D&D Debuts Playtest for Psion Class

Wizards of the Coast is playtesting the Psion class for Dungeons & Dragons. Today, Wizards of the Coast provided a new Unearthed Arcana for the Psion, a new class for the current revised 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. The playtest includes base class rules plus four subclasses - the body-shifting Metamorph, the reality warping Psi Warper, the offensive-minded Psykinetic, and the Telepath.

The core mechanic of the Psion involves use of Psion Energy die. Players have a pool of energy dice that replenishes after a Long Rest, with the number and size of the dice determined by the Psion's level. These psion energy dice can either be rolled to increase results of various checks/saving throws or spent to fuel various Psion abilities.

While the Psion and psionics have a long tradition in D&D, they've only received a handful of subclasses in 5th Edition. If the Psion survives playtesting, it would mark the first time that Wizards of the Coast has added a new character class to D&D since the Artificer. Notably, the Psion and psionics are also heavily associated with Dark Sun, a post-apocalyptic campaign setting that many considered to be off the table for Fifth Edition due to the need to update parts of the setting to bring it current with modern sensibilities. However, the introduction of Wild talent feats (which replaces some Origin feats tied to backgrounds with psion-themed Feats) in the UA seems to suggest that Dark Sun is back on the table.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

You know what else has been a hit over the past 20 years? John Wick and Fast and the Furious movies. So we should immediately get the Russian Mafia and Street Racing into D&D right? And license the Marvel Universe for use of the characters' likenesses in Faerun, too! Those movies literally made BILLIONS over the past 20 years for Disney. And it's not like Hasbro hasn't made Disney Licensed Toys over the past forever and a day.

You realize D&D has always done this right? I'm pretty sure we already have multiple flavors of the Russian mob in D&D, I think there's definitely stuff like that in Eberron and Ravnica. And to a lesser degree, kung fu movies were huge in the late 70s so a bunch of dorks made the monk class to cash in on that popularity.

 

[GarrettKP]

In 5e 2024, it is becoming standard to have a Passive Perception, Passive Insight, or Passive Investigation. I think any of these three can recognize if someone is casting a spell, and what that spell is and does.

You thinking this and it being true about the rules aren’t the same thing. Nothing about any of those skills work with identifying a spell, which are rules laid out in Xanathar’s.

In Xanathar’s, the rules clearly say people can perceive the casting of a spell only if it has a Verbal, Somatic, or Material component. If you remove all three, you don’t have a way of being identified as casting a spell.

As for what the spell is or does, the rules also cover this. In the same section, it states you must use a reaction to make an Arcana check (not Perception or Insight or Investigation) to identify what spell is being cast.

That’s the rules. And before you say “Xanathar’s is old and not 2024,” the 2024 PHB says this about perceiving a spell:

“Awareness of Being Targeted. Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature doesn’t know it was targeted by the spell. An effect like lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read thoughts, goes unnoticed unless a spell’s description says otherwise.”

And the only mention of identifying a spell outside the identify spell is a sidebar in the PHB that says you have to take the study action to make an Arcana check to identify a “non-instantaneous” spell and nothing about instant spells. So the Xanathar’s rules are still the most comprehensive we have.

Just because you don’t agree with the rules doesn’t change them. Targets of spells don’t know they are targets until the spell is obvious or its description says otherwise.

 

[Steampunkette]

If that's what you think the response about Post Apocalyptic settings, then you're the one reading to respond and not understand.

I very specifically said that I would bet that they would enjoy a post apocalyptic system, because of the popularity of the various post apocalyptic shows and movies that have done very well over the last 20 years, when the audience of D&D now would be watching these things.

My points was not that it would be an absolute yes, but then your point wasn't to show that it would be a no, but rather that it would be an unknown. So yes, my point of it being likely do to real reasons from the real world was relevant as a response to your point that it would be an unknown. You implied that it would be a shot in the dark, because unknown. My point was that it wasn't a shot in the dark. We have evidence that the folks who play D&D also like post-apocalyptic settings, so there's a good chance they would also enjoy playing in one.

Your point is that it's not a shot in the dark because some nebulous group of people which may or may not include this fanbase likes Post Apocalyptic TV and Moves.

Which is just as valid an argument for instead making OneD&D Modern... Which is really unlikely to happen. Possibly less unlikely than Deadpool and Greycloak having a hilarious banter-filled battle through Undermountain with Halastor repeatedly portaling Deadpool away only to turn around and find him still snarking within 50ft...

But would they be popular WITHIN the D&D community? That's the shot in the dark.

Anyway. I reiterate my previous points, and also point out that once again you didn't respond to the thrust of my post to instead niggle over a detail. In particular you do so in a manner to try and spin things around to reverse victim and offender which, y'know. Doesn't -really- speak highly to your intention.

If I am wrong, by all means posit the REAL reason or collection of complications that has resulted in Dark Sun not being released for 5e. Form a position, argue from that position, and we continue.

But I won't be accepting more "No. You're wrong." without any counter-position.

 

[Parmandur]

Hanging on to nonfunctional or dysfunctional rules is unhealthy for any gaming system.

If most gamers ignore spell components, then it is time to delete them from the game, for the same reason D&D dropped Encumbrance from the game.

