Metapsionic Science
Power Check Varies (see description)
Initial Cost Varies (see description)
Maintenance Cost Varies (see description)
Range 10 feet
Preparation Time Varies (see description)
Area of Effect 1 crystal (see description)
Prerequisites Varies (see description)
The psionicist imbues a crystalline structure with a spark of intelligence and psionic abilities.
The best crystalline structures to imbue with psionic power are gemstones, but other crystalline structures are possible at Game Master’s discretion.
Crystal Requirement.
The crystal cannot be raw, instead, it must be gemcut to become simmetric, and polished to become translucent. It must be a masterwork in other words.
Once the crystal has been cut and polished, it must remain untouched and immaculate until the process of imbuement begins, which must occur within one week of the crystal cutting and polishing.
The crystal itself can be of any value, however the higher is the intrinsecal value, the better the crystal will perform when it will “become alive”. The Game Master may dictate that the intrinsecal value of the crystal is not a mere expression of gold coins or market value.
For example, an ancient onyx embedded in a copper necklace with a market value of 50 gp, can be a better choice than a 5,000 gp ruby, because it is imbued with the psychic energies of all its previous owners, their lives, tragedies and emotions.
In addition, the Game Master may decide that the empowered crystal display some psicological traits derived from its previous owners, according to the importance the crystal has in the adventure or campaign.
STEP ONE – The Attunement of Minds
The psionicist prepares the crystal to receive psionic energies or wake psychic residues present in the crystal up. This action costs 50 PSPs and requires a DC 20 Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma check, at psionicist’s discretion. If the saving throw is successful, then the crystal “accepts” the initiation, and his crystalline structure adapt to absorb the first spark of personality derived from the psionic energies transferred by the psionicist.
If the saving throw fails, then the procedure fails, but the psionicist will be able to retry after a long rest. Retrying the procedure doubles the cost in PSPs and reduces the DC of the power check by one point everytime the psionicist repeates the procedure.
Once this procedure is done, the psionicist must take a long rest before proceeding to step two. At this point the Maintenance Cost is 1 PSP / hour. The Maintenance Cost must not be interrupted, otherwise the possibility for this crystal to receive further empowerment will be lost forever, and the maintenance cost must be paid whether the power check is successful or not.
- Levitation. If the psionicist can levitate the crystal so that it avoids to be in physical contact with anything but the air, then the psionicist gains a +1 bonus on the power check.
- Inertial Barrier. If the psionicist can create an inertial barrier so that he can create a perfect vacuum around the crystal, then the psionicist gains a +2 bonus on the power check.
STEP TWO – The Opening
The psionicist shapes the now present psionic energies into something more coherent and structured. This step prepares the crystal to receive the precepts of one psionic discipline known to the psionicist. Each single crystal can host one discipline only, never more.
This action costs 100 PSPs and requires a DC 20 Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma check, at psionicist’s discretion. If the saving throw is successful, then the crystal “opens” its primordial mind the discipline, and his crystalline structure adapt to absorb the precepts of the chosen discipline.
The crystal is now developing its own personality. If the saving throw fails, then the procedure fails, but the psionicist will be able to retry after a long rest. Retrying the procedure increases the cost in PSPs by 50 and reduces the DC of the power check by one point everytime the psionicist repeates the procedure.
Once this procedure is done, the psionicist must take a long rest before proceeding to step three. At this point the Maintenance Cost is 2 PSP / hour.
The Maintenance Cost must not be interrupted, otherwise the possibility for this crystal to receive further empowerment will be lost forever, and the maintenance cost must be paid whether the power check is successful or not.
Some crystals may be mor premature than others, and may acquire the Contact psionic power before the whole process of empowerment is completed. If such event occurs, the crystal may attempt to Contact its creator, but with no harmful effects.
The crystal has now a base Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma score of 1d6.
STEP THREE – The Gift
The psionicist transfers the secret of one science he knows chosing among one of the discipline chosen during step two. The transfer requires a successful power check as described in the specific science the psionicist wants to transfer into the crystal. This action costs 100 PSPs plus the Initial Cost to initiate the psionic power.
If the psionicist fails the power check, the crystal ability to receive that specific science will be lost forever, and the psionicist will have to pick a different science of the same discipline. Upon receiving the “gift”, the crystal automatically develops the ability to use Contact and will very likely tries to initiate and maintain a mental contact with its creator. At this point the Maintenance Cost is 3 PSP / hour.
The crystal adds 1d6 to its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma score.
STEP FOUR – The Teaching
The psionicist teaches the crystal the secrets of one devotion, provided the devotion respects the prequisites of the science gifted during step three. The transfer requires a successful power check as described in the specific devotion the psionicist wants to transfer into the crystal. This action costs 50 PSPs plus the Initial Cost to initiate the psionic power.
If the psionicist fails the power check, the crystal ability to receive that specific devotion will be lost forever, and the psionicist will have to pick a different devotion of the same science. Upon receiving the “teaching”, the crystal may attempt to initiate one of the psionic power learnt so far, may it be a science or devotion, while maintaining an intense Contact with its creator.
The psionicist can repeat this step has many times he wants, as long as he has devotions to teach to the crystal. At this point the Maintenance Cost is 4 PSP / hour.
The crystal adds another 1d6 to its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma score.
STEP FIVE – The Awakening
The psionicist awakes the crystal and transform it into a sentient thing intimately connected to him. This action requires the psionicist the highest commitment in term of psionic energies.
The psionicist spends all of his PSPs to provide the final spark to the crystal, which is ready to become a fully developed psionic crystal. This procedure “awakes” the crystal, turning the object into a sentient “being”, with an identity of its own.
The crystal first act will be chosing a name and communicating it to the psionicist, its creator, and the psionicist will have to communicate his name to the crystal. The crystal develops its own PSPs pool.
The crystal adds the psionicist’s Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma modifier to its Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma score respectively.
To calculate the crystal’s PSPs pool, follow the statements described below:
- 20% of the PSPs spent during this step.
- 20 PSPs for the access to the psionic science.
- 10 PSPs for each devotion known.
- 1d12 PSPs plus the crystal’s Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma modifier.
- The psionicist’s proficiency modifier.
In addition, the crystal gains one mental attack and one mental defense at psionicist’s discretion.
The Crystal can use its Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma score has the main ability to initiate a psionic power it knows, whichever is higher, and has a proficiency bonus half that of the psionicist, rounded up.
Natural 1.
Natural 20.