Unearthed Arcana New Psion update, Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana

A new Unearthed Arcana is up, featuring a revised version of the Psion class. Per a D&D Beyond article, the Psion has seen considerable changes. Feedback for the class focused into three main areas - Psionic Energy Dice, Psionic Modes, and Spellcasting. Psionic Energy Dice are now more flexible and easier to obtain - a new feature called Psionic Reserves allows players to regain uses of Psionic Energy Dice and Telepathic Propel and Telepathic Connection allow players to use those abilities one time each without expending energy dice. Meanwhile, Psionic Modes has been cut from the class, with various aspects of the ability being incorporated into various subclasses as new features. Finally, the Psion now has an updated and expanded spelllist. The UA also contains seven brand new spells and updated versions of existing spells as well.

Additionally, the Metamorph, Psykinetic, and Telepath have all received updates. The Metamorph's abilities now often feature a roll of the Psionic Energy Die while they're being expended. The Psykinetic gains a Stronger Telekinesis feature with an improved Mage Hand spell use. Also, players can now use Telekinetic Propel without expending a Psionic Energy Dice. Finally, the Telepath has a new Telepathic Distraction feature that lets you interfere with another creature's attack roll if it's within range of your telepathy. Scramble Minds was redesigned to reduce the number of dice rolls needed to keep combat from getting bogged down.

 

[Sacrosanct]

I get how they are going to stick to the spellcaster mechanic. But good lord, couldn't they at least make the spell list all unique to the class? It feels like a wizard subclass rather than a unique class.

 

[Kurotowa]

I get how they are going to stick to the spellcaster mechanic. But good lord, couldn't they at least make the spell list all unique to the class? It feels like a wizard subclass rather than a unique class.

To a degree, that's a limitation of the spells. Wizards get nearly all the general purpose spells, and other classes get exclusive spells for their particular style. So if you're introducing a new Int caster, they kind of have to have a lot of overlap with Wizards.

However, there's more Psion distinctiveness when you look at the big picture. I believe that 8 of the new spells in this UA aren't shared with Wizards; a few are Psion only, while several others are shared with Sorcerers and Warlocks so they're not denied to Aberrant Sorcerers and GOO Warlocks. Also some of the Psion subclasses bring more non-Wizard spells to the table.

Telepaths get Bane, Command, and Compulsion amongst others. Metamorphs have Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds, Lesser Restoration, and Contagion. It isn't a huge selection, but it's a targeted offering from outside the Wizard spell list.

 

[Horwath]

I houseruled Silvery Barbs to be a 4th level spell.
It's still gets used.

only thing that I hate about silvery barbs is the reroll mechanics, and I really hate those.
I like advantage as it is beforehand, not after.

So I changed Silvery barbs similar to shield, when you trigger it the d20 roll is reduced by 5.
that means that high roll will still probably succeed, unless you have really low bonus.

it stills turns crit to normal hit and maybe even miss as you modify the d20 roll of "nat 20" to "nat 15".

 

[Kobold Stew]

Overall, this is a substantial improvement. For me, the highlight is the Psykineticist's Boost ability -- all of a sudden an ability meant to be used against enemies becomes a way you can help your allies if you choose this subclass. That's fun, smart design.

But there's a lot of weird wording here, and things aren't as clear as they should be. In my mind, these are mostly all worded poorly, not actually broken as it is.

CLEANING UP THE MAIN CLASS

1. Mage Hand. Everyone has Mage hand, but that should be listed before spellcasting, since in Spellcasting, you choose cantrips, and Mage Hand is on the Psion's spell list. It's just a matter of presentation, but Subtle Telekenesis should be listed first, and probably Mage Hand should not appear on the Psion's spell list.

2. Spellcasting. If you're a third level Psion you can't have six 1st and 2nd level spells in any combination, as the example says. YOu can have at most 2 second-level spells, and 4-6 1st-level spells.

3. Psionic Disciplines. "You gain two disciplines of your choice, such as..." Why this wording? The recommendations are poor choices, and they're not presented as recommendations (compare cantirp choices under spellcasting).

4. Psionic Backlash. "(minimum of two)". Is this the first time iwe've not had "minimum of one". Also, what are they saying? "you take from the attack equal to two times the number rolled plus your Intelligence modifier" Assume Int 8 and you roll a 1. Are they saying that Int mod minimum is 2 (which it would be in any case 99% of the time), or that 2x1+(-1) would give you 1, but instead you get 2 (which would not apply to 99.99% of the time)? I presume they mean the latter, but it's all so niche anyways. There is no need to set a minimum. If you play an Int 8 psion, you deserve only a 1.

5. Bypassing Psionics. Sharpened Mind lets damage from weapon attacks bypass Psychic damage. This seems weird, since weapons don't do psychic damage. This was in the last playtest too, and it makes no sense to me. The whole Sharpened Mind ability feels very niche to me: The attack mode option seems very finnicky.

