Spotlight on ... Crystalline Memories.

[Craiconn]

Crystalline Memories .... 2nd Level Sorc/Wiz spell from Complete Mage.

What a weird spell.  It's Transmutation's version of Divination's Detect Thoughts (which is also 2nd Level) ... but more oddly structured ... and not as desireable to boot.

In essence, it's a Swift-Action casting spell that pre-occupies (or "wastes time", is more like it) your group's arcanist for 3 solid rounds (via Concentration).  And then does a piddling amount of HP and INT damage to accompany the objectified solidification of 3 rounds of Detect Thoughts that flies directly into the arcanist's hands. 

At level 9 and above, you can use the Swift Concentration trick in order to more effectively multi-task via action economy.  And at 12th level, you can do that even better with the Extraordinary Concentration feat.  But at both those levels, the Will save of this spell will be easily by just about every opponent - unless you'd want to Heighten the spell for some crazy reason.  It does have some nice combos with Bracers of the Entangling Blast and the Fell Metamagics (Drain/Weaken/Frighten).

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So what am I missing about this spell?  What were the designers thinking when they thought this quirky spell had value?  Especially since Detect Thoughts is so much better all-around (and accessible by *ALL* arcanists, even specialists). 

It looks interesting as hell and I'd love to optimize it.  Just not sure how.  The visuals that accompany the spell are so violent and priceless. 

[Amechra]

Well, it gives the benefit of allowing you to view it later.

I do wish they let other people see the thoughts; then it really would be useful.

[Craiconn]

If CM gave to the caster the collected thoughts along the lines of what you'd get from a Probe Thoughts or Brain Spider spell (both in the SRD), I'd give the spell more consideration.  Otherwise, at early levels, the arcanist is sitting around for 3 rounds doing jack squat. 

[Nunkuruji]

This feels more like something Mindflayers might use in conspiracy of analyzing and controlling their victims, and adventurers happen across a few of those crystals as plot devices.

[Craiconn]

This feels more like something Mindflayers might use in conspiracy of analyzing and controlling their victims, and adventurers happen across a few of those crystals as plot devices.

Yep, that would be an interesting use of the spell.

There's possibly 2 other kinds of arcanist that might take interest in Crystalline Memories:

1.  A stealthy caster (Unseen Seer/Arc. Trickster) might cast this while hidden or invisible ... and as a Silent Spell (+1 MM) on an opponent that the party is about to ambush and wants dead.  After Round 3, the memory crystal pops into his hand and the now slightly damaged victim gets jumped by the party's ambush.  Still, that's a lot of rigmarole for something more easily accomplished by killing the victim without delay and using Speak With Dead to get even more in-depth info from the hapless victim.   

2.  A thematic "angry arcanist" who feels that subtle spells are best delivered with extreme violence-themed alternative spells.  i.e. Instead of casting Detect Thoughts, cast Crystalline Memories.  Like a worshipper of Talos (Forgotten Realms) for example. 

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There may also be some sort of value to certain Earth Elemental monsters or Psionic Creatures who find memory-infused crystals to be of extreme value for either gormandizing consumption and/ or specialized magic/psionic item creation.