cbwjm
Seb-wejem
I was thinking of insight, actually. I wasn't sure if it fit the race specifically but it does fit a telepathic race I think.
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D&D 5E Attempt at a Kalashtar race
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Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
So if I were to give anything extra, I would want it to reflect how Kalashtar are refugees fleeing execution and assimilation into the Dreaming Dark, il-Lashtavar. Not all Kalashtar are warriors, but all have an instinct for survival. Combined with their psychic talents, I might suggest this:
Inertial Armor. Your latent psychic talent provides you a measure of protection against physical harm. When not wearing any armor, your AC is calculated as 11 + Dexterity. You can use a shield and still benefit from this ability.
Alternatively, I might grant advantage on saving throws against exhaustion from forced marches and lack of sleep, due to their history of far travel to escape enemy Inspired soldiers looking to exterminate them.
As for the psych damage and the cantrip, normally I would agree with you [MENTION=6788732]cbwjm[/MENTION]. Damage tyoes are fairly interchangeable. However, if you look, Totem Barbarians remain vulnerable to psychic damage, Psychic damage is the only kind that can normally affect a creature under the Feign Death spell... many resistance/immunity exceptions are around psychic damage. Additionally few spells or abilities inflict psychic damage, and arguably it is the only damage type not in some way grounded in a physical or material way. Unless you build a character with a focus on psychic damage and alter many spells to allow for such, few players will ever deal psychic damage in any significant amount. Thus their would be little reason to adjust encounters or otherwise account for someone that deals psychic damage. So while most damage types are interchangeable, I would say psychic and force are the lone exceptions. I'd even put necrotic and radiant in the same category as the others.
Inertial Armor. Your latent psychic talent provides you a measure of protection against physical harm. When not wearing any armor, your AC is calculated as 11 + Dexterity. You can use a shield and still benefit from this ability.
Alternatively, I might grant advantage on saving throws against exhaustion from forced marches and lack of sleep, due to their history of far travel to escape enemy Inspired soldiers looking to exterminate them.
As for the psych damage and the cantrip, normally I would agree with you [MENTION=6788732]cbwjm[/MENTION]. Damage tyoes are fairly interchangeable. However, if you look, Totem Barbarians remain vulnerable to psychic damage, Psychic damage is the only kind that can normally affect a creature under the Feign Death spell... many resistance/immunity exceptions are around psychic damage. Additionally few spells or abilities inflict psychic damage, and arguably it is the only damage type not in some way grounded in a physical or material way. Unless you build a character with a focus on psychic damage and alter many spells to allow for such, few players will ever deal psychic damage in any significant amount. Thus their would be little reason to adjust encounters or otherwise account for someone that deals psychic damage. So while most damage types are interchangeable, I would say psychic and force are the lone exceptions. I'd even put necrotic and radiant in the same category as the others.
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jaelis
Oh this is where the title goes?
Eh, objects and constructs are immune to psychic damage, it is not that great. Plus the spell you are basing it on, primal savagery, isn't great to start with. I think that as it is, not many players would choose soul knife over mage hand or minor image.
More appealing to me would be 1d6 or 1d8 damage plus a thematic effect. Not sure what though.
Or perhaps, 1d4 psychic autodamage with no attack or save?
For an extra ribbon, what about not dreaming? Make them immune to effects involving dreams, like the dream spell or a night hag's haunting.
More appealing to me would be 1d6 or 1d8 damage plus a thematic effect. Not sure what though.
Or perhaps, 1d4 psychic autodamage with no attack or save?
For an extra ribbon, what about not dreaming? Make them immune to effects involving dreams, like the dream spell or a night hag's haunting.
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Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
Fair point. If looking at Shocking Grasp as a point of comparison, you get the rider of taking away reactions and advantage if the creature is made of metal/wearing metal armor. So then the question would be, what would be an interesting rider for Psychic Blade? Ideally it would be thematic without doing something that has already been done.
One thing that came to mind is disrupting concentration. It is completely within the realm of such an ability. So perhaps the cantrip can be changed to this:
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You channel your will into a weapon that can attack a person’s mind. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 psychic damage, and the target has disadvantage on any concentration checks to maintain an ongoing spell until the start of your next turn.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
My only concern with this rider is that it seems so limited. It seems like a good rider to equate to the advantage shocking grasp grants against armored opponents. Perhaps also preventing reactions also makes sense?
So maybe a better option would be this write-up?
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You channel your will into a weapon that can attack a person’s mind. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 psychic damage, and it can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn. If the target is hit and maintaining concentration on a spell, then target has disadvantage on its concentration check.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).
I had considered this direction as well. It certainly fits. Probably better than what I suggested with Inertial Armor. I think I'm going a bit too psionic warrior in my considerations of them, when that is not what they are. Just how I'd like to use them, which doesn't help in designing them based on lore.
jaelis
Oh this is where the title goes?
I like the concentration thing. Reaction denial makes sense but you hate to step on the toes of shocking grasp.
Other possibilities:
- disadvantage on perception checks for one round
- disadvantage on wisdom saves for one round
- disadvantage on saves vs charm or fright for one round
- unable to take bonus action next turn
- take 1d4 penalty on next attack roll
I don't know if any of those are very compelling.
