Variant piscrystals

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

I don't like psicrystals as they stand, so I am going to figure out here a new version. Help / comments etc welcome.

The general idea is that a psion gets something like a roll-your-own familiar instead of a rock.

Psi-familiar (better name)

The psi-familiar is a wisp of ectoplasm imprinted with a small piece of the psions own personality, created by a psion in the first throes of their psionic powers asserting themselves. It can take almost any form, although its form is fixed once chosen.

a Psi-familiar combines some of the powers of an arcane familiar and a psionic psi-crystal.

A psi-familiar is a small independant creature, made from ectoplasm. despite this, it is native to the material plane and cannot be bansihed like an astral construct.

A base psi-familiar is just a roundish lump of ectoplasm. It is incapable of movement or combat. It has an AC of 10 and half its master hitpoints (rounded down). When created, your choose one personality trait and 5 physical characteristics, which give the psi-familiar shape and purpose.

(NOTE : the above numbers may have to change. I just pulled them out of a hat.)


Possible physical traits:
Each trait costs one 'point', and the psi-familiar has 5 points to spend creating its form. Indented traits have the trait just before it as a prerequisite

Flying : Psi-familiar has wings and can fly at 30 ft. (average)
- excellent flier : Psi-familiar can fly at 60 ft. (perfect)

legs : Psi-familiar has legs and can move at 20 ft.
- fast runner : Psi-familiar can move at 40 ft.

slithering : Psi-familiar is long and snake like. It can move at 15 ft. and can fit through small holes

hands : Psi-familiar has usable if primitive hands. It can lift 5 pounds, but cannot perform fine manipulation
- improved hands : Psi-familiar has strong hands with opposabel thumbs. It can lift 10 pounds, and perform fine manipulation.

armour : Psi-familiar has an armoured body. Each time armour is taken, it adds one more than last time to AC. So 1sts time is +1, second time is +2 and so on.

claws : 2 claws BAB = psions. 1d2 damage
- poison claws : Fort DC 13, 1d4 Str
bite : 1 bite. BAB = psions. 1d4 damage
- poison bite : Fort DC 13, 1d4 Str

sight : Psi-familiar can see as well as a human
- lowlight vision
- darkvision
hearing : Psi-familiar can hear as well as a human
- excellent hearing
and so on.

Possible personality types and benefits same as for a psicrystal.

Psion Psi-familiar
Level Intelligence Special
----- ------------ -------
1–2 6 empathic link
3–4 7 Telepathic link
5–6 8
7–8 9 Speak with other creatures
9–10 10
1–12 11 Power resistance
13–14 12 Sight link
15–16 13 Channel power
17–18 14
19–20 15

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

I just edited the first post, adding in game effects for the physical traits.

 

[Thain]

Looks like a step in the rigth direction, most people complain about psionic combat, but I've always been more bothered by the useless rocks...

BUT, perhaps 5 traits is a bit strong/weak at first level, maybe as the Psion levels he should gain more points to spend on his ectoplasmic buddy... and perhaps certain powers could cost more than one point. The abilty to turn noncorporal woudl be neat, or maybe attach a build point value to the currently "level based" abilites.

If the costs and point gains are balanced, then it should work out that thigns like power channeling are not really logical choices before lvl 15, but could be purchased earlier if a player wants to make it work, and pays for it accordingly.

Just a thought... I'd love to see this design your own idea expanded upon.

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

OK, how about this :


A base psi-familiar is just a roundish lump of ectoplasm. It is incapable of movement or combat. It has an AC of 10 and half its master hitpoints (rounded down). When created, your choose one personality trait and 6 form points, which give the psi-familiar shape and purpose. It also gains new powers as the psion grows in level, as below.

Possible personality types and benefits same as for a psicrystal.

Psion Psi-familiar
Level Intelligence Extra form points
----- ------------ ----------------------
1–2 6 +1
3–4 7 +1
5–6 8 +1
7–8 9 +1
9–10 10 +1
1–12 11 +1
13–14 12 +1
15–16 13 +1
17–18 14 +1
19–20 15 +1

Form points gained by level can be saved up and spent later.

(NOTE : the above numbers may have to change. I just pulled them out of a hat.)

Possible traits:
Each trait costs one form point, and the psi-familiar has 6 form points to spend creating its form. Indented traits have the trait just before it as a prerequisite

Flying : Psi-familiar has wings and can fly at 30 ft. (average)
- excellent flier : Psi-familiar can fly at 60 ft. (perfect)

legs : Psi-familiar has legs and can move at 20 ft.
- fast runner : Psi-familiar can move at 40 ft.

slithering : Psi-familiar is long and snake like. It can move at 15 ft. and can fit through small holes

hands : Psi-familiar has usable if primitive hands. It can lift 5 pounds, but cannot perform fine manipulation
- improved hands : Psi-familiar has strong hands with opposabel thumbs. It can lift 10 pounds, and perform fine manipulation.

armour : Psi-familiar has an armoured body. Each time armour is taken, it adds one more than last time to AC. So 1sts time is +1, second time is +2 and so on.

claws : 2 claws BAB = psions. 1d2 damage
- poison claws : Fort DC 13, 1d4 Str
bite : 1 bite. BAB = psions. 1d4 damage
- poison bite : Fort DC 13, 1d4 Str

sight : Psi-familiar can see as well as a human
- lowlight vision
- darkvision
hearing : Psi-familiar can hear as well as a human
- excellent hearing
and so on.

Speach : Psi-familiar can speak using one language that the psion knows.

empathic link
- Telepathic link
- - Sight link
- - Speak with other creatures

Power resistance : Psi-familiar has power resistance of psions level + (2 *number of times power resistance is taken)

Channel power : Costs 2 form points

Non-coporeal : Psi-familiar can turn non-coporeal for a number of rounds equal to the psions level. This costs the psion 1 PP per use. Costs 2 form points.

Independant psyche : Psi-familliar can gain levels in the psion class. Treat it as having the same ability scores as the psion. Costs 4 form points. Requires Channel power.

Defender : Psi-familiar has the same number of hp as the psion. When within 30 ft of each other, the psi-familiar takes half of the damage that the psion would normally suffer (like a shield guardian). Costs 2 form points.