D&D 5E Everything wrong with the Wizard Psionics subclass

[Arnwolf666]

Hey you're right. Rangers and Paladins are just fighters with a different name an mechanics and fill the same role. Sorcerers and warlocks are wizards with a different name and mechanics and fill that role. Druids are just clerics with a different name and mechanics and fill that role. We can get rid of lots of classes! Class mistakes abound!

If you really think that than toss them. You don’t need them. I guess we need a class for wizards that wear pointy hats.

 

[Maxperson]

If you really think that than toss them. You don’t need them. I guess we need a class for wizards that wear pointy hats.

Right back atcha. If they make psions, toss them. You don't need a class you don't want. Many of us do want it.

 

[Arnwolf666]

Right back atcha. If they make psions, toss them. You don't need a class you don't want. Many of us do want it.

i Said in my posts to make them for those that want them.

 

[Maxperson]

i Said in my posts to make them for those that want them.

And then you go against that by trying to cludge them into an existing class which is epic fail. There isn't an existing class that can be a psion.

 

[Maxperson]

I'll just leave this here. For those saying that there's not many who want psions, check out this thread poll. Yes, the sample size here makes polling automatically suspect, but the psion has 3x the votes of the next nearest class............the ever popular warlord.

D&D 5E - Pick only one: What should the next class be?

The artificer was the first class released since the PHB 5 years ago. I know that you probably think more than one, if not all, of these options should be classes at some point. But for purposes of this poll, if you had to choose one, what would it be? What would be the top priority?

www.enworld.org

 

[Salthorae]

I'll just leave this here. For those saying that there's not many who want psions, check out this thread poll. Yes, the sample size here makes polling automatically suspect, but the psion has 3x the votes of the next nearest class............the ever popular warlord.

D&D 5E - Pick only one: What should the next class be?

The artificer was the first class released since the PHB 5 years ago. I know that you probably think more than one, if not all, of these options should be classes at some point. But for purposes of this poll, if you had to choose one, what would it be? What would be the top priority?

www.enworld.org

Yeah. I voted for Psion in that poll. I do think it should be a class.

That said, if all I get in 5e is subclass versions of that, I‘ll be fine and still able to play Psion with the various subclasses (assuming those see print at some point).

 

[Maxperson]

Yeah. I voted for Psion in that pole. I do think it should be a class.

That said, if all I get in 5e is subclass versions of that, I‘ll be fine and still able to play Psion with the various subclasses (assuming those see print at some point).

I actually liked the Soulknife and Psychic warrior as subclasses. Those are not purely psionic and can be modeled with a combination of normal class and subclass abilities. It's the Psion that needs a new class.

 

[Arnwolf666]

And then you go against that by trying to cludge them into an existing class which is epic fail. There isn't an existing class that can be a psion.

No. I always thought the sorcerer could be the best Psionic class. Psionics is so modern. It just doesn’t fit. But a sorcerer with minor tweaks fits the bill.

 

[Ashrym]

I think some of us might be jumping to conclusions. If the wizard subclass is meant to be "the psionicist" class then I would call that an epic fail, personally. If the wizard subclass is meant to be a wizard who studies psionics through magic and has spells to create psionic effects then it's not bad, although I think the 6th level ability is over the top because it seems a lot more powerful than typical 6th level abilities other traditions gain.

I absolutely endorse soulknife as a rogue subclass. The psychic assassin style suits the class. That doesn't mean it wouldn't also work as a monk subclass but I prefer sneak attack damage on my psychic blade. That seems very appropriate, IMO.

I endorse the psychic warrior as a fighter subclass but I think a list of psionic options from which to choose would spice it up a lot.

Maybe most was the wrong word. Many is probably better. But I rarely see groups, even in AL, pay much attention to tracking components unless it’s some super costly one

Verbal and somatic are important. Other spells and some features are better or worse because of those components. Material components other than those with costs are typically handwaved by foci or a component pouches but those can still be important because they create potential weakness to exploit.

I don't make anyone track individual material components with out cost if they have a focus or pouch. That's kind of the point in having those. If they lose those for whatever reason (this is not common or typical to be clear) then finding and tracking components can add a bit of flavor to the class. Escaped prisoners hunting down bat guano, for example. It breaks up the rinse and repeat of spell casting if it's not over-used.

Calm Emotions, Enthrall, Zone of Truth, Guidance, Commune (Psionic Version), Ectoplasmic Shaping, Astral Constructs, Call to Mind, Deja Vu, low level precognition, low level two-way telepathy, some good low level sources and varieties of all levels of psychic damage, Synesthete (use one sense through another sense), Body Equilibrium (walk on non-solid surface), Psychic Bodyguard (you make another character's Wisdom/Will saving throws for it), Ubiquitous Vision, Psionic Stunning/Blast, Telekinetic Force (3rd level), Empathic Feedback (your foe takes damage when you do), Power Leech (you drain power points/spells from a foe), Psychokinetic Charge, Telekinetic Maneuver, Dream Message, Brutalize Wounds (creatures more damage than usual for from normal damage), Suspend Life, Bend Reality (like a lesser and lower level version of Wish but for psions), Energy Conversion, Divert Teleport, Assimilate (incorporate a creature into your own body), remove the powers of others, Microcosm (creature forever lives in a world of their own imagination), Link Senses, Psychometabolistic Healing (e.g., Body Adjustment, Mend Body), Share Pain, Body Purification (restore ability damage), Sustenance (go without food or water), Adapt Body (body adjusts to hostile environments), and so on.

To be fair, most (not all) of those are just the equivalent of existing spells with a different flavor but essentially the same basic effect.

I think if I were to actually develop the class myself it would still follow the sorcerer basic chassis (swapping out sorcerer points for something more appropriate), possibly spell point variant, and I would just place the appropriate spells on the power list instead of renaming or duplicating the same concept for flavor. Then fill it out as needed with powers that don't exist on the spell lists with some unique powers.

I'm not sure that WotC was saying the class wasn't going to exist so much as it wasn't going to use a new and unique system. I think it's still coming but will be more reminiscent of spell progression structure.

 

[Aldarc]

To be fair, most (not all) of those are just the equivalent of existing spells with a different flavor but essentially the same basic effect.

The question, however, was what a Psion could do (or expected to do) that a Wizard cannot. Some of which comes from the Bard and Cleric spell lists. Some are things that come from the Psion power list from 3e/Dreamscarred Press.