Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Here is a PrC that was suggested to me a while ago by Dirk00001 and I decided that I had to do this. So thanks to him for tossing out the idea and for his input on this PrC.
This is not in the new format, but I have included an NPC for your gaming pleasure - his psicrystals will soon follow, but I wanted to get this out there seeing as I have been sitting on this for a while.
Comments and all that jazz are welcome.
[quote]Crystal Adept
“I am never without allies.”
-Brannon of Balic, crystal adept
In the dangerous cities of the Tablelands and in the brutal wastelands that covers the surface of Athas, having someone there to watch your back is a key element to surviving to see another rise or fall of the crimson sun. Those who follow the way of the crystal adept need never worry about being totally alone again.
Often seen as loners and hermits, many crystal adepts find the company of other bothersome. With their ability to create loyal and capable followers out of their psicrystals, crystal adepts will usually only seek the aid of others for those situations that they cannot do on their own.
Those who choose to become crystal adepts are usually psions, more specifically telepaths and seers. With the ability to expand upon the versatility of their psicrystals, practitioners of these two disciplines find that they are more able to use their powers in hostile or dangerous locals while protecting their fragile mortal coil. Multi-classed wizards and rogues specializing in information gathering find this class to be very attractive due to its ability to create mobile minions that they maintain control of to place in locations that are usually restricted or highly guarded.
Hit Dice: d4
Requirements
To qualify to become a crystal adept, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Craft (gem cutting) 9 ranks, Knowledge (psionics) 9 ranks, Psicraft 9 ranks.
Feats: Craft Cognizance Crystal, Improved Psicrystal, Psicrystal Affinity, Psicrystal Containment.
Powers: Able to manifest the solicit psicrystal power.
Table: Crystal Adept<br /><br /> Base<br />Class Attack Fort Ref Will<br />Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Powers Known<br /><br />1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Crystal cohort -<br />2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Improve bond +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Forceful personality +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Crystal cohort +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Improved bond, living extension -<br />6th +3 +2 +2 +5 - +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Crystal cohort, forceful personality +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Improve bond +1 level of existing manifesting class<br />9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Living extension -<br />10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Crystal cohort, mind jump +1 level of existing manifesting class
Class Skills
The crystal adept’s class skills (and key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the crystal adept prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Crystal adepts gain no additional proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Powers Known: At each level indicated upon the table, a crystal adept gains a the additional power points and powers known as if he had gained a level in what ever manifesting class that he belonged to before he gained the prestige class. If he has more than one manifesting class then he must choose only one to which to apply the increase. He does not gain any other benefit that a character of that class would normally gained, such as bonus feats or metapsionic feats.
Crystal Cohort (Ex): With extensive work divining the workings of not only the mind, but also of the intricate nature of crystals, crystal adepts learn how to place more fragments of their own personalities within crystals without damaging their own psyches in the process. Doing this gives the crystal mater the ability to awaken a multitude of psicrystals to work with and aid in their continued mastery of the Unseen Way. Upon gaining the class levels shown above, a crystal adept can create and control additional psicrystals beyond the one granted to them when they selected the Psycrystal Affinity feat. For the first extra psicrystal gained upon taking up this class, treat the crystal adept as if his psionic class level were -3 for determining the psicrystals special abilities (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, pg. 22). For each new psicrystal gained there is an additional cumulative -3 to the crystals adept’s psionic class level. So the second psicrystal gained at 4th level would be at total psionic class levels -6; 7th level -9; 10th level -12.
Improve Bond (Ex): By tinkering with the crystal matrix of the psicrystal’s structure, a crystal adept can hook another fragment of his personality within one of his psicrystals. At 2nd level, a crystal adept gains the benefits of the Improved Psicrystal feat, except that the psicrystal does not gain the additional +1 manifester level to determine its level of power and abilities. He gains these same benefits upon gaining 5th and 8th level within this class. No psicrystal can gain the benefit of this ability more then twice.
Forceful Personality (Ex): With coxing and using their knowledge of the Way, a crystal adept can further awaken the fragment of his personality that resides within one of his psicrystals, increasing its awareness and abilities. A 3rd level crystal adept selects one personality fragment within one of his psicrystals to apply this ability to. The benefits the crystal master receives from that personality fragment increases by +2 for skill related benefits or by +1 for save bonus or initiative. At 7th level select a different personality fragment and increases the benefits gained from it by +4 for skill related benefits or by +2 for save bonus or initiative.
Living Extension (Ps): At 5th, the crystal adept can embed a power that he knows into one psicrystal which the psicrystal can know use. The power must be two levels lower than the highest level power the crystal adept can manifest. He may also choose to reduce his total power point amount by up to the total amount he could spend in one round to manifest a power and create a power point reserve within the crystal with the embedded power. It is this reserve that the psicrystal uses to manifest the embedded power.
