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.

 

[Steampunkette]

Maybe. And int based. Still a lot better than just a subclass of something.

Link please?

The link to a free copy of the Esper, with all powers and stuff needed to play it, is in my signature.

It's also in Paranormal Power.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Better question: when the survey opens are you going to down vote it for not being to your ideal or are you going to say "this is fine, but I prefer esper"?

I mean, I do prefer Esper (and Level Up psionic classes) to WotC's late entry, and I absolutely trust @Steampunkette 's judgment, but why yuck someone else's yum?

 

[Shardstone]

I mean, I do prefer Esper (and Level Up psionic classes) to WotC's late entry, and I absolutely trust @Steampunkette 's judgment, but why yuck someone else's yum?

I think it's the opposite, Steampunkette came in here and yucked this Psion and said she'd prefer her own. I think she's in her rights to do that, but you're really flipping the cause and effect here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think it's the opposite, Steampunkette came in here and yucked this Psion and said she'd prefer her own. I think she's in her rights to do that, but you're really flipping the cause and effect here.

I'm saying I agree with her not-as-preferred-as-esper preference, but I also wouldn't vote down WotC's offering, because I don't need it and it seems a lot of folks need WotC to design this class for them.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

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.

 

[SkidAce]

Hmm, they can only change their prepared spells on level up.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

In truth I want WotC to create a psion class just so that everyone will finally shut up about it.

You jest but I'm not sure you're entirely wrong on this one!

I will be very interested to see the context of the book that this appears in (assuming it doesn't meet The Fate Of All Psions), like will this be just a generalized psionics book like the Forge of the Artificer is a generalized magitech book? I.e. presumably it'd contain Psion, psionic subclasses not found in the PHB, Shardminds and a couple of other "Psionic" races?

Or will it be, as you suggest is possible, a version of Dark Sun? I suspect the former rather than the latter, but it is worth noting that the people who tried to kill Dark Sun, and the only WotC person to ever openly say "Nah we're not doing that" to Dark Sun are all gone from WotC now.

 

[Von Ether]

I'm saying I agree with her not-as-preferred-as-esper preference, but I also wouldn't vote down WotC's offering, because I don't need it and it seems a lot of folks need WotC to design this class for them.

My answer was always, “re- skin the Sorcerer.”

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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.

This has always been such a weird argument.

"We can't have a setting where the bad guys are doing unequivocally bad guy things!"

Sticking swords in slavers is what good guys do.

And speaking more broadly, Dark Sun is game about climate change and powerful ruthless individuals destroying the world for personal gain. That's a heck of a compelling idea for a setting for 2026.

 

[Steampunkette]

Better question: when the survey opens are you going to down vote it for not being to your ideal or are you going to say "this is fine, but I prefer esper"?

I'll treat it like any other WotC class: I'll respond to the entire survey process based on balance metrics and discussion points they bring up. I'm not going to review bomb it and pretend it's mechanically the worst thing in the world or anything.

And yeah. I'll tell them I much prefer the Esper if there's a space to do that.

I'm sure this class is a perfectly cromulent spellcaster that will function like all other spellcasters in 5e.