D&D (2024) What Should a Psion Be Able To Do?

[dave2008]

Telekinesis
Telepathy
Psychometry
Clairvoyance/Clairaudience
Mind Control
Precognition
Psychomanifestation
Perception Manipulation/Alteration
Empathic Interference
Body Manipulation
Astral Projection
Communing with the Dead
Aurasight
Automatic Writing/Drawing
Bilocation
Extra-Sensory Perception
Atmokinesis
Chirurgery
Pyrokinesis
Hypnosis
Levitation

So a wizard then

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

In response to the OP: eat, drink, and make baby psions.

 

[Uni-the-Unicorn!]

So what I gather from these responses is that it is less important what the psion can do, but instead how they do it.

 

[Flights of Fancy]

All threads get derailed. You could list what you seriously think the psion should be able to do, or not. Your choice.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Good list. Lined out the ones that don't "fit" for me.

I kinda get why some folks don’t like spirit mediums as psionic characters but like…they’re psychics. Telekenesis, energy manipulation, telepathy, empathy, psychic divination, and spirit medium abilities, are the archetype.

I know modern science fiction drops some stuff, often all but the telepathy and basic telekenesis, or some facets of energy manipulation (messing with electronics for instance), or just precognition, etc, but outside of modern sci-fi, precognition and being a medium and telepathy/empathy are pretty solidly entertwined.

That’s a really good point. Abjuration is such a weird spell school, it’s easy to forget what does and doesn’t fall under it. But you’re absolutely right; Shield, Mage Armor, anything that boils down to “kinetic barrier” is absolutely appropriate.

I disagree about energy manipulation. I think once you’re manipulating physical phenomena in ways beyond moving objects remotely, it starts to strain credulity for me as a psychic power. For me that even extends to Pyrokenesis, but it gets a pass from me because it’s such a distinct and well-established archetype within media dealing with psychic characters. I’m not inherently opposed to these being things that can be achieved with psionics. But, I don’t think they should be a baseline part of the Psion class, if it’s to have any kind of clear identity.

To me, a kinetic barrier is just energy manipulation, no different from moving electrons through a wire, or heat from one substance to another.

Because fire isn’t an energy, heat is. Heat is just energy, just like kinetic energy, electricity, gravity, etc. If moving energy around, amplifying it a dampening it, isn’t what a psion does….what is?

Again, I really don’t think a single class can do the entire spectrum of psychic abilities justice.

Oh I do kinda agree. I think nearly every class needs more psionic subclasses, or the game should have two full psi classes. (Or the Monk should have been psionic from the start)

Because the “make kinetic constructs for combat and utility” guy and the “warp your mind” guy need different class features, and the “empath who can speak to spirits and see possible futures” doesn’t even need to be the same casting stat as the other two!

But I do think it’s fine to put all of that in the base class as talent and spell/power options, but have them brought to full fruition in subclasses and 2+ classes, rather than having the “psionic equivalent of the wizard” class not have access to half of those things at all.


Overall, I think that if the psion thematically stands out from the magicians of D&D, it should be partly that what underpins their abilities is the ability to sense and manipulate fields of energy directly via the excercise of conscious Will, whereas the others require the technology of magic and the transitional medium of The Weave to do similar things, and build from there.

 

[SkidAce]

I kinda get why some folks don’t like spirit mediums as psionic characters but like…they’re psychics. Telekenesis, energy manipulation, telepathy, empathy, psychic divination, and spirit medium abilities, are the archetype.

I know modern science fiction drops some stuff, often all but the telepathy and basic telekenesis, or some facets of energy manipulation (messing with electronics for instance), or just precognition, etc, but outside of modern sci-fi, precognition and being a medium and telepathy/empathy are pretty solidly entertwined.

To me, a kinetic barrier is just energy manipulation, no different from moving electrons through a wire, or heat from one substance to another.

Because fire isn’t an energy, heat is. Heat is just energy, just like kinetic energy, electricity, gravity, etc. If moving energy around, amplifying it a dampening it, isn’t what a psion does….what is?

Oh I do kinda agree. I think nearly every class needs more psionic subclasses, or the game should have two full psi classes. (Or the Monk should have been psionic from the start)

Because the “make kinetic constructs for combat and utility” guy and the “warp your mind” guy need different class features, and the “empath who can speak to spirits and see possible futures” doesn’t even need to be the same casting stat as the other two!

But I do think it’s fine to put all of that in the base class as talent and spell/power options, but have them brought to full fruition in subclasses and 2+ classes, rather than having the “psionic equivalent of the wizard” class not have access to half of those things at all.


Overall, I think that if the psion thematically stands out from the magicians of D&D, it should be partly that what underpins their abilities is the ability to sense and manipulate fields of energy directly via the excercise of conscious Will, whereas the others require the technology of magic and the transitional medium of The Weave to do similar things, and build from there.

I could have left the spirit stuff in, but figured i'd leave it to the clerics.

Either way you are correct.

 

[Steampunkette]

So a wizard then

Sure. Or not. Depends entirely on your definition of a Wizard and what they're capable of.

For you, it's everything. For me? Not so much.

And definitely not in the same way.

 

[WanderingMystic]

Telekinesis
Telepathy
Psychometry
Clairvoyance/Clairaudience
Mind Control
Precognition
Psychomanifestation
Perception Manipulation/Alteration
Empathic Interference
Body Manipulation
Astral Projection
Communing with the Dead
Aurasight
Automatic Writing/Drawing
Bilocation
Extra-Sensory Perception
Atmokinesis
Chirurgery
Pyrokinesis
Hypnosis
Levitation

This is probably the list I would give if someone asked me the same question with one caviet. I feel that most of those abilities should be gated. More than sorceress or wizards to me psychics master a few areas. Give them access to a tiny list of powers to choose from but let them pick disciplines that increase their list.

 

[WanderingMystic]

A psychometabolic psion might have a couple of ability that are telekentic or telepathic but most of their powers are about either healing others or enhancing their own body.

A telepath is using mind reading, mind damaging powers and some manipulation powers but that's about it.

Your telekinesis Psion focuses on moving things, flying and dealing damage. Some can change their damage from force into fire, or cold and they probably have basic telepathy even ways to protect themselves from the elements perhaps.

A sensor focuses on esp, objectemory seeing the past, future or far off distances

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I could have left the spirit stuff in, but figured i'd leave it to the clerics.

Either way you are correct.

Niche protection, sure. I’m fine with that.