Let's make a DSP Pathfinder Psion Handbook

[Squirrel_Dude]

I made an earlier post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?472677-Is-there-a-handbook-class-guide-for-DSP-s-Psion) asking whether or not there was any handbook for Psions in Pathfinder. The single response I got was basically, "no." Looking around, I haven't been able to find any more information on the topic. This is disappointing for a number of reasons, not least of which is that the class has changed significantly and Pathfinder has changed significantly from 3.5.

With that in mind, I've started work on Mind Over Everything: A Pathinder Psion Handbook (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YVapC-VhuKDQ5vx4T2go8v4HdY6vX7U_FUA-IEn_yrM/edit?usp=sharing) (WIP/PEACH).

The current status of the project is a follows

Class Overview - In need of peer reivew
Races - In need of peer reivew
Psion Class Chassis and Abilities - In need of peer reivew
Disciplines - In need of peer reivew
Advanced Disciplines - In need of peer reivew
Class Skills - In need of peer reivew
Archetypes - In need of peer reivew
Feats - Lots of work here from Novawurmson.
Psionic Traits - In need of peer reivew
Prestige Classes - In need of peer reivew
Equipment - WIP
Psionic Items - WIP
Discipline Powers - In need of peer reivew.
Psion/Wilder Powers - In need of peer reivew.

[Tulya]

In terms of spell/power effectiveness, Arcane spells actually tend to be significantly better than their Psionic counterparts. While their scaling caps out, the free scaling means that they can use the spell at full effectiveness with metamagic enhancement for a handful of levels after they get it. For example, a 5th level Wizard casts Empowered Shocking Grasp (1.5x5d6) for the same effective cost as a Psion manifests a 5 PP Disrupting Touch (5d6). This is on top of the much more widespread availability of caster level boosting, metamagic cost reduction, and free metamagic (rods/spell perfection) for arcane casters.

Psionic Nova revolves around earlier access to action economy boosters. Options like Schism, Temporal Acceleration, and Hustle/Quicken Power will enable you to completely take control of the battlefield before anyone else gets a turn.

---
Ability Scores:

For ability scores, an Egoist gish distribution is worth including. Like the Polymorph line conversion, you can no longer dump physical scores if you want to get physical with Metamorphosis.

Strength or Dex (Finesse builds) becomes more important because of your reliance on hitting in melee, while Intelligence isn't as. Buffs tend to be more PP efficient than blasts, and you don't need to rely on boosting DCs.

---
Roles:
Buffing- Share Power was buffed in Ultimate Psionics to a +0 pp adjustment to share personal range powers as a touch. This not only restores the ability to buff allies with a touch that Vancian casters had for analogous spells, but also enables you to share powers that Vancian casters never can.

Summoning - Astral Construct is a feat away for anyone. Unlocked Talent for Astral Construct can be taken at 1st level by any Naturally Psionic race, or as a free alternate racial trait for Blues. That said, bonus menu option available to Shapers is obviously a huge incentive to be a shaper.

---
Races:
For a manifesting focused character, the Blue is likely the strongest option. In addition to what you mentioned, they have alternate racial traits that offer +1 to Compulsion DCs (mindbender), or Unlocked Talent as a bonus feat (psionic prodigy). Unlocked Talent scores you an extra 1st level power from any list, and another +2 pp. They also have a character trait option, Psionic Lineage, which reduces metapsionic costs for one power.
I think the alternate favored class bonus has more value than you're giving it credit for. Mind-affecting Will-based effects are among the most dangerous in the game. That's not to say I'd necessarily rate it better than bonus PP they can choose, or the extra powers known that they can't, but it's just worth bearing in mind that enemies will sometimes wield Mind Control effects too.


Akashic Mysteries opens up some interesting options for Psionic characters with Essence Focus, but I'll save that for another time.

===
Disciplines

Generalist - I'm not sure where the reference to picking any feat with general bonus feats comes from. The closest I can find is the reference to regular leveling feats at odd levels, in which case it's merely saying that it doesn't restrict them.
Erudite - The erudite subdiscipline is ... questionable. You trade bonus feats to convert powers known into flex slots that can be swapped out daily. The only restriction on these powers known are that they must be from the Psion/Wilder list, and that they're limited by your maximum powers known. The downside is that at low levels, you'd be hard pressed to find any extraordinary, yet highly situational powers that you desperately need to trade into day-by-day, and by the mid-game, any Psion can use Psychic Reformation to satisfy that need. Moreover, many of the strongest, situational powers are discipline powers, which you're locked out of with this feature.


