D&D 5E Aberrant Mind's Psionic Sorcery is officially the most powerful feature.

[Mistwell]

Actually, Tasha's has its place even at higher levels (though not, as you point out, if you neglect your save DC, and certainly not as your primary tactic). A lot of bruisers have crappy Wisdom saves, and a 1st-level spell slot to remove an enemy from combat for a few rounds is extremely efficient. You wouldn't use it in a boss fight, but if you're trying to conserve firepower on the way to that boss fight, it's good stuff.

Sure if you really focus on your DC, which is a totally legit focus, then it has it's uses. A Divination Wizard who finds they have a low numbered Portent left near the end of the adventuring day might want to use it too for a guaranteed lock-down for a round.

The problem of course is not only is it single target, and not only does it have no effect on a save, but the target gets a new save at the end of every round, and also any time it's attacked (and the later save is with advantage). So it's really not a "reliable" spell even with a high DC. It also has a short range of 30'. So you're not even taking down a target that's fleeing with it.

For me, I find I tend to drop Tasha's from my prep list eventually. There are just too many spells my Wizard needs to prep which take priority.

 

[Ovinomancer]

I disagree. If I'm going to cast Fireball it is a 3rd level spell that takes a 3rd level slot. Then I can opt to use Sorcery points equal to it's level to cast the spell without using a slot. If I want to up cast it as a 4th level spell, I need to have a 4th level slot available to do that. At that point Fireball is a 4th level spell and I need to use sorcery points equal to that level to cast it.

he spell level is equal to the slot being used. What @Hohige is trying to do is create higher level slots than he has and then use that higher level slot as the spell's level.

I think we largely agree on how it works, but differ in a key detail. Fireball is a 3rd level spell. This has nothing to do with slots at all -- it's just a third level spell all on its own. To cast a third level spell, you need at least a 3rd level slot, but that doesn't say anything about Fireball's spell level. Sure, if you use a higher level slot, the spell is treated as a higher level for the relevant purposes of that casting, but it's still a 3rd level spell.

That's my point -- slots don't come into it at all for psionic sorcery. You cast the spell with points, no slots, so even discussing slots doesn't make any sense -- you're using a different mechanic altogether. You can't upcast with psionic sorcery (the point were we agree), but I say it's because there's not slots, and you have to have slots to upcast. The OP is saying that you can pretend to use slots just for the purpose of elevating the spell's level prior to using the different mechanic, but there's no support for this at all. The mechanic is very clear and does what it does -- you can cast a spell of level X using X sorcery points. There's nary a slot involved.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Read again. For Divination spells and Distand Dimention door.

You have Clairvoyance. Which is garbage. It burns 3 sorcery points, has no special sensory powers that could detect hidden traps or guards, is immobile, and could well be detected by the kind of enemies a 10th level character is likely to be up against.

You would be better off picking up Ritual Caster for Find Familiar (and some other divinations that are rituals). Get the familiar to scout out the location for you, it probably has higher passive perception than you do.

You could trade one of your 4th level psionic spells for Arcane Eye, but a familiar is cheaper.

Dimension Door has a range of 500 feet, not 2000, and fails - doing damage to you - if it would place you inside an object or creature. And of course you take falling damage if you materialise in mid air. It's good for escaping if caught, but not so good for getting into an unscouted location.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I think we largely agree on how it works, but differ in a key detail. Fireball is a 3rd level spell. This has nothing to do with slots at all -- it's just a third level spell all on its own. To cast a third level spell, you need at least a 3rd level slot, but that doesn't say anything about Fireball's spell level. Sure, if you use a higher level slot, the spell is treated as a higher level for the relevant purposes of that casting, but it's still a 3rd level spell.

That's my point -- slots don't come into it at all for psionic sorcery. You cast the spell with points, no slots, so even discussing slots doesn't make any sense -- you're using a different mechanic altogether. You can't upcast with psionic sorcery (the point were we agree), but I say it's because there's not slots, and you have to have slots to upcast. The OP is saying that you can pretend to use slots just for the purpose of elevating the spell's level prior to using the different mechanic, but there's no support for this at all. The mechanic is very clear and does what it does -- you can cast a spell of level X using X sorcery points. There's nary a slot involved.

It's an interesting fine print discussion....because I believe that a spell that starts at 1st level (let's use Cure Wounds as the example) but cast using a 9th level slot becomes FOR ALL PURPOSES a 9th level spell when interacting with other rules.

Prime example would be a low level wizard trying to counter spell, or dispel an effect that can be dispelled. I don't think you can counterspell a 9th level casting of Cure Wounds with low level counter slot, and I also think it would be harder to dispell a 9th level Charm Person than a 1st level one.

This is why we just have Cure Wounds now instead of Cure Light, Cure Moderate, etc...

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Its my own build.

I can improve it for you if you like.

