Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 necrosnoop110 Apr 23, 2010 17:09:34	Which power is generally better? Would you ever want both? Seems to me that Crystalstorm is pretty much superior. Crystal Shard (XPH, 89) www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Crystal_Shard Crystalstorm (Cpsi, 81)
#2 zylo_drizzt Apr 24, 2010 15:31:50	single target, multitarget. one is a save the other is not. yes you could get both and wouldn't be a problem. believe they are diffrent level powes though both suck because of the type of damage they do. best to pick up energy powers and make sure to get concussion blast (psionic version of magic missle)
#3 necrosnoop110 Apr 24, 2010 16:30:42	single target, multitarget. one is a save the other is not. yes you could get both and wouldn't be a problem. believe they are diffrent level powes though both suck because of the type of damage they do. best to pick up energy powers and make sure to get concussion blast (psionic version of magic missle) You sure you're reading the right powers. Both powers are single target rays with no inital saves. Crystal Shard is just straight up damage (xd6) and Crystal Storm gives some straight damage (xd4) and allows for a secondary Con damage effect that allows for a save.
#4 zylo_drizzt Apr 24, 2010 18:17:51	ok if thats the case (probably thinking of wrong power)  then probably crystal storm. you can deal at most 2 points of damage per hd of creature (without augmenting that damge) that is if they fail save. though I would still go with energy powers due to better rider effects and don't have that piercing damage thing going on.  Now realize it also depends on what you are figting, ususly you have enough powers to compensate but still you got to realize constructs and things without con are immune to this also that you have to overcome dr to deal con (its like poison like that). now may be wrong but arn't things immune to crits or that have regen immune to con damage (been playing 4th since it came out).
#5 Omen_of_Peace Apr 24, 2010 19:30:14	They look about the same to me. When used without metapsionics: for 3 PP you get either 3d6 dmg (avg 10.5) or 2d4 dmg (avg 5) + a chance of causing 1d4 Con dmg (but Fort saves tend to be high, and -2.5 Con in average means -1 Con modifier, so only minus (monster HD) in additional HPs lost). Crystal Shard scales better than Crystalstorm (1d6 vs 1d4). Empowering or Maximizing Crystalstorm might make it more interesting since it will affect the Con dmg as well... but the save DC doesn't scale, so the window of time during which this trick is both doable and useful will be very small.
#6 Thramzorean Apr 24, 2010 20:50:28	single target, multitarget. one is a save the other is not. yes you could get both and wouldn't be a problem. believe they are diffrent level powes though both suck because of the type of damage they do. best to pick up energy powers and make sure to get concussion blast (psionic version of magic missle) The big difference with crystal shard is that it does not allow PR/SR, so it definitely has its place depending on the campaign. Good for multiclass, or have hanging around in a power stone that you can suck out and fire away at full ML against a creature that your main powers are failing regularly on. Crystal storm is a useful stick power that you can target those with low fort saves, making their low fort save even lower...
#7 streamofthesky Apr 25, 2010 2:09:34	I prefer Crystal Shard, it's available earlier, scales decently, and is a solid and reliable blasting power.  For groups of enemies, there are better powers to get.  Both suck if your game uses Complete Psionic, though.