Transmogrifist - The Transmogrifist trades the ability to buff allies efficiently for the ability to increase the potency of their psychometabolic powers beyond normal limitations. You can gain extra natural attacks, greater ability/AC bonuses, etc. In a caster-heavy party where you're running a gish, it's a pretty clear choice. Infused Body is also much better than Infused Form, granting additional healing from metamorphosis powers, and a free self-resurrection effect.


Psychokineticist abilities are very lackluster, and essentially represent modest bonus wealth-by-level. Ignoring active energy type restrictions is a useful ability, but that itself can be emulated with Surge Crystals from Ultimate Psionics. The main reason to be a Psychokineticist is the early access to solid blasting powers. That said, if you can wait or are starting at 5th level or higher, you can usually make use of Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile) as your go-to blast for your entire career.
The Unseen Hand subdiscipline trades the energy damage-to-pp converted for a PbAoE knockback and knockdown, no save on the knocking prone. As a one-a-day, standard action ability that can't discriminate between enemies and allies, it seems lackluster to me. Its capstone ability is at-will Telekinetic Force/Maneuver powers without augmentation. It's essentially a slightly worse, slotless Ring of Telekinesis.


The Nomad's Jaunting subdiscipline is... interesting. Accelerated Activity is hands-down better than Evacuate, but Evacuate has its own situationally interesting features. As an immediate action, supernatural ability, it's extremely difficult to counter. You can also teleport far more creatures than similar effects, capped at you + Int modifier without size restrictions. Far Strider is generally preferable to Rapid Movement, enabling you to Nomad's Step with your 5' step non-action.


Clairsentience's Alter the Waves would probably be errata'd if it were brought up, since 'any die roll' could apply to a lot of things that aren't really meant to be subject to modification. Setting that issue aside, insight bonuses are fairly common in psionics, and especially so in Clairsentience with Greater Precognition. That said, it scales up rather well, especially with Student's Robes (+5 to Psion level for determining discipline abilities). Perpetual Foresight isn't bad, but it feels a little redundant when the discipline gives you the Fate of One power.

[Squirrel_Dude]

In terms of spell/power effectiveness, Arcane spells actually tend to be significantly better than their Psionic counterparts. While their scaling caps out, the free scaling means that they can use the spell at full effectiveness with metamagic enhancement for a handful of levels after they get it. For example, a 5th level Wizard casts Empowered Shocking Grasp (1.5x5d6) for the same effective cost as a Psion manifests a 5 PP Disrupting Touch (5d6). This is on top of the much more widespread availability of caster level boosting, metamagic cost reduction, and free metamagic (rods/spell perfection) for arcane casters.

Psionic Nova revolves around earlier access to action economy boosters. Options like Schism, Temporal Acceleration, and Hustle/Quicken Power will enable you to completely take control of the battlefield before anyone else gets a turn.The blasting isn't what I meant my augmentation. I meant the ability to ramp up Save DCs, duration, etc. Your point about how casters have gotten pretty wacky still stands, and I'll make sure to include bits about action economy.


Ability Scores:

For ability scores, an Egoist gish distribution is worth including. Like the Polymorph line conversion, you can no longer dump physical scores if you want to get physical with Metamorphosis.

Strength or Dex (Finesse builds) becomes more important because of your reliance on hitting in melee, while Intelligence isn't as. Buffs tend to be more PP efficient than blasts, and you don't need to rely on boosting DCs.Yeah, gish builds are probably going to need their own section talking about how they'll function.



Buffing- Share Power was buffed in Ultimate Psionics to a +0 pp adjustment to share personal range powers as a touch. This not only restores the ability to buff allies with a touch that Vancian casters had for analogous spells, but also enables you to share powers that Vancian casters never can.

Summoning - Astral Construct is a feat away for anyone. Unlocked Talent for Astral Construct can be taken at 1st level by any Naturally Psionic race, or as a free alternate racial trait for Blues. That said, bonus menu option available to Shapers is obviously a huge incentive to be a shaper.Only enough, psionic races can't take Unlocked Talent because their free Wild Talent feat becomes Psionic talent when they take a level of psion.