Race: Variant Human Aberrant Mind Sorcerer level 10
Ability Scores (level 10): STR 8 / DEX 14 / CON 14 / INT 12 / WIS 10 / CHA 20
Feat: Ritual Caster (Find Familiar etc)
Proficient Skills: Stealth, Deception, Arcana, Perception, Investigation
Tools: Thieves' Tools.

Metamagic option: Heightened, Twinned Spell, Quickened Spell
Background: Urchin

Cantrips Known: Shocking Grasp, Control Flames, Minor Illusion, Mould Earth, Mage Hand, Create Bonfire, Chill Touch
Spells Known: Shield, Dimension Door, Mage Armor, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Scorching Ray, Invisibility, Hypnotic Pattern, Sleep, Disguise Self, Greater Invisibility.
Psionic Spell: Hex, Dissonant Whispers, Mind Spike, Suggestion, Enemies Abound, Clairvoyance, Summon Aberration, Arcane Eye, Dominate Person, Synaptic Static

 

[Hohige]

I think we largely agree on how it works, but differ in a key detail. Fireball is a 3rd level spell. This has nothing to do with slots at all -- it's just a third level spell all on its own. To cast a third level spell, you need at least a 3rd level slot, but that doesn't say anything about Fireball's spell level. Sure, if you use a higher level slot, the spell is treated as a higher level for the relevant purposes of that casting, but it's still a 3rd level spell.

That's my point -- slots don't come into it at all for psionic sorcery. You cast the spell with points, no slots, so even discussing slots doesn't make any sense -- you're using a different mechanic altogether. You can't upcast with psionic sorcery (the point were we agree), but I say it's because there's not slots, and you have to have slots to upcast. The OP is saying that you can pretend to use slots just for the purpose of elevating the spell's level prior to using the different mechanic, but there's no support for this at all. The mechanic is very clear and does what it does -- you can cast a spell of level X using X sorcery points. There's nary a slot involved.

I agreed almost everything, except.
"You cant upcast a Psionic Sorcery"
For me Its completely wrong.
The spell level isnt The lowest level that you can cast.
Lets say.
I want to cast a level 6 Fireball. " Reading rules, The spell assumes LEVEL 6. THE SPELL IS LEVEL 6.
But with Psionic Sorcery, you can cast It with Sorcery Point instead Spell slots as normally.
There isnt any spell level restriction as MAGIC INITIATE feat does.
The Magic Initiate is pretty clear about It, you must cast It as Its lowest level.
Psionic Sorcery has no restriction.

My Point is.
Spell's level is determined when you cast It.
Now I use SP instead Spell Slots

To me Its pretty clear. Specific beat general.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I want to cast a level 6 Fireball. " Reading rules, The spell assumes LEVEL 6. THE SPELL IS LEVEL 6.

No, that is not the rules. I can tell English isn't your first language, so that may explain your misunderstanding.

There is no "I want to cast level 6 fireball". When you cast Fireball, you may do so using a higher level slot if you have one. This rule refers to casting with spell slots ONLY. If you are not casting using spell slots this rule is irrelevant.

 

[Hohige]

Sure if you really focus on your DC, which is a totally legit focus, then it has it's uses. A Divination Wizard who finds they have a low numbered Portent left near the end of the adventuring day might want to use it too for a guaranteed lock-down for a round.

The problem of course is not only is it single target, and not only does it have no effect on a save, but the target gets a new save at the end of every round, and also any time it's attacked (and the later save is with advantage). So it's really not a "reliable" spell even with a high DC. It also has a short range of 30'. So you're not even taking down a target that's fleeing with it.

For me, I find I tend to drop Tasha's from my prep list eventually. There are just too many spells my Wizard needs to prep which take priority.

The Wizard has limited prepared spell and Tasha's laughter consumes prepared spell AND spell slot.
For Aberrant Mind, Its free and consumes only 1sp. The Aberrant Mind level 10 has 53 Sorcery avaiable.
Its completely diferent scenarious. Its really cheap for The Sorcerer.

 

[Hohige]

No, that is not the rules. I can tell English isn't your first language, so that may explain your misunderstanding.

There is no "I want to cast level 6 fireball". When you cast Fireball, you may do so using a higher level slot if you have one. This rule refers to casting with spell slots ONLY. If you are not casting using spell slots this rule is irrelevant.

Forgot Spell slots, Its gone. Now Its Sorcery Point equal its level, Its assumes level 6.
Specific beat general.
Specific beat general.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The Wizard has limited prepared spell and Tasha's laughter consumes prepared spell AND spell slot.
For Aberrant Mind, Its free and consumes only 1sp. The Aberrant Mind level 10 has 53 Sorcery avaiable.
Its completely diferent scenarious. Its really cheap for The Sorcerer.

It's far from free. You can only have two psionic spells at any level (1 to 5), and at level 1 there are shed-loads of good ones to choose from. As opposed to say level 3, when you really have to scrape the barrel to find two.