Definitely dont bake bad rules into future D&D products, especially not into a psionic option where they dont belong.

Spell components are not a dysfunctio al rule, however, they work very well at the table in play in my experience.

 

[Staffan]

Professor-X and Magneto built the cerebro chamber to amplify Xs powers, and Magneto has his helmet to block out telepathic influence.

These are 'magic items'. They have nothing to do with how the mind manifests a spell.

Speaking of which, I really disliked that the movies had Magneto's helmet blocking telepathy (and then that making its way back into comics continuity). In the days of old, Magneto was resistant to telepathy because he was just that strong-willed, and Xavier couldn't affect him without using overwhelming power which he didn't want to do (until Fatal Attractions) because that would likely cause permanent damage.

That said, I have no issues with psionics requiring crystals and gems and such as lenses to focus particular powers, as long as it's very much a sometimes thing. I'll also buy using particular herbs and such to attain particular states of consciousness needed. It might not be within your primal/shamanic psionics wheelhouse, but it's definitely part of the overall concept.

 

[Parmandur]

Encumbrance rules are still in the 2024 PHB dude. They didn’t drop anything. If WotC dropped every rule that most people ignored, we’d be doing improve with no ruleset to speak of. Every rule gets ignored now and then. Doesn’t mean they shouldn’t exist.

I seriously question the very premise that "most people" ignore any given rule. "The five tables I play at ignore a rule" is a far cry from proving "most."

Especially components, where managing those narratovely is very impactful in combat.

 

[Steampunkette]

You realize D&D has always done this right? I'm pretty sure we already have multiple flavors of the Russian mob in D&D, I think there's definitely stuff like that in Eberron and Ravnica. And to a lesser degree, kung fu movies were huge in the late 70s so a bunch of dorks made the monk class to cash in on that popularity.

D&D has a lot of thieves guilds. But I'm talking about the Russian Mob complete with the slav squat and track suits. I'm talking Dominic Toretto pealing squealing donuts in Silverymoon. This Strawman was meant to be a COMPLETE one. Not a question of allegorical connection or general gesture towards pop culture.

As far as Monks and the 70s and stuff... yeah, kinda? The early TSR creators made stuff they thought was "Cool" into D&D. Usually through an incredibly western perspective, but they did it. Whether it was a cash grab to get in on Kung Fu flicks or just the designers trying to mimic in text something they personally thought was cool, though... Harder to really say without asking them.

But yeah. I'm talking about straight up licensing "The Avengers" to put them in the Forgotten Realms 'cause those movies made BILLIONS. Everyone would love it, right? It certainly wouldn't put anyone off due to it not being what they want out of the realms or Fantasy RPGs in general...

Right?

 

[Parmandur]

They used to call it the 'Oberoni Fallacy', when saying that if Rule Zero can fix a bad rule, then the bad rule doesnt need fixing.

I think calling something that is not a fallacy by a made-up fallacy name is bad rhetoric, if not quite a fallacy.

 

[Staffan]

D&D has a lot of thieves guilds. But I'm talking about the Russian Mob complete with the slav squat and track suits.

 

[Yaarel]

You thinking this and it being true about the rules aren’t the same thing. Nothing about any of those skills work with identifying a spell, which are rules laid out in Xanathar’s.

In Xanathar’s, the rules clearly say people can perceive the casting of a spell only if it has a Verbal, Somatic, or Material component. If you remove all three, you don’t have a way of being identified as casting a spell.

As for what the spell is or does, the rules also cover this. In the same section, it states you must use a reaction to make an Arcana check (not Perception or Insight or Investigation) to identify what spell is being cast.

We are playtesting. This is the time to point out pain points, imbalances, and specific constructive improvements.

This version of the Psion is manifesting 'spells'. So we need to think about what this means flavorwise and balancewise.

When the Psion class comes out, it needs to explain how to recognize when one is manifesting. A future book can clarify how to recognize spells using the Passive Investigation-Insight.

That’s the rules. And before you say “Xanathar’s is old and not 2024,” the 2024 PHB says this about perceiving a spell:

“Awareness of Being Targeted. Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature doesn’t know it was targeted by the spell. An effect like lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read thoughts, goes unnoticed unless a spell’s description says otherwise.”

And the only mention of identifying a spell outside the identify spell is a sidebar in the PHB that says you have to take the study action to make an Arcana check to identify a “non-instantaneous” spell and nothing about instant spells. So the Xanathar’s rules are still the most comprehensive we have.

Just because you don’t agree with the rules doesn’t change them. Targets of spells don’t know they are targets until the spell is obvious or its description says otherwise.

That is a relevant passage you cite from the 2024 Players Handbook.

Even so, it basically says, "DM decides" what is obvious or subtle.

Probably manifesting can be subtle (if the caster actively trying to conceal it). So having rules that refer to Passive Investigation-Insight can help clarify.

For what it is worth, in games I DM, someone telepathically reading thoughts − that is direct mind-to-mind link, like physically hugging or wrestling. Normally that is obvious. If the caster is trying to 'mentally pickpocket' unnoticed by a target, then that is a kind of skill contest.