The Psicrystal Rogue [Archive] - Wizards Community

The Psicrystal Rogue [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
hovnarr
02-24-08, 09:20 AM My DM allows psicrystals to gain feats, and we're in need of Trap Finding. So I thought...

Feat: Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenement (Kobold domain)).

There! Now it has Trap Finding as a rogue and Search and Disable Device are class skills. Since it's really too tiny and feeble to disable any devices, we'll only use it for Search though.

Now, isn't it so that you always get one skill point even if your Int mod would put it at 0 sp gained? That, and the fact that psicrystals start with 4 ranks in Search, would enable it to keep it maxed out. If not, I'd have to use the Open Minded feat to get skill points for it.

The psicrystal is naturally stealthy and pretty resilient with Hardness 8, it has telecom, good sensory powers etc. so it's the perfect scout. If a trap is detected, I can bypass it with Time Hop or spring it with a 1pp construct.

As for other feats, I'm thinking Metamorphic Transfer for when I share Metamorphosis with it. Other ideas for feats?
Ekko
02-24-08, 09:27 AM You are correct about the skill points. Though, if you have a better Search modifier, it uses that, and the points are wasted until it's modifier is better. Skill Focus (search) is definately worth it.

You could also have it take the Anti-Psionics feats in the EPH, so it can resist powers (if psionics are commonplace). Or, Wild Talent works to give it a couple of pp's and a power, then EK in some more 1st level powers. Take the feat that give you more pp's if you need them.

EDIT: Or, have it take Psicrystal affinity. Use this one for a Meticulous crytstal (gives the original psycrystal +3 to Search), and use the new crystal to focus on another skill (like spot, listen, or sense motive).
hovnarr
02-24-08, 09:42 AM Ah, SF: Search, of course. Fortunately, a hiearchical army of psicrystals is prevented from the ML1 feat prerequiste, so no affinity for my psicrystal.

Well, since starting level is 8, that settles it then. Metamorphic Transfer, Planar Touchstone and SF:Search. Psicrystal's done! Thanks for the help.

Btw, you wouldn't be the Ekko from Land of the Mystic Feys, by any chance?
Lycanthromancer
02-24-08, 12:46 PM Psicrystals don't gain skill points unless they somehow don't have a master. It says so in their entry. They use the master's modifiers instead.
hovnarr
02-24-08, 06:36 PM Aw, crap. But Open Minded would work, right?
Lycanthromancer
02-24-08, 07:03 PM Aw, crap. But Open Minded would work, right?It would indeed. Also, if you use Magic of Incarnum and a modified version of Undead Meldshaping (feat), your little buddy could get some nice bonuses to its skills and other abilities through soulmelds. You'd have to spend some effort getting its Charisma up, and spend some feats, but you'd be amazed at the skill bonuses you could get through judicious use of soulmelds and essenta.

...Assuming you could get your DM to okay it, that is.

(Also, taking some meldshaper feats and so on yourself, plus the Share Soulmeld feat, would allow your psicrystal buddy to do some incredibly interesting stuff.)
hovnarr
02-25-08, 03:40 AM Hmm... I never looked into Incarnum, so I have no idea what would be possible. The psicrystal is very scarce on feats though - only 1/3/6 = 3 feats. I might be able to fit something in on the psion though, if there's a "share" option.
Lycanthromancer
02-25-08, 09:35 AM Only when the psicrystal is within 5 ft. :(

However, you can use the Necrocarnum Circlet to create a necrocarnum zombie (a really strong zombie with an Int score), which would definitely be useful as your psicrystal's scouting buddy (at least as far as trapfinding goes; it'd also be good as your psicrystal's buddyguard :D).
hovnarr
02-25-08, 04:06 PM I have issues with undead companions :eek:

Anyway, looking at this wording:

Skills
A psicrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Search. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psicrystal has 4 ranks in each.) A psicrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks.

It appears to me now that Open Minded won't do anything for the psicrystal. It's not that the psicrystal doesn't GAIN any skill points, it's that its ranks are reset to its master regardless of what they were before.

So actually, it's the psion master that needs Search as a class skill. Of course, the psicrystal still needs trapfinding, so there you go. Ideally, both should have the Planar Touchstone feat.

Am I reading this right?
Ekko
02-25-08, 04:52 PM Btw, you wouldn't be the Ekko from Land of the Mystic Feys, by any chance?

=) Indeed, we're the same. Though, don't expect me to be around LotMF a lot, I'm currently AWOL.

EDIT: SF (Search) and the feat that give +2 to Search and something else would still work. They're not actually skill ranks, so the psicrystal can still use them. That means a psicrystal can have a +10 modifier, not counting an INT bonus. Not bad, eh?
hovnarr
02-26-08, 04:25 PM Thanks for the tip! Good ideas for feat advancement later.

