D&D 5E Create a 5e Psion
Yaarel
He Mage
In my view, 5e requires two separate Psion classes. This thread only addresses one of them.
One Psion class uses normal 5e spellcasting mechanics, and is a fullcaster with thematically appropriate spells upto slot 9 spells.
The other Psion experiments with new mechanical features.
This thread is about the fullcaster, and uses the Warlock class as the chassis for the spellcasting mechanics.
The Psion spellcaster class includes several subclass archetypes to choose from at level 1.
Your suggestions are welcome here. If there is something that you want from D&D psionics that you dont see here yet, mention it. We will try to integrate your desires, either in the base class itself, or in one of its archetypes.
One Psion class uses normal 5e spellcasting mechanics, and is a fullcaster with thematically appropriate spells upto slot 9 spells.
The other Psion experiments with new mechanical features.
This thread is about the fullcaster, and uses the Warlock class as the chassis for the spellcasting mechanics.
The Psion spellcaster class includes several subclass archetypes to choose from at level 1.
Your suggestions are welcome here. If there is something that you want from D&D psionics that you dont see here yet, mention it. We will try to integrate your desires, either in the base class itself, or in one of its archetypes.
Every "power points" system D&D has ever had has sucked. I can't think of a single one that didn't.
If we want psions to be mechanically distinct, I'd lean on the "superpower" concept.
Maybe even 4e style encounter/daily/at-will powers (not 4e psionics, again, power point system, it sucked).
I could also imagine a charge-up system -- that is very psionic -- if you really want points.
Every encounter or daily power you use gives you 1 power point. Powers give extra effects if you have more power points.
Maybe you can also "concentrate" to get up to 3 power points at 1/round, which happens to be how many encounter powers are capped at?
If we want psions to be mechanically distinct, I'd lean on the "superpower" concept.
Maybe even 4e style encounter/daily/at-will powers (not 4e psionics, again, power point system, it sucked).
I could also imagine a charge-up system -- that is very psionic -- if you really want points.
Every encounter or daily power you use gives you 1 power point. Powers give extra effects if you have more power points.
Maybe you can also "concentrate" to get up to 3 power points at 1/round, which happens to be how many encounter powers are capped at?
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Twiggly the Gnome
Legend
1. No spells
2. At will abilities
3. "Spell slots"
4. "Upcasting"
5. Tulpas!
2. At will abilities
3. "Spell slots"
4. "Upcasting"
5. Tulpas!
FallenRX
Adventurer
Psion using AEDU powers instead of typical magic, would be amazing
MockingBird
Hero
So like your 0 level powers you can use them whenever and as often as you like? I.e. encounter power?
Typical spell slots for more powerful abilities?
A psi pool to empower your abilities?
Just trying to make sure I follow.
Typical spell slots for more powerful abilities?
A psi pool to empower your abilities?
Just trying to make sure I follow.
humble minion
Legend
Personally, I'd use something like this. A fairly minimalist and hacked up version based on the Sorcerer. Honestly, while there's a good argument to be made about having psionic abilities divorced entirely from magic, the 5e designers have committed pretty hard to the idea that pretty much all supernatural powers should be mechanically represented by spells, simply to increase interchangeability and avoid having to support another subsystem in future sourcebooks.
Level 1: choose any 1 of Int, Wis, Cha to be your spellcasting ability. One of your saving throw proficiencies is your spellcasting ability, the other is Con. Psionics require no components. Perhaps a 1/long rest ability to meditate to regain expended sorcery points and/or spell slots, cos the sorcerer is arguably a bit underpowered on that front right now. Power reserve is handled by the standard sorcerer ability of being able to swap sorcery points for spell slots.
A really quick and dirty mechanism for separating psionics from magic. Non-psionic characters trying to dispel psionic effects roll at disadvantage, and vice versa, non-psionic characters using Detect Magic to detect psionics need to pass a Perception check against the spell save DC, and vice versa.
A spell list separate from the regular sorcerer spell list. Lose the flashy evocations, conjurations, transmutations, instead gain various divination, enchantment, buffing spells from the bard, druid, cleric lists.