Embedding a power takes 1 hour plus 1 additional hour per level of the power being embedded of uninterrupted meditation. Transferring power points into the psicrystal that has become the adept’s living extension takes one hour and burns 5 XP per point transferred. A crystal adept may replace an embedded power or put more power points into the psicrystal that is his living extension anytime he wishes; as long as he has he meets all the requirements above.
The manifester level of the power embedded in the crystal is equal to the crystal adept’s manifester level at the time he embedded the power, but the DC is determined using the psicrystal’s Intelligence modifier in place of the crystal adept’s. The crystal adept does not lose access to the power embedded in the psicrystal and can also tap into the psicrystal with the reserve of power points just as if using a cognizance crystal. The power points stored within the psicrystal return at the same rate as the crystal adepts.
At 9th level the crystal adept has further progressed to allow him to imbed another power and additional power points into a different psicrystal. This power can be of any level one level lower than the highest level power the crystal adept can manifest.
If a living extension psicrystal is destroyed, the crystal adept adds the power point total stored in the psicrystal back into his power point total.
Mind Jump (Ps): At 10th level the crystal adept can switch his mind with that of any of his psicrystal’s as a move action. He gains all of the physical abilities of his psicrystal while his mind is within it. The bond is so deep that the crystal adept can mind jump to any of his psicrystals regardless of distance, as long as both the crystal adept and the psicrystal are on the same plane.
The personality fragment of the psicrystal takes up management of the crystal adept’s body when mind jump is active and has the same attack bonus, saves, at it normally is allowed, but it does again the attack forms and physical attributes of the crystal adept. The personality fragment does not have the crystal adept’s psionic abilities - unless it is one of the crystal adepts living extensions and then it still retains the ability to manifest that power.
The personality fragment will take care of the crystal adept’s body as best it can - eating, sleeping, defending itself, ect… though they also spend more time doing things associated with its personality type. So a Sage personality fragment would spend time reading or learning about the knowledge skill it has that benefits its owner, or a Sneaky fragment might lurk around the crystal adept’s living place.
Brannon of Balic
Long, brown hair generously shot through with gray, is tied back to reveal a deeply suntanned, but relatively smooth elven face. He walks with a slight limp and appears to be muttering to himself as he makes his way down the street.
Brannon of Balic CR 12
Male elf psion (seer) 7/ crystal adept 5
LN medium humanoid (elf)
Init +3; Senses: low-light vision, Listen +14*, Spot +17^*
Languages Balic, Common, Elven, Giant, Nikaal, Tyrian
*Increase gained via Alertness feat if one of his psicrystal is within arm’s reach.
^Increase from psicrystal’s applied
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 16
(+3 Dex, +4 natural, +2 deflection)
hp 55 (12 HD)
Resist natural resistance to tempature extremes**
Fort +7^, Ref +6, Will +12
^Increase from psicrystal’s applied
**See Dark Sun 3 Core Manual pg.10
Speed 35ft. (7 squares), elf run**
Melee mwk club +6 (1d6/x2)
Ranged
+1 seeking composite longbow +9 (1d8+1/x3)
Base Atk +5; Grp +5
Atk Options Opportunity Power , Split Psionic Ray
Special Actions Psicrystal Containment, Psionic Meditation
Combat Gear mwk club, +1 seeking composite longbow with 30 arrows, power stone (body adjustment [3d12 hp], body purification [6 points], energy adaptation), dorje of psionic blast (DC 15, charges 15, ML 9, stun duration 3 rounds).
**See Dark Sun 3 Core Manual pg.10
Power Points/Day 98 (108 max capacity – 10 stored in psicrystal); Psion Powers Known (ML 10th):
5th—adapt body, psionic true seeing, psychic crush(DC 19), second chance
4th—[i]detect remote viewing, detonate /i(DC 18), psionic dimension door, remote viewing
3rd—dispel psionics, energy bolt (DC 17), fate link (DC 17), solicit psicrystal
2nd—cloud mind (DC 16), id insinuation (DC 16)*, locate object (ds), object reading
1st—[i]aura reading /i, destiny dissonance (DC 15), energy ray (DC 15), missive, precognition-defense
*The save DCs for these powers might increase with the use of augments
Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 19, Wis 16, Cha 12
SQ crystal cohort (2), forceful personality, improved bond (2), living extension
Feats Craft Cognizance Crystal, Improved Psicrystal, Psicrystal Affinity, Psicrystal Containment, Psionic Meditation, Opportunity Power, Split Psionic Ray
Skills Appraise +4 (+6 for gems), Autohypnosis +10, Concentration +12, Craft (gem cutting) +16, Diplomacy +6^, Gather Information +10, Knowledge (local) +16^, Knowledge (psioncis) +16, Perform +3, Psicraft +16, Search +9^, Sense Motive +11^, Survival +5
Possessions combat gear plus skin of the defender, ring of protection +2, masterwork gem cutting tools.
