Introduction
Not all psions see their psicrystals as expendable scouts, but rather as cherished friends and trusted advisors - after all, they are listening to a facet of themselves, and who could be more loyal to you than yourself? Some of these psions and a few psychic warriors choose to embed or implant their psicrystals into their own bodies, making the psicrystals nearly indestructible from outside forces and giving them a trusted advisor in social situations or an extra mind to handle what happens on a battlefield. These psicrystals exhibit an even closer connection to their
masters and, while they cannot deliver touch powers, fly or scout an area, they enhance their masters in different ways.
They share their telepathic sight and power resistance with their masters and offer a more comprehensive helping hand
in most situations, although the manner in which they offer aid is dependent on their differing personalities.
Some psions have their psicrystals implanted into their spine or at the base of their skulls to hide the crystal, while
others implant the crystal shard in their forehead, forming a mythical “third eye.” Some warriors tend to have them
implanted into the hand or chest, often sporting custom-made armor to show off the crystal to their enemies.
Requirements
You need the Psicrystal Affinity feat to have the psicrystal required to implant. Implanting a psicrystal also requires
the expenditure of 100 experience points from the master and the character performing the implant must have the
Fleshcraft feat. If the character chooses to have his psicrystal implanted from the beginning of his
career, this cost is effectively waived.
Note: If the GM doesn’t want to allow the Fleshcraft feat, or doesn’t feel that there is any particular use for it at this
moment, a character with 10 ranks in Knowledge(psionics) and 10 ranks in Heal can implant the psicrystal, but in that
case, the cost increases to 500 experience points.
Interaction with Psicrystals
Implanting an existing Psicrystal is an extended process which replaces all previous benefits the psicrystal had with the one presented below. The process takes 1 day for each point of hardness the psicrystal possesses, during which time the implanted must be present for 8 hours daily and cannot do anything strenuous during the rest of the time. The psicrystal loses all skill points and feats it previously had. The implanted psicrystal can still take purely mental actions, such as concentrating on a power through solicit psicrystal or if it is awakened, using a psi-like ability. Should it be awakened, it can use the share power special ability with its master (see Awakened Psicrystal for more in-depth information).
Effects
All implanted psicrystals have special abilities (or impart abilities to their owners) depending on the level of the owner, as shown on Table 1 - Implanted Psicrystal. The abilities on the table are cumulative.
It is also important to note that an implanted psicrystal cannot be targeted in any way and all effects which affect the owner affect them both equally. This means an implanted psicrystal heals when its master heals, takes damage when
its master takes damage and so on and so forth.
Implanted Psicrystal Special Abilities
All implanted psicrystals have special abilities (or impart abilities to their owners) depending on the level of the owner, as shown on Table 1 - The Implanted Psicrystal. The abilities on the table are cumulative.
Initiative Bonus (Ex): The number noted here is an improvement to the master’s Initiative score, as the psicrystal helps its master react and act faster than would otherwise be possible.
Intelligence Adj. (Ex): Add this value to the psicrystal’s Intelligence score. Psicrystals are as smart as people though not necessarily as smart as smart people). Once per day, the master can re-roll any skill check which is based on Intelligence, using his own ranks but the Intelligence modifier of the implanted psicrystal.
Alertness (Ex): The presence of a psicrystal sharpens its master’s senses. As long as the crystal is functioning its owner gains the Alertness feat.
Personality (Ex): Every psicrystal has a personality. See the Psicrystal Personality table presented in the Expanded Psionics Handbook.
Telepathic Link (Su): The owner has a telepathic link with his psicrystal. The owner can communicate telepathically as if the psicrystal were the target of a mindlink power manifested by the owner. Because of the telepathic link between a psicrystal and its owner, the owner can react to events which the psicrystal perceives (illustrated in the Initiative bonus above).
Sighted (Ex): Although it has no physical sensory organs, an implanted psicrystal can telepathically sense its environment as well as a creature with normal vision and hearing. Darkness (even supernatural darkness) is irrelevant, as are areas of supernatural silence, though a psicrystal still can’t discern invisible or ethereal beings. A psicrystal’s sighted range is 40 feet and at 3rd level it shares this trait with its master.
Telepathic Speech (Ex): If the owner is 5th level or higher, the implanted psicrystal can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the psicrystal, and can act as a mindbridge between its owner and the target of telepathic speech - allowing the owner effective use of this ability.
Focused Personality (Ex): If the owner is 7th level or higher, the implanted psicrystal's personality becomes empowered by its long connection to its master and the bonus granted by the personality shard increases by +1. This increase effects all personalities in an implanted psicrystal.
Power Resistance (Ex): If the owner is 11th level or higher, the psicrystal gains power resistance equal to the owner’s level + 5, which also effects the owner. To affect the psicrystal or the owner with a power, another manifester must get a result on a manifester level check that equals or exceeds the psicrystal’s power resistance.