Races:
For a manifesting focused character, the Blue is likely the strongest option. In addition to what you mentioned, they have alternate racial traits that offer +1 to Compulsion DCs (mindbender), or Unlocked Talent as a bonus feat (psionic prodigy). Unlocked Talent scores you an extra 1st level power from any list, and another +2 pp. They also have a character trait option, Psionic Lineage, which reduces metapsionic costs for one power.

I think the alternate favored class bonus has more value than you're giving it credit for. Mind-affecting Will-based effects are among the most dangerous in the game. That's not to say I'd necessarily rate it better than bonus PP they can choose, or the extra powers known that they can't, but it's just worth bearing in mind that enemies will sometimes wield Mind Control effects too.I'm just not a huge fan of save-or-die effects, especially not mind-affecting ones that are already so hit and miss Most of the best stuff is locked away in the telepath discipline that I'm not particularly enamored with.



Disciplines

Generalist - I'm not sure where the reference to picking any feat with general bonus feats comes from. The closest I can find is the reference to regular leveling feats at odd levels, in which case it's merely saying that it doesn't restrict them. Correct, that's my misreading the text.



Psychokineticist abilities are very lackluster, and essentially represent modest bonus wealth-by-level. Ignoring active energy type restrictions is a useful ability, but that itself can be emulated with Surge Crystals from Ultimate Psionics. The main reason to be a Psychokineticist is the early access to solid blasting powers. That said, if you can wait or are starting at 5th level or higher, you can usually make use of Expanded Knowledge (Energy Missile) as your go-to blast for your entire career.2 points of con drain is a hefty price to pay.


Clairsentience's Alter the Waves would probably be errata'd if it were brought up, since 'any die roll' could apply to a lot of things that aren't really meant to be subject to modification. Setting that issue aside, insight bonuses are fairly common in psionics, and especially so in Clairsentience with Greater Precognition. That said, it scales up rather well, especially with Student's Robes (+5 to Psion level for determining discipline abilities). Perpetual Foresight isn't bad, but it feels a little redundant when the discipline gives you the Fate of One power.Ratings adjusted accordingly for Alter the Waves.

I'm more bullish on perpetual foresight obviously, and think it's significantly better than Fate of one It:

Doesn't cost any power points for the attempt at a better result
Doesn't force you to take the second result
Doesn't eat up a powers known slot
& You can use it on concentration and caster level checks and probably some other things I'm forgetting
I think the difference is significant enough to be of note.


The Unseen Hand subdiscipline trades the energy damage-to-pp converted for a PbAoE knockback and knockdown, no save on the knocking prone. As a one-a-day, standard action ability that can't discriminate between enemies and allies, it seems lackluster to me. Its capstone ability is at-will Telekinetic Force/Maneuver powers without augmentation. It's essentially a slightly worse, slotless Ring of Telekinesis.

Erudite - The erudite subdiscipline is ... questionable. You trade bonus feats to convert powers known into flex slots that can be swapped out daily. The only restriction on these powers known are that they must be from the Psion/Wilder list, and that they're limited by your maximum powers known. The downside is that at low levels, you'd be hard pressed to find any extraordinary, yet highly situational powers that you desperately need to trade into day-by-day, and by the mid-game, any Psion can use Psychic Reformation to satisfy that need. Moreover, many of the strongest, situational powers are discipline powers, which you're locked out of with this feature.

Transmogrifist - The Transmogrifist trades the ability to buff allies efficiently for the ability to increase the potency of their psychometabolic powers beyond normal limitations. You can gain extra natural attacks, greater ability/AC bonuses, etc. In a caster-heavy party where you're running a gish, it's a pretty clear choice. Infused Body is also much better than Infused Form, granting additional healing from metamorphosis powers, and a free self-resurrection effect.

The Nomad's Jaunting subdiscipline is... interesting. Accelerated Activity is hands-down better than Evacuate, but Evacuate has its own situationally interesting features. As an immediate action, supernatural ability, it's extremely difficult to counter. You can also teleport far more creatures than similar effects, capped at you + Int modifier without size restrictions. Far Strider is generally preferable to Rapid Movement, enabling you to Nomad's Step with your 5' step non-action. Set aside for review later.

[Tulya]

Only enough, psionic races can't take Unlocked Talent because their free Wild Talent feat becomes Psionic talent when they take a level of psion.
I don't know if DSP has restored its old forum content, but the thread of errata changed Unlock Talent's requirements to "Wild Talent or Naturally Psionic racial trait".
Edit: Here (https://web.archive.org/web/20141108144113/http://dreamscarredpress.com/dragonfly/ForumsPro/viewtopic/t=979.html) it is.

