Does a Psion get a psicrystal for free? (3.5)

[Protecar]

Question's in the title. I'm not sure if a psicrystal is supposed to be a class feature for psions, or if I have to burn a feat for one.

Thanks all!

[kamikasei]

Nope. You need to take Psicrystal Affinity. You can use your first-level bonus feat for it.

[2xMachina]

Erudite DO get it free though.

[Protecar]

Ah okay. Thanks all!

[Quincunx]

They're fun! I had mine manifest its legs with little ineffectual fiddler-crab claws to suit the pirate-themed campaignPbP which died a quick death. It was guaranteed to be amphibious which is more than can be said for most familiar-types.

[Optimystik]

The first one is not free, but all the replacements are

...What? Mine dies a lot.

[EvilJoe15]

I thought you lost xp when a Psicyrstal dies?

My favorite thing to do with them is to give them Hidden Talent, Overchannel, Expanded Knowledge, Psionic Talent, and some low cost Metapsionic Feats. Then have it float around my character's head like an Ioun Stone.

[2xMachina]

That's the familiar.

IIRC, there is no such clause with the psicrystal.

[Optimystik]

I thought you lost xp when a Psicyrstal dies?

Nope. Unlike familiars, psicrystals carry no penalty for dying.

I like to Feat Leech mine.

[Draz74]

Caution: There are no rules for XP loss when a Psicrystal dies ... but there are also no rules about gaining a replacement psicrystal! Ever!

Of course, a reasonably kind DM will be happy to work out some rules for replacing it, rather than leaving you eternally with a useless feat (or three). But by RAW, there is no formula for replacement.

[EvilJoe15]

Is there anyway of applying a template to one? If you could, put Incarnate on it then you can revive it as then it would be a humanoid.

[Optimystik]

Caution: There are no rules for XP loss when a Psicrystal dies ... but there are also no rules about gaining a replacement psicrystal! Ever!

Actually, if you have a feat you continue to gain the benefits of it unless specifically stated otherwise. Psicrystal Affintity states that you get a Psicrystal, thus you will always have a Psicrystal.

[2xMachina]

The psicrystal died.

Poof, another appeared immediately!

[Lord Vukodlak]

Actually, if you have a feat you continue to gain the benefits of it unless specifically stated otherwise. Psicrystal Affintity states that you get a Psicrystal, thus you will always have a Psicrystal.

The feat says you gain a psicrystal not that you always have one. Strictly speaking once your crystal is gone its gone forever. The most reasonable thing to do is to treat it like a familiar.

[2xMachina]

How about we read it as always gaining a Psicrystal?

Meaning we get a Psicrystal every turn? Fun!

Or really, retrain to self.

[Thalnawr]

Another option would be to just buy a suitable replacement crystal and perform a meditation ritual lasting however long you and your GM agree on to replace it.

[Lhurgyof]

I always like the 3.0 rules on psicrystals better. You get one for free, but there's XP lost with it. Which makes sense, seeing as it's a fragment of your personality.

[Flickerdart]

Another option would be to just buy a suitable replacement crystal and perform a meditation ritual lasting however long you and your GM agree on to replace it.

It would be RAW to retrain or Chaos Shuffle your Psicrystal Affinity for Psicrystal Affinity.