Ooh, how about: the next time you hit the same target with a melee attack before the end of your next turn, deal an extra 1d4 (scaling) psychic damage?
Other possibilities:
- disadvantage on perception checks for one round
- disadvantage on wisdom saves for one round
- disadvantage on saves vs charm or fright for one round
- unable to take bonus action next turn
- take 1d4 penalty on next attack roll
I don't know if any of those are very compelling.
Ooh, how about: the next time you hit the same target with a melee attack before the end of your next turn, deal an extra 1d4 (scaling) psychic damage?
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Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
I have an idea. What about something like this? I've reduced the damage die by one to reflect the increasedpower of the rider.
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You channel your will into a weapon that can attack a person’s mind. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. This attack roll is always made with advantage against sentient creatures capable of speaking a language. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 psychic damage. Any target that takes damage from this cantrip while maintaining concentration on a spell makes their concentration check at disadvantage.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You channel your will into a weapon that can attack a person’s mind. Make a melee spell attack against one creature within 5 feet of you. This attack roll is always made with advantage against sentient creatures capable of speaking a language. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 psychic damage. Any target that takes damage from this cantrip while maintaining concentration on a spell makes their concentration check at disadvantage.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
Hawk Diesel
Adventurer
That seems pretty good, I like it
Maybe understanding a language would be better? Being mute doesn't seem like a good defense here.
Fair. But I think being mute is not sufficient to exclude someone. Capacity to utilize language would perhaps be better. Dogs can understand language to an extent, but they don't really use it. That's where I'd like the separation.
clutchbone
First Post
I'd like psychic blade to be a weapon attack, either a remodeled shillelagh or worded like booming blade.
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: S
Duration: 1 round
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon or unarmed strike against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and it becomes pierced with psychic energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly spends a spell slot or psi point before then, it immediately takes 1d8 psychic damage, and the spell ends.
This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 psychic damage to the target, and the damage the target takes for spending spell slots or psi points increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
Psychic Blade
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: S
Duration: 1 round
As part of the action used to cast this spell, you must make a melee attack with a weapon or unarmed strike against one creature within the spell's range, otherwise the spell fails. On a hit, the target suffers the attack's normal effects, and it becomes pierced with psychic energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly spends a spell slot or psi point before then, it immediately takes 1d8 psychic damage, and the spell ends.
This spell's damage increases when you reach higher levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 psychic damage to the target, and the damage the target takes for spending spell slots or psi points increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level and 17th level.
jgsugden
Legend
I designed one for someone - they decided not to use it, but I thought it fun.
+2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma
Dual Soul - You may elect (no action required) to have Advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws made at any time other than the start or end of a turn. You gain disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws made at the start or end of a turn. This election lasts until you complete a long rest or is ended by the Confused Mind ability (see below). (Your passenger helps you initially resist most effects, but once you fall for them it confuses the matter...)
Confused Mind - If you have elected to activate Dual Soul, you must make a Wisdom saving throw whenever you take damage, fail a saving throw, or fail an ability check. The DM decides when an ability check is failed. The DC is [10 + 1/2 the damage taken (max 20 DC)] if it resulted from damage, the DC of the saving throw if you failed a saving throw, or 15 if you failed an ability check. Advantage and Disadvantage never apply to this saving throw. If you fail, you are subject to the effects of the Confusion spell. The DC for the saves made at the end of each turn is reduced by 3 every round. When you successfully save against Confused Mind, Dual Soul also ends.
Awakened Mind - As the Great Old One Warlock Pact (Telepathic projection to others within 30')
Proficiency in Bluff, Persuasion or Intimidation
Language Common, Quor and 1 other
Innate Psionics. If this character gains a level in a class that can use psionic powers, they gain one bonus psionic point for every two total character levels (rounded up).
+2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma
Dual Soul - You may elect (no action required) to have Advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws made at any time other than the start or end of a turn. You gain disadvantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws made at the start or end of a turn. This election lasts until you complete a long rest or is ended by the Confused Mind ability (see below). (Your passenger helps you initially resist most effects, but once you fall for them it confuses the matter...)
Confused Mind - If you have elected to activate Dual Soul, you must make a Wisdom saving throw whenever you take damage, fail a saving throw, or fail an ability check. The DM decides when an ability check is failed. The DC is [10 + 1/2 the damage taken (max 20 DC)] if it resulted from damage, the DC of the saving throw if you failed a saving throw, or 15 if you failed an ability check. Advantage and Disadvantage never apply to this saving throw. If you fail, you are subject to the effects of the Confusion spell. The DC for the saves made at the end of each turn is reduced by 3 every round. When you successfully save against Confused Mind, Dual Soul also ends.
Awakened Mind - As the Great Old One Warlock Pact (Telepathic projection to others within 30')
Proficiency in Bluff, Persuasion or Intimidation
Language Common, Quor and 1 other
Innate Psionics. If this character gains a level in a class that can use psionic powers, they gain one bonus psionic point for every two total character levels (rounded up).
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