"Unlocked Power
Change the prerequisites to read:
Prerequisites: Naturally psionic or Wild Talent"


2 points of con drain is a hefty price to pay.
I do agree, and while I likely wouldn't run it for the energy type freedom alone, it's a debatable choice as of the Wilder Augmented supplemental. Overchannel, Mental Equilibrium, and Biokinetic Feedback will free you from the risk of Dazing, and enable you to stack the ML boosts. Between them, you can give a vanilla Wilder a run for its money on power augmentation.



I'm more bullish on perpetual foresight obviously, and think it's significantly better than Fate of one It:

Doesn't cost any power points for the attempt at a better result
Doesn't force you to take the second result
Doesn't eat up a powers known slot
& You can use it on concentration and caster level checks and probably some other things I'm forgetting
I think the difference is significant enough to be of note.
I agree that it's a reasonable ability on its own merits, and generally better than Fate as One when you can use it. I'm concerned about the psionic focus expenditure, because there can be a great deal of competition for both focus and swift actions.
My greater issue with the discipline abilities is just that they're all either ridiculously situational, or what they do is very similar to what powers in the discipline list do.

Hmm. It might be worth looking at disciplines from three angles:
1) The discipline as your sole/primary discipline. You get the powers at normal levels, and the full set of abilities at normal levels. (Or early access with Student's Robes!)
2) The discipline as a secondary discipline from the Dual Disciple archetype. Limited discipline abilities, free access to discipline powers without delay.
3) The discipline as a dip from Expanded Knowledge. No abilities, delayed access to discipline powers, feat intensive. At 7th+ level, Psychic Reformation makes this route much less taxing, effectively granting free access to all downtime powers up to 1 level below your highest power level known.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Well, Perpetual Foresight already eats an immediate action, so you won't be getting a swift action later, anyway. But yes, it gets much better if you have some way to maintain multiple psionic focuses.

I've finished going through second level powers.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Finally finished going through all the discipline powers.

[Katana1515]

Just stopping by to express my gratitude! The lack of a guide to the DSP Psion has annoyed me for years! Looks great so far, keep up the good work!

[Novawurmson]

I'll try to help a little bit over the next week or so. Been hoping for a DSP psion guide for a long time.

Edit: Made a start on the feats on the srd. Still needs feats from other sources (especially the Ultimate Psionics feats not on the srd).

Edit 2: With the exception of metapsionic feats, Ultimate Psionic feats are done! Does anyone else have Seventh Path? I might browse through it for interesting options.

[Squirrel_Dude]

I'll try to help a little bit over the next week or so. Been hoping for a DSP psion guide for a long time.

Edit: Made a start on the feats on the srd. Still needs feats from other sources (especially the Ultimate Psionics feats not on the srd).

Edit 2: With the exception of metapsionic feats, Ultimate Psionic feats are done! Does anyone else have Seventh Path? I might browse through it for interesting options.Thanks for the help. I took a break from working on it, Christmas and all, but I should be able to take some more time with it over the next couple of days.

[Mithril Leaf]

I'll try to help a little bit over the next week or so. Been hoping for a DSP psion guide for a long time.

Edit: Made a start on the feats on the srd. Still needs feats from other sources (especially the Ultimate Psionics feats not on the srd).

Edit 2: With the exception of metapsionic feats, Ultimate Psionic feats are done! Does anyone else have Seventh Path? I might browse through it for interesting options.

I've got Seventh Path, it's thoroughly mediocre with a few exceptional abilities, in my eyes the only one that matters is Scales of Damnation which gives you an awesome source of Temporary PP that really improves your endurance if you like going nova.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Alright, class skills have gotten once over, and I'm pretty much done with disciplines and advanced disciplines. I need to go grab my copy of Ultimate Psionics to look up astral swarms because of the Shaper discipline ability, though.

[Squirrel_Dude]

I've done a once-over on traits and on all of the Ultimate Psionic prestige classes.

[TiaC]

Posted some comments and thoughts on 1st-2nd level powers from some other sources.


I've got Seventh Path, it's thoroughly mediocre with a few exceptional abilities, in my eyes the only one that matters is Scales of Damnation which gives you an awesome source of Temporary PP that really improves your endurance if you like going nova.

