Psicrystals

A psicrystal is a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life (via the Psicrystal Affinity feat). A psicrystal appears as a crystalline construct about the size of a human hand.

Because it is an extension of its creator’s personality, a character’s psicrystal is in some ways a part of him. That’s why, for example, a psionic character can manifest a personal range power on his psicrystal even though normally he can manifest such a power only on himself.

A psicrystal is treated as a construct for the purposes of all effects that depend on its type.

A psicrystal grants special abilities to its owner, as shown on the Psicrystal Special Abilities table below. In addition, a psicrystal has a personality (being a fragment of the owner’s personality), which gives its owner a bonus on certain types of checks or saving throws, as given on the Psicrystal Personalities table below. These special abilities and bonuses apply only when the owner and the psicrystal are within 1 mile of each other.

Psicrystal abilities are based on the owner’s levels in psionic classes. Levels from other classes do not count toward the owner’s level for purposes of psicrystal abilities.

A psicrystal can speak one language of its owner’s choice (so long as it is a language the owner knows). A psicrystal can understand all other languages known by its owner, but cannot speak them. This is a supernatural ability.

Psicrystal Basics

Use the statistics for a psicrystal, but make the following changes.

Hit Dice and Hit Points

A psicrystal has a number of Hit Dice equal to its effective level based on its owner’s levels in psionic manifesting classes (see the Psicrystal Affinity feat). It has hit points equal to one-half its master’s maximum hit points, rounded down.

Saving Throws

A psicrystal uses its owner’s base saving throw bonuses and ability modifiers on saves, though it doesn’t enjoy any other bonuses its owner might have (from magic items or feats, for example).

Abilities

As a construct, a psicrystal has no Constitution score. When its self-propulsion ability is not activated, a psicrystal has no Strength score and no Dexterity score.

Feats

A psicrystal gains one first when it is created. It gains additional feats for every three additional Hit Dice ig gains, as normal (at 3rd, 6th, and so on).

Skills

A psicrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Perception and Stealth. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psicrystal has 4 ranks in each.) It does not gain any additional skill ranks as its level increases. A psicrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks.

Psicrystal Ability Descriptions

All psicrystals have special abilities (or impart abilities to their owners) depending on the level of the owner, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative.

Natural Armor Adj. (Ex)

This number noted here is an improvement to the psicrystal’s natural armor bonus (normally 0). It represents a psicrystal’s preternatural durability.

Intelligence Adj. (Ex)

Add this value to the psicrystal’s Intelligence score. Psicrystals are as smart as people (though not necessarily as smart as smart people).

Alertness (Ex)

The presence of a psicrystal sharpens its master’s senses. While a psicrystal is within arm’s reach (adjacent to or in the same square as its owner), its owner gains the Alertness feat.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

If a psicrystal is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Personality (Ex)

Every psicrystal has a personality. See Psicrystal Personality, below.

Self-Propulsion (Su)

As a standard action, its owner can will a psicrystal to form spidery, ectoplasmic legs that grant the psicrystal a land speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet. The legs fade into nothingness after one day (or sooner, if the owner desires).

Share Powers (Su)

At the owner’s option, he can have any power (but not any psi-like ability) he manifests on himself also affect his psicrystal. The psicrystal must be within 5 feet of him at the time of the manifestation to receive the benefit. If the power has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the psicrystal if it moves farther than 5 feet away, and will not affect the psicrystal again, even if it returns to its owner before the duration expires.

Additionally, the owner can manifest a power with a target of “You” on his psicrystal (as a touch range power) instead of on himself. The owner and psicrystal cannot share powers if the powers normally do not affect creatures of the psicrystal’s type (construct).

Sighted (Ex)

Although it has no physical sensory organs, a psicrystal can telepathically sense its environment as well as a creature with normal vision and hearing. Darkness (even supernatural darkness) is irrelevant, as are areas of supernatural silence, though a psicrystal still can’t discern invisible or ethereal beings. A psicrystal’s sighted range is 40 feet.

Telepathic Link (Su)

The owner has a telepathic link with his psicrystal out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The owner cannot see through the psicrystal’s senses, but the two of them can communicate telepathically as if the psicrystal were the target of a mindlink power manifested by the owner. For instance, a psicrystal placed in a distant room could relay the activities occurring in that room.

Because of the telepathic link between a psicrystal and its owner, the owner has the same connection to an item or place that the psicrystal does. For instance, if his psicrystal has seen a room, the owner can teleport into that room as if he has seen it too.

Deliver Touch Powers (Su)

If the owner is 3rd level or higher, his psicrystal can deliver touch powers for him. If the owner and psicrystal are in contact at the time the owner manifests a touch power, he can designate his psicrystal as the “toucher.” The psicrystal can then deliver the touch power just as the owner could. As usual, if the owner manifests another power before the touch is delivered, the touch power dissipates.

Telepathic Speech (Ex)

If the owner is 5th level or higher, the psicrystal can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the psicrystal, while the psicrystal is also within 1 mile of the owner.

Flight (Su)

If the owner is 9th level or higher, he can, as a standard action, will his psicrystal to fly at a speed of 50 feet (poor). The psicrystal drifts gently to the ground after one day (or sooner, if the owner desires).

Power Resistance (Ex)

If the owner is 11th level or higher, the psicrystal gains power resistance equal to the owner’s level + 5. To affect the psicrystal with a power, another manifester must get a result on a manifester level check that equals or exceeds the psicrystal’s power resistance.

Sight Link (Sp)

If the owner is 13th level or higher, the character can remote view the psicrystal (as if manifesting the remote view power) once per day.

Channel Power (Sp)

If the owner is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psicrystal to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psicrystal is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location.

When channeling a power through his psicrystal, the owner manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psicrystal).

Psicrystal Personality (Ex)

Each psicrystal has a distinct personality, chosen by its owner at the time of its creation from among those given on the following table. At 1st level, its owner typically gets a feel for a psicrystal’s personality only through occasional impulses, but as the owner increases in level the psicrystal’s personality becomes more pronounced. At higher levels, it is not uncommon for a psicrystal to constantly ply its owner with observations and advice, often severely slanted toward the psicrystal’s particular worldview. The owner always sees a bit of himself in his psicrystal, even if magnified and therefore distorted.