Help with custom psionic artifact

[Bohdan Maksymenko]

Hello, people, so, I'm playing a 3.5 game on Mythweavers, and our GM gave our(1-st level, geshtalt) characters an ancestral relic that advances as we level. I'm playing a Shaper/Psywar, but like a caster, I won't advance Psywar past level 5.

My question is: What effect should this ancestral relic have? I've written up a few options. Tell me if they're balanced, and which you like most.The relic is artisans tools.

A) These tools function as a rod of metapsionics, granting any power manifested while they are held a free metapsionic feat enhancement X times per day.

B) These tools provide a +X Manifested Level to any metacreativity power manifested while they are held.

C) These tools function as a Tork of power preservation, -1 PP cost to powers.

D)They hold power points which they can utilise to use metapsionic feats engrained in them on powers.

If you have any thoughts on this, or can share your own idea on the design of this artifact, post here.

[Pizza Lord]

I think Ancestral Relic is typically restricted to 3rd level and above, but if you're receiving it at 1st, presumably your GM is either going to have a notably lower gp cost and power-level or he'll let you get a 3rd-level item by paying for it (which would be tough at first level) or he's just giving you the item. So it's a little different than normal in your home game without knowing the details.

Assuming we're looking at the same Ancestral Relic rules and options, you would normally just advance it as you go, making your own choices. Normally, you'd grant it the powers of an existing magic item, ie. making a sword +1 then +2 and later adding ghost touch or something. So in your case (again, it's homebrew, so your GM could allow anything), you probably don't want a masterwork tool for the purposes of increases powers (unless you're just sticking with one and ramping it up, which is a little boring).

You'd probably want to go with an amulet, a third eye, or a crystal mask (psicrowns will be out of gp reach for awhile.) There's nothing wrong with sticking with the basics, a good suit of armor or a weapon. D20srd has a list of psionic magic items and a list of psionic qualities that can be added to weapons and armor as you advance to help you just as well as any set of tools.

[Bohdan Maksymenko]

Well, you see, there is this thing called a "character concept" that I can't ignore, its like a feat prerequisite or something.. So no amulets or weapons, sorry.

[Pizza Lord]

Ah, I see, so its gotta be artisan tools. Okay, then. You're probably good with going C or D and making the tools as a psionic focus type item dedicated to holding power points and increasing the channeling power of certain disciplines.

[Bohdan Maksymenko]

Yeah, I went for D. Here is a sheet in case anyone wants to use it.

Powersculpt tools
CL ? Aura: no aura

This +1 artistans tool is tattered and worn, but inherently psionic. To use its metapsionic properties, a Manifester has to hold it in hand when he manifests a power. Once per day, this rod grants the power manifested through it one Metapsionic feat embedded in its psionic structure without requiring psionic foci or additional power points to be expended. This item is an ancestral relic, when it is enhanced as per the relic rules, it grants 1 use per enchancement bonus of any Metapsionic feats engrained within. Metapsionic feats are added as if being special weapon properties, with Metapsionic feats consuming 2 Power Points equivalent to a +1 property, 4 PP = +2, and 6 PP= +3 and so on. It contains 1 Metapsionic feat, chosen at random, consistent with is enchancement bonus.

[Goth Guru]

Leveled items are weak at first level.
Since it's as weak as a first level, there is no problem.
I think one use per day per tool in the set.

[Bohdan Maksymenko]

No, its a single tool, but is transmutes into a suitable toll. E.g. a sculptor gets sculptor tools, a painter gets a paintbrush.