Cryokineticist Manifester Level Progression

[ImaDeadMan]

Cryokineticist is a prestige class for psionic characters to take but it doesn't have ANY progression for the character's manifester level. Simply taking 10 levels of Psion or Psychic Warrior for example would honestly be simply better than the 10 levels of Cryokineticist because of the progression and access to better abilities. Wizards get the freedom of taking prestige classes that grant them full casting progression and other benefits from whatever prestige they take, but Psions seem to get screwed over if they want better flavor for their character.

So here's the question: What level of progression should Cryokineticist get to advance the character's manifester level? (i.e. 1/2 or 7/10 etc.)

[Captnq]

What book is it from?

[Big Fau]

What book is it from?

IIRC, Frostburn.

@OP: It's an adaptation of the Pyrokineticist, which doesn't have a ML progression either. Giving it a 7/10 wouldn't be overpowering (unless you allow the Ardent class, and even then that wouldn't be too bad).

[Captnq]

I'd go 10/10. No PP mind you, but 10/10 on the ML. It sucks.

[The Ravensong]

Honestly, the whole PRC is garbage, it's worse than the pyro everywhere. I'd suggest ignoring this prc and instead reflavoring the Pyro to do cold damage. That said, it still isn't a good class for manifesters, it's much better suited for... say... a rogue bumping bolt of fire with sneak attack damage or a two weapon style ranger/fighter to add an elemental flavor to their attacks.
If you want to have a more elemental themed Psion, I'd talk with your DM about giving you access to any of the elemental themed mage/cleric PRCs, like Elemental Savant, Bonded Summoner, Elemental Archon, Frost Mage, etc, etc... Because the Pyro/Cryo/Electro/Aceto kineticist looks more like an extension of the soul knife class than any of the manifesters.

[Phelix-Mu]

Straight up worse than Pyro. Pyro is almost good enough to work on some builds that aren't focused on manifesting with decent results. Cryokineticist's abilities are just worse, and in really stupid, frustrating ways. It's funny, FB has huge variation in whether a PrC is good or bad (though I suppose that hardly makes it unique among splats). Frozen Berzerker and Primordial are fairly good at what they do, and even Frost Mage and Rimefire Witch are better than Cryokineticist. It's just terrible.

IMHO, even 10/10 progression won't save it (except for the fact that there is so little that isn't suck for psionic PrCs). You really just need to go after the class abilities with a hammer and make them relevant/useful. Then you can decide if it's 8/10 or 10/10.

Frankly, you could probably gestalt Iron Mind and Cryokineticist together (I like that mix of flavor, btw), sprinkle in some manifesting, and still come up a bit short.