D&D (2024) Githzerai Psion? Thri-kreen Psion? Where's My Psion?

[Paul Farquhar]

1) Far Realm Struggling Tentacles and Claws Psychic
2) Psionic Spell Slot Wizard
3) Power Point Goey Psion
4) Mind Psuedoscience Psionicist

What would you call me, someone who feels most comfortable with the 1st edition system? Sits outside the normal class system, anyone might acquire weird X-Men type powers, monsters specifically designed to punish characters with psionics?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

What would you call me, someone who feels most comfortable with the 1st edition system? Sits outside the normal class system, anyone might acquire weird X-Men type powers, monsters specifically designed to punish characters with psionics?

A grognard I think is the accepted term.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I don't think it is a "kitbash", I think it's Mearls' actual work. Possibly the updated version he did. But it's certainly allegedly from Happy Fun Hour and I can't find any other one.

"This content was created by Dungeons & Dragons Franchise Creative Director Mike Mearls for his stream Happy Fun Hour, which you can watch live at Twitch.tv/DnD on Tuesdays at 4:00 EST or via replays on YouTube. This material is being provided to facilitate community testing and feedback."

It may just be an artifact of Mearls starting with the UA version and editing on the fly during the stream. He had definitely abandoned the name Mystic, and the idea of trying to shoehorn the Wu Jen into the class.

 

[J-H]

I like the MCDM Talent. It's not "a caster with another name." It is a wholly different subsystem though, so I know it may not fly at some tables.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

It may just be an artifact of Mearls starting with the UA version and editing on the fly during the stream. He had definitely abandoned the name Mystic, and the idea of trying to shoehorn the Wu Jen into the class.

I mean, I don't disbelieve you, I just can't find any detailed evidence for a slot-based-yet-at-will-focused ever existing outside Mearls briefly considering it, and I don't feel like the subclasses, which are vague and not fleshed out really supports that. Have you got a better source?

Interesting re: Wu Jen, I didn't realize that was what they were doing but it explains some of the oddities in the Mystic design. Why anyone felt the need to shoehorn in such an extremely obscure class I have no idea.

 

[Yaarel]

And WotC categorically refused to make a stand on it themselves, so we get nothing. They deserved to be one-upped by 3pp here.

Honestly, I would hate it if WotC created a Psion that I hated.

(I can sympathize with other psionic fans if they got the "wrong" Psion.)

The only solution is if the community of opposing Psion fans figure out ways to make peace with each other.


Personally, I feel the Psion works best using the Warlock chassis but be its own class with its own flavor. No Aberration flavor, let the Goo Warlock and even the Aberrant Sorcerer cover that. The psionic magic is natural and is an aspect of ones own "soul", including the ki, spirit, and mind. Psionic spells never uses material components, and also there is psionic magic that isnt spells, such as class features. Really, the Warlock is a great chassis. Laserllama is my favorite indy Psion. Despite I want to avoid fringe mechanics, the short-rest spell points, with slot-9 spells, is simpler and more balanced, and better in every way.

I think the Rogue class, with a skill focused mechanic, should handle the 2e Psionicist flavor. Meanwhile the Warlock chassis handles the fullcaster mage Psion.

 

[Corinnguard]

Psionic spells never uses material components, and also there is psionic magic that isnt spells, such as class features.

Pathfinder's Psychic Magic does use Thought and Emotion as spell components. Casting a psychic spell just requires you to be the right frame of mind and emotional state.

 

[CleverNickName]

But there are psions all over the 5th Edition D&D books. I've played several of them over the years...here's how I did it.

1. Petition my DM to use the Spell Points optional rule (in the DMG). Sometimes they say yes, but it's not a big deal if they say no. It just "feels" more like a classic D&D psion to me, but I can deal.
2. I like to start with the Githyanki ancestry species (from MP:MotM). This is a matter of personal preference; any species will do. I've also done Human and Shadar-kai.
3. I usually go with the Sorcerer class, and the Aberrant Mind subclass (from TCoE). It's really the only sorcerer I play these days.

• Some folks want psions be Intelligence-based instead of Charisma. If so, choose the Wizard class and the Graviturgy subclass (from EGtW). It's a pretty cool subclass even if you're not going for "5E psion."
• Some folks want psions be half-casters instead of full. I don't, but if I did I would probably just take some levels of Fighter, Monk, or Rogue. Less work for everyone, right?
• Some folks want psions to be non-casters. I've played a couple...the Fighter class with the Psi Warrior subclass, or the Rouge class with the Soulknife subclass (both in TCoE). The PW is more fun than the SK, IMO, but YMMV.

4. And then I would always refer to my "spells" as "powers," my chosen class as "psion," and so forth.

But I get it, some people want Wizards of the Coast to ensconce the Psion class in the list of "official" D&D classes, the way they did with the Artificer. I guess that to them, it's less about getting to play a psion, and more about having a psion listed in the official books...a way to make it more valid, more official. That's a good thing to want, but it has nothing to do with me playing the character I want to play.

And other people don't want Wizards of the Coast to create anything new, because of a litany of reasons involving gaming licenses, intellectual properties, and years-old grudges. The implication is that Wizards of the Coast will mess it up, has already messed it up, and the matter is settled as far as they are concerned. And...well, I don't know what to say to that. I'm playing D&D with my friends, not flexing my brand allegiance (or disaffection) to the greater gaming community.

 

[Minigiant]

What would you call me, someone who feels most comfortable with the 1st edition system? Sits outside the normal class system, anyone might acquire weird X-Men type powers, monsters specifically designed to punish characters with psionics?

That's 4

 

[CleverNickName]

Most importantly (so much more important that I put it in its own comment): if you aren't satisfied with any of the 5E D&D options for psionics, I highly recommend that you check out "Paranormal Power" by ENWorld's own @Steampunkette.

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

It is one of my all-time favorite 3PP books for 5th Edition D&D. It's so good.