I like what you have so far.
I think, the two builds should be telekinesis and telepathy.
Also as written, this class is a controller and not a striker.
The wilder could be a paragon class, a feat, a utility power or a combination of all of these.
Settle on a single main stat and make CON and whichever other stat secondary stats. For instance, if you choose INT as your main stat make CHA and CON as you secondary stats. I however think that WIS seems to be a pretty good stat for a class like this - willpower and perception/insight and all. Perhaps, WIS for the main stat and CHA for Telepathy and INT for Telekinesis. Just a thought...
These are the skills you have listed in your document:
Athletics (Str), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Nature (Int), Perception (Wis)
By raw, nature is a WIS based skill. They might be served well with Arcana or a new skill called Psionics or something that allows them to do Arcana like stuff with psionic things. Also why athletics?
I think the name "psi-crystal" should be reserved for a psionic familiar. Additionally the psi-crystals power is very powerful it is very similar to some very upper level class features. Instead, give them a token ability to boost insight and or perception skills both seem very in sync with a telepath.
The wilder's surge ability should be removed, it is way overpowered as written. This would make several feats that key on rolling a critical very powerful. Again I feel that the concept of "surging" is better suited to a paragon class, a feat, a utility power or a combination of all of these. Make the two builds TK and TP.
I like what you have and look forward to more updates.
Thank you for your comments.
I have carefully considered your reply and feel I have to explain a few of my reasonings from your points.
First, I did not build a specific Telepath or Telekinetic specialist on purpose. If a player wants to, they can build one merely by choosing the right powers. Heck I even created the Mind-Mage Paragon path just for those who wanted the "Telepath Master" concept. I have even envisioned an "Evolved" Epic path that allows the Psion to become (temporarily) pure psionic energy, without a body! (Haven't worked out the details yet). I have always believed that in character creation, it is a lot more fun to have an option than to be forced into a certain direction.
As far as the Psion being a Controller rather than a Striker, well I've heard many opinions on this, and really the Psion doesn't fit perfectly into any category. I mainly picked Striker because people complained that the Psion NEEDED to be something, and I assumed most people would pick Mind Thrust as one of their inital powers 9 times out of 10. I really don't care. I've never really liked the "Typing" of classes concept in 4th edition all that much. Sure its a great way to "catagorize" the classes, but I think that's one of the reasons the Psion is soo cool. It can litterally fit in anywhere if it wants to, just on how you put your powers and feats together.
I like the Wilder as a build concept beause I feel like its the best way to show someone who has grown up naturally with all this power, and very little discipline or control. I keep imagining a litle kid sitting in a dark room with all the objects in the room flying around in his rage, all because his parents made him go to bed without supper..
As far as using Int, Cha, or Wis: I have always looked at Telepaths being purely mentally focused (Int) who look inward and believe pure thought has power and Wilders as being emotionally focused (Cha) who gain their strength from their emotions and self-knowledge. I have always looked at Wis as being more based on a self awareness of those things beyond one's self (such as Faith, Philosophy, and how we percieve the surrounding world and others). So there it is. While wisdom is very useful to Psions, it doesn't represent their main focus in my opinion. Con (as I've mentioned before) is mainly used as a guage for a Psion's power, showing how much they can stand the strain from using their power. I also didn't want to Limit a Telepath to Int or a Wilder to Cha. I felt a good role-player would find a Cha based Telepath or an Int based Wilder an interesting and believeable concept to play!
As far as skills go, I'll explain why I chose them, then explain why I didn't create a "Psionics" skill.
Athletics - I chose athletics because I felt it went in line with the thought that many psions would agree with: A healthy body lends greatly to a healthy mind. Also the healthier the body, the more power you can unleash!
Endurance - See Athletics, Plus many Telepaths or Wilders might be persecuted and forced to live a life on the run. Tends to toughen you up.
Heal - It just made sense. Especially for those intending to learn healing powers or again for those who have had to learn how to take care of themselves on the run.
History/Nature - In order to learn more about their abilities many Psions would turn to sources of learning. History teaches about former masters of psionics, and Nature is gained when Psions use Nature as a guide to their abilities (Such as observing animals or monsters with abilities similar to Psions, etc...) I felt dungeneering was not appropriate, but many would argue that learning about mosters like Illithids or the Githyanki/Githzerai could teach them as well.
Insight/Perception : These just made sense to me, wisdom based or not.
I did not add a Psionics Skill, nor did I add Arcana to the class, because I felt it is not neccessary. I felt the simplification of the skill system works, and adding a skill just for the class, didn't make sense to me. You can work almost anything you would use a Psionics skill check with another skill. Arcana can make sense, but not all GMs allow Psionics and Magic to mix. Some consider them anathema to each other. I felt that if a GM wanted to make the Psions another verion of magic users then by all means add Arcana to the skill list, or even make it a required choice. Please feel free to change anything you want to fit your campain and your GM style as far as I'm concerned. I'm just trying to make this version of the class as interesting, balanced, and fun to as many people as possible.
My version of the Psi-Crystal was mainly created to balance the Telepath with the Wilder's Surge ability. I always felt that a talking "pet rock" that always agreed with you was kinda...silly. At least magical items with personalities could clash with their owners. I wanted a psi-crystal to mean something to the Telepath, but not have to worry about giving it sentience, especially since the Familiar rules have not come out yet. (We'll see what the PHB 2 does with Familiars, and then I'll go from there...)
I feel the Wild Surge ability is useful and balanced. It does give a tremendous boost, IF the Wilder hits it's target, the roll to hit isn't a natural critical causing him to loose one or more healing surges for nothing, and if he has any healing surges left. Not to mention that if he uses up his healing surges, he can't heal! For a temporary boost, its very useful, but not guaranteed. Plus its just a plain neat ability! BTW, I specifically put the bonuses on criticals for certain powers (Mainly TK attacks) because that is where a Wilder's powers tend to lend themselves. Just as Bonuses to Mindlinked individuals lend themselves to Mental powers. As Telepaths are mainly mentalists, I felt this balanced the Critcal Bonuses, because a Telepath can still roll criticals when using TK powers, and Wilders can use the Mindlink bonuses when they are using mental powers. Again it just feels right.
Thank you for your comments. I hope I successfully explained my design choices. Please, everyone feel free to comment. I would not have posted this class if I didn't want it, or my ideas scrutinized.
