I'd like to share a bit of what I have regarding subclasses. I plan on releasing this on the DMs Guild eventually and have kept it in line with the Forgotten Realms, so it references Auppenser and Jhaamdath(this not in name, though) to offer continuity. I modified one and completely changed another, with some advice from this thread combined with my many pages of notes on the subject over the last couple years. Let me know what you think! Honest critique and advice is welcome, as long as it is respectful.
This is just lore blurbs on each subclass(called Disciplines), of which there are three per base class. There is a focus on psions knowing it takes a lot of time and focus to achieve acuity with their powers, which is called the Long Road in the text. I plan on later introducing a supplement that covers wild psions(aka extremely dangerous), but that is a ways off.
Firstly, the base psionic classes are the Metamind and the Battlemind.
The Metamind is a catch-all containing 3rd edition's Psion varieties, with a touch here and there of prestige classes. They focus on mind over body and have abilities that allow them to sacrifice their corporeal form to enhance their powers(and incorporeal form!).
The Battlemind shares pieces of the psychic warrior, soulknife, and various other official and 3rd party ideas. They focus on a balance of mind and body, with a flurry of smaller powers meant to enhance their physical capabilities. The balance differs depending on subclass.
Metamind Disciplines
The Telekine
The ability to move objects with your mind alone is one of the most useful, basic powers a psion has at their disposal. This ability is used far and wide above all other psionic powers. Many take the long road to hone this avenue of the mind, favoring discipline over enhanced telekinetic powers. Leaving behind the basic ability to move things with their mind, a true Telekine can surround themselves with shields of force, crush foes like dried leaves in their palm, carry themselves through the sky, or create massive concussive waves around them.
The Telepath
All psions are gifted with the power to read minds and project their thoughts. That is one of the fundamental abilities of an awakened mind. A Telepath is far, far more than a mind-reader. Through the insinuation of thoughts and manipulation of senses, the psion has is able to make others believe they fight a beast, or quicksand lies in their path, or even to disregard the psion as empty air in front of them. The Telepath is the master manipulator of intelligent minds, and none except another psion or highly-trained, perceptive mind is even aware of the interaction.
The Uncarnate
Some psions are gifted with the ability to interact with the planes between the material and the endless black of the multiverse. Most of these interactions occur within the astral plane, the dimension between worlds that allows much of the travel between planes. While magic can persist within astral space, psionic power truly shines here in more than luminous brilliance. The astral plane, as well as adjacent planes such as Limbo, are able to be manipulated by the thoughts of an awakened mind into nearly any shape they so choose, if their mind is powerful enough. The Uncarnate has dedicated their psionic abilities towards this avenue, taking the long road between worlds. From simple tasks such as touching things beyond this world, to leaping through material planes via astral jaunts or soaring through the ether as a living effigy of psionics are some of the abilities of the Uncarnate.
Battlemind Disciplines
The Sublime
To those warriors whom have Auppenser's Boon, the most direct use of their powers is in the balance of their mind and body not just as a weapon but as a tool to expand the faith and defend the believers of the Lord of Reason. The Sublime eschew weapons that don't naturally exist upon their own body, believing using only themselves allows them better control over their actions and to help maintain physical perception in combat. While there were many enlightened warriors wandering the lands during the time of the great empire, they are rare upon Toril, just as all psions are now. While they can be found in numbers upon worlds and planes beyond, those few here seek to reach enlightenment through honing their minds and bodies along the long road without monastic discipline or guidance.
The Shaper
A dedicated psychic warrior often learns how to form their mental prowess into physical extensions of their body through sheer will. Absolute battle focus allows the Shaper to bend their psionic power into nearly-imperceptible extensions of themselves that shred and maim their enemies just as a perfectly-honed blade would. To a trained psion, impossibly-thin ripples of light and motion can be perceived as they are sent forth to assail a foe, as a blade in hand coinciding with a fierce chopping motion or spears of violence as the psion shoves his hands forward. While similar to the Sublime in practice, where they seek to enlighten and subdue if necessary, the Shaper shows no restraint in destroying its enemy.
The Dreadnought
Borrowing bits and pieces from many battlemind disciplines, the Dreadnought uses every power they can discover to move faster, hit harder and survive longer, and control the battlefield. They do not focus entirely on abilities that enhance their own skill-at-arms, also using powers that cause fear and confusion in the enemy ranks, as well as hindering battlefield movements and perceptions. A single Dreadnought rushing at inhuman speeds into ranks of terrified enemy troops whom believe a full company is charging them is not unheard of.
/end blurb
That's it for now. I hope you like the direction so far. I'm still working on the mechanics for each, but I hope to have them playtested via ENWorld and locally as soon as I have a working product I am comfortable with. I also plan on releasing Discipline expansions, touching on things that reach beyond Toril(aside from the Uncarnate), such as illithid-hunting subclasses and/or Dark Sun-type barbarian-psions.