SUBCLASSES

--> Metamorph
6. Organic weapons. Written so you don't need to invest in True strile, which means that the Extra Attack at level 6 doesn't "need" to give you a cantrip (the most common use of which now woul dbe True Strike).

7. Unnatural Flexibility. The +1 AC will stack with the +2 from Organic Defense, but this kind of stacking needs to be more clearly worded: "Your Organic Defense now gives you +3 AC". EDIT:THis is wrong, since Organic Defense requires you spending a die. I see what they're doing now, but the AC bump is too small.

--> Psykinetic
8. Telekinetic Techniques. Again, the wording is off here. As worded, you roll your Energy Die, which only gets expended if the target fails their saving throw, and then you roll 1d4 instead? What a burden. It should just let you always roll a 1d4, without ever involving your Energy dice.

9. Many of the abilities magnify specific spells, which is fine. It's not like the Ranger, where all the abilities tie to the same spell. There will be some weird outcomes: by my reading, if you block an arrow shot from long range with a Shield spell, you can damage them with energy blowback. That should probably only be for melee attacks.

SPELLS
10. Bleeding Darkness sure sounds cool, but they have written it begging for exploits -- how many players can push/pull a BBEG in and out of the darkness?

11. Ego Whip. As others have noted, a terrible, terrible spell.

12. Life Siphon. I like this -- considerable damage for a L. 1 spell, but require spending an additional resource.

13. Telekinetic Fling. Okay, this is a big change. It's fun and lets you play Jedi, and people didn't like having to use ammunition, but this doesn't let you use ammunition if you are holding it. Can you take out a 1 pound object, toss it in the air (free interaction) and then cast the spell? I think that's what you need to do if you don't want to depend on the DM always. Take an unlit torch (1 cp!), and fling it in the air and launch it at your opponent. The spell should probalby allow you to use something you yourself are holding. (It'll still use your interaction to draw it.). YOu could even throw a vial of acid with the spell, for a chance at an extra 2d6 damage.Sometimes you ask for a change and you don't want what you asked for.

 

[Leatherhead]

Could of gone half caster with unlimited energy dice.
Or warlock slot caster.
Or better yet, a completely new spell slot mechanic (i.e. power points).

This was THE opportunity to do something different.

No, the opportunity to do something different happened in 2015. And 2016, and 2017. The player base kept rejecting psionics "being different." There is no reason for them to consider going down that road again.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Still a spellcaster?

Then still a 100% non-starter for me.

I'm glad Psion fans will actually get a real, actual class with the name "Psion".

I just (probably) won't ever play one, because this is just the most recent example in the cavalcade of "if it's supernatural, 99.9% of the time, it's specifically spellcasting".

This, to me, simply, flatly, and IMO objectively, isn't a Psion. It's a Wizard with unusual mechanics.

I am genuinely beginning to hate Vancian spellcasting. Its stranglehold on game mechanics is killing WotC's ability to actually design classes, because now nearly every class is a homogenous hodgepodge with only the tiniest tracery of differences. The class features literally cannot be of much particular value, because spellcasting is so hegemonic; the core is 90% of the character's power, so they literally can't put much of any actual worth into the class features, and forget subclasses.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I'm happy they decided to ignore those complaining about spell slots.

I'm actually fine with spell slots, they're just discreet quanta of power points. It's the individual spells that I find to be unthematic dross.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I'm actually fine with spell slots, they're just discreet quanta of power points. It's the individual spells that I find to be unthematic dross.

It depends what you mean by "spell slots". I'm fine with them in principle - but I am not fine with every casting class except one having the same copy-paste breakdown of these quanta (even if some classes progress at half speed and some subclasses at a third speed).

Meanwhile the only actual variety here is provided by the warlock.

 

[Selas]

Still a spellcaster?

Then still a 100% non-starter for me.

I'm glad Psion fans will actually get a real, actual class with the name "Psion".

I just (probably) won't ever play one, because this is just the most recent example in the cavalcade of "if it's supernatural, 99.9% of the time, it's specifically spellcasting".

This, to me, simply, flatly, and IMO objectively, isn't a Psion. It's a Wizard with unusual mechanics.

I am genuinely beginning to hate Vancian spellcasting. Its stranglehold on game mechanics is killing WotC's ability to actually design classes, because now nearly every class is a homogenous hodgepodge with only the tiniest tracery of differences. The class features literally cannot be of much particular value, because spellcasting is so hegemonic; the core is 90% of the character's power, so they literally can't put much of any actual worth into the class features, and forget subclasses.

The post below perfectly encapsulates why WotC won't go the route you want. Fact is, old psionics ability to bypass magic was considered by many as too powerful, so making it spellcasting brings it on par with the rest of the game. If that makes it homogeneous, then is a small price to pay.

No, the opportunity to do something different happened in 2015. And 2016, and 2017. The player base kept rejecting psionics "being different." There is no reason for them to consider going down that road again.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

If that makes it homogeneous, then is a small price to pay.

No, it isn't.

But people will not realize that until it's far too late to do anything about it.