The Drilbu (Psionic Item)
By Scott Brocius

A drilbu is a long shaft of crystal that stores several psionic powers. Though any psionic power can be placed in a drilbu, there are limitations to the combination of powers, and very few psions can create them.

Physical Description: A typical drilbu is a shaft of crystal, anywhere from 4 to 7 feet long and from 2 to 3 inches thick, weighing about 5 pounds. Most are shaped from a single length of crystal and are generally a single pale color. Some include bits of bone, precious metals, or gemstones, while others may be carved or decorated in a similar fashion. The typical drilbu is like a quarterstaff or cudgel. It has an AC of 7, 14 hit points, a hardness of 8, and a break DC of 26. Unless noted otherwise, a drilbu can be used in combat as a masterwork quarterstaff.

Activation: Drilbus use the command thought activation method, so manifesting a power from a drilbu is usually a standard action that doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. (If the power being manifested has a longer manifestation time than 1 action, however, it takes that long to manifest the power from a drilbu.) The user must have the powers from the drilbu on his class list or have the stat ability required to manifest the power. [For example, a nomad with an Intelligence of 16 could activate a drilbu with ectoplasmic armor, wall of ectoplasm, and whitefire, whereas a nomad with an Intelligence of 14 could not. The ectoplasmic armor requires an Intelligence of 15.]

Creating a Drilbu: See the crystalsinger prestige class for information on drilbu creation.

Random Generation: To generate drilbus randomly, roll on Table 1-1: Drilbus.

Special Qualities: Roll a d%. A 01-30 result indicates the command thoughts are mentally encoded and whisper themselves to the user's mind on acquisition, and 31-100 indicates no special qualities.

Total power level: Drilbus have a minimum of two powers, and can have as many as six, all from one discipline.

** Market Price: This is an average market price. It is based on a total of 2 powers at the minimum manifested level for those powers. In actuality, drilbus vary widely in price due to the complex nature of their creation. See the Craft Drilbu feat for more details.

Sample Drilbus

Each drilbu below has 50 charges.

Drilbu of Destruction

This drilbu is made of a pale purple crystal and is etched with a lightning pattern. It is only 4 feet long and tapered on one end. If used in combat, it is treated as a masterwork club. It contains the following powers:

Detonation (costs 1 charge)
Dissolution (costs 1 charge)

Manifester Level: 18th, Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, detonation, dissolution; Market Price: 243,000 gp; Weight: 3 lbs.; Activation Requirements: Savant or Con 19.

Drilbu of Influence

This 5-foot-long drilbu is made of dark blue crystal inlaid with silver and copper runes. It has the following powers:

Charm Monster (costs 1 charge)
Charm Person (costs 1 charge)
Mass Suggestion (costs 2 charges)

Manifester Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, charm person, charm monster, mass suggestion; Market Price: 63,000 gp; Weight: 6 lbs; Activation Requirements: Telepath or Cha 16.

Drilbu of Insight

This drilbu is a shaft of crystal 6 feet long and 3 inches thick. It is actually two pieces of crystal -- one yellow, one pink -- wrapped around each other like a pair of vines. It has the following powers:

Aura Sight (costs 1 charge)
Recall Agony (costs 1 charge)
Recall Death (costs 2 charges)

Manifester Level: 16th, Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, aura sight, recall agony, recall Death; Market Price: 156,000 gp; Weight: 6 lbs.; Activation Requirements: Seer or Wis 18.

Drilbu of Movement

This drilbu is very plain, being a clear, smooth crystal rod of 7 feet in length. It is also one of the more slender drilbu, being just under 2 inches thick. It has the following powers:

Dimension Door (costs 1 charge)
Ethereal Jaunt (costs 2 charges)
Feather Fall (costs 1 charge)
Fly (costs 1 charge)
Spider Climb (costs 1 charge)
Teleport Without Error (costs 2 charges)

Manifester Level: 14th, Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, feather fall, spider climb, fly, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, teleport without error; Market Price: 162,750 gp; Weight: 5 lbs.; Activation Requirements: Nomad, or Dex 17.

Drilbu of the Enhanced Body

This 6-foot-long shaft consists of a reddish crystal and has lengths of bone and teeth worked into it. It has the following powers:

Animal Affinity (costs 1 charge)
Body Adjustment (costs 1 charge)

Manifester Level: 4th, Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, animal affinity, body adjustment; Market Price: 12,000 gp; Weight: 4 lbs.; Activation Requirements: Egoist or Str 12.

Drilbu of the Warrior

This drilbu is a silvery-white shaft 7 feet long and 2.5 inches thick. One end is capped with iron, while the other sports a steel spike. This drilbu may be used as a masterwork quarterstaff or short spear. It contains the following powers:

Ectoplasmic Armor (costs 1 charge)
Metaphysical Weapon (costs 1 charge) -- the drilbu itself is the target of this power

Manifester Level: 10th, Prerequisites: Craft Drilbu, combat prescience, ectoplasmic armor, metaphysical weapon; Market Price: 60,000 gp; Weight: 5 lbs.; Activation Requirements: Shaper or Int 15.