^Increase from psicrystals applied
Hook “How do I know? Well, I have many friends.”[/quote]
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Oh - and I have thought of increasing the range of the ability to see, hear, and manifest a power through the psicrystal to at least 2 miles, but maybe as high as a additional mile per crystal adpet level.
What do you think of that?
Originally posted by brun01:
The NPC name is almost good. Maybe Brunnon? 
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
But then I would have had to have this character beaten to death too - and I like this guy too much to do that
Originally posted by Sysane:
Nice Kal! I especially like the sample stat block. 
Originally posted by terminus_vortexa:
Excellent PrC and NPC, Kal! I think some crystal-based powers like Crystal Shard or Hail of Crystals would benefit this character nicely, and be in keeping with the theme of the PrC.
Originally posted by brun01:
Some pointers for Brunnon 
:
Instead of “psion (seer)” it should be “seer”; You forgot to add “Senses: low-light vision”; add the psionic subtype; weapons and armor don’t go into combat gear, they go into possessions; the power section is off, it should be “Power Points/Day 98; Psion Powers Known (ML 10th):”; you don’t write “elf traits” anymore, instead you place the abilities throughout the stats; all items that can be activated during combat (power stones, dorjes) should be also instead in Combat Gear.
I think that’s it.
Originally posted by dirk00001:
That’s a really good idea.
Kal - what if the Improved Bond was jimmied with, maybe get rid of it at 5th level and instead add in a new ability that does something similar to the Warmage Edge ability from Complete Arcane, adding the character’s Int bonus to any damage dealt by a crystal-based power?
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
[quote]Some pointers for Brunnon :
Instead of “psion (seer)” it should be “seer”; You forgot to add “Senses: low-light vision”; add the psionic subtype; weapons and armor don’t go into combat gear, they go into possessions; the power section is off, it should be “Power Points/Day 98; Psion Powers Known (ML 10th):”; you don’t write “elf traits” anymore, instead you place the abilities throughout the stats; all items that can be activated during combat (power stones, dorjes) should be also instead in Combat Gear.
I think that’s it.[/quote]
Thanks bruno - I made some of the changes 
, but…
I have seen it done as both psion (seer) and just seer before - I like it with the psion part in there because seer is not a class - it is a discipline. I have also seen contradictory stat blocks - some that have the psionic subtype and others that do not, and also cases of the (elf) part of their humaniod type left out on some but not on others - all of this can bee seen in the Complete Psionic book. I think it comes down to the author likes it (?).
One this I did notice is that languages ARE capitalized, and I think in some of the material for the FFN and other stuff had them not capitalized - but I do not recall.
One reason I did not have other crystal-based powers is that I think there is already a class out there that does that - and it was not the driving force behind this PrC. I am not discarding the idea though (@ Dirk0001 and Terminus Vortexa), I just thought that adding crystal attacks and such would take away from the “idea” a little. There is noting stopping someone from tuning up a psion with crystal-based psionic powers and then also taking this class.
Originally posted by brun01:
No, clairsentience is a discipline. Seer is a class.
If they do not have, it’s a typo
[quote]PSIONIC CREATURES
Any creature with psionic powers has the psionic subtype. A psionic creature can be born with the subtype or can gain the subtype during its life.[/quote]
The same for every humanoid creature.
I think that’s an English language rule. 
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Well - seeing as how it is in an official WotC book - and because I want too - I think I will leave it as it with the psion in there
Originally posted by Pennarin:
I’d add here that no matter how many psicrystals you obtain you can only have one of them hold your focus for you at a time.
The XP spent for each power point you transfer into psicrystals is what allows you to lose those power points just for the day…instead of permanently?
…up to his maximum he can have in any given day.
This part is a bit confusing. Who gets the psionic powers the manifester knows? How about the power point reserves, who gets them? Are they transfered along with the minds? Most importantly, what exactly is the usefulness of this class ability?
Err, btw, what does this word in read means, I never could figure it out from the new NPC model: [quote]Combat Gear
mwk club[/quote]
Originally posted by brun01:
Awesomeness? 
masterwork
Originally posted by Sysane:
You may want to include info on what happens to a character if he or the fragment dies while using this ability.
Originally posted by dirk00001:
Good idea.
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Thanks guys - I will make a few changes in the coming week, but right now I am just attempting to clean up my short stroy for the writing competition, which has to be submitted this week.
Originally posted by brun01:
“Blah blah blah… I’m a slacker”
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Hummm…I guess I will have to change Onurb’s name…
Originally posted by brun01:
Your empty threats do not scare me
Originally posted by kalthandrix:
Who said this was a threat - it is a promise.
FYI - I played hookie from work today and was able to get my r3 done on my story! w00t. I sent it out to get a quick look over, but I think it is all done now and I will have time this week to finish this PrC off.