Psionics users: do you use psicrystals? how?

[Davelozzi]

I've been reading the new Expanded Psionics Handbook, and digging it. One thing I was glad to see was psicrystals switched over to a feat rather than being a regular psion class ability. I never used them, and this way I don't have to feel like I need to give something else to compensate.

At any rate, I read over the psicrystal section anyway, and it got me wondering how many folks use them and how.

If you don't use psionics in your game, feel free to join the discussion but please refrain from voting in the poll so that "we don't use 'em" doesn't get overrepresented. Thanks!

 

[thundershot]

Well... one character has one (I don't have the XPH yet), and her psicrystal basically stays in a pouch. If it were able to float around like an Ioun stone, and talk, I'm sure it would, but it can't, so it pretty much gets ignored... Sad, really, though...



Chris

 

[reiella]

More or less used the psicrystal as an extension of self. (Resolve)

It took too much in 3.0 to get the PsiCrystal to do anything besides "Hey you're Sighted, tell me what's around here".

 

[thundershot]

Wait... so... what changed with psicrystals?



Chris

 

[Davelozzi]

The main change is that rather than being a core ability of the Psion class, you have to take a feat (Psicrystal Affinity) in order to get one. Other than that, I didn't notice any major changes, although it's been quite a while since I paid any attention to the old psicrystal rules.

 

[Ahnehnois]

Well, know I don't use the psionics rules. When I did, the psycrystal was generally a non-issue. When someone did take a psycrystal, it was for mechanical benefits; the personality was unused. I don't like the whole idea. It implies that psions are based on sorcerers and thus need an equivalent to the familiar (and I'm not even sure familiars shouldn't be optional). The new optional psycrystal feat is the best solution, because it allows you to keep it if you want it or dump it if you don't.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I don't have the new book yet but I used mine as a guardian and a spy (just like you'd use any familiar). I'd keep the psycrystal in my money pouch so that it could instantly alert me to any pickpocketing attempt. When I slept I set it on my chest so it could wake me up at the first sign of danger (a large emotional blast of FEAR would wake up pretty much anybody... words need not be spoken). I'd also give it to the rogue to plant on people we wanted to trail so I could follow the empathic link. The great thing about the Psicrystal is that unlike a familiar it is treated as a construct and so need not sleep, and is immune to many spell effects that would ruin a familiar's day. People are suspicious of an animal but tend to overlook chunks of crystal as something that could spy on them.

 

[Matafuego]

I also think that familiars SHOULD be optional...
And the Only Psion IMCs has a Coward Psionic Crystal who got a lot of playtime (always screaming and weeping in combat situations) and whith a mechanical bonus that's hardly used...
Although I tend to think that when more and more psions are made all Psicrystal will look too mcuh alaike, and I dislike that =\

 

[Driddle]

I don't have the new book yet but I used mine as a guardian and a spy (just like you'd use any familiar). I'd keep the psycrystal in my money pouch so that it could instantly alert me to any pickpocketing attempt. When I slept I set it on my chest so it could wake me up at the first sign of danger (a large emotional blast of FEAR would wake up pretty much anybody... words need not be spoken). I'd also give it to the rogue to plant on people we wanted to trail so I could follow the empathic link. The great thing about the Psicrystal is that unlike a familiar it is treated as a construct and so need not sleep, and is immune to many spell effects that would ruin a familiar's day. People are suspicious of an animal but tend to overlook chunks of crystal as something that could spy on them.

Sounds like you've found good use for your small assistants, where so many other people whine and complain about how they're "useless" class benefits. (They only seem to think about combat combat COMBAT.)

One more idea: a pendant to hold the psicrystal so it can be worn outside clothing (or even on an animal companion's halter!). I imagine the crystal snaps gently into place with a half twist, sliding under small tongs on the face of the pendant. Assuming your DM doesn't poo-poo the concept, it should be possible for the crystal to extend an ectoplasmic leg or two and twist itself in and out of the jewelry so you don't have to do it yourself.

From a game mechanics perspective, the psicrystal and familiar are basically an improved "Skill Focus" feat -- or if you like puns, a skill focus with FEET. If you look at the +3 bonus, and add legs and eyes, it's a better choice in that sense. The only problem with the crystal when compared with a familiar, though, is that it lacks a mouth (and presumably manipulative claws) to carry small objects like keys and coins.

I can imagine that some day, many moons from now, when WotC revises the rules yet again, the wizard/sorcerer familiar will be made an optional feat as well. It simply makes sense, now that we've seen it done with the psion class.

 

[Matafuego]

I can imagine that some day, many moons from now, when WotC revises the rules yet again, the wizard/sorcerer familiar will be made an optional feat as well. It simply makes sense, now that we've seen it done with the psion class.

The Only problem I see with that is the big benefit a Familiar feat (even if it is for Wizards/Sorcerers only) would grant.
I am trying to do something like that IMC but I still couldn't find the best way to make it =\