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.

 

[Mind of tempest]

A victory for me on the "Psions should be spellcasters using spells" advocate group!

Now my comments at first glance:

• I think Psions still using Somatic components are relevant since after all how often do you see comic book telepaths putting their fingers on their temples to use psychic powers. Also going into some of the Indian mysticism that psionics came from, Psions are using Mudras.
• Don't like the fact that the starting range of Telepathic Connection is 5 feet, it should be 30 feet.
• Psionic Modes, I was almost worried they were going to bring back the complicated psionic combat with that name. But it's just a simple mode change to do some things. Easy enough, but I think they should be things more subclasses (beyond those that already do) expand on.
• I feel Psionic Restoration could be usable more often, I think the key of the class is how often do they spend Energy Die, whether it be like the Monk, Sorcerer or Bard.
• The Psion can expend a lot of the Hit Point Dice, it might be a thing where they burn themselves out.

Disciplines:

• Biofeedback when combined with any of the features that expand on the number of Energy Die rolled, might get you a lot of temp HP
• Destructive Thoughts has it's uses against those creatures that always succeed on wisdom saves
• Devilish Tongue should be renamed into something like Mind Bending or Telepathic Influence, but I feel a bunch of these skill boosting disciplines should just be combined.
• Ego Whip might not get much use requiring an opportunity attack, but I guess it allows a Psion to actually do something with an opportunity attack unlike most Wizards or Sorcerers
• Expanded Awareness, also see my thoughts on combining the skill boosting disciplines into one
• Id Insinuation, 2 energy die might be costly, though I'd have to compare it against the Lore Bards cutting words but it's probably really useful forcing a failed save.
• Inerrant Aim, the Psion I feel though needs a little more spells they can attack rolls with.
• Psionic Backlash, it's a little confusing the wording to me, is it subtract 2 energy die from the attack roll and inflict that much psychic damage on a failed wisdom save?
• Psionic Guards, really useful as I feel the Psion should easily overcome frightened and charmed
• Swift Precognition, could be costly but could do a lot
• Tactical Mind, I still think the skill boosting disciplines could be combined
• Overall they could do with a few more Disciplines and some subclasses could get unique Disciplines

Spells:

• I feel that most of the expected spells are in the Psion list except for Yolande's Regal Presence for 5th level spells and Wish (as I feel a epic level Psion should bend reality with their mind) at 9th level
• There should be at least 10 more new spells
• They should have Mind Blast as a new spell, a spell that functions a lot like the Illithid Mind Blast as a 5th level spell
• The Psion needs at least 1 other offensive Cantrip beyond the 3 they get
• I like that Summon Astral Entity is the return of Astral Constructs
• Telekinetic Crush I feel can be tweaked upwards in damage, maybe 5d8
• Telekinetic Fling, that's like being Gambit as a cantrip

Subclasses:

• I like my flesh sculpting Psion subclass though it might need some more durability especially when they get into melee, like maybe more temp HP (Biofeedback is a must) or +Int mod to AC
• The Psi Warper I feel is the weakest of the bunch, their thing is teleportation and I think they should teleport more.
• Instead of the Psi Warper getting Shatter but with these changes maybe they instead should get a new spell.
• Psykinetic though is one I like a lot, especially with the modifying Telekinetic Propel and Empowered Attack Mode
• Rebounding Field is also cool
• Heightened Telekinesis might cost too much, also remember that Telekinesis as a spell is already fairly high level
• Telepath I like the aspects of coordinating telepathically with the rest of the party
• My thoughts Scramble Minds are the same a Heightened Telekinesis, though Confusion is a lower level spell compared to Telekinesis

Wild Talent Feats:

• Overall I like these feats, but I'd really have to see what new backgrounds they'd offer
• Between Atmokinesis, Cyrokinesis and Pyrokinesis I think they could make a subclass around those feats, there were Pyrokinetic and Cyrokinetic prestige classes before. Even though the Pyrokinetic was sort of like a fire-themed Soulknife.

a blaster of elemental damahe could wokr for the class

 

[Corinnguard]

Between Atmokinesis, Cyrokinesis and Pyrokinesis I think they could make a subclass around those feats, there were Pyrokinetic and Cyrokinetic prestige classes before. Even though the Pyrokinetic was sort of like a fire-themed Soulknife.

A 5e or a 5e-adjacent version of PF1's Kineticist class would be a better alternative here.

As for the Soulknife, we need to bring back the Soulbow prestige class and make it into a subclass for the Ranger.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We can't forget the dorjes, that worked like magic wands, the power stones, single-use, the psicrowns..or the cognizance crystals that worked like bateries of power points. Do you remember the psycoactive skins?

If the psion needs a craniosacral massage as somatic component... can't she wear hats or helms?

Other point is if monsters with psionic attacks used a power points pool then these could be spent mainly in the highest-level powers.

There is other reason for a spiritual succesor for DS instead the region of Tyr. This option could allow space for new classes with special mechanics like martial adepts or incarnum soulmelders.

My suggestion is psionic spell slots could be spent to become power points. Then the power balance shouldn't be broken because we keep the limit of the highest-level powers. It could be showed a little space in a page like an optional rule.

Magic is to ride a dragon, psionic is to become the dragon.

Should the lurk (complete psionic) to be only a rogue subclass? Divine mind could be a paladin or cleric subclass but... why not a second psionic class?

Could "cultivators" from xuanhuan/wuxia/xianxia fiction to become a second psionic class?

Let's remember today in 2024 the manganime is a great influence in all TTRPGs.

The 2024 psionic powers should be easy to be adapted to a sci-fi setting, for example Gamma World.

* Some time I imagine the age of despair in Dragonlance if psionic powers were present or available. In the past I also suggested an alternate timeline where Dark Sun and Dragonlance were merged into a hyrborean-punk mash-up. (And I would add infernal dragons)

 

[mamba]

Why do you need to?

ok, so I bind and gag the wizard, but the psion gets their throat cut when they get captured, works for me

 

[mamba]

Dark Sun, where arcane magic defiles the world and siphons life out of it to power spellcraft, but psionics explicitly doesn't because that power is from within yourself.

never liked psionics in Dark Sun, so you have a light and a dark side of ‘the force’ in the preserver and defiler, and then you decide that it is for fools, because psionics are just magic without the downsides of either…

 

[Steampunkette]

never liked psionics in Dark Sun, so you have a light and a dark side of ‘the force’ in the preserver and defiler, and then you decide that it is for fools, because psionics are just magic without the downsides of either…

You must've hated the Clerics and Druids back in 2e that also ignored Preserving and Defiling, then, too, I guess?

 

[Chaltab]

There was also not actually a downside to being a preserver relative to 'regular' D&D. You progressed as normal, defilers just progressed faster.

 

[Remathilis]

Why do you need to?

Or you just knock them out. Keep them drugged. Or some other method. Binding doesn't have to work on every spellcaster.

I'm going to assume all you town guards kill on sight.

 

[DEFCON 1]

You know... at this point I think with everyone getting so bent out of shape about all of this junk related to the Psion and psionics, I think it's best that we all vote 'Red' on the upcoming survey and kill psionics once again. Obviously people can't handle having it in the game.

 

[Maxperson]

ok, so I bind and gag the wizard, but the psion gets their throat cut when they get captured, works for me

Pros and cons! Everything has pros and cons.