Psions and their Psicrystals

[KillianHawkeye]

I have a question that I'd like to get some people's opinions on. I have a player playing a Psion in an upcoming game I'm running and have been going over the 3.5 psionics rules when I noticed that the ability to get a Psicrystal is now a feat (Psicrystal Affinity).

Now, I get that making it a feat allows any character with manifester levels to gain a Psicrystal, instead of just Psions. What I don't get is why don't Psions get it as a bonus feat? What is the purpose of taking that away from them (or making them use up a feat to get it)? Is it to further differentiate psionics from magic? It's not like having a Psicrystal or a familiar is overwhelmingly great.

Anyway, here is my main question for you all: Would it be particularly fair or unbalancing to give my Psion player Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat at first level?

[Starbuck_II]

I have a question that I'd like to get some people's opinions on. I have a player playing a Psion in an upcoming game I'm running and have been going over the 3.5 psionics rules when I noticed that the ability to get a Psicrystal is now a feat (Psicrystal Affinity).

Now, I get that making it a feat allows any character with manifester levels to gain a Psicrystal, instead of just Psions. What I don't get is why don't Psions get it as a bonus feat? What is the purpose of taking that away from them (or making them use up a feat to get it)? Is it to further differentiate psionics from magic? It's not like having a Psicrystal or a familiar is overwhelmingly great.

Anyway, here is my main question for you all: Would it be particularly fair or unbalancing to give my Psion player Psicrystal Affinity as a bonus feat at first level?

Psions get a bonus feat at first level: they can choose it if they really want.

Yes, it would be unfair to give away the Erudite's bonus feat: Psicrystal affinity.
The Erudite gets it as bonus feat.

If you don't mind being mean to the Erudite's I guess,but what if a Psion didn't want one?

Also unlike Familiar's: Manifester levels determine advantcement not Psion/Wilder levels. So making a class feature confuses people.

[Lord Tataraus]

As Starbuck said, they all ready get it as a bonus feat with the built in option of getting some other feat instead. You might as well leave it as is and if the player doesn't want it, fine.

[Randal Flagg]

As a matter of fact I think psions should have it as a bonus feat, as they often are compared to wizards, and wizards get 2 feats at level 1.

So to reflect that, a psion should get : psicrystal affinity and scribe tattoo, which it somewhat like a wizard's "Summon familiar and Scribe Scroll" feats.

But then again would you rather have two feats, which you might or might not want, or would you rather have 1 feat of your own choosing.

If a psion gets psicrystal affinity, It should NOT also have the flexability in another bonus feat.

[Fax Celestis]

As a matter of fact I think psions should have it as a bonus feat, as they often are compared to wizards, and wizards get 2 feats at level 1.

So to reflect that, a psion should get : psicrystal affinity and scribe tattoo, which it somewhat like a wizard's "Summon familiar and Scribe Scroll" feats.

But then again would you rather have two feats, which you might or might not want, or would you rather have 1 feat of your own choosing.

If a psion gets psicrystal affinity, It should NOT also have the flexability in another bonus feat.

Psions get two feats: First Level, and Bonus. One more if Human or Strongheart Halfling.

[KillianHawkeye]

Thanks for the quick replies so far.

Here's a little more info: The character is non-human (and non-halfling) and starting at level 4. The reason I am considering this is so the character could maybe choose a couple of the other psionic feats or just some other feats in general. Also, getting the feat as a bonus feat wouldn't REQUIRE a Psion to have a Psicrystal, just as a Wizard isn't forced to have a familiar.

@Starbuck: Which book is the Erudite in? I'm sure I have seen it somewhere, but I totally can't remember where right now.

[Miraqariftsky]

Indeed. Quoting Geth from Bassingthwaite's The Binding Stone, "Psicrystals are like psions' familiars".

[Lord Iames Osari]

The Erudite showed up in one of the issues of Dragon leading up to the release of the XPH, from which it was cut due to space constraints. It then reappeared in Complete Psionic as a variant of the psion.

[JackMage666]

See, were Wizards are forced to take Scribe Scroll (a feat not well used at lower levels), Psions can take any Psionic feat they want, be it one to give more PP, one to increase save DCs if they expend focus, or whatever. For the versatility to choose, they loose the automatic "familiar" that is a psycrystal.

[Lord Tataraus]

Indeed. Quoting Geth from Bassingthwaite's The Binding Stone, "Psicrystals are like psions' familiars".

Except far more useful. Hence, requiring a feat while the wizard and sorcerer get it free.