That power is quite broken. There are a lot of situationally useful abilities in that book. However, there are some other useful powers.
1st: Shunning of the Material allows you to vanish doors or walls. If augmented, you can put armies on time-out.
2nd:
3rd: Fettering the Shade allows you to apply the appropriate bane type to your team's weapons with a good duration.
Phantasmagoria is a nice low-level battlefield control effect.
Spiritual Resting Place is Rope Trick.
4th: Spectral Stare can be an effective way to give negative levels or reduce an enemy to 0 Cha.
5th: Ghostly Possession is Magic Jar
Soul Feast lets you gain a whole lot of temp HP for that day.
6th:
7th: Soul Stealing can turn your friends into ghosts for a power-up.
Discipline powers:
1st: Insight of the Dead and Seance are very impressive info-gathering tools for their level.
2nd: Bring Forth the Soul becomes a raise dead when augmented.
Object Possession could be nice if you actually retained your intelligence and manifesting while possessing the object.
3rd:
4th: Gift of the Corpse lets you be incorporeal and fly all day long. It's a really powerful defensive buff.
Scales of Damnation is horribly broken if augmented. (If you know any healing power, you can keep it up all day.)
5th: Horrid Fetter is Planar Binding for incorporeal creatures, so it's as powerful as you'd think.
Orphic Descent can resurrect a legendary hero for a day. If augmented, it's a powerful minion-summoning power.
6th: Autolingua is legend lore with augmentations.
Death Pact turns your friends into ghosts again.
7th: Spiritual Contingency is Contingency.
8th: Gate of Avernus is a limited form of Gate a level early.
Inurement turns you into a ghost when you die. This is a major power-up.
9th: Both Feet in the Grave is True Mind Switch for undead.

The discipline abilities are pretty good. Spirit Affinity gives a not-great (unless you're undead) feat and the ability to slowly shift your discipline powers known. Poltergeist Aura is a nice debuff aura with a flexible duration. Hand of the Grave is a no-save, just-die touch attack. The capstone, Straddling Both Worlds, isn't great, but it can allow you to become incorporeal as needed.

The Psion archetype, the Hounforge, is just bad though. Instead of a discipline, you get a half-level eidolon, which is pretty useless.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Somebody has been very busy suggesting edits and adding ratings in the rulebook. Thank you very much to that person.

[Squirrel_Dude]

I've added some Core Rulebook and other Paizo and General Combat feats, and deadly agility.

I'm probably forgetting some stuff, and there is some stuff I didn't put on there because it isn't very good. I.E. I didn't put rapid shot on there because it goes without saying that it should be. I didn't put Feral Combat training on there because it requires too many feats to get anything out of it.

[TiaC]

Somebody has been very busy suggesting edits and adding ratings in the rulebook. Thank you very much to that person.

That's probably me, glad you like it.:smallsmile:

[Squirrel_Dude]

Alright, that's every power in Ultimate Psionics given a once over and rated, except for converse. I'll look at it and a couple of other things when I get home. After that it's finishing up feats, or getting them close enough, and starting in on equipment. Once that's done, I'd say it's good to go.

I also need to add a section on researching powers.

[Squirrel_Dude]

So a problem I'm running into is that a large swath of archetypes replace discipline talents, which seem to have been a rule in the Psionic Unleashed version of the Psion. Those look to have been replaced by talents which are basically 0th level spells.

How the hell are these archetypes supposed to work? DSP errata doesn't make any mention of it.

[Nyaa]

Awakened Blade (Path of War)
You’ll be losing 5 manifester levels with multiclassing


Only 3 if you take Awakened Blade to 10. Psion 4 / initiator 1 have IL of 3, allowing him to select 2nd level maneuvers. With a trait from PoW2, Psion 4 / initiator 1 have IL of 5. IMO it's solid blue bordering on purple.


Assimilate - it looks like you have to kill a creature with 9 more HD than you to get +4 to all ability scores.

Metamind - "or you’ll be forgoing 9th level powers without the psionic knack trait". Latest ruling (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420178-Pathfinder-Dreamscarred-Press-FAQ&p=20302491&viewfull=1#post20302491) is that psionic knack doesn't have anything to do with maximum level of powers known.

Shape the Shade - pounce costs 3 points now. Also not clear how base form requirement interacts with this power.

Power Resistance power's cap is at least 36 with ioun stone and overchannel.

[Artillery]

So the Universal items (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/equipment/psionic-items/universal-items) from Ultimate Psionics are finally getting added... and I finished that faster than I expected.