POSSIBLY some sort of 'tell', in place of components? Perhaps when you manifest a psionic spell, there's a perceptible effect in a 15 foot radius of you, maybe the temperature drops or people hear whispering in their heads, or a sense of mental pressure, or maybe your eyes glow. This is more flavour than anything else though.
Subclasses grant additional spells known at level 1, a bit like domain spells. At 6th level, psions can cast their special subclass spells that are not the highest level they can cast, with a slot one lower than normally required. At 14th level, they can maintain concentration on two spells simultaneously as long as both spells are from their subclass list.
Subclasses:
I haven't even TRIED to balance this, but that's the shape of how I'd do it.
Level 1: choose any 1 of Int, Wis, Cha to be your spellcasting ability. One of your saving throw proficiencies is your spellcasting ability, the other is Con. Psionics require no components. Perhaps a 1/long rest ability to meditate to regain expended sorcery points and/or spell slots, cos the sorcerer is arguably a bit underpowered on that front right now. Power reserve is handled by the standard sorcerer ability of being able to swap sorcery points for spell slots.
A really quick and dirty mechanism for separating psionics from magic. Non-psionic characters trying to dispel psionic effects roll at disadvantage, and vice versa, non-psionic characters using Detect Magic to detect psionics need to pass a Perception check against the spell save DC, and vice versa.
A spell list separate from the regular sorcerer spell list. Lose the flashy evocations, conjurations, transmutations, instead gain various divination, enchantment, buffing spells from the bard, druid, cleric lists.
POSSIBLY some sort of 'tell', in place of components? Perhaps when you manifest a psionic spell, there's a perceptible effect in a 15 foot radius of you, maybe the temperature drops or people hear whispering in their heads, or a sense of mental pressure, or maybe your eyes glow. This is more flavour than anything else though.
Subclasses grant additional spells known at level 1, a bit like domain spells. At 6th level, psions can cast their special subclass spells that are not the highest level they can cast, with a slot one lower than normally required. At 14th level, they can maintain concentration on two spells simultaneously as long as both spells are from their subclass list.
Subclasses:
- mindbender: gets all the good telepathic/psychic damage spells, and phantasmals. Additional features: free telepathy, psychic damage resistance.
- shipfloater (for want of a better name - this is what dark sun called telekinetics, and I like it as a not-too-science-y psionic term even though its very setting-specific): telekinetic and projectile spells like Catapault, plus stuff like Slow/Fly etc which plausibly have a telekinetic origin. Bonus feature is free Mage Hand, a reaction to grant resistance against incoming missile weapons, and any telekinetic effects have no visible effect if desired.
- firestarter: bunch of fire spells. Bonus fire resistance and Elemental Adept
- seer: every divination spell, from every class, plus some abjuration etc spells that can be interpreted as effects of precognition or something. Bonus feature, luck rerolls like a divination wizard
- shaper: a bunch of transmutation and abjuration spells with a 'self only' restriction added - enlarge, polymorph, stoneskin, cure wounds, barkskin etc. Bonus feature would be granting self darkvision or natural weapons or water breathing etc, and possibly extra HP and some sort of option for making melee attacks using spellcasting ability, cos this is a combat-focused subclass and the sorcerer is a bit fragile for that sort of thing otherwise. Besides, if I'm gimping their transmutations to be self-only, it's only fair they get more powerful features in exchange.
I haven't even TRIED to balance this, but that's the shape of how I'd do it.
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Yaarel
He Mage
1. This version of the Psion class casts spells. However. All of these spells have the [Psionic] tag (compare the 5e Monster Manual). Therefore, they are a specific kind innate spell casting that lacks spell components. (We will figure out the best way to handle a gp costly component later.) So, this psionic tag has meaningful mechanical differences from other spell casters. Of course, the Psion spells use the Psionic power source.
2. Here, cantrips represent the Psion at-will abilities. There will be new cantrips that can augment or add an effect. "At higher levels. When you cast this cantrip using a spell slot ....". Moreover, some "Talents" (Invocations) can modify and upgrate a cantrip.
3. Warlock spell slots increase in slot level, and refresh at every short rest.
4. Definitely upcasting. Not only is upcasting a normal mechanic that any caster can do, the Psion will have spells that explicitly benefit from upcasting.
5. Tulpas?
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