bit more careful with it in the future.
ck2001wendt
09-18-07, 03:12 PM Here is how I deal with PsiCrystal death.

1. If your psicrystal is destroyed, that is it. There is no mechanic for recovering it, but no penalty if you lose it.

2. When you reach the next level, you may use Retraining (PHB II) to swap your PsiCrystal feat for another PsiCrystal feat with the same properties.

A fairly elegant solution (or at least I think so).
necrosnoop110
09-18-07, 05:17 PM Here is how I deal with PsiCrystal death.

1. If your psicrystal is destroyed, that is it. There is no mechanic for recovering it, but no penalty if you lose it.

2. When you reach the next level, you may use Retraining (PHB II) to swap your PsiCrystal feat for another PsiCrystal feat with the same properties.

A fairly elegant solution (or at least I think so).
I like that.

One side question though how do you handle the feat Psychic Reformation (I know xp cost) in regards to this?
CrimsonDeath
09-18-07, 05:30 PM And would you permit someone to change the personality type he gets when he swaps out Psicrystal Affinity for another Psicrystal Affinity?
ck2001wendt
09-18-07, 08:00 PM And would you permit someone to change the personality type he gets when he swaps out Psicrystal Affinity for another Psicrystal Affinity?

Absolutely. The old PsyCrystal is destroyed. You find a new crystal, and decide what shard of your personality to imbue into it. If you're in character, maybe you switch because your personality is in a different place than it was when you orignially imbued it. On the other hand, maybe you're in the same place and keep the same personality shard.
ck2001wendt
09-18-07, 08:07 PM I like that.

One side question though how do you handle the feat Psychic Reformation (I know xp cost) in regards to this?

Well, the Psychic Reformation power is largely superceded by Retraining generally. There are two conditions under which it is more useful:

1. You can do more "stuff" with PR than Retraining: for example, you can swap a feat and skill points at once with PR, whereas you have to do it twice (at least) with Retraining. Even if it's just Skill Points, a Rogue needs to Retrain twice or three times as frequently with Retraining as PR.
2. You can do "stuff" with PR faster and more frequently than Retraining. You can Retrain only when you go up a level. With PR, if you swap a Greatsword for a Bastard Sword and decide you want to swap Imp. Crit: GS for BS, you can do so immediately.
necrosnoop110
09-19-07, 01:25 PM But I mean would you allow a psicrystal owner to create a new psicrystal before reaching the next level with Psychic Reformation?
ck2001wendt
09-19-07, 02:25 PM But I mean would you allow a psicrystal owner to create a new psicrystal before reaching the next level with Psychic Reformation?

I think that would be fair. Unlike Retraining (which is free but limited), PR has an XP cost. Furthermore, this cost scales with level, so if you get PR at 7th but picked Psicrystal Affinity at 1st it would be 300 XP (?) to get a new crystal buddy.
CrimsonDeath
09-19-07, 02:27 PM I think that would be fair. Unlike Retraining (which is free but limited), PR has an XP cost. Furthermore, this cost scales with level, so if you get PR at 7th but picked Psicrystal Affinity at 1st it would be 300 XP (?) to get a new crystal buddy.

