Custom Psionic Items

[VGLordR2]

Hey, guys. I have a DM who is willing to let me play as a Dragon (following the rules in Dragon Magazine 320). Unfortunately, these rules do not support a PC aging past Juvenile age. This means that it is impossible to make a Dragon larger than Large size. I talked with my DM, and he agrees that this doesn't feel very "Dragon-y". He has given me permission to buy a custom Psionic item of continuous Expansion (with the boost that gives two size increases). However, I can't find rules anywhere for custom Psionic items. Are there any rules out there for custom Psionic items, similar to the rules for custom magic items? If not, what do you think a continuous item of boosted Expansion is worth?

[TuggyNE]

Creating Psionic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/creatingPsionicItems.htm) work for you?

[VGLordR2]

Creating Psionic Items (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/items/creatingPsionicItems.htm) work for you?

I looked through that earlier, and I didn't notice that it had a link to the regular creation rules. I'm a little unfamiliar with Psionics, so how would Power Points translate to (spell level*caster level*2000)? I assume that caster level becomes manifester level, and spell level becomes power level, but what happens when power points are thrown into the mix?

[TuggyNE]

I looked through that earlier, and I didn't notice that it had a link to the regular creation rules. I'm a little unfamiliar with Psionics, so how would Power Points translate to (spell level*caster level*2000)? I assume that caster level becomes manifester level, and spell level becomes power level, but what happens when power points are thrown into the mix?

I believe psionic items all follow the pattern of the dorjes, if you have a choice of manifester level at all:

If an augmentable power is incorporated into a dorje at a higher manifester level than the minimum level required to manifest the power, each discharge of the power from the dorje is augmented to the limit of that higher manifester level. Alternatively, if you want to have a higher manifester level in the dorje, you must pay for the dorje as if the power was one level higher for each additional two manifester levels you want. For example, energy missile is a 2nd-level kineticist power with a minimum manifester level of 3rd. If you wanted to make a dorje of energy missile with a manifester level of 8th (five higher than the minimum), you would pay for the creation of the dorje as if energy missile was a 5th-level power.

That's also essentially the model psi-like abilities use: they're always augmented up to the manifester level, with no additional cost.

[VGLordR2]

Okay, let's see if I did my math right. The manifester level would have to be nine (1 for the power, 2 to extend the duration, 6 to grow bigger). The power level would be 1. I would multiply them by 2000, because it will be a continuous item. Also, I will multiply the final price by 1.5, because the duration is 10 minutes/level. This should make the item cost 9*1*2000*1.5=27,000 GP, right?

[whibla]

Okay, let's see if I did my math right. The manifester level would have to be nine (1 for the power, 2 to extend the duration, 6 to grow bigger). The power level would be 1. I would multiply them by 2000, because it will be a continuous item. Also, I will multiply the final price by 1.5, because the duration is 10 minutes/level. This should make the item cost 9*1*2000*1.5=27,000 GP, right?

There is a typo (a contradiction between the listed duration, and the duration of the augmented power) in my version on the ExPH, but the 2 point Augment in my version says: "If you spend 2 additional power points, this power's duration is 1 minute per level rather than 1 round per level." I would be tempted to take this as the correct version.

In addition, the type of item you're creating might have some bearing on the cost, due to 'body slot affinities'. To avoid incurring any additional costs you will need your item of expansion to be either a ring (no affinities) or, more likely, an item worn on the body. This could be armour, robe, shirt, cloak, mantle, or a belt. If it's armour there will be trival incidental costs, based on the cost of a masterwork suit of armour. If your item is not to be worn on one of these slots the final price should be one and a half times greater than it would otherwise have been. If your item is slotless then the final price will be doubled.

Anyway, since there's no indication that wondrous psionic items do follow the rules for creation of dorjes (interesting that the srd changed the numbers in the passage quoted by Tuggyne - essentially making nonsense of a passage written earlier under the dorje listing. note to self...), but they defintely do follow the DMG guidelines, so, other than the duration multiplier*, and any possible slot multipliers, your calculations are correct. For a body (affinity) slotted item, I make the cost to create 18000 gp + 1440 xp, and the market price 36000 gp.

*if the srd, or wherever you're getting your duration for expansion from, has given an errata, and my assumption about the nature of the typo is incorrect, then I'm sorry, and your multiplier, and final figure, is the correct one, not mine.

[VGLordR2]

Page 105–106: Expansion Power
The third option for augmenting the power should read as follows:
3. If you spend 2 additional power points, this power’s duration is 10 minutes per level rather than 1 round per level.

So the price is 27,000 GP. Thanks for the help, guys.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Okay, let's see if I did my math right. The manifester level would have to be nine (1 for the power, 2 to extend the duration, 6 to grow bigger). The power level would be 1. I would multiply them by 2000, because it will be a continuous item. Also, I will multiply the final price by 1.5, because the duration is 10 minutes/level. This should make the item cost 9*1*2000*1.5=27,000 GP, right?

If the custom psionic item creation rules are as dorjes, then no, not without some... shenanigans. Mainly because of this rule:


The manifester level of a dorje cannot be more than five higher than the minimum manifester level to use the power it contains.

So the maximum amount of points that you could spend on a first level power would be 6, 5 higher than the minimum of 1.

[VGLordR2]

If the custom psionic item creation rules are as dorjes, then no, not without some... shenanigans. Mainly because of this rule:



So the maximum amount of points that you could spend on a first level power would be 6, 5 higher than the minimum of 1.

That's the equivalent of saying that because magic wands cannot contain a spell higher than fourth level, no item can. Dorjes are the Psionic equivalent of wands, and they have similar restrictions to wands.

[Kuulvheysoon]

That's the equivalent of saying that because magic wands cannot contain a spell higher than fourth level, no item can. Dorjes are the Psionic equivalent of wands, and they have similar restrictions to wands.

Not quite.

Dorje rules (specifically, here) state that the dorje in question is, at base, the minimum ML needed to manifest it. It then offers the above passage as a way around that specific limitation.

And I did mention one important part:

If the custom psionic item creation rules are as dorjes, then no, not without some... shenanigans. Mainly because of this rule:

Given that we have no real reason to assume that they would use the dorje rules in the first place...