D&D 4E 4E Psionics

[Nightmare Toilet]

Any thoughts on how psionics would be best adapted to 4E or what you'd like to see (or not) in 4E Psionics?

I think a Psionic Rogue would make a nice ninja type....

 

[NaturalZero]

Kinda hard to say considering we dont exactly know how magic works yet...

 

[Klaus]

Psionics have been confirmed as a Power Source (like Martial, Arcane and Divine) to be covered in a later Player's Handbook (probably as soon as PHB2, in 2009, in time for 4e Eberron). Psions will have the lion's share of D&D's telepathy and mind-influencing powers.

Theories floated about by this forum's users are that the pairings of roles/power source should yield:
Psion - Psionic Controller
Psychic Warrior - Psionic Defender
Soulknife (possibly Monk?) - Psionic Striker
??? - Psionic Leader

 

[Kobold Avenger]

It'll probably be:
Psion - Controller
Psychic Warrior - Defender
Lurk/Soulknife - Striker
Ardent/Divine Mind - Leader

 

[Rechan]

Lurk/Soulknife - Striker

I like the Lurk, and if the Soulknife killed it and took its stuff, that'd be great.

Ardent/Divine Mind - Leader

Never liked those two classes, honestly.

However, there is one Psionics supplement that had a really interesting class, called a Social Mind. They basically create a hive-mind, connecting several people's minds together. This way they can share powers, heal by proxy (Member A drinks potion, and some of the healing goes to member B by traveling down the psychic connection).

With regards to Psionics. I don't mind that the psion is getting the lion's share of enchantment powers. What I hope is that the psion is similar to the fighter, in that his powers come in three different types and he has to choose a focus:

Mind Control
Telekinesis
Body Control

However, one thought does occur to me. Should it be the Wizard, the Psion, or someone else, who gets the Oracle/Future Reading/Pre-cognitive abilities?

 

[Bacris]

However, there is one Psionics supplement that had a really interesting class, called a Social Mind.

It's the Society Mind It's also available completely for free. I'd love it if the Society Mind was reworked to be the psionic leader. If the 4E psionics that WotC puts out doesn't do something similar, I (or someone else for Dreamscarred Press) will.

Personally, if 4E psionics focuses on telepathy, psychokinesis, and some psychometabolic affects, introducing abilities that the other power sources don't have, I'll be extremely happy. And when I say psychokinesis, I'm mostly refering to telekinesis and the like, not the energy powers of 3.x. However, clairsentient affects are also very psi-oriented, and I wouldn't mind seeing those prominently in 4E psionics. I wouldn't be distressed if most of the psychoportation / metacreativity effects weren't directly ported.

 

[Rechan]

It's the Society Mind It's also available completely for free. I'd love it if the Society Mind was reworked to be the psionic leader. If the 4E psionics that WotC puts out doesn't do something similar, I (or someone else for Dreamscarred Press) will.

Hey there. I want to say that I really liked the Marksman. I thought the Society Mind was a very neat concept, but it seemed a little on the weaker side IMHO.

Personally, if 4E psionics focuses on telepathy, psychokinesis, and some psychometabolic affects, introducing abilities that the other power sources don't have, I'll be extremely happy. And when I say psychokinesis, I'm mostly refering to telekinesis and the like, not the energy powers of 3.x.

God yes. I had a player who was new to D&D, new to Psionics, who wanted to be a telekinetic. He was utterly frustrated with the fact that there were only two usable powers powers that did the "I move stuff with my mind" schtick before 3rd level powers.

However, clairsentient affects are also very psi-oriented, and I wouldn't mind seeing those prominently in 4E psionics. I wouldn't be distressed if most of the psychoportation / metacreativity effects weren't directly ported.

The one problem with clairsentient powers is that they're good out of combat abilities, but once you get in combat, you're... useless. I think there should be some sort of balance, as it seems all the other classes are balanced In and Out of combat; at least that seems to be a goal from what we're hearing out of R&C.

 

[Irda Ranger]

However, one thought does occur to me. Should it be the Wizard, the Psion, or someone else, who gets the Oracle/Future Reading/Pre-cognitive abilities?

According to one of the Hungarian R&C previews I believe that many Divinations are now a "Ritual" available to Wizards and Clerics.

EDIT: I suppose you could support the same thing with a Psion and just call it a "seance" or something ...

 

[Rechan]

According to one of the Hungarian R&C previews I believe that many Divinations are now a "Ritual" available to Wizards and Clerics.

One thing that disappoints me is that I've never seen a Psychic class. You know, the seance-using, psychic energy feeling, communicating with the other-side types.

The Spirit Shaman could do this, granted. But I still want a sort've gypsy/weirdo feel of a Medium. Someone who can get entities to possess their bodies so the medium can use powers of the possessing entity, and so they can learn information. I think that would be FUN.

That, and the idea of a medium walking into a dungeon and convincing a wraith to just pass over into the other side without fighting it is amusing.

 

[Bacris]

One thing that disappoints me is that I've never seen a Psychic class. You know, the seance-using, psychic energy feeling, communicating with the other-side types.

We were actually planning this with our "7th Path" line of supplements for 3.5 psionics - the medium / spiritual-based psychic. 4E has put that on a bit of a hold, but if 4E doesn't have it built-in, we'll be doing it.

Man, I wish I had thought about doing this sort of thing even a year earlier... 4E has thrown a lot of monkey wrenches into the mix.

As for the marksman - my next character is going to be a marksman (assuming the DM will let me play one). I have no idea when that will be, but I look forward to it. It's a role I enjoy playing, but don't get to play very often. The society mind has probably been our most-played class and reports are they're evenly balanced, which is a nice thing to hear. They just play a different role than most might be used to. Either way, thanks for your comments!

Back to 4E psionics, I wonder if there will be a new implement for psionics... Wand, staff, orb are done (right?)... Crystal would seem to overlap with orb...