Of course, if possible, you'd probably want to restack your feats so that Psicrystal Affinity is at level 6 when you do that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Psionx 09-11-07, 12:24 PM	Link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20031219a) Genesis Stone (Sp): At 10th level, a planar vanguard gains the ability to turn her psicrystal into a small pocket dimension. This pocket dimension is often used as a base of operation. A planar vanguard can craft a new psicrystal to replace the one used for this purpose. The original crystal is destroyed in the process, but the planar vanguard does not suffer the standard effects of losing a psicrystal. A planar vanguard can own only one demiplane at a time and cannot construct a new one unless all portals to the old one are destroyed. The planar vanguard must meditate 8 hours a day for one week to awaken the demiplane in her psicrystal. Does this mean that there are most likely penalties involved with losing the psicrystal?
PhaedrusXY 09-11-07, 12:29 PM	Maybe. ;) That is a really cool PrC. I'd seen it before, but forgotten about it.
Bacris 09-11-07, 12:43 PM	It's a 3.0 class. Didn't the 3.0 psicrystal have psicrystal death rules?
Tempest Stormwind 09-11-07, 02:03 PM	It's a 3.0 class. Didn't the 3.0 psicrystal have psicrystal death rules? Yep. Back when it was a class feature that was virtually identical to a familiar, it cost XP if it died. (Interestingly, we didn't have stats for psicrystals until a late Mind's Eye article...)
Einvaldurinn_mikli 09-11-07, 02:24 PM	Yep. Back when it was a class feature that was virtually identical to a familiar, it cost XP if it died. (Interestingly, we didn't have stats for psicrystals until a late Mind's Eye article...) :rofl:
Bacris 09-11-07, 09:33 PM	2 steps forward, one step back?
Artector 09-11-07, 10:29 PM	2 steps forward, one step back? i'm more inclined to say 3 forward 1 back. Psionics has come quite aways.
Jaid 09-12-07, 10:18 AM	i'm more inclined to say 3 forward 1 back. Psionics has come quite aways. i think he's talking about psicrystals in particular, not psionics in general ;) which i would have to agree with... at least we now have stats for them and what they can do (although wizards disagrees with one of the stats they gave them while not actually doing anything to make the change official) even if they don't have any information on what happens when you lose one =P
necrosnoop110 09-17-07, 12:47 AM	(although wizards disagrees with one of the stats they gave them while not actually doing anything to make the change official) To all the newbies out there what was the deal with that? Peace, AJ
hovnarr 09-17-07, 01:43 AM	I assume it's about the perennial "psicrystal feats" question. By the RAW, the psicrystal appears to get feats, but designers have clarified that this was never intended. Yet, they haven't put out an errata (my guess for this is, most players and DMs wouldn't notice that they do get feats by the RAW, so little point in stating that they don't).
PhaedrusXY 09-17-07, 02:45 PM	The DM in my game decided to treat them just like familiars, with the XP penalty for their destruction and everything... Fortunately, he is letting it go to -10 before total destruction (like a Warforged), instead of having it be destroyed at 0 like most constructs, which makes it a bit more survivable. Mine got dropped to -4 last game, so I will definitely be a bit more careful with it in the future.
ck2001wendt 09-18-07, 03:12 PM	Here is how I deal with PsiCrystal death. 1. If your psicrystal is destroyed, that is it. There is no mechanic for recovering it, but no penalty if you lose it. 2. When you reach the next level, you may use Retraining (PHB II) to swap your PsiCrystal feat for another PsiCrystal feat with the same properties. A fairly elegant solution (or at least I think so).
necrosnoop110 09-18-07, 05:17 PM	Here is how I deal with PsiCrystal death. 1. If your psicrystal is destroyed, that is it. There is no mechanic for recovering it, but no penalty if you lose it. 2. When you reach the next level, you may use Retraining (PHB II) to swap your PsiCrystal feat for another PsiCrystal feat with the same properties. A fairly elegant solution (or at least I think so). I like that. One side question though how do you handle the feat Psychic Reformation (I know xp cost) in regards to this?
CrimsonDeath 09-18-07, 05:30 PM	And would you permit someone to change the personality type he gets when he swaps out Psicrystal Affinity for another Psicrystal Affinity?
ck2001wendt 09-18-07, 08:00 PM	And would you permit someone to change the personality type he gets when he swaps out Psicrystal Affinity for another Psicrystal Affinity? Absolutely. The old PsyCrystal is destroyed. You find a new crystal, and decide what shard of your personality to imbue into it. If you're in character, maybe you switch because your personality is in a different place than it was when you orignially imbued it. On the other hand, maybe you're in the same place and keep the same personality shard.
ck2001wendt 09-18-07, 08:07 PM	I like that. One side question though how do you handle the feat Psychic Reformation (I know xp cost) in regards to this? Well, the Psychic Reformation power is largely superceded by Retraining generally. There are two conditions under which it is more useful: 1. You can do more "stuff" with PR than Retraining: for example, you can swap a feat and skill points at once with PR, whereas you have to do it twice (at least) with Retraining. Even if it's just Skill Points, a Rogue needs to Retrain twice or three times as frequently with Retraining as PR. 2. You can do "stuff" with PR faster and more frequently than Retraining. You can Retrain only when you go up a level. With PR, if you swap a Greatsword for a Bastard Sword and decide you want to swap Imp. Crit: GS for BS, you can do so immediately.
necrosnoop110 09-19-07, 01:25 PM	But I mean would you allow a psicrystal owner to create a new psicrystal before reaching the next level with Psychic Reformation?
ck2001wendt 09-19-07, 02:25 PM	But I mean would you allow a psicrystal owner to create a new psicrystal before reaching the next level with Psychic Reformation? I think that would be fair. Unlike Retraining (which is free but limited), PR has an XP cost. Furthermore, this cost scales with level, so if you get PR at 7th but picked Psicrystal Affinity at 1st it would be 300 XP (?) to get a new crystal buddy.
CrimsonDeath 09-19-07, 02:27 PM	I think that would be fair. Unlike Retraining (which is free but limited), PR has an XP cost. Furthermore, this cost scales with level, so if you get PR at 7th but picked Psicrystal Affinity at 1st it would be 300 XP (?) to get a new crystal buddy. Of course, if possible, you'd probably want to restack your feats so that Psicrystal Affinity is at level 6 when you do that.