Shall I tell the LotMF admins that you're AWOL until further notice then?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
hovnarr 02-24-08, 09:20 AM	My DM allows psicrystals to gain feats, and we're in need of Trap Finding. So I thought... Feat: Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenement (Kobold domain)). There! Now it has Trap Finding as a rogue and Search and Disable Device are class skills. Since it's really too tiny and feeble to disable any devices, we'll only use it for Search though. Now, isn't it so that you always get one skill point even if your Int mod would put it at 0 sp gained? That, and the fact that psicrystals start with 4 ranks in Search, would enable it to keep it maxed out. If not, I'd have to use the Open Minded feat to get skill points for it. The psicrystal is naturally stealthy and pretty resilient with Hardness 8, it has telecom, good sensory powers etc. so it's the perfect scout. If a trap is detected, I can bypass it with Time Hop or spring it with a 1pp construct. As for other feats, I'm thinking Metamorphic Transfer for when I share Metamorphosis with it. Other ideas for feats?
Ekko 02-24-08, 09:27 AM	You are correct about the skill points. Though, if you have a better Search modifier, it uses that, and the points are wasted until it's modifier is better. Skill Focus (search) is definately worth it. You could also have it take the Anti-Psionics feats in the EPH, so it can resist powers (if psionics are commonplace). Or, Wild Talent works to give it a couple of pp's and a power, then EK in some more 1st level powers. Take the feat that give you more pp's if you need them. EDIT: Or, have it take Psicrystal affinity. Use this one for a Meticulous crytstal (gives the original psycrystal +3 to Search), and use the new crystal to focus on another skill (like spot, listen, or sense motive).
hovnarr 02-24-08, 09:42 AM	Ah, SF: Search, of course. Fortunately, a hiearchical army of psicrystals is prevented from the ML1 feat prerequiste, so no affinity for my psicrystal. Well, since starting level is 8, that settles it then. Metamorphic Transfer, Planar Touchstone and SF:Search. Psicrystal's done! Thanks for the help. Btw, you wouldn't be the Ekko from Land of the Mystic Feys, by any chance?
Lycanthromancer 02-24-08, 12:46 PM	Psicrystals don't gain skill points unless they somehow don't have a master. It says so in their entry. They use the master's modifiers instead.
hovnarr 02-24-08, 06:36 PM	Aw, crap. But Open Minded would work, right?
Lycanthromancer 02-24-08, 07:03 PM	Aw, crap. But Open Minded would work, right?It would indeed. Also, if you use Magic of Incarnum and a modified version of Undead Meldshaping (feat), your little buddy could get some nice bonuses to its skills and other abilities through soulmelds. You'd have to spend some effort getting its Charisma up, and spend some feats, but you'd be amazed at the skill bonuses you could get through judicious use of soulmelds and essenta. ...Assuming you could get your DM to okay it, that is. (Also, taking some meldshaper feats and so on yourself, plus the Share Soulmeld feat, would allow your psicrystal buddy to do some incredibly interesting stuff.)
hovnarr 02-25-08, 03:40 AM	Hmm... I never looked into Incarnum, so I have no idea what would be possible. The psicrystal is very scarce on feats though - only 1/3/6 = 3 feats. I might be able to fit something in on the psion though, if there's a "share" option.
Lycanthromancer 02-25-08, 09:35 AM	Only when the psicrystal is within 5 ft. :( However, you can use the Necrocarnum Circlet to create a necrocarnum zombie (a really strong zombie with an Int score), which would definitely be useful as your psicrystal's scouting buddy (at least as far as trapfinding goes; it'd also be good as your psicrystal's buddyguard :D).
hovnarr 02-25-08, 04:06 PM	I have issues with undead companions :eek: Anyway, looking at this wording: Skills A psicrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Search. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psicrystal has 4 ranks in each.) A psicrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks. It appears to me now that Open Minded won't do anything for the psicrystal. It's not that the psicrystal doesn't GAIN any skill points, it's that its ranks are reset to its master regardless of what they were before. So actually, it's the psion master that needs Search as a class skill. Of course, the psicrystal still needs trapfinding, so there you go. Ideally, both should have the Planar Touchstone feat. Am I reading this right?
Ekko 02-25-08, 04:52 PM	Btw, you wouldn't be the Ekko from Land of the Mystic Feys, by any chance? =) Indeed, we're the same. Though, don't expect me to be around LotMF a lot, I'm currently AWOL. EDIT: SF (Search) and the feat that give +2 to Search and something else would still work. They're not actually skill ranks, so the psicrystal can still use them. That means a psicrystal can have a +10 modifier, not counting an INT bonus. Not bad, eh?
hovnarr 02-26-08, 04:25 PM	Thanks for the tip! Good ideas for feat advancement later. Shall I tell the LotMF admins that you're AWOL until further notice then?