I think adding a section of useful power combinations would be a good idea. Things like using Share Pain with your Psicrystal so you get twice the Temporary Hit Points from vigor. Clairvoyant Sense in combination with Burrowing Power.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Only 3 if you take Awakened Blade to 10. Psion 4 / initiator 1 have IL of 3, allowing him to select 2nd level maneuvers. With a trait from PoW2, Psion 4 / initiator 1 have IL of 5. IMO it's solid blue bordering on purple.


Assimilate - it looks like you have to kill a creature with 9 more HD than you to get +4 to all ability scores.

Metamind - "or you’ll be forgoing 9th level powers without the psionic knack trait". Latest ruling (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420178-Pathfinder-Dreamscarred-Press-FAQ&p=20302491&viewfull=1#post20302491) is that psionic knack doesn't have anything to do with maximum level of powers known.

Shape the Shade - pounce costs 3 points now. Also not clear how base form requirement interacts with this power.

Power Resistance power's cap is at least 36 with ioun stone and overchannel.I'll need to look more into the Awakened Blade class. There is clearly some stuff that I missed there both in terms of how to enter it and traits that would make it more efficient.

[Unbodied]

Can you guys add the Racial Archetypes for the Psion class? The Elan's racial archetype in particular is something I find interesting but I'm uncertain if its actually any good. :smallconfused:

[Novawurmson]

Took a quick look at it. Nine times out of ten, taking a discipline is going to be better, if just for the discipline powers.

[dascarletm]

One thing I wish to bring up about astral traveler/caravan:

It has a range of touch, so if your friends are willing to sit around for hours holding hands, you can systematically manifest astral traveler on your entire party, then manifest astral caravan on yourself. I did this in a plane-hopping campaign at low levels before we could plane shift. I personally would rate it slightly higher (still campaign specific), but it is the only option at level 5 for planar travel.

[Xeno426]

Bit of a resurrection here, but I just wanted to say thanks for this handbook. Much appreciated.

[Squirrel_Dude]

Can you guys add the Racial Archetypes for the Psion class? The Elan's racial archetype in particular is something I find interesting but I'm uncertain if its actually any good. :smallconfused:

The Elan archetype (it's really just a discipline) has been added. It's alright. I rated it about on par with the Nomad or the Kineticist, and it won't always reach there. All of the discipline abilities are underwhelming or require you to invest in a skill to get the most out of them. It encourages being MAD. It's only saved by having a power list that is more diverse in its effects than any other discipline does and being nice and fluffy.

[Athetos]

Sorry for the possible necro guys, but i have a proposition: how about you make a chapter dedicated to the egoist, like the one that exists on the rpg.bot site for the transmuter wizard?

[Calthropstu]

Sorry for the possible necro guys, but i have a proposition: how about you make a chapter dedicated to the egoist, like the one that exists on the rpg.bot site for the transmuter wizard?

Close to necro, It's more like a breath of life than an animate dead.

[Athetos]

Thougt so.

[Athetos]

Breath of life is still a good spell.

[Durpady]

Made an account so I could post in this thread.

I feel like Imprinter should be green instead of black:

I don't see any mention of the Greater Psicrystal Staff in the handbook. I think it has fantastic synergy with the Psicrystal Imprinter; by the time you max that PrC out, you could have, say, +6 to Concentration, +4 to Fort and Init, +6 to Perception, and +6 to Craft (good for a Shaper!).
Craft Cognizance Crystal got some flak in the 'book; isn't it necessary to make the crystals for Bend Reality, Reality Revision, and Genesis ("similar to Cognizance Crystals")?
Also, I think it's noteworthy that Imprinter only loses one ML; pretty sure every other PrC costs at least 2 to max out.


Mind Over Body has enough use to warrant being yellow, I think; it's situational but... True Creation costs one point of Ability Burn per 5k GP worth of material created. With Mind over Body and 14 CON (easily achievable), the character can recover from 3 points of Ability Burn per day, meaning up to 15k worth of GP can be created in one day and the character is still back to 100% the next day (of course, this value can be improved by Creating raw goods, then using [G.] Modify Matter to shape them into finished products worth even more). Out-of-combat wealth generation, essentially. ...Of course, once you're done building up GP, it's time to Psychic Reformation it away.

[AShadowofLife]

I have to agree Durpandy. I also think the ability to enhance your powers for free is handy.

Additionally, you could take Favored Prestige Class and Prestigious Spellcaster (altered for psionics), and fill out that last missing ML.