Stempel - 2020-12-09

The Psychic Spirit is a part of the Psychic psyche in manifested form similar to a Psicrystal.

By means of the Psychic Spirit, the Psychic is able to manifest powers learned from others. Specifically, the Psychic Spirit helps the Psychic to shape their psyche to emulate that of others and as a result it allows them to learn and manifest psionic powers.

As a result, unlike a regular Psion, who learns a number of powers themselves, expanding their power at each level, the Psychic uses their Psychic Spirit to copy powers of others by exploring and copying their psychic process.

The Psychic Spirit has no physical form, but can be detected using detect psionics or similar powers. Using such methods of detection, it appears as if a small formless entity shoots around the Psychic, seemingly randomly interested in details and then moving on to check the next random item in the area, tracing chaotic and unpredictable patterns as it moves, yet always seeming to have some sort of focus in a particular direction that is difficult to pin down.

The spirit never ventures more than a few feet from the Psychic, and appears to jump into the Psychic when she manifests a spell or power.

Learning Powers

Unlike a regular Psion who knows a set number of powers at each level, the Psychic learns powers from other psionic creatures. They do not gain starting powers and do not gain powers when they level up, but can learn any number of powers.

Learning a new power requires the Psychic to explore the psyche of a creature that has the desired power. They must spend a period of at least 24 hours in close physical presence of the creature, and must communicate with them to explore their psyche.

The creature must be willing to share their personal story and must share a language (or other means of communication) with the Psychic.

After the 24 hour period, the character makes an Autohyponosis check of DC 15 + the power's level. If the check fails, the psion cannot understand the psychic patterns required for the power. She cannot attempt to learn that power again from the same source until she has leveled up, but she may learn it from a different creature after at least one week has passed.

This ability does not bestow upon the character the ability to know what powers a creature possesses, nor does it remove the ability from the creature.

Powers Known

The Psychic can learn an unlimited number of different psionic powers, though the Psychic must learn each on her own (see above).

The Psychic has more freedom in the amount and types of powers they can learn. She can learn psionic powers from the psion/wilder list, as well as the lists for all other psionic disciplines. Additionally, she can learn powers from non-psion/wilder lists such as the psychic warrior list.

This ability cannot be used to learn powers normally available to Psions at a lower level. For example, the user cannot learn Body of Iron at level 6, even if it is a Psychic Warrior 6 power, as it is available on the Psion list at level 8.

Preparing Powers

To manifest powers, the Psychic needs to shape their psychic spirit in such a way as to be able to manifest their psionic power in the right form.

The Psychic may prepare powers each day after 8 hours of sleep (the same rules for interruptions and ability to avoid sleep apply as for wizards and clerics). After resting, they may take one hour to prepare a limited number of powers available for that day.

The Psychic may prepare powers according to her level, using the table below. Additionally, the Psychic gains bonus powers she can prepare each day for any power levels she is able to manifest. The bonus is determined by Charisma.

For example, a level 7 Psychic with Charisma 20 would be able to prepare 4 level 1 powers, 3 level 2 powers, 3 level 3 powers and 2 level 4 powers.

The Psychic may, if she so chooses, prepare a lower level spell than her preparation slot allows (for example, using a level 4 slot for a level 3 power).

The Psychic may manifest any prepared power an unlimited number of times (within the limits of their available power points), with any choices that apply within the power (and power point limit). The preparation is not used up.

Metapsionic Feats

The Psychic cannot modified prepared powers using metapsionic feats. However, she can prepare powers with the metapsionic effects already applied as part of preparation.

When doing so, the power uses a prepared slot 1 level higher than normal for every 2 power points it adds to the cost. For example, a level 4 power modified by the Burrowing Power metapsionic feat, which adds 4 points to the cost, could be prepared using a level 6 slot.

The Psychic must still also pay the additional power points, use their Psionic focus if the feat says so, and the powers total cost cannot exceed her manifester level.

Talents

The Psychic may learn talents -including the de-facto talent of Detect Psionics- from other classes that have this ability, in particular the 7 other psion disciplines.

The Psychic may prepare a number of Talents equal to her Charisma modifier. As long as she maintains Psionic Focus, she may manifest prepared talents without paying power points, but the power may not be augmented or affected by metapsionic feats.

Many Talents are limited in some way when used as Talents and those limits also apply to the Psychic as well if she prepares them as Talents. Often, the talent is available as a normal power as well. In that case, the Psychic may also prepare such powers as normal using the appropriate level slot and without these limitations.

Psychic Spirit Mechanics

The Psychic Spirit does not have a physical form. It does not have its own sensory organs or ways to actuate in the world. It cannot influence the physical world in any way, cannot gleam information not otherwise available to the Psychic and it cannot be killed or destroyed. It does not have an AC or Hitpoints and does not roll saves.

It can, however, be held captive by means that would normally allow souls, ghosts or incorporeal creatures to be contained.

If it is trapped in such a manner, the Psychic loses their ability to manifest powers (except through the Personal Manifestation ability gained at level 20) until the spirit is released.