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Although not obvious from the rulebook, I have seen reference to the crystal as a class feature in the Mind's Eye articles. I knew it was a stupid question...
Quote from the psion description in the SRD: "A psicrystal is a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life (via the Psicrystal Affinity feat)."
That's most likely an artifact of the previous incarnation of the articles: They were initially released for the 3.0 version of the Psion which indeed gained the feat at first level.Although not obvious from the rulebook, I have seen reference to the crystal as a class feature in the Mind's Eye articles. I knew it was a stupid question...
In 3.5 this was changed to a bonus feat, giving psions the choice to get something else if they didn't care for a psicrystal.
In 3.5 (Expanded Psionics Handbook), psicrystal became a feat, and psions got a bonus feat at first level, which many use to pick Psicrystal Affinity, but they do NOT get it for free.
Unfortunately, much psionic material was written for the 3.0 version of psicrystals, causing the continued confusion.
Allowing the players a choice is good design -